The Plain Dealer and My 21st Birthday

I ran out of time today to update you and show my pictures from my three days spent at The Plain Dealer. I'm going to New York City tomorrow until the 25th, for my 21st birthday. So I will update you after I return. In the meantime, I want to tell you that I am going back to The Plain Dealer, and on the 25th, I'm getting a portfolio review from Santiago Lyon at the Associated Press. Be on the lookout for my update when I return!

Baptisms

I shot around 30 baptisms at Journey Church yesterday evening. I'll be working with the husband and wife media team for summer. I have a meeting with the wife, Stephanie tomorrow morning. They shot all video and I was doing stills. It was really nice to have full access to this event. Pretty excited about the images, now I just need more things to shoot for the summer. 

I think I'm starting to realize that I really like shooting events, and fast paced ones at that. Longer term storytelling is challenging but it can also be draining. I've really been thinking about storytelling with everything I shoot. So short, fast paced events with storytelling seems to be somewhere I'd like to be. I'm able to focus for a good amount of time and be super into whatever I'm shooting without geting bored or distracted. Maybe this is everyone's ideal shoot, but it's making me think more about newspapers...

Family History

I hung out with my dad for a little bit yesterday. He cleaned out my grandparent's house this spring and he brought home all of the pictures. Most to distribute to his siblings, and the others he doesn't know what to do with. These are the oldest ones that he showed me, mixed in with some postcards and letters from my grandma to my grandpa.

Prom

My story subject for spring quarter was this great family of seven. I created a book, if you are interested. The two oldest girls, Ruth and Raquel, went to their senior prom on June 1st. I didn't photograph the actual dance, just them getting ready and pictures beforehand.

RIT Commencement Polaroids

I stayed around Rochester for an extra week for graduation and prom (more on that later). I got a polaroid camera for my birthday a few years ago, with really old film. I had been saving it for a good occasion and I thought graduation was as good as any. I spent most of my time with Daniel and his family. Hopefully I'll find some more polaroid film or get a different instant camera so I can continue shooting. 

Hi,

I'm starting another blog and hopefully it will be as successful as last summer's. I'm going to pretty busy for the next two and a half months. I'm assisting/interning for Chris Langer, a 2011 RIT graduate on editorial shoots and weddings. Volunteering for Journey Community Church, photographing events and learning video. Assisting at Kalman and Pabst to learn some studio stuff. Going into The Plain Dealer to talk to the Director of Photography. I'll also be shooting for myself and working on a story or two (that I need to find first, if you have any suggestions, let me know!) I look forward to hearing feedback from all of you and learning a lot this summer. Stay tuned!

I photographed some prom preparations last week, post to follow.