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The Women’s March in Washington D.C. Part 3

January 26, 2017/0 Comments/in Editorial, personal, Photojournalism, Volunteering /by Deirdre Ryan

This is what Democracy looks like! This is what Democracy looks like! This is what Democracy Sounds like! This is what Democracy Sounds like!

Over and over the chanting through the crowds like a battlecry to make the voices heard and to let others know that once the day was over, it was going to continue. You may ask, well where were these people during the elections and for voting? They were there all along.
What was the Women’s March about?
Read the signs, look at the people, I saw Christians, Muslims, Pagans, Asians, American Indians, Blacks, Spanish, not just Caucasian. People from all walks of life too. You can’t tell a book by it’s cover, instead talk to them and listen to their stories.
As I type this up now, the news is not good regarding healthcare, immigrants, the Dakota pipeline, our children’s education and so much more. Even NJ’s Pinelands are being threatened by a pipeline, and another just 3-4 miles away from where I live.

The Onondowa’ga’ American Indians with the Onondaga Nation’s (“People of the Hills”) flag.
We are Onondowa’ga’

The Onondowa’ga’:

Have a Matrilineal Society

Respect Women and Elders

Honor Mother Earth

Give Thanks Daily

The Onondowa’ga’ are smart.

Be like the Onondowa’ga’.

I managed to get inside the rally with my backpack, it weighed 25 lbs, on me it was huge, as I’m just 5’0 and around 100lbs. I was super polite and determined to get through the crowd. And then I came to a fence. No one would let me in because even though I had a press pass, I wasn’t able to get the Media Credentials. Security said that I should’ve gotten there sooner. Well I tried, but the crowds were crazy, my bus was parked in MD, and it took longer than expected to get there. I was upset, exhausted, sore and more than anything, disappointed. Disappointed because I wanted to do the very best job that I was asked to do, and I was sooo close to getting to the stage.
So I’m just standing there, catching my breath, figuring out my next move while taking some photos. I then hear a woman say to me, you’re making me feel uncomfortable. Thinking that I had hit her with my bag, I immediately said I’m sorry, that I was with an organization and was trying to do my job of documenting the event. I showed her my pass, and yet she kept talking….I’m very uncomfortable with you and your backpack…I’m still not getting it. I had not been able to eat lunch yet, so I said, I’m sorry what? She said, Boston? Backpack? You weren’t checked in by security, so I’m very uncomfortable with you being here. Once again, patiently I said, politely explained who I was with, etc., and she kept going on and on. Finally I was like, where can I go? You’re making me uncomfortable by saying these things to me, you know what’s uncomfortable? Carrying around my gear, all day, gladly, and not being able to go to a certain point to do my job! Then the other women around me started telling her to be quiet, and that I was just fine, and that we are all here to support one another. She finally stopped, but really there’s always one person….

As you can see, I was really close, and don’t think I wasn’t tempted to make a jump for it. But after much thought, I decided I needed to get out of there as the march was going to start really soon at this point.
So once again, I wiggled out of there, excuse me please, excuse me please, thank you, excuse me please, excuse me please, thank you, until I got out. My name that day was The Excuse Me Please Girl with the Big Camera Backpack….

Back on C St., everyone was filing out, and somewhere the march had started….
I loved this guy <3

Someone was listening to me…Planned Parenthood’s Cecile Richard was walking right by me and a large awesome group of women gathered around her for a group shot. Thank you!!!

I found another pile of steel to stand up on, so I climbed up and had fun!

This mother and her daughters were chanting, this is what Democracy looks like! This is what Democracy sounds like!

Entire families were there. My aunt, uncle, sister-in law and my niece were somewhere there too! I tried to find them, but phones, and connections didn’t work very well that day.

I loved how people would stop in front of me so that I could take their picture.
Many people were there from Standing Rock. By now I was hearing drums….

Love her sunglasses, Pink Batgirl!

Pure joy….

I actually ran into friends on this busy corner! The woman on the left wearing the green jacket is one of my daughter’s Girls On The Run coaches from NJ! By then I HAD to eat. I stood in line, ordered and ate for about an hour from one of the food trucks. I got swayed by the delicious smells of chicken and french fries.
After eating, I made my way around, taking more photos….the march has pretty much ended it seemed in this area.

Abe Lincoln still commands…
People on the stage were still speaking…
I just followed everyone and found great people and their signs…

These two 16 year olds were being interviewed….

I said something funny and wrong to get their reactions…

I took their photos with their cell phones, and then I took one with mine, an even trade…

My hair had reached the point of no return at that point, but I got my picture.

So why did everyone march? To be heard, to be seen, to show everyone in the senate, the congress, in the White House, that women, children and men won’t sit down and do nothing. Read the signs they are carrying, they have real concerns, look at those who are in wheelchairs, or look to yourself if you have a pre-existing health condition.

More people showed up for this than the Inauguration, that’s a proven FACT. This march wasn’t just held in Washington, D.C., but in cities, towns, and countries all over the world. Even in the Antarctic there was a protest. If all of this is going on, with MILLIONS protesting, then you must be really “not liked very much”…..something’s got to give.

Stay tuned for a continuation of this story in another post. I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below! Thank you!

All photographs appearing on this site are the property of Deirdre Ryan Photography. They are protected by U.S. Copyright Laws, and are not to be downloaded or reproduced in any way without the written permission of Deirdre Ryan Photography. Copyright ©2017 Deirdre Ryan All Rights Reserved.

The Women’s March in Washington, D.C. Part 2

January 25, 2017/2 Comments/in Editorial, personal, Photojournalism, Volunteering /by Deirdre Ryan

It took a REALLY long time to make it to Washington, D.C. I mean every single Metro stop was jam packed with people trying to get on the trains. It was very warm, I felt like I over dressed, and I’m thinking that I’m so glad that I packed a travel sized deodorant!

We got off at one station and wow! There was no way that I could get through. Then I spotted someone with a Press Pass and asked him where C St. was and he said he had to go to that area as well. So we both went back to the trains, and got back on and got off at Federal Station SW Station. Getting out of there took a long time too. But once we broke free into the cooler air, it felt not only better, but the excitement, the sense of knowing that you were meant to be here was so strong! Immediately I started to take photos and so did he.

I found a great place to get a better view of the masses of men, women, and children, all carrying these fabulous and creative signs. I mean, they were really awesome, some were truly works of art. People came by in using crutches, wheelchairs, canes, families had their babies and children in strollers, slings, carrying them on their shoulders. Teens, tweens and elementary school kids came by all with their signs, chanting, singing, I mean it was amazing. The masses kept coming and coming and coming. And this was just to get into the rally to hear people speak.
Of course there was a group of extreme Christians, blaring Bible quotes into a speakerphone across the street. They kept turning up the volume. Everyone gets to have a voice 🙂

This ambulance had to get by, and once everyone got back together behind it I yelled out something about ambulance chasers. People thought that was really funny 😉

The man on the far right is Kyle Edward Cranston, of WUSB 90.1 FM of Stony Brook, Long Island, NY. Kyle helped me find my way around the Metro after realizing the first stop was so bad, we both couldn’t get through. He’s a Reporter, Commentary and Producer for A Woman’s Perspective on Politics with Zabby!! Thanks for your help and great conversation Kyle!

I loved this sign that simply said…Ugh!

This young woman next to me was with her mom who was live Tweeting I think, was shouting out anti-Trump and positive women chants for the crowds. It was really great!

As you can see, my hair completed frizzed out so much, it lost it’s curl and became very fluffy LOL! Photo by Kyle Edward Cranston.

I personally love the Catholics For Choice group….

This was great! A pink pussy cat shaped like a traditional Chinese Dragon used to celebrate New Year’s.

I got my picture taken a few times too!

This woman stopped right in front of me so that I could take her picture, I didn’t have to ask her to do anything.

A group of women were from NY holding up beautiful handpainted Statue of Liberty torches.

This was Part 2, Part 3 is coming up with new images, stay tuned! Did you see Part 1 yet?

The Women’s March Washington D.C. Part 1

January 23, 2017/0 Comments/in Editorial, personal, Photojournalism, Volunteering /by Deirdre Ryan

After reaching out to my other friends in the press and media, I contacted Unite Women to see if I could freelance for this in order to get a Press Pass and enable me to bring my camera gear on the march without the need of a clear plastic backpack. I was granted one if I could shoot the event for them. Of course I said yes!

Myself and several other women, men and 2 small children, drove down from Hamilton, NJ by bus starting at 5:15 AM, but I carpooled with friends to the bus at 4:15AM, so I was up by 3AM.

We ended up having to park in Maryland, and take a Metro subway into the Washington, D.C. from there. It took over an hour. The line was incredibly long, but I used my Press Pass, politely cut in line, and got on the very next train.

I had my Think Tank photo backpack with my Olympus mirrorless camera, three lenses, a flash, a Camelback water bottle, various other essential stuff like reusable batteries, etc., but the main heavy item was my 15″ MacBook Pro. All in all it weighed about 25 lbs which I ended up carrying on my back and shoulders all day long. Yes, it hurt…no I didn’t complain really. But I’ll get to that later.

I met the most incredible people, we helped each other out, shared stories, laughed, and spoke out about an uncertain and scary future with Donald Trump in the White House.

There are more images coming up in a second and third blog post….

Part of our NJ group waiting in the ENORMOUS line in Maryland at the Metro station….

The woman above is a Marine mom and works in marketing 🙂

This woman is gay and is married to another woman, and is a New Yorker film maker with her friend who was also on the subway. Check out their channel Quesodigital.com! I cannot wait to see what they’ll post from the march!
Listening to the live broadcast of Gloria Stein at the March on her cellphone during the few times we had service on the crowded Metro line.

This was a beautiful service dog all ready for the march!

Stay tuned for more images and my experience from my beautiful weekend!

Putting A Lot Of Love In Our Hearts

January 19, 2017/0 Comments/in Editorial, personal, Photojournalism, Volunteering /by Deirdre Ryan

On Sunday, January 15th, 2017, The Dorothea Dix Unitarian Universalist Community raised the rainbow flag..again. Why, you may be asking, is this so significant? Because a few weeks back, someone had stolen the one that was waving underneath the American flag that stands outside their building right here in on Park St. in Bordentown, NJ. By doing so, that person or individuals, committed an act of hate. This is something that is not new to the LGBTQ community, but I am proud to say that many of my friends here in Bordentown took a stand, donated money to purchase another rainbow flag, and because of this, we showed whoever did this that we do not hate, but love each other.

Welcoming remarks were said by, Warren Spengler, President. AFter Mr. Spengler spoke, everyone was encouraged to sing “Put A Little Love in Your Heart” sung by the Tunuunitarians. Speakers were Rabbi Julie Pfau, Rev. Gene Quavel, DDUUC Spirit Circle, Rev. William Stell, and Rev. Flo Gelo. Nami Lane sang”Imagine” by John Lennon.

It was a packed house with standing room only, filled with prayers, good will and children were part of the blessing of the new rainbow flag. As we all went outside to witness the flag being raised up, everyone was ask to touch the flag for kindness and good spirit. Blessing of the flag….

Below is a quick shot of my friends with Rabbi Julie Pfau.

It was such a beautiful day, the sun was out, the weather was perfect. We went back inside for refreshments and to catch up with everyone. Thank you to all who came to make this such a special event!

All photographs appearing on this site/post are the property of Deirdre Ryan Photography. They are protected by U.S. Copyright Laws, and are not to be downloaded or reproduced in any way without the written permission of Deirdre Ryan Photography. Copyright ©Deirdre Ryan All Rights Reserved.

My Personal Favorite Images of 2016

January 5, 2017/6 Comments/in Business Portraits, Editorial, event photography, Music Photography, personal, Photojournalism, Portraits, Volunteering /by Deirdre Ryan

As we begin 2017, I want to acknowledge all of my clients who helped make 2016 a success. First, thank you for your business and for the opportunity to help in creating and presenting your business brand. Here’s to your continued success. For my future clients I look forward to working with you and doing the same.

Happy 2017!

These are in no particular order, just my favorites from 2016.

This was for a husband and wife team, they needed images for their website and branding for their new business. One is a personal trainer and the other is a therapist and life coach. Working with them beforehand, they knew what they wanted, and it ended up being an amazing environmental photoshoot!

Christine who is a sleep consultant, photographed in her home office and in her yard. In her home office, her true personality shone with her witty sense of humor. Click here to see the full session.

My dear friend, Roseanne, let me photograph her one day, trying out some new techniques that I wanted to try. They show off the two sides of her, both are strong women, but in different ways.

A real estate salesman needed his headshot like “yesterday”. This is his second career after many years doing something else. I didn’t have time to get set up in my studio, so I did this in my living room/foyer. He loved it, and so did I, it shows his true awesome personality.

Our daughter ran her first 5K with Girls on the Run(GOTR), when she was in the 4th grade. They work with the girls each week to empower, embrace, and create a positive place for the girls to achieve something that they may have never done before. Here you see my husband spraying her hair purple, and then later they had facial paint and accessories to have fun with before the race. She finished, even beat her practice run time, we were so proud of her!

My friend Dr. Sarah Meanor is a Chiropractor and hired me to photographer her and the office for her website. I love this image as she is working on a patient’s back and shoulders.

The day before the 2016 Presidential Election, I was fortunate to drive down to Philadelphia, PA with some friends to see and hear President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and Madame Secretary Hillary Clinton speak in front of Independance Hall with roughly over 30K people. We couldn’t get very close, but I did capture this image of a child singing how we were all going to Hell as sinners, etc., with an extreme “Christian” group. You see plain clothed PPD officers guarding them. I can only assume the man with her is her father. And I say it like that because as a liberal Catholic, I don’t believe God would like this at all.

We spent a week in Ocean City, NJ over the summer, got horrible news about a dear friend passing unexpectedly the day we were traveling down. The next day we had a wonderful photoshoot with my friend. The image above is this young lady’s first time ever flying a kite.

Every morning in Ocean City, NJ I woke up early, got my coffee at OC Coffee Roasters on the boardwalk and read my book on the beach. This one morning, the sun and the clouds made it look “almost” like the afternoon golden hour sunset.

The above image was for at first a dating profile, but then became a lovely collaboration for yoga and a gorgeous glam shot outside!

Another collaboration for marketing and branding. I love this because she is sitting in a bronze statue on Princeton University campus, the colours, her expression, she is such a free spirit! Click here to see the full session.

We went canoeing on the Delaware River and Crosswicks Creek with our daughter’s 2nd grade teacher. I love how the light hits them both, so peaceful as we were rowing back.

I shot these headshots during a workshop and I just love how they turned out. All natural lighting, indoors, and working with these gentleman turned into great images, and I can work anywhere.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie came to my hometown and did his town hall meeting. He was there to discuss his Fairness Formula to NJEA teachers, staff, residents of Bordentown, and those from other towns. I love this because it shows how he sometimes talks to people, there was another person who asked hard questions that he didn’t seem to like either. But when he talks, he asks for no interruptions.

The day after the Presidential Election, I was really feeling down and depressed. I’m still not okay, but that day I went for a walk shot some images…. The woman just happened to be jogging right past me and I found it perfect. Reminding me that we need to move, and make a difference in our own ways to get things done.
I was bored one day, and needed to get out of the house. I did a model call on Facebook, and my clients gave me a call to photograph their new puppy. I had done their portraits before with all three of their Great Danes when they had their oldest, but unfortunately he passed away. They knew that his day was coming, but that doesn’t make it any easier…I used two kinds of lighting with each image. The first, I adore the look George was giving his owner in the golden sunset light. In the second, I used 2 lights and in post I Photoshopped the leash out of the image, it gives him a regal look.

My dear friend Randy brought one of the Ghostbuster’s ECTO – 1 that was used in the new movie that came out over the summer.
I love the look of the these headshots that I did in the park for my fellow networking business colleagues. They are bright, pleasing and make my clients look amazing. Click here to see the full post!
Our daughter is a Junior Girl Scout and every year, she and many other troops as well as Boy Scouts from all over, come together to place flags on the graves of veterans at the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Wrightstown, NJ. The image below is with my father, her grandfather, a Ret. Lt. Col. Army.

My clients, NJPAC, invited me to photograph their Martin Luther King event. I had been there before for their Kwanzaa event, and each time I’m there, I have such a good time! The energy of the choir director for the children’s choir is amazing.Randy Now brings a lot of great acts and musicians to our area. This was the Killer Triple Bill Concert at the Performing Arts Center in Bordentown, NJ. Here you see The Doughboys, Jet Weston and His Atomic Ranch Hands and The Sharkskins. I get my rock photo influences from the 60’s and 70’s and I like to work this into my work.

These in yellow I had the wonderful opportunity to photograph these beautiful women in pin up genre, it was full of playing dress up with the clothes, makeup and hair. This was in a local store in my town and I hope to do this again as it was a lot of fun and the women all enjoyed themselves.

We went to Asbury Park, NJ with friends and I was able to get this shot of our daughter <3 She is my world!

Ask anyone who knows me, I love cars! And lucky for me, we have an annual car show right here in Bordentown, NJ and I get to volunteer for it!

This is my dear and one of my best friends, Lisa. We have known each other since HS, she was a Freshman, I was a Sophomore and now lives in Austin, TX. She was in town for barely 2 days, but made time to see friends. We took a few moments for a fun shoot, this was right before a bikini body competition, and I had to spray her with a lot of bug spray LOL!

The Bordentown Board Of Education asked me to photograph their Annual St. Patrick’s 5K Run. I love this because it shows my friend helping his daughter with her shoelaces right before the race is about to begin.

I was invited to photograph the NAWBO-NYC Chapter’s 3 Hour Boot-Camp-Full Morning To Grow Your Business at the Microsoft Building in NYC and they had a fabulous guest speaker, Stephanie Breedlove. She had just sold her company care.com and hearing her speak as a woman entrepenuer was inspiring.

This last image was for my first clients of last year, Pinot’s Palette of Princeton. They had their Grand Opening, and I was invited to photograph the event.

Surrounded By Thousands Who Love Each Other

November 8, 2016/0 Comments/in Editorial, personal, Photojournalism /by Deirdre Ryan

And it was amazing.

The plan to go into Philly was last second, to be among so many at Independence Hall with President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, and of course, Democrat Elect for President, Madame Secretary Hillary Clinton. History was being made last night and hopefully today. In the birthplace of our nation last night, I was there to hear and be among the many, who love each other and believe that Love Trumps Hate.

So it started on Facebook like this:

My friends were like, Hey, who wants to drive down? A few of us were like Me!!! I know Philly very well having lived there in Center City on 15th and Locust. So we decided to take the PATCO train from Collingswood, NJ across and get off at 8th and Market. But first, teh kids had to get picked up from school, etc. So we didn’t get there until pretty late.

Market Street was shut down and everyone was re-routed around Independence Hall, (due to security), and we ended up in a LOOOONG line all the way down to Lombard St. to Jim’s Cheesesteaks on South St.(my favorite place, forget Pat’s or Gino’s!). We kind of knew we weren’t going to get very close to anything. The main thing was to be there, with the kids. I wanted my 10 year old daughter to be there, but she’s just getting over a head cold and still has a very nasty cough. There were a lot of families there with their children, moms with their daughters, both old and young. But my friend Jen drove her mini van with her 2 youngest, and our friend Kim and her oldest daughter joined us.

We did hear Bruce and Jon Bon Jovi, BOTH from New Jersey so my home state was very well represented thank you very much 😉 There were protests of course, but those of us for Hillary, we were so nice, and polite. Everyone was happy to be there, it was like a big happy family. You couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful fall evening, no one was complaining. The common goal was that we were THERE. Not once did I feel like my life was threatened or did I feel unsafe. Even in the massive crowds.

Below are my 2 friends and the children.Many people were taking advantage of this opportunity to make some money. You could buy buttons while in line.
These guys were having pizza delivered and selling it with beer to those standing in line from their apartment stoop.
You could buy t-shirts.
We all loved this guy, he constructed a screw and sat on it with a sign that reads,”SCREW TRUMP”.
He was a big hit with everyone except the Trump protestors that came over and with their signs and screamed at us.
And then of course there were the extreme “Christian haters”, and I honestly have no idea why they call themselves Christians, because they go against everything that Jesus teaches about love and peace.
But like I said, overall, everyone was just happy to be there last night. We felt safe, not violated, not worried(at least I didn’t), I mean, yes, it was crazy crowded, but not out of complete control. No fighting, no craziness.
This young man in the wheelchair I think was trying to get in with a press pass of some sort….
These people were right behind us. At one point I broke away from my friends and went to wiggle my way to the protestors.
This little girl was singing about how we were all going to hell…it was very sad 🙁
This guy who portrays Jesus goes around Philly a lot…
Apparently Jesus is going to vote for The Don Trump…So that was the cause for a riled up discussion.
I got people to have fun for me in front of my camera.
Below is the artist who created these paintings of President and First Lady Obama and Madame Secretary Hillary Clinton.
These Don Trump supporters kept spewing their hate by driving by…
A very kind woman photographer who had a ladder lent me a couple of seconds and I managed to get this one image of President Obama during his speech.
Like a said, a lot of people brought their entire families with them and that was wonderful to see.
This little boy climbed the ladder too to see The President and Hillary Clinton, he was that excited to see them both, and he was only about 8 years old.
I made some new friends and we watched Hillary’s speech on Facebook Live 🙂

My friends and I got back on the PATCO via the 8th and Market stop easily enough although we had to go around to Arch St. over. The fun part was that we got to walk in the middle of the streets.

We were tired from being on our feet, thirsty, a bit hungry, the kids were just awesome, they stuck it out and were amazing. But they wanted to be there, and that’s the best part. The kids that were there WANTED to be there! They were excited to see the President of the United States of America and the next President, a woman, who is a mom and and a grandma. They can relate to that.

Below is my iPhone video from where we were standing last night.

iPhone photos:

I decided to use my new Olympus OM-D E-M5II mirrorless camera and I rented the Olympus M. Zuiko ED 12-40mm f2.8 Pro lens and the Olympus FL-600R flash. However I didn’t know that there is a secret to that lens to enable the autofocus and that is to pull out a certain ring on the lens, and so all night I was really frustrated and had to be in Manual focus in nearly all dark situations, like years ago with my Nikon FM camera. I couldn’t figure it out, so I took out my Olympus M. Zuiko ED 40-150mm f4.0-5.6R lens, and then the autofocus was just fine. I also had a learning curve with the flash as well. I’m just so used to Canon, so I got everything figured out. I didn’t want to return that Pro lens though, it was really nice and now that I know what to do, I wish that I had more time with it. I have to say, I carried 2 lenses and a flash in 1 pack that was attached to my Think Tank Photo Modular system all night and it weighed next to nothing! I SUPER loved that.

A huge thank you to my parents who enabled me to go last night and helped out with our daughter. Without you both, I would not have been able to go. I love you both very much. And thank you to my friends, I’m so happy that I went!

Christie Works The Fairness Formula Around Protestors in Town Hall Meeting

August 24, 2016/0 Comments/in Editorial, Photojournalism /by Deirdre Ryan

First off, I am no longer with a news outlet, so when I was called to attend this town hall meeting, I originally thought it was to cover this for a media outlet. 😉

Hope Hose Humane Fire Company is literally down the street from me, so I got my cameras, and photographed the protesters on Burlington and Willow St. And then I went inside, thinking that I would have to go and sit down, but I was pleasantly surprised to be allowed to photograph with the press and media. I did explain who I was and who I used to be with(The Packet Publication and that I am now a freelance commercial photographer), I gave my business card to the gentlemen and then settled down in a spot. I am really thankful and grateful to have been allowed to do this today.

I saw a lot of people that I knew, including Mayor of Bordentown City, Joe Malone, Ziggy Targonski, Mayor of Bordentown Township, Jill Popko, and many others in the community.

New Jersey State Governor, Chris Christie stopped by Bordentown, NJ to explain his Fairness Formula to NJEA teachers, staff, residents of Bordentown, and those from other towns. He’s calling for a fixed $6,599 in state aid per student. Supposedly this would greatly reduce property taxes in our town, which are enormous, and in other towns. Bordentown Regional School District spends about $19,851 per student and we have a graduation rate of 88.5 percent, while Asbury Park spends about $33,609 per student and their graduation rate isn’t as high, just 66 percent.

I quote David Levinsky, staff writer for the Burlington County Times:
“He said the state’s 31 poorest districts haven’t made substantial improvements in three decades, despite receiving millions in additional aid.”If money were the solution alone to this problem, those 31 districts would be the crown jewel of public education in America,” he said. “I’m tired of hearing the fiction that money will solve the problem.

“Christie was challenged during the town hall-style event on West Burlington Street by several audience members, among them Sue Altman, of Camden, who got into a lively back-and-forth debate with the governor after asking how the city’s school district would be able to provide a suitable education to students once millions of aid are phased out. “You can’t get blood from a stone. There’s no money in Camden. Where are you going to get it from?” Altman asked.

Christie pointed to the success of charter schools in Camden, saying they have had tremendous success with much less state funding. When Altman began to interrupt, Christie tossed his microphone to her. “I would love for the miracle of charter schools to come in and swoop in and save the day. I’d love it, and I’d be the first person to send my child there. But they do not serve the same demographic of children as the regular public schools. They don’t spend the same amount of money,” Altman said, pointing to the private dollars raised by some charter schools in Camden. ”We’re not talking apples to apples here,” she said, before throwing the microphone back to the governor.

Christie responded that charter schools have used different rules, approaches and methods of teaching to achieve better results, but that traditional public schools have refused to adopt similar changes, such as a longer school day or school year because of their teachers unions and collective bargaining agreements.

“There’s lots of bargains that could be made if compromise was available. But longer school days and longer school years have consistently been off the table. Because when the Legislature has proposed these types of things, we have seen the crowd come to Trenton to lobby against it,” he said.”

There were a lot of protesters from the NJEA(New Jersey Educational Association) which is the statewide union for teachers. They claim that this Fairness Formula is not fair and that it creates a disservice to the urban school districts while the suburban districts maintains funding for charter schools at the expense of the many traditional public schools in our great state.

Bordentown Township’s Mayor Jill Popko.

First Mayor Joe Malone of Bordentown City came out to introduce the Governor, and then Governor Chris Christie came in and went right into his speech.

This gentleman was from Mount Laurel. NJ and was talking about housing. Not necessarily a question, but Christie seemed to think he was running for something…

This woman had a question regarding retirement and teachers being laid off , I believe, and her mother who was a teacher and had to take a job and continue working even though she was in her 70’s.

This is Sue Altman of Camden, NJ.

Asking about NJ’s gas tax and having a laugh about not having to pump gas in our state and that a poll said that 70% of women didn’t want to pump gas. Having lived in other states when the weather was really hot, freezing or with torrential downpours,, yeah..I don’t want to pump gas in extreme weather. BUT I don’t like waiting around either and actually like having control over how I put fuel into my car.

Talking to woman about incriminating people with drug addiction…

Many hands were raised with questions to be answered, but there was limited time.

Here are two people getting their picture taken with the Governor. Some were happy with what he had to say about the Fairness Formula. Although it was hard to gauge with quite a few.

And some didn’t get the answers they were looking for.

Emotions were high for this town hall meeting, as I’m sure they are for his other ones. There is a LOT at stake for this one.

Good Times for The Monkee’s LP Debut

August 19, 2016/0 Comments/in Editorial, Music Photography, Photojournalism /by Deirdre Ryan

The Monkee’s album, Good Times, was made available on vinyl LP last week and Randy Now’s Man Cave in Bordentown, NJ had them in limited supply. Thankfully, we were able to get a copy before he was sold out. Our daughter loves The Monkees(thanks to her mom and dad) and really wanted to get this on vinyl. Like good parents, we’ve taught her how to use a record player and tape deck. With the LP she got a mini poster, a sticker, and a coloring book!
Here is what the tracks are with the songwriters and singers listed(thanks to Wikipedia):

1.”Good Times”
Harry Nilsson
Micky Dolenz with Harry Nilsson
2:46
2.”You Bring the Summer”
Andy Partridge
Micky Dolenz
3:00
3.”She Makes Me Laugh”
Rivers Cuomo
Micky Dolenz
3:00
4.”Our Own World”
Adam Schlesinger
Micky Dolenz
2:45
5.”Gotta Give It Time”
Jeff Barry/Joey Levine
Micky Dolenz
2:17
6.”Me & Magdalena”
Ben Gibbard
Michael Nesmith with Micky Dolenz
3:33
7.”Whatever’s Right”
Tommy Boyce/Bobby Hart
Micky Dolenz
2:00
8.”Love to Love”
Neil Diamond
Davy Jones
2:29
9.”Little Girl”
Peter Tork
Peter Tork
2:42
10.”Birth of an Accidental Hipster”
Noel Gallagher/Paul Weller
Michael Nesmith with Micky Dolenz
3:31
11.”Wasn’t Born to Follow”
Gerry Goffin, Carole King
Peter Tork
2:53
12. “I Know What I Know”
Michael Nesmith
Michael Nesmith
3:30
13.”I Was There (And I’m Told I Had a Good Time)”
Micky Dolenz/Adam Schlesinger
Micky Dolenz
2:15
Yes, that is Davey Jones on the album, it was originally recorded in 1967.
Once again from Wikipedia:
“The title track was written by Harry Nilsson and a surviving demo from the late 1960s was used incorporating Nilsson’s vocals posthumously in a “duet” with Micky Dolenz. Davy Jones performs the Neil Diamond-penned track “Love to Love” which was recorded in 1967 for the Monkees’ third album in a Don Kirshner-supervised session while the group was trying to gain musical independence from Kirshner. Once he was removed, the song was discarded in favor of recording an album of songs both sung and played by the group. The resultant album was Headquarters. For its inclusion on Good Times!, Dolenz and Tork contributed new backing vocals.”

I can only imagine what it must have been like hearing that track in the studio with Davey not being there….

It’s a very good album and one that I encourage you to listen and purchase on LP or cd or download off of iTunes.

Here’s a cellphone photo of our daughter holding up her loot, The Monkee’s LP, Good Times, a coloring book, poster and a sticker. The rest I used my Canon Mark 5D III and Canon 24-70 f2.8mm L lens and some I used the Canon 600-RXT flash.

Randy was playing The Monkees tv show, so after I go our daughter the LP with the extra goodies that it came with, I took some photos. There was a photographer from The Burlington County Times, we chatted a bit. He took a photo of us in some way, but since I’m not a subscriber to that paper, I can’t see the article. I’ll go to the library and check it out there.

Some fans wearing their Monkees t-shirts to make their purchases and check out what else Randy had in the shop.

Update:

I use Twitter and when I posted and tagged Mickey Dolenz, he not only Liked this post, but retweeted it to his over 29K followers! How super awesome is that? I’m still grinning from ear to ear 😀 Thank you again!!!

Bordentown’s Annual Classic Car Show

July 18, 2016/0 Comments/in event photography, personal, Personal Photo Project, Photojournalism /by Deirdre Ryan

We have a terrific car show that happens once a year, the Street of Dreams. This is a classic car show where the youngest car must be at least from 1991, the year I graduated from Notre Dame HS! LOL
I love volunteering at the registration tent, because this means I get to see the cars and some trucks coming in before the show officially opens. I love cars and having this happening right up the street from me is a lot of fun.
If you are a lover of cars and trucks, take a look. The money raised goes mainly towards the The Foundation For Bordentown Traditions traditional Independence Day Celebration, and the group brings about wonderful community events.
All images and content are copyright Deirdre Ryan Photography, it is illegal to copy or screenshot any of the images on this website, thank you.

This beautiful Ford Cobra was built in South Africa, I just love the paint and interior on her!

This is the Hawkman and he came last year, love the colour!

Truly one of my favorites, a 1964 Chrysler New Yorker Falcon 412, you do not see that many around these days. And this was in great condition for a car that was something that was used everyday. The owner let me sit inside and open the throttle as much as I wanted and encouraged me to go even further. It was a lot of fun!
I loved the finishing touches on the lime green Volkswagen bus with the matching moped!

So many great vehicles, so little time! I met a lot of great people and women who love cars and fix up their babies and enjoy working on them. If you are one of these women, please contact me.

Let's Connect!

Who You Gonna Call? Ghostbuster’s!

July 10, 2016/0 Comments/in Editorial, Photojournalism /by Deirdre Ryan

Today at Randy Now’s Man Cave the new Ghostbuster’s ECTO – 1 Car pulled up in front of the shop. Instead of an ambulance, it’s an early 80’s Cadillac Hearse. About 6 of these were made for the movie during filming of the new Ghostbuster’s movie that’s coming out, and this was one of them.

My husband and I came by around 4:30PM with our daughter and her best friend fresh from seeing The Secret Life of Pets(go see it, it’s really good, we have been waiting a year for it!), I had my Canon 5D III, Canon 16-35mm f2.8L lens, and a Canon 600EX-RT flash on me to take some photos of it and the girls.

Randy was helping people with the kids, taking pictures of everyone with their cellphone cameras, and being awesome as usual 🙂
Also today was the last chance – for a copy of the 2-dvd set RIOT ON THE DANCE FLOOR and the second edition copies of the since out of print for two years, NO SLAM DANCING, NO STAGE DIVING, NO SPIKES with both book authors and film directors on hand to sign copies. These are about the legendary club, City Gardens that was on Calhoun Street in Trenton, NJ and Randy was a HUGE part of it.

I’m kicking myself because I completely forgot about this! I’m finally reading my first edition copy and here I was RIGHT THERE taking pictures of the car and I could’ve also had my book signed too! DANG IT! But I got some nice images of my friend Randy and that in itself makes me super happy. You can see the process of how I shot these quick portraits of him to get the one that I think is the best.

I had to work quickly because A.) there were cars driving by while I was in the middle of the street and B.) Randy was pretty busy, but somehow I knew that he didn’t get any photos of just himself with the vehicle yet by the time I got there. Randy loves to do funny poses and I love that about him, however I got him to do some pretty cool ones with the hearse.

I like the shot below because it’s in between him posing and he’s laughing and relaxed, having a good time with me 🙂

Then I got the idea to have Randy sit in the back with “Slimer”, and after a couple of frames, this is my favorite shot by far.

Here’s me and “Slimer” taking a “selfie” with my camera…Photo by David W. Ryan. (BTW, that camera with the lens and flash is not lightweight to hold it out like that for too long.)
I don’t know how he manages to get things to his shop or people to do concerts, but the man has a TON of connections. Thank you Randy for bringing this piece of Hollywood to our small town today. Tell him thanks by commenting on this blog post and also go to this link:

Let’s get him voted for Best Record Store and bring Bordentown even more in front of everyone than before! Thanks!

THE TRENTONIAN READERS CHOICE AWARDS / VOTE FOR RANDY NOW’S MAN CAVE / BEST CD STORE / BEST MUSIC STORE / AND FILL IN THE “MISCELLANEOUS” WITH “RECORD STORE” NEAR THE BOTTOM FOR RANDY NOW’S MAN CAVE