Photojournalism at Western Kentucky University

David LaBelle: “My past 50 years” round-table

January 24, 2020 1:35 pm \ Leave a Comment \ by Tim Broekema

Alaska, 1976 | Photo by David LaBelle

The School of Media’s Photojournalism department would like to invite you and your students to come meet photographer, author, teacher, motivational speaker and lover of life David LaBelle as he presents lessons he has learned in his 50-year career at a round-table discussion. Although geared more specifically for photojournalists, it is a must see if you are interested in visual literacy and history.

A recent testimonial about LaBelle’s speaking engagement said, “His passion, coupled with a genuine love of the human spirit comes across so blatantly and encourages others to go out in search of their own creative yearnings. I can think of nothing more refreshing than a master of photography who reminds us of the true heart behind this kind of work.”

LaBelle, an internationally known photographer, teacher, author and motivational speaker, grew up on a frog farm in Oak View, California, exploring the creeks and hills with two sisters and two brothers and numerous dogs. He began his photojournalism career as a weekend sports-shooter and lab man at the Ventura County Star-Free Press in California while still in high school. During his 50-year career, David has worked for a mix of 20 different newspapers and magazines. He has also worked at four universities across the United States, which includes several years here at Western Kentucky University.

• A WKU “swipeable” event and both are free and open to the public.

• Free parking is available in the Chestnut St. South lot after 4:30 PM on both nights.

Congratulations to Hearst Photojournalism round one finishers!

December 23, 2019 3:17 pm \ Leave a Comment \ by Tim Broekema

Winners have been announced in the Photojournalism One: News and Features Competition of the 50th anniversary of the Hearst Journalism Awards Program. There were 138 photojournalists submitted into this competition from 75 schools nationwide. Michael Blackshire was awarded a 6th place certificate and Silas Walker was awarded 7th. The second, and final photo competition of the 19-20 school year will be held in February.

Michael’s 6th place winning entry:

Silas’ 7th place winning entry:

Brandon Lesniak jumps his mountain bike at the I street Bike Park in Salt Lake City on Thursday, April 18, 2019.

Olympus Titans Rylan Jones (15) celebrates scoring on the Timpanogos Timberwolves and drawing a foul during the 5A boys basketball championship tournament at the Dee Events Center in Ogden on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019. Jones scored 22 points and had 5 rebounds to advance his team to the second round of the tournament.

Avery Hayes, 10, cries with her mother Arwen Fuller during a vigil for University of Utah student, MacKenzie Lueck, who was murdered in June 2019; the Vigil was organized by the Associated Students of the University of Utah on the Union lawn at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Monday, July 1, 2019. Hayes was knew Lueck as a babysitter in the past.

Malik Staples #9 of the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers sprays water while celebrating a victory against the University of Alabama Birmingham Blazers on September 28, 2019 in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Western Kentucky University defeated the University of Alabama Birmingham 20-13 to start a 4 game winning streak.

Bishop Karen Oliveto serves as guest preacher at First United Methodist Church in Salt Lake City on Sunday, Jan. 13, 2019. In February, leaders of the United Methodist Church met to decide how to approach ordination and marriage for LGBT members. The professional and personal lives of people like Bishop Karen Oliveto, the church’s first openly lesbian bishop, hung in the balance. The meeting of the church in Febuary concluded with 53 percent of the clergy and lay leaders from around the world voting to keep banning same-sex marriages and noncelibate gay clergy, was meant to settle this question that has divided Methodists for years.

Michael Cousert, 67, poses for a portrait at the Georgia Apartments in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 11, 2019. The Georgia Apartments where Cousert lives have been deemed as unsafe to occupy by the Salt Lake City Fire Marshal and the residents were given two weeks to find other living arrangements and move out. “What am I going to do, throw myself out?” Coursert asked.

Spanish Fork Dons outfielder Marae Condie (3) dives but falls short for a fly ball hit by the Tooele Buffaloes during the 4A state championship at the Spanish Fork Sports Park in Spanish Fork on Saturday, May 18, 2019. Tooele Buffaloes defeated the Spanish Fork Dons 3-1 to claim the championship.

Posted in: Contest Winners

Atlanta Photojournalism Student Portfolio of the Year – Michael Blackshire

November 21, 2019 2:45 pm \ Leave a Comment \ by Jonathan Adams

WKUPJ senior, Michael Blackshire, won the 2019 Rich Mahan Best Student Portfolio recently at the Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar. You can view his winning entry here.

In 2018 and again in 2019, Michael has placed in the annual William Randolph Hearst competition and he interned for the Las Vegas Review-Journal this past summer. His portfolio contained work from his summer internship and a class project about the conflict unfolding over the wall on the Mexico/USA border.

Winter Bainbridge, 4, left, holds her cousin Avery Acosta, 1, as Amber Acosta, 4, center, plays in a washing machine outside of the Acosta family home on Aug. 16, 2019. Barefoot with a front yard of half green grass, the children play with other friends in the small mining town of Ely, NV, with a population of less than 5,000. “I’m going to be clean in the washing machine,” Amber said. Acosta’s father would soon tell Amber to remove herself.

Posted in: Contest Winners, NPPA, Student Work

WKUPJ Winners, College Photographer of the Year 2019

November 19, 2019 2:43 pm \ Leave a Comment \ by Jonathan Adams

For a complete list of this year’s winning images, visit: CPOY Winning Images

Photography – Sports Feature | GOLD: Morgan Hornsby

Diana Loe, Jonica Louis, and Calouna Zamor rest together in the shade between events at the Collier County Athletic Conference track and field meet at Naples High School on April 6, 2019.

Photography – International Picture Story | BRONZE: Gabriel Scarlett

Dr. Bob Ballard watches from the top deck as the crew of the E/V Nautilus retrieves the ROV Hercules from the waters off Nikumaroro Island on August 12, 2019. Hercules can search the slope of the island down to the sea floor several miles below.

Photography – Feature | AWARD OF EXCELLENCE: Kendall Warner

Karen Vela Lim cries while her father Roman plays the guitar and sings her a traditional hispanic song during the church service portion of her quinceneara in Bowling Green, Ky. on March 23, 2019.

Multimedia: Group Story or Essay – Standalone | GOLD: Michelle Hanks (WKU) & Deepti Asthana (Danish School of Journalism)

Multimedia: Individual Story or Essay – Standalone | SILVER: Michelle Hanks

Multimedia: Online Storytelling | BRONZE: Morgan Hornsby & Gabriel Scarlett

View here: The Pain We Cause

Posted in: Contest Winners, Student Work

Timeless Travel by Michelle Hanks

November 17, 2019 11:42 am \ Leave a Comment \ by Jonathan Adams

The Bowling Green Greyhound bus station has stayed the same for the last 29 years yet new people come and go every day.

Posted in: Advanced Short Form Doc, Grants and Contest Information, Student Work, Through Our Eyes

WKU Alum J. Scott Applewhite Inducted into Hall of Distinguished Alumni

October 22, 2019 12:37 pm \ Leave a Comment \ by Jonathan Adams

Two-time Pulitzer Prize winning Photojournalist J. Scott Applewhite has lived a life being in the middle of the major news stories around the world. He was recently honored as the newest inductee in the Western Kentucky University’s Hall of Distinguished Alumni.

WKU Photojournalism is honored to call him our own, and Photojournalism is lucky to have such a kind person as an ambassador for our industry.

If you want to see more about J. Scott Applewhite you can follow a mysterious instagram accounts that shows him behind the scenes. @scottyshots1

Video by: WKYU-PBS

Posted in: Beyond Graduation, Guest Speakers, Industry News

Beyond Graduation: Abigail Dollins

October 16, 2019 2:31 pm \ Leave a Comment \ by Tim Broekema

A RECURRING SERIES

In an October 12, 2019 email interview, Abigail Dollins, a 2019 WKUPJ graduate shares some of her experiences while attending WKU and also the path that lead her to her current job as a staff multimedia journalist for the Argus Leader in Sioux Falls, SD.

Abigail Dollins graduated in the spring of 2019 and three months later found herself working full-time for the Argus Leader in Sioux Falls, SD. This southerner will soon be learning about the warmth of Sorel boots and hand warmers.

Where were you born?

I was born and raised in Paducah, Ky.

What High School did you attend?

I graduated from Lone Oak High School in Paducah, Ky., in May 2013. I was the last graduating class, they then consolidated to make McCracken County High School.

Is there an interesting story that brought you to WKUPJ or photojournalism in general?

I have to credit my dad for this one. I started out as a nursing major because of two things: I wanted to help people and I wanted the ability to work anywhere. Long story short, becoming a nurse wasn’t for me.

I’ve always enjoyed photography and had spent most of my early years as a photographer wandering around Kentucky Lake and shooting what I saw. My dad did the research and pointed me to WKU, noting that it was one of the top schools for photojournalism. To be honest, when I started out as a freshman, I didn’t fully know what photojournalism was. I soon fell in love with it though and never turned back.

When did you start attending WKU and what year did you graduate?

I started at WKU in the fall of 2015. As a transfer student with already two years under my belt, I did not know I would be adding a few extra years of school. I graduated in the spring of 2019.

I’m sure that starting a four-year major after two years in college was a difficult choice to make. What impact did these two extra years of visual education make in defining your current career?

The two extra years of education did so much for me as a visual storyteller. Coming into the program, I was just learning the basics of what photojournalism was. I think everyone has a point in their college career that they would consider a “light bulb moment”— where everything just clicks. That moment for me happened in picture stories during my junior year. What I had learned in my previous years, about composition, light, audio, etc. came together in that class. I truly began to define who I am as a visual storyteller and took that opportunity to highlight issues that matter to me in my storytelling.

Immediately after graduation I …

I went stir crazy! I had graduated and been a finalist for several internships (even had an important email go to my junk mail) but had nothing lined up yet. I began applying to full-time positions.

Who do you currently work for?

I currently work for the Argus Leader in Sioux Falls, SD, part of the USA Today Network as a staff multimedia journalist.

What does “staff multimedia journalist” mean? Do you just take still photos for the print and online publications or are there other duties?

Part of my duties as a multimedia journalist include photographing daily and long-term assignments for print and online publication, putting together online galleries and producing videos. We try to be very intentional with our use of video and think about what assignments could benefit from that form of storytelling. Another fun duty that comes along with my job is sharing content to Instagram and Twitter real time. Sometimes these are photos from an assignment that day or a feature I found on my way home.

Dollins on assignment in Sioux Falls, SD.

Since graduation, tell us about some of the more interesting places or events you may have visited/photographed as part of your work being a visual storyteller?

Curiosity is one of the best traits you can have as a photojournalist. It is curiosity and wanting to know more about a person’s story that has led me to the more interesting places I’ve been as a storyteller. For example, I am currently working on a story about a person’s journey with cancer. I met them on a daily assignment for the Argus and struck up conversation. Being a fly on the wall in someone’s daily life, learning the details of their everyday, is one of the most interesting places I’ve been for visual storytelling.

Sioux Falls recently experienced a historic flood followed by three destructive tornadoes and you were in your first month of working there. What was that experience like? Was there any particular moment or image that will stick with you forever?

I was taking cover in my apartment during the storm when I got a call from my editor. A woman was trapped inside her house and couldn’t get out. I hopped in my car while it was still raining sideways and started to drive to the scene. It wasn’t until I was stopped by flash flooding and downed power lines that I realized what had actually happened. Three tornadoes had hit Sioux Falls.

I spent that night and early morning driving around to businesses and homes surveying the initial damage caused by three tornadoes. Around 4 a.m., I went home and got an hour of sleep and was told to report back by 6 a.m. The sun started to rise and we got a better idea of what actually happened. (I think I was running on pure adrenaline.)

Although, I witnessed a lot of destruction during the course of covering the tornadoes, one man’s experience stuck out the most to me. Matt Ditmanson had just woken up and was running with his dog Teddy to his basement when his roof was torn off. I took a photo of him standing in what was his living room and watched him salvage family photos and other personal belongings. That moment will stay with me forever.

Sioux Falls, SD resident Matt Ditmanson surveys the damage to his home after it was hit by a tornado. Photo by Abigail Dollins

In hindsight, is there anything you learned while in a PJ class at Western that has resonated with you now?

One thing I learned as a WKUPJ that has stuck with me is pretty simple—JUST GO SHOOT. Having a camera in your hands everyday will make you better, whether you realize it or not. Oh, and along those lines, always keep a camera on you. You never know what kind of situation you may roll up on.

What has changed in your professional plans from the time you enrolled at WKU until know? Did you ever expect to be where you are today?

I came into the PJ program knowing that if I spent my first years out of college working for a daily paper, it would be a huge benefit to my career in the long run. However, I never expected to be where I am as quickly as I got here. As a student, I always assumed that you needed 10 internships before you were ready for something full-time. I’ve learned that everyone’s path looks different.

Do you have any immediate future work plans that you can disclose? What awaits you in 2020?

Wow! 2020 is really that close, huh? In 2020 I plan to stay with the Argus Leader, assuming I survive the winter. (kidding) I feel that I’ve started to discover my voice as a visual storyteller and I’m enjoying exploring it through my photos. I’m excited to see how I continue to grow and have plenty to learn from this amazing newsroom.

If you could have any “dream” freelance assignment what would that be?

As a southerner who moved out of the south, I have to say there’s so many things I miss about it. I would love to work on a broader photo essay about the American South and document the region and people who drew me into visual storytelling in the first place.

What is your favorite memory from WKUPJ?

Some of my favorite memories were made creating in the studio with my roommate Kendall Warner. Since I was the studio manager, there were some nights we would go in there late at night and just try out new lighting techniques.

Another favorite memory that sticks out is my first all-nighter I pulled for a WKUPJ class. It was finals week of my Intermediate Photojournalism class and I somehow managed to pull together a picture story in a day (I would not recommend this). A few of my classmates and I decided to stay the night in the lab and kept ourselves awake by having mini dance parties.

Provide for us a link to your current online portfolio and/or social media accounts:

www.abigaildollins.com

Instagram: @abigaildollins

Twitter: @abigaildollins

Posted in: Beyond Graduation

Our World Burning Photo Exhibition

September 17, 2019 9:32 pm \ Leave a Comment \ by Tim Broekema

The Thomas Fire burns in the Los Padres National Forest, near Ojai, Calif., on Dec. 8, 2017. A group of closely knit photojournalists find safety in numbers as they work together to document some of California’s largest and most dangerous fires. Photo by Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times

As deadly wildfires globally increase in number and severity, residents of fire-prone areas are finding themselves on the frontline of these historic and potential climate-changing events. This exhibition of over 50 images and a documentary film from recent California fire seasons, come together in this body of work from ten critically-acclaimed photojournalists and explores the ramifications these fires can have and reveal the pain, suffering and all-encompassing loss the victims endure.

EXHIBITION

Thru November 22

School of Media Gallery

1665 Normal Street, Bowling Green, KY

Jody Richards Hall on the campus of WKU

School of Media Gallery Hours

M-W 9am – 9pm

Th–F 9am – 5pm

Sunday 3pm – 9pm

Free parking after 4:30 M-F in the Chestnut St. Lot South / Closed Oct. 10, 11 and 13 for fall break

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHERS

Photographer Justin Sullivan is seen here seeking a low angle while covering the Camp Fire of 2018. “Being with a group that is well trained and understands how to navigate these dangerous fires is so important to me,” Sullivan says. “Being in a car with someone when you’re driving down roads that have fire on both sides with trees and power lines falling all around is so much better than trying to navigate it on your own.” Photo by Noah Berger.

Freelance photographer Noah Berger has spent 24 years covering the San Francisco Bay Area for editorial, corporate and government clients. He works for national and international news outlets including the Associated Press, Reuters, San Francisco Chronicle and LA Times. On the corporate side, Noah covers transportation and infrastructure for government agencies and works often with health care organizations. A native of New York, Noah lives in Alameda – an island across the bay from San Francisco – with his wife and 9-year-old son.

Erin Brethauer is a documentary filmmaker and photographer based in San Francisco, CA.

Erin worked at the San Francisco Chronicle from 2014-2016 where she and her partner (now husband) Tim Hussin co-directed the Emmy Award winning documentary, Last Men Standing. The film, about longterm AIDS survivors, was the newspaper’s first feature-length documentary. During this time they also co-produced the Emmy Award winning video column, The Regulars.

Before moving to the Bay Area, Brethauer was a staff photographer and multimedia editor for seven years at the Asheville Citizen-Times in North Carolina. Both her film and still photography work has been recognized by the Pictures of the Year International, Magenta Flash Forward, American Photography and can be found in publications such as California Sunday Magazine and The New York Times. Her ongoing film collaboration with Hussin called This Land Films can be found at www.thislandfilms.com.

Renée C. Byer is a catalyst for change. She is an award-winning documentary photojournalist and Emmy nominated multimedia field producer best known for her in-depth work focusing on the disadvantaged and those who otherwise would not be heard. Her ability to produce photographs with profound emotional resonance and sensitivity earned her the Pulitzer Prize for feature photography in 2007 and dozens of national and international honors, including the World Understanding Award from Pictures of the Year International, and Pulitzer Finalist in 2013.

Known for her ability to translate stark statistics into images that connect us to our humanity, she has traveled throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America, covering some of the most important issues of our time. Byer’s stories have deepened our understanding of the environment, climate change, extreme poverty, genetically modified food, healthcare, women at war, domestic violence, and the drought and economic crisis in California.

Peter DaSilva is an independent photographer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has been photographing local and regional events, along with prominent people throughout the West Coast for more than two decades. He has worked for the Associated Press, as a staff photographer for the Oakland Tribune and the San Francisco Chronicle and currently shoots for the New York Times. Peter has been published in periodicals from around the world, including the Los Angeles Times, Business Week, International Herald Tribune, News Week, the Chicago Tribune, NYT Up Front, Der Spiegel as well as the Washington Post.

Josh Edelson is an internationally published freelance photojournalist and commercial photographer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is a curious adventure-seeker, passionate about creating visually compelling stories and portraits and absolutely loves to travel. Edelson can be found covering major news stories with international appeal. Some of which include documenting the 2017 presidential election, anti-police protests, California wildfires, various tech product launch events and others. He is contracted by various news companies like The Associated Press, The Los Angeles Times, AFP/Getty Images, and others.

Tim Hussin is a freelance photographer and filmmaker based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His background in journalism has made me a versatile shooter, and his work now ranges from editorial to commercial to documentary and experimental/personal projects. His strength is in finding compelling, honest and moving stories and pairing them with authentic and visually sophisticated moments.

Tim left a staff photographer/filmmaker position in 2016 at the San Francisco Chronicle, where h co-produced a weekly video column with Erin Brethauer, called The Regulars, and co-directed the Chronicle’s first feature-length documentary film, Last Men Standing, about long-term HIV/AIDS survivors. Both films have toured festivals worldwide.

He has won awards in POYi and was a finalist for a National Magazine Award. He has worked with publications such as National Geographic Magazine, California Sunday Magazine, Pop Up Magazine, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, The Guardian, The Telegraph, Le Monde, Huck Magazine, Oxford American, Virginia Quarterly Review and Airbnb.

Raised in Washington D.C., Gabrielle Lurie picked up a camera at 17-years-old. She learned photography the old- fashioned way and spent countless hours in the darkroom. Gabrielle moved to New York City to attend NYU where she studied art history and photography. In 2014 she moved to San Francisco to freelance for a variety of news outlets. Gabrielle was a student at the Missouri Photo Workshops, the Mountain Workshops and the Eddie Adams Workshop. In 2016 Gabrielle joined the staff of The San Francisco Chronicle where she has been pursuing both stills and video. She is also the regional clip chair for the NPPA West region.

Justin Sullivan is a staff photographer with Getty Images based in San Francisco, California. His assignments have included a wide range of stories from national political campaigns and the California drought to natural disasters and international conflicts. Justin’s award-winning work has appeared in magazines and newspapers around the world. He is a three-time San Francisco Bay Area Press Photographer Of The Year.

Mason Trinca is a documentary and editorial photographer based in California. Mason’s decision to be a photojournalist was strongly influenced by an appreciation for the power of even small images to impact the biggest environmental issues and to give voice to those who have none, a remembrance to Mason’s sister with disabilities who was unable to speak. A University of Oregon graduate with a Bachelor of Science in both environmental studies and geology, Mason continues to be inspired by nature and is passionate about camping, biking and skiing.

Marcus Yam is a Los Angeles Times staff photographer living in the beautiful City of Angels. Born and raised in tropical heat of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, he is culturally and socially uninhibited, guided and inspired by Robert Frost’s poem, “The Road Not Taken.” At a turning point, he left a career in Aerospace Engineering to pursue a photographic life.

His approach is deeply rooted in curiosity and persistence. He is interested in the social issues and dichotomies that shape the human experience. Currently, he’s obsessed with covering wildfires across the Golden State as it enters its eighth of drought.

In 2017, Marcus was named Picture of The Year International’s Newspaper Photographer Of The Year. In 2015, Marcus was part of the breaking news team that covered tragic San Bernardino, Calif. terrorist attacks in 2015, that earned a Pulitzer Prize in Breaking News Reporting. In 2014, he was also part of The Seattle Times team that covered the deadly landslide in Oso, Washington that also earned a Pulitzer Prize in Breaking News Reporting.