In Local News...

Look what was in this week's base paper:

Awesome, huh?  I think so, anyway. :)

Tomorrow is the big day! I hope everyone who wants to participate has signed up on the Worldwide Photo Walk website.  As of today there are 1111 Photo Walks taking place around the world tomorrow with more than 31,483 participants!! I'm so excited to participate in this even and even more so I'm honored to have been accepted as a Walk Leader!

For those who are participating here are a few things to keep in mind as posted by Jeff Revell on the PhotoWalkPro blog:

• #1 – Show up early There’s just no way of knowing what might delay your arrival, traffic, parking, a herd of rogue sheep. The point is that you want to make sure that you get to the starting point with enough time to feel comfortable and relaxed instead of trying to catch up with the pack.
• #2 – Make sure you bring ground support By that I mean bring some water, maybe a little sunscreen, some comfortable shoes. What ever it takes to keep you comfortable and focused on shooting.
• #3 – Charge up Don’t wait until Saturday morning to discover that your camera batteries are low or even dead. Put your batteries on charge tonight so you will be ready to roll tomorrow morning/afternoon. Helpful hint: put your batteries on charge next to your camera so you don’t accidentally grab your camera without the battery.
• #4 – Think about how much equipment you want to bring and then think again I know it’s nice to be prepared but really, lugging camera gear around can really start to wear on you, especially as the temperature goes up, or down for that matter.  Try to focus on simplicity instead of carrying the kitchen sink.
• #5 – Check the weather forecast I know that sounds like a no-brainer but I have heard it time and again, “I didn’t know it was going to be so hot/rainy/cold.” A quick peek at the Weather Channel will make sure that you are dressed apporpriately for the day.
• #6 – Leave the tripod at home Yes, you would undoubtedly get some tack-sharp images by using your tripod but it will also tend to get in the way more than it will be a help. If you must, go for a monopod instead. You can make it double up as a walking stick and you won’t have people tripping over it while you shoot.
• #7 – Safety first And second and third It’s so easy to become glued to your viewfinder and forget about everything going on around you and this is when accidents happen. Just a couple of weeks ago I was walking with my family down a stret in Antigua Guatemala, shooting, walking, and having a ball. The problem was that I paid more attention to what i wanted to take a photo of instead of the hole in the sidewalk in front of me. Needless to say, my foot went in the hole, my knees hit the ground, followed by my hands. My camera and I escaped with only minor scratches but it could have been worse. Take care to know where you are standing when you shoot and don’t go walking backwards off a curb and into the path of a car. Also, keep an eye out for your fellow walkers and help to keep them safe as well.

I think that covers everything.  I'm looking forward to a fantastic day tomorrow!