Necessary Introductions

     Hello! My name is Peter, and I am a Psychology student at LBCC. One of my courses this term is this Photo Journalism class. I love taking pictures, but my experience is limited to taking pictures on my phone or with my Polaroid camera. Below is one of my favorite pictures. 

    This is a picture of the Jesuit Church in Mannheim, Germany. Mannheim is where my Oma(German for Grandmother) grew up. I went there in late June 2023. I saw many beautiful places on my trip, but when I think back on it, I always come back to this church the most. 

    I hope to achieve three goals in this Photo Journalism class besides getting a good grade. Goal one is to learn more about taking better pictures with life and substance. Goal number two is to learn how to use the fancy cameras. I am particularly excited about this one because I don't have a fancy camera that is easily accessible in my free time. My last goal is to get out of my comfort zone. Taking photos can put not only a lot of pressure on me to take one that is good, but it can be awkward knowing that people may be watching as I bend over backward, so to speak, to get the right angle. 

    This week, we were assigned to take photos of people doing interesting things, I unfortunately have been ill all week, so my time on campus was limited. These photos were the ones I managed to get:

    I took a picture of our campus courtyard, dead and empty. Most people were in class then, and it was freezing!

    I lovingly call this photo "Sarah Rose in Action!" At the time, she was helping another student. I saw her move quickly towards the courtyard and captured this picture. 

    I had gotten out my phone to take a picture of the neon open sign. It looked so majestic between the limbs of this tree, and the rain was acting like a film of sorts. I then later noticed I had caught a student wearing a black hoodie by the railing walking somewhere. I love that they are not noticeable at first, but they almost take over the picture when you see them. I wish I knew where they were going, why they needed to grab the rail, and most importantly, their name! 

This is just a picture of some of the flora we have in the courtyard on campus. After finishing class, I walked out of the building and was exhausted beyond belief. It was a dreary day until I noticed this little pop of color. It made me happy. This picture has nothing to do with the assignment; however, I hope it brings you some unexpected joy, as it brings me. 
 

I have only just started this class, but one thing it has already done for me is remind me to take notice of the worlds outside my bubble.