Photojournalism
Photography is a big part of my life. I almost always carry at least one camera with me. I love capturing the world around me through still frames, whether it’s some big event or an unassuming moment. Below are some of my favorite photographs that qualify as “photojournalism.”
Sports
Sports photography is technically challenging, of course. Fast shutter speeds, and indoors, low-light environments make it tricky. The fast pace also requires anticipation, planning, and awareness that can only be learned through practice.
This photograph is the dominant on the yearbook basketball spread. It shows our school successfully shooting against the other team. The composition includes the basket, showing scale and distance. This gym was tricky to shoot in due to student crowds behind each basket, so I was sitting right in front of a group of loud and excited students cheering for their team. I like the action and clarity this photograph contains.
This photograph shows more emotion than maybe any I’ve taken. The North player attempted, but failed, to shoot a basket. Perhaps he’s also in physical pain. The skewed horizon emphasizes the discomfort he feels, and the players from the other team are clearly visible as well. This photo was published in The B Square, not our yearbook, so both teams were included in the photo set.
This photograph shows the gymnast smiling as she mounts the beam. While I’ve taken plenty of frozen-action shots, where gymnasts are in the middle of tumbles or jumps, this photo shows this gymnasts personality in a way that isn’t as clear in those others. The (mostly) clean background makes it pleasing to the eye, and this spread serves as a great dominant on the gymnastics spread.
This photo stands out because of its simplicity. Solid background, clear subject, and composed so that she fills the frame. The low angle amplifies her movement even while she is close to the mat. It’s a photograph that invites readers to pause and observe.
This photograph was a combination of prediction and luck. The sun was in the perfect position, so I stayed in my spot, with my camera lens poking under the gate in the fence, and anticipated the racket-five celebration. Today, I would perhaps edit this differently, to bring back a little more detail in the sky’s highlights. But this works well—there’s just enough contrast on the player’s face, and you can see movement in the hair and skirts.
Not published
This photograph showcases a doubles player working with his partner to win a long tennis match. He is known for his loud expression, and that photo conveys that perfectly. The photograph suffers slightly from some low-light noise, though it was printed small enough that it isn’t very noticeable.
Academics, Student Life
It’s important to cover the day-to-day of school in a yearbook. It’s what is most relatable to the student body. Documenting everything, from the mundane to the newsworthy, defines a yearbook’s purpose. Candid photographs like these are only possible with anticipation and planning. I carry my camera with me every day at school, which means I can photograph the classes I’m in, or be ready at a moment’s notice to stop by a nearby classroom to capture an activity.
This photograph, the dominant on its spread, is balanced, shows students engaged in an activity, and shows the setting. I like its simplicity and calmness, which somewhat aligns with transcendentalism. I do think it would be a stronger photograph if I went around, behind the teacher, to capture the students’ faces. My excuse is that I was a student in this class, and was supposed to be following along with the text, not taking photographs.
I love this photograph it clearly show’s the subject’s emotion: disgust. The room certainly didn’t have a pleasant smell, and my use of a wide-angle lens to capture multiple students around the table meant I was pretty close to the action.
Planned publication in the Nikean 2026 Yearbook on the Week 19 spread
Bloomington Community
My work for The B Square Bulletin has included several text pieces supplemented by photographs, and also some photo essays.
A visual sampling of Lemonade Day
This photo essay features eight of nearly 100 registered lemonade stands in Monroe County on Lemonade Day. I spoke with the entrepreneurs at each stand, and tasted their lemonade, and wrote a few sentences to accompany the photographs. It was a fun, lighthearted project; a wonderful way to spend the summer day.
‘No Kings’ Protest
I took and curated the photo set that accompanies this article. What an event—an estimated 1,000 people protesting against the U.S. executive branch. My set included speakers and sign-holders in action, I captured wide crowd shots as well as smaller, more intimate moments, and I used my drone to show the scale of the crowd in downtown Bloomington.