Painting by Number by Gabi Broekema

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WKU Photojournalism senior Gabi Broekema during her 6-month winter internship for Mlive tells the story of a Kalamazoo artist whose durational painting project documents mass shootings as they happen across the United States.

Mass shootings inspired Pitts to take on the large-scale project. Keith Pitts launched his endeavor to create small paintings he calls “markers” — one for each mass shooting that occurs in the United States through the entirety of 2022.

Click here to view the interactive project.

 

Posted in: Internship, Student Work, Through Our Eyes

Nourishing the Soul by Kennedy Gott

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Kennedy Gott’s WKU Photojournalism capstone project, examines a family as they tackle the challenges of sourcing their own food in a more healthy manner.

Ellen Aldridge practices modern homesteading by growing and raising her own food on their family’s land at their home in Bowling Green, KY. The Aldridge family is living an old-school and natural lifestyle while many in society struggle with the conveniences of a fast-paced life that results in unhealthy eating.

Click here to view the interactive project.

 

 

Posted in: Class Work, Photojournalism Projects Class, Student Work, Through Our Eyes

Gabi Broekema

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Gabi Broekema a senior in the WKU Photojournalism program returned to her family’s roots while documenting for six-months on an internship with MLive: Kalamazoo Gazette Branch in Southwest Michigan this past year.  Before returning for her final capstone class in the photojournalism program, she is spending a semester abroad with the  Danish School of Media and Journalism in Aarhus, Denmark, continuing her studies in photography. Here are a few of her photographs from this past year.

Posted in: Through Our Eyes

Drifting Through Life

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Cooper Briggs is a 12-year-old boy who was born deaf and has recently been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. As he goes through his first year of middle school, he faces not only his inherent challenges but also new challenges like girls, bullying and finding himself.

This project was a picture story by Kennedy Gott completed in the Advanced Photojournalism class.

You can view the story here

Cooper Briggs is a 12-year-old middle school boy who loves cars and expresses that through gaming, drawing, painting, animating and talking about his knowledge of cars. Cars are Cooper’s connection to his friends at school, his dad who is also a car enthusiast, and the world around him.

Cooper uses his free time in class to draw cars on paper and animate them on his teacher’s iPad. He has always gotten good grades and gets his work done quickly, so he has enough time to do his art. Cooper has new drawing to show his family and classmates nearly every day. While he enjoys going to school and learning, one thing that bothers him about middle school is that everyone talks 24/7. ““He doesn’t like the chaos at school. It just really bothers him when things are not in order. Things need to be a certain way,” Jennifer said.

Cooper eats lunch with some of his friends from middle school. While he believes that people pick on him and others that their school sometimes, he also believes that his friends are there for protection from all the fights and chaos that happens in middle school.

Cooper sits behind the gym bleachers in his last class of the day at school after doing sit-ups because he wanted to “lift something heavy.” He goes to try to play basketball and catch a football with the other kids during this class as well. “People think I am stupid, but I am actually highly intelligent,” Cooper said.

 

Posted in: Class Work, Picture Stories, Through Our Eyes

Mountain Workshops returns to campus

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Mountain Workshops returned to WKU campus this year as we offered the options of a Remote workshop or a Live experience for our WKU students. Seniors Brenna Pepke and Gabi Broekema  were able to focus on story for the week with guidance from video coaches Leslye Davis and  Carey Wagner.

Brenna Pepke’s Caught in the balance

Since her partner’s diagnosis, Andee Rudloff has worked to regain balance in her life. As relationships change, so does Andee’s perspective on how to respond to her life’s new structure.

 

Gabi Broekema’s Underdogs

Brian ‘Slim’ Nash and his daughter, Presley, have a bond stronger than Presley’s condition of alpha-mannosidosis. Presley’s strength against the incurable disorder amazes and inspires her father daily.

 

Posted in: Through Our Eyes

Sam Mallon – Finding stories that feed your passion

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During Sam Mallon’s past four years at Western Kentucky University the photojournalism major has alway made a point to give a voice to subjects she is passionate about. This past summer her love for nature led her to intern at Acadia National Park where her Instagram feed began to fill with fungi, bees and crashing waves. Here are a collection of images from her past year at WKU where she continues to showcase people and their approach to life. For more of her work visit: https://samamallon.com

“I really liked that [Everly] is able to spend a lot of her days, as she’s learning, outdoors,” said Patrick. Homeschooling Everly, Patrick’s five-year-old daughter, is of utmost importance to her. “I like that she can have access to certain educational materials that aren’t necessarily promoting a history of colonization or that don’t have respect for other species,” said Patrick, “Doing any sort of homeschooling, you can choose [educational materials] that support your values and morals.” Following their Thanksgiving meal, Patrick took her children on a hike with a tray of food from their feast and their garden as an offering to the spirits that protect the land they occupy. Giving thanks, respecting and celebrating the history of land they live on is central to Patrick’s teaching practices for her daughter.

Chiara Jeanfils, a Friends of Acadia Summit Steward, illuminates the night sky with sparklers as her friends look on while dancing on the rocks beside the pier on the campus of the College of the Atlantic prior to the fireworks show on Monday, July 5, 2021.
“Derik Overstreet, 24, trains as a Mixed Martial Arts fighter at least once a day and up to three times a day. Overstreet, a local activist in Bowling Green, uses boxing as a release for the frustration and anger that comes as a consequence in doing social justice work. Derik Overstreet, 24, uses his platform as a MMA fighter to promote his non-profit, Bowling Green for Peace, and to cope, “If [activism] was all I did, If I didn’t have some kind of physical outlet, I would have lost it,” Overstreet said.”
Vinny Almeida kisses Sarah Macleod, both of Boston, MA, while Almeida plays ukulele as they walk back along the sand bar from Bar Island Path on Thursday, July 22, 2021 in Acadia National Park.

 

 

Posted in: Student Work, Through Our Eyes

Zane Meyer-Thornton

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Zane Meyer-Thornton, a senior photojournalism major from Los Angeles, California has recently seen success following his summer internship at the Cincinnati Enquirer. His image of a protester won a 1st place finish in the College Photographer of the Year competition for General News. Previously Zane has worked as a Creative in Residence at Boyd’s Station during the summer in 2020 and has worked at WKU Student Publications since coming to Western. This past year he was named to the Native American Journalists Fellowship program, which produces content on Indigenous People and communities. Here are a few of his images from his work this past year. To see more of his work visit: https://www.zanemtphoto.com

A supporter of former President Donald Trump takes a break from protesting the arrival of President Joe Biden on the corner of Delhi Road and Neeb Road outside of Mount Saint Joseph University, where President Biden is set to speak at a town hall on Thursday, July 21, 2021.

Brian Bayley, of Walnut hills, crashes into hay bales as he finishes his race on Saturday, July 31, 2021 at Dangerwheel, in the Pendleton area of Over-the-Rhine. Dangerwheel is an adult big-wheel race where proceeds are used to raise money for beautification efforts in the community.
Being able to help construct the foundation for children is something Guerra keeps close to her heart. She hopes her love and care can assist them on their journey, no matter where their destination may be. “Having a support system for a child is huge. I feel like that’s why I have been able to do the things that I have been able to do. I’ve always had somebody to look up to, somebody that I know has my back,” said Guerra.
Ellie Banaszynski, 5, has a snack between games of Killerqueen on Sunday, June 20, 2021 at Wondercade Cincy. By having only classic arcade games, Wondercade Cincy is helping a new generation of people enjoy games from years past.
Posted in: Contest Winners, Student Work, Through Our Eyes