First Stretch at the Merc

I started my summer job at the Guelph Mercury on May 2, about a week after I finished my internship at The Record. I'm writing and shooting, but there are definitely days when I spend the whole day at the computer and playing phone tag with various voicemail systems. I'd love to be shooting a bit more. We'll have to see how this goes with time.

I will probably post some pdfs of my written work at some point but for now I'm going to stick with some of the photos I've shot over the past two weeks.

CrossFitters Tim Atkinson and Belinda Cox are two of six local athletes heading to CrossFit regionals from May 11-13. Photo by Rachel Psutka. (View accompanying multimedia piece here)

Nicole Hogg, co-owner of Atmosphere Cafe, along with chef and general manager Shawn Gilbert, are pleased to have a defibrillator on site at their Carden Street restaurant. Pictured here on May 11, the pair says that nearly all their restaurant staff have been trained in how to use it. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

Jessica Hua, Nicki Phits, and Alisa Phits run Wacky Tabacky, Guelph's newest smoking accessory store, located on Speedvale Ave. They are one of two new stores opening in the past six months and believe they are filling a niche outside the downtown core. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

Rearing their large yellow heads, dandelions have made their appearance around the city. These few are located in Royal City Park along the Speed River, seen here on Wednesday, May 9. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

Kyle Weltner has been working at Thomas Video for over a year while completing a theatre degree at the University of Guelph. Shown here at the Baker Street movie rental store on Wednesday, May 2, 2012, Weltner is one of the last employees of the movie rental business in Guelph. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

Wellington County weed inspector John Benham points out a group of giant hogweed plants growing in a rural lot near Elora on Thursday, May 3. Despite numerous treatments, the weeds continue to germinate from seeds buried underground. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

Artist Ella Dawn McGeough installs one of 16 panels of colour into a bus shelter in St. George's Square on Tuesday, May 15. Coinciding with the bus terminal move, the University of Guelph Masters student is working with the city to install the colourful panels to help transform the square. The art will be on display until August, when the shelters will be removed and placed in other areas of the city. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

K-W completion

Last Wednesday I finished my last day at the Waterloo Region Record. I'm pretty sad to be leaving such a great newsroom, with such great support from the other photographers and my photo editor. However, I'm excited to turn to my summer position at the Guelph Mercury, something I'm starting tomorrow. I'll be doing a 3-way position there, so this will really test my skills.

I also attended the NPAC annual conference this past weekend in Ottawa and it was definitely a learning experience. I loved hearing from the speakers and it really made me think about what I want out of photojournalism and what I can give as well.

Here are some images from my last two weeks at The Record.

CAMBRIDGE, Ont. (14/04/12) - Customers check out the pies and dumplings for sale at the Wesley United Church Apple Corps booth at the Cambridge Farmers' Market on Saturday, April 14. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

WATERLOO, Ont. (16/04/12) - Shyanne Langer of the Huron Heights girls rugby gets slammed by Waterloo-Oxford players during second half action at the University Stadium in Waterloo on Monday, April 16. The Waterloo-Oxford side won 25-0. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

WATERLOO, Ont. (16/04/12) - Lyndsey Jones of Huron Heights (purple) collides with Leah Fangrad of the Waterloo-Oxford girls rugby as her teammates Ali Govier and Angie Govier rush to help during play at the University Stadium in Waterloo on Monday, April 16. The Waterloo-Oxford side won 25-0. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

KITCHENER, Ont. (17/04/12) - Wilbur Roth and Elizabeth Denbeigh operate Driveway Restore, a Kitchener company that restores cracks and depressions in old asphalt driveways. Pictured here on April 17, the company gives an alternative to replacing an entire driveway at a lower cost. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

KITCHENER, Ont. (17/04/12) - Jamie Nightingale takes Dante, his Old English Bulldog, for a drive on his electric scooter in Kitchener's Victoria Park on Tuesday, April 17. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

WATERLOO, Ont. (18/04/12) - Instruments line the pews following Forest Heights Collegiate's jazz band performance at the Kiwanis Music Festival at Knox Presbyterian Church in Waterloo on Wednesday, April 18. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

WATERLOO, Ont. (19/04/12) - Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, the former Prime Minister of Norway, former Director General of the World Health Organization, and an international leader in sustainable development and public health, speaks to the media at the opening of the University of Waterloo's new School of Public Health and Health Systems on Thursday, April 19, 2012. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

WATERLOO, Ont. (19/04/12) - Emily Kennedy makes the mid-air trek between two trees, also known as slacklining, at Waterloo Park on Thursday, April 19. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

WATERLOO, Ont. (20/04/12) - Jamie Evans performs a flute solo at the Kiwanis Music Festival held at Knox Presbyterian Church in Waterloo on Friday, April 20, 2012. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

KITCHENER, Ont. (20/04/12) - Irena Borg, program director at Hospice of Waterloo Region, provides counselling for families coping with palliative care and bereavement, especially helping young children dealing with loss. Photo by Rachel Psutka. 

KITCHENER, Ont. (23/04/12) - Barry Abelson (left) and Gary Kritz are both 45-year members of the K-W Racquet Club, the all-male squash club that will be celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Pictured in the doubles court of their Kitchener facility, Abelson says it's the years of dedication to squash that keep the club alive. Photo by Rachel Psutka. 

WATERLOO, Ont. (23/04/12) - Annie Hu tunes her violin prior to her performance at the Kiwanis Music Festival on Monday, April 23 in Waterloo. Photo by Rachel Psutka. 

KITCHENER, Ont. (25/04/12) - Toronto Argonauts wide receiver Mike Bradwell tries to steal the ball from Daniel Allen, 8, at the first ever Warhawks Spring Camp for the Twin Cities Minor Tackle Football Association on Wednesday, April 25 in Kitchener. Photo by Rachel Psutka. 

KITCHENER, Ont. (25/04/12) - Toronto Argonauts offensive guard Joe Eppele holds off the efforts of two aspiring linesmen at the first ever Warhawks Spring Camp for young football players in the Twin Cities Minor Tackle Football Association on Wednesday, April 25 in Kitchener. Photo by Rachel Psutka. 

KITCHENER, Ont. (25/04/12) - Toronto Argonauts wide receiver Mike Bradwell demonstrates proper ball handling technique to young football players at the first ever Warhawks Spring Camp for the Twin Cities Minor Tackle Football Association on Wednesday, April 25 in Kitchener. Photo by Rachel Psutka. 

KITCHENER, Ont. (25/04/12) - Nedjo Sarenac gets tied up with his coach and 1976 Olympian Wayne Erdman (on floor) at the Kaizen Judo Club in Kitchener on Wednesday, April 25. Sarenac will be competing at the Pan Am judo championships in Montreal. Photo by Rachel Psutka. 

I also had the chance to shoot one of my favourite things, an OHL game. I've done this so many times, but only in Belleville or Kingston. I got a call late on a Friday night to head down to Plymouth the following day to shoot the Kitchener Rangers as they took in a playoff game against the Plymouth Whalers in Michigan. It was a long drive but a great experience.
 

PLYMOUTH, Mich. (14/04/12) - Kitchener Rangers fans show their support in game 5 in Plymouth, Michigan on Saturday, April 14. The Rangers lost 3-0, now trailing the Whalers two games to three in the series. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

PLYMOUTH, Mich. (14/04/12) - Zach Lorentz of the Kitchener Rangers takes a tumble as Cody Payne of the Plymouth Whalers gets away with the puck in second period action in game 5 in Plymouth, Michigan on Saturday, April 14. The Rangers lost 3-0, now trailing the Whalers two games to three in the series. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

PLYMOUTH, Mich. (14/04/12) - Kitchener Rangers captain Michael Catenacci looks forlorn after the Plymouth Whalers' second goal of the night in third period action in game 5 in Plymouth, Michigan on Saturday, April 14. The Rangers lost 3-0, now trailing the Whalers two games to three in the series. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

K-W update

I know my legion of fans has been waiting for an update, so sorry mom and also the large number of visitors I regularly get from the Ukraine. (This puzzles me as other than a post about perogies I have yet to post anything that would interest the average Ukrainian.)

I've been interning as a photographer since the beginning of April at the Waterloo Region Record. Today marks the approximate halfway point, and I have to say, I'm really happy here. It's an incredibly diverse region, from Mennonites walking down King Street to RIM bosses and their huge, huge houses. Kitchener and Waterloo are such different places that seem to just hit in the middle. I've also spent some time in Cambridge and although it may not be as exciting as K-W, the people I've met there are genuine. I was also force-fed a piece of pie there, so that may sway my opinion.

Here are a few highlights from the last two weeks. I'm excited for the next couple weeks and also to complete a couple of multimedia pieces soon. (This is posted in chronological order because I can't really decide on another order.)

KITCHENER, Ont. (03/04/12) - A firefighter sprays down a vehicle involved in a serious three-vehicle crash on Victoria Street North mid-morning on Tuesday, April 3. The section of Victoria between Lackner Boulevard and Shirley Drive is closed to traffic while police investigate the crash. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

KITCHENER, Ont. (03/04/12) - Four year old Olivia Patte takes in a warm afternoon at Victoria Park in Kitchener on Tuesday, April 3. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

KITCHENER, Ont. (04/04/12) - Madison Dusick and Ainsley Mackay, both Grade 5 students at St. Augustine Catholic School in Cambridge, learn about different nutritional foods at the Waterloo Region Museum. Public health nutritionists were on hand to get the students interacting and learning about the food they eat. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

KITCHENER, Ont. (04/04/12) - Minister of Natural Resources Joe Oliver gets a virtual tour of an oil rig with the assistance of Communitech's Jeff Nesbitt following a speech at the technology headquarters in Kitchener on Wednesday, April 4. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

WATERLOO, Ont. (05/04/12) - The former LCBO on Erb Street in Waterloo will soon be seeing new occupants. Heather Sinclair, CEO of Creative Enterprise Initiative, will be opening low-cost studio spaces like this one to artists, while Maxwell's Music House will open a musical jam space in the basement. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

WATERLOO, Ont. (09/04/12) - (from left) University of Waterloo mechatronics engineering grads Jay Shah, Aditya Bali, and Mike McCauley, along with employee Brad Moggach, are celebrating the success of their company BufferBox. Seen here on April 9 and located in the Student Life Centre at the University of Waterloo, the company has delivered over 700 parcels at its current location to date. Photo by Rachel Psutka. 

KITCHENER, Ont. (10/04/12) - Neil Pasricha, author of the best-selling book, the Book of Awesome, engages with an early morning crowd at a one-day Tech Leadership Conference sponsored by Communitech in Kitchener on Tuesday, April 10. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

KITCHENER, Ont. (10/04/12) - Arianna Huffington of the Huffington Post spoke of beginning a start-up company later in life and the necessity of a good night sleep among other topics at Communitech's Tech Leadership conference in Kitchener on April 10, 2012. Photo by Rachel Psutka. 

WATERLOO, Ont. (10/04/12) - A new periodic table mural, measuring 8 metres by 5 metres, was unveiled Tuesday, April 10, at the Centre for Environmental and Information Technology at the University of Waterloo. High schools from across the continent and even some international schools took part by designing a square that represented an element on the periodic table. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

CAMBRIDGE, Ont. (11/04/12) - Bernice Anderson puts the finishing touches on a cherry pie during a Wednesday morning baking session of the Wesley Apple Corps at Wesley United Church in Cambridge on April 11, 2012. The group has been baking and selling pies and dumplings for over twenty years to raise funds for maintaining their church. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

WATERLOO, Ont. (12/04/12) - Garret Gardiner (left) catches some air while Sam Fidlin takes a break at the skatepark on Father David Bauer Drive in Waterloo on Thursday, April 12. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

KITCHENER, Ont. (12/04/12) - Jamie Teply started Yard Worx Landscape in February after several years of mowing lawns and other landscaping jobs. Pictured at his home in Kitchener, Teply is already working almost full time and is expecting Yard Worx to take off in the summer months. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

KITCHENER, Ont. (13/04/12) - Kitchener's Victoria Park is the perfect place for Matt Thomson to catch a little meditation time on Friday, April 13. The direct sun and quiet atmosphere is ideal for meditation, according to Thomson. Photo by Rachel Psutka.

CAMBRIDGE, Ont. (13/04/12) - Sherry Southgate displays her handiwork in her quilting studio at her home in Cambridge on Friday, April 13. Southgate is a semi-finalist in an international quilting competition. Photo by Rachel Psutka.