Portraits

A lot of the staff photography world is portraits. Often a reporter is doing a feature on an interesting or newsworthy individual in the community. Sometimes, as a photographer, you can arrange to take their photo in their natural, relevant environment (like at work if the story is about their interesting job). We call these 'Environmental Portraits'. It's often not staged and just a natural snapshot of the individual in their natural environment. However, sometimes we cannot get a person in that environment. That is when things become difficult for the photographer. How can we make an interesting picture out of an incredibly ordinary situation. Some ways to help stave off the boring "Smile for the camera" photo is to create interesting light or try unique, radical angles. I don't claim to be the best portrait photographer, but over the past two months I have learned a lot about newspaper portraiture and continue to learn every time I succeed as well as fail. I added some of my favorites from the past 2.5 months at the Newark Advocate.

Don Jakeway holds a picture of himself, taken when he joined the military at 18, at his Johnstown home on Thursday. Jakeway recently traveled to France where he was honored for his service in WWII. Jason Lenhart/The Advocate

Lakewood's Courtney Kidwell is the Advocate's Softball Player of the Year. Kidwell, a power hitter, led Lakewood with a .529 batting average, 1.06 slugging percentage, and nine home runs with 45 runs batted in. Jason Lenhart/The Advocate

Heath City Police Chief Tony Shepherd will be traveling with his 1970 Dodge Dart Swinger to Iowa next month where a 1/64th scale model of his dragster will be revealed by die cast model company Johnny Lightning. The model, much like a hot wheels, will be sold in retail stores around the country and hopefully bring awareness to 'Beat The Heat', a program that brings youth together with the police officers who are they to serve and protect. Jason Lenhart/The Advocate

22 month old Alexa Duston stands, with the help of her mother, Heidi, while playing with her brothers Jaxon, left, and Bryce, center, in their home in Hebron on Friday. Alexa was born with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita, a condition where tendons and muscles fuse improperly, cause curved joints. The Duston family is receiving support from the Licking County Shrine Club to help them with their weekly travels to Philadelphia for Alexa's treatment. Jason Lenhart/The Advocate

Matt Smith, a catcher for Johnstown, is the Newark Advocate's Baseball Player of the Year. Smith, who just finished his junior year, also plays football and basketball. Jason Lenhart/The Advocate

Susan Litwiller, 61, has won 24 Women's Club Championships at the Moundbuilders Country Club. She has been playing golf for a total of 54 years, winning her first championship in 1975 and her latest in 2008. Jason Lenhart/The Advocate

Like I said, some are better than others and I am always learning. I will say that portraits do allow for an unrestricted level of creativity, especially when you can pose the subject. You also get to meet some really cool, interesting people in the community.