Special to the Reporter-News
March 29, 2008
A few weeks ago, I was joking around with the captain of the church softball team. I told him they should hire me to be the team photographer. He told me that he was interested, but I would have to submit some work for approval. I sent him a link to my portfolio, and after he looked it over, he said I should contact someone at the local paper about doing some work as a stringer.
Now, for months, I’ve been trying to figure out how to get a foot in the door. For a largely self-taught photographer with no formal training in photojournalism, I just wasn’t sure what the first steps were. So, I largely did nothing. Until my friend told me to contact this editor.
So, I did. I sent her a link to my portfolio, and a few hours later received an inquiry about my availability. That in and of itself was huge. Yesterday, when I received a call about an assignment over my lunch break…that was even bigger. And walking in the door and telling the event organizers, “I’m here to take some photos for the Reporter-News” was the biggest.
Last night, the story and my photo appeared in the online version of the site, but this morning, seeing the photo in print, on actual paper, on page 4A…it’s still sinking in.
I know it’s a small, small step, but I’m totally geeking!
“Photo by Greg Kendall-Ball/Special to the Reporter-News.” Incredible.
Posted in Abilene, Black and White, DOF, Life, Links, Photojournalism, Random, Texas
March 29th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Congrats! That’s really cool.
March 30th, 2008 at 2:54 am
Congratulations Greg! How very exciting!
March 30th, 2008 at 8:59 am
Let me know when they decide to send you to the World Series!
Speaking of which, care to place a friendly wager on tonight’s Game? Loser buys dinner?
March 30th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
SJ: it’s the Braves, all the way. Not even a chance the Nationals pull the upset.
March 30th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
The Reporter-News was a cool place to work, even for the two-and-a-half years I was working from home in Little Rock as her online content editor.
And she’s still a superior newspaper to my local statewide, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, online or in print!
March 31st, 2008 at 7:20 am
Congrats on the stringer work, my friend. The Reporter-News is fortunate to have you. Seeing your creative work in print is an outstanding feeling - and I’m sure we’ll see a GKB front-page photo in the near future!
March 31st, 2008 at 9:50 am
That really is pretty dope. I hope I can get my photog skills up to that level someday.
April 2nd, 2008 at 1:53 pm
That’s really great. I’m happy for you. Congrats!
April 6th, 2008 at 10:39 am
That is way cool!