Angie and Mike's Blog

Last weekend Angie and I went to Salina for Cooperstorm IV, a very casual annual reunion of former K-State photographers at Jeff Cooper's house. During the first Cooperstorm, I commented that his garage reminded me of the barn at the Eddie Adams Workshop, aka Barnstorm, and thus the Cooperstorm nickname was born. (At least three, maybe four, of us at this year's reunion are alumni of the workshop.)

We shared a mean meal of chili made by Karen's new husband, Erik, after indulging ourselves on several chips and dips. There was plenty of beer from the brewery in Hays. After dinner we settled in Jeff's remodeled bungalow living room (he created the arch way and the recessed lighting) to share some of the photos we'd made during the past year.

So here's a photo of all of us looking at Kelly's work. It seems he always goes first because he has to leave right away to get back home. Maybe one of these years, he can stay for the entire event.

Labels: On Location, Salina

Karen made a couple of images of me this past weekend. Here I contemplate my first Cozy burger in Salina. I decided to eat it which would come back to haunt me in the middle of the night. The Cozy Inn, in downtown Salina, is well-known for its mini burgers, which are served sans wrapper six to a bag.


Here, ring bearer Braxton watches as a I download a card following group formals from a wedding this past weekend. Is that what I really look like?!! I'm starting to understand why people, for the most part, dislike having their picture taken.

Labels: Heartland, Mike, Salina, work

Sunday marked the third annual Cooperstorm, a photo gathering of some former K-State photographers at Jeff Cooper's house in Salina. Instead of just having dinner and shooting the bull, as in past years, this year we shared pictures. It was too cold to hang out on the deck like we did this summer when Jeanel came home, so we sat in Coop's newly renovated living room instead.


Coop leads the discussion.


Michael Young, who no one had seen in several years, drove all the way back from Georgia State to share with us his artwork. As someone said, seeing Michael Young is like seeing Elvis.

Labels: Friends, On Location, Salina

Angie and I drove up to Salina yesterday to hang out with some other photo friends at Coop's house. It was an informal welcome home party for Jeanel, a college friend and photographer, who's spent more than the past two years living and working in Niger as a Peace Corps Volunteer. That's her, center, marveling at a glass of beer with Karen and Lindsey.


Before the sun went down, Coop hung two long pieces of "end roll" on the back of his house to serve as a projection screen for our presentations as his dog, Frankie, looks on. They say that dogs look like their owners. Long and lanky, Frankie is definitely Coop's dog. (End rolls, for my non-newspaper friends, is like the last paper towel on the roll before you toss it. There's usually several, several feet of clean newsprint left over on each roll. If you ever need to pack a bunch of dishes, go down to the newspaper and see if you can buy an end roll. most papers with printing presses sell theirs.)


Agnes, Lindsey, Karen and Angie wait for the show to start. Coop built the back deck and has remodeled most of the old house he purchased a few years ago on Minneapolis street in Salina. It was a cozy venue for a discussion on photography. It's just too bad not everyone could make it.


Lindsey, a staffer at the Hutchinson News, discusses her coverage of the Greensburg tornado as Coop, Jeanel and Agnes listen.


A beam from a borrowed projector illuminates against a night sky as Coop, a Salina Journal photog, shows photos from a cattle drive re-enactment last fall and the recent flooding in north central Kansas. Coop's garage kinda reminds me of the Eddie Adams barn ... kinda.


Coop is always very insightful.


BYOS. Bring your own slideshow. Next time Angie wants to show pictures of harley and her daddy.

Labels: Friends, On Location, Salina