If you were to ask me one year ago
where I thought I’d be today, never in a million years would I guess I’d be
working for one of the most well-known and highly respected newspapers in the
country. The business of photojournalism can be difficult. It’s a competitive career and it can come
with times of self-doubt and questioning if it’s all worth it. Being a
photojournalist can come with rejection after rejection, and for me, it has.
But I’ve learned if you have a passion for something, you don’t give up. Ever.
I’ve learned that doing what you love is worth the countless rejections. And when somebody does give you that chance,
you give it your all and show what you’re capable of. For me, that chance was interning with the
Dallas Morning News.
The staff of the DMN is some of the
most respectful, helpful, and supportive group of people I’ve ever had the
pleasure of working with. Especially the
photographers. Watching some of the best photographers in the country create compelling
images opened my eyes and sparked my creativity even more. Some would say I’m quiet. And that’s true, but that’s because I like to
listen and observe. And that’s what I
did at the DMN. I took into account
every single thing the photographers and photo editors told me.
There are some personal thanks and
shout outs I would like to make. First of all, Irwin, thank you for allowing me
to have this opportunity. Thank you for being willing and open to letting me
shoot anything I came to you about wanting to shoot. I had some pretty rad assignments and all I
had to do was ask. Guy, thank you for
giving me the tough love. I needed
someone to get on my case about captions, names and what not, and I truly
appreciate it. I know it only made me a
stronger journalist. Michael (Hamtil), I
can’t thank you enough for giving me the chance to be a better
photojournalist. I’m so thankful I
decided to put in that application because you saw the potential I had and
that’s all I wanted.
There’s so much I can take away from this experience. With the assignments I got, I was able to feel so many different emotions. From candlelight vigils and protests to robotic competitions and concerts, I laughed, I cried, I felt happy, angry and sad, and the one thing that made it all worth it was the people I met along the way. Not just the DMN staff, but also the people I met while on assignment. And I think that’s what this profession is all about. Connecting with the people you meet and being able to share the emotions they feel is what I love about being a photojournalist. That’s the most important lesson I learned while on the Dallas Morning News photo staff and I will forever cherish the connections I made.
Here are some of my favorites from the past three months...
