Karen E- Segrave

Grain Expectations | Arkansas Commercial Photographer

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I recently met up with and photographed Cotton Rohrscheib and Layne Fortenberry, COO and CEO of the Conway-based Grainster for a feature for Arkansas Business.

The concept of Grainster is simple: The service helps farmers find buyers for their product at the right price. It touts itself as an online marketplace by cutting out the middleman and providing a matchmaking service for farmers' grain.

Cotton Rohrscheib, left, COO and Layne Fortenberry, CEO of Grainster

Cotton Rohrscheib, left, COO and Layne Fortenberry, CEO of Grainster

What I know about farming you could put in a paper bag, but after taking to Rohrscheib and Fortenberry this sounds like a farmers (and buyers) dream.

According to the article, “There’s no access to the global marketplace,” Rohrscheib said. “And that’s in a time where every other aspect of agriculture has evolved in the last 100 years. …. So it really doesn’t make sense for the farmer to still sell his grain the same way.”

I have to thank Cotton and Layne immensely for meeting me at a farm in Keo for the photo shoot on a chilly and wet day and being willing to get a little dirty. In additional to the photos in front of the grain silos, they were willing to walk out in the middle of a wheat field for the photos.

Milken Educator Awards | Arkansas Editorial Photographer

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I was contacted in mid-February by the Director of Creative Services at the Milken Family Foundation to photograph the presentation of the Milken Educator Awards for both Arkansas and Louisiana. 

The Milken Educator Awards targets early-to-mid career education professionals for their already impressive achievements and, more significantly, for the promise of what they will accomplish in the future. The award is considered "The Oscars" for educators and each winner in given an award of $25,000. To date, more than 2,600 Awards have been given out, totaling over $65 million. 

I am very familiar with this award. When I was a photographer for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, I had covered many of these awards. One of the most exciting things about these awards is the winner does not know he or she has won until the big announcement. It's kept a secret from everyone.

You can see the galleries from Arkansas and Louisiana by going here.
 

Congratulations to the Arkansas MEA winner, Carman McBride from Don Roberts Elementary in Little Rock.

Congratulations to the Louisiana MEA winner, Lindsey Parker from North DeSoto Elementary 3-5 School in Stonewall, Louisiana.


A Year with Little Rock Family

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This month marks one year since I've been working as the photographer with Little Rock Family Magazine.

I was invited to photograph their April 2014 cover and I've been working with this incredible staff ever since.

Over the weekend, the staff at Little Rock Family was awarded 10 Parenting Media Association awards Saturday in Baltimore at their 2015 conference.

I am not a staff photographer for Little Rock Family and Arkansas Business Publishing Group. I am just a freelancer. But the family at LRF and APBG have welcomed me with open arms and I am overjoyed to be a part of their extended family.

So here's to a year of great covers and an even better 2015!

The year in LRF covers.

The year in LRF covers.