MY STORIES:

• Defining Pacific Island masculinity
• Teaching Pacific Islander art past and present with Pasifika Enriching Arts of Utah (PEAU)
• Local groups aim to ease Pacific Islander alienation through cultural identity

MY BLOG: 

I tried to come into this semester with an open mind — tried being the operative word. I know how I am and what I want, and I know what I am capable of. With that that in mind I went into this with a relatively clean slate of expectations, but I was once again reminded of who I am and what I do. I am not a writer. I don’t have the necessary tools to be a writer. I am a visual journalist, always have been, always will be. During the course of this semester struggling through this beat, taking notes, remembering exactly what was said and by whom, relying on and waiting on people to call me back, I was painfully reminded of the clear idea that I am a photographer, a photojournalist. I use the visual to tell the story. I see the story in front of me and I document what is happening. I collect facts to enhance my images. I use those images to tell the story.

In reflection on this semester, I have yet again reinforced the certainty of my path, I am a visual journalist. I use the image to tell the story. All of my stories were late and completed post-deadline. This is the result of my history as a photojournalist where I come to the event, whatever the event is, think about what the story is in terms of visuals and use what is right there in front of me to tell the story, I just utilize it to do so.

ABOUT ME:

I have been on the search for a story my entire life. Early that story was my own. I have been on active duty in the United States Marine Corps, I have been an air traffic controller, I have been a paramedic. I have even been a security guard for a big budget movie set. But, more recently I have become interested in the stories of others. I have returned to photojournalism in an effort to both fill my need for adventure and to fill my need for a good story.

Hello, my name is Adam Fondren and I am an angry photojournalist. I am bound and determined to tell visual stories with as much accuracy and heart as humanly possible.

Filed under: Blogs & Bios, Student-Journalists |