Photojournalism
Senior Ivy Howard Draws two winning spots in the WA art calendar
If you think this photo looks like an amateur journalist took it, you’d be right. It was the featured image from my first-ever article that I took when I was a freshman. It was shot from my iphone and definitely not at the angle I’d prefer now. But despite its flaws, this photography experience taught me the power of a photo in journalism. I interviewed Ivy in a random classroom after school, but hence the subject of her art, I wanted to take her photo in a place that better represented the story. So, I stopped by the art club a few days later and took this picture in her “natural habitat.” It taught me that good journalism involves putting yourself in new environments that will best represent your subject.
Photos: WA Girls' Gymnastics remains undefeated, winning meet against AB and CC
I spent my freshman year taking photos solely with my phone, mainly out of fear for the seemingly infinite buttons on a Canon camera. But midway through my sophomore year, I decided I wanted to try and learn more about photography, and signed up to cover a gymnastics meet. I spent the two hours rotating positions and experimenting with settings, severely unconfident in anything I shot. But after getting home that evening and reviewing the photos, I was filled with a renewed sense of motivation. Sure, they weren’t necessarily award-winning. But for a first-time photographer, they weren’t half bad. This moment gave me the courage to continue experimenting with photography and finding ways to incorporate it into my work.
This was the point where I started signing up to take photos in my free time, shifting from work to an enjoyable hobby. It was also the first time my school had held this event, wheeling in a gigantic truck of water for groups to plunge into whilst fundraising for the athletic programs of students with IDDs. When I got there, I saw a local outlet photographer was already positioned on one deck of the tank. I asked the administration if I could join him, and to my surprise I was sent to the edge of the water. As participants started jumping, I observed his meticulous pattern: shoot as they jump, quickly cover the lens as they splash, and whip the camera back up as they emerge freezing. I began to mimic the pattern, and in passing time he would explain his photography tips. He taught me the reward of risk-taking in photo journalism, and ultimately made me more thoughtful about my settings.
Photos: WA’s first Polar Plunge sends wave of success, raising over $8000
Game changer: Nielsen kicks off WA Girls’ Flag Football
As I mentioned in my Reporting & Writing section, this was a project I was very proud of. And although the writing was well sourced and paced, I felt it was missing a crucial visual component. So I started visiting a few practices with a camera, catching shots of drills as well as staging more dramatic photos like the featured image. After incorporating the media into the article, I found a new sense of satisfaction. While I enjoyed taking solo galleries, they often lacked the interviews and writing that I so loved. Meanwhile straight text never seemed to capture the full message. Ultimately, I learned that a balance between the two worlds of journalism produced the most meaningful, well-represented, and engaging pieces.
High Spirit East Community bridges gap for individuals with disabilities
After a year of slowly getting acclimated to camera settings, I received my own for my 18th birthday. Although it was nowhere near the cost of our newsroom camera, it made photography more accessible to me. One of the first projects I used it on was a feature on a nonprofit organization working to build a supportive community for individuals with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities. I attended one of their “ClubHouse” meetings, camera in hand, and got to capture the community I had researched so much about. I made many connections and also got to learn about how only 0.5% of Massachusetts recreational trails are categorized as universally accessible. For stories like this one, I found photos were the best way to bring the reader into a new community.
As I now reflect on my photography journey, I recognize that I still have much to learn. Yet, I’m incredibly proud that I took the leap and started learning about photojournalism, ultimately coming a long way from my first images shot on an Iphone. I find that by taking these risks, young staff writers are far more willing to do the same, creating an open-minded newsroom and fostering the next generation of photographers. Below are additional photos I took over the past four years, developing a new lens into my community.
Reflection
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