Student recognizes growth through photojournalism class

After working as a journalist and graphic designer for the Feather as a freshman, I returned this year intent on growing my photography skills.

My relationship with photography began at a young age. While on family vacations, I would steal my mom’s camera and take landscape photos. My favorite items to shoot were stained glass windows and close-ups of foliage.

Nevertheless, prior to taking photojournalism, my knowledge of cameras and editing was very limited. For the first few months of the year, advisor Kori James taught us everything from camera settings to writing instagram captions. All of this new information was overwhelming at first, but thankfully my fellow staffers were there to help.

The biggest struggle I dealt with was photographing people. Because I previously shot almost exclusively nature and buildings, learning how to position people well in the frame was difficult. I am once again grateful for the guidance James gave me throughout the year.

There are two specific events that have grown me immensely this year as a photographer and a person. Firstly, I took photos of a  anatomy and physiology lab, Oct 1. This was my first time taking photos of a school event. I was incredibly nervous and worried I wouldn’t get any useable images. But once I finished taking photos, my worries were diminished. I felt accomplished and proud of what I did. Getting over these first fears gave me faith in the training I received.

The second specific event was a trip to Yosemite National Park the Feather Staff took, April 16. The adventure rekindled my love for nature photography. At the base of Yosemite Falls, James taught me how to slow down the aperture so the water appeared blurred and flowy. That moment, as well as getting to crawl through caves, was the highlight of the trip for me.

Looking forward, I do not plan to pursue photography in college or for a career. Even so, I am grateful for the experiences this year has brought me. To those who are interested in taking photojournalism, I would like to encourage them that the class is not just about photography. It is about running a social media page, writing skills, and growing confidence as an individual. All of these valuable skills are applicable to more areas of your life than just running a school newspaper.

Above all, the most valuable thing I have gained in journalism is a feeling of family. The class is very challenging at times. Our team is united in a common struggle to capture the daily life of the campus. As this year wraps up, I would like to thank every photojournalist for their assistance.

For more photos, visit the media page.

For more articles, read Unique 2020-2021 recap highlights abbreviated school year and Coronavirus pandemic, rise of misinformation highlight importance of media literacy.

The slideshow below showcases some of my first and favorite photos I took this year.

Gallery • 11 Photos