Heart.

I heard a saying once about photojournalism that I've really taken to heart.

"If you're not happy with your pictures then you're not close enough."

This was very fitting in my story today.  I was covering a benefit event for the Brady family.  Maybe you may or may have not heard, but this family was involved in a fatal car accident in October in Bel Air where the family of four was driving down I-95 and hit by a drunk driver.  Mrs. Brady and her oldest son, Wilson, were killed in the car accident and today at Perry Hall high school a benefit concert was held for Mr. Brady and his youngest  son Ian who survived the crash.  

The concert involved a volunteer orchestral band performing at the school.  When we arrived the orchestra was already playing.  I began shooting with a wide shot of the band and began working my way forward.  Seeing that there was easy access to the stage I made my way right next to the band.  Getting a lot of great closeups.  I tried to do my best to avoid interfering with the view of anyone else in the crowd but I also realized that anyone watching on tv wanted to feel like they were there.  I stalked the orchestra.  Moving my way through the string to the percussion sections trying to get as many shots as possible.  

I understand that I may have been a temporary inconvenience to the audience but I also understood that through doing that I was helping better tell the story to the thousands of people watching at home for the 10pm news.  

During my shooting I notices two other photographers from channels 13 and 2.  They stayed far back from the band.  Keeping a safe distance and shooting wide shots.  I didn't watch their newscasts but I'm positive their video did not have the same impact that mine did.  The audience wants that sense of immediacy.  They want to feel part of the story.  And you cannot do that from fifty feet away.  You can do that from 11 inches away.  

Today was a heartbreaking but uplifting story.  We interviewed the surviving Mr. Brady and his tale broke my heart.  Which in and of itself is becoming harder and harder to do when surrounded by a barrage of bad news every day.  But doing a story like this feels good.  It makes you proud to do what you do for a living.  I brought to life a struggling family and a positive community that just wants to support them. 

Current Jam - The Gaslight Anthem - "1930"