Penning Photography Daily

One thing I love to do is listen to the radio. I guess it comes from listening in the car as a youth, while accompanying my Dad, to stations like the old KMOX, the “Voice of St. Louis” as in Missouri.

To get that good of reporting these days, I listen to our local National Public Radio (NPR) station, WUIS. Growing up in this most political of States (Illinois) in a most political Capitol City of Springfield, the second most favorite pastime is politics, second only to sports. One of the best ways to get my political jones salved is through the great reporting on politics by WUIS.

One of the ways I give back to this non-profit, University of Illinois Springfield hosted, radio station is to donate my photography skills as they have a need for them. Last year, after doing some photographic assignment for them, I was asked to do a series of portraits so the station could update their website with head shots of their staff. Over a series of days and nights, I captured most everyone who works at the station or has a regular radio show.

Amanda Vinicky is the Statehouse News Reporter for the station. That means that she knows more about State Government and the political complexities than I’ll ever know. It also means that when the Legislature is in session, she’s working nearly around the clock for what can be several months in a row.

I got Amanda in the first round of photographs, and, she asked for a re-take session. The first portrait was not up to her personal best, probably because I caught her on a very busy day, with little prep-time. I was happy to come back when she’d had plenty of time to prepare. When I got to the studio, she was on the air, doing her newscast, filling in for another staffer. Hair done up in gigantic curlers, I couldn’t help myself and grabbed a photo, through the studio glass, of her reading on air, looking quite unlike this. She was laughing later when I showed her. That relaxed us both.

I used my portable studio setup. A shoot-through white umbrella and one off -camera strobe, with a white bounce reflector to camera right, giving just a touch of glow to her hair and face on that side. A black backdrop and that was all I needed.

Don’t let that smile fool you. The toughest questions get asked of the highest and mightiest by this reporter.

Thanks to everyone at WUIS for the quality of programming they broadcast, especially the Statehouse News. My political junkie heart loves the work that you folks do.