Forum Week 10

Topic 1:

I think the best photo I took this term was of the resume doctor at the career fair. I think its a really good photo. It is interesting, it captures a lot of emotion, and I was able to fight the terrible lighting in the building to get it.

The biggest difference from the start till now is that I have some basic camera skills. Most of the time I was just shooting on Auto, but I was put into a lot of situations where I had to learn on the fly. I feel like things really came together when I had to take pictures in the theatre and had to fight the awful lighting.

Topic 2:


My initial goals were:

First I want to learn how to use a camera with some degree of professionalism. I want to be able to take good pictures and do so confidently. I also want to learn how to properly attribute photos of what I take so I don't violate any ethical or legal rules.

Second I want to get over my the hesitation I have of taking photos in public. I want to get comfortable taking photos and getting the information I need to publish them.

Finally I want to be able to take what I learn from this class and apply it to my work at The Commuter and any future work I do relating to the field of journalism.

I would definitely say I fulfilled my first goal. I know how to work a camera and I am confident I know what I can and can't do as a photographer. As for my second goal I would say I am mostly over being sheepish about taking photos. I still have trouble getting up close and personal, but I will work on it. Finally I was definitely able to apply what I learned here at the Commuter. I took a TON of pictures that ended up in the paper and was very satisfied on how they turned out.

Overall I am totally thrilled I took this class. Thanks Rob!

Week 9 Forum

Topic 1:

I think the next step in photojournalism for me is to get my own camera and just start experimenting. I am certain I would like to continue doing what I did for this class, though probably only in a casual sense for awhile. After I get some more advanced camera skills I will most likely revisit the exciting photojournalism scene.

I plan to buy or to borrow a new camera over the summer and just take a whole bunch of pictures and see what I can come up with. I want to developer skills that will help me in my journalism career so that I can be a man of many talents. If I can get my own pictures as well as right my own stories then I feel I'll be pretty well off.

I really want to start taking pictures of things that get me excited and of cultures that I find interesting. I am excited to see where it takes me. I plan to mostly just go with the flow.

Topic 2:

I would say that Arthur "Weegee” Fellig made the biggest impression on me. I like the thought that he was one of the first to get really involved with reporting and he took some really powerful photos. He started getting photos that no one had the ability or the guts to get before him.

I also think its interesting that he was one of the first to start altering photos. I don't exactly approve of how he did it, but its noteworthy that he pioneered the practice to a certain degree.

Photo Story - James Reddan prepares for his final concert at LBCC

James Reddan enthusiastically leads his chamber choir students, during the warm up period of their penultimate rehearsal for the "Singing from the Heart" performance, on Tuesday, May 26.

James Reddan wipes the sweat from his face after a particularly energetic session of conducting the chamber choirs penultimate rehearsal.

James Reddan takes a small break to examine a sheet of music during the concert choir's second-to-last rehearsal on Friday, May 29.

James Reddan up close and personal with the men's singing group "Blue Light Special" as they practice  a mix of "Lose Yourself" and "Skyfall," by Adele and Eminem, during their Tuesday, June 2 dress rehearsal for their "Singing From the Heart" performance

James Reddan shouts instructions to the light and sound technician after a slight mishap during the rehearsal for the woman's singing group "The Sirens," as they were practicing their secret performance of "Space Jam," 

James Reddan has been a music instructor at Linn Benton Community college for nearly ten years and has been a vital part of expanding and perfecting the school's music program. This will be his last term teaching at LBCC and the term's music performance "Singing From the Heart" is his final and most difficult performance.

He attributes most of his success to his students and he considers his decision to leave to teach at Frostburg State University in Frostburg, Md. to be one of the most difficult decisions he has ever made. He will be greatly missed by both students and staff of LBCC, but he has certainly decided to go out with a bang.

Week 8 Forum

Topic 1:

I would say that the single most important technological innovation in photojournalism would be the 35mm film camera when they were made available to the public. It allowed a much greater ease of access to photography and portability. I imagine it was similar to how most phones now have cameras. "Anyone" could be a photo journalist because of it, though at a much smaller scale than today.

I would say "Weegee" stood out the most for me for many reasons. First, his access to police information was invaluable and sparked the go-getting on-site journalism of today. I think he was a little too radical at times and I think how he started doctoring images was a little shady, but I think it was important to start setting a precedent so early. Lessons learned from his more questionable work likely helped forge the solid set of ethics we have today.

Topic 2:

I am currently planning to cover James Reddan's last performance as a teacher at LBCC.  I plan to shoot a preview sometime next week, I plan to shoot during the show on June 4th, and I plan to shoot after the show, when I assume everyone will be saying their goodbyes. I will contact Reddan later today to get things set up.

For an overall shot I am hoping to get the audience watching the performance. For a medium I will get the performers during their practice and possibly on stage if it is allowed. For a closeup I intend to get a picture of Reddan, preferably in his stage outfit.

Action Shot - Fire Dancers

Fire dancer Shireen Press eating fire during her performance at LBCC's second annual Hypefest.

Fire dancer Jill Schofield swinging a flaming hula-hoop during her perforamcne at LBCC's second annual Hypefest.

Jill Schofield spinning flames during her performance at LBCC's second annual Hypefest.

Forum Week 7

Topic 1:

I will be taking pictures of the motorcyclists that meet on campus every weekend. I will go and take pictures during the afternoon as they run through their drills.

My overall shot will likely be the entire course while everyone is driving on it. My medium shot will likely be a few cyclists together. My closeup will be as close as I can get without being in the way, maybe a shot of someone slowing down or going around a sharp turn.

My primary contact will be the instructor for the program who attends each session.

Free Shoot

A member of the Mexicatiahui Danza Azteca during a traditional mexican dance performance during LBCC's Diversity Day celebration.

Members of Mexicatiahui DanzaAzteca kneeling during their performance at LBCC's Diversity Day celebration performance.

The traditional mexican dance group, Mexicatiahui Danza Azteca, concluding their performance at LBCC's Diversity Day celebration.

Neighborhood Photos

Mark Chambers, the residential manager, manning the front office of the Lindenwood apartments.

The common area of Lindenwood apartments serves as a mail center, laundry room, and general recreational area.

The center courtyard of the Lindenwood apartment complex, dominated by the residential swimming pool.

Forum 6

Topic 1:

I love this photo because it makes Frisbee look so intense. It is a good action shot and the focus is good as well, which from my experience can be very difficult when it comes to people moving around, even if they move slowly.

Here are some questions I have:
How does one go about photographing a marathon? Do you stake out an area and wait?
How conscious does someone need to be on the sideline during a competitive event?
What sport/event is most challenging to photograph?


Topic 2:
For my neighborhood assignment I did the Lindenwood apartment complex next door to the school. It wasn't my first choice, but my other topic didn't pan out.

My biggest challenge was finding people who were willing to talk to me and get a picture. College students are shy, who knew.

I think the environmental portrait turned out great. He has a great expressions, the lighting seemed good, and it is more interesting than the others. I managed to catch him right before his shift ended.

If I had to do this assignment over i would get more pictures with people in them and people doing things. I would also try to find a more interesting area like downtown Albany or Corvallis.

Forum Week 5

Topic 1:
The photo story Phillip Toledano: Days With My Father really blew me away. It was very emotional, interesting, funny, and sad. The photos seem very real and personal. They made me think about my relationship with my own father and grandfather. Adding in the subject's short term memory loss and it makes it a very compelling story.

The most obvious challenges would have been the photographer's personal connection to the subject and dealing with the constant memory loss. Toledano talks about both the frustration and joy he felt while taking care of his father.

The theme is generally rather light-hearted, though there are the occasional bits that are rather dark. Most of the pictures are upbeat and even a little funny, like the one with the sheep sleeping mask. The narrative was very powerful and I was hanging on the writer's every word. It was overall an inspiring and though inducing story.

In my own photo story I realize I will have to spend a lot of time with my subject and try to get some good candid photos. Its important that I get a good understanding of who the person will be and what drives them to do what they do.

Topic 2:
I could do a story on the restaurant on the LBCC campus and talk to the staff during their daily routine.

I want to get some shots of things behind the scenes and how it transfers to what everyone else sees when they just go in to eat. What happens so the food gets to the table? I intend to find out who is in charge and see if they will allow me to observe things from both behind the scene and in the restaurant itself.

I could also do a photo story on the life of an LBCC security guard and what their job on campus entails. What is their daily routine like? What do they do when theres an emergency or an incident on campus? I'll have to find a security person who would be willing to work with me and let me shadow them for awhile. this might be a challenge since they seem pretty shy.

Week 5 Feature Photos!

Janeen Phillips, Career and Employment Specialist, helps LBCC fix up their resumes for the annual Career Fair.

Carl Callow and Elijah Callow practice their backhoe driving skills with a nifty simulation.

Benton County Deputies manning their booth at LBCC's annual Career Fair.

Photographer of the Week - Art Wolfe

Art Wolfe was born on September 13th 1951 in Seattle, Washington. He is a photographer, TV show host and conservationist. The theme of his photos are generally natural landscapes, animals in the wild, and capturing foreign culture. He filmed a travel show that aired on American Public Television titled "Travels to The Edge with Art Wolfe." There is an art gallery that features his work in Seattle and he enjoys visiting Oregon both for photography and the reception he gets.

He is a conservationist and use many of his photos to promote conserving natural environments.He also enjoys photographing the native culture of the places he travels. Some of his later work revolves around body paint after his encounters with the practice in different cultures.

Throughout his career he has traveled all over the world for both his TV show and photography efforts. He recently started encouraging donations to relief efforts supporting Nepal after the recent earthquake disasters.

He has published 16 books and his television show ran for a total of 39 episodes, distributed by American Public Television. He is a major supporter of various charity programs and nature conservation programs.

Though he has been criticized for using Photoshop to make corrections to some of his pictures, Wolfe avidly defends his choice to do so. He considers Photoshop an important tool in his arsenal for fixing mistakes commonly made when photographing the natural world. Some example he has cited involve removing telephone poles or stray branches from otherwise well composed shots.

One of his most notable controversies was a picture of a stone arch in Utah in which he used double exposure to enhance the size of the moon in the picture from the size of a pinprick to the size of a dime. Due to an editing error, the caption forgot to mention the use of a longer lens. Some of his long exposure shots that involve stars spinning around the sky have also come under scrutiny.

Forum Week 4

Topic 1:

1. For me the most interesting part of the code of ethics was the last part: "Do not intentionally sabotage the efforts of other journalists." It makes me curious, because they wouldn't have made a rules for it if there wasn't a problem.

I also noted how it specifically said "intentionally." It made me think about how different journalists might end up treading on one another's feet by accident. For instance, one journalist might publish something unflattering about an individual and they might decline further coverage as a result.

2. "Strive to be unobtrusive and humble in dealing with subjects." It sounds like this is encouraging journalists to only observe whenever possible. A journalist's job is to observe and report. You should not use your position as a journalist to influence a situation and keep oneself as detached as possible. Even the presence of a person with a camera or a notepad can affect how people act.

3. To stay humble and unobtrusive I would imagine one would avoid drawing attention to themselves during and event and avoid manipulating subjects. Don't go around trying to create the perfect photo and instead try to capture it. Avoid asking people to pose.


Topic 2:

I liked the photo Marwah posted this week for her portrait photo. It looks pretty well set up and the I never really see people sewing much these days. I think its cropped well and I think the lighting looks really good as well.

I also like Trevor's portrait from this week. I think its really creative and funny. It makes me wonder whats this guy is all about.

Week 4 - Mugshot and Potrait

Cherrie Wellons, a cashier in the Linn-Benton cafeteria.

Cherie Wellons manning the register in the LBCC cafeteria.

Forum 3

Topic 1:

I am thinking of getting a portrait of someone from campus security. I don't have any names because the website is currently down. They would be easily recognizable people from campus and should be well suited to the environment. I would take the picture somewhere on campus or maybe in the security office. I can email them or go and visit the security office.

I could also get a picture of whoever is in charge of the upstairs cafeteria during the day. I don't have a name because the website is still down. I think it would be interesting to get a picture of someone in charge of so many chefs. They probably also have the biggest hat. The best place to get a picture of them would be in the kitchen. I could email them or go to the cafeteria and see who I can find.

Topic 2: Self-Critique

I would say my best is my Closeup from week 2. I made sure to avoid the window and I feel like the photo has some cool stuff going on in it. Unfortunately I didn't get his name

I think my worst picture is my medium from week 2. It could have been cropped better and I could have got a name.

I definitely need to pay more attention to the environment and work on setting up shots. I also need to get more familiar with my camera.

Photos Week 3 - Evacuation Drill

LBCC faculty member Su Youravish coordinates students to the front parking lot of the LBCC campus during last Thursday's evacuation drill.

LBCC faculty members lead students back to class after last Thursday's evacuation drill.

Students waiting to return to class during an evacuation drill last Thursday.

LBCC Learning Center Photos

Various students hard at work in the LBCC Learning Center.

A student logs in to use the LBCC Learning Center.

A student reviews his work after getting help from a tutor.

Forum 2 Response

1. The two methods I would use to find feature stories would bee to keep an idea book and choose a word. I already keep an idea book that I use to write my stories for The Commuter so it would easy to start adding in ideas for photos. I could try to add at least one idea a day and them come over it at the start of each week to find a subject.

2. My favorite photo of Ryan's is the football one, because the light and the fog look really cool together. Im curious to how and when this photo was taken to make it look like this.

Questions:
Should we try to get photos based on the story or base the story on the photos?
What do you do if someone gets angry or violent from having their picture taken?
Where are some places you should NEVER take photos?

Week 1 Forum

Topic 1: My Three Goals for Photojournalism

First I want to learn how to use a camera with some degree of professionalism. I want to be able to take good pictures and do so confidently. I also want to learn how to properly attribute photos of what I take so I don't violate any ethical or legal rules.

Second I want to get over my the hesitation I have of taking photos in public. I want to get comfortable taking photos and getting the information I need to publish them.

FInally I want to be able to take what I learn from this class and apply it to my work at The Commuter and any future work I do relating to the field of journalism.

Topic 2: Famous Photographer

Art Wolfe is a traveling photographer that takes pictures of different cultures and different aspects of nature. He is a philanthropist that advocates for the conservation of nature and animal habitats.

He is from America and is currently 66 years old. He has a television show titled "Travels to the Edge with Art Wolfe." He has written 16 books about his travels.

Topic 3:Photo Ideas

I am thinking of taking pictures of people on their way to class in the morning. So I would take pictures of people getting off the bus, in the halls and coming out of the parking lot.

I am also thinking of taking pictures of people who work at the school during their day to day activities. So cleaning, grading papers, teaching class and all that sort of thing.

The best photos you will ever see ever in the history of the multiverse, by me.

Cooper, the Sports Editor at The Commuter

James Reddan during an interview

A faculty member pushing a cart and a student walking