Since we’ve started doing more multimedia at the Salem News, I’ve found that I really enjoy collecting audio to go along with my pictures. It seems to me that the pictures come alive when a reader can see what happened at a certain event and also hear sounds from the event, too. I always try to keep a few things in mind when I begin working on an audio slideshow, just to help me keep my ideas organized. It’s easy to get overwhelmed at an event when trying to collect sound and take pictures. I’m always afraid that I’ll miss a good picture if I’ve got my hands full with the audio equipment or vice versa.

First, I will try to imagine what kind of pictures and sound I’ll be able to get, and I envision what kind of story I want to tell. I already knew the story was going to be about the unusual hobby of Cowboy Action Shooting, and I knew that there would be the obvious sounds of gunshots, and I knew I would want some detail shots of the participants’ outfits and the guns they were using. So right off the bat, before I’m even at the event, I know there are certain sounds and pictures I need to get.

Once I get to the event I’m covering I take a quick overview of the entire scene, making a mental note of people who look interesting, and I listen for ambient sounds, other than the ones I knew that will help tell the story. Usually, there is a person who the reporter will interview, and that will be the main audio of the story, then I look for other things to add to that. For example, at the Cowboy event Paul McNaughton was in charge of the event and he was able to give a good overview of what was going on. That made a great base for the story. But, there was also a girl there who was only 13, and she shoots with her mom and dad and her grandparents. She was able to help give a different perspective on the sport, which added to the story.

This was just one of those events that was fun to be at. The people were interesting and I had fun learning about a sport that I knew nothing about. By the time I left I was ready to strap on a holster and take aim at a target or two.

Click here to view the audio slideshow.

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My assignment was to photograph a Dr. Seuss presentation at Shawsheen School. Students from other Andover schools read books, acted out scenes from poems and showed photos from the well-known books to the Shawsheen students. As one group was performing, four girls from Doherty Middle School sat, waiting for their turn to re-enact “Green Eggs and Ham.” Their striped hats, all in a row, caught my attention because of the contrast between them and the blackboard. I started to photograph the girls in such a way that their hats were the focal point of the picture; I did this by framing only their heads and eliminating the clutter around them. The photo ended up being a pretty funny shot. Most of the time, when you look beyond the obvious, there are little moments to capture that are extraordinary.

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Next we headed over to Palmers Tavern, also in Andover. We called ahead on this one and the wait staff had a table set for us with a fresh tuna appetizer and red wine. Not bad! I had trouble making something work on this one, so a bartender helped me out by holding his order tablet in one hand and holding a flash to light the model’s face in his other hand. Keri held the second flash to light the dress and shoes. We had some nice window light coming through, so I used that as a hair light and balanced the flashes accordingly. I was a little worried that the best shot from Palmers is too similar to the prior shot at Dylan’s, but am hoping that they can separate them nicely in the layout for the paper so it isn’t too obvious.

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As I was headed to my next assignment I felt a little shaken up by what had happened. I had often wondered what I would do in a situation where I was the first responder. Working for a newspaper you are constantly having to take photos of traumatic situations, but there are usually police, EMTs, and other emergency personnel there taking care of the problem before the photographer even gets there. Instead of helping the victims, I usually just do my best to stay out the way and let the professionals do their jobs. In hindsight, I had just failed as a photojournalist. Had it turned into a more serious situation, I would have had no photos of the accident. Not only did I not take a photo, I threw my cameras on the ground.

I remember listening to a photojournalist talk to a group while I was in college. Someone asked him what he would do in a situation where he could help instead of take photos. His response was that we are human first and photographers second. We need to respond and have compassion for a situation before we start firing off frames with little thought for those in the photos. Sometimes I worry how much compassion I have for the people I photograph in rough situations. Some days I just feel jaded. I forget that these are real people and it could have just as easily been me or even worse, one of my family members in their situation. I had an editor once tell me “If you’re going to wear your heart on your sleeve, you’re probably in the wrong business.” Maybe he had a point, but I think there is more of a balancing act to what we do instead of his all or nothing mentality.

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