From a class to a family ... intro2pj a class like no other

It's hard for me to sit here and think what did I learn in photojournalism? What do I wish I learned?  How was it challenging? The reasons for all of these are because I feel as though I am still digesting everything that I took in while taking this class.

Photojournalism is a class that I expected to be tough, I knew there was a lot to learn regarding photojournalism. It's the things that I didn't expect that I found to be the things that stuck with me the most, the small simple things like take reference shots, take down names and make sure you'll remember who they are, minor editing, take less shots; quality over quantity.

Crop tight, I think this is something that no matter what I will hear in the back of my mind. I feel as though I look at my own photos in more detail now. I always check to make sure the subject is in focus, that I haven't cropped anything important or relevant out of my image. The other thing is captioning these images after editing, I realize that a good caption can make an image even better because then the story becomes clearer.

Blog, blog, blog ... I think I hear this in my sleep and as a person who absolutely dislikes blogging this is going to be the biggest challenge for me. Keeping up with a blog, deciding what direction I want my blog to go in. Do I want to stay on a sports path, I mean I am the sports editor for the Outlook. Do I want to just have a photography blog because I enjoy photographing more than just sports? I understand that blogging is vital and will get your name out there, it will also get your images out there along with how you write, but to sit and blog about things just seems so not my style. After taking photojournalism I believe this is and will be my biggest challenge.

I do wish I learned more about sports photography. I believe that I am my own worst critic and sports are my strength so that is something I have always wanted to stand out in. I know my pictures are good, I just believe they can get better in time. I feel as though we touched on sports and I was the one people kind of relied on for that help and I don't want to say I let them down, but in the same instance I don't feel as though I helped them as much as I should be able to. 

In the end I believe as a class, a newspaper staff and as a family we grew together. I believe that we all used each others strengths to help compensate for our own weakness. In the end we all knew who to go to to ask for help in certain areas. There was someone for everything and that is what I took away from this class, the relationships with everyone else. I know if I need help there is someone in that group I can ask whether it was writing, editing or photo related someone is always going to be stronger than me. I also feel as though I found my place in that group and I feel that because of that group I gained more confidence in my abilities.

We also had Lori King, someone who believed in us as a team. She believed that we have what it takes to be the best and pushed us. She guided us all to be the best in the areas of our choice. If you are a writer she pushed you just as hard as she pushed the photographers. If you wanted to do both she helped you do it to the best of your abilities. Lori is the person we all looked up to because she is a photojournalist, she is one of the best editors that I have ever worked with and she is just an amazing person.

So when I sit here thinking about the class, the challenges we faced and the things that we overcame it hit me. The biggest thing I took away from this class is that it doesn't matter who you are, where you are from or how far you have made it in this world your family is your family. Family is the people we chose to have in our lives because they are the ones that are there to pick you up when you're down, to help you get through the tough times and most importantly the ones to share in the happiness that success brings. I learned that you can walk into a room full of people and not know a single thing about them and come the end of the semester you realize that these are the people you will remember for the rest of your life.

We did it ladies and gentleman !! To an awesome semester where family was formed !!  I love you all and I look forward to our future as a team, a family ... as the Outlook staff.

My experiece at Bittersweet Farms

Dan Everett (left) and Anne Foltz work in the barn getting Cheyene prepared for her walk.

    

Matt Pierson stops to smile with Cheyene in the barn.

When we first got to Bittersweet Farms we were met by one of the residents, he was happy to see us there and wanted to take us to the barn where he works.This residents name was Dan Everett, he is one of the people that Bittersweet Farms aims to help. 

We were then greeted by Shannon Dane, in listening to her talk it's not only apparent that she does pretty much everything that needs to be done at Bittersweet Farms, but she loves doing it. What I need to now tell you is that this is a place where people with autism can go to work, to help and to just be around other people who understand them. 

Autism is something that people struggle to understand because it doesn't really make sense to them. I have worked with children with autism and the first thing I learned is that every person is different. The main thing I learned is that they all need structure, routine and understanding. Autism isn't something that you can look up in a dictionary and just say ok that makes sense, it is something that is more misunderstood than it is understood. 

Old Man takes a nap with his friend.

Bittersweet Farms is a place that people with autism come to work and socialize. They can work in the barns helping with animals, they can do crafts which are sold in the store on the farm, there is woodworking shop along with the basic up keep of the farm; this place gives people with autism the ability to lead a full functioning life regardless of where they are on the spectrum. 

As our day went on we got to meet more of the residents, they showed us what they did at the farm or even what they were working on at that moment. They told us about the animals and how much they loved being around them. In working with special needs I learned that animals can be special to people with autism because animals love you no matter what and they seem to just understand. They have a calming persona to them that people can just feed off of. I watched the smiles appear on a couple of the residents faces when they told us about Old Man. Old Man is a big furry black cat who just loves to be in the middle of the group, he also loves to take naps with his friends.

This place is amazing, the people are wonderful and the environment is perfect for people with autism. It helps them be a part of something that they more than likely wouldn't be based on the struggles related to their autism. Bittersweet farms helps these people reach their full potential, the potential that would have been limited had they been sent somewhere else. This is the kind of place that we need more of so the fact that they are trying to cut their funding in mind boggling.

 The residents make Christmas ornaments that will be sold in the store at Bittersweet Farms.

Charlie Adkins shows a flower that was made in the Helping Hands Nature House. 

Charlie Adkins shows a flower that was made in the Helping Hands Nature House - See more at: http://owensoutlook.com/3019/whats-new/down-on-the-farm-ornery-bittersweet-farm-participants-remain-strong-despite-threats-in-funding/#sthash.sWF6hjlQ.XXYAJaQa.dpuf

Residents showed us the ornaments they made with the items they collected around the farm.

 One of the goats pokes their head out to see what is going on in the barn.

 The chalkboard in the barn lists duties, says hello and has words of encouragement for residents.

Shannon Dane was our guide to Bittersweet Farms.

What the coaches environment looks like

Coach Kenneth Hewitt is surrounded by his team.

Coach Kenneth Hewitt just finished his first year as the head coach of the womens express soccer team with a Regional XII championship under his belt and marking his second career appearance as coach in a National Championship game.

Hewitt’s first appearance was prior to coming to Owens, he was previously an assistant coach of men’s and women’s soccer programs at Carson-Newman University in Jeffferson City, TN from 2012-2014. He led the men’s team to a NCAA Division II National Championship game back in 2013. The women’s team improved under his coaching from a 3-11-2 record in 2012 to 6-7-4 in 2013.  While in Tennessee he also coached a u-8 and u-9 girls team and also a u-11 boys team.

Hewitt is originally from Brighton, England, attending school for two years there studying sports and development in the community. It was seven years ago that he moved to the US to play soccer at Ashland University, where he helped take his team to three Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) championships and one conference tournament championship. Three of his four seasons there Ashland made the NCAA tournament.

Coach Hewitt writes out his plan of action on his white board hanging in his office.

Hewitt graduated in 2012 has a Masters of Arts (teaching English as a second language) and a Bachelors in Science (sports management and physical education.)

He now lives in Ohio while coaching the Owens women’s team as well as a u-11 and u-15 girl’s team at Pacesetter Soccer Club in Sylvania.

As a soccer player myself I realize I find myself drawn to his style of coaching, he is the coach that is always there for his players on and off the field. I have sat down on many occasions to talk to this coach, he calls me when there are events because he wants the girls to get the recognition they deserve. He recruits not to fill spots but to make sure his team is constantly at their best.

When it came time for this assignment I took all I knew about this coach and wanted to make the pictures speak just this, so this is where you can find this coach during the “off season” and I say it this way because any coach or even athlete know there really isn’t an off season in sports. 

This coach has a plan that spans a year ahead of time, his communicates with not just his players but their families so they are reassured that their daughter will be on track academically as well as on the field.

Coach Hewitt had just gotten back from the Nationals tournament in Florida a couple days before this shoot and he was already on campus making his plan for the next step. He is usually on the field or in the gym working with his players, but he took some time to let me shoot him in the office while working. I believe that this portrait was easy to take because of the subject, soccer is something I love so seeing it through his eyes is easy for me. I feel each portrait is different and taking an environmental over a posed studio portrait is easier for me because of coaches like this.

Home from Philly filled with knowledge

The Outlook Family (I'm sitting) pictured left to right Janelle, Katie, TJ, Lacie and our adviser Lori front and center.

TJ found a good angle to shoot and be shot.

 I love Philly, I have been there a few times and it is a beautiful and historic place to visit.  This time I went there for a different reason the College Media Convention of 2014. So the Owens Outlook news team packed up our advisor’s RV and took to the road for a fun filled road trip with the 93rd Annual ACP/CMA National College Media Convention in Philly as our destination.

We learned a lot about each other, a bond formed and the people that made this trip developed a friendship that will stand the test of time. We laughed together, we cried together and most importantly we learned together. The things we learned will not only improve us in the areas we work, but they will improve our newspaper as a whole.

I am the sports editor so my main focus was to learn as much about the sports editing position as I could. I not only learned about my position and how I can improve myself but I learned there are a lot of areas relating to sports that I didn’t really think about, especially at a smaller community college. I never really thought about the post-game interviews, they were always just something we saw on TV after a big 10 match up that I thought why would Owens need something like that. Joe Jullano from the Philadelphia Inquirer spoke to us about nailing post-game interviews, how to get where you need to be, who you want to talk to and how to make sure you get to talk to them.

Lori's shooting us under the Liberty Bell, I shot back.

When our women’s soccer team won the Regional XII game confirming they were going to the National Tournament, what I wouldn’t have given to have been there to get that quote.  Thank god I went to the seminars on interviews, I asked the right questions to get the quotes I wanted for my article, so even though I may have missed the match I still got the quotes needed to make people understand the emotion behind this big win.

Jullano spoke a lot about how to work questions, make them specific so you aren’t asking more questions than you need to. We were told always to model off of the 5 w’s and the h, that way we can fill in the story along the way and keep the interview relevant. Always work for the reader, they are the ones that will have to keep up with your story so keep organized and have a good flow with interviews and stories.

The one seminar that captivated me was actually held by a collegue of Jullano, his name is John Quinn and he is the sports editor for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Quinn spoke to us about how to market yourself to sports editors, but in the end he taught us so much more than just that. I was captivated by this man’s words, he knew all the ins and outs of sports editing on top of what to expect when you walk into an interview. He taught us about resumes and what we as sports editors can do to make our stand out from the norm. He explained his own personal stories about some of the interviews he experienced when he was just getting into the world of journalism. One of the important things he said was make sure you have a head shot on your resume and pictures because if you want to get into sports photography a good digital resume is where you can show off those skills. 

Look he's pointing to the clock.

Finally there was Mickey Osterreicher the NPPA lawyer, this man left a mark with me more than all the sports speakers’ seminars that I attended. Osterreicher’s seminar was shoot first and ask questions later which to me is one of the most important things in a photojournalist’s career, knowing your rights. As a sports editor I am usually told where I can stand, who and what I can shoot and when, if I can use a flash or if I can’t use a flash. This was something that is relevant for all photojournalists because the way police handle situations isn’t always fair or legal. Osterreicher spoke about the first amendment and why it is so important for us as photojournalists. He told us that as the press we will always be in a situation where they want us back away from the scene, so stay on public streets and sidewalks. Credentials may be your best friend, but they will not always keep you out of jail so make sure you capture some audio especially if your rights are being violated. This means that if your are approached in a situation that you are within your rights to be shooting start rolling video because that audio will be your biggest defense in court. When it is your word against the word of a police officer chances are it will be you who loses. Remember “because I said so,” is not an acceptable reason for the police, police are not a law unto themselves. The most important thing I learned from Osterreicher is, under the first amendment there are no circumstances under which the contents of a camera or recording device should be deleted or destroyed meaning do not just hand over your camera or recorder because what you captured can be your defense.

The first amendment was something we got to see live when a peaceful protest was held outside of the convention center. The carpenters union along with the teamsters union marched around a intersection, some in costumes, to make known they were not happy with the decision made by the convention center to lock them out of their jobs. There were contract issues behind this and we were there to experience that first hand.

The guard stands watch at Independence Hall.

The seminars came to an end and we got to enjoy a day of exploring Philly for all the typical tourist places like the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, we also got to see some amazing architecture downtown. That night we got to get out and do some late night shooting. The trip came to an end with the same news team, now a family, packing back up the RV and heading back home together. We shared tips we learned, stories about ourselves and just a lot of laughs. The memories made on this trip will last a life time and the information we learned on the trip will help us all in our futures whether it be photography, journalism or photojournalism. The city of Philadelphia will always hold a special place in my heart, history lives there and memories were made there.

I captured a few streaks of light with a long exposure during our night shooting trip.

Great memories were made at the Hard Rock Cafe.

A Revolutionary War monument stands in one of the parks in Philadephia.

These race cars were in the foyer of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

This is the newspaper I got from the tour of this newsroom.

This plaza was covered in oversized game pieces; chess, bingo, dominoes, checkers and monopoly pieces. 

My at the right place at the right time,"Lacie we have to go upstairs now!!" shot.

The old Reading Terminal Head house and Train Shed.

The architecture was worth looking at, these buildings are gorgeous.

There were flags everywhere in Philadelphia, it is a patriotic city I love it.

Perrysburg High School Yellow Jackets dominates the Massillon Tigers

Perrysburg HS students are fired up against the Massillion Tigers. (Photos by Amanda Aylwin)

   More than 6,000 fans filled the stands on a chilly Friday night to watch the division II Perrysburg Yellow Jackets take on the Massillon Washington Tigers at the Steinecker Stadium’s first-ever post season matchup.

    The band marched out and the crowd went wild. The students were covered in face paint, and, some shirtless, held signs and screamed for their team. The announcer then began to speak quieting the crowd as the teams were announced.  The cheerleaders met the players in the end zone, where they rushed across the field in front a sky lit by fireworks, signifying the start of the game.

   The Yellow Jackets took the field ready to play and dominated the first half with a score 21-7,  led by their quarterback senior Gus Dimmerling who scored on runs of 25, 5, 56 and 75 yards.  Dimmerling was backed by his defense who fought off the Tigers offense by forcing five turnovers. 

   At halftime the crowd’s energy only went up. The band marched out to perform and the seniors showed off their dancing skills with a performance. The Perrysburg High School Majorettes cartwheeled their way through the performance while twirling, spinning and then catching their batons.
   The Yellow Jackets scored 35 unanswered points to finish off the game, with 21 points in the third quarter alone. The Yellow Jackets dominated the 4^th quarter playing tough defense for a 56-7 win.

The Yellow Jackets will continue their post season against the Nordonia Knights in an away game on Nov. 14 in Macedonia, OH.  Both teams are currently 11-0.

Local veterans from the American Legion present the colors during the National Anthem before the start of the game.

Carter Adams conducts the Perrysburg HS Band's half time show. 

Keishawn Hobson runs the ball in for a touchdown.

Perrysburg HS cheerleaders keep their team fired up for the game.

The Perrysburg HS Majorettes perform along with the band during the half time show.

Fireworks light up the sky to signify the start of the game.

Jack Barteck meets his team at the bench after an interception.

The Perrysburg HS Band prepares to take the field for the halftime show.

The seniors of Perrysburg HS finish their performance during the halftime show.

Ryan Smith punts the ball to the Massillon Washington Tigers.

Gus Dimmerling makes a run down the field at Friday's win over Massillon.

The Perrysburg Yellow Jackets celebrate after a touchdown by Quinn Thomas.

Head coach Matt Kregel talks with his players during a time out.

Fireworks light the sky one last time to end off a victorious night for Perrysburg HS.