Fighting back

Neutralizing a shooter 1
Instructors Victoria Little, Sam Barksdale and Ryan Hoover, rear, demonstrate martial arts techniques for neutralizing an active shooter on Thursday January 10, 2013 at Ryan Hoover's Extreme Karate in Gastonia. Hoover is now offering classes for educators to prepare for an active shooter situation on campus. 

I'd like to state for the record, this was a fun assignment. 

This local martial arts school is offering classes just for teachers and other school employees to learn how to neutralize an active shooter on campus, which, if you don't mind me sharing my opinion, is a much better idea than arming custodians as one Ohio school board just voted to do. 

I had the time, so I went ahead and set up some studio lights, which was really necessary, since the place was darker than a coal miner's backside. I seem to get good portrait and studio assignments less and less these days, so I always value the opportunity to pull that gear out when I can. 

It didn't hurt that the instructors were perfectly cast for their parts; just look at the face on Sam Barksdale (the bad guy) in the bottom picture! 

Neutralizing a shooter 2

Neutralizing a shooter 4

Welcoming 2013 with a bang

Cherryville Shooters 2013
The Cherryville New Years Shooters conclude their shooting tour of the town at Cherryville's football stadium on Tuesday January 1, 2013.
Cherryville Shooters 2013
Mark Britton holds a flashlight on Matt Friedell, from left, Spence Houser and a woman who's name could not be confirmed while another friend takes pictures as the Cherryville New Years Shooters conclude their shooting tour of the town at Cherryville's football stadium on Tuesday January 1, 2013. Houser injuried his trigger finger during the day of musket shooting.
Cherryville Shooters 2013
Smoke and flames burst from the barrel of Perry Franklin's musket as the Cherryville New Years Shooters conclude their shooting tour of the town at Cherryville's football stadium on Tuesday January 1, 2013.