Joe Ahlquist|Photographer

A Home for Austin (12.16.13)

This afternoon I had the opportunity to spend some time with a group of high school students and their teacher as they work on a handicap accessible house for a young, disabled, boy who lives in a nearby town.

The young disabled boy is currently living in a house that is not handicap accessible.

It was entertaining to watch the high school kids working on a house. They were teasing each other and laughing and having a pretty good time, and, of course, the teacher chimed in now and again as well.

It was an enjoyable afternoon. It was also nice to have the kind of access that is available when you're at a school photographing students as they work, as opposed to trying to do the same thing at a construction site where a construction company is working on a house. In short, there's much better access.

The opportunities for framing your subjects is basically endless at construction sites, so it was a good time. Not to mention the positive tone of a group of people doing something beneficial for another group of people. It was a pretty good assignment.

One of the other Argus Leader photographers spent some time this morning with the young boy, and a gallery of those and more of my photos can be seen on the Argus Leader website.

Thanks for looking.

©Joe Ahlquist

Shopping With Cops and Kids (12.13.13)

Last night I found myself at the Target store on Louise Avenue in Sioux Falls, S.D., with Argus Leader reporter Peter Harriman for an event that I had the pleasure of covering during my time at the Winona Daily News in Winona, Minn. His story can be read here. It's a pretty good read if you've got the chance.

The title was slightly different, but the premise was the same.

Children were paired with a police officer to do holiday shopping at Target in an attempt to provide a positive interaction between law enforcement and young children.

I enjoy these types of positive assignments. I mean, how can children shopping for toys and gifts for family members with cops carrying guns not bring a smile to your face?

More photos can be seen online at the Argus Leader website.

Thanks for looking.

Doug Simmons, a resource officer with the Sioux Falls Police Department, greets children and their parents as they get off a bus before the Shopping With Kids and Cops event at the Target store on Louise Avenue in Sioux Falls on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Kyle Carpenter, 8, shops with officer Steve Lowry, with the Tea Police Department, during the Shopping With Kids and Cops event at the Target store on Louise Avenue in Sioux Falls on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Sara Dillon, 4, checks the price of an item while shopping with officer Adam Buiter, with the Sioux Falls Police Department, and Michelle Boyd, chief deputy with the Minnehaha County Sheriff's Office, during the Shopping With Kids and Cops event at the Target store on Louise Avenue in Sioux Falls on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Mato Denoyer, 6, shops with officer Curt Daughters, with the Sioux Falls Police Department, during the Shopping With Kids and Cops event at the Target store on Louise Avenue in Sioux Falls on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Mato Denoyer, 6, and officer Curt Daughters, with the Sioux Falls Police Department, talk about a Spiderman toy during the Shopping With Kids and Cops event at the Target store on Louise Avenue in Sioux Falls on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Sean Dillon, 6, shops with officer Tim Kacena, with the Sioux Falls Police Department, during the Shopping With Kids and Cops event at the Target store on Louise Avenue in Sioux Falls on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Sean Dillon, 6, checks out after shopping with officer Tim Kacena, with the Sioux Falls Police Department, during the Shopping With Kids and Cops event at the Target store on Louise Avenue in Sioux Falls on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Jenna Boscardin, an executive team leader of assets protection at Target, checks out items for Sean Dillon, 6, during the Shopping With Kids and Cops event at the Target store on Louise Avenue in Sioux Falls on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Mato Denoyer, 6, waits in line with a bike that he picked out while shopping with officer Curt Daughters, with the Sioux Falls Police Department, during the Shopping With Kids and Cops event at the Target store on Louise Avenue in Sioux Falls on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Recent Work, Etc. (12.9.13)

This is a collection of some recent work at the paper (including some photos from my first time covering wrestling), from my trip home over Thanksgiving and some photos from a trip to Palisades State Park when my parents were visiting last week.

This is a rather large edit, so brace yourself for tons of photos. I haven't posted on here for a couple of weeks, so some stuff has sort of built up. Also, I photographed a wedding last weekend, so be on the lookout for a wedding post here in the next couple of weeks.

Thanks for looking.

©Joe Ahlquist/Argus Leader

©Joe Ahlquist

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A Home for Austin (12.16.13)

Shopping With Cops and Kids (12.13.13)

Recent Work, Etc. (12.9.13)

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