Here is my photo story related to band activities. I thought it would be interesting to give a little point of view of what it is like behind the scenes of band activities. I know it isn’t a real point of view, but you get the idea. I also wanted to show these photos to maybe even spark interest in other people who are not currently involved to consider joining. I think band events are very interesting and more people should care about them. So how better to do so than showing people what they are missing out on. 

The main story I suppose I want to tell is the process of a concert and or a performance. Obviously people have to grab their instruments out of the cases in order to play them. And as interesting that band is to me, I still dislike the utter mess of cases everywhere. Specifically when people leave them right in the middle of a popular area to walk like High Schoolers did as pictured. But that leads me into the events Morningside does for band stuff. We had a Concert Band Festival that took place in April that brought many new faces to explore campus. I think it is a great recruiting opportunity for all that are interested. And the events are fun to participate in. Usually we prepare songs for a concert and we can play a few of them during these events to get people more hyped for coming to Morningside. Like I captured in one of these photos, we had several bands from Sioux City North come play at the festival. I don’t remember the specific one that I have here but I still thought it was cool. 

But getting back to my main story of a performance, then you have to get the stage ready with chairs, stands, sound shells, and bigger instruments like percussion and piano(s). I focused a bit more on the balcony because most people do not go up there. The balcony is where we set up the lights and sound. And even if someone doesn’t want to play an instrument and still help out, there is always a stage crew position available on campus payroll. Stage crew mostly sets up the stage and deals with lights and sounds. I do a bit of all of it, but I also have to play in the ensemble so I don’t work it for actual performances. I was actually working with the stage crew when I took the All America band Picture, but I hope to play in it next year. 

Once the stage is set, then all we band kids do is wait for people to show up for the designated start time. Again I pictured the balcony because no one really goes up there. Then comes the actual time we band folk get to play. It can be really fun if you sit by your friends, but lately I’ve had to sit by some real pieces of work. Usually this isn’t a huge problem, but the Trumpet section has been a pain this year. Here is hoping next year is better. But I think it is really fun when you sit by cool people. I would say about half of the people in the last picture are actually cool. But the other half is the bomb.com. 

I think I captured all the subjects in the photographs accurately and neutrally. I did not consider people viewing the subjects in the pictures as anything else, unless, of course, you personally know the person that was captured. Otherwise I do not believe there is a correct way to view these images. Like I said they are very neutral and I think you can make up your own interpretations of what is pictured. 

To be honest I had no idea what to do for a Photo Story. I have had a rough couple of months to say the least and I did not want to take pictures of that subject matter. Not to mention I haven’t been on campus much to get a good idea for a story. So I thought I could do it on a couple of the performances I was able to attend because that is the only interesting thing that has been going on for me. And as I said earlier, I think it is good to get more words out there for people to gain interest in an ensemble. Then I just took pictures I thought were interesting. I was initially going to take pictures while sitting in the band, but they don’t like it when you have your phone out during practice/performance time. So I decided to focus on other ensembles that I do not have a part in. I tried using different angles to make the subjects of the pictures more interesting. 

I will say I think my pictures are better in this assignment. I think at the beginning of this semester I was a lot more point and click, but now I put a bit more thought and effort into making the photos look interesting and, dare I say, dynamic. I think it could be very easy to make these pictures look boring, and I think I did an okay job at making them a little more interesting. Even with the limited ideas and insufficient space to capture photos, that’s part of the challenge I suppose.

Surveillance.

Visual Perception.

Here’s a little look into my daily routine. I usually wake up to “Where The Day Starts” and go to class. The first class of the day is a graphic design class. Either Graphic Design II Monday and Wednesday 8:00am or Web design at 8:55am Tuesday and Thursday. Both classes are about two hours of either work time or a yap session. Either way it can be fun to learn graphic design techniques, as I may use the information I learn for a potential job one day. The building for these classes is Eppley as seen in “Class Coordinates pt.1” which is where the majority of my classes are.

Next up on the daily routine is usually some form of Mass Communications class in the Library as seen in “Class Coordinates pt. 2”. I’ve got this great guy named Ross that teaches me all sorts of stuff ranging from Media Law to Photojournalism this semester. After that I usually try to go to the Caf. and get some grub. Sometimes I have to go to my trumpet lesson or other related musical activities back in Eppley. But on my way there I walk that route pictured in “Daily Relayed Route” at least two to three times a day.

But now back in Eppley. Like I was saying before, I have to take trumpet lessons because I am getting a full music scholarship. So I have to be in a lesson and at least one ensemble. Luckily I am in two, that being Jazz band and Wind Ensemble. I like both of these bands, but lately there has been so much drama with people not liking the new Wind Ensemble Director and many people quitting Jazz. I am not even sure if there will be a marching band next year with a lot of people leaving the Wind Ensemble too. Not to mention that I will pretty much be the only trumpet player left because the three that are staying are incapable of actually producing sound on the instrument they have been “playing” for nine years now. So that is not fun for me at least. I think we are going to get three new trumpet players next semester, but you never really know what the new freshman will bring to the table. I hope they are at least okay, the bar is very low right now and I could care currently.

Back to actual classes, the Wind Ensemble usually just has performances in Eugene C. Eppley Memorial Auditorium so I do not get the opportunity to take pictures because they are getting far more strict with phone usage. Otherwise for Jazz I have provided “Practice Paying Off” which was a little gig we did at a hotel in Sioux City and the reception was very nice. A few alumni came to play too and even had their own set. All of this Jazz is taught by Erik Mahon and a great trumpet player who happens to be the guy that gives me lessons. (not to toot my own horn…literally) It is hard to remember all the things he teaches but I put my best foot forward and hope for the best. Erik’s office is posted in such hits as “Harassment or Fun?” and shows all of the things that get hung up around his work space whether he likes it or not. He always enjoys the stuff his students put up, but sometimes people put up derogatory statements that are in fact not true. So he usually takes those down and goes on with his busy day.

That is the usual school day for me, though lately it hasn’t been normal. But after all of that I have work study with the music department and with the front desk at the Plex. None of them are very interesting but sometimes you can play ping pong. Otherwise homework is a good thing to get done at the desk.

Otherwise, in my free time I like to play video games. Lately I have been into Gameboy games and I even have a Gameboy Advance SP. I’ve been playing Spyro: Season of Ice and I think it is very fun. Other than that sometimes I get invited to do things with my friends. Mostly just grocery shopping or other things of that sort. It is not very exciting but we all have buys schedules and can’t do much else. Plus we usually see each other in some sort of band. And my favorite part of my academic experience is going home for the weekend and seeing my funny little dogs.

I work the front desk at the Plex and when you are alone by yourself, it will go from a loud environment to a silent one. I captured the moment after a band of misfits celebrated a birthday party and cleaned up the mess. Dead silence, great for homework.

Any resident can probably hear the constant noise in your ears after waiting for one of these bad boys.

My guy Isaac had his half recital this last weekend. We met in Wind Ensemle when we were both freshman and have been friends since. He is a sophomore music education major that needed to perform before his full recital. He is unsure of the date just yet but I guarantee It’ll be great to see.

#9 School Spirit

#18 Fashion

#14 On the Job

#8 College Life

#4 Weather

#12 Night

I chose these 5 because they had the best color. I like how the sky contrasts the ground and makes it look pretty neat. I also like how dark the trees are, it kind of makes it look spooky when it is a perfectly normal area.

#11 Interior:

#7 Sports:

#15 Animal:

#6 Laboratory

#5 Group

#2 Emotion:

Feature:

This image captures the moment after the groundhog made his prediction. Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow and therefore predicts an early Spring. The Photographer could have just taken an all encompassing shot of the crowd and the groundhog, but decided to get in on the action. Not to mention the whole picture could have been in focus, but they decide to place focus on the groundhog. This is meant to highlight his special day. I could see this being a news photo but I think it works better as feature because it is suppose to announce the groundhogs prediction and you do not get an answer by the image alone.

News:

U.S. soldiers bringing back the 3 dead from the attack in Jordan. There were some wide shots of the plane and other U.S. officials looking at the remains, but I thought this photo was more news worthy. Mostly because of President Biden in the background. The technique of photographer puts emphasis on the President’s reaction to his soldiers by leaving him in focus and blurring the rest. It’s not too much to make it unintelligible, but enough to get the point across. It sort of poses the question of what the president will do next after seeing this.