I’m a visual person. I love pictures - the pretty, interesting, unique, edgy, and beautiful pictures that tell a story and make you feel stuff; the type of pictures that make you pause when you spot them.
So I went back and picked out my favorite pictures other Lifers and myself have taken since I’ve been here. Below, in no particular order, are my favorite photographs that were captured by a Lifer for your viewing pleasure.
I started out at Ideas in Motion Media as a coverage person. One event the I went to at Rittenhouse Village at Portage (then known as Rittenhouse Senior Living of Portage) was the first annual Alzheimer’s Awareness Day. They had a balloon release and Mayor Snyder read a proclamation that declared September 21, 2012 as the first Portage Alzheimer’s Awareness Day. My great-grandmother suffered from Alzheimer’s and so this important for me. I captured this picture as brightly colored purple balloons were released into the sky to commemorate the occasion.
I got to be Part of High School Baseball History
I went to cover a baseball Sectionals game between Chesterton and La Porte in 2015. Chesterton won, and when I got home to edit the photos I decided to have a bit of fun. I took this photo after CHS won and added a black and white filter. The sun was shining at just the right angle, people were cheering, and everyone on the team was reaching in to lay a hand on their hard-earned Sectionals trophy.
I Captured an Instant with Veterans
This is my absolute favorite picture that I ever took at an event. Residences at Deer Creek held a flag dedication ceremony and I was right up close to these military veterans who were carefully folding our American flag. Zoom, crop, sepia… and there was my desired picture. I’ve got many military veterans in my life, and I’m so proud of them all. My great-grandfather was a paratrooper in WWII and I easily imagined one of the set of hand in the photo being his. He loved this country, and I loved him.
Guest Submissions from Fellow Lifers
This is the first photo that Kyle took that made him realize that he was pretty good at this whole photography business. He’s taken many pictures, and this one made him proud. The City of Whiting was getting ready for the Paralympics and everyone was happy and having fun. He was able to capture that happiness in this image. He said that that was his “call to adventure.”
Steve Captures Homecoming Happiness
This photo came from the Portage High School 2015 Homecoming Parade. He said it was a difficult shot to get because it was in the middle of the parade and these kids were on top of a moving fire truck. But he got it, as only Steve can.
He had never been to Pierogi Fest, and he jumped right into the wacky madness. This shot was taken from the top of one of the buildings in downtown Whiting, capturing the massive turnout of one of the Region’s most popular festivals. Well done, Steve.
Brett Captures the Calm and the Storm
Here is Brett’s favorite photo. It came from the very first game that he ever covered for IIMM in 2009. Still a novice with our SLRs at the time, Brett was able to perfectly capture the entire game as well as what looked to be an impressive and ominous storm that rolled in during the bright, unassuming, sunny day.
Pretty much any picture that Anna takes is tops, IMHO. That day was a toughie for her as this football game was her first of four events to cover. The shot she got was quite rare as there is no one in the picture but La Porte supporters. The team was out of focus in the background, watching this player catch the ball one-handed. She took over 2,000 pictures that day, and thousands more since then, but this one of her favorites.
Anna Captures the Emotion at a LPHS Graduation
Anna has covered so many graduations in her time, and this photo will always stick with her. The young man in this photo is the first graduate to come out of this family, and they were immensely proud of him. Anna caught the emotional moment just in time, and it reminded her of why we do our jobs here. We want to capture and share only and all of the Good that we find with you.