PHOTOJOURNALISM
When I began writing and reporting for the Rock Online, I never expected to ever be called "camera girl" or any other nickname related to photography. And yet, years later, here I am. After being volun-told to photograph girls volleyball, I realized I actually loved photojournalism, and soon spent every chance signing up to cover event after event. Photojournalism, which I once thought to be my weakness, became another one of my strengths, even placing as Colorado Student Media Association's Third Place State Photographer of the Year in May 2023.
** First Place NSPA Individual Awards Sports Game/Action Photo
** Second Place NSPA Spring 2023 Best of Show Sports Photo
Varsity wrestling captain Sammy Mobly ‘23 lays on the mat after losing the final match at day three of the State Championship at Ball Arena Feb. 18. Mobly wrestled Daniel Long ‘23 of Adams City High School for the 5A 157 pound State Championship and lost 3-1 by takedown in sudden death during overtime, taking second place. “I was honestly just stunned. I knew that was the only chance I’d get at that title, and it was all taken away in just a couple seconds, so it was tough to get the energy to stand up and shake the other wrestler’s hand knowing he just beat me,” Mobly said.
This photo came after three long days of covering the 2023 wrestling State Championship. After I'd followed the team throughout their season, one of the moms reached out to me to invite me to State. The team handled my transportation, costs and invited me to their suite between matches, which made me feel honored to know that they truly wanted to work with me on these photos. I wore three different media passes and a wristband to get clearance to be on the floor with the wrestlers--a terrifying experience when the 190-pound wrestlers start rolling towards you and there's nowhere to go. This specific match in the photo made school history, as it was the highest a Rock Canyon student had ever placed at wrestling state, however, the wrestler had worked towards winning a State Championship all his life and just barely fell short. I made sure to capture his strong emotions, the reaction of the crowd and the celebration from his opponent, all in one perfectly-timed photo. The red mat reflected Ball Arena's intense lighting with a harsh red glow, which led to some intense color-correcting in the editing process. The photo was used in the following article: The End of an Era is Just the Beginning. Read more about the process behind the article in Reporting & Writing.
Holding the boys golf team’s trophy from State, Nathan Kim ‘24 shakes Prinicpal Andrew Abner’s hand Jan. 19. Their win, recognized at the assembly with cheers, speeches and a video, was the first in school history. “It was great to see how much Rock Canyon values our athletics,” varsity golf player Charlie Tucker ‘24 said. “It’s really cool to know that [the trophy] will be showcased at Rock Canyon forever with our names on it, as the school's first golf state championship.”
Clapping, juniors in the student section cheer for Emmet Dunham ‘25 during Hungry Hippos Jan. 19. Dunham got the most dodgeballs in his trash can, resulting in a win for the junior class.
Grabbing at the exercise bands, Jonas Thelander ‘24 pulls Emmet Dunham ‘25 back from grabbing dodgeballs during Hungry Hippos Jan. 19. Before the game began, participants were tied together with the bands and had to take their shoes off. “I enjoyed being apart [the game]. I didn’t really know the rules, so I was just trying to grab as many as I could,” Thelander said.
The three photos above are from this week's Winter Week Class Competition Assembly, which I wrote a story on that can be viewed by clicking here. The aggressive gym lighting meant I had to adjust my settings on Manual in real-time, but I'm always up for that challenge. Switching between crowd pictures and action photos was also a hard judgement call, but I was able to balance the multitude of subjects with ease.
The two photos below are just a few of the many from the following article: Crosstown Competition. This game was an intense rivalry, so I worked to communicate the emotions of both the players and the crowd through my photos. This game was also the first time the camera I used had ever been used, which meant some settings had to be changed on-the-fly. I braved the danger of potentially getting hit as I stood right along the baseline and behind the hoop to get my shots. Read more about the process behind the article in Reporting & Writing.
Varsity forward Reid Finch '24 and varsity center Nolan Kliewer '24 watch the ball fall through the hoop after another point scored by the Jags Jan. 12. Kliewer scored the second-most points in the game, with a total of 13. "[The score was] a little closer than it should've been, but it feels great to win. It feels awesome. We were expecting to win," Kliewer said. "We practiced hard, scouted them, watched film and were ready to play. Goals [for the season] are to keep winning and see how far we can make it. I think this team can win State.”
Varsity shooting guard Kasen Lehman ‘25 shoots a layup at the game against the Highlands Ranch High School (HRHS) Falcons at HRHS Jan. 12. Lehman is the top scorer on the team, with an average of 16.4 points per game. "It felt good to win, and we were expecting to win, but we can’t be satisfied since we should have won by a lot more," Lehman said. "It feels good to be a top scorer. I’ve gotten to this point through putting thousands of hours working on my game during the offseason. During games, I achieve it through knowing my spots and being able to get to my spots to score.”
** NSPA First Place Spring 2023 Best of Show Sports Photo
Varsity wrestler Matthew Shipley '24 wrestles HRHS opponent at Battle of the Ranch Jan. 26. Shipley wrestled the 165 weight class and lost 7-5 in the third period. "‘We don’t wrestle because it’s fun, we wrestle because it’s rewarding,' is something Coach LeValley says," Shipley said. "You might think you’re in shape, but being in wrestling shape is completely different."
I took this photo during a quad meet known as "Battle of the Ranch," a five-hour long rivarly meet between the four local high schools. I used the dark lighting and highlights to my advantage to dramatize the outlines of the wrestlers, and framed Shipley's face between their arms. I couldn't decide how to feel about it, but sensed I maybe had something. My adviser told me not to submit it in awards, but I did anyway. It won me my first National Championship.
The photo was used in the following article: The End of an Era is Just the Beginning. Read more about the process behind the article in Reporting & Writing.
The cast of winter play “Murder on the Orient Express” fall as the train starts at the end of the play during the final dress rehearsal Nov. 14. The play, based on the novel by Agatha Christie, took place at 7 p.m. Nov. 15, 16 and 17 in the auditorium. Tickets were $5 for students and $7 for adults. “My favorite part of the show was when we finally got the ending ‘reveal’ sequence correct,” Kaylen Stancik ‘25, who played Countess, said. “It’s a very technically complicated scene with lots of different colored lights and blocking to symbolize flashbacks, and it was a proud moment when it worked out for the first time.”
Lighting in the theatre presented a challenge as I tried to make sure nothing was too dark, too bright, too grainy or too much of anything else. I attended the first dress rehearsal to plan my shots, then attended the second rehearsal the next day to actually shoot them. The play was extremly dramatic and intense, which I tried to communicate in these photos by using the lighting, set and emotions to my advantage. This image was only posted on social media, on @rcrockmedia's Instagram, due to this play taking place right before Thanksgiving Break.
** Kidizenship Snap Your Solution National Top Ten
A student cheers and holds up a sign saying “our schools deserve to slay" at the student protest Feb. 7. The protest lasted from 1:10 p.m. to about 2:40 p.m.
Abigail Wood ‘24 holds up a sign protesting the school board Feb. 7. Wood helped lead numerous cheers and chants at the protest. "The fact that I was able to walk out of school and go support my teachers and fellow students felt really empowering. It just shows that younger people care about what is happening, even if people don't believe they do," Wood said.
Students cheer at honking cars driving by the protest Feb. 7. After walking laps around the campus, protesters gathered at the intersection of McArthur Ranch Road and Monarch Boulevard for the remainder of the walkout.
The photos above are from a student walkout in February a few years ago, featured in Who's the Priority. Many of these students were yelling, holding signs and expressing strong emotions, which I tried to capture. I willingly missed class to follow the protestors, take photos and interview them, sharing their story. Read more about the process behind the article in Reporting & Writing.
** Honorable Mention NSPA Fall 2022 Clips & Clicks Sports Photo
Middle blocker Gannon Figueroa '24 jumps to hit the ball Aug. 18. The team spent the summer months doing group trainings and workouts to prepare for this season. Figeuroa scored four kills over the course of the three sets.
The photo to the left was from my very first time covering an athletic event, and one of the first times I even used a camera other than the one on my phone. Despite this, I reported alone, without help from any mentor. The photo was used in the following article: Lady Jags Reclaim the Jungle: How Volleyball Has Bounced Back. Read more about the process behind the article in Reporting & Writing.
Assistant Principal Mandi Zimmerman uses car markers to write messages in support of passing 5A and 5B on cars in the upper lot during Parent Teacher Conferences Oct. 12. As Assistant Principals, Zimmerman and Karli Bloom did not need to meet with parents, painting an estimated 40 cars that were marked with sticky notes to signal if they wanted their cars painted. "On the evening of conferences, Ms. Bloom and I were not officially working that evening, we had prearranged absences. We were using our personal time to write on the cars with Mr. Abner's permission," Zimmerman said.
This photo was totally unplanned. I leading an after-school work day, meeting with students who came in for help. I noticed painted cars in the lot outside our room and went to investigate. After speaking with Zimmerman, she allowed me to follow and photograph her as she painted cars. I tried to work with the cloudy, overcast lighting, and tried to also capture her reflection in the window. The photo was used in the following article: Editorial: Make or Break Vote Takes Place This Tuesday. Read more about the process behind the article in Reporting & Writing.
** NSPA First Place Individual Awards Photo Slideshow
Varsity wrestling captain Kaden Rahne ‘23 faces off against his opponent at the dual meet against Chaparral High School (CHS) Jan. 11. Rahne won his match in the second period with a pin. “I think I wrestled pretty well,” Rahne said. “I want to place at Regionals and hopefully wrestle at State [this season], and with hard work and determination I should be good. Our team has been doing pretty well; we have a few new freshmen that are really good and stepping up to fill big shoes that left last year.”
This photo was one of the very first I took of wrestling, which quickly became one of my favorite sports to cover. I used the dramatic lighting to my advantage, and anticipated the moment to get shots where viewers could see both action, the wrestler's face and their opponent. The only thing that made me happier than the outcome of these photos was the reaction of the wrestlers--they couldn't believe they had someone there to report on them and all wanted the photos sent to them. The photo was used in the following article: Photo Recap: Boys Wrestling Faces Chaparral High School. Read more about the process behind the article in Reporting & Writing.
Varsity softball catcher Karley Hackert ‘25 catches a ball during the second inning in the home game against Chaparral High School Oct. 3. According to MaxPreps, Hackert had a 1.000 fielding percentage at this game.
Varsity softball captain and first basemen Julia Hay '24 hugs her younger sister during Senior Night before the game against Chaparral High School Oct. 3. The three seniors on the team were given flowers, painted rocks and speeches from the younger players. "It wasn’t great that we lost the game, but I had a fun time and loved the speeches. I’m sad to leave the team because I love the players and the coaches," Hay said. "I am done playing at a high level but hope to join a club team in college."
Surrounded by a cloud of dirt, varsity third baseman and shortstop Sloane Sprague '25 slides into home plate during the sixth inning Oct. 3. By the end of the sixth inning, the score was 10-15.
The above photos are from softball's Senior Night. It was an extremely emotional night, which I tried to capture in my photos while also capturing the action and fight the girls put into their last home game. The photo was used in the following article: Softball Senior Salutations. Read more about the process behind the article in Reporting & Writing.
** CSMA Honorable Mention News Feature Photo and Caption
Braden McCollam '23, playing Franklin Hart, hangs off a pole as he is carried across the stage by fellow cast members at dress rehearsal for the spring musical March 27. Opening night took place at 7 p.m. in the auditorium March 29. "This role is definitely a lot different than the ones I've had before because it's really mean and Hart's a really bad person. It's definitely a new challenge but it's something I really enjoyed to try and tackle," McCollam said. "This is my last show at Rock Canyon, so I think there's just something special. I'm excited to get to spend it with the people I've built relationships with these past four years and see the show come together."
I caught the exact moment the lead of the musical looked out to the audience in desperation and horror. I worked with the theater lighting instead of trying to fight it and communicated the humor of the musical through my photos. This photo was the featured photo used in the following article: A Production in Quotes, "9-5: The Musical." Read more about the process behind the article in Reporting & Writing