I only joined yearbook my freshman year because my sister was on staff and told me I would love it. I didn’t know anything about what it took to put a yearbook together. The only thing I really wanted to do was take photos. I thought I knew how to take photos. Man, was I wrong when I picked up my first camera.
I volunteered to take pictures at a football game because my sister and the Editors-in-Chief would be there to teach me. That night when I walked onto the field I was overwhelmed by how much was going on. I couldn’t remember where to stand or what settings my camera needed to be on. For a while, I just stood there until my sister came over and helped me get my camera set up. Since we had a lot of people at the game taking pictures, I went to the visitor’s side to take pictures with one of the other group leaders, Brennyn. She noticed I didn’t know how to take photos and decided to give me advice to stand ten yards ahead of our offense so I would get the players and the ball in the photo. For the rest of that night I made sure I was close to her just in case I had a problem. I took advantage of all the learning from the other staff members and started to get an eye for what I saw around me. I looked for the story. I looked for the emotion in the moment.
Entering my junior year, I became the Assistant Editor-in-Chief. With two years under my belt, I started to take that learning from my other staff members and really put it into action. The first photo that I was tremendously proud of was taken during Homecoming Week at the Peach Fuzz game. I was standing next to the junior boys bench when they called a time out and went into a huddle. I snuck around the outside trying to find an angle. I went around a few times trying to take different pictures, then I got one. It was right between two people where there was a boy named Tristan Schwizer grabbing one of my friend’s faces. I took the picture and immediately knew I had something. I ran to my adviser and my two editors to show them the picture right away. The excitement I felt in the moment of taking the picture, then showing it to all of them and seeing their reactions, I will never forget. After that, the angles and ideas for pictures just started to flow. More pictures began to come like the photo of Tori Haug at the CHSSA State softball tournament and of the cast of “Addams Family Musical.”
I have learned a lot about photography (and still have lots to learn) in what feels like a short time. I know now that taking photos isn’t something as simple as it seems and you have to know the basics in order to advance your photography skills. The power of a photo is surprising to a lot of people, but you need to be able to catch that moment so that you can share it later and see just how impactful it can be on people. There's always different reactions and they aren't always good, but the most important thing is that you were there in that moment to not only witness it but be able to save it so that others may see it. With the recent Covid-19 pandemic, I saw how important the photography I took this year mattered to our community when they picked up their yearbooks. On social media so many kids shared how much they loved the book and pointed out some of the photos that were taken. They were mine. Photography is a powerful thing. It tells our story.
Oh, and my sister was right. I really do love yearbook, and I will be the Editor-in-Chief next year.