Rodger Howard, Author

About the Author Rodger Howard

Rodger Howard spent over 30 years covering television news in the city of Los Angeles as a photojournalist. He believes that while his profession provides a videographer the opportunity to share stories and experiences with the public, it also carries a tremendous responsibility. Photographers have the obligation to tell the whole story, to provide some perspective and critical information along with visuals.

Originally from Long Island, New York, Rodger Howard spent the majority of his youth in Los Angeles, graduating from James Monroe High School in the San Fernando Valley.

Rodger studied broadcasting at Los Angeles City College, but furthered what he calls his real-world education working in the news business on the streets of Los Angeles, a vibrant city with a rich history and millions of stories to tell. As he likes to say, learning to operate a video camera can be done in a classroom, but becoming a photojournalist requires time and experience that can only be found on the streets.

Over the years, Rodger has been the recipient of numerous awards for news videography, including five Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards, Three Golden Mikes and more.

After “retirement”, Rodger was the Director of Photography on the documentary film “The Weight of Honor”, produced by his wife, Stephanie Seldin Howard. The film was a labor of love, and tells the stories of five families whose lives are changed forever when they suddenly find themselves caregivers to their severely wounded veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Rodger Howard, can now add “author” to his list of accomplishments. He has completed his first novel, fOCUS, with Briton Publishing; its target release date is late Spring 2021.

A die-hard Dodgers fan and jazz aficionado, Rodger has four children, three grandchildren and a wacky Husky named Loki. He and Stephanie live in the Santa Clarita Valley, north of Los Angeles.

Rodger Howard's fOCUS Synopsis

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fOCUS is based on true life stories of an experienced News videographer, who is personified under the fictitious name of Ron Sharp. Ron realizes, after years of witnessing the unimaginable things, that most people will never see, that his experiences have changed him. His true-life stories cover murders, arson, intrigue and unimaginable horror as a news photo journalist, as he attempts to “grow a suit of armor” to protect his psyche. Ron’s ability to enter into a new romantic relationship becomes the biggest challenge of his life forcing him to assess his values and the precious nature of love and life itself. Ron’s career, has highs, lows, grinding boredom and heart-racing excitement, sometimes all in the same day! Teamed with a new, “green” reporter, Ron doesn’t let the opportunity pass to welcome her to Los Angeles with a bit of hazing that he instantly regrets. When they find themselves face to face with an accused killer the ill-prepared new reporter, decides to quit, after just one day. Ron meets Sandra, the love of his life and the word complicated doesn’t begin to describe his attempt at a relationship with her. Ron’s dedication to journalism gets him into awkward situations with the station’s new management, who have no understanding for what he does or how he carries out his work. Ron sees the world differently from other people and while he loves his job, he would never wish the dark side-effects of his job on anyone he cares about, particularly, the new love of his life, Sandra.