Favorite Lynsey Addario Moments

The thing that really strikes me about Lynsey Addario, and her fellow journalists as well, is her determination and her foresight when it comes to success. She knew that 9/11 was one of the biggest tragedies to ever befall the United States, and yet it was also her biggest window of opportunity. My favorite thing about her though, is her desire to show her subjects as they are; even if it means going against what people want to see, or what they already think they know. In Chapter 4, on page 72 Addario says, "I became fascinated by the notion of dispelling stereotypes or misconceptions through photographs, of presenting the counterintuitive. In Pakistan I learned quickly to tuck away my own political beliefs while I worked and to act as a messenger and conduit of ideas for the people I photographed." I think this mentality is what sets Addario apart from others, and makes her work important.

Environmental Portraits

Mahayla is a cashier at Thistledown Farm and Market in Junction City, Oregon. She is a junior in high school who enjoys dancing and art, and she is currently fast-tracking her education by taking classes at Lane Community College. 

Mahayla Winchell

Favorite Class Photos

One of my favorite photos from this class's blog is Nick's overall photo from the LBCC art show. Even though the lighting in that building is obviously difficult, the contrast really works in this photo, along with the leading lines from the ceiling and the walls and the reflections of the people on the floor. It also shows the people in the art gallery intently and closely looking at the art on the walls, and it makes for an interesting and pleasing photo. The link to Nick's photo is: https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Vd7vfDSAaRXu34ZKFPiTEIYgOpomqOBqqwtN8XaNBGYKFTKqhD0cHjjuA_JW-MuGCHG_EAvldAd8NBad4wN5twbseh8WJae2JpX9tfB1PIRBrWG3MZVeJruRP4I__AhfxI3k7NC5

My other favorite is Emily's portrait of Rhiannon Chuck for the Humans of LBCC assignment. I think everything about this photo- the colors, the low angle, Rhiannon's expression- all these things tie in and make a really well-composed photo. The link for Emily's photo is: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0pEgSMpZs0j3n0eRk4URu6UjWiFSe8McXS3bu7uovWeFALLtLOYh92gRu9ijYc_31DWogYEu5v_3GjckeczV_kRXXw7s-cPJurrTbN-9ygVfCXyXAhGXMNPxvvU5kwuWPSYFcxn8b28g/s320/IMG_4802+edit.jpg

Potential Portrait Subjects

The first subject I would consider for my portrait project is a self-employed carpenter I know named Dustin Beck. He has his own shop at his home which I think would be the best environment in which to shoot him. The best props would be some partially finished cabinets he may be working on, possibly some of his equipment or tools in hand. I have his phone number and can easily reach out to him.

The second person I plan to reach out to is a friend of mine named Parker Wynn who is a track athlete at Umpqua Community College. I would like to get a photo of him at a track meet in his uniform with obvious props in the background, like the track itself. This would be ideal, because he is a runner and doesn't do any field events. I can easily get into contact with him through texting, the only hurdle would be finding a day I could make it to a track meet.

Self-Critique

I think the best photo I have shot this term was my photo of Nellie Kosmala for the "Humans of LBCC" assignment. The lighting is optimal, she has a really nice, natural smile on her face, she is well framed, and I was able to frame some leading lines thanks to the hallway in which she was sitting.

While I don't think my worst photo is bad, I wish I would have framed it differently. This was my photo of Brooke Hopfer for "Humans of LBCC II"- she is really tall and I had her stand on a hill above me to take the picture. I loved the background and lighting in this photo; it portrayed the Linn Benton school building in the background and I liked that a lot. However, I wish I would have gotten above her somehow, or at least at eye-level so her face wouldn't be so far away in the picture.

In order to improve the overall quality of my photos, I want to work on adapting better to my subjects' backgrounds, comfort zones, and physical features to portray them individually as best as I can.

Animal Science Lab at Weber Hampshires

LBCC agricultural science professor Clay Weber (back left corner) points to lambs in his sheep barn while speaking to students about his show lamb business, Weber Hampshires. On Tuesday, April 16, Rick Klampe's animal science class visited Weber's sheep operation for lab to see firsthand what it takes to raise high-quality Future Farmers of America (FFA) market lambs.   

A Hampshire lamb enthusiastically smiles for the camera.

 Lab notes in hand, Laura Mendell (left) and Keely Bates (right) from Rick Klampe's animal science class walk to the vans to be driven back to LBCC after visiting Weber Hampshires.

Lynsey Addario

In reading the prelude and first chapter of "It's What I Do: A Photographer's Life of Love and War" by Lynsey Addario, the thing that stood out most to me is Addario's courage and confidence. The book begins with her in Libya, photographing a revolution against the country's leader Mummar el-Qaddafi. While at this point she has been a war photographer for years and has seen so much destruction, she has kept going. She says, "While covering war, there are days when I had boundless courage and there were days, like these in Libya, when I was terrified from the moment I woke up. Two days earlier I had given a hard drive of images to another photographer to give to my photo agency in case I didn't survive. If nothing else, at least my work would be salvaged" (Pg 2). This quote stands out to me because even though she is admittedly terrified for her life, staying there and capturing everything going on around her is a bigger priority than leaving and being certain of survival. While I don't see myself following photojournalism to this extreme, I find it inspiring how dedicated Lynsey Addario is and how incredibly passionate she is about truthfully depicting the events and people she sees every day in her dangerous line of work. Of the photos in this book, my favorite is a close-up shot of a South Kivu woman's face- she has her eyes closed and tears are rolling down her cheeks. This photo shows suffering on a very personal level,  and the sorrow emulating from this woman is unmistakable.

Photographer of the Week: Thomas Mangelson

The photographer I have chosen for my "Photographer of the Week" assignment is Thomas Mangelson. He is a nature photographer from Nebraska, most famous for his photos of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Mangelson was named the 2011 Conservation Photographer of the Year, was named one of the Top 40 Most Influential Nature Photographers, and he has received many other prestigious titles and awards; his work has been displayed in museums around the world. What most stands out to me about his photos is the clarity and vivid colors, as well as fantastic use of lighting. The animals he captures in photos are in great detail, and you can tell he is very adventurous and passionate about his work. He now resides in Jackson, Wyoming, and has been a photographer for over 40 years.

Humans of LBCC II

Brooke Hopfer

Brooke grew up in Oregon with her parents and older sister, on a ranch with lots of animals. She is now attending Linn Benton as a sophomore and working towards a degree in animal science, all the while running her own business. Her business is called Elite Club Lambs, and places its focus on raising show-lambs to market to youth. In her spare time, Brooke enjoys baking and spending time with her cats. When asked what the biggest hurdle of college has been for her, Brooke replied, “Time management.” The thing that keeps Brooke going through thick and thin is that she is, “Pursuing a career [she] is passionate about.” In the fall, she plans to transfer to Purdue University in Indiana. With her degree, she intends to become a ruminant nutritionist, “Formulating rations (or diets) for ruminant animals.”

Austin Montero

Austin is a freshman dual enrolled here at LBCC and at OSU. He started out the year as a mechanical engineering major, but he switched over to business management after a bad experience with a chemistry class which he says has been the most challenging thing about college so far. Austin does enjoy school though, and he says his favorite thing is, “Just exploring what I actually want to do with life, I think this is a good trial phase right now.” He also stated, “I just think the hardest part is making new connections and friends.” Austin explained that he moved here from Hawaii, where his hometown community is very close-knit, and he says it has been like moving from a small pond to the ocean. He grew up on the north shore of Oahu: “That’s like the main surfing area, but I don’t surf,” Austin says. His interests are playing the guitar, and writing his own music. Back home, he has parents and a sister in high school whom he was able to visit over winter break. Next fall, Austin will be transferring to Arizona State University to pursue his passion: music.

Week One Assignment

Hey everyone! My name is Natalie, I am a freshman at LBCC and taking photojournalism for the first time this term. My major is in Business Administration, but my passion is photography. I wanted to branch out by taking this journalism class, and see a side of photography that differs from just taking senior portraits, or family photos.

My goals for this class are to not only better my perceptive and technical skills as a photographer, but to become more comfortable just putting myself out there and starting conversations with people I've never met. I also hope to use this as an opportunity to familiarize myself with the culture of Linn Benton- up to this point in school, I have tended to keep to myself and I hope to become more involved.

Some things I could photograph over the course of the term would be LBCC sports, I know that it is baseball season right now and good sports photos and a write-up of a game always makes for interesting subject matter. I am also taking an animal science course this term, and we leave campus every week for lab. If I could take my camera with me on these trips, I could get some great hands-on shots of student involvement at LB, and the notes I take for my lab write-ups could also serve a purpose for this class. Another idea would be to look in on a culinary arts class and photograph students working in the kitchen and making delicious food. All in all, I look forward to the experiences I will have journaling for this class!

Humans of LBCC

Chase Williams

Chase is currently attending Linn Benton as a junior in college, following some time spent in school in Southern Oregon and California. Her major is in communications, which she hopes to use to become a talk show host, or a PR representative. When asked what she believes to be the most difficult part of college, she responded, “Getting into the swing of it. It’s nothing like they say it is in high school- the teachers can be nice and flexible, or they can be harsh and cold, you can start your day at 8 am, or you can start your day at 6 pm, it all just depends on you.” Chase says that the thing that inspires her to push through the hard times is “The fact that this is something that would make my family proud.” She is a second-generation college student who grew up in Sacramento, California. Her mother has a bachelor’s degree in journalism, and she is the figure who inspired Chase to pursue a future in communications. She stated, “I would love to be able to influence people with my voice. I want to learn to have a golden voice, and a silver tongue.”

Nellie Kosmala

Nellie is a beyond high school student, attending LBCC this year as a freshman. Her major is in business, and in her experience the most difficult part of college has been time management. The thing that keeps her moving forward in school is the “end goal”. She explained this by saying, “Keeping the end goal in mind. Even though I may be a business major, to get my degree I have to take a biology class. It’s just remembering that the biology class is the step to the goal.” Nellie was born in southern California but moved shortly after to Lebanon, where she has lived since. Her father is from New Zealand and she is a dual citizen of New Zealand and the United States, giving her the freedom to live in either country or in Australia if she so desires. She currently lives on a family farm where they grow cherries and peaches. Nellie went to a private high school up until last year, when she went to live in South America for a short time. “I like to travel,” Nellie says. She was inspired to move ahead of pace in school, “To get done- the degree helps get you to the thing you want to do, but I mostly just want to do the thing.” For Nellie, this means planning events, or becoming a business manager. She would also happily accept a job which allows her to travel the world. In the fall Nellie will be transferring to Corban University, with hopes of attaining her master’s degree.