David Stephenson » eastern kentucky

Jennifer Garner visits Jackson, Ky. for Idol Gives Back

David Stephenson — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 23:35:56 +0000

Jennifer Garner and Idol Gives Back in Jackson, Ky – Images by David Stephenson

In March, I was hired by Fox TV to be the still photographer for the segment they were producing for American Idol Gives Back, which feature actor Jennifer Garner visiting the LBJ Elementary School’s Save the Children outreach program in Jackson, Ky.

Garner and the video crew were great to work with and very low-key during their visit. After watching the episode, I thought they treated the subjects of the stories with sincerity – something that many in East Kentucky are wary of.

Dateline: Wild Cat

David Stephenson — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 13:14:56 +0000

With a nod towards the basketball post-season and Kentucky’s beloved men’s AND WOMEN’S teams, Amy Wilson and I took a trip to Wild Cat, Kentucky in Clay County to resume our Project Dateline series. I had to take a little break from working on this series since I left the Herald-Leader nearly a year ago. But now we’re back on it and I hope more will follow as summer marches on. Let’s just hope the cats march on as well!

WILD CAT — At dawn, the Mouth of the Beech Creek River is a deep jade green. The ground that rises up all it is the unmistakable color of wood shavings. The sky above it is cloaked in a still frozen fog. Visible in dark patches, freshly turned earth, ready for planting.

Still, the roosters down at Larry Owens’ compound are noisily gearing up for their big every-morning-doodlefest, beaten already to the punch by the gee-whiz daffodil bulbs which have forced their greens up and their yellow petals out to greet this day.

It’s March Madness in Little Wild Cat, a town of maybe 75. That might not count the whole Combs family that lives over in Big Wild Cat, says Chris Davidson, who is out in his camo-gear this morning, thinking of bagging a few squirrels, and isn’t up to doing a census.

To read Amy’s complete story, you can check out the Project Dateline website.

Natural Bridge + iPhone + AutoStitch = Wow

David Stephenson — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 01:43:32 +0000

Updated with a new pano from January 8, 2010:

That AutoStitch iPhone app never ceases to amaze me. I took a trip to Natural Bridge State Resort Park Sunday afternoon hoping to catch some of the fall color before it was too late (me and a few hundred other folks apparently had the same idea – I’ve never had to wait in line to get up the Sky Lift before). While under the arch, I thought I’d give the ol’ cell phone/panorama thing a try.

Thirty-two iPhone photos stitched together in AutoStitch in a matter of minutes produced the image above. It’s like magic to me.

Santa Train: This time in video

David Stephenson — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 03:11:53 +0000

This is the 67th year that the Santa Train has ridden a 110-mile route through Appalachian towns in eastern Kentucky and southwestern Virginia handing out toys and gifts to thousands of rural families before culminating in a parade in Kingsport, Tennessee. The Santa Train was originally created as a means for the Kingsport and tri-state businesses to thank their customers who came in from out of town to shop and has become a family tradition experienced through generations.

Last year was my first time covering the Santa Train, and the finished product was an audio slide show. I was so struck by the event that I vowed to go back and cover it again only this time with video. It’s an interesting comparison, really: Both had audio, but one had moving images and the other did not. I’m still not sure which one I like better, although I’m leaning toward the still version.

Anyway, enjoy the ride and Merry Christmas!

Natural Bridge showing its fall color

David Stephenson — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:35:38 +0000

Had a pretty awesome Sunday afternoon at Natural Bridge. The colors were better than I had expected, but still a bit muted. To see an iPhone pano stitch of Natural Bridge click here.

Cutting through the competition

David Stephenson — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:03:46 +0000

Competition draws crowd to see who is the fastest tobacco cutter

September 3, 2009 – Lancaster, Kentucky, USA. Alvin Stamper, 26, defends his title as the tobacco cutting champion at the Garrard County Tobacco Cutting Competition. At the end of every summer during the tobacco harvest, men gather to compete against each other to see who is the fastest at cutting the crop before it is hung in the barns to cure. From planting to the auction house, tobacco remains one of the most labor intensive crops and the hands and backs of laborers have yet to be replaced by machines.

This video and a complete story with photos is available for licensing.

Shot with the Canon 5D Mark II, 24-105 IS f/4, 70-200 IS f/2.8, 300 f/4. Sony wireless mic and Sennheiser MKE 400. Gitzo 2451 CF tripod with 2180 head.

Back from Picture Kentucky in Hindman

David Stephenson — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:19:33 +0000

Just wrapped up the four-day Picture Kentucky workshop, held this year in Hindman, Kentucky. I had to sneak out in the early a.m. to get any shooting time in, so a handful of us went to the strip mines to look for elk. They didn’t disappoint!

Santa Train Chugs through Appalachia

David Stephenson — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 15:54:41 +0000

For the 66th time, Santa rode on the back of a train, stopping 14 times through Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee handing out gifts and toys to children and their families.

Perched on the tail end of a train, Santa Claus pitched toys and candy to hundreds of people gathered along the 14 stops of the 66th annual Santa Train on Saturday. Joined by singer Kathy Mattea, the Santa Special made it’s way along a 110-mile route through Appalachia to handout 15 tons of toys and gifts to families. The Santa Train, which made three stops in Kentucky, is co-sponsored by CSX Transportation, the Kingsport Area Chamber of Commerce and Food City. Photo by David Stephenson | Staff