wise words

Oh, wow. Erik Lunsford's blog is so great, I don't know where to begin. Not a bad place to start: the latest, reflective entry "Do We Ever Go Back" looking at the push and pull between investing more time in a story (especially with memorable subjects) and embracing the next. And don't get me started about the thoughtful, Buddhist "Embrace". Lunsford uses his site to highlight the photography of others as well as his own, and offers musings on the field in general (which I think is where he really shines). His response to those who claim that journalism is "A Dying Field" really resonates (for me, at least!). I completely agree with his emphasis on developing news sites that are easy to navigate, unique and visually appealing, and dig his insistence on embracing the challenges. So what if the future of journalism looks like a scary black hole of doubt and uncertainty right now? Lunsford says "let's leap right in, then."

The opportunity to present work in new ways is richer than ever before. Sure, we're going to have to one-man-band it at times, and we may not like that idea one bit...Surprisingly, it's richly satisfying, because you're in control of the content...You are the only limitation and obstacle standing in the way, and once you realize how truly gifted we are as visual journalists and storytellers, then it could be the bottom of something heading wonderfully up.

Call me naive or overly-optimistic, but I've got a gut feeling we should be listening to encouragement like that.

health care rally

Covered a protest outside of the the Prospect Street Whole Foods Market on Friday afternoon spurred by company CEO John Mackey's Op/Ed in the Wall Street Journal. A crowd of people very upset by Mackey's call for more individual responsibility regarding health care, as opposed to Obama's interest in a government-funded public option. In his letter, Mackey encouraged high-deductible insurance plans coupled with health savings accounts as an alternative, a system that he says works well for Whole Foods employees. Protesters stressed, of course, that system is not affordable and available to all. They were also pretty riled up by Mackey's statement:

"A careful reading of the both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution will not reveal any intrinsic right to health care, food or shelter. That's because there isn't any. That 'right' has never existed in America."

Oof. Along with Mackey's previous comments comparing labor unions to herpes, he's certainly making some enemies.

An important thing to remember, though, is that Mackey's opinion is just that-his personal opinion and suggestions regarding reform, which he is free to express just as the protesters on Prospect Street are. With people boycotting Whole Foods, the company is currently trying to remind people that they don't actually have an official position on health care reform, because that seems to be a common mixup right now. Since Whole Foods is too expensive for my struggling-student budget anyway, I don't have to even worry about boycotting it in the first place. Now I'm on a health care kick, gobbling up articles and looking into different systems in other countries (spoke to a woman at the rally from the Netherlands who was interesting)!

Update: The full article from the protest is now posted, if you want to read some quotes!

spectator and sport

While reporting on the Area 4 Neighborhood Pride Day this afternoon in Cambridge, I watched (and shot) a basketball game between a Cambridge youth team and a Medford one. The girls watching from behind the fence were from a high school team up next, and after learning a few names and asking them about the game, they let me snap some photos of them observing the boys. Once I went through the photos today, I realized I was just as interested (if not more) in capturing the female spectators as I was in the male athletes. Juxtaposed, they give a neat sort of teen girl/guy interaction from afar. The fence in this case acts as a barrier between the genders as well as between spectator and athlete. Don't want to make too many leaps, but this might be something to explore?

short stuff

My editor mentioned the One in 8 Million series to me the other day, and wow, am I impressed. I can't believe I missed this on NYTimes-they've got quite the collection of profiles already. Another example of the type of reporting I love the most-quirky, human stories. I've made it through some of the slideshows already (did I mention the layout is just as impressive as the concept?!) but still have a bunch to catch up on. I love hearing the voices of the individuals too. It really makes the story feel more intimate.

At the Chronicle, we've started up our own little series based off of this model and others that we're calling "In Short."I started off the first one with the hippie puppeteer in Harvard Square (pictured above), and it turned out to be one of the most read articles on the site for a good week or so. Brainstorming some more "In Short" targets, but I want my next one to require a little more digging!

riding the rails

Found this beautiful photoessay on Getty's fantastic Reportage site and am head over heels in love with it. It's by photographer Ben Speck and exemplifies what, to me, great documentation and photojournalism is all about: seeking out unique people and surprising stories that capture readers and make them think about things outside of their familiar lifestyle. I like the way that he explores the subculture and even takes part in it himself (dangerous but exciting!). That's what I'd like to strive for-having the guts to really immerse myself in a story and report on the offbeat individuals and lives around us, ultimately trying to make them just that much more accessible and relatable for everyone else. I think we can really learn from that type of journalism. It's something that goes deeper than simply reporting the quick facts.