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What good is a camera, anyway?
What good is a camera, anyway?
Some people are not “math people.” Similarly, for my first year with The Panther Press, I didn’t feel like I was a “camera person”—otherwise known as a photographer. Thankfully, after taking Visual Communications, a class on photography and video techniques, I slowly started to get more comfortable with the camera. But it wasn’t until I started taking photos to accompany my articles did I really start to appreciate the power of photography.
A good photo doesn’t just have the rule of thirds (though composition is still key). It tells a story. Whether that be through the expression on someone’s face as they score the winning goal, or a table laden with cupcakes for the incoming freshmen, a photo is often the most essential piece of any article, because it will set the stage for whatever words come next.
With my stomach pressed to the ground, I tilted the camera up at our principal. I felt silly aiming for a worm's-eye-view, surrounded by all these freshmen. I felt silly again when I sprinted after scavenger hunt groups.
This was my first time taking pictures for a newspaper story, and I had no clue what constituted a “good” picture. It wasn’t until I sat down with reporter (soon to be editor-in-chief) Evelynn Lin that I realized I had been overthinking it.
"What are you talking about? That looks great!" she said. My heart swelled. Rainbows arced across the sky and sparkles flooded across my vision—because, now that she said it, those photos were actually alright!
Taking photos is definitely an art, but not every photo has to be perfect. Actually, feeling a little silly is usually what will get you the best pictures.
1: Principal Dr. Gregory Hilden calls for the freshmen's attention as he announces a welcome speech to them during the cookout.
2: Luca Gentile (9) holds up his hand in a thumbs up as junior Student Council officer Tianyue Wang (11) tells him and the entire yellow group that they'll be heading upstairs for the scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt was held after eating barbecue food to help the freshmen familiarize themselves with the new high school building.
3: Shelby Seidman (9) whoops with her hands in excitement as Student Council officer Tianyue Wang's (11) yellow group prepares to head down to the gym during the scavenger hunt.
My biggest mistake was not bringing a raincoat. This was immediately clear when my jeans squished as I sat down on the turf. Merrily, my EIC Matteo Ventresca told me to follow the lacrosse ball at all times, then plopped a very expensive camera in my hands.
The ball moved very fast, and it was barely a blur in the heavy rain. Photography, I’ve learned, requires you to be invested in the action. There was no point where I could just sit there and click away aimlessly.
It was that lacrosse game that taught me the importance of constant movement; you have to get on your knees, then on your stomach, then on one knee, all the while keeping in mind basic composition rules.
1: In a chilly rain, Paige Steere (9) pushes past a Mount Saint Joseph's opponent to score during the third quarter of the Panthers' 14-2 playoff win on May 22.
2: Katie Trout (11) speeds away from Mount Saint Joseph's opponents during the varsity girls lacrosse playoff on May 22. "We can into this game knowing this was going to be a tough one, because we played them earlier in the season," Trout said. "We were so hyped the whole day leading up to it—like, we were texting in our group chat trying to get everybody hype."
3: Kate Fox (12) races past a Mount Saint Joseph opponent during the playoff match on May 22, which the Panthers won 14-2. Fox noted that several of the games leading up to the playoff were not as competitive for the Panthers. “So coming out to this, beating them, was just the best feeling ever," she said. "I think we really put our hearts on the line, everything on the line, our bodies on the line.”
4: The varsity girls lacrosse team celebrates with a team huddle after winning their semifinal match on May 22, securing them a spot in district 1 finals. "I think we came out with super-high intensity, wanting to perform better for the girl next to us and for our team," Kat Hamilton (10) said. "Even if you're not feeling a hundred percent, you just want to do it for your team."
After all those times of getting taught by my editors how to take pictures, it was my turn to teach, too. I pressed my camera to the fence alongside one of our freshmen, the sun beating down my back. This was his first time.
I saw my old overthinking mirrored in his low photo count. “Not every photo needs to be perfect,” I assured him. “Just go for it, and feel free to change courts every once in a while.”
By the end, he told me, with a little bit of surprise, that he’d had fun (despite the crazy heat). Photojournalism is where overthinking loves to fester, and I hope that one day, he’ll be able to teach the next freshman how to take photos without caring about the perfect angle or composition.
1: Minori Saito (12) poses with her mom in front of her senior poster. Out of all the seniors, she has been on the varsity team the longest, since her freshman year.
2: Captain Minori Saito (12) prepares to return a serve during the senior night game against Marple Newtown. Saito was one point away from golden match, meaning she lost only one point in the whole match.
3: Principal Mr. Andrew Benzing takes a picture during the senior night girls varsity tennis match on September 18. The girls junior varsity tennis team, which played at Wallingford while the varsity team played at Haven, came to enjoy the celebration, as well as Benzing and district superintendent Mr. Russell Johnston. This was the first senior night of the fall sports season.
4: Sophia Shao (11) returns a serve during her match on September 18 during the senior night girls varsity tennis match.
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