Fall Athletes of The Year

These past two weeks I've been in the studio making portraits of the Fall athletes of the year for a special section in our paper. To be honest, I was nervous at first trying to figure out how I was going to get a good looking theme but also able to crank out a total of 11 athletes while also taking on daily assignments. After some headaches I decided to keep it simple with two lights and some grids. It was a lot fun in there and after that I feel a little more grounded when it comes to lights.

Here are a handful of the ones that I liked. Thanks for looking.

Merry Christmas!

Beyond The Ring

Like athletes in sports across the world, many of the wrestlers in the New Era Wrestling League out of Fort Myers were influenced by the wrestlers they would watch on television. Heroes defeat the villains and sometimes the villains beat the heroes. A lot can happen in one match. Wrestlers who appear as friends can turn on each other and become enemies. There’s a story that begins to unfold in front of the crowd.

“You have got to tell the story in your fight inside the ring,” said Bruce Stokes, one of the owners of the New Era Wrestling League, “It’s almost like a live action comic book.”

It’s all a part of the show. That’s the main goal for the wrestlers in New Era Wrestling. The show.

Showtime at the Riverside Community Center is starting to get close and all of the wrestlers are backstage getting dressed and going through their own pre-show rituals. Matches are being discussed, some prayers are said and occasionally someone will peak out between the curtains to see the seats being filled with friends and fans.

“When you start to hear the fans coming in, that’s when you start to get excited and nervous at the same time,” said Stokes.

This is the first time the New Era Wrestling League has had a show in the venue. They want to make sure everything goes well so they can keep the fans coming back. Tonight is also important because a new champion will be named. Everyone is a contender. Who will win? Will it be the hero or the villain?

Each wrestler has a character and role that they take on for their match. Richie Paradise takes on the role of a villain. He brags about how great he is and comes across to fans as a man who cannot be beat before he enters the ring. He beats on the hero when he’s down and feeds off the booing of the crowd. The match takes a turn when the hero starts to strike back. The booing turns to cheers and the villain begins to fall. It’s a classic formula that people see everyday in movies, television, plays, and even the world of politics.

Professional wrestling may not be for everyone, but its premise can be relatable to anyone’s everyday life. Sure, not everyone settles a disagreement by battling it out in a ring with four corners and high ropes, even though some people would like to. It’s an escape from the daily battles everyone goes through. Some people like to watch their favorite team score a game winning touchdown, or score the game winning shot at the buzzer; but there are people out there that like to see their hero beat the villain with a power bomb off of the top ropes. In the end, if the end result makes you happy, what’s the difference?

Americana

In The Swamps

Ever since I moved to this area, there have been many different people, cultures, and events that I have gotten to experience. This weekend, the swamp buggy races was a new experience that I was lucky enough to be a part of. Everything surrounding the races is immersed in tradition. I met Tom Engel whose son, Tom, "Tom Cat," Engel Jr., was racing for the first time. Their family and friends have been doing these races for nearly 35 years and were great people. It's not just about the races either. The party and community surrounding it runs deep as well. Dan Hoolihan has had the same spot for nearly 40 years and he and his buddies make some great BBQ.

One of the best parts is that this happens three times a year and I can't wait for the next one.

Veterans Day

Scenes from Veterans Day events in Naples. First, I was at a special mass at St. Peter The Apostle and then a Veterans Day ceremony in Downtown Naples. Here are some of my favorites from today.

Happy Veterans Day and thanks for everything you all have done.

A New Life and A New Family

Late at night on June 22, the Battles family was handed an infant baby girl by a child welfare worker. Justin and Magdalena Battles are acting as the baby's foster parents while the baby's mother is in jail for child neglect. When the Battles' received the infant girl, she was thin and not too responsive and now she's a healthy baby.

Victoria Macchi I spent an evening with the Battles while they had a couple of other foster parents over for a play date with their foster children. It was a pretty eye opening experience to hear their stories about being foster parents. Below are a couple of my favorite photos from our time there. Also, you can read the story by following the link below.

http://tinyurl.com/cxmgf7o

All Hallow's Eve

Halloween in Naples Park...