Lots going on...

There are times as a photographer when you get sent to cover an event and there is so much going on that you aren't sure where to start.  While I was down in Houston, several of the photographers told me that when you are put in those situations - it's important to stop, take a deep breath, look around and then focus.  Once you've got the shot for whatever you've settled on - then find the next picture.  

When I walked into Cultural Diversity Day at the University of Iowa, I was surrounded by activities, performances, and a whole lot of people.  I worked my way from one side of the room to the next and then went upstairs and did the same.

As I was moving around I had to remind myself to get wide, medium and tight shots.  There's no point in shooting from the same distance all the time...get up close to the subjects and capture those moments.  

Here's what I turned in and more: 

Compositions

Oh the possibilities when composing a photograph.  The first person who taught me what exactly a composition was - is Ben Roberts.  Instead of just flailing the camera around aimlessly take a step back and consider what you're looking at through the lens.  Eventually pieces come together and a composition can be formed.  And layering, he always told me, is what the great photos have.  Michael Paulsen from the Houston Chronicle told me that you know you have a successful photograph when your eye ventures through each element of a photograph - and goes from one to the next until it gets back to the first. 

 Take it look at some of the compositions I've been playing with in the last couple of weeks. 

Photos by Julie Koehn/The Gazette

Through the lens...

There are so many things in life that I never would have had the chance to experience, if I didn't come with a camera dangled at my hip. There are people who I never would have met and places that I never would have been.

Sometimes I think about why I am a photojournalist. The term doesn't define me as a person - but is listed as a quality under my personality.

With each click of the shutter, I capture a moment and place in time. What time takes a way, a photograph will preserve forever. It provides evidence for the future of the past in which we lived. And tells the truth because it cannot lie.

But beyond keeping the past documented, it's the people I meet along the way. Informing them of the truth about what's going on and taking their direction as they lead me from one place to the next. And in any direction I turn, I see life through a lens.

Expressions and Compositions over Action

There are ways to photograph athletes performing their sports without necessarily getting the peak action.  Sometimes it's more fun to explore various competitions and wait for an expression to come across their face that shows him or her as a person. 

Here are a few shots of Nicholas Loughlin, a 157-pound wrestler from Cornell College who is ranked No. 7.  As a sophomore he balances wrestling with his academics and hopes of becoming a doctor. 

Photos by Julie Koehn/The Gazette

Two Weeks at a Glance

In the first two weeks of my internship at the Cedar Rapids Gazette, I've met a variety of different people, covered a variety of different events, and shot photos in a variety of different ways.  Here's the two weeks in a glance as I ventured through learning new ways to produce a variety of photos.

Photos by Julie Koehn/The Gazette

New Things Bring New Challenges

Football season took a toll on my updates, but I thought I'd get back to the reality of life in the world of photojournalism as I begin my new adventure.

After graduating from the University of Iowa in December (2009), with a B.A. in Journalism and a B.A. in Psychology, I'm literally out into the real world now.

I began a semester long photo internship with the Cedar Rapids Gazette on Monday. So far, so good.

Monday I received a tour of the newsroom - integrated with KCRG, as well as information on rules and procedures - AND an abundant supply of equipment. But that wasn't the end of my day. I was introduced to many people on staff, went on a shoot with Gazette photographer Cliff Jette, and together we shot the Coe vs. Loras Women's Basketball game that night.

Already Cliff has given me so much information and tips on how to survive as a photojournalist for the Gazette. Along with him, I work closely with Rollin Banderob, Jim Slosiarek, Liz Martin and I'm sure when he's around - Brian Ray. Fortunately being in the Iowa City area while working at the Daily Iowan - I have already been into contact with all the Gazette's photographers. Knowing the Cedar Rapids area has helped me as well.

Regardless of that though, every day is a new day - every shoot a new shoot. It's important to take each assignment and make something even when it's nothing - and that becomes the challenge every day.

Yesterday I was presented with a surprisingly new challenge as well. High School Girl's Basketball. It's definitely not the college sport pace, but they have their own thing going on and I think it's something I can learn to get used to. Cliff came to the game with me and helped me get the lights set up...

Shooting with lights - completely new concept for me. That will take some time to get used to. You really have to be patient and wait for the shot - timing it perfectly or you completely miss out. Something that Cliff brought to my attention about shooting sports is he said, look for the conflict.

It might seem like common sense, and maybe it is an instinct that is looked for when doing sports photography - but I never thought of it in that specific sort of way. It makes complete sense and it's going to be something that I keep in my mind from here on out - it might give me a new look to my sports shots.

And then there was today.

Today I had two photo shoots where I was on my own. One of them was a tour of some townhouses opening for prisoners who are trying to get back on their feet. The other was a campaign tour for former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad.

I'm learning new techniques, tighter deadlines, quick edits, getting an image and getting out, and in general the work of a photojournalist at a professional paper. And today was only day 3.

The Multimedia World...and Executing

This weekend I was given a test.

I had been anticipating shooting the Iowa vs. Penn State game for several months. It was different than all the other games because only one photog was going. The pressure had been building and relaxing at the same time as the first few weeks of football season came together quite successfully.

I was told an hour before leaving for the trip that I was expected to not only complete a photo slideshow as we do for all the other games, but also gather audio and video during the game and compile a multimedia piece. We do this for home games but because of the traveling and other distress of away games - in the past we have completed a solid gallery for away games and called it good.

So it was a test. Photograph, gather audio and shoot video of the first Big Ten football game of the season - where both teams are 3-0 and anything can happen.

I was nervous. I was unconfident. I was a wreck.

But I was also excited.

I came up with a game plan and made a decision on how I was going to carry it through - to make sure that I got the number one job down - still photography - but captured compelling audio and storytelling video so that it could all be brought together in the end. I had plan.

And then it rained....so goodbye any preconceived notions of using the 5D.

So I focused on photos and gathered some audio.

When I went to put the piece together I had to really think how I was going to execute it. The last thing I wanted to do was just slap some audio onto the exact same photo gallery I had already sent to the web.

So I decided to take my still photos and give my audience some movement without video.


Click HERE to see how it came out. Let me know what you think.