A site about angry people in local newspapers

“I feel sorry for local news photographers. They are hugely skilled and poorly paid, and sent out to photograph miserable people pointing at dog turds. Here, we celebrate their work.”

I wouldn't go so far as to say there is any great work here, it's just funny to look at some the images and know what the photographer was going through.

Many years back I freelanced as a Question of the Week photographer/writer for the MetroWest Daily News. With reporter's notebook and camera in hand, usually wearing fingerless gloves because I was out there in all kinds of weather, I'd stand outside a local grocery store or mall or public place, stop people and ask them a question relating to current events. Something like, "Has the current economic climate affected the way you're going to spend for Christmas?" then dutifully write down their answers and take their picture, with a notation in my notebook next to their quote to be able to match their photo with their quote. Something like, middle-aged man with big honking nose, or woman with really ugly hat.

I think I needed to get about eight quotes, which meant you usually had to stop about four times that many people because first, if you could get someone to actually talk to you they might not have anything interesting to say, or they'd say something that five other people had already said. Then there were the people who would yammer on and on and I'd be scribbling like mad then take their picture and then ask for their name and hometown to put with the quote, and they'd look horrified and say, "You're not going to put that in the paper, are you?" You'd want to say, "No, I'm standing out here in this shitty weather simply because I really want to know what YOU think." People are amazing, they truly are.

So, when I saw this site I just got reminded of all those days, working in all kinds of weather for peanuts simply because I loved to write.

Here's the site. Enjoy.