PHOTOJOURNALISM
Although I have always found comfort in writing news articles, I also sought to expand my passion for storytelling to other journalistic mediums. In my first year as a journalist, photography did not always go smoothly; I encountered issues with focusing, lighting, and achieving the coveted “perfect feature photo” that I constantly strived for. But in that process, I learned something new about photojournalism in each assignment I took on.
THE TREK ACROSS COASTAL CALIFORNIA
On my journey to report on a veteran hiking across the coast raising awareness for veteran suicide, I captured a few key moments of the trip. Although I struggled to capture in-action photos of the hike, I became more comfortable with the use of my camera. I also learned more about how to focus in on one main subject for the photo.
Hundreds of hand-drawn on lanterns drift across the water.
A memorial lantern of a loving father floats on the lake.
Artists Mira Groto and Marcus Wing perform live at the lantern festival.
ISSUE 1 HIGHLANDER COVER
For issue one of Highlander, I needed a cover photo that would reflect the issue’s theme of “student stereotypes.” To do so, I gathered a group of students involved in a wide variety of activities, including band, football, ASB, cheer, and our biotechnology program (BTI). With inspiration from “Mean Girls” and '“The Breakfast Club,” I created a photoshoot highlighting their involvement in these activities. The final photos were used on both the cover and table of contents of the issue.
Children, parents, and grandparents line up to present their gifts for the toy drive.
A father and son mount the pile of California snow and prepare to sled down.
Children take advantage of the wide range of coloring opportunities in Santa’s Toy Shop.
SAN MATEO DAILY JOURNAL STOCK
As an intern for the SMDJ, I started off as their photographer in my sophomore year. Relatively inexperienced and unsure of how to take effective photos, I soon became comfortable with my camera. Although most of my assignments involved taking stock photos featured on their website, I learned a lot about the elements of effective photography including depth of field, asymmetry, contrast, and composition.
John Preston (center) hikes with a group of local firefighters a week in to his journey.
Preston’s firemen crew hikes behind him in their 600-mile journey.
Preston’s crew mate signs a poster for the “22 and You” film poster.
SPARKING CONNECTION IN OUR COMMUNITY
For my first article ever, I covered a local lantern festival which included performers, vendors, and the releasing of thousands of lanterns at dusk. While taking photos of the lanterns, I found it difficult to approach the water up-close without—quite literally—falling in. But after a long night of strategic maneuvering and water-soaked shoes, I got the shots I wanted. Some lanterns represented memorials for their lost loved ones, while others were appreciations for the family they had with them that night. Each lantern meant something unique, and I hoped to capture that idea through my photos.
Keya Arora, Katelyn Nightengale, Helena Cohen, Joshua Yglesias, and Jack Peacock pose to represent the extracurricular activities they are involved in.
“Student stereotypes” engage in a discussion exploring their after-school activities.
SANTA’S TOY DRIVE
As the holiday season approached in my community, the local firehouse hosted a toy drive to collect presents to donate. The event was primarily targeted towards young children, where they had the opportunity to explore the firehouse, take photos with Santa, donate presents and play in the snow. As the photographer of this event, I captured special moments of children enjoying the various activities throughout the event, placing special emphasis on capturing their emotions on camera; in particular, their curiosity. During this shoot, I struggled to adapt to the yellow lighting inside of the firehouse and somewhat dim lighting outside. I discovered how important framing and editing was in the post-shoot process, and used that to adjust my collection of photos.
