An Evening With Kai Ryssdal

All Images © 2008 Stuart Pearl

Special access can provide a photographer with some interesting subjects and opportunities. It may be a new vantage point in the Cleveland Flats. Or it can mean an introduction to media personalities.

This is how I got to chat with Kai Ryssdal back on September 25. He is the host of Marketplace on American Public Media. It was also the last photo shoot I did prior to my current injury and subsequent disability.

Jane Temple of Ideastream watches Ryssdal from the Ideacenter control room.

Kai is a charming and gracious individual with a terrific radio presence, whose unique name has Norwegian origins. Although he has hosted Marketplace since August, 2005. journalism was not always his background.

Prior to this he was a carrier based Navy pilot for eight years, a Pentagon staff officer, and a member of the United States Foreign Service .

Relaxed and wearing colorful suspenders with a theater motif, Kai and I talked as he prepared for his 6:30 PM Marketplace broadcast from WCPN’s studios.

He actually did most of the talking while I snapped candid portraits. Kai was in Cleveland to speak about the current financial crisis. That morning he responded to callers on The Sound of Ideas with Dan Moulthrop.

Later that evening Ryssdal spoke before a sell out crowd of over 200 people in the Westfield Auditorium at the Ideacenter. The Glenmede Corporation and Alpha Group Agency were sponsors of the evening.

Ryssdal traced origins of the current financial crisis, pointing out similarities and differences between 1929 and the present. He then followed up with questions from the audience. Some of the audience interaction took on a debate aspect.

I photograph a variety of subjects - it’s not all weddings or the Flats. In addition to my event and fine art photography, I donate time to the Cleveland NPR and PBS affiliate, WVIZ/WCPN Ideastream.

Several times during the year I will be contacted by the staff regarding station events.

Not only is this a fascinating community organization, but I’ve been able to meet film makers, on-air talent like Gwen Ifil and Dick Feagler, and also a number of interesting station personalities.

Ryssdal speaking to audience members on September 25, 2008.