With The passing of yet another year of Reunion,I decided to tabulate the time that I had spent at the Fairgrounds this year. With seven days of reunion and a couple before hand,total time in feild was about 36 hours. Post work on Photos,posting blogs,twittering,uploading photos another 16 hours.

Total photos took, roughly 1200, total kept 260, four hours of video,total kept, eight minutes.

I would like to think that the WC messenger’s coverage of this event was great and that I couldn’t have done anymore on it,but I always think of something after to make me look foward to next year, and doing it better!

I wasn’t really required to spend this much time here,as this was only one of several events I coverd last week,but the thing about capturing the moment on film, if your not there you won’t. Then again it doesn’t hurt if you really enjoy it as well.

Inspiration can come from just about anywhere, this especially applies to stories that we run in the Wise County Messenger. I want to try relate the best that I can, through one story in particular. That would be one about Zachary Koa, titled; love’s long journey. (And here is part 2.)

I was working on another story with the writer from the newsroom, (Travis Measley), when we heard about Zachary from a bystander that knew we were from the paper. We obtained the contact information, and Travis started inquiring, after a couple of phone calls, he set up an appointment to meet Zachary, and the family.

Never knowing quite what to expect in story of this nature, you just have to feel your way out. For the most part the first meeting is generally just to get to know your subject, or in this case, the family, to try to figure out which direction you want to take the story, if there is one. As a photographer, my job is to create the visual interest for the story, so the initial visit is just about gathering that information myself, and for the writer as well. Sometimes I don’t even carry my camera on the first visit, so I’m a not distracting and can can get to know a subject.

On this particular day I did carry my camera in, which was a good thing because as it turned out Zachery and Malaki both loved the camera and it set a instant bond in motion. The look for inspiration was over, as I looked toward Travis we both knew that this was a story that we wanted to do, for no other reason than the sheer openness and love of this family, their willingness let us in to their life, and share their story.

After our first meeting in on the ride home, we were both truly inspired to do something great with this story.