That’s me in “the chair.”

My phone rings. On the other end of the phone is an Atlanta prop store owner calling to ask me where he can drop off “the chair.” Now, I had a heads up here. Getty Images staff photographer Jamie Squire, asked to shoot portraits for the NHL All-Star game in Atlanta, and he warned fellow editor Christian Petersen and I that a chair would be arriving. However, we weren’t expecting this kind of chair.

To our surprise and amusement the chair we would be using for portraits of NHL All-Stars and Youngstars would be a chair that resembles something Hugh Hefner would own and something you might find at a bad antique shop.

Would these NHL players really pose for a portrait in this thing? We felt, along with the people from NHL Images, that Jamie was taking a chance but only time would tell. Just in case the players wouldn’t go for it Jamie brought a bar stool in the studio.

Christian and I helped Jamie set up lights and after shooting some test frames on “the chair” against the black backdrop we felt confident the photos would be high quality and something memorable. All that was left was convincing the players.

Some of our test shots:

In the portrait studio we thought it might be good if we had a couple of female assistants to make the players feel comfortable in the chair. So with the help of some of the NHLI staff and fellow editor Rebecca Butala How, they were able to convince all the players except Kris Letang of the Pittsburgh Penguins that they would look fantastic in “the chair.”

It worked.

Jamie Squire at work with a NHL Allstar athlete.

50 plus All-Stars later Jamie accomplished a portrait shoot that some felt would not work. Many major newspaper outlets the next day even used the portraits on their front page of their sport sections and many other magazine requests have been put in for usage. And none of this would have been possible if it weren’t for The Chair.

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

A special blogging post from John Wolfson - my father…

I received the call on Wednesday afternoon from my son Maxx (a field editor with Getty Images). “Dad, would you like to be a runner at the Packers game on Sunday?” Finally, after paying for college, buying cars, and raising a great kid, I was paid back in 4 quarters.

You have to understand where this was coming from. Maxx and I have been Packer fans since he was toddler. We have been traveling for years to Lambeau and other stadiums a couple of times a year to support our team and spend time together which has been difficult to do with out work schedules.

Although I have been to Lambeau numerous times, I was not prepared for the adrenaline rush when I walked out onto the field before the game. This is sacred turf to the Packer community and I felt honored to be there.

My first thought before the game was not to let Maxx and the photographers down. I was shown the way to the field thru the tunnel and up two flights of stairs, down a hall way, etc. No problem!!! Well after the first quarter, I pealed off my jacket, gloves and hat. Now keep in mind that it was snowing the whole game and the temperature was in the high 20’s. Not only was it a great experience to run the cards, but I lost 5 pounds at the same time and turned white from the snow in the process.

One of the most impressive things I learned was the hard work, dedication, professionalism and teamwork it takes to produce the photographs that Getty Images distributes.

I would like to thank Jamie, Matt, Jonathan Daniel, Maxx and Getty Images for a once in a lifetime experience.

From L: John Harrelson, rusty Jarrett stand in, Chris graythen, Todd Warshaw, me, Justin Heiman and Jason Smith with towel. Picture by Jonathan Daniel

With the possibility of another day of rain on Tuesday, the Getty Images crew did the only two things we could think of to help get the track dry. We bought rain jackets and wore rally caps.

We felt with the combination of rally caps and rain jackets Mother Nature would finally let up on the rain that has poured down all over Michigan the last three days.

It worked.

But only after two postponements, one fog delay and an overtime, the 3M Performance 400 at Michigan International Speedway finally ended and it was well worth the wait.

Not only did I finally get my first NASCAR race in I was able to get on pit row and shoot the pits throughout the race.

I have a new found respect for all the pit crew, fire crew, NASCAR Nextel officials, the photographers who are just a few feet away from grave danger and the drivers who risk their lives each time they get behind the wheel for the entertainment of their diehard fans.

And speaking of the fans, they were also pretty great at MIS.

After having to come to the track for three straight days in the cold rain, the fans finally got what they paid for or didn’t pay for. Admission for many race fans was free yesterday because the track couldn’t staff enough security to check tickets.

Not a bad deal for those NASCAR fans who stuck it out.

What the fans did get was a great race with the #2 car driven by Kurt Busch (who we saw at dinner just two nights before) getting the victory.

Our photographers captured some great shots of Busch, especially some our new staff photographer Chris Graythen captured from the flag stand.

So now for me and the rest of the “NASCAR Rally Crew” it’s on to the night race in Bristol, Tennessee – not Connecticut as Justin Heiman and I first thought.

As I check the weather report once again, it doesn’t look good.

Saturday night’s forecast has a 50% chance of thunderstorms and a high of 92 degrees.

Looks like those rain jackets might come in handy again.

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

BROOKLYN, MI - AUGUST 21: Kurt Busch, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge, does a victory burnout across the finish line after winning the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series 3M Performance 400 at the Michigan International Speedway on August 21, 2007 in Brooklyn, Michigan.

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

BROOKLYN, MI - AUGUST 19: A Michigan International Speedway vehicle sweeps the track as blowers are used as well to try to dry the track prior to the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series 3M Performance 400 at the Michigan International Speedway on August 19, 2007 in Brooklyn, Michigan.

I’ve been an editor at Getty Images for almost four years but yet, for some reason, I have never worked a NASCAR race.

Until now. Kind of.

I was assigned to the 3M Performance 400 in Brooklyn, MI to get my first race under my belt until next week’s famed night race at Bristol.

However, it is now Monday and I am sitting here in the media center looking out the window as nearly two inches of rain falls and the TV keeps popping in flash flood warnings.

For those of you who didn’t know – like me – NASCAR stock cars don’t have lights or windshield wipers plus nobody wants to drive 200 mph on a wet track.

The chances for a race today aren’t looking very good and there is rain as well in forecast tomorrow as well.

So now we wait and wait and wait.

Justin Heiman and I, who are editing for the six photographers we have here, sent about 20 pictures of wet drives and wet cars yesterday. Today, we will just be looking for more rain features. Unfortunately, we have to sit here and wait until the race is officially called off for the day. The good news is the tack doesn’t lights.

As for next week the forecast for the weekend at Bristol is, guess what, RAINY!

When does the NBA season start again?

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

BROOKLYN, MI - AUGUST 19: Crew members push the car of Matt Kenseth, driver of the #17 DeWalt Ford, back to the garage during a rain delay prior to the start of the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series 3M Performance 400 at the Michigan International Speedway on August 19, 2007 in Brooklyn, Michigan.

Getty Images photographer Lisa Blumenfeld is interviewed by Canal + in Spain.

They stared and followed.

Wondering what was going on, Getty Images staff photographer Lisa Blumenfeld was wondering why a group of cameras seemed interested in her.

So she asked.

They told her they were interested in following a photographer for Game Four of the 2007 NBA Finals. Despite being hesitant and having to lay down ground rules (can’t bother her or editors during the game and no technical questions on how GI sets up their equipment) she told the three man crew ok.

Three men – a reporter, a cameraman and a boom mic operator – from Canal + in Spain, followed her on the court, in the transmit room and even set up an interview afterwards.

We called it media following the media.

The group of men from Spain were more interested in how the process of taking pictures work and how we got the photos out to our clients than the Spurs winning the 2007 NBA Championship.

What footage they took from following Lisa will be turned into a feature and played nationally in Spain on Canal +. They promised us back in the United States a copy as well.

“The interview went well, they were just curious how long I have been working for Getty and how often I shoot basketball,” Lisa said. “They wanted to know who my favorite athletes to shoot were and I told them Kobe Bryant and LaDainian Tomlinson.”