Photo Story

The Parks of Corvallis

There are lots of parks in Corvallis, with lots of unique features. Whether your on a walk with your dog, a run with a friend or playing frisbee golf theres something for everybody. As community parks these are good places to gather and meet and theres almost always something going on at one of them. Below are some shots of Avery and Willamette Park and the people (and pets) that attend them.

Baldwin's Irish Setter, Mckenzie pauses from racing through the field for a quick photo. Mckenzie is a show dog (now retired) and enjoys her early morning walks through Willamette Park.

Meet Silas! An 8 week old puppy (who still isn't quite sure about the whole sitting-still-thing) Silas is a Hungarian breed called Kuvasz, and will one day follow in the footsteps of his ancestors as a sheep hearding dog (but his mom, Tracy says he still has awhile to go.) 

(From left to right) Zach Zimmers, Caleb Rygh and Zach Watson. These OSU students studying Environmental Engineering, Digital Communications and Mechanical Engineering spend a lot of their free-time here at Willamette Park's frisbee golf course on early mornings. 

Avery Park's infamous bone yard structure, one of the more unique parks here in Corvallis. 

The popular rose gardens at Avery Park in Corvallis are in full bloom, students and families alike enjoy this area. A great place for prom graduation and other photoshoots alike!

The Kings Valley Millstone is a landmark at Avery Park in Corvallis. This stone is originally from France but was shipped to New York in 1850 and was used for over 60 years. 

Week Ten

I honestly don't think this is the best photo I have taken for this class, but in terms of photojournalism I think this one fits better. (The best photo I think I took was the portrait shot posted previously in "Portraits and Mugshots".) I think it best reflects what I learned because it clearly shows the event. I was able to chat with these two ladies (Mary Lou and Helen, who asked me not to include last names) and got quite a bit of information from them. I've definitely gotten better with the camera itself, utilizing ISO and F-stops and manually changing settings to better the photo depending on the subject.

Heres a copy of my original 3 goals from the start of the term.


My three goals for this course are, one, to work on my interview skills and pairing my photos with a story or topic. Two, I would love to get a better understanding of angles and viewpoints when photographing people (mostly in a candid manner and less front and center headshots.) Lastly, I would like to practice more with backgrounds. Not necessarily staging them but being more aware of the positions and of my subject contrasted against whatever is going on in the back of the photo. I want my images to not just be one subject, but also show clearly the purpose of my subject (the topic or story.) 


Unfortunately I didn't really get a chance to work on pairing my photos with a story (although I could have, I had the information) I think I did a lot of different view points and angels and practiced different techniques with my shots. The backgrounds could definitely use some work, that being said I am a lot more aware of the environment outside of my subject and know what to look for and how to work with/ work out details. 

My neighborhood/ My Hometown

                                                                         "Imbrie Hall"
A landmark in and of itself, the Imbrie Hall and Cornelius Pass Roadhouse will always hold a special place in my heart. I grew up here. This was my very first job, and one that I continue to maintain today. I spent almost all of my time outside of school here working, and it became a traditional location for my friends and I whenever I visit.

"Reeser Stadium"

Football has always been a big part of my life and I've grown up watching games with my dad. This game was late in the season and I was able to get work off in order to attend the game with him. 

"Ladd Acres"

This is a photo I took of my brother in one of the recess pods at the elementary school I went to. I happened to capture my brother in the perfect moment as the sun went down. 

Action Photos

Medium: After some severe flooding in Corvallis last April, the Oregon State mens rowing team decided to host practice on the Trysting Tree golf course.

Overall: One of Oregon State University's rowers passes by the barn on the Trysting Tree golf course after the flooding on April 11th.

Close Up: One of Oregon State University's works on his speed at the Trysting Tree Golf Course during a practice last April.

Week Seven

For the My neighborhood/My hometown activity I actually wanted to photograph two different towns as I feel very torn between the two. First, I was going to photography Hillsboro, where I grew up. I will also photograph Corvallis where my dad grew up and where I currently live now. For Hillsboro I planned on photographing Mcmenamins Cornelius Pass Roadhouse, my very first job and where I spent most of my time outside of school I basically grew up there, and it will always hold a special place in my heart. This would be my landmark shot. The next two would be done in Corvallis. For the activity or portrait photo I planned to go to the West dining hall on Oregon State Campus and ask one of the workers at EGBG's café if I may photography them. A lot of my time freshman year was spent in this café, and a lot of good happened there...but it also has links to some of my negative experiences as well. For my event or feature photo I planned to attend one of the baseball game in hopes of getting a shot of people entering the stadium. This will be the hardest shot as I work two jobs and it can be difficult for me to get time to go out and photograph.

My first idea for a photo story stems from the #hashtag "T1D Looks Like Me" This has been an ongoing social media trend that was started by JDRF a few years ago.  Being a Type 1 Diabetic myself, I have a close circle of friends who also share the struggle of having an autoimmune disease...not to mention that my twin brother is also diabetic. Growing up we all went to a camp for diabetics called Gales Creek, and through those connections many of us stayed in touch. A few of these friends live in Eugene or close(ish). I plan on contacting them and setting something up in order to do a story on the daily struggles that diabetics go through.  I also plan on mentioning this to my Endocrinologist as I have an appointment this week and possibly posting a flyer or giving her m contact information in order to get a more diverse group (including other ages.) This would be something I would continue with after this assignment, as I want to work with JDRF to help spread diabetes awareness. I have sent them an email explaining my idea. I would first begin with contacting my brother, and my friends Matia, Hailey, Hope and Cierra. I want to do portraits, including supplies and different diabetic-necessities. I want to highlight the color blue in all of my photos, as the symbol or T1D is a blue circle. I want the images to be more candid than posed, I want them to look natural as the whole point of this hashtag is that diabetics are just like everyone else. I want to try doing more environmental style portraits, so that not only they themselves are in focus but where the image was shot also tells a story.
My second idea for a photo story would involve the motorcyclists of Corvallis. In hopes to help spread awareness of bikers on the road. I'm part of a group on Facebook for Portland motorcyclists and would post an "ad" here in hopes of getting a few people to allow me to take their environmental portraits. I also have a few coworkers that I plan to ask as well. I would take their photos where they most often ride (preferably with different backgrounds for each person).

Free Shoot

Andrew Trappolis

Andrew is a media communications major graduating from Oregon State University this June! His current plans for after college involve moving out of state to Arizona where he just received his first job offer. Currently, Andrew works for the Pac 12 Network here on campus, but he looks forward to graduating and getting a more sustainable job.

Portraits and Mugshots

Sivan Fox

Sivan is an mechanical engineering student dual enrolled here at Linn Benton and Oregon State University. He plans to eventually use his degree to develop technology that will harness wave energy. In the meantime though, he goes to school full time and works a part time job at a sandwich shop downtown. 

Week Six

My sports/action subject is going to be pool. I thought it would be interesting to capture my roommates taking shots on our pool table. I would shoot it as soon as I get the garage clean, we just moved and there are lots of boxes and things that would make the image too overwhelming. I'm most worried about being able to capture the shot itself and the movement of the ball in an interesting way. I will have to play around and will be taking lots of practice shots. For my overall shot I would take an image of the majority of the basement, including the few pool tables and center or focus on one. My medium would be just the singular pool table and subjects playing (hopefully a shot of them shooting a ball), and my close up I would like to focus on the ball itself, with the pool stick and shooter in the background.

News and Feature Photos Two

"77"

May is motorcycle awareness month, and between 2017 and 2018 there was an increase in 22 fatalities. These helmets represent the people who were victims of motorcycle accidents in 2018. 

Helen and Marylou pose for a photo as they advocate for free health care for all.

The Horticulture Club offers samples of salad greens and starter seeds for students mingling at the Health and Safety fair on 5/1/19.

Week Five

Getting further into Addario's book, her adventures (and courage) definitely become more intriguing and dramatic. Especially after Chapter 3, and the start of 9/11's war on terror. Two things she mentions in her book that have made an impression on me are her journeys and ideology on love, and her seemingly never-ending  run of fearlessness and impulse. Even when she is afraid, or upset by the things going on around her and the moments she captures her drive to tell a story and to educate people on the truth is astounding (and inspirational). Every time I read a new chapter I have an urge to travel and explore and find my own noteworthy news stories. A lesson I've gotten out of her book is her passion for photojournalism. I believe passion to be the driving force behind anything we do, and without this passion I don't see a point in producing work in the photography realm. Photography is an art, and for me at least, art needs passion. Addario makes many personal sacrifices throughout her journey, mostly being to those people closest to her. Her family and her love life are often targets in her expeditions. My favorite quote in her book is again, one about love. I think this is because I can relate to it, and it has a powerful meaning for me personally. She writes, after breaking up with her boyfriend, "Some part of me knew, or hoped, that real love should complement my work, not take away from it."

Below is one of my favorite photos in her book. The first one is of a man leaning against a wall where there are rows of bodies wrapped in cloth. This image is very powerful, especially with the lighting adding even more drama to the already-heart-wrenching image. The second photo is  that really caught my attention I was unable to find on the internet, but it is titled in her book as "Mohammad before prayer, 2000" This shows an image of one of her drivers walking along a gravel path with mountains framing the background. Its a beautiful image, and much different from most of her other photos around that time period. 

Week Four

 The first photo I really liked was Cailey Murry's photo posted in her "Humans of LBCC 3" blog post. It's the second image of 4 students sitting at a picnic table with some flowers on it. I really liked the angle she took the photo in and the way she framed the image. It seems very natural and all the subjects have good expressions. I do wish that the girl in the bottom left corner was a little less cropped out, though. Here is a link-- https://caileymurray.blogspot.com/2019/04/humans-of-lbcc-3.html
The second photo I chose was taken by Will and posted in his "Humans of LBCC 2" it was the image of the two people (Kylen and Alex) playing guitar. The image is very cohesive, with its colors and the yellow flower. This is a fantastic photo! Here is a link--https://willreddekopp.blogspot.com/2019/04/kylen-mckinney-left-my-name-is-kylen.html

In continuing with "A Photographers Life of Love and War" the one thing I've learned from Lynsey Addario that I think is the most important is adaptation. So often "photographers" just point and shoot. Addario fits into her situation and finds her stories by adjusting to the area. Photography is more than just having access to a camera. I tend to be shy sometimes, and it can be hard for me to approach a situation and adapt to whats going on.
My favorite part of the book so far (or at least the part that has stuck out to me the most on a personal level) would probably be in chapter 3 when she talks about her Grandmother's story about Sal and he apprehension about getting involved with a man who would "break an engagement over a gut attraction to a relative stranger..." Her grandmother mentions that she saw no future with Sal because he had no money and they separated. Fifty years later when he kissed her again she still felt that same passion. Lynsey writes, "I never wanted to regret the kisses I missed." For some reason this quote really stuck with me and I thought about it for a long tine. Especially in relation to my life and my relationship now. How I almost let an opportunity go, simply due to timing and fear. After three months of complete and utter silence I reconnected with this person who had inspired and brought light back into my life (as cliché as that sounds)...and we have been together ever since. This quote from Lynsey spoke to me personally, and looking bck on those three months I gave up...well, I never wanted to regret the kisses I missed, either.

Photographer of the Week

Edward Sherrif Curtis

Edward S. Curtis was born on February 16th 1868 to Ellen Sherrif and Johnson Curtis. He had one brother, Asahel Curtis. He married Clara Philips in 1874 and their marriage lasted through 4 children (Florence, Katherine, Harold and Elizabeth) until 1932. Curtis grew up in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and there was no Native American influence in his early years. He built his camera from an old lens his father had and $1.25 worth of other parts, and at 17 moved to St. Paul where he worked as a photographer apprentice. By 1896 he had become a well established studio photographer. In 1877 Curtis moved to Washington where he began his quest of documenting Native American culture, starting with the natives that lived along Seattle's waterfront. Between 1900 and 1915 he spent most of his time devoted to photographing the natives and in 1914 published his book "The Native American Indian" which consisted of 700 large portfolio images, 1500 smaller images and 7000 pages worth of text. He also filmed a few documentaries during this time, "In the Land of War Canoes", "Seeing America", and "The Alaskan Indians"

My favorite image by Curtis is his Kwakiutl House-Frame image (shown below.) After coming into contact with this original print, I did some of my own research (with some help from my mom) and I fell in love with this image as it is close to relatives. Not only that but the framing of the image and unique "looking out" angle has a strong connection to me as a photographer and really shows a different perspective. 

Here is a link to his website: https://www.edwardscurtis.com/

Here is a link to the video "Coming to Light", a documentary about his work and the controversy behind it: www.snagfilms.com/films/title/coming_to_light_the_edward_s_curtis_story.

Kwakiutl House-Frame

Here is a link: https://img0.etsystatic.com/050/0/8613319/il_570xN.700913418_bjpk.jpg

Here is a list of my cited sources:

“Edward S. Curtis Gallery.” Large Prints | Edward S. Curtis Gallery, Shasta.com, www.edwardscurtis.com/prints/large-prints/.

“Edward Curtis Biography.” Edward Curtis, CHRISTOPHER CARDOZO FINE ART, edwardcurtis.com/edward-curtis/curtis-biography/.

“Coming To Light: The Edward S. Curtis Story.” 2001 SnagFilms Watch Free Streaming Movies Online, www.snagfilms.com/films/title/coming_to_light_the_edward_s_curtis_story.

News and Feature Photos

A crowd gathers on the intersection of Highway 34 and Corvallis-Lebanon Highway 210 on April 11th during the Corvallis flooding. 

After the severe flooding in Corvallis on April 11th Oregon State University's men's rowing team held practice on the Trysting Tree Golf Course. 

"Our Hero"

After a fish became stuck on the flooding intersection of Highway 34 and Corvallis-Lebanon Highway 210 a young man quickly hopped into action and waded into the cold water to rescue the fish. "Our hero," one lady commented. 

Week Three

For my two portrait subject ideas I thought about using my two roommates. The first is Andrew Trappolis, a senior graduating from OSU here at the end of Spring term. He is majoring in media, and has been working for the Pac 12 network. I would probably shoot this portrait at Reser Stadium. Props that would work best would be simple, maybe a headset and just his usual work attire. The second person, Sivan Fox is a sophomore here at LBCC with plans to transfer to OSU next year. He is a Mechanical Engineer major, but is also quite the handy-man. We actually happened to just get a pool table, and he plans on re-felting it. I would plan to photograph this process. My best photo that I've taken for this class would probably be one of my photos I took when I had gone to photograph some of the flooding. I took a photo of a guy throwing a fish back into the water, and although the photo could have been a little clearer it's one of my favorites.

The worst photo I've posted on my blog would probably be the second image on my last post (Humans of LBCC). I really didn't like the lighting situation and the lady standing in the background takes away from the subject. I wish she was a little closer as well. Although, I did really like her expression and I really had a good time chatting with her. It was a very natural interview and felt more like a conversation. I have noticed that something I need to improve on/ get more comfortable doing is working on cropping my subjects before I shoot the image. I tend to be impatient sometimes and photography has a lot to do with the right time and moment. I really need to slow down and be more aware of my surroundings and missed opportunities. I need to pay more attention to weather the subject should be a close up focal point or if the background plays more of an important role as well.

Humans of LBCC Part Two

                                                                Kimberly Greger

Meet Kimberly, a 28 year old student here at LBCC. Kimberly is studying Bio-Health in hopes of one day being a Physicians Assistant. She only has one term left here, and will be transferring to OSU in Winter term of next year! "I stretched it out for 3 years," she said, "I'm ready to be done." She's sad to go though as her apartments are so close to campus, and that makes LBCC a pretty convenient location. "The class sizes change too," She complained, "Here you have a max class of 30 people, and over there its like 200..." Kimberly had a lot of advice to give, starting with a quote by Abraham Lincoln; "Leave nothing for tomorrow that can be done today." She strives to follow this motto through this term and following endeavors, procrastination is something most students struggle with as well. Psychology has been a big part of her career here at LBCC, and she's taken multiple courses on the subject, "I'm not gonna tell you mu least favorite class though," she said laughing, "my instructor would be mortified!"

                                                                    Katie Truelove

Katie is one of the campus staff here at LBCC, in hopes of going back to school in the near future for a Business Management degree. She was hired on as one of the chefs in the Courtyard Cafe right out of high school, and has worked there for 4 years! "My aunt was the assistant manager," She told me, "They were short staffed and she asked if I wanted an interview...I couldn't say no." She enjoys her job here, and loves the atmosphere and the people even more. Her binder is filled with hand drawn maps for DND games she plays on the weekends. "The 5th edition is the best for beginners, and is fairly easy to learn." she told me. Katie is a player, but she also DM's her own games on Sundays as well! She encourages more people to try it out, so go say hi at the cafe! 

 

Week Two

PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE WEEK
For my photographer of the week I chose to do Ansel Adams, a photographer well known for his images of National Parks and advocacy for environmentalism. I found some interesting facts that really stand out and play a big role in not only his fame, but also in his life in general. In 1907 after a big earthquake he severely broke his nose, marking him for life and proving to be a distinctive trait. Though Adams clearly has a knack for creativity and art, he only completed school equivalent to the 8th grade. Originally, though, Adams was pursuing a career in Piano and music...but that was quickly replaced with a passion for photography. Adams' photos focus mainly on environmentalism and many of his photos are of national parks and protected areas. His photos are black and white, and he used them to speak out about protecting our parks and wildlife. He was very active in The Sierra Club (which also was a huge boost in his coming to fame.)

LYNSEY ADDARIO

 A Photographers Life of Love and War...honestly if it weren't for my Photojournalism class I probably would never have picked this book up and I definitely never would have read it. I am very glad I did, though. Once I started, I didn't stop. I couldn't put this book down and read countless chapters past what was required for class. By 1:45 in the morning it took my roommate and my boyfriend reminding me that I had to be up at 7am for class. I related to Addario immediately, and was inspired by her drive to travel and view the world through a photo lense. Something I have always had a passion for and plan to do in my future. I like how she looks at the world, and finds the little things that people miss or seem not to notice. Her words empowered me, but her photos played with my emotions. Her work was honest, and each photo spoke to me. It drove my curiosity and as I drove to class the next morning I (even more than usual) kept my eyes peeled for any opportunity to capture a moment. For a long time, I hadn't taken any pictures as I was uninspired and struggled to find things I liked. She made me realize that things may not always just be there sometimes you have to look for something with intent (I also credit some of this thought to a video we watched in class featuring Dewitt Jones.) I think thats the biggest lesson I can apply in class, and I am excited to find more stories...or even make my own. My favorite quote she writes, pertaining to this mentality; "He taught me to stand on a street corner or in a room for an hour-or two or three-waiting for that great epiphany of a moment, the wondrous combination of subject, light and composition." (Ch. 1: No Second Chances In New York.) My favorite photos are her ones of the soldiers, these draw on my curiosity. There is one (I included a link with and article and video including it below) that shows soldiers pulling a wounded member behind them, I stared at this image for quite awhile imagining what it must have been like to be there. Most people would probably be saddened and scared by this image, but to me it was a call to action. 

https://news.wttw.com/2015/12/09/trenches-war-photographer-lynsey-addario

Humans Of LBCC

Sivan Fox

Meet Sivan, a second year student here at Linn Benton Community College. Sivan is studying Mechanical Engineering and will continue with this degree at OSU as a dual enrolled student within this upcoming year. He started at LBCC to save money and to avoid the (dreaded) dorms. Not only that, but he claims, “The burger in the Courtyard Cafe is to die for!” When asked what his reasoning for choosing a engineering major he said, “I have always had an interest in robotics and that interest turned into a passion for building cool things.” This term Sivan is taking 16 credits, with a hope to get ahead on his degree. His future, he plans to work on underwater renewable energy systems in hopes of creating a mechanism of his own. Engineering is a tough major, but when asked about his hardest class Sivan had another honest reason for hard classes, “I wouldn’t say any of the classes I took were hard necessarily,” he said, “however, I did struggle quite a bit with physics due to a lack of effort.” 

 Elizabeth Carrell

Elizabeth is a student here at LBCC and she spends most of her time working in the Library on campus and helping out other students. She began working for the school as a work-study, because not only do you get paid but it also helps cover the cost of tuition and provides good market experience. She started working in the library in Fall term of 2018 and plans to continue throughout the rest of her time at LB. Starting Winter term of 2019 Elizabeth plans to transfer over to OSU as a dual enrollment student studying Interior Design. She’s sad to leave the campus and says her favorite part about LB is the community. “Everyone is nice and supportive and encourages you to do well!” When asked to offer a piece of advice to incoming (and returning) students she said, “Make sure when making your schedules give yourself breaks or time for lunch in between classes!”

Week One

My name is Ashley Osborne, and I am dual enrolled student through OSU and LBCC. I have a twin brother, and I am also Type One Diabetic. I’m a Marine Biology major with a minor in Photography. I've just started a Photojournalism class for the first time, and I'm super excited! I took this class because I’ve always loved photography and I also enjoy writing (all types: narratives, poetry, science writing, etc…) but I’ve never taken a journalism class and this one seemed really interesting and definitely something I would enjoy and learn from. I have quite a bit of experience, as I’ve grown up with a camera in my hand ALWAYS. I’ve taken two digital photography classes (one in college and one in high school), as well as a dark room course. I spent 3 years of high school working for the yearbook and my 4th year I was the head editor. I’ve photographed a wedding, as well as done a couple sessions of senior portraits and two family photo sessions. I’ve also taken a photoshop course. Besides that I’ve grown up going on “photography trips” with my grandma (who used to do professional photography) and have always had a passion for the art.

My three goals for this course are, one, to work on my interview skills and pairing my photos with a story or topic. Two, I would love to get a better understanding of angles and viewpoints when photographing people (mostly in a candid manner and less front and center headshots.) Lastly, I would like to practice more with backgrounds. Not necessarily staging them but being more aware of the positions and of my subject contrasted against whatever is going on in the back of the photo. I want my images to not just be one subject, but also show clearly the purpose of my subject (the topic or story.)

I scrolled through LBCC news on the campus website and found a couple events that not only interested me, but that would also make for good photo opportunities.

Starting with next Monday, April 8th the “Woke” event with Benjamin Glen happening at the Hot Shot Cafe on campus from 4-530pm. This is a social awareness event.

Next, I found on Friday, April 12th there is a double header baseball game at 2pm. They will be playing against Lane CC at 2pm, and at 5pm.

On Thursday, April 11th the poetry club is having their first meeting of the term at the Diversity Achievement Center in room F-220 from 12-2pm. This I would actually like to be a part of as well.

There are also some really cool colored lockers in the gym locker rooms. I'm in a yoga class early in the morning and maybe that could be a could staged photo of someone after/before a workout or PE type class (of course being mindful of the students dressing up and down.)