Category Archives: Through Our Eyes

Each Thursday, WKU’s Student Chapter of NPPA brings you some of the best images of the past week taken by our very own classmates. To submit for our weekly posts, you must currently be a WKU Photojournalism student and have taken the images or produced the video within the last week (Tuesday to Tuesday). Send your top 1-5 selections to wkunppa@gmail.com by our Tuesday 6:30pm deadline and our officers and attendees will pick the best of the bunch to showcase at our open meetings every Tuesday at 7pm in Lab 127.

Katie Norman, 19, waits behind the baptistery with her uncle, Ed Norman, 56, on the morning of Sunday, March 30, 2014.  Ed has been battling liver cancer for the past 17 months, which has significantly affected his energy, making it difficult to perform simple tasks like walking or talking. Katie asked her uncle to baptize her after hearing his testimony. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” said Ed.  SHELLEY OWENS

A man jumps over a burning couch on University Avenue as thousands of fans stormed State Street and University Avenue after University of Kentucky beat the University of Louisville in Lexington, Ky., on Friday, March 28, 2014.  JABIN BOTSFORD

Thousands of fans stormed State Street after University of Kentucky beat University of Louisville in Lexington, Ky., on Friday, March 28, 2014.  JABIN BOTSFORD

A student tries to wake up an unconscious fan after the University of Kentucky win over University of Louisville during the sweet sixteen NCAA tournament on March 28, 2014. Hundreds of students flooded the streets after the win to burn couches, break stop signs and climb light poles.  HARRISON HILL

Sharon Graham gets some fresh air outside her home at Bowling Green Towers on Friday, March 28, 2014, in Bowling Green, Ky. Graham celebrated one year of not smoking two days prior. Graham smoked for 35 years until her granddaughter was born and realized smoking prevented her from seeing the child. “I made up my mind that I had to see her and have her in my life. That’s what got me going to quit smoking,” she said.  CASSIDY JOHNSON

Kevin Cross stands in the hallway of his home at Bowling Green Towers on Friday, March 28, 2014, in Bowling Green, Ky. Cross has been all over the country working various jobs, including traveling with the circus, bouncing at a bar, and being a DJ. He finally came to Bowling Green to move closer to his girlfriend. “How you are doing depends on your view of the grass: you’re either looking down at the blades or up at the roots,” he said.   CASSIDY JOHNSON

Megan Lemmons models MAC lipstick in Bowling Green, Ky.  ALYSSA POINTER

Brad Ausbrooks has been collecting tattoos since he turned 18. Now, he has been working for Carter’s Tattoo Company in Bowling Green, Ky., for 11 years.  KREABLE YOUNG

Growing up a fiddle player, Frank Beauchamp combines his love for music with his passion for teaching. The fifth grade school teacher has been at Caverna Elementary School in Cave City, Ky., for nine years and has brought his fiddle with him every day. He plays before during and after school and says it can provide a welcome break for both him and the students during the day.  BRIAN POWERS

Each Thursday, WKU’s Student Chapter of NPPA brings you some of the best images of the past week taken by our very own classmates. To submit for our weekly posts, you must currently be a WKU Photojournalism student and have taken the images or produced the video within the last week (Tuesday to Tuesday). Send your top 1-5 selections to wkunppa@gmail.com by our Tuesday 6:30pm deadline and our officers and attendees will pick the best of the bunch to showcase at our open meetings every Tuesday at 7pm in Lab 127.

Tyler “London” Chandler, 19, of Louisville, Ky.,  identifies as transgender. As a freshman at WKU, he says he feels more open to express himself. After seeing a fortune teller, he decided to wait on any surgeries to advance his career in musical theater. Shot through a piece of beveled glass on Saturday, March 22, 2013.  ADAM WOLFFBRANDT

Young cheerleaders occupy their time prior to performing at the Mardi Gras Nationals Cheerleading Competition in Nashville, TN, March 22, 2014.  JUSTIN GILLILAND

Chris Page, left, comforts Bryan Blackwell as he mourns the death of his father, Bobby Blackwell. Bobby died of a sudden heart attack early last Sunday, March 23, 2014.  HARRISON HILL

Kelsey Holland listens intently during the “Bluebirds 101” class on Sunday, March 23, 2014, at the For-Mar Nature Preserve and Arboretum in Flint, Mich.  KATIE MCLEAN

Isac Duron, 11, of Bowling Green, Ky., poses for a portrait at his parent’s shop, Taquiera Sinai, where he currently works the front counter.  BRITTANY GREESON

Robert Jordan has owned and operated Jordan Sales and Savage in Fayetteville, Georgia since 1972. After developing Parkinson’s disease, Mr. Jordan contemplates selling his treasured land.  ALYSSA POINTER

Born and raised in Smiths Grove, Ky., Mark Whitley has been a professional wood artist in his hometown for the past 14 years. “I live and work in Kentucky because I love Kentucky,” Whitley said, but his inspiration does not come from his home state. “I knew I had to leave,” Whitley said, and with nothing more than a backpack he traveled the world engaging different cultures in a way that dictates how he works today.  BRIAN POWERS

 

Each Thursday, WKU’s Student Chapter of NPPA brings you some of the best images of the past week taken by our very own classmates. To submit for our weekly posts, you must currently be a WKU Photojournalism student and have taken the images or produced the video within the last week (Tuesday to Tuesday). Send your top 1-5 selections to wkunppa@gmail.com by our Tuesday 6:30pm deadline and our officers and attendees will pick the best of the bunch to showcase at our open meetings every Tuesday at 7pm in Lab 127.

Donald Cartwell, 61, of Richardsville, Ky., sits in his bedroom smoking one of his hand rolled cigarettes. Over time, Cartwell has lost his ability to walk due to a battle with spine and bone cancer. He relies on his wife, Ruth, for care on a daily basis. “Sometimes I sit here and think and I just wish God would give me my legs back,” said Cartwell.  BRITTANY GREESON

Varun Kolanka gets a handful of color in the face from Pramod Tadakamalla, center, as Monic Shah, left, and Anirudh Dorepally, back, look on. The friends, all seniors from Hyderabad, India, gathered to celebrate Holi on WKU’s south lawn on Saturday, March 15, 2014. The spring festival of Holi or Festival of colors, is an ancient Hindu religious festival celebrated with colored powders and dancing. WKU’s Indian Student Association hosted the event for the first time on campus and hopes to attract more participants in the future.  BRIAN POWERS

Elizabeth Kizito, also known as “The Cookie Lady,” is the owner of Kizito Cookies in Louisville, Ky. After moving to America from Uganda in 1975, she developed a love for cookie making and has been making them for about 35 years. “Most of the Ingredients in my cookies are not listed on the package,” said Kizito. “My family’s love and perseverance, the beauty and magic of Africa, the American Dream, are all mixed in next to the chocolate chips and butter and nuts.” Kizito sells cookies in her shop and travels around the region selling cookies from a basket that she wears on her head.  HARRISON HILL

WKU freshman forward Bria Gaines (11) celebrates with WKU freshman guard Kendall Noble in a 61-60 victory over Arkansas State in the 2014 Women’s Sun Belt Tournament Championship at the Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, La., on Saturday, Mar. 15, 2014.  JEFF BROWN

Bob Wieber prepares to meet a doctor who will help him with his apraxia on Tuesday, March 11, 2014 in Clarksville, Tenn. Apraxia is a condition that makes speaking very difficult for Wieber, who has been gradually developing it over the past three years. Wieber traveled all the way from Michigan to New Mexico to see an acupuncturist to get help.  CASSIDY JOHNSON

Hopkinsville, Ky. native and WKU junior Maurice Dunn II, 21, has been playing the trumpet since he was in sixth grade. “Growing up, everywhere I went I would constantly be playing,” Maurice said. “I got to be pretty good.” A member of the WKU marching band during his freshman and sophomore year of college he has since laid down the trumpet to pursue other interests such as his Adveristing major. “Trumpet was always something I did because I was pretty good at it,” Maurice said, “not because it was a passion.”  LUKE FRANKE

Each Thursday, WKU’s Student Chapter of NPPA brings you some of the best images of the past week taken by our very own classmates. To submit for our weekly posts, you must currently be a WKU Photojournalism student and have taken the images or produced the video within the last week (Tuesday to Tuesday). Send your top 1-5 selections to wkunppa@gmail.com by our Tuesday 6:30pm deadline and our officers and attendees will pick the best of the bunch to showcase at our open meetings every Tuesday at 7pm in Lab 127.

Andre Barbour’s father Douglas Barbour is seen in front of the original Barbour family house on the Barbour family farm in Canmer, Ky., on Saturday, March 01, 2014. Andre Barbour is transforming his family farm from being dependent on tobacco to growing food for lower and middle income families in Louisville’s West End.  JABIN BOTSFORD

Brad Menke and Sidney Herrell share a kiss during Sigma Chi’s “Battle of the Greeks” Fraternity Fight Night on Feb. 28, 2014 in Bowling Green, Ky. HARRISON HILL

Andrew Wall is punched by Sawyer Vannatta during the fourth fight of the night during the Sigma Chi’s Battle of the Greeks Fight Night at the Blue Dome in Bowling Green, Ky., on Friday, Feb. 28, 2014. Wall beat Vannatta. Battle of the Greeks donates the proceeds to the Huntsman Cancer Institute to raise money for cancer research.  JABIN BOTSFORD

Bowling Green sophomore Chase Proctor gets his nose fixed while Bowling Green senior Jay Beard reacts about his first round. “I wouldn’t want anybody else in my corner,” said Proctor. “He is one of the few people who knows how my head works.” IAN MAULE

Molly Kaviar, 22, of Louisville, Ky. is an activist for the environment, civil rights, and other human rights. She is an organizer with WKU AID, promoter for I Love Mountains Day, and intern for Kentuckians for the Commonwealth. “I was raised this way,” she said. “It’s never been an option to not help bring change to the community.” ADAM WOLFFBRANDT

An unnamed Arnold employee glances back as Anna Starodubtseva exits the dressing room for the Bikini International competitors on Saturday, March 1, 2014, at The Arnold Sports Festival.  SAMMY JO HESTER

William Wells, 64, of Nassau, takes a smoke break while inspecting a run down bohemian home, February 28, 2014. Wells was in telemarketing his whole life until 6 years ago when he quit to become a house inspector so he could see more of the island.  JUSTIN GILLILAND

Richmond senior Emily Brown, junior Haley Holdwick, senior Megan Hambaum and junior Beth Beindit react to their 64-38 loss to Goodrich on Tuesday, March 4, 2014 after the Goodrich vs. Richmond girls basketball game at Goodrich High School.  KATIE MCLEAN

Louisville senior Justin Wellum is jolted by a bump while sledding down a hill in front of Van Meter Hall on the campus of Western Kentucky University on March 3rd, 2013. The combination of snow and ice shut down the university and canceled classes for two consecutive days.  BRANDON CARTER

Western Kentucky University Police Chief, Robert “Chief” Deane, of Detroit, Michigan, is the only male in his immediate family that chose to be a police officer. Deane became a university police officer after spending time in the Detroit police force, Army Reserve and The United States Air Force. He was the first African-American police chief at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside as well as Western Kentucky University. One of his greatest achievements was when he was able to “Get the people [at University of Wisconsin-Parkside] to trust him enough to allow him to carry his gun on his belt.” Chief Deane said when a problem was presented, he and his team would have to go to their trunk to get their weapons, which was very inconvenient. Deane has never regretted choosing to be an officer even after grazed by a bullet during a drug raid while working with the Detroit police squad.  ALYSSA POINTER

A wholehearted thanks to Denny Simmons, of the Evansville Courier & Press, who guest-judged with us this week!

Each Thursday, WKU’s Student Chapter of NPPA brings you some of the best images of the past week taken by our very own classmates. To submit for our weekly posts, you must currently be a WKU Photojournalism student and have taken the images or produced the video within the last week (Tuesday to Tuesday). Send your top 1-5 selections to wkunppa@gmail.com by our Tuesday 6:30pm deadline and our officers and attendees will pick the best of the bunch to showcase at our open meetings every Tuesday at 7pm in Lab 127.

Optometrist Dr. Joe C. Tucker, of Vision Source Bowling Green, uses a Binocular Indirect Ophthalmoscope, which is used to look for a retina examination, inside WKU Photojournalism studio Monday morning. Dr. Tucker has been working as an Optometrist for 34 years after graduating from Houston University. When asked what keeps him in practice Dr. Tucker said, “Giving the gift of vision is something only a select group of people can do and its a great feeling. We take our vision for granted.”  CONNOR CHOATE

University Louisiana-Monroe guard Chinedu Amajoyi signals a time out after securing a loose ball during the game against Western Kentucky. ULM would go on to lose the game.  IAN MAULE

David “Doc” Livingston, 89, of Bowling Green, Ky., plays clarinet for his wife, Joyce, 87, in their room at the Bowling Green Retirement Village. David, a once prominent figure in the local music industry, suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. “I don’t always remember much and I can’t always say much,” David says, “My wife had a stroke a few years back, so I speak to her with my music.”  WILLIAM KOLB

DJ Richie Rich (center in blue) and his hypeman Mr. Hollywood relax before the Migos concert on February 22, 2014, Bowling Green Ky. The concert lasted 5 hours, with the Migos arriving 2 hours late to for their performance.  HARRISON HILL

Fans sing and dance during a Migos concert put on by I65Nation at the Compound in Bowling Green, Ky. on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014. Around 2,000 people showed up for the concert which was I65Nation’s largest turnout to date. Migos are an American hip-hop group from Gwinnett County, Georgia.  JABIN BOTSFORD

Kirshnik Ball, known as “Takeoff,” smokes and drinks right after a performance during a Migos concert put on by I65Nation at the Compound in Bowling Green, Ky. on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014.  JABIN BOTSFORD

High-heels and bottles of alcohol are left behind after a Migos concert put on by I65Nation at the Compound in Bowling Green, Ky. on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014.  JABIN BOTSFORD

Isaac Graham, 19, rests atop the Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center at Western Kentucky University as severe thunderstorms approach on Thursday, February 20, 2014.  WILLIAM KOLB

Edmond Schwab, 65, now retired, left college to pursue radio broadcast and to be a US Postal Service delivery-man, leaving himself with 239 hours of undergraduate hours completed and no degree. “Don’t try and be an expert at everything; pick one or two things and be good at them,’ said Schwabb. JABIN BOTSFORD

Bowling Green sophomore Chase Proctor rests after doing a live shadow boxing drill at Bowling Green High School in preparation for Sigma Chi fight night. “I don’t feel like an underdog but I definitely feel like an outcast doing this by myself,” says Proctor, who is fighting unattached while most of his opponents are connected to a Greek organization.  IAN MAULE

Singer songwriter Fauna Halo, 20, has played for crowds since she was 12 years old. The former South Floridan was discovered on MySpace before she graduated high school and moved to Nashville by herself at age 18. She composes songs based on real and imagined events in her small apartment in Nashville, Tenn. “I play music because its all of me,” Halo said. “Every phrase to loved ones or anyone that you always have a hard time getting out is fluidly capable of being easily ousted through music with less anxiousness and doubts.”   NICOLE BOLIAUX

 

Before WKU junior Brittany Greeson was even finished shooting her story on a single father for her Picture Stories class, it was already being considered as an entry candidate for the Hearst Journalism Awards Program.  This week, we present Greeson’s story as the first post of an ongoing series entitled Focus On, which highlights some of the extraordinary talent coming out of the photojournalism program at Western Kentucky University.

 A Father at 60

In the hilly countryside of Fordsville, Ky., 60-year-old Faron Cox spends his days in the same double wide trailer where he spent his childhood. Following the loss of his father in 2006, Cox inherited the home in addition to the expanse of land he now looks after.
At an age when most are retiring, Cox faces the daily challenges and struggles of raising his two youngest sons, Faron “Bear” Cox, 8 and Skylor “Tiber” Cox, 4.
Reality hits often for Faron as he finds himself worrying about the demands of childcare and his diminishing health. He relies on his disability check and pain medication for his back to get through the fiscal and physical challenges of each day.
A tense and complicated relationship with the children’s mother leaves Faron as a single father. Now, he questions the time he has left to watch his children grow.

Faron Jr. and Skylor play on the rope swings outside of their home as their father pushes them. “When I first had my first three kids, back in the 70’s I thought that was it. I wasn’t thinking about having another wife or more kids and then more kids. It never entered my mind. You don’t regret having your kids. That’s actually the only thing you’ve got to show for in life other than the memories of the ones that are gone,” Faron said.

Faron changes Skylor’s diaper on the make-shift bed in their living room. Faron has had to delay pre-school for Skylor because Skylor has had difficulties with potty training as well as concerns about his speech development.

After waking him at dawn for the school day, Faron has a discussion with Faron Jr. about his behavior in school and the expectations he has set. Faron gets the kids ready each day, brushing their hair, putting their shoes on and getting them dressed before he drives the 7 miles between Faron Jr.’s school and their home.

Faron holds the daily dosage he has to take for the arthritis causing his constant back pain. After working a variety of physical jobs his entire life he say it is now wearing him down. New health problems have left him feeling weaker than usual, but because he can’t find trustworthy childcare, he hasn’t had the time to visit the town physician.

Faron takes a moment to rest his eyes after a long day when his kids were actively playing. He often struggles to keep up with them and takes on a more observant role. “I get tired with everything. A lot of times they’re out of control or off tearing up something. It’s a young persons job. If you was in your twenties or thirties you’d be able to cope with stuff like that but I have to deal with it. What else ya gonna to do,” Faron said.

Skylor jumps on his father’s back to give him ‘little kissies.’ “You’ve gotta be close with your little ones. When your kids get grown you lose them. You lose that certain part of them,” Faron said.

Faron paces back and forth gathering wood for an open pit fire after a day of logging with his oldest son, Darrin. He and Darrin depend on the 55 acres of land for wood to heat their homes.

Despite complaints of back pain and feeling sickly, Faron cuts a stockpile of wood for the wood stove that functions as the main heat source for his home.
“My mom and dads all gone and everything’s all gone. I’ve got my dads land here, all 55 acres, and it takes a lot of work to keep it going,” Faron said.

Faron takes a moment to step out onto the porch after a day without the kids around. At random, the children’s mother will take them to town to visit but will often bring them back home within hours. Faron describes the tense and often verbally aggressive relationship with the children’s mother as emotionally draining.

Faron’s oldest son, Darrin Cox, 40, plays catch with Skylor as Faron and Faron Jr. discuss plans for school. While Darrin shares the property with his father, their relationship is strained and distant and Faron has retained most of the responsibility for taking care of the land.

Leaning by what he refers to as his “thinking window”, Faron takes a few moments of silence as the kids watch television. “It scares me thinking at my age you don’t know how much longer you got left. I’m just hoping I live long enough to see the little things get on their feet. You often wonder what your kids are going to do or how they’re going to react when you’re gone,” Faron said.

 ————-

WKU NPPA’s Naomi Driessnack sat down with Greeson to talk through the experience she had shooting Faron’s story:

ND: What lead you to this story?

BG: I got kind of lucky because I feel like he (Faron) wanted his story to be told. When I shot the story, I was basically living on the property so that I could spend 24 hours with him.

ND: When you first met him, what did he say that made you think he wanted his story told?

BG: He was just so open, it’s so rare that you meet someone without a guard up. He told me everything. He was like “I am raising these kids and struggling with this…,” and I opened up about my life and explained my job and why stories like his are important to others. Part of it was his loneliness, but part of it also was that he needed someone to listen to him and I feel like a story like this was important for me because I too often question whether or not the stories I do have purpose. When I feel like someone wants a voice that lets me create a better story because they want it. He needed someone to talk to and now he is talking to a large audience because a camera was there.

ND: What has been the most rewarding part of the story for you?

BG: My mom was a single mom, and I realized that parenting is so hard, and I feel like the story helped me grow up more. I went back to my mom and said; “I don’t know how you did it…I’m so sorry that I was such a butthead when I was a kid.” I felt like I wasn’t just a fly on the wall. Those late night talks we had, where I would just put my camera down and we would just eat beans together and chill, that was awesome.

ND: What was the most challenging part?

BG: It was really hard emotionally. I can’t be numb. The first time that I went out and shot, I was supposed to make it three days but I only could make it two and a half because I was so emotionally and mentally exhausted. Faron opened up to me so much and told me so much about how depressed he is, he tells me everything. Dealing with that and seeing what they are going through, seeing the poverty, I just kind of needed to get out of there and rest my mind because I found myself wanting to save them and started wanting to take care of the kids, and I can’t do that.

ND: What has been the most important thing you have learned?  

BG: I think I’ve learned most importantly that at the end of the day, creating a beautiful image and achieving success as a photographer is cool, but if I lay in bed at night and I still haven’t done anything to touch someone’s life or if I haven’t been good to my subjects then my job is meaningless. I would burn out really quickly if I didn’t feel like I was being good to them, so being kind and gentle and opening up to your subjects and viewing them as human beings is the most important thing. Faron is another human being who could have been my grandfather. I think it’s maintaining those relationships and never burning bridges will help improve the reputation photographers have because I feel like a lot of us have a negative reputation because we take so much, but how much do we give back?

Each Thursday, WKU’s Student Chapter of NPPA brings you some of the best images of the past week taken by our very own classmates. To submit for our weekly posts, you must currently be a WKU Photojournalism student and have taken the images or produced the video within the last week (Tuesday to Tuesday). Send your top 1-5 selections to wkunppa@gmail.com by our Tuesday 6:30pm deadline and our officers and attendees will pick the best of the bunch to showcase at our open meetings every Tuesday at 7pm in Lab 127.

Coach Bill Powell has been swimming for 67 years. He learned when he was 8 while living on an island off the coast of Michigan. Ever since then, swimming has been a lifelong endeavor. He spent most of his career as head coach of Western Kentucky University swimming and diving, where he eventually had WKU’s current natatorium named after him. He has touched the lives of many by sharing the love he has for his passion of swimming.  KREABLE YOUNG

After an intense break-up, a man copes with the fallout of his longtime relationship.  LUKE FRANKE

**Please note: this is a work of fiction, and contains graphic imagery**

Tyler “London” Chandler, 19, of Louisville, Ky., received his first wig from his cousin. “She knew the struggle I was going through with transitioning and if it was right or not… she understood,” said Chandler. “So she gave me a wig of hers, because she’s all for my transition, and she believes that’s what I really am, as do I.” Tyler told his grandmother when he was five-years old that he wanted to be a girl but she, along with his mother, brushed the comment to the side. Now a freshman at Western Kentucky University, Chandler feels free to express himself without any reprimand. He says it is like starting over. Chandler feels his mother knows about his transition. “You know how parents know but they don’t want to know?” he said. Chandler is studying performing art/ musical theatre with hopes of one day performing with Janet Jackson or Beyoncè.  ALYSSA POINTER

Children play catch as WKU beats Southern Illinois 6-4 on Feb. 16, 2014, at Nick Denes Field in Bowling Green, Ky.  JABIN BOTSFORD

Warren Central High School art teacher Sandra Carter hides under a table with a student during an earthquake drill on Monday, Feb. 10, in Bowling Green, Ky. Carter has been teaching at Warren Central for over 20 years and is very close to her students.  CASSIDY JOHNSON

A view of the sinkhole that opened up in the Skydome Showroom on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2014, at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Ky. Eight display cars were swallowed by the hole. MICHAEL NOBLE JR.

Jake Thompson congratulates Thomas Peter for batting in a run against Southern Illinois. Western Kentucky went on to beat Southern Illinois 6-1 on Feb. 16, 2014, in Bowling Green, Ky.  MICHAEL NOBLE JR.

Jess Travis, 20, of Bowling Green, Ky. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT

Professor Chris Derry has been teaching Marketing and Sales at WKU for 5 years now. He brings 30-years of sales experience and an outspoken joy and enthusiasm to the classroom that the students thrive off of. “I enjoy helping students find their perspective,” said Derry. “A lot of them don’t understand the potential they have.” Professor Derry contributes his confident demeanor and positive attitude to his father Bill. “If we walked down the stairs without a smile on our face we went straight back to our room,” Derry said. “You couldn’t ever get him down.” Bill Derry passed away in 2010 due to various physical ailments, diabetes, and ultimately asphyxiation. Chris wears two watches, one his own and one his father’s, to constantly keep him in his thoughts and remind him of the impact his father made on him growing up. “My dad pulled 16-hour days for five years when he first opened his drug store,” Chris said. “If I could be just half the man he was I’ll be happy.” LUKE FRANKE

WKU junior forward George Fant lays the ball up to the rim during the WKU 81-76 win over Troy at Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Ky., on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014.  JEFF BROWN

Karbura Vincent, 51, rarely gets to see the sun as he goes about his days working long hours on the night shift at a local factory in Bowling Green, Ky. A refugee from Burundi, Africa, Vincent is the sole income source for his family of nine. BRITTANY GREESON

 

 

 

Each Thursday, WKU’s Student Chapter of NPPA brings you some of the best images of the past week taken by our very own classmates. To submit for our weekly posts, you must currently be a WKU Photojournalism student and have taken the images or produced the video within the last week (Tuesday to Tuesday). Send your top 1-5 selections to wkunppa@gmail.com by our Tuesday 6:30pm deadline and our officers and attendees will pick the best of the bunch to showcase at our open meetings every Tuesday at 7pm in Lab 127.

Mustang Makeover Millionaire champion Bobby Kerr, of Hico, Texas, sits atop his mustang turned rodeo horse, Maypop at the WKU Agriculture Expo Center on February 8, 2014. Kerr has trained horses all his life but wasn’t able to do so as a career until 2011 when he stopped driving semi trucks to enter the Mustang Millionaire contest where horse trainers are given 120 days to train a wild mustang to do rodeo tricks. In 2011 he won the Fan Favorite award with his horse Poncho, and in 2012 he won the Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover and now travels the country with his horses doing shows for different rodeo companies. “It’s like winning the lottery,” Kerr said.  JUSTIN GILLILAND

Oralee Madison, 6, of Crawford, Ky., blows a bubble with her gum backstage before her entrance for the National Anthem during the Lone Star Championship Rodeo at the L.D. Brown Agricultural Exposition Center on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2013, in Bowling Green.  ADAM WOLFFBRANDT

Kyle Paige, of Celina, Tenn., is thrown back while competing in the bareback bronc riding competition during the Lone Star Championship Rodeo at L.D. Brown Agricultural Exposition Center in Bowling Green, Ky., on Saturday, Feb. 08, 2014.  JABIN BOTSFORD

Chris Dumas of Grand Blanc jumps for the first time at the Fenton Polar Plunge, an event that raises money for Special Olympics athletes, on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014 at the Fenton Moose Lodge in Fenton Township. “It’s cold, like real cold but I’ll definitely be back next year!” Dumas said after his plunge.  KATIE MCLEAN

Tony Flice, 41, of Flint, a maintenance worker, snow blows the outside of the Wade Trim Building in downtown Flint on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2014.  KATIE MCLEAN

Chris Britton is new to the Bowling Green, Ky., fire department. The rookie has only been on the crew for five months, but he already feels his place in station one. “It took two years to get the job, after applying and going through fire school. I love being a part of the department. I feel a part of the family, like it’s my second home,” Britton said.  NICK WAGNER

Harrodsburg freshman, Lane French (left) talks to Louisville freshman, Kelby Auten as they wait for the results of the Dance Project tryouts at WKU’s Gordon Wilson Hall on Friday, Feb. 7, 2013, in Bowling Green.  ADAM WOLFFBRANDT

Just because it was winter break didn’t mean we took a break from making photos.  This post highlights some of the best of what our students took over the last month and a half, and goes to show that we’re already off to a great start for the new semester!

Each Thursday, WKU’s Student Chapter of NPPA brings you some of the best images of the past week taken by our very own classmates. To submit for our weekly posts, you must currently be a WKU Photojournalism student and have taken the images or produced the video within the last week (Tuesday to Tuesday). Send your top 1-5 selections to wkunppa@gmail.com by our Tuesday 6:30pm deadline and our officers and attendees will pick the best of the bunch to showcase at our open meetings every Tuesday at 7pm in Lab 127.

Dawson Botsford, 19, water-skis on Lake Whippoorwill on December 25, 2013.  JABIN BOTSFORD

Melissa Patterson, 21, of Bowling Green, Kentucky.  BRITTANY GREESON

Billy Scott teaches his kid’s class how to put someone in a sleeper hold. Scott educates his students on the importance of respect for Mixed Martial Arts.  MICHAEL NOBLE JR.

United States Senator Rand Paul, of Kentucky, poses for a portrait before a meeting with local business leaders to discuss what has been happening in Washington, DC at The Greater Lexington Chamber of Commerce in Lexington, Ky., on Thursday, January 23, 2014.  JABIN BOTSFORD

Neal Tisher, a senior at University of Alabama, fails a vault during the 2014 Vanderbilt Indoor Invitational.  MICHAEL NOBLE JR.

Partiers dressed as Santa Claus dance at McFadden’s in Nashville during Santa Rampage on Saturday, December 14, 2013. The event brings an expected 1,000 revelers dressed as Santa Claus and other christmas icons to Nashville every year.  BRIAN POWERS

A fisherman stands on the Malecon, a seawall along the coast of Havana, Cuba.  NAOMI DRIESSNACK

Josh French, 34, of Linden, player for “Tucker Attorney” sustains a bloody nose after getting hit in the face with a hockey puck during his game against the “Canadian Tuxedos” on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014 during the Third Annual Lake Fenton Winter Classic at Barnum Lake.  KATIE MCLEAN

People are seen in reflective windows of the School of Physical Activity and Educational Services walking up and down West 17th Avenue in front of Ohio Stadium on Wednesday. The Ohio State University campus was quiet, cold and desolate after finals ended last week. Classes will start back for the Spring 2014 semester on Jan. 6.  JABIN BOTSFORD

Matt Stuller shows off his love of deer hunting with a homemade display showing various Christmas characters shooting deer with a bow and arrow, a snowman shooting a squirrel with a gun, and Santa’s slay and reindeer crashing into the roof of his home at 14437 East Broad St in Reynoldsburg, Ohio on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2013. Stuller has been hunting since the age of 8. “You see the same thing all the time on houses and this is different,” said Stuller. “Why would Santa shoot one of his reindeers? I don’t know but it’s funny.”  JABIN BOTSFORD

Tanner Phipps is thrown off of a horse as he competes in the bareback bronc competition during the World’s Toughest Rodeo traveling show at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2014. Phipps scored 82 after riding the full 8 seconds. Cowboys are judged on their control and spurring technique, and the horses are judged on their power, speed, and agility. A good score in the bareback riding is in the mid 80’s.  JABIN BOTSFORD

Every Thursday throughout the semester, WKU’s NPPA Student Chapter brought you some of the best images of the week taken by our very own classmates. Looking back, we couldn’t be prouder of our lil’ blog and all of the big strides we make each day.  We student officers decided to get together and reminisce one last time before spring semester starts by coming up with this post of some of our favorite pictures from this last semester.  Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who makes this possible, and we wish you all the best and more for 2014.

-WKU NPPA Officers: Naomi Driessnack, Danny Guy, Brandon Carter, and Jeff Brown

Princess, a chihuahua, relaxes on a boogie board with her owner Mckayla Manning during the Puppy Paddle hosted by the Bowling Green Warren County Humane Society at the Russell Sims Aquatic Center on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013.  SHELBY MACK

The front porch of Elizabeth Pedigo, center, acts as a gathering place for her family, “It’s where we come together,” she said as she sits on her porch with her son, Wayne Gray, left, and holds her granddaughter, Aliona Beck. Aliona’s mother, Ariel Pedigo, far right, plays with her twin sister Aubrey Beck while in Bowling Green on Thursday, September 26, 2013.  BRIAN POWERS

A man waits at dusk with other commuters at the State/Lake outer loop elevated metro station in Chicago.  NAOMI DRIESSNACK

Talen Sourcy, 6, of Auburn, Ky., plays with his umbrella during half time at the Greenwood vs Logan football game.  KATIE MCLEAN

Freshman Greenwood High School running back Alex Hines looks out toward the field while his teammates warm up for the Logan County vs. Greenwood Varsity football game held at Greenwood High School in Bowling Green, Ky., on Friday, September 20, 2013.  Prior to the game, Logan County’s overall record was 0-4, while Greenwood stood at 1-3.  The score was 41-0 at the half.  DANNY GUY

Joann McCoy and fiancé Joe Smith of Glasgow, Ky. lean in during a joking argument (left) and Arthur and Annette Morton of Panama City (right) laugh at their discussion while Tremekia Dice watches after her niece, Dada Hamilto, 2, and her brother Malik Dice, 12, (center) on the steps of Wigwam Church during the Cave City Proud Days Festival.  KATIE MCLEAN

Seth Bickett (foreground) and KJ Simpson, both sophomores at Daviess County High School, practice tricks on their bicycles at the PNC Bank parking lot in downtown Owensboro, Ky.  KREABLE YOUNG

Reynalda Ruiz, of Chicago, Ill., watches over neighborhood children playing in a fenced-off alleyway between apartment buildings in the Pilsen neighborhood on Friday, October 4, 2013.  “I’m just babysitting for a friend,” said Ruiz, “just helping out.  This isn’t a job, they wouldn’t be able to pay me anyway.  The economy never changes, this is just normal.  This is how it always is.”  DANNY GUY

Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts play with and make foam plate gliders and get an eye opening look at life in aviation as the Youth Aviation Adventure has a program at OSU Don Scott Field in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013.  JABIN BOTSFORD

During the wedding ceremony of Jamijo Gilbert and TIm Carter, Jody Garrett, mother of Jamijo, is kissed on the forehead by her life partner Bill Surian. Though they had planned the wedding to be next June, Jamijo and Tim were married on Oct. 4, 2013 at Covenant Health Care’s Chapel due to Jody’s recent diagnosis of terminal cancer. “It’s always a mother’s dream to see her little girl get married,” Jody said after the ceremony.  SAMMY JO HESTER

“When I haven’t slept in days I make photographs that feel as strange as I do.”  ERIC SHEA

Helen Kasey has been working the day shift at Moonlite Bar-B-Q for over 19 years. 61 years young she is often referred to as “momma” in the kitchen due to her warm and caring personality. Underneath that good spirit Helen is constantly reminded why she works as hard and as much as she does. Her husband Donald Kasey, 61, was diagnosed with Leukemia around four years ago and has been unable to work. Placing the stress of supporting the both of them squarely on Helen’s shoulders. “His disablement check helps out,” Helen said. “I try not to eat until I get here so I can save money.” The stress of her ailing husband and worrying about bills certainly hasn’t dampened Helen’s spirits. “It’s not a burden to take care of him because I am helping him,” she said. “I take the vows I made to him very seriously.”  LUKE FRANKE

Alexander Celestian makes etchings into the red top pavement while waiting to return to the playground at McNeill Elementary in Bowling Green, Ky., on November 5, 2013.  JUSTIN GILLILAND

A woman referred to as ‘Ms. Ann,’ a regular at Shake Rag Salon in Bowling Green, Ky., takes a nap under a hair dryer as she receives a relaxing treatment on her hair.  BRITTANY GREESON

Melanie Durrett, 22, of Hodgenville Ky. sits with her boyfriend of a year Derail Shelton and their dog Cochece in their temporary home, The Holiday Motel in Cave City, Ky. The two have been living there for about a month. “I’ve been trying to find work”, Durrett says, “It’s been real hard, a mixture of the recession and my hand tattoos.”  KATIE MCLEAN

Smiling as she stands in the doorway of her food truck along Veterans Memorial Ln in Bowling Green, 56 year old Barbara Jackson patiently waits for her next customer. “They’ll come, they know the food’s good,” she said with a laugh. A nurse by trade, Barbara usually spends her days at Tristar Skyline medical center in Nashville but her passion has always been food, so for extra money she started cooking for the masses and set up shop selling what she calls the best BBQ in Bowling Green.  BRIAN POWERS

A rider sits on a fence while waiting for his turn to bullride at the IPRA World Championship Rodeo in Cummings, Ga., on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013.  KATIE MCLEAN