While I have been a photo editor and editor-in-chief before in college and high school, this was my first go at being a visual editor intern post-grad. After graduating, I was unsure what would land in my lap, or what I would discover. I graduated and then the world was my oyster. I did not know where my path would lead me until my former professor emailed me — excited for a position that could have my name on it.
When the week started on Tuesday, I went out in the field with Kayla and her mentor to help her photograph her subject in a dance studio. This allowed me to test my coaching skills and my ability to visualize how Kayla could go about taking her photos. We troubleshot which lens to use, the camera settings and how we wanted to set up the subject’s portrait. In these moments, I knew I made the right choice — I realized I could be a visual editor for the rest of my career and be happy.
NPR’s NextGenRadio offered me an opportunity where I could articulate and then convey my thoughts and creativity. I was able to think about what the final project should look like and make suggestions as we went along through photographing, editing and writing captions. Then, I was asked to curate a photo essay. The student journalists were tasked to ask their subjects, “What does home mean to you?” I then wondered what home had meant for the student journalists as they formed a pop-up newsroom in Central Florida. I photographed the student reporters in their workspace, where they were learning new skills and lessons for the first time. I witnessed the sparks and inspiration bloom throughout the week. I can only hope that the future newsroom I am in has the same energy and chemistry I experienced during my days in the Florida Newsroom.