One fact about working in the print news media is that you don’t get a lot of publicity. This month our photo editor, Amanda Cowan, is challenging that assumption, earning a large “member spotlight” article in “News Photographer,” an online publication of the National Press Photographers Association. You can read the article for free at nppa.org.
Unlike, say, editors-in-chief, photojournalists lead interesting lives. They’re out in the community every day, meeting people and convincing them to let them take their photograph, even at vulnerable or emotional moments. Working with reporters, photojournalists try to capture the essence of the story, sometimes in a single frame or a few seconds of video.
In her nine-year career at The Columbian, Amanda has photographed President Biden, and also people living homeless on the streets of Vancouver. She’s photographed cancer survivors, athletes and murderers. She’s even become a federally licensed drone pilot!
Here’s some of what she had to say about her career in the NPPA article:
“What do I love about photography? Everything. I love the creative/storytelling process, the challenge, the places I’ve gone and the people I’ve gotten to meet. I still cannot believe some of the amazing experiences I’ve had through this profession. I’m very grateful to the people who have shared their advice, wisdom and constructive feedback with me. I am an introvert by nature, but photography gives me an opportunity to engage with many different types of people and situations. It is so fun to go into a routine assignment and capture a moment that surprises me.”
She also shared a story, one I hadn’t heard before, about how she decided to become a photojournalist:
“My uncle, Tim Dunn, who was a photo editor at the Reno Gazette-Journal and who passed away in 2018, suggested I take photography as an elective in high school. I fell in love with it while working for the yearbook. At 16, I was covering a district cross-country race in the pouring rain. At one point, a runner’s feet suddenly went out from under him while he slipped and slid down a muddy hill. I was right there to capture it, and from that moment on I was hooked. I put photography at the center of my life and never looked back. I started as a photo intern in 1998 and have been full time since December of 2001.”
We’re lucky to have talented people like Amanda on our team, bringing the stories of Southwest Washington to our readers.
Election season
When I got back from my summer vacation this week, I was shocked to realize it is election endorsement season. Led by our editorial page editor, Greg Jayne, our editorial board is in the midst of meeting with candidates and writing editorials endorsing our choice for public office.
Judging by the feedback I got during the August primary election cycle, our readers find these to be a good service, particularly for offices that don’t attract a lot of attention. This week, for example, we met with Lt. Gov. Denny Heck and his Republican challenger, Dan Matthews. A number of local voters may know Heck, who grew up in Clark County and graduated from Columbia River High School, but I dare say Matthews, a retired Air Force and airline pilot from Mukilteo, is less known. Our interviews, posted on our YouTube channel, give candidates a chance to make their local case.
We’ll publish our endorsements Tuesdays through Saturdays from now until about the time ballots are mailed, which is Oct. 16. I hope you’ll find them useful!
