In Sight

Advocate staff photographers Bob Luckey, Chris Preovolos and I have put together our favorite images from 2009. They depict moments that touched us, thrilled us and simply made us stop and say “This is a pretty cool job.” Enjoy and Happy 2010!

Eduardo Ortiz combs his son Nicholas’s hair before their family portrait session at the “Help Portrait” event at Westhill High School in Stamford, Conn. on Saturday  December 12,  2009.  Help Portrait is a movement of photographers who are using their time, equipment and expertise to give back to those who are less fortunate this holiday.

TOP: Tarek Fahmy, 9 of New York, joins his father Medhat Fahmy and local Muslims as they hold a prayer service for Eid al-Adha at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Stamford, Conn. on Friday, November 27, 2009

ABOVE: A man leads his daughter through the crowd during the service.

A passenger can’t quite believe his eyes as Katie Walker, a member of the world famous Rockettes, rides the southbound Metro-North train from Stamford Saturday morning to promote the railroad’s Radio City Christmas Spectacular excursion package.  I witnessed a lot of these expressions as I rode along with the girls, famously known for their high leg kick chorus line.  Kids, on the other hand, were quick to jump up for photos and ask for autographs.

Connecticut State Senator Senator Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) stops by the City Hall Memorial Wall with his two boys Colin Duff, 4, and Ryan Duff, 7, as George Cooper, a WWII United States Army veteran, and his grandson Josh Meckley, 9, look on after the  Veteran’s Day ceremony at Norwalk Concert Hall in Norwalk, CT on Wednesday, November 11, 2009.

Jon Bonaldo takes a ride in the Skatepark at Scalzi Park on Wednesday Oct. 14, 2009 in Stamford, Conn.

Kathleen O’Rourke/The Advocate

On this particular day I was feeling a bit adventurous and jumped down inside one of the bowls to get a better vantage point for photos.  I immediately felt dwarfed by the large concrete surface and at the mercy of these riders cruising by me at high speeds.  I believe my Nikon D2 saved my nose from being clipped off by a flying skateboard.  The camera and I walked away unscathed.  Although I wouldn’t have minded if the camera took a hit; good excuse to beg for a new one.

I’ve been away for a week and have neglected the photo blog, something I’ve scolded Chris P. for in the past.  I’m back to work today and wanted to share the last final moments of my vacation on Nantucket.  This was the view as I looked out the window on a rainy day coming back from the island on the Hy-Line Ferry.  Moments later I was sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic getting off of Cape Cod.  My vacation was officially over!

ABOVE: Czeslaw Bielen, left, and Bruno Szulimowski, right, before the Pulaski Day Parade at the Holy Name of Jesus Church.

I covered the shortest parade in Stamford today. The Pulaski Day Parade, held in honor of military commander Kazimierz Pułaski and is a celebration of Polish pride and culture.

The parade though, only goes from the parking lot a few yards down Washington Blvd. from the church and procedes into the 10 a.m. mass.

–CP

BELOW: Sophie Powajba, left, and Stella Kaplane.