The Good Guys

Andrew Cratty (cq, left) stands near Loren and Rachel Troyer (cq, bottom left and right) to shake the hand of their son Loren Eric Troyer (cq, far right), who was struck by lightning and critically injured in June, and was saved by the quick-thinking actions of Cratty, during an appreciation ceremony and press conference in county chambers at the Sarasota County Administration building, in Sarasota, Fla., Tuesday afternoon, August 5, 2008. Cratty received a certificate of appreciation from the county for his heroic actions. "Because of his (Cratty) actions, it's what contributed to him (Troyer) being here today," said Sarasota County Fire Chief Brian Gorski (cq). Dr. Steven Newman (cq), Medical Director of Sarasota County Emergency Medical Services, says that there are 22 million cloud-to-ground lightning strikes each year in the United States, which can generate 30 million volts and 10,000 amps from 25 miles away, and account for one in 345,000 deaths from strikes, or 60 deaths each year. Dr. Newman adds that Florida has the highest number of strikes.

I am not one to be overwhelmed by someone who runs a Fortune 500 company, drives an awesome car, or is regarded as a tremendous leader. On the flip side, I am floored by people who do things for the good of their fellow man. Fire fighters, teachers, volunteers and good samaritans, to name a few, all have me at "hello."

Today, I was a bit overcome during a press conference to honor a man who saved the life of another. Both men were enjoying the beach back in June, when a bolt of lightning charged the body of Loren Eric Troyer, and sent him to the ground in a fetal position, critically wounded. The jogger, Andrew Cratty, immediately ran to his attention and began steps necessary to save a life. Troyer is now fine, with the exception of a few minor nervous system issues, and the two met again today in county chambers. When they saw each other and shook hands, you could see and feel the connection these guys had. They had met many times before over the past few months, but this handshake was no different than the others. Cratty was happy to have helped, and Troyer was happy to be sitting next to his bride.

Seeing these bits and pieces of humanity makes me proud to not only be a journalist, but also to witness the good in the hearts of mankind. Even though this was just a press conference and ceremony, it was an "eye of the storm" for me... A place where one can find peace and meaning in the chaos of daily life.

My first video piece (this was just for fun, training)

Milkman

After one full week of sleepless nights, I am beginning to recognize newborn idiosyncrasies that have made me laugh and cry over the past nine days, since Henry Charles Mattson came into this world. He was born at 5:28am, on June 30, 2008 weighing 7lbs. 10oz., and laying 20 inches long. I've looked forward to this lil guy for nine months, and he has not disappointed. I've studied his features, how he looks at me, and can now tell when he is about to paint the walls with urine. This has been such a special process, and is one that I have enjoyed from the start. Yes, it has been hard, like on the first night home when Henry did not get to sleep until 6:30am, but wow! This is just awesome. Simply awesome. I can't wait for the many days ahead of us. This is moments after Henry finished his, uh, lunch.

Exhausting Week

Last week had to be one of the most draining weeks on record. Work volume, combined with hot weather, the stresses of preparing for a child and dealing with office issues, crushed me. This emotional proving ground reminded me of winter training when I rowed at CU-Boulder, in that each day repeated the misery of the one prior. Alright, "misery" is a bit much, but it seemed fitting at the time.

So how did I get out of it? I gambled. My photographs were not as successful as I wanted, but gaining peace of mind through risk taking was a worthwhile endeavor. I had a few small victories, that were the bumps necessary to rise above such emotional quicksand, but the will to push even harder gave me the most satisfaction.

Some of you might know that journalism has a tendency to make people salty. I'm not ready to head down that path just yet. I still get a rush from showing up at an assignment and making photographs. I still love asking questions, and the feeling I get when actual photojournalism is accomplished, instead of simply showing up to push the button. The more I remind myself that I make photographs for a living, the more I succeed.

With that, I bring you a photograph of a rookie firefighter who kept going and going, and found refreshment in the simplest of ideas.

Cheers,

Rob

I am Rob

I am Rob. My career has only been possible through the dedication of my high school teacher Mr. (Mark) Murray, who taught photography at Lamar High School until 1996, college professor Kevin Moloney, who is still shaping the young minds of students at the University of Colorado at Boulder, my wife Amelia, who has been inspiring my vision since we met at CU-Boulder in 1999, and my parents, who raised me to never settle for mediocrity, and always give 110% in everything I do.

I have been a photojournalist since the age of 15, when my mother took me to assignments for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, then waited outside while I processed. I continued this until leaving for Colorado in 1995. After getting in-state residency, I began attending the University of Colorado at Boulder in the fall of 1996. In college, I rowed for four years and ended as a varsity oarsman in the Colorado Crew lightweight eight. I began freelancing for the Rocky Mountain News in 1999, which developed my portfolio enough to get internships that started in 2000. I learned from the best at the Albuquerque Journal, Indianapolis Star, Kalamazoo Gazette, Naperville Sun and Boulder Daily Camera before returning to finish at CU-Boulder in December 2001 with a 3.2 GPA in Journalism. In March of 2002, I began my professional career began at the Courier News, in Elgin, Ill., where I worked for one year.

Currently, I am a staff photographer at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, where I have worked for more than five years. I also freelance for the New York Times, and donate my time, whenever possible, to benefit non-profit organizations that seek cures for cancer and autism. My goal in photography and journalism is to bring about a greater understanding of the world around us.