After each day this week, I've felt as if I've moved to a whole new level of photography. I came to PhotoJ expecting to learn how to take better pictures. I didn't expect that my whole approach to photography would change.
My assignment on Wednesday was "Fathers" and I began my day early in the morning by pre-planning my story. As I considered what a father was and what kind of story I would tell, I was reminded of how God is my Heavenly Father. I was reminded of how God provides for my needs. I was reminded of how God is my confidant; He cares about me, about what I'm doing and how I'm feeling. This is one area where IPS workshops are totally different than classes the world offers: Our instructors consistently remind us that we are shooting to tell God's story and that we need to seek Him to find the perfect pictures.
I decided to focus my photo essay on showing this dimension of fatherhood. Since the idea of a "father" really directly relates to a relationship, I decided to shoot looking for that interaction. I started off with the 7 a.m. Father's session, where I listened to identify the direction Mr. Gothard was going during this conference. Throughout the rest of the morning, I took pictures of fathers and their children in sessions, around the conference center, and in the campground.
I sorted and applied keywords to my pictures and then Will went through and rated each of my photos. Working with my preplanning notes, I assembled my five shot essay on "Fathers."
This workshop has been challenging: increasing workloads, tightening deadlines, and challenging story concepts. But it has been uniquely rewarding. I've been developing new skills in storytelling and gaining a new understanding of how to communicate visually.
—Photojournalism Student Samuel Kordik
