Working for a newspaper as the only photographer is a privilege. It's also a little daunting. Each week there are ups and downs. Somedays you have really good days and others you question whether or not you should be doing this job.
I like having assignments and I like being sent to cover spot news(Let me change that-- i don't like it- spot news means covering something not so pleasant--but i feel covering this is hugely important to knowing what we as a people need to be cautious of everyday.
So each week that 'something happens' means I can make pictures of life as it is without having to seek it out--it presents itself.
I like having assignments and I like being sent to cover spot news(Let me change that-- i don't like it- spot news means covering something not so pleasant--but i feel covering this is hugely important to knowing what we as a people need to be cautious of everyday.
So each week that 'something happens' means I can make pictures of life as it is without having to seek it out--it presents itself.
This was a week--well there was one day this week where I did pretty solid newspaper photographer work. There was a fire the day before(my day off) and it was to a prominent individuals home in this small community. The smart thing I did was I went out early to the assignment before the time the reporter assigned was to come in. This was smart, not because I made a good picture at that time(the picture above was made on the second visit later in the day!), but because I was able to introduce myself and create a familiarity with the people involved that made making pictures later on a little easier.
Sometimes our best work is done with our cameras on our side and not in front of our faces.
I never know exactly what I'm going to make a picture of each day--this can be daunting at times. Like I said I like assignments. If there isn't one I find myself asking for any sort of news hook. And I don't always get an answer. So this one day I was going to a track meet and the idea was I would get some sort of weather feature from this meet. The problem was I read the schedule wrong and ended up at the track meet a day early and there wasn't what you'd call a 'weather feature' to be had So I just thought I'll try to just find a cool image to make--i thought about a Silhouette, but the light was a little too even to pull that off and I had just done a silhouette the week before.
I then determined my 'news hook' wouldn't be the weather, but a track team preparing for their meet the following day(since i messed up my schedule, i decided to turn lemons into lemonade!) I decided to concentrate on the team's warm-ups and attempt to find a combination of graphic interest with something that documents the time and place.
And i never know whitewall end up as a centerpiece on page one so I try to make it an interesting image to draw out readers in. This didn't end up on page one, though I wish it had.
I then determined my 'news hook' wouldn't be the weather, but a track team preparing for their meet the following day(since i messed up my schedule, i decided to turn lemons into lemonade!) I decided to concentrate on the team's warm-ups and attempt to find a combination of graphic interest with something that documents the time and place.
And i never know whitewall end up as a centerpiece on page one so I try to make it an interesting image to draw out readers in. This didn't end up on page one, though I wish it had.
The following day was a weather feature kind of day. Cold and rainy and we even got some snow. But this was a day we had plenty of news and photos and there wasn't a need for a weather a feature so this picture didn't make it into the paper, but we were able to put it online at least.
Each week I put forth the effort to make something special and each week I try to document the life around me--it's what photographers do. I love community journalism and I love community documentation. I feel if we seek to record the real moments each day we are doing noble work.
Each week I put forth the effort to make something special and each week I try to document the life around me--it's what photographers do. I love community journalism and I love community documentation. I feel if we seek to record the real moments each day we are doing noble work.
To me, even someone hosing down a sidewalk is important in the understanding of the fabric of life that makes each community unique. Here is a guy living in a small town in NW Pa. just trying to make his little portion of the universe a little nicer.
There isn't anything better than being able to cover this and tell this little story.
There isn't anything better than being able to cover this and tell this little story.