Joe Messinger

We’ve recently learned that Joe Messinger, veteran Los Angeles photographer, photo editor and stalwart of the PPAGLA for decades, passed away last year in Roseburg, Ore., at the age of 81. Formally known as Joseph Charles Messinger, Joe passed away on September 25, 2023, in Roseburg, Oregon, of natural causes. He was born on June 17, 1942, in Glendale, Calif., the son of Franklin Messinger and Donna Stephens.

“Joe was a devoted husband to Martha A. Sinkula, a loving grandfather figure to August, Leo, and Diane, and a father figure to Mike, Karin, and Rebecca. He cherished his family and always put their needs above his own. Joseph’s warm smile and kind heart touched the lives of many, and he will be remembered fondly by all who knew him.

Joe and his father, Franklin, shared a special bond while exploring their mutual passion for photography. Franklin’s guidance and expertise deepened Joe’s understanding of the craft, turning his hobby into a reward-winning career. ”

— Roseburg, Ore. News-Review Obituary

Before his retirement in Oregon, Joe spent a long journalistic career in Los Angeles, primarily as a photographer and later photo editor for the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, then as a photography professor at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College.

He was a member of the PPAGLA for decades, and his contributions to our organization are legendary. He was on the board from 1984 to 2003. He was president in 1986 and 1989. And he was a longtime contributor to the Past President and Retired Members Scholarship Fund since its 1992 inception.

But perhaps his greatest legacy with the PPAGLA was being the driving force behind a group titled the Media Access and Information Committee (MAIC).

Over months and years, Joe and others reached out to police and fire first responders and fellow journalists, to inform and clarify – to them and us – what are the proper standards for media access to newsworthy scenes. The resulting document, the Media Guidebook, remains a standard of news coverage in Southern California.

A celebration of life will be held on April 27th, 2024, at the Umpqua Unitarian Universalist Congregation.

Where: 2167 NW Watters, Roseburg OR 97471 When: 1:00 pm

Rest in peace, Joe. Your kindness, wisdom, and warmth will be deeply missed but fondly remembered.

Samy Kamienowicz

We deeply regret the passing of Samy Kamienowicz, founder and owner of Samy’s Camera. His importance to our photographic community was legendary, unmatched and will be missed.

The PPAGLA Board and its members

Photo by: Ralph Starkweather

NPS Los Angeles Aftercare 3/8-3/10

Nikon Professional Services will be offering camera cleanings to PPAGLA members from Friday, March 8, 2024 - Sunday, March 10, 2024. To make an appointment see the information below and contact Molly Riley:

Dear PPAGLA Member,

Nikon Professional Services is hosting an Aftercare Event, plus touch & try the latest gear and PPAGLA members have been invited.

To participate, RSVP to join an exclusive event hosted by NPS to receive your complimentary camera sensor and lens cleanings.

When:

Friday, March 8 | 11:00AM 1pm – 7:00PM PT (we are at capacity until 1pm)

Saturday, March 9 | 9:00AM – 5:00PM PT

Sunday, March 10 | 9:00AM – 2:00PM PT

Dates and times to be confirmed with your RSVP

Where:
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
7000 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

How to Join: RSVP BY MARCH 7

o NPS members RSVP through your NPS member dashboard at: www.nikonpro.com and Molly will contact you directly.

OR

o Not yet a NPS member? RSVP by email to Molly Riley at: molly.riley@nikon.com

o Please let Molly know what day and time you would like to visit for camera cleaning, and the NPS Team will do their best to accommodate your preference, but they do have a limit to number of people in the suite at one time.

Your flexibility is most appreciated. Appointments are scheduled on a first come first served basis. The number of items Nikon can service for you will depend on time available.

The NPS team hopes to see you there!

Submit to the Annual Contest Now

Submit your best work of 2023 to the annual contest. You must have been a PPAGLA member in 2023 to enter. The deadline is 11:59pm, Jan 31, 2024.

To qualify for the POY category you must have participated in the quarterly contest. Entries for the Q4 (Oct-Dec) contest are also due Jan 31 and can be submitted here - https://www.ppagla.org/quarterly-stills-contest

Click here for rules and the entry page for Video - https://www.ppagla.org/video-contest-entry

Click here for rules and the entry page for Stills - https://www.ppagla.org/stills-contest-entry

Students can submit here - https://www.ppagla.org/student-contests-rules

Details are still being worked out on the luncheon and we will share dates and location in following weeks.

10/18 Astronomy Webinar with Woodland Hills Camera & Telescopes

View the recording of the event below -

Woodland Hills Camera & Telescopes will present a spectacular and informative astronomy webinar on October 18, 2023.

The Webinar will explore several avenues of astronomy photography for our membership. The areas are rocket launch photography, lighting of the aurora borealis, eclipse of the sun photography, how to photograph star patterns and star clusters, the use of various cameras and telescopes in photographing outer space, what are the best cameras and telescopes for students, and pricing of equipment for astronomy photography.

PPAGLA thanks Woodland Hills Camera & Telescopes for their time and effort in presenting this Webinar. We look forward to our Membership’s involvement and asking questions during the Q&A session. So on October 18, 2023, at 7 p.m., let’s sit back and take a trip to outer space!

Q2 Contest Call for Entries - Due July 31

Be sure to submit photos to the Q2 Quarterly contest. Here are some highlights of the quarterlies. 

1). Maximum 20 images across all categories.  Please see the fine print for more details.

2). Are you planning to enter Photographer of the Year next year?  If so, please enter at least one frame in at least TWO Quarterly Contests.  This may be a requirement.  Participation matters.  We use the Quarterly galleries to help educate students and at PPAGLA we are all about giving back and helping the next generation!

3).  Remove your name from all caption fields.  Otherwise, your image might not be judged.  Same goes for file naming.

DEADLINE, QUARTER 2 (April, May, June) is July 31, 11:59pm. 

Q1 Winners Announced

Check out the winners for the PPAGLA Q1 Contest on our contest page here: https://www.ppagla.org/pc-winners

Photos from the Book Distribution Picnic

May Photo Mechanic Seminar

Thanks to Camera Bits and Mick Orlosky for hosting PPAGLA’s May Photo Mechanic Seminar. A recording is posted here. Be sure sign up for the newsletter to be informed when the next copyright seminar and other special events are happening.

PPAGLA Member and LA Times Staffer Christina House Wins Pulitzer

PPAGLA member Christina House was awarded the 2023 Pulitzer for Feature Photography for her photo story documenting the life of a 22-year-old pregnant woman living on the streets of Los Angeles, California. Congratulations, Christina!

Longtime FOX 11 Reporter Tony Valdez Passes Away at 78

Excerpts from a Fox 11 News broadcast, reprinted here with permission:

Longtime FOX 11 reporter Tony Valdez passed away at the age of 78. His son Steve said that his father had been battling end-stage kidney failure and passed away at his home.  Valdez was a proud Angeleno, growing up in downtown LA. He said at the time, he didn't see any Latinos or people who looked like him on TV and credits himself for breaking the color barrier for Latinos. 

He worked for KTTV for 35 years. He began in 1981 and retired in 2016. He was the longtime host of Midday Sunday and co-anchored weekends with Christine Devine in the 1990s. He was also the host of the crime series LA’s Most Wanted, in the era of the show America’s Most Wanted.

Prior to joining KTTV, he worked at KCET, KTLA and La Opiñion. He covered everything from the Watts Riots to the Hillside Strangler, Night Stalker, O.J. Simpson and several political elections. 

“Whether itls murder, mayhem, death or disaster, those are the things that I feel a sense of responsibility to report,” Valdez said when he announced his retirement. 

Valdez was the union shop steward at FOX 11 and chaired the 8 Ball Emergency Fund for JNournalists foundation, helping local journalists in need and granting scholarships. He was also an avid photographer and documented Los Angeles in black and white and was an honorary member of the Press Photographers Association of Greater Los Angeles (PPAGLA). His second love was music and played the saxophone.

“Anyone who worked with Tony can tell you of his complete dedication to the truth in journalism. He knew this city inside and out,” said FOX 11 anchor Christine Devine.

She said Tony would work every Thanksgiving, insisting he wanted to spend it with his FOX 11 family. For Christmas, he would treat the newsroom to tamales first made by his aunt, and then when she retired from his favorite shop in East LA, La Indiana. He would deliver the tamales with his sweet grandson. FOX 11 has carried on the tamale tradition ever since!

“Tony Valdez was a trailblazing reporter, advocate, and mentor. He was one of the first Latino journalists to break the color barrier in Los Angeles. And with pride, Tony said he spent 35 years, 5 months, and 4 days covering the stories of this city on KTTV. We are better journalists, and a better community, because of the coverage and compassion of Tony Valdez,” FOX 11 Acting News Director Pete Wilgoren said. 

He spent many years as a docent at the LA Conservancy and would lead tours of downtown Los Angeles.

He was a Veteran of the US Army and served during the Vietnam War.  Valdez was loved by many in the newsroom and throughout the city. He made an impact in the industry that many will remember. 

He received numerous Emmy, Golden Mike and Los Angeles Press Club awards. He attended Los Angeles City College. 

Tony is survived by his son, Steve Valdez, and three beloved grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the LA Conservancy or  8 Ball Emergency Fund for Journalists foundation .

April Copyright Seminar

Thanks to Sanders Law Group for hosting PPAGLA’s April Copyright Seminar. Attorney Craig Sanders gave a presentation on common copyright issues with photographers followed by a Q and A with members. A recording is posted here. Be sure sign up for the newsletter to be informed when the next copyright seminar and other special events are happening.

Ober Memorial PPAGLA Group Photo

Rosemary Kaul, groundbreaking L.A. Times photojournalist, dies

Reposted with permission from the L.A. Times - https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-04-11/rosemary-kaul-groundbreaking-l-a-times-photojournalist-dies

BY PRISCELLA VEGA

STAFF WRITER

APRIL 11, 2023

Los Angeles Times staff photographer Rosemary Kaul walks in front of police officers guarding Parker Center during the 1992 riots.

(Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times)

Inspired by a trip to Guatemala, Rosemary Kaul moved to a pocket of Los Angeles where Central Americans found refuge from the civil unrest and violence that ravaged their home countries.

Kaul rented a studio on 12th Street in Pico-Union where she’d live for nearly two years. A single bed and a leafy schefflera — the only thing passing for green space in a concrete-dense neighborhood — took up most of her living space.

Struck by the poverty in the area, the Los Angeles Times photojournalist wanted to capture how hard it could be to begin a new life. She wondered if life in L.A. was truly better for them, but later realized the story was the people themselves.

“They have a spirit that really comes through in their faces,” she told KCET in 1991.

Sensing her genuine sincerity, Pico-Union accepted her as one of their own. Neighborhood children kept an eye out for her company vehicle. Locals chatted with her as they washed clothes in the laundromat. Other tenants in her building invited her over for dinner, offering their best home-cooked meal.

Peers and loyal readers lauded her Pico-Union photo essay. “Having grown up in this area, it is refreshing to see a sincere humanistic portrayal of this community by The Times,” Arturo Vargas, then-director of outreach and policy for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund in Los Angeles, wrote in 1991.

In an era when institutions, including The Times, overlooked marginalized communities, Kaul used her lens to chronicle their lives and help capture their humanity in a manner others could understand. She was part of a cadre of journalists who shifted their approach to the job, questioning the significance of what an event said about greater Los Angeles. Throughout her career, Kaul’s hard-charging and vibrant personality helped inspire the next budding photojournalists in the industry.

Kaul led the charge in her approach to photojournalism, showing empathy and care for sources, said Iris Schneider, a former L.A. Times photographer and longtime friend

She “didn’t really want to just go in and out in some sort of voyeuristic way,” Schneider said. “But she really wanted to know what it was like on a gut level to live there and experience that neighborhood and feel what the people were feeling in terms of how hard it was to start over and start a new life.”

Always a free spirit, Kaul died of health issues on March 31, said her daughter, Marjo Garrison. She was 80.

Kaul grew up in a tiny town in southern Indiana, but had an itch to see the world. Riding her pinto horse, Beauty, bareback provided her a temporary sense of escape. She was the first in her family to go to college despite pushback from her parents.

Freelancing for Chicago’s Star Publications, a small group of newspapers, was Kaul’s first big break. She commuted on a crowded expressway from her home in Arlington Heights to Chicago Heights until she was hired full-time.

John Murphy, Kaul’s mentor who worked as darkroom process manager, was in awe of her passion and commitment to her job all while raising three children as a single mother.

“If you have to ask Rosemary how she did it, you’ll never do it,” he said. “Because you have to be born with it, struck with it, bitten by a muse. She was just really interested in everything about photojournalism and she could not get enough.”

By 1982, the L.A. Times poached Kaul.

There, she flourished. Kaul was among the first photographers in the streets when the Rodney King verdict was announced. She captured images showing the rage of those congregated near the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters in Downtown L.A. Her colleague Mel Melcon helped her return to the office just in time for him to get photos of the crowd smashing the windows of The Times’ first-floor offices.

A dead, oil-soaked bird is pulled from the water off Knight Island in April 1989.

(Rosemary Kaul / Los Angeles Times)

Her photograph of the first oil-coated bird found in Prince William Sound in Alaska, illustrating the disaster caused by oil tanker Exxon Valdez, earned her a World Press Photo award.

Following the riots, The Times created the City Times, a weekly publication to cover L.A.’s inner cities. Kaul volunteered to serve as photo editor and became a mentor to the new generation of photojournalists.

Family, friends and colleagues were quick to highlight Kaul’s natural ability to connect with her sources.

Bob Chamberlin, a Times colleague, said he sometimes got the sense she suffered whenever she told a story because she cared that deeply about her sources and carried their feelings, too.

In one instance, Kaul interviewed a mother who was baby-sitting six children so their moms could go to work. The woman, Chamberlin recalled, described feeling the happiest in her life.

“To us white guys, this woman looked like she was disadvantaged,” Chamberlain said. “She’s a migrant, she’s probably illegal. She’s living in freakin’ L.A. and she’s stuck all day inside a tenant slum apartment with a bunch of kids. And that looked like it was rigorous, set-upon, dangerous living. And Rosemary put a human face on that made it approachable and understandable.”

Readers felt similarly. Some wrote to The Times, imploring them to dedicate more space to stories from the inner cities, an area often viewed with a negative lens.

“All we ever read about predominantly African-American neighborhoods are shootings at liquor stores, quarrels with Koreans, drug abuse and police brutality,” wrote Jan Kovaleski in 1991. “I’m aware that all this is real and exists and needs to be told, but for the well-being of young black kids growing up in poor neighborhoods, there needs to be another story told also — the story of mothers and families and neighbors that care about doing something good and positive.”

Angry crowds demonstrate near LAPD headquarters in downtown Los Angeles during the Rodney King riots in 1992.

(Rosemary Kaul / Los Angeles Times)

An LAPD officer stands guard on Florence Avenue the morning after the L.A. riots.

(Rosemary Kaul / Los Angeles Times)

As photo editor for City Times, Kaul gave Francine Orr her big break.

Orr’s first assignment was to photograph a woman in front of her razed home. Standing in front of the rubble, the woman broke into tears and asked Orr to refrain from taking her picture until she could compose herself. The green photojournalist obliged.

Kaul, a veteran journalist, was livid with Orr’s work and told her to document the truth before her.

“She was a tough editor, and she was the right editor for me and her words were the right words for me in that moment,” said Orr, now an award-winning photojournalist with The Times. “And every single day since that day, I have Rosemary’s voice in my head, reminding me that even if I’m confronted with really difficult things, to do my job — and my job is to document the truth, document what’s right in front of me, even though it can be a very difficult as a photojournalist to do your job.”

Kaul later sought out a trusted colleague to mentor Orr because she didn’t have the time to do it herself.

In 1994, Kaul ended her career with The Times. She took a buyout once her migraines were too difficult to manage with her workload.

Always looking for her next creative outlet, Kaul pivoted to homebuilding. She researched Earthships and straw bale construction.

Kaul found her ideal place to build a home miles away from the closest town in New Mexico. Solar architects helped execute a blueprint for her eco-friendly home, and she built a straw bale house with solar electricity and passive solar heat.

“My mom jumped into everything with both feet. There was no halfway of doing anything,” Garrison said.

While living in New Mexico, she helped establish a community garden and briefly worked for the Albuquerque Tribune before health problems forced her to leave.

Later, she lived in a tent in Yosemite for a season until she moved in with Garrison in San Gabriel.

As her health continued to decline, Kaul took up oil painting and mixed natural elements such as pieces of wood into her artwork. Colleagues and friends stayed in touch with her over the years, sharing their latest photo work or treating her to lunch.

“Nothing stood in her way,” said Al Seib, a colleague who first worked with Kaul in Chicago and later L.A. “Rosemary is a tour de force story, a history that’s [not often found] in our lifetime.”

Now a mother herself, Garrison is hoping to lead in her mother’s example and follow her heart.

“Follow your passion and it’ll all figure itself out,” Garrison said. “She just really wanted you to do it. To not waste your life or wait for something.”

In addition to Garrison, Kaul is survived by two other children, Greg and David; and her brother, Bill Messenger.

Longtime PPAGLA Member Jim Ober Passes Away

Jim Ober, a longtime member of PPAGLA who served on the board for many years, passed away peacefully overnight at his home in Simi Valley, according to his wife Jeanette. Jim’s service on the board began around 1972 and continued intermittently until 2022. He served as President in 1984, and as Treasurer for many years. More information will be posted when available.

Upcoming 2023 Events

Exciting News from PPAGLA! Get ready for a thrilling lineup of events throughout the year.

First up, we have the much-awaited 2023 Annual Awards Presentation on March 19, 2023, where we will celebrate the best of the best in the photography world.

We have more in store for you. Are you a student eager to showcase your work to experienced photojournalists? Then our Student Portfolio Review event is perfect for you! Get valuable feedback and critique from seasoned professionals.

We know legal issues can be daunting, especially for photographers. That's why we're bringing in a legal firm that specializes in copyright law to help you navigate these murky waters. Join us for our Legal Seminar and get all your burning questions answered.

And what better way to welcome the spring season than with a delightful picnic? Mingle with fellow members, and get your hands on the latest Just One More book showcasing the remarkable work seen in the 2023 Awards and beyond.

Stay tuned for more details on these events and more exciting happenings from PPAGLA. We can't wait to see you there! Sign up below for an email alert as these events come together.

Save the date for the PPAGLA Awards Banquet

Mark your calendars! The PPAGLA Annual Awards Banquet will be LIVE and IN PERSON this year at the Zimmerman Automobile Driving Museum on Sunday, March 19, 2023 at 11 a.m.!

Details:

• March 19th, 2023

• Social hour 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

• Awards Ceremony 12 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. 

• Raffle drawings throughout!

We'll be sending out digital invitations in the following weeks with a link to register for the ceremony and to buy raffle tickets. You won't want to miss out on our prizes and silent auction items!

Click here to purchase tickets - https://www.ppagla.org/banquet

Submit Images for Q3 Photo Contest!

Our 2022 Q3 contest for professional members is open for submissions! Be sure to check out our updated rules regarding editing, found on page 7 of our rules PDF.

Also remember that to enter in our POY portfolio contest at the end of the year, you need to have submitted work to at least TWO of our quarterly contests.

Can't wait to see your work! All entries are due by SATURDAY, APRIL 30TH.

View rules and enter the Q1 contest at this link: https://www.ppagla.org/quarterly-stills-contest

Contact contests@ppagla.org with any questions.

Submit Images for Q1 Photo Contest

Our 2022 Q1 contest for professional members is open for submissions! Be sure to check out our updated rules regarding editing, found on page 7 of our rules PDF.

Also remember that to enter in our POY portfolio contest at the end of the year, you need to have submitted work to at least TWO of our quarterly contests.

Can't wait to see your work! All entries are due by SATURDAY, APRIL 30TH.

View rules and enter the Q1 contest at this link: https://www.ppagla.org/quarterly-stills-contest

Contact contests@ppagla.org with any questions.

BROADCAST STUDENTS - SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY!

DEADLINE APPROACHING! APRIL 17th

RTNA Broadcast Journalism Scholarships up to $1500

The Radio and Television News Association of Southern California for more than 4 decades has worked to support the next generation of broadcast journalists through its annual scholarship. Since the late 1970s, the RTNA has awarded more than $180,000 in Scholarships to hundreds of college students.

Any student whose career objective is broadcast journalism and who currently is studying at sophomore level or above at an accredited Southern California college or university is eligible. Scholarship winners will be announced in early May and will be presented with their scholarships at our annual Golden Mike Awards® ceremony on Saturday, May 21st at the Hilton Universal.

​ APPLY TODAY!

Deadline is April 17, 2022

For more information

Visit the RTNA website www.rtnasocal.org

Contact: Ernie Castelo - Scholarship Chair

(949) 278-8349

scholarship@rtna.org

RTNA Office

(562) 987-4545

info@rtna.org