New city, new adventure. Ann Arbor month one.

After I ended at The Flint Journal, I took about two months off to go do one of the things I love to do most, go volunteer time to be a camp counselor. Had some ups and downs during those two months. One of the biggest ups was landing the first ever multimedia photojournalist intern spot at AnnArbor.com, formerly The Ann Arbor News. It feels great to get back into the swing of things. Since it is the first time for them to have photo interns, it seems like a great way to hopefully help being apart of setting up a great program for future interns.

So far at my first month at AnnArbor.com, I have been shooting a lot of sports given the schedule I have. University of Michigan football rules in the city especially with them doing so well. I had the privilege to shoot the first ever night game at The Big House. Besides that, I had the chance to do two multimedia pieces. My parkour piece is included in the post.

June, My Final Month at The Flint Journal

June was my last month in Flint and in many ways my assignments of them month had a theme of endings. Schools closing it's doors, graduations, and end of the high school sports season. It was bitter sweet. I was happy to move on to new adventures, but I was going to miss the city, the friends I have made that I will never forget, and the challenging assignments that made me who I am as photojournalist today. I am honored to have been chosen to be an intern at The Flint Journal and working with the wonderful staff. I hope that one day I get to work with one of them again.

Photos from Juneteenth, arson, graduation, food give away, closing of a school, MS research, Powers Catholic girls soccer winning the state championship in soccer, and disappearing metal from an abandoned school.

Memorial Day weekend at The Flint Journal

Though it was a very long weekend, it was a great weekend of shooting. The Great Lakes National Cemetery is in Holly Township which is in the coverage area so I went there a few times over the weekend. Young Marines showed up to put flags on each grave site of a veteran. It was an awesome sight to see and witness. Not many people go to see it, but if you ever have the chance I would recommend to see this amazing tribute. Besides trying to photograph Memorial day events, a few spot news opportunities came up as well. A water rescue on the Flint River, which is unheard of, and a homicide and a tornado happening in the same hour.

The homicide photo won second place in NPPA spot news and MPPA news honorable mention for the month of May. The water rescue photo got first place in MPPA news first place for May. The drummer got picked up by AP and got published in Arizona.

May to up to Memorial Day Weekend at the Journal

The assignments in May are getting really fun. I was able to canoe with an author, photograph the best female boxer, and get really excited to see my photos blown when I edit them. Another photo got picked up by AP and used.

Female boxer, special olympics, a salute to the military, canoeing with an author, remembering a sister, AP flood photo, victim upset there is nothing left in their house from a fire, national day of prayer, roll over vehicle accident, baseball portrait or "sportrait", softball, basketball with the Detroit Lions, and an art walk.

April at the Journal

Month of April went well. I did a video. I one of my photos I sent to AP got onto the MSNBC photo blog. Another AP photo made it into the Midland Daily News, which is awesome because it is a paper that I respect for their photos and their photo staff.

Link to feature video I did on Carlot Dorve, a one armed trumpeter. Video

MSNBC AP photo, AP photo from vigil, people from vigil waving to prisoners at Genesee County Jail, prisoners watching the vigil, testing the Flint River water, upsetting last years league champs, Earth Day, protests, completing first 5k, 5k, food give away.

Month of March at the Journal.

Well as many of you guessed it, I didn't get Michigan College Photographer of the Year. I was up against some really good people. I am happy to say a lot of my friends place and CMU swept CPOY... again. It got me motived again. March went alright. I won first place NPPA monthly clip contest for the month of March in region 4 sports. It is my first award ever in photography and I got a first place photo.

First place photo, loss in regional basketball, skeet shooting, high school power lifting feature, wrestling state championships, spot news, remembering Chavez, unveiling a Rosa Park Statue, nice quiet moment, and Benjamin Franklin the King of Toilets.