I had a college graduation to shoot today, and my plan was to hit it early and run. But there was something different about this graduation, and I'm interested to see what other people think.
I was set to shoot students getting ready before the ceremony when the college president gathered them together and announced that one of their classmates had died earlier this morning after what sounded like a hunting accident. The college is small, and I'm guessing a close knit, religious school, so some of them took it hard. I shot this photo during a moment of silence. My shutter cut through the gym like a sledgehammer to me, and I wondered whether I should be shooting this at all. I shot about three frames and couldn't bring myself to shoot anymore. But the journalist in me knew it was probably significant. I tried to get more information from the president and other officials, but none of them wanted to talk about it. So the question is, do I turn in the happy graduation photo for tomorrow, or the somber photo of students mourning the death of one of their own?
I'm not sure I know the answer to this one.
1 comment:
yeaaa i was going to say the same thing! ill meet you on monday though. coming by at 9:30.
as far as the graduatioin goes...tough call.
however, i do go to jbu, know the guy, and know probably 85% of the graduating class. The only thing on this is that I don't think his death was the overarching theme of the graduation.
Granted, it did happen, and it did upset people...but to be honest no one really knows that guy. The thing that I think was upsetting for people was their feelings for the famillies...his mom is going through a serious bout of cancer right now, and his dad is in remission from a serious bout as well. they are very known on campus, but he wasnt at all. the only reason i know all of these things is because i was roommates last year with his fiancee.
so, i dont know. it's news, but i dont know that it would represent the entire event very well.
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