LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The union representing Southern California newspaper reporters, photographers and others plans to hold a one-day strike Thursday, protesting working conditions and low pay.

More than half of the nearly 125 members of the SCNG Guild, the union representing workers for the 11 Southern California News Group newspapers, will walk out of the job amid protracted contract talks with the company, said Josh Cain, the vice chair of the SCNG Guild and a breaking news reporter at the LA Daily News.

“We are tired,” Cain said to Spectrum News. “We are tired of the cuts. We’re tired of waiting for a deal. It’s been long enough.”

The strike comes two years after the reporters banded together to form a union, the SCNG Guild, and began contract discussions with the Southern California News Group. 

The SCNG company is one of the largest owners of newspapers across the Southern California region that stretches from the San Fernando Valley to San Bernardino. 

The company owns several long-standing newspapers, including the Long Beach Press-Telegram, the Riverside Press-Enterprise, the Orange County Register, the Daily Breeze, the LA Daily News and numerous others. 

Denver-based MediaNews Group owns the SCNG company; MediaNews Group’s parent company is Alden Global Capital.

Alden Global, which owns more than 200 local newspapers nationwide, including the Chicago Tribune, the Boston Herald and the Orlando Sentinel, is well known as a hedge fund that buys newspapers and quickly guts its staff. 

A SCNG spokesperson did not return a Spectrum News message for comment.

Cain said the union had been bargaining with SCNG for nearly two years. 

He said several long-time journalists had not received a pay raise in 10 to 15 years. Many employees earn just above the state’s minimum wage of $15.50.

Most, he said, are getting by with $19 to $20 an hour, or about $40,000 a year salary. Some have to take on a second job to make a living.

In addition to low pay, many reporters’ workloads have doubled or tripled since the company often lays off workers and expects existing staff to pick up the pace, Cain said.

“It’s a struggle,” he said. “A lot of our negotiations have been push and pull. There is a lot of delay from the company side. We’re journalists. Many of us get into this knowing we’re not going to make a ton of money, but this is one of the most expensive places to live, and people are feeling that pressure. The cost-of-living keeps going up.”

Cain said the union sent over a “fair” salary proposal to the SCNG company last year, only for the latter to counter — a year later — asking the union to drop its salary demands and accept a $1,000 bonus. 

“Of course, we said no to that,” he said. “That was never going to be a deal that we were going to take.”

He said the company’s unreasonable counter led to the one-day walkout. 

Cain said enough is enough. He thinks the company is exploiting journalists’ love for their work. 

“We love what we do,” he said. “I’ve been a reporter for 10 years now. This is what I love to do. I love being in a newsroom and writing stories that the community wants to read and stay informed on what’s happening in their community.”

But staff layoffs and attrition have taken their toll.

“It’s really hard to be a journalist,” he said. “There’s low morale because of what this company does. They force people out. Every journalist that leaves is another watchdog gone for the community.” 

“Alden’s tactics are detrimental to democracy,” he added.

The union doesn’t plan to picket at any one site on Thursday. Instead, the group will hold a virtual rally in which union members and supporters from Alden’s other newspapers nationwide can join. 

The strike will only last a day — for now.

“We want to bargain and bargain in good faith,” he said. “We’re not going to strike for multiple days. We want to send a message to the company that we’re ready to do this. We’re ready to walk out but still want to bargain.” 

He said they could hold more strikes in the future if the SCNG does not meet the union’s demand.

“That will always be on the table,” he said. “We’re prepared to go on an open-ended strike. Right now, it’s just a one-day walkout.”

The charm of rooftop weddings lies in their ability to blend the intimacy of a private celebration with the grandeur of a beautiful view. From the golden hues of a sunset to the twinkling lights of a city at night, these elevated venues present photographers with an array of dynamic backdrops. In this article, we’ll discover various techniques and creative approaches to photographing rooftop weddings and engagements, offering insights into transforming these special moments into lasting memories.

Thank you to the wedding photographers at Wedding Maps for providing the images for this article.

Storytelling During a Rooftop Wedding Ceremony

Rooftop weddings give photographers a chance to capture the expansive skies above, interesting urban architecture or beautiful views of nature. Photographers should focus on wide-angle shots to encapsulate the environment, and tighter shots to capture the emotional moments of the ceremony. The key is to balance the grandiosity of the setting with the intimacy of the event.

Golden Hour Couples Photos with Natural Light

The golden hour provides a magical lighting backdrop for photographs of rooftop weddings. This time of day offers a warm, soft light that enhances the romantic ambiance. Photographers should encourage couples to schedule their photo sessions during this time to capture stunning portraits against the setting or rising sun. Emphasizing the natural glow on the couple’s faces and the golden hues reflecting off the buildings around can create unforgettable photos. See these examples below.

Rooftop Portraits During Blue Hour

Blue hour, the brief period after sunset or before sunrise, offers a serene and romantic ambiance for rooftop portraits. The subtle blue tones in the sky create a calm and dreamy background, perfect for capturing the intimacy between the couple. Utilizing the city lights starting to twinkle in the background can add a magical touch to these portraits.

Night Time Portraits with Flash

Nighttime rooftop photography can be challenging but rewarding. Using a flash or external lighting sources can illuminate the couple against the dark sky and cityscape. The contrast between the darkness and the illuminated subjects creates a dramatic and intimate mood. Experimenting with different lighting techniques, like backlighting or side lighting, can add depth and dimension to the photos.

Couples Portraits on Cloudy Days

Cloudy days provide diffused, soft lighting, ideal for flattering portraits. The overcast sky acts as a natural softbox, eliminating harsh shadows. Photographers can capture the moody ambiance of the city while focusing on the couple’s expressions and interactions, making for emotive and tender photos.

Using Interesting Architectural Elements on Rooftops

Rooftops often have unique architectural elements that can enhance photographs. Incorporating these elements can add depth and interest to the images. Whether it’s a spiral staircase, an interesting railing, or unique rooftop patterns, using these features creatively can create dynamic compositions.

Intentional Mis-focus with the Cityscape in the Backdrop

An intentional mis-focus technique, where the cityscape is in focus and the couple is slightly blurred, can create a dreamy and artistic effect. This technique emphasizes the grandeur of the city while keeping the couple an integral part of the story.

Going to the Top Floor of a Parking Garage

Parking garages are uncommon for engagement photography, but the top floor can offer a unique vantage point for cityscapes. The unobstructed view and the industrial feel can add a modern and edgy element to the photos.

Using Creative Reflections on Mirrors

Utilizing mirrors and windows to create reflections can add a creative twist to rooftop wedding photos. This technique can create a sense of depth and intrigue, offering a unique perspective of the couple and the cityscape.

Photographing a Rooftop Proposal

Capturing the moment of a rooftop proposal requires anticipation and readiness. The key is to be unobtrusive yet ready to capture the surprise and emotion of the moment. Wide shots that capture the ambiance and close-ups that encapsulate the emotion are essential.

Using Creative Effects and Lenses

Experimenting with different lenses and creative effects can add an artistic flair to rooftop wedding photography. Fish-eye lenses can create a panoramic view of the city, while tilt-shift lenses can bring a miniature effect to the bustling streets below. Using prisms or glass balls for creative refractions can also add a unique touch to the photos.

Other Beautiful Rooftop Wedding and Engagement Photos

In conclusion, rooftop weddings and engagements offer photographers a canvas of endless possibilities. The key is to blend creativity with the unique elements of the rooftop setting to capture stunning, memorable photographs that tell a story of love amidst the sky.

Photographing Love by Kristina Wikle

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As part of its 2023 in Review series, National Geographic has not only revealed its “Pictures of the Year,” the iconic publication has also worked with its photographers to deliver a series of how-to articles designed to help amateur shutterbugs up their game heading into 2024.

Alongside educational articles on portraits, wildlife, and underwater photography, written by Celeste Sloman, Jasper Doest, and Jennifer Hayes, respectively, famed Nat Geo photographer Keith Ladzinski wrote about “How to take great photos at night.”

Scouting and Preparation are Key for Night Photography

PetaPixel chatted with Ladzinski over Zoom about his career and ways photographers can improve their night photography.

“When you’re working at night, it’s best to go on with the game plan,” Ladzinski starts. “I always like to try to find my compositions in advance.”

That isn’t to say that there aren’t “moments of serendipity,” but working at night is so challenging that Ladzinski cannot emphasize the importance of planning and scouting enough.

“I always like to scout during the daytime, and find out what the voice of the image is in advance because it’s harder to work in the dark.”

Everything is more difficult at night. Movement is more challenging, and Ladzinski notes that test shots take a lot longer, too, especially if someone is using a camera’s in-camera noise reduction processes.

Apps Help Photographers Keep an Eye on Stars, Planets, and the Moon

Alongside in-the-field scouting, Ladzinski relies heavily on apps like PhotoPills to help him plan his nighttime shoots. With PhotoPills, the Nat Geo photographer can see what the night sky will look like at a specific time anywhere in the world, which helps him compose shots and work around the Moon, which can help or hurt a photo depending on its phase.

At Night, the Sky Reigns Supreme

For Ladzinski, his night shots often play a narrative role in an overarching story. “There’s something very timeless about looking into the night sky. The world takes on a completely different look, especially through still imagery.” He seeks out the atmosphere and magic that the night sky provides.

To that end, night photography comprises a different compositional approach. If Ladzinski is going to go through the trouble of working at night, it is to capture what makes night special, which is often the star-filled night sky.

“When I’m incorporating the sky into the shot, I do want to really feel it. It’s not as impactful if it’s only the top third of the image, for instance. So oftentimes, I’m including a lot more of it… The compositions just naturally are a little bit different, and you want to utilize more of that negative space because it will be filled with something nice,” the photographer explains.

Artificial Light is Helpful and Color Corrective Gels are Essential

His use of artificial light is evident in many of Ladzinski’s night photos, including recent shots of giant Sequoia trees in California. Ladzinski travels with a pack of color-correction gel filters to ensure that color balance is good when working with artificial light at night.

“And if I’m bringing in light, then I’m using CT gels, I’m using orange gel on whatever my light source is to sort of bring in white light there,” says Ladzinski. “I have a bunch of them. They’re dusty and scratchy; they live in my photo bags because you never know when you’re going to need them.”

Other Helpful Gear

While one of his favorite lights is a spotlight made by Larson Electronics, he has used cheap lights from auto parts stores, hardware stores, and even gas stations on various shoots. “Light is light,” Ladzinski says, adding that even cheap lights can work very well when used cleverly and properly balanced.

As for photographic gear, night sky photography is reasonably accessible and doesn’t require too much super-expensive equipment. “Whether you’re shooting on a smartphone or high-end SLR, make sure you have a sturdy tripod, a headlamp (or any other lighting), and warmer clothing than needed in the day (especially in the desert). I also recommend a cable release wire to trigger the shutter remotely, so you don’t need to handle your camera especially during long exposures. Also, bring a lens warmer to prevent fog,” Ladzinski writes on National Geographic.

Photographers Should Get to Know Their Gear

Speaking with PetaPixel about his career, Ladzinski explains that a critical component of his success has been his thorough understanding of his camera equipment. This is true no matter what you’re shooting. “Understanding your equipment and its capabilities” is vital.

An understanding of hardware goes alongside a firm grasp of software. “After a shoot, the best photographers will tweak white balance, lift shadows, bring highlights down, etc. But be careful not to overwork it,” writes Ladzinski.

While he is held to strict photojournalistic standards for his work with National Geographic, he stresses the importance of creativity in photography. However, as tempting as it may be to make dramatic tweaks to photos, excessive editing can often lead to bad results.

Getting it right in the camera is always essential, but perhaps even more critical during night photography because significant adjustments to photos captured at high ISO settings will push even the best cameras to their absolute limits. Unfortunately, night sky conditions vary so much, and everyone has different equipment, so Ladzinski cannot offer a foolproof cohort of camera settings that photographers should always use.

Night sky photography often demands photographers to move toward manual settings. Cameras can’t meter exposure very well at night, and they also cannot meter white balance effectively in the dark. Getting comfortable with a camera’s manual exposure settings, like shutter speed, aperture, and ISO, is vital to get the best night sky shots.

As for white balance, which is thankfully easy to fix during post when shooting RAW images — and photographers should shoot RAW photos, especially at night — Ladzinski says that his analog origins have resulted in him erring toward bluer white balances in his work. “Daytime balance color film I used to work with did such great jobs with blues. I tend to work with the colder side of my white balance spectrum, especially at night.”

There Is No Perfect Shutter Speed

Returning to understanding equipment, photographers should know how their camera and lens combination behaves at different shutter speeds. When shooting night sky images, exposures must be long to get enough light onto the sensor, but if they are too long, then stars will appear as streaks in the sky rather than point light sources. There are times when star trails are excellent, but when someone wanted a sharp star is not one of those times.

Sensor size and focal length affect what shutter speeds work best, so again, there is no hard-and-fast rule, unfortunately, and people must do real-world testing to dial in the perfect shutter speed for their preferences and gear.

Noise Reduction Software is a Must-Have

The advent of fantastic noise reduction software has completely changed how Ladzinski works. “These days, I don’t use in-camera noise reduction features because the software is so good,” Ladzinski says, adding that software like Topaz and Lightroom have such impeccable noise reduction algorithms that he can deal with higher ISO images than ever.

Photographers who are worried about shooting at ISO 3200, 6400, or beyond, even with older cameras or smaller image sensors, should give the newest noise reduction software a try and see how it affects their workflow.

Wrapping Up

Between Ladzinski’s article and the additional tips he shared with PetaPixel, there are many ways for photographers to improve their night sky photography. The importance of preparation, scouting, and getting to know equipment cannot be overstated. People mustn’t head out into the night without an idea of the types of images they want to capture and the camera settings they will need to use.

For even more amazing night sky photography tips, check out PetaPixel‘s “A Complete Guide to Capturing Gorgeous Photos of the Night Sky” article.

To keep updated with Keith Ladzinski’s work, visit his website and follow him on Instagram.

Image credits: All images by © Keith Ladzinski

The Bay Area is teeming with wildlife, not just in the rugged wilderness of Mount Diablo and Big Basin, but in the parks and open spaces that dot our urban and suburban landscapes. You’re guaranteed to see wild creatures at places like Año Nuevo, where gargantuan elephant seals famously loll about on the sand, and the Sunol Regional Wilderness, where raptors of every feather fly overhead.

Unexpected treasures, however, await if you have a good eye and the patience to wait, as our Bay Area News Group photographers show in this stunning array of images.

“Often it also takes a bit of luck and good timing,” staff photographer Jane Tyska said about spending a day at the Foothills Nature Preserve in the Palo Alto hills in hopes of capturing a photo of one of the preserve’s elusive mountain lions. Her wait was rewarded with a coyote sighting instead, snacking on a gopher, and she also “lucked” into seeing another coyote — near San Francisco’s Coit Tower, where the animal’s presence was unexpected.

Karl Mondon agreed on the time one has to devote when photographing the artistry in nature. He grew up near Golden Gate Park’s Lloyd Lake, so he swings by when he can to check out the birding scene. “Sometimes you go for days without a glimpse,” he said. “Other times they just won’t stop smiling for the camera.”

Jose Carlos Fajardo has had luck staking out spots like Indian Creek in the Shell Ridge Open Space during the rainy season — toads abound — and even the manmade lake at the suburban Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek.

Wherever there’s water, there’s wildlife.

The image by Ray Chavez of flocks of pelicans feasting at Lake Merritt in Oakland — an unusual sight — occurred on a day when he stopped by to get photos of runners, bikers and hikers. “Took too many photos until I saw this white pelican surrounded by the brown pelicans, plus the nice sunlight dropping in it. Made a beautiful picture.

“After I took those photos, the pelicans left.”

A moment in time.

Sometimes, it’s a matter of being in the right place at the right time. It’s something Alan Dep, the IJ’s photo editor, knows well.

“I was out searching for a rainy weather feature photo, though most of the rain had passed,” he said. “I noticed a little bird flying to and from a little twig or fencing wire in the middle of a flooded field. It kept flying back and forth to its perch as it plucked things at the surface of the water, making the little ripples seen in the photo.”

And being aware of his surroundings helped him capture an image of a California quail in Novato.

“I spotted this male California quail keeping watch over a couple of females and young quail from its high perch on a shed. I caught this photo as he ran along the roof,” he said.

For Sherry LaVars, the IJ’s staff photographer, her instincts kicked in while driving back from an assignment, shooting the annual plant sale that happens on the fairgrounds after the Marin County Fair. While driving back through China Camp State Park, she noticed two birders with big, professional lenses that were mounted on tripods. She turned around, parked and grabbed her body with the longest lens she had.

“Their lenses were trained on some pilings way out on the water, on an osprey nest,” she said. “I had no chance of making a good picture of the “momma bird,” their words, with my gear so I shot them while shooting the nest. I got their info for a standalone cutline and started up a dirt path to my car.”

When suddenly, one of the men told her, in a hushed tone, that the father bird had arrived back to the nest.

“He had breakfast for the chicks in his talons, flew right over my head and circled twice. I stopped in my tracks, took aim and started firing. … I didn’t realize the bird was looking at me until I saw the images on my laptop,” she said.