Thursday, September 22, 2011

Yesterday I went to downtown Chicago to check out Roosevelt University. While we were there, my dad and I went to the Gage, another building with RU. We didn't stay long but we stopped by the gallery on the main level like a counselor suggested because it related to photojournalism, something I really hope to study. We also found the room where the school newspaper, the Torch, is made. Although it wasn't open, there was a sign in the window that barely caught my eye. It read "DON'T CALL ME ARIEL MY NAME IS HELVETICA" with a picture of Ariel, the little mermaid, on it. Bahaha. Don't get the joke? Well that's a bummer. Mrs. D, my high school publications class teacher, got a kick out of the picture like I thought she would. Oh, the joys of publications humor.

Publictaions is one of those classes that you either love or hate. I, for one, nearly cried when I found out I had to take math instead. Buh-bye AP Stats, hello publications for the third year in a row! Woo!

Due to my publications class being totally amazing, I have developed an interest in journalism and hopefully the skills for a future career in it. Sure I worked on the newspaper in middle school, but this gave a whole new meaning to it.

I've always had a love for photography whether looking at pictures or taking them, so when my french pen pal last year told me about photojournalism I was instantly hooked. This isn't an easy career but it sounds like exactly what I want. Journalism, photography, travel... What's not to like? For those of you who don't know what photojournalists do, they are photographers for sports and magazines as well as other things. They photograph athletic events and protests and even wars. That sounds exciting to me and I would get paid to do what I love.

I suppose you could say I'm a photojournalist now. I know I'm not a professional but hundreds of people see my pictures in the school newspaper and yearbook already, as well as other places. Working on the newspaper in middle school got me into my high school publications class. And that class, at the time of graduation, will be on my transcript five times out of a total of six due to the fact that you can't take this class as a freshman.

Publications class has been good to me. I learned some tips on writing, specifically regarding news, became more outgoing, met many new people, discovered I actually have some photography skills, and found what I want to do with my life. I want to learn and teach about what's happening in the world. I want my photography to be seen and not just for the image but also for the meaning behind it, the 1000 words a picture is said to be worth. Stories need to be told in any way, shape, or form, and I want to be the one to do that. I want people to stop and look at my pictures and not continue to flip through the thin pages of their magazines. I hope to be a journalist and I'm determined to be just that.