Night time Vigil - Duke University

I wasn't supposed to be shooting for a while, but life sometimes has it's own agenda.

Right when things looked like this was to be the season all 46 Duke lacrosse players had been working hard for, a late night party got out of hand when some local dances were called to entertain. According to reports, things started to get out of hand for the ladies and they began to leave the party. One team member apologized and the ladies returned - which turned out to be a mistake. The ladies got seperated and one was later allegedly raped by three team members. While no arrests have been formally been made, 45 of the 46 players have been brought in for DNA testing. While Duke University cannot take any actions with regard to the criminal complaint - the Athletic Director citing a breach of school standards for having the party in the first place decided to cancel the teams next two games forfieting both. The two girls were students at another school I shoot at as well, one where the students come from much more modest means. The community responded with two days of protest and vigil. The below images are from the first nights vigil.

I've not seen such a thing in reaction to this kind of crime. So many women stay silent as they fear it is them that will end up being put on trial.

Such protests, would hopefully give others courage, and hpoefully restore a little faith in humanity. 1 & 2 are good photographs

may i ask what your settings where in the pictures mostly about 1 and 2. what was the Aperture, lens, shutter?

Man, number one is stunning, just amazing and so full of emotion. It's so somber, and yet almost full of hope for something better, you could almost get lost in that girl's gaze and the lowered head in the background just puts together a really good image. For whatever reason you thought of not shooting anymore, shots like that one should be the reason anyone picks up a camera at all. The rest are all good, second one bothers me a bit to see a kid holding a sign someone else gave him that he probably doesn't even understand at all but number one is just wow.

My only issue, is the crop. There is a much more powerful image in there with a slightly different presentation. I hope you don't mind.

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I liked it uncropped Rich, i like her in the midst of the darkness. Out of darkness comes light. The crops turned a photo journalistic shot in to a portrait for me

Admittedly i'm not a fan of cropping, well that's putting it mildly.

I have to say I agree with both of you. Playing around with crops - I like loosing the lights in the background, but keeping the overal crop factor having her surrounded by men in the shadows. I just printed it up and I feel the mens faces in the dark add context. Thanks to both of you for your help and eyes.

And yes - I have mixed emotions on the second shot. I like the idea that they are teaching their son this is unacceptable behavour, but still I am sure the boy does not understand in the least the true meaning of the sign he is holding.

As to the exposure - this was shot f1.6, 1/160, ISO 1600 with a 50 f1.4 lens on a 20d.

Thanks again for the comments - and please - call crap what it is when you see it with my stuff... I have really thick skin.

One of the most moving things i've ever been to was a candle light vidual for the victims of aids. They are held every year in the Manchester's Gay village during the mardi gras. I took a camera with me for the first time about two years ago, and i've sadly lost the images i've burnt them on to disk and i just can't find them. I shot a young girl on top of her mothers shoulders amidst a sea of candles

The reason why is because i think that child is going to be brought up not to judge, or be prejudiced to such conditions and the people that suffer from them, and be a more tolerant individual because of it. Or at least stand a better chance

Mark, those are moving pics you have there. Excellent capture and exposure. As with the others, I like the first one best. Both versions, cropped and uncropped are ok, but the uncropped version works better for me because there is more enveloping darkness surrounding the child, who seemingly wards it off with two candles. Moving story you have too, thanks for sharing, and let's hope the perpetrators get what they deserve. Whatever happens, karma will even things out sooner or later.

Yes, very moving images Mark. I'm glad you shared them here. Although tragedies like this are often front page news, the reaction of people often is buried in the papers. Perhaps if more people could see how evil acts effect society, fewer people would be inclined to hurt others.

What a great PJ shoot. Vigils -candles -the grief - all excellent.

In case you any of you all are interested in story in the media, here is ESPN coverage

http://sports.espn.go.​com/ncaa/news/story?id​=2387151

and sports illustratated's

http://sportsillustrat​ed.cnn.com …e.suspended.ap/​index.html

Both are the same AP story it looks like.

I really like the uncropped version. Like you said - Out of the darkness comes light.

Great shots Croasdail - especially the 1st!

It's very unfortunate that some student-athletes feel their success on the field gives them the right to do what they please and puts them above the law. It's also unfortunate that a situation like this puts the spotlight on what's bad in college sports and takes it away from the hard work and great accomplishments of most, like the Duke woman's basketball team that beat my Huskies last night to make it to the Final Four.

Very well shot pictures, the lighting in 1 is great.

I find it a litle alarming that these people are already convicting some of these boys soley on the word of a stripper. I do not condone rape in any fashion, but come on, lets have a little due process here. The locals have already pulled out the race card and accused the players of class bias. The media circus is in full bloom.

I agree with others....the first one just stands out. Yu can look at the girl and feel her emotions. Great stuff!