This feature made for The Highlander was a lot of fun to create! I was able to get an in-depth interview from a local Santa Claus and learn about his favorite experiences as Santa, from questioning kids to bittersweet goodbyes. In addition, I got to look into the business side of the profession as well. Photos are by Nathan Turnbeaugh. Design by Rei Baxter.Â
This was my first ever Scotlight for The Highlander. Scotlight is the main story for the magazine. Through this feature, I was able to practice reporting with a team, as I co-wrote the article with Jayden Breite and worked with photographer Nathan Turnbeaugh. The location we needed to go to was relatively far away, and we all had different schedules, so it was difficult to make a plan. Once we did, however, all of our efforts came together nicely!
In addition, at the location, it was challenging for me to go into a public space and begin interviewing attendees who hadn't specifically agreed to an interview beforehand. Fortunately, I was able to get over this fear, and I ended up getting some great perspectives from attendees and workers alike! Design by Isabelle Ling.
The theme of Issue 5 was "Threads of Connection." I decided to feature a fun, niche community of people who specifically knit frog dolls. Initially, it was difficult to get interviews, but suddenly I received multiple acceptances at once. I decided to interview each person and then combine their perspectives into one cohesive story. I think that this helped emphasize the concepts of community and connectedness. It was interesting to see how in sync each artist was with their peers!