Photojournalism = enjoyment
At the beginning of this semester, I volunteered to help out the school paper with pictures. Eventually I got sucked into writing stories and laying out pages along with taking pictures. I have to say, I'm really really enjoying it. As a photographer, it's nice to have a reason to shoot, a specific project. As a writer, I've had a great time talking to people and getting to know them. Over this semester I've gotten less shy about approaching random people in public, and I've also been working on my interviewing skills.
The first story I covered was my brother's accident. Before his accident happened, I was starting to think about photojournalism. When I was at his bedside, I felt compelled to take pictures. It was difficult at times, but the thought that was going through my head was that if I can't record an event so life changing to my family and I, what would give me the right to document anyone else? With that in mind, I took pictures of my brother in the hospital. I shot pictures of him on two different occasions, including one day where the doctors told us Ben was about to die. I shot pictures of my mom and my aunt visiting with him, talking to him, rubbing his head, while he laid there unconscious. At times during the time I was shooting on that day, the camera held to my face played two roles: it recorded the moments, but also acted as a veil for the tears streaming down my cheek. Is was a powerful moment for me. I make no claim to the quality of the pictures, only that they are real life recorded, and that I'm proud of myself for taking them.
Some of the pictures (click on them to see them larger):
As a result of my willingness to share my brother's accident and its effects on my family, I was approached by an instructor here at Gavilan about writing a story about her struggle with thyroid cancer. The instructor is Jane Edberg, who teaches photography as well as other art classes here at Gavilan, some of which I've taken. When she first walked into the newspaper office, she asked to work with me. Since I wasn't in the paper office at the time, the staff that was there offered he other reporters, but she insisted on me. When I heard this, I was pretty flattered. I look up to her to some degree, and when a role model wants to work with you and only you on such a serious project, it's definitely flattering. Until I spoke with her, I was thinking that she chose me for two reasons; first, I thought she chose me because we got along well when I was in her classes; second, I thought she may have chosen me because I'm taking photography so seriously. I came to find out during my first discussion with her that she chose me not for her comfort with me, or for my photographic skills (or lack thereof), but for how I wrote, based on the piece she read about my brother's accident. Personally, I didn't care for that piece after I had written it, but a lot of people connected with it. Currently, I'm working with Jane on a newspaper piece for the school paper. We'll be covering her illness and certain facts and misconceptions about it, as well as the art she's made as a result of her cancer. I met with her yesterday for a preliminary talk about things, and have a photoshoot set up with her tomorrow, which I'm really looking forward to. Aside from the newsprint, I'm planning a short documentary with her, discussing the cancer of course, though I think the major theme will be the catharsis she finds with her art. I'm really really looking forward to getting started on this. It'll be the first real project I'll be working on recently that will incorporate more of my digital media training than just photography.
Well, even though there's a lot more going on in my life that I can write about, I'm out of time for today! I'll post again soon I hope.
-Bradley B.
The first story I covered was my brother's accident. Before his accident happened, I was starting to think about photojournalism. When I was at his bedside, I felt compelled to take pictures. It was difficult at times, but the thought that was going through my head was that if I can't record an event so life changing to my family and I, what would give me the right to document anyone else? With that in mind, I took pictures of my brother in the hospital. I shot pictures of him on two different occasions, including one day where the doctors told us Ben was about to die. I shot pictures of my mom and my aunt visiting with him, talking to him, rubbing his head, while he laid there unconscious. At times during the time I was shooting on that day, the camera held to my face played two roles: it recorded the moments, but also acted as a veil for the tears streaming down my cheek. Is was a powerful moment for me. I make no claim to the quality of the pictures, only that they are real life recorded, and that I'm proud of myself for taking them.
Some of the pictures (click on them to see them larger):
As a result of my willingness to share my brother's accident and its effects on my family, I was approached by an instructor here at Gavilan about writing a story about her struggle with thyroid cancer. The instructor is Jane Edberg, who teaches photography as well as other art classes here at Gavilan, some of which I've taken. When she first walked into the newspaper office, she asked to work with me. Since I wasn't in the paper office at the time, the staff that was there offered he other reporters, but she insisted on me. When I heard this, I was pretty flattered. I look up to her to some degree, and when a role model wants to work with you and only you on such a serious project, it's definitely flattering. Until I spoke with her, I was thinking that she chose me for two reasons; first, I thought she chose me because we got along well when I was in her classes; second, I thought she may have chosen me because I'm taking photography so seriously. I came to find out during my first discussion with her that she chose me not for her comfort with me, or for my photographic skills (or lack thereof), but for how I wrote, based on the piece she read about my brother's accident. Personally, I didn't care for that piece after I had written it, but a lot of people connected with it. Currently, I'm working with Jane on a newspaper piece for the school paper. We'll be covering her illness and certain facts and misconceptions about it, as well as the art she's made as a result of her cancer. I met with her yesterday for a preliminary talk about things, and have a photoshoot set up with her tomorrow, which I'm really looking forward to. Aside from the newsprint, I'm planning a short documentary with her, discussing the cancer of course, though I think the major theme will be the catharsis she finds with her art. I'm really really looking forward to getting started on this. It'll be the first real project I'll be working on recently that will incorporate more of my digital media training than just photography.
Well, even though there's a lot more going on in my life that I can write about, I'm out of time for today! I'll post again soon I hope.
-Bradley B.