I currently serve as a photographer and reporter for The Starkville Daily News.
About Me:
I have dedicated my life to photography and the management of images in order to create a compelling and visually enticing product. Throughout my life, I have found many ways to incorporate photography through many real-life experiences. One that I will always cherish was a magazine assignment in Ethiopia. In just over two weeks I traveled to five of its major cities where I wrote and took photos and video for various stories. Even in an unfamiliar area I was able to meet numerous deadlines on a daily basis, be adaptive when problems arose and constantly looking for the next potential story. While there, I had the honor of having Washington Post photographer Mark Gail as a mentor. Gail provided valuable feedback to the photographs I took on-site, which gave me a greater insight into my craft. After a month of hard work we produced a magazine dedicated to the positive progress Ethiopians have recently made by highlighting aspects of their ambitious and unique culture.
Another important and similar moment was when I worked for a one-issue magazine that focused on the Voting Rights Act and its political influence on the Mississippi Delta 50 years after its passage. With the help of my photography and writing, “Land of Broken Promises” won an RFK Award for journalism.
I’ve also tested my leadership and dedication by serving as the editor-in- chief of a daily newspaper, The Daily Mississippian. Producing a product that will catch the audience's attention in a tasteful way everyday is challenging, but the rush of meeting a strict deadline is a key motivator to maintaining my focus and organization. Though the position was stressful, leading the editorial team and earning the honor as a finalist for best daily publication by the Society of Professional Journalists two years in a row was extremely rewarding. This shows that I am not a single-faceted photojournalist as I also know how to create strong copy, engaging videos and can formulate a design that compliments every element my team produces.