Opportunities- make them and find them

Two years ago I went to a talk given by a photojournalist who had just returned from Iraq, she had spent over a year there over a few trips. I happened to sit next to a fellow UNH student, who I talked to, he was a senior majoring in journalism and art, with a photography focus. He was interning with a major regional paper as a photographer, where he now works full time and loves it. We got to talking and I mentioned my desire to do more with photography, but I didn't know in what direction or how to go about it. He recommended I inquire with the student paper (where he use to work), which I did! It was an amazing opportunity! I loved working for the paper.

I had the chance to photograph all sorts of events, from war protests in Washington DC and Boston, various local campus events/interest stories, a Nobel poet laureate, climbing competitions, muscians, and guest speakers. I also had the chance to photograph many polticians/public servants such as Rep. Dennis Kucinich (twice), (then a senator) Hillary Clinton, Rep. Ron Paul, (then a senator) Barack Obama, former Sen. John Edwards (three times), Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, former UN weapons inspector- Scott Ritter, President Clinton, President H.W. Bush, as well as the Republican Debate on campus. While it helped me discover that I do not want to be a fulltime photojournalist, it was an amazing experience, and I recommend it to any aspiring student photographers looking to learn more and have fun. I learned a great deal about myself and about photography in the process! (google image search my name to see a few of my shots from the paper)

Below is a photo from the 2007 Commencement, it's one of my favorite photos from working at the paper. Not because it is of high quality (it isn't- I was shooting with my Canon Powershot Pro1 on max zoom), but because it is my brother shaking hands with former President Clinton. I would not have been able to get this shot if I wasn't with the paper.