Charlie Berg

You know those doors that automatically open for you when you walk in to the supermarket? Sometimes, I like to act like I'm holding them open for the person behind me. I'll also find one that says "pull" and start pushing on it really hard while cursing, just to make my wife mad at me.

I'm a prank-a-minute type of guy. Just ask anyone who works, lives, knows, or has ever walked by me. They've all been victims. I could probably update this page every minute, telling of something new and funny I've done to someone.

That's why it was so hard to write that stuff you see on our home page. There was not one joke made through the entire thing! It's all true though. Jason and I are really excited to be working together at Black Fly Media.

I'm a native of Fryeburg, Maine, a graduate of Fryeburg Academy, a volunteer EMT on Fryeburg Rescue, and enjoy annoying all of my friends from away as I talk about growing up in Fryeburg.

Sadly, Fryeburg is a hard place to make a living in broadcast television, so I live in South Portland, Maine now with my beautiful wife Erin and her pregnant belly we affectionately call "Little B." I can't wait for him/her to get here in September!

I love my other job as a news photographer at WCSH-TV 6, the NBC affiliate in Portland. There are some really wonderful but clueless people there to play pranks on. If you see a reporter limping on the evening news, it's probably because they were just hit by a pile of shovels I leaned against the other side of the door.

In 2006 and 2007, I beat Jason in the race for the "NPPA's Regional Photographer of the Year" title. Then, he won an Emmy. Now I need your help to win one of those and steal his wallet.

We both love telling stories through video and editing. If you'd like to consider us for your next project or just talk about an idea, please just shoot us an e-mail or call. I promise I can act professionally long enough to get the job done. Just be cautious of the door on the way out. You've been warned.

Jason Nelson

So I sat down to write this, and stared pretty blankly at the screen...for a long time. Finally two things came to me...its hard to talk about yourself, and two, my background as a photojournalist is actually something worth telling.

Being a photojournalist has allowed me some pretty amazing opportunities. I was on the field when The Boston Red Sox won their first World Series Title in 86 years...and again when they did it 3 years later. (I even have dirt from the infield to prove it.)

I travelled to China with a group of doctors ... their mission was to teach the Chinese heart surgeons new surgical procedures ... saving the lives of babies.  I captured infants as little as 1 month old go through open heart surgery, then wake up to their grateful parents. In our 10 days in China, the American doctors saved 12 children from otherwise diagnosed "incurable" conditions. Amazing!

Also amazing? Getting kicked in the head...by and NFL player you'd otherwise only see on TV.

It was a warm night in Jacksonville, Florida...2nd quarter, Patriots vs. Eagles. I was on the goal line, shooting from my knees as Kevin Faulk was  barreling toward me.  I didn't know whether to cheer or shoot.  I did both.  As he dove across the line, a defensive end pushed him out of bounds.  The collision knocked the defender back, and smack into me, and my camera. I got kicked in the head with his cleat ... and it was AWESOME! I never liked Philadelphia anyway. Pats won 24-21. And the video later helped me earn the Regional Photographer of the Year award in 2005.

One place many people would never want to go during winter is the summit of Mount Washington... "Home to the World Worst Weather."  Google it ... it's true.  But that's where I spent 4 days in February 2007.  I really had no idea what I was getting into.  I arrived late on a Sunday ... in style ... by Snow Cat.  I got into bed thinking "this isn't that bad."  I had a nice warm bunk inside the Observatory, and slept like a baby.  I got up at 430 the next morning to start the day and I walked over to the monitor displaying the conditions outside.  I nearly fainted ... "-37 degrees, -70 degrees if you include the 100 mile an hour winds." Awesome.  Throughout our stay atop Mt Washington, the gear froze more times than you can imagine, the conditions were so severe, no skin could be exposed when outdoors, and it hurt. Have you ever tried to walk into a 75mph wind?  Try it, and email me ... I'll send you my pictures. But I can tell say, the video I captured was amazing and I have never complained about a Maine winter since.

Realizing I could go on, about all the cool places I've worked, I'll stop.  Suddenly I can talk about myself for days?  But it's just because I'm passionate about what I do.  Being able to tell people's stories, putting together a final video and having a client be really happy, and just meeting new people is what motivates me to get great pictures that tell great stories.  I'm most fulfilled by the thousands of friends I have met along the way, forming relationships I still have today.

And just because there's no real easy way to work in all the awards I've won into a nice story, here's proof I was actually working during all those trips. I've won over 20 First Place Associated Press, and Maine Association of Broadcasting Awards between 2002 and 2009. I was selected as the Regional Photographer of the Year in 2004 and 2005, by the National Press Photographers Association, that covers all of New England.  In 2006 and 2007, I let Charlie, Black Fly Media President win it, but I was close behind! For my work in China, I won the Edward R Murrow Award for excellence in Journalism, and I also won an Emmy. Yes, a real Emmy. But the coolest part, is now I have an Emmy ... and Charlie doesn't. Oh, and I also was voted to the all-star team in Little League and I led the league with stolen bases. Thats right I'm fast too.

If you ever want to talk about anything video related or just reminisce about your superstar days as a Little Leaguer, send me an email, jason@blackflymedia.com I would love to talk.