Mark E. Johnson [ • ] Photojournalist

• RT @NewsHouse: The Empire State Building shows it's SU spirit! (Photo from @carmenjcox) http://twitpic.com/qfwix via @AlyssaHenry #
• Headline of the week: Solar project delayed by wind http://tinyurl.com/yzqg3vt #
• Last podcast from the spring workshop, this one on how to survive in journalism: http://visualjournalism.info/?p=889 #
• Phew … 3,599 words on what gear students should buy: http://visualjournalism.info/?p=899 #
• Turkey prepped & cooking? Check. Wife's pies done? Check. Her stuffing? Check. Mashed taters? Check. Is it still a song about Alice? Check. #
• @rachelwaits @jakeforddaniels If you've ever hung around on the Group W bench, you'd understand. And if you haven't, you're very lucky. in reply to rachelwaits #

I am not an overly sentimental guy, but I give thanks for what I’ve been given every day. My family, my friends, my career and, for more than 20 years, my passion for storytelling through visuals.

My friend Sean Elliot posted a link to the Help Portrait site yesterday and it has me thinking – and wanting to give back a little. Help Portrait is an effort to have photographers – pros and hobbyists, anyone with a camera – shoot a portrait of someone in need – any need – and make them a print. It’s not about you, your portfolio or your career – it’s about using your gift, your talent, your vision, to make someone else’s day a little better.

I’m in, are you? Because I know I have a lot to give thanks for.

Few things make me happier than seeing someone who loves his work. Perhaps getting to share that passion with my students, so next Tuesday is a big day for me – Dave Labelle will be back on campus and in my classroom.

Life is good.

• @KatherinePoss No, sneezes and sniffles do not count as nat sound pops. Unless you're doing a swine flu story. in reply to KatherinePoss #
• RT: Our problem isn't getting news addicts to pay. Our problem is we need more addicts. (via @yelvington) #
• Over on the VisualJournalism.info site, I posted our first podcast: http://visualjournalism.info/?p=817 #
• Pool fixed? Check. Trees trimmed? Check. Leaves cleared? Check. Door painted? Check. Garage cleaned? Check. Redo work assigned to child? Ugh #

It took some time, but Georgia proudly achieved fall colors over the last week or so.

Canon PowerShot G10, 30.5 mm, ISO 200, 1/200, f/4.5

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Scouring the news for where today’s natural disaster is … but nothing seems to be happening in Rochester, N.Y. …

Seen near some repurposed warehouse facilities in town.

Canon PowerShot G10, 30.5 mm, ISO 80, 1/1000, f/4.5

We have a dog. Don’t know if I mentioned that, but we do. She’s a little thing and has been pretty sheltered, so we decided to take her to the dog park. Didn’t go so well, not much into socializing. She spend most of her time leaking – mostly drool, not sure why.

Canon PowerShot G10, 6.1 mm, ISO 80, 1/800, f/4.0

• Apparently, my bank accounts at four different institutions have been frozen today. But I need to send money to this guy in Nigeria … #
• Now online: Don't Do, Be http://visualjournalism.info/?p=746 #
• Suggested folk band name: Cold Coffee and Gone #
• What has happened to me? I just grumbled about the price of @khoi 's gorgeous new Wordpress theme Basic Maths … http://j.mp/92Tvm So want. #
• @DOsports So, um WHAT HAPPENED? Last update was 35 minutes ago, score tied, 1:24 left? in reply to DOsports #