A day in the life of Teddy
April 21, 2018
Teddy Auberle (preferred gender pronouns: they/them) is a non-binary, queer sophomore at Wayne State studying English literature. I met Teddy at the 2018 Pride Prom. I photographed Pride Prom for my final project in digital photojournalism (more on that in another blog post) and throughout the dance I couldn’t help but notice their energy and the effect they had on the other promgoers. Everyone gravitated around Teddy, including me.
There’s an ease about Teddy; they smile easily, answer questions with patience, and when they laugh it’s an all-encompassing act that leaves others with no choice but to join. Teddy is comfortable with themself. They express their identity with little hesitation or insecurity, their confidence oozing — not to be mistaken with arrogance. In their baggy blue jeans, classic Chuck Taylors and a black t-shirt with a pride flag plastered on the front, Teddy’s gender is difficult to immediately discern. Teddy said they’re often used for class projects by friends, “because I look super gay.”
I followed Teddy around for an entire day, excluding their shift at the Campus Visits and their weekly trivia game at the Common Pub. Their — or rather, our — day began with French class. As the child of a French Canadian, Teddy grew up speaking French. They spoke the language with ease, as opposed to their peers who stumbled through each word. I, however, am bilingual in Arabic and Spanish, and was entirely out of my element so to speak. The class I attended was the last session of the semester, so every seat was occupied and I constantly felt like I was in the way every time I repositioned to get a shot of Teddy. Thankfully, I didn’t stay for the entirety of the class session.
I next followed Teddy to the “quoffice” — queer office — JIGSAW’s headquarters in the Student Center, which is one of the few buildings on campus with gender-neutral bathrooms. Joining Intersectionality, Gender, Sexuality, and Allies at Wayne (JIGSAW) is Wayne State’s LGBTQ+ student organization. When I first entered the “quoffice,” all eyes fell on me, I was an outsider and they knew it. However, once I introduced myself and the basis of my project, I was met with a chorus of praise for Teddy including, “Teddy is a badass motherf*cker.” Teddy and other JIGSAW members were in the middle of a round of Cards Against Humanity. Inappropriate jokes were made with the delivery of every card, with eyes continuously cast to Teddy for their reaction following each one. One thing was clear, Teddy’s approval was sought after. I was pleasantly surprised to find that JIGSAW is unlike other student organizations on campus. While other student organizations are strictly structured and consist of high-achieving students working for the sake of another line on their resumes under the pretense of philanthropy and social entrepreneurship, JIGSAW embodies the true purpose of student organizations: to bring likeminded students together. The room was littered with bean bags, a Nintendo 64 console connected to a small television, a futon and snacks galore — simply put, it’s designed for optimal comfort. There were two “closet” doors covered in handwritten notes from JIGSAW members, some notes were words of support and others were confessions. It was clear to me that the “quoffice” was designed to be a haven for students to be themselves, no holds barred.
Finally, I attended the last JIGSAW meeting of the year. JIGSAW holds weekly, discussion-based meetings with topics ranging from practicing safe sex to tips for allies. Teddy is the current vice president and “future president,” they said. The meeting was intended for members to provide the executive board with constructive criticism regarding the past semester. The meeting opened with an icebreaker, people sitting in the circle introduced themselves, listed their preferred gender pronouns and recalled their favorite memory from the last year. Teddy listened attentively while taking notes. Meanwhile, I was seated in the center of the circle to get a good shot of Teddy.
This experience has been, hands down, my favorite project since starting college. Teddy’s comfort in their own skin is enviable and something that is rare among teenagers, it’s something people aspire to attain. While Teddy doesn’t shy from their queerness, there’s more to them. They love Ocean’s 11, Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Will & Grace and their dog, Benjy. Throughout the project, I often forgot just how young Teddy is, their self-assuredness making them seem older than 19 years old. Teddy is a natural leader, someone who the others look to for reassurance and approval. But beneath it all, there’s a person just trying to discover their place in this life. In short, Teddy is just another college student trying to survive one semester at a time.
There’s an ease about Teddy; they smile easily, answer questions with patience, and when they laugh it’s an all-encompassing act that leaves others with no choice but to join. Teddy is comfortable with themself. They express their identity with little hesitation or insecurity, their confidence oozing — not to be mistaken with arrogance. In their baggy blue jeans, classic Chuck Taylors and a black t-shirt with a pride flag plastered on the front, Teddy’s gender is difficult to immediately discern. Teddy said they’re often used for class projects by friends, “because I look super gay.”
I followed Teddy around for an entire day, excluding their shift at the Campus Visits and their weekly trivia game at the Common Pub. Their — or rather, our — day began with French class. As the child of a French Canadian, Teddy grew up speaking French. They spoke the language with ease, as opposed to their peers who stumbled through each word. I, however, am bilingual in Arabic and Spanish, and was entirely out of my element so to speak. The class I attended was the last session of the semester, so every seat was occupied and I constantly felt like I was in the way every time I repositioned to get a shot of Teddy. Thankfully, I didn’t stay for the entirety of the class session.
I next followed Teddy to the “quoffice” — queer office — JIGSAW’s headquarters in the Student Center, which is one of the few buildings on campus with gender-neutral bathrooms. Joining Intersectionality, Gender, Sexuality, and Allies at Wayne (JIGSAW) is Wayne State’s LGBTQ+ student organization. When I first entered the “quoffice,” all eyes fell on me, I was an outsider and they knew it. However, once I introduced myself and the basis of my project, I was met with a chorus of praise for Teddy including, “Teddy is a badass motherf*cker.” Teddy and other JIGSAW members were in the middle of a round of Cards Against Humanity. Inappropriate jokes were made with the delivery of every card, with eyes continuously cast to Teddy for their reaction following each one. One thing was clear, Teddy’s approval was sought after. I was pleasantly surprised to find that JIGSAW is unlike other student organizations on campus. While other student organizations are strictly structured and consist of high-achieving students working for the sake of another line on their resumes under the pretense of philanthropy and social entrepreneurship, JIGSAW embodies the true purpose of student organizations: to bring likeminded students together. The room was littered with bean bags, a Nintendo 64 console connected to a small television, a futon and snacks galore — simply put, it’s designed for optimal comfort. There were two “closet” doors covered in handwritten notes from JIGSAW members, some notes were words of support and others were confessions. It was clear to me that the “quoffice” was designed to be a haven for students to be themselves, no holds barred.
Finally, I attended the last JIGSAW meeting of the year. JIGSAW holds weekly, discussion-based meetings with topics ranging from practicing safe sex to tips for allies. Teddy is the current vice president and “future president,” they said. The meeting was intended for members to provide the executive board with constructive criticism regarding the past semester. The meeting opened with an icebreaker, people sitting in the circle introduced themselves, listed their preferred gender pronouns and recalled their favorite memory from the last year. Teddy listened attentively while taking notes. Meanwhile, I was seated in the center of the circle to get a good shot of Teddy.
This experience has been, hands down, my favorite project since starting college. Teddy’s comfort in their own skin is enviable and something that is rare among teenagers, it’s something people aspire to attain. While Teddy doesn’t shy from their queerness, there’s more to them. They love Ocean’s 11, Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Will & Grace and their dog, Benjy. Throughout the project, I often forgot just how young Teddy is, their self-assuredness making them seem older than 19 years old. Teddy is a natural leader, someone who the others look to for reassurance and approval. But beneath it all, there’s a person just trying to discover their place in this life. In short, Teddy is just another college student trying to survive one semester at a time.
Pride Prom 2018: an experiment with light and motion
April 26, 2018
For my final project, I attended JIGSAW’s annual Pride Prom. Joining Intersectionality, Gender, Sexuality, and Allies at Wayne (JIGSAW) is Wayne State’s LGBTQ+ student organization. At first, I was apprehensive and overwhelmed, for three reasons. The first reason for my unease was that I didn’t know anyone there. Sure, there was a decent amount of people, but they all seemed familiar with each other and they immediately sensed that there was a stranger amongst them. I immediately felt the need to defend myself and explain the reason for my intrusion, but I didn’t. Instead, I just acted like I belonged. I explained the premise of my project to people after I photographed them and eventually everyone knew why I was there.
The second reason for my apprehension was that when I walked in, they were just starting a round of trivia. The questions were pop culture — a topic I’m very familiar with — and queer-themed — a topic I’m less familiar with. Aside from the questions, I was slightly disappointed with what I had found and was considering leaving because it wasn’t going to be what I had imagined. I was picturing a John Hughes-esque prom, and instead I was met with a mediocre round of trivia with halfhearted participation. However, things soon changed for the better as people got into the spirit and started dancing.
The third and final reason I was nervous was the lighting. The lights were shut off once people started dancing and instead the disco balls illuminated the room with a rainbow of colors. I had never photographed in this type of lighting situation before, so it took a couple practice shots to get my settings right. I decided to use the lighting to my advantage by positioning myself where I could photograph following its direction, rather than against it. Trying to capture the minimal light from the disco balls meant slowing my shutter speed, which in turn, blurred the dancing of the promgoers. I had to choose between good lighting and accurate focus, and in the end I sacrificed for the sake of lighting. I also did a couple of experimental shots, I shot against the light and got a silhouette of two dancers and I slowed my shutter speed to try a long exposure shot. The pictures didn’t come out how I envisioned them to, but the dance was so much fun. Seeing the students forgo all inhibitions and just fun was really fun to photograph. Providing these LGBTQ+ youth with a safe space to just have fun and, as Sarah said in the video, have the prom experience they deserved is so important to their personal development.
Key words: LGBTQ, student organizations, dance, motion
The second reason for my apprehension was that when I walked in, they were just starting a round of trivia. The questions were pop culture — a topic I’m very familiar with — and queer-themed — a topic I’m less familiar with. Aside from the questions, I was slightly disappointed with what I had found and was considering leaving because it wasn’t going to be what I had imagined. I was picturing a John Hughes-esque prom, and instead I was met with a mediocre round of trivia with halfhearted participation. However, things soon changed for the better as people got into the spirit and started dancing.
The third and final reason I was nervous was the lighting. The lights were shut off once people started dancing and instead the disco balls illuminated the room with a rainbow of colors. I had never photographed in this type of lighting situation before, so it took a couple practice shots to get my settings right. I decided to use the lighting to my advantage by positioning myself where I could photograph following its direction, rather than against it. Trying to capture the minimal light from the disco balls meant slowing my shutter speed, which in turn, blurred the dancing of the promgoers. I had to choose between good lighting and accurate focus, and in the end I sacrificed for the sake of lighting. I also did a couple of experimental shots, I shot against the light and got a silhouette of two dancers and I slowed my shutter speed to try a long exposure shot. The pictures didn’t come out how I envisioned them to, but the dance was so much fun. Seeing the students forgo all inhibitions and just fun was really fun to photograph. Providing these LGBTQ+ youth with a safe space to just have fun and, as Sarah said in the video, have the prom experience they deserved is so important to their personal development.
Key words: LGBTQ, student organizations, dance, motion
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Sports: hard to play, harder to shoot
April 2, 2018
This was the assignment I was dreading most. Partly because it seemed like there were a bunch of moving parts to manage, but mainly because I have zero interest in sports. By the time we got back from spring break and started coordinating with Jeff Weiss, Wayne State’s senior athletics director and media relations liaison, softball season was in full swing. To say I was at a full disadvantage while shooting this assignment is an understatement. The weather was chilly, there wasn’t a huge turnout in the bleachers, and the vantage point from outside of the gated fence was terrible to say the least.
Despite this, I knew I had to get my shots. Once at the game, I quickly realized that knowing the sport is almost as important as knowing the controls on your camera. Without some sort of grasp on what’s happening, there’s no way to know where to point your camera. The limited knowledge I do have concerning the rules of baseball and softball are from foggy childhood memories of playing kickball at recess. This ended with me changing my settings from one shot to continuous and desperately following the players with my camera constantly shooting.
With no direction from Weiss or the coaches, we were left shooting outside of the gates next to Davenport’s dugout—whose coach kept eyeing us suspiciously until I explained to her that we were there for a class assignment, not to spy on them and relay their strategy to WSU’s coach. At some point in the game, the umpire took pity on us after watching us hopelessly trying to get good shots with our lenses stuck into the gaps of the gate and allowed us to shoot from right inside of the gate next to first base. There, I continued to shoot on continuous and try to get a good shot of the freezing and apathetic coach’s reactions. We hadn’t been on the field for one inning before Weiss interfered and ordered us off the field — claiming it was too much of a liability. Thankfully, I had already gotten a few decent shots.
In the bleachers, fans were bundled up in blankets and seated closely to one another in an attempt to fight the cold. Suffice to say there weren’t any enthusiastic responses from the fans throughout the game as it was far too cold. It was a bit awkward to point my camera directly at people, but I eventually got over it. In the end, I took over 600 photos to get these halfway decent shots and I managed to get a grasp on the rules of softball, but I’m still not a fan of sports per se.
Keywords: digital photography, sports photography, softball, DSLR
Despite this, I knew I had to get my shots. Once at the game, I quickly realized that knowing the sport is almost as important as knowing the controls on your camera. Without some sort of grasp on what’s happening, there’s no way to know where to point your camera. The limited knowledge I do have concerning the rules of baseball and softball are from foggy childhood memories of playing kickball at recess. This ended with me changing my settings from one shot to continuous and desperately following the players with my camera constantly shooting.
With no direction from Weiss or the coaches, we were left shooting outside of the gates next to Davenport’s dugout—whose coach kept eyeing us suspiciously until I explained to her that we were there for a class assignment, not to spy on them and relay their strategy to WSU’s coach. At some point in the game, the umpire took pity on us after watching us hopelessly trying to get good shots with our lenses stuck into the gaps of the gate and allowed us to shoot from right inside of the gate next to first base. There, I continued to shoot on continuous and try to get a good shot of the freezing and apathetic coach’s reactions. We hadn’t been on the field for one inning before Weiss interfered and ordered us off the field — claiming it was too much of a liability. Thankfully, I had already gotten a few decent shots.
In the bleachers, fans were bundled up in blankets and seated closely to one another in an attempt to fight the cold. Suffice to say there weren’t any enthusiastic responses from the fans throughout the game as it was far too cold. It was a bit awkward to point my camera directly at people, but I eventually got over it. In the end, I took over 600 photos to get these halfway decent shots and I managed to get a grasp on the rules of softball, but I’m still not a fan of sports per se.
Keywords: digital photography, sports photography, softball, DSLR
iPhone, uPhone, weallPhone: using my phone for more than Twitter
March 29, 2018
Caption: Students from Detroit's Cass Technical High School pause at a stop sign on Second Street during their march and chant, "Enough is enough," as part of the national March for our Lives on Monday, March 14. March for our Lives is a nationwide network of marches that was organized by high school students to call for comprehensive gun legislation.
Photographing protests and rallies is nothing new to me. Thanks to social media, I’m generally up to date with all things social justice — from issues of police brutality to women’s rights. So, when a rally or march is being planned in the city, I’m usually well aware and knowledgeable on the cause. Nothing quite matches the adrenaline rush that comes with protesting and the sense of community that arises amongst participants, even more so, ducking and weaving through the crowd to find unique shots and passionate protesters. My usual routine for photographing protests includes studying up on the speakers and organizers, charging my camera’s battery, and familiarizing myself with the schedule — and of course, wearing comfortable shoes. However, none of my usual preparations were performed preceding the national March for our Lives march at Cass Technical High School on March 14. High schools all over the country were participating in the nationwide network of marches to advocate for gun reform in response to the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Fla.
That day, I hadn’t planned on going to any local high schools to participate or photograph as I usually go to my internship at the Detroit Metro Times on Mondays and Wednesdays. Lo and behold, my supervisor had other plans. Within minutes of arriving to the office, I had to pack up and go to Cass Tech — donning my least comfortable shoes and with no camera in tow. Despite the lack of preparation, this march ended up being one of my favorites to date. While some politicians and local officials were in attendance, like gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed, the student organizers were the ones who took to the microphone and rallied the audience with their heartfelt speeches. Photographing with my phone was a different experience. Usually, at protests and rallies people assume I’m an “official” of some sort because of my camera. However, at this march it was harder for me to navigate through the crowd as people weren’t making way for me and as a result it was difficult to make it to the front at the rally, so I missed out on some shots. There were also a lot of students using their phones to record and photograph, so people just assumed I was a student, especially because I had no Metro Times identification. Shooting with my phone camera made me feel rather inadequate, as almost everyone at the march was using their phones to capture the excitement — what was I photographing that wasn’t already being shot by these high school students? What was the difference between me, an aspiring journalist, and some kid with an even better iPhone than mine? Regardless, the experience was essential in my growth as a professional and while these aren’t my best photos, I’m proud of my adaptability and versatility.
Keywords: protest, photojournalism, iPhone photography, new media
View the full photo story on Steller!
That day, I hadn’t planned on going to any local high schools to participate or photograph as I usually go to my internship at the Detroit Metro Times on Mondays and Wednesdays. Lo and behold, my supervisor had other plans. Within minutes of arriving to the office, I had to pack up and go to Cass Tech — donning my least comfortable shoes and with no camera in tow. Despite the lack of preparation, this march ended up being one of my favorites to date. While some politicians and local officials were in attendance, like gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed, the student organizers were the ones who took to the microphone and rallied the audience with their heartfelt speeches. Photographing with my phone was a different experience. Usually, at protests and rallies people assume I’m an “official” of some sort because of my camera. However, at this march it was harder for me to navigate through the crowd as people weren’t making way for me and as a result it was difficult to make it to the front at the rally, so I missed out on some shots. There were also a lot of students using their phones to record and photograph, so people just assumed I was a student, especially because I had no Metro Times identification. Shooting with my phone camera made me feel rather inadequate, as almost everyone at the march was using their phones to capture the excitement — what was I photographing that wasn’t already being shot by these high school students? What was the difference between me, an aspiring journalist, and some kid with an even better iPhone than mine? Regardless, the experience was essential in my growth as a professional and while these aren’t my best photos, I’m proud of my adaptability and versatility.
Keywords: protest, photojournalism, iPhone photography, new media
View the full photo story on Steller!
Irony at its finest: regressing in the age of technology for the sake of aesthetics
March 29, 2018
Earlier this month, The South End took part in the College Media Association’s annual conference in New York City. In between intensive workshops dedicated to perfecting our writing and editing skills, we explored the city in true tourist fashion. We hit all the quintessential New York spots, like the Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Modern Art, and Times Square to name a few. In the beginning of this trip, I was introduced to the HUJI app. HUJI has become a rather popular app on Instagram as of late, with the likes of Selena Gomez and other social media influencers using it for its aesthetically-pleasing editing capabilities. The concept of HUJI is basically a digital disposable camera, which I find rather ironic considering the progress phone cameras have made in the last decade. It’s rather laughable, downloading an app on your phone that has an 8-megapixel camera with the ability to capture 1080p HD videos that purposely makes your pictures look like they were taken in 1998. Despite the pretentiousness, I decided to use the app throughout the trip to take pictures throughout our adventures. And although I’m reluctant to admit it, I love every picture I took during that trip.
This photo was taken on the subway as we headed to East Village to go to the Strand Bookstore. I hate the overall yellowish hue of this photo, but the lighting wasn’t the best in the train. However, I love the symmetry created by the line of lights on the top and the clear walkway on the bottom. Automatic settings on the app set the year date stamp to 1998, leaving the day and month accurate. I later found out this can be changed in the settings. Without the two men on their phones on the left, this photo almost looks like it really could have been taken in 1998. There is nothing in this photo that ties it to the year 2018 specifically, and that’s another one of my favorite things about it. That’s mainly due to the timeless factor that’s characteristic of New York, specifically the subway stations and trains. Also, the vintage editing which can be credited to the HUJI app also adds to the timelessness of this photo. Despite my mocking and jeering, this app is just another way people can continue to bury themselves in nostalgia for the 1990s.
Keywords: photography, street photography, photojournalism, iPhone photography
This photo was taken on the subway as we headed to East Village to go to the Strand Bookstore. I hate the overall yellowish hue of this photo, but the lighting wasn’t the best in the train. However, I love the symmetry created by the line of lights on the top and the clear walkway on the bottom. Automatic settings on the app set the year date stamp to 1998, leaving the day and month accurate. I later found out this can be changed in the settings. Without the two men on their phones on the left, this photo almost looks like it really could have been taken in 1998. There is nothing in this photo that ties it to the year 2018 specifically, and that’s another one of my favorite things about it. That’s mainly due to the timeless factor that’s characteristic of New York, specifically the subway stations and trains. Also, the vintage editing which can be credited to the HUJI app also adds to the timelessness of this photo. Despite my mocking and jeering, this app is just another way people can continue to bury themselves in nostalgia for the 1990s.
Keywords: photography, street photography, photojournalism, iPhone photography
Caption: People riding a subway train in New York City on Friday, March 9. This photo was taken using the HUJI app which takes photos and edits them to make it seem like they were taken with a disposable camera in 1998.
A Shift in Perspective: encapsulating moments within frames
March 28, 2018
This assignment has been in the works for over a month now. In that time, I’ve learned many lessons that will benefit me in my endeavors as both a photojournalist and a student. I have ventured into unlikely places which I otherwise would not have had the chance to frequent had it not been for the assignment — all for the sake of finding the perfect shot. In this time, my camera became an extended limb and my vision was altered, I began to see everything encapsulated in a frame. Everything I learned can be boiled down to three lessons.
The first of which is the inverse relationship between shutter speed and aperture. While we have discussed the concept of reciprocity in class, actually witnessing its effects “on the field” was an entirely different experience. The power of the relationship between shutter speed and aperture is most prominent in my stopped action and blurred action photos. Both pictures were taken in the same location and around the same time, so the lighting was also similar. Because action is controlled by shutter speed — the larger the fraction, the more blurred the action is — the two photos have drastically different shutter speeds. On the same hand, action is stopped when the fraction is smaller, but it allows in a very small amount of light. This is where aperture comes in. In the end, the stopped action photo had an aperture of 13 while the blurred action photo had an aperture of 22. Counting stops of light and how to account for the loss of light that happens when shutter speed is increased are both topics we covered in class, but in this situation I had to adapt to the situation at hand and adjust to the conditions I was facing while out.
This leads me to the second lesson I learned during this block of instruction. Often times throughout the shooting of this assignment, I only had three to four opportunities to get my intended shot. In most of these photos, I was in a situation with a timely condition — movement of the subject, lighting. So it was essential to my growth as a photographer to be able to adjust quickly in order to achieve the perfect — or as close to perfect — shot. When I was in the Detroit Public Library the lighting throughout the building was inconsistent, some areas were lit with fluorescent lights and others had intense shadows and hidden nooks. So as we walked through, I had to change my ISO accordingly—and shutter speed and f-stop when necessary. This assignment also helped me with identifying the various functions of each component and how each one affects the photo as a whole. This helped me with identifying the issue with each shot and adjusting accordingly.
The final lesson I learned during this period was to see the potential of every location and situation. I have previously visited each location I photographed at least once. However, going back to these places with the intention to create art made me view everything in an entirely different manner. I noticed every detail of architecture, I analyzed the lighting and how these minute elements would translate on camera. When we were in the Detroit Public Library, we just happened to use the staircase to get to the lobby, and while looking down I noticed how cool the lines looked going in different directions and I thought it would be great to photograph from above to show the contrast of the shiny banisters and the dull steps. I began to see every detail in a frame. In this new perspective, I learned the power behind framing and the power behind choosing what makes it into the frame and what gets left out. I learned how to prioritize and how to condense a situation into a small frame of a moment. There is power in wielding the lens and learning how to handle that tool is a great deal of responsibility.
Keywords: photography, reciprocity, student journalist, camera operations, photojournalism
The first of which is the inverse relationship between shutter speed and aperture. While we have discussed the concept of reciprocity in class, actually witnessing its effects “on the field” was an entirely different experience. The power of the relationship between shutter speed and aperture is most prominent in my stopped action and blurred action photos. Both pictures were taken in the same location and around the same time, so the lighting was also similar. Because action is controlled by shutter speed — the larger the fraction, the more blurred the action is — the two photos have drastically different shutter speeds. On the same hand, action is stopped when the fraction is smaller, but it allows in a very small amount of light. This is where aperture comes in. In the end, the stopped action photo had an aperture of 13 while the blurred action photo had an aperture of 22. Counting stops of light and how to account for the loss of light that happens when shutter speed is increased are both topics we covered in class, but in this situation I had to adapt to the situation at hand and adjust to the conditions I was facing while out.
This leads me to the second lesson I learned during this block of instruction. Often times throughout the shooting of this assignment, I only had three to four opportunities to get my intended shot. In most of these photos, I was in a situation with a timely condition — movement of the subject, lighting. So it was essential to my growth as a photographer to be able to adjust quickly in order to achieve the perfect — or as close to perfect — shot. When I was in the Detroit Public Library the lighting throughout the building was inconsistent, some areas were lit with fluorescent lights and others had intense shadows and hidden nooks. So as we walked through, I had to change my ISO accordingly—and shutter speed and f-stop when necessary. This assignment also helped me with identifying the various functions of each component and how each one affects the photo as a whole. This helped me with identifying the issue with each shot and adjusting accordingly.
The final lesson I learned during this period was to see the potential of every location and situation. I have previously visited each location I photographed at least once. However, going back to these places with the intention to create art made me view everything in an entirely different manner. I noticed every detail of architecture, I analyzed the lighting and how these minute elements would translate on camera. When we were in the Detroit Public Library, we just happened to use the staircase to get to the lobby, and while looking down I noticed how cool the lines looked going in different directions and I thought it would be great to photograph from above to show the contrast of the shiny banisters and the dull steps. I began to see every detail in a frame. In this new perspective, I learned the power behind framing and the power behind choosing what makes it into the frame and what gets left out. I learned how to prioritize and how to condense a situation into a small frame of a moment. There is power in wielding the lens and learning how to handle that tool is a great deal of responsibility.
Keywords: photography, reciprocity, student journalist, camera operations, photojournalism
Expressing my rights as a student and aspiring journalist
February 1, 2018
The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
While short — in comparison to other amendments and laws — the First Amendment goes a long way and covers a wide range of interpretations as shown in multiple court cases like Tinker v. Des Moines and Romano v. Harrington. As a collegiate photojournalism student, I am immensely grateful for the ways it protects me in my journey to express myself and uncover (or just cover) stories as a burgeoning journalist. Being the news editor of The South End, Wayne State’s student newspaper, it is my responsibility to ensure all campus news is covered accurately. Along with that, as a publication we do not publish stories without corresponding photos to accompany the stories. Therefore, I help beginning writers to cultivate their photography skills as well. The First Amendment allows me to capture the moment as it occurs. As a photojournalist, it is my responsibility to help the reader transport in time and space, to help them understand the story without words, to pick up where the writer left off. The First Amendment protects my property — in this case, my camera and photographs — from those in positions of power with agendas, as I work to capture the truth — whether good or bad. My camera cannot be seized no matter what kind of light it paints the university in. It is my right — as outlined in the Constitution — to report the truth, and as a photojournalist, the truth is encapsulated within the frames of my photos. Whether it’s a peaceful protest or a violent riot, the truth will be documented by the lens of my camera.
The three foundations of ethical decision making, as outlined by Kenneth Kobré in his textbook, “Photojournalism: The Professionals’ Approach,” are utilitarian, absolutist, and the golden rule. Photojournalists in the utilitarian category believe in reporting on what will bring the greatest good for the greatest number of people, both the good and the bad. Those in the absolutist category respect people’s right to privacy, even if it hinders the journalist’s objective to report the truth. The golden rule category captures those who believe in karma, basically emulating what Kobré says, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Of these three categories, I fall under the utilitarian section. I believe in the greater good, in contributing to a larger message, one that can save others in the future — even if it intrudes on others’ grief or desire for privacy. In the end, I believe in delivering the truth, and the Constitution protects my right to do so.
Word count: 421
Key words: First Amendment, press rights, photojournalism ethics, student journalism
The three foundations of ethical decision making, as outlined by Kenneth Kobré in his textbook, “Photojournalism: The Professionals’ Approach,” are utilitarian, absolutist, and the golden rule. Photojournalists in the utilitarian category believe in reporting on what will bring the greatest good for the greatest number of people, both the good and the bad. Those in the absolutist category respect people’s right to privacy, even if it hinders the journalist’s objective to report the truth. The golden rule category captures those who believe in karma, basically emulating what Kobré says, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Of these three categories, I fall under the utilitarian section. I believe in the greater good, in contributing to a larger message, one that can save others in the future — even if it intrudes on others’ grief or desire for privacy. In the end, I believe in delivering the truth, and the Constitution protects my right to do so.
Word count: 421
Key words: First Amendment, press rights, photojournalism ethics, student journalism