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| Image © 2009, Guy Rhodes || Rick "Willy" Chandler of Lowell, Ind., lights fireworks during a display behind his fireworks store, Willy's Works, on Main St. in Crown Point, ind., Wednesday, July 1, 2009. Willy has been selling fireworks since 1981, originally in Lowell, before moving to the current Crown Point location in 1984. |
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| || General Information: |
|| Portfolio: |
Guy Rhodes: : GRP
| Address: |
East Chicago, IN 46312, USA |
| Phone: |
219-629-2250 (cell) |
| Guy Rhodes's Message: |
I recently met and photographed one of the most eccentric salesman I have met in my entire life. Rick "Willy" Chandler of Lowell, Ind., has been the ring master of Willy's Works fireworks since 1981. During that time, Willy has become a local Independence Day celebrity of sorts to residents of Crown Point, Ind., where his store is based. Each year, Willy treats his customers to a fireworks show, where Willy showcases products his audience can purchase and enjoy themselves. The pyrotechnics exercise is nothing short of sensory overload, with a DJ pumping pop music into the air already filled with the sounds of cracking explosions, cheering fans, and the smells of fresh hot dogs and popcorn.
Photos really don't do justice to this man's energy or personality, so if you're ever in Crown Point during the early summer, stop by Willy's Works and experience this spectacle for yourself.
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I'm a recent graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a BA in theater / lighting design. Lighting has always been a passion for me, even at a very young age. As a five year old attending the circus, I can recall paying more attention to the followspot operators than the tigers and elephants!
Around the same age, I first got my hands on my dad's Canon AE-1. Rather than steering me away from the craft of photography, my dad encouraged me to use the family camera. I believe that this early exposure to cameras, coupled with my insatiable fascination for lighting, set the stage for my current, though somewhat broad, interests in both the fields of photography and videography as well as lighting design.
Many of the freelance projects I take on involve one or more of my fields of expertise overlapping, such as lighting a video shoot for television, or photographing a theatrical performance on stage. No matter what the job, however, I always feel like I'm doing the farthest thing possible from work. My occupations are also my passions, and I couldn't ask for anything more.
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| Last Update: |
128 days ago |
| Member Since: |
6.11.2004 (Senior Member) |
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The images below are from the
portfolio of Guy Rhodes. They are presented here for your viewing pleasure. These images may not be used elsewhere and are protected by copyright. To see these images, click on the icon and you will see a much larger image.
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"Willy's Works"
Rick "Willy" Chandler of Lowell, Ind., lights fireworks during a display behind his firewo... |
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"Willy's Works"
Eight-year-old Jaden Brandon of Crown Point, Ind., watches a fireworks display with his mother Ashle... |
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"Willy's Works"
Rick "Willy" Chandler of Lowell, Ind., lights fireworks during a display behind his firewo... |
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"Willy's Works"
(From left) Anna Thill, 11, Dustin Darnell, 10, and Quintin Dombrowski, 9, all of Crown Point, Ind.,... |
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"Willy's Works"
A crowd follows Rick "Willy" Chandler of Lowell, Ind., out his fireworks store, Willy's Wo... |
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"Willy's Works"
Rick "Willy" Chandler of Lowell, Ind., stands near a booth at his fireworks store, Willy's... |
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"Willy's Works"
Rick "Willy" Chandler of Lowell, Ind., hands out free fireworks and bumper stickers follow... |
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"Willy's Works"
Sequence reflects on the hat of Rick "Willy" Chandler of Lowell, Ind., as Willy stands nea... |
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"Willy's Works"
Rick "Willy" Chandler of Lowell, Ind., hands out free fireworks following a fireworks disp... |
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"Willy's Works"
Rick "Willy" Chandler (left) of Lowell, Ind., hands a free pack of fireworks to five-year-... |
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|| Guy Rhodes's Additional Galleries:
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| || Guy Rhodes's Web Links: |
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My personal web site, featuring a wide array of items from personal photo galleries and essays to short video clips.: |
www.guyrhodes.com
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High End Systems, manufacturers of automated lighting for the concert and theater industry.: |
www.highend.com
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Guy's profile on Myspace, where you'll be treated to Guy Rhodes and his work in a less professional, casual form.: |
myspace.com/guyrhodes
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