After the Half

FINALLY posting the rest of the KU game! Hope you all enjoy it!

While Missouri controlled the pace of the game during the first part of the game, but after the half, Kansas began to play their game. They began controlling the lane more and were able to draw fouls, getting two key Missouri players in foul trouble. They started running up the score, and eventually stretched the lead out of Missouri's reach.

Capstone Reading Reaction

Anne Lamott reading

I liked her point about taking short assignments, producing a bad first draft, can show you more details that can evolve into a new part of the story or show you a new character. It really made me think of how observant I am when I go through edits and even when I'm shooting. You can't just focus on your main subject, you have to be looking for other things to add to your story, or possibly even a better subject.

My FAVORITE part of the reading though, was in her "Polariods" chapter:

"You can't—and, in fact, you're not supposed to—know exactly what the picture is going to look like until it has finished developing." 

You can have an idea of where you want your story to go, but you really can't know how it is going to turn out. You kind of just have to go with the flow and let the project evolve. You have to continue to get to know your subjects and their story so you can tell it better and tell it completely.

"You couldn't have had any way of knowing what this piece of work would look like when you first started. You just knew that there was something about these people that compelled you, and you stayed with that something long enough for it to show you what it was about."

Jay & Hurn reading

 

"Photography is only a tool, a vehicle, for expressing or transmitting a passion in something else. It is not an end result."

I really liked this quote. I think it is important to keep in mind that anyone can take pictures, but a true photographer has a passion for conveying a message or an idea that they want to share. It's not just about recording moments sometimes.

I thought one of the most important points was that a photographer must have intense curiosity. Mostly about their subject. It has to hold your interest or you won't be dedicated to putting in all the effort and time that it takes to produce a good story.

Their method to finding a subject was to write down anything you are curious about. It didn't even have to be related to photography. It just needed to be something you had an interest in. Then you had to take out anything you knew nothing about, at least until you did some research. After that they said to ask yourself these questions:

1) Is it visual?

2) Is it practical?

3) Is it a subject about which i know enough?

4) Is it interesting to others?

That should leave with you with some ideas to start for your story. You need to be specific with your subject in order to be successful.

Another important point they made was that you need a deep and long lasting respect and love of the subject matter. Otherwise you won't stick with it, and you won't have an interest in telling the story properly.

I also really enjoyed seeing their opinion on what made a good picture:

"The best pictures..., are those which go straight into the heart and the blood and take some time to reach the brain."

In the Phog

I traveled to Lawrence for the Border Showdown between Kansas and Missouri at Allen Fieldhouse on February 7, 2011. It was a long day of traveling, shooting, and editing, but it was a great experience to be able to photograph in one of the best arenas in the nation.

I now understand completely why it is called one of the most hostile environments in college basketball. From the constant roar of the crowd and the nonstop party during timeouts, it was one of the most eventful 40 minutes of basketball I've ever experienced.

For the first half, the Tigers managed to shut down the Morris twins and stop KU's inside game. Both teams fought hard, with the Tigers not leading by much for most of the half. The Jayhawks scored two baskets late in the half to put them up going into halftime.

Big Jay and Baby Jay came over to stretch with Jeff Withey before the game.

Kansas students hold up newspapers as the Missouri team  is announced before the game.

Then they rip them up and throw them into the air as their team is introduced.

Tyshawn Taylor talks to Elijah Johnson after another Kansas turnover.

Capstone Editing Exercise

This is the story edit Lindsay Moser and I put together for our capstone editing exercise. I didn't have a way to make a slide show, but the pictures are in the order they would appear in the story.
 

For our assignment we also had to create a magazine layout with a title page. This was the design Lindsay and I came up with:

*These photos were all taken by Caitlyn Emmett for her capstone project last semester for a story titled "Racecars to Ruffles." It's a great story in VOX magazine. Go check it out!

Reading Reactions for January 30, 2011

I really enjoyed this set of readings and felt like it had a lot to apply to my photography, as well as my life in some ways.

Anne Lamott: I love her writing style! She's honest and funny, so this was a really fast read. I thought she made some good points about having to just get started, take a project in little pieces, and get over being perfect. It took me a little bit sometimes to connect how this to photography, but I think it's like writing in many ways. You have to let yourself just get started on a project, in small pieces, but just take any photos you can on your initial shoot, because you never know what might grow into something more. You don't always need a solid focus on a long term project at the start. Shoot so you have options, then do better on each successive take. I really liked the chapter on not being perfect, and needing to let it go so you can discover new and wonderful things in the chaos and clutter.

Gross and Shapiro: I thought this went well with what we talked about shooting a picture story. You have to change your perception so each picture is interesting and new for the viewer. It had some good techniques to reconstruct reality, and then gave examples of each. I liked what it said about changing perspective, trying to think of how different creatures would see the same world that we see. I do find myself viewing things from the same lens and the same height, instead of moving up or down, back and forth.

Lenswork Podcast- 10,000 Hours: I liked how this one talked about how you have to work hard. Talent does count for some things, but it's when you put in the work that you really get good. You train your eye to see a style, and to see what works or not. That's developed over time, and not many people are just born with it. I think it's encouraging in a way to people who have to work a little harder at photography, that we really will be better in the long run. Talent can be learned, and you can get further if you work hard at it, instead of coasting on natural talent.

No Greater Love, by Carol Guzy- The Washington Post

The best picture stories to me are the ones that move you, make you feel something intense. It can be happiness, anger, or sorrow. And I love stories of people overcoming obstacles, or just having the strength to do something I don't think I could.

This story, "No Greater Love," I came across as I was looking at the Washington Post website. The short little summary under the thumbnail caught my attention. It was about a 104-year-old woman taking care of her 92-year-old bedridden sister. That was enough of a story to drag me in.

The multi-chapter piece that followed just broke my heart when I watched. I actually ended up crying at the end of both chapters I watched. There were several aspects of this story that I thought made it better than just a slideshow of still photographs.

The audio was one of the first things to jump out at me. I honestly feel like that was the stronger part of the piece. There were times it was hard to understand what they were saying, but you could tell that was what it sounded like. These two very old women had a hard time communicating at times. The quality of the audio was flawless though, both the interviews and the natural sound that was recorded. The nat sound was actually what made the story seem more intimate to me. You really felt like you were there. There was so much of it built into the piece that it created an atmosphere, and it was woven together beautifully.

The story also had a strong central character and a compelling story. This woman, Classie, had been taking care of her bedridden sister for over 20 years, when she herself had health issues and was over 100 years old! That's quite a strong woman. It gave the story a central focus, and the relationship between the sisters just added to it. I think stories like this resonate with all types of people.

I am always amazed when a photographer gets such intimate access with their subjects. It shows a lot about their personality, determination, and how committed they are to the story. I appreciated that the photographer continued with the story of Classie even after her sister had passed. That clearly wasn't the end. Guzy followed Classie as she then focused on her own health issues, and was even present when she finally passed. The level of trust and respect she received from the whole family, not just Classie allowed her to do that. I think that commitment, telling the story all the way to the end, left me feeling like I understood the whole story better. I would have wondered what became of Classie if it had only been told in the first chapter. The completeness impressed me.

I think all the reasons I liked this story are good aspects for me to think about when finding my own stories. I think finding a story I have a strong emotional connection to will help me stay focused and dedicated. I think finding that personal connection will make it much more rewarding than just a class assignment.

Republican Watch Party- Elections on November 2, 2010

Last night I volunteered for an extra shift at the Columbia Missourian, seeing as how it was going to be a huge election across the country. Plus it never hurts to get more clips and earn some brownie points!

For my contribution to the election coverage I was sent to the Courtyard by Marriott in Columbia, Mo. to photograph a major Republican Watch party. The candidates there were Blaine Luetkemeyer, Paul Szopa, and Ed Robb.

It was an extremely long night, starting at 6 p.m. and ending up crashing in bed about 2 a.m. What a night though! I was at the main watch party for some Republican candidates, and there was a lot going on. Covering 3 different candidates was overwhelming, and the lighting was terrible, but I ended up getting some good photos.

Here are all the photos that were published either in print, on the web, or in slideshows at the Columbia Missourian.