Photojournalism
My love for photojournalism has sprouted and vastly grown over my last three years on the Statesman. As a passionate proponent of photo-centered multimedia elements throughout our paper and online publication components, I always seek to visually represent story subjects.
Dozens of attendees line up outside Sanaa's Gourmet Mediterranean restaurant for a fundraiser for the children of Gaza on Dec. 10, 2023.
A Sanaa's customer fills her plate with Syrian breakfast dishes, partaking in the fundraiser to fight childhood starvation in Gaza.
When covering events, I always make sure to attend them in person. This not only guarantees quality reporting but also lets me capture the moments on camera. For a story about a local fundraiser at Sanaa's, a Sioux Falls Mediterranean restaurant, I took photos of the attending crowds, the restaurant atmosphere and the food itself. While the subjects are often straightforward, I try to add creative elements to the compositions, whether it be the expressions of attendees or engaging lighting.
Headlights Theater performers Charly Berghofer and Nick Rodrigues dance through a haze of fog and bubbles on top of a Sioux Falls parking garage.
Headlights Theater founder Madison Elliott reinvents a parking lot in downtown Sioux Falls with modern dance, setting up live music and stage spaces with lights, fog and bubble machines.
In similar event coverage of a modern dance performance in a Sioux Falls parking lot, I used the show's elements like fog and stage lighting to frame subjects, while also capturing their movement and expression.
Float participants cover themselves in lights and dance down streets for the Sioux Falls Parade of Lights.
Sergeant Major Scott Bakken quizzed LHS MCJROTC students on the values of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Mayor Paul TenHaken speaks at a community ceremony on Aug. 31 for Overdose Awareness Day in downtown Sioux Falls, recognizing the lives lost to drug overdose and the addiction awareness the charity Emily's Hope has raised.
I have taken many photos over my years in the Statesman, and I find that each provides a powerful visual representation of story components. Shots I captured at Parade of Lights celebrations, a LHS JROTC class and of Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken speaking on overdose awareness all show how photos can propel my storytelling further.
LHS janitor Chris Moneke crafts chainmail vests, and he stores one at LHS for students to view.
"To Kill a Mockingbird" sits in the LHS library, where Accelerated English II students check it out annually to fulfill current curriculum standards.
My role as an Editor-in-Chief allows me to utilize my photojournalism skills to help staff members add visuals to their stories. I have captured both artistic shots, like one of a chainmail vest crafted by a LHS janitor, and simple ones, like one of "To Kill a Mockingbird" in the library. No matter what the photo concerns, I take pride in the fact that staff members come to me for help brainstorming and taking pictures for their articles.