Comment by Valentino Martinez on July 4, 2012 at 3:17am

Besides recruiting, athletic competitions and speaking engagements--I also fit in some photography assignments that include those involvements but also planned special projects, sporting events and the unexpected.

Capturing "Old Glory" in this photo comes under the “unexpected” and unplanned for situation which can be the real fun side of photography work.  I say this because of the fact that sometimes a situational image presents itself and if you’re lucky enough to have a camera handy—you try to get the shot. 

On one drive-time afternoon I past this huge American flag flapping in the wind.  The image was striking. I knew I had to try to capture it for my collection.  However, the difficulty of getting this particular shot was the fact that a storm was brewing giving me only a few moments to get in a good position to take the shot before the rain and darkening storm clouds arrived. 

As in recruitment—besides the subject matter (candidate), timing and positioning are critical in photography to capture the image you want.  In this shot the wind was blowing very strong--strong enough to extend the great flag to its full-length.  The AMERICAN FLAG was flapping vigorously in the wind with the sun-light reflecting on it through rapidly passing clouds. 

The long and short of it—I got the shot.  I was excited about being at the right place; at the right time; with the right equipment--my CANON 400mm Zoom Lens on my EOS 5D CANON Camera.  It was also one of the largest American Flags I've ever seen on a flag pole.  The shear force of the wind on that flag was starting to bend the metal flag pole much like how a hooked fighting Marlin bends a deep-sea fishing pole. 

The sun was in and out of the clouds throwing flashes of bright sun-light onto the flag making its RED, WHITE and BLUE colors, on its stars and stripes, stand-out in stark brilliance giving it a majestic and dramatic look against a storm cloud background.   

This photo is one of my favorites because it exemplifies what good timing, good positioning—and great equipment can bring forth in terms of a sought after result. All things recruiters can relate to in the business of identifying, attracting and capturing a great candidate.

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