Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Chris Owings, center, is congratulated by his teammates after hitting a single that allowed Paul Goldschmidt to score, giving the Diamondbacks the 4-3 victory against the Cincinnati Reds in the 10th inning at Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ, on Sunday, August 9, 2015.
After roughly 9,200 miles of traveling, my summer with The Arizona Republic has come to an end. My short ten weeks spent with the newspaper concluded on August 14 and I have now settled back into Athens, Ohio, to begin my senior year. It's a strange, yet comfortable feeling coming back to my Ohio homeland after spending a summer in the desert. I'll be hard pressed to complain about Ohio's summers again after enduring days as hot as 117 degrees in Phoenix.
The Arizona Republic gave me a genuine glimpse into the roles of photographers in a large metro-style newspaper. As a newspaper photographer at The Republic, your day is constantly in flux. Many days I received calls beginning with "We're going to change your day up a bit..." and I ended up having to instantly start on a different batch of assignments for the day. The "ever changing work environment" I've often talked about has never been so apparent and constant. Seldom being able to settle into a set of assignments and always being on the move has kept me on my toes. I've learned a lot about budgeting my time while on shoots. This work environment has forced me into getting images in as soon as possible, and moving onto my next assignment while churning out usable pictures to quickly be posted to the web and used in the print publication. It's really allowed me to tighten up the back end of my work and made me a much more concise photographer overall.
It's been a productive experience taking me far away from my Ohio roots and spending a summer working for a fast-paced newspaper. It's given me a fresh perspective on the work that I do and gave me an opportunity to see how newspapers operate in an environment so different from Ohio. Weather is a big deal in Arizona and weather coverage plays a big part in the newspaper, especially during the summer monsoon season. No matter what was going on during my day, if a large dust or rain storm rolled in, I had to budget time to take photos and video of the weather and submit it to the editors as soon as I could.
This summer I also created a Twitter account to keep up with my photo-related work and provide an additional medium for viewers to see the work I did for The Arizona Republic. While covering events such as changing weather, press conferences, sporting events, breaking news, ect, I was always reminded to consistently Tweet out photos and information. Doing so added another layer to my photo workflow and made me think about getting news to viewers more than I ever had before in the past. Tweeting also made me a more succinct writer as I had only 140 characters to explain the situation, post a picture and also a link to a story written by a reporter if available.
I believe my time in the desert was well spent. The Arizona Republic reinforced the fact that photographers have to do more and more to survive in today's news industry. I learned a lot about situations and phases of production to which I had not been previously exposed. Though I'll miss working for the newspaper and with the many wonderful people I met while on assignments and at the office, I'm excited to cool off in Ohio and begin my last year of college.
If you'd like to hear even more about my summer, check out the blog post I wrote about my experience at the newspaper on The Republic's website here: http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/behind-the-lens/2015/08/18/-intern-experience-isaac-hale/31740749/.
Tom Murray, owner of Villa La PAWS Resort and Spa, shares a moment with Rachel, a Standard Poodle, in his business in Phoenix, AZ, on Monday, July 27, 2015. Murray is planning to open a PAWS Mall destination pet shopping center in October. He will be the first to use Arizona's new intra-state crowd funding law and solicit Arizona residents to buy stock in his business.
Moderator Jose Antonio Vargas speaks to Tia Oso, National Coordinator for the Black Immigration Network and BAJI Arizona Organizer, as Gov. Martin O'Malley stands at the Presidential Town Hall at the Phoenix, Convention Center in Phoenix, AZ, on Saturday, July 18, 2015. Individuals walked into the stage area part way through Gov. Martin O'Malley's time with chants pertaining to the #BlackLivesMatter movement and sought to ask questions about issues affecting people of color.
Kate Usher, right, and Joe Ceccanti, left, hold cardboard cut outs of Bernie Sanders as Gov. Martin O'Malley speaks at the Presidential Town Hall at the Phoenix, Convention Center in Phoenix, AZ, on Saturday, July 18, 2015. The Town Hall featured both Sen. Bernie Sanders and Gov. Martin O'Malley.
Brent Farley speaks to the media
while holding up a piece of paper listing his two offenses during a
press conference held at Durango Jail in Phoenix, AZ, on Thursday, August
6, 2015. Farley was arrested after a mistaken blitz on the Phoenix police
chief's house and is expected to face misdemeanor charges of criminal
trespassing and disorderly conduct, according to Phoenix police.
Steve Montoya sits for a portrait in his office in Phoenix, AZ, on Monday, July 27, 2015. Montoya is a civil rights attorney who has represented clients who have won big settlements from the Arizona Dept. of Corrections.
Kong Tan waits to receive his Randy Johnson bobble head at Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ, on Saturday, July 25, 2015. The park had 25,000 Randy Johnson bobble heads to give out to commemorate Johnson's induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Milwaukee Brewers right fielder Ryan Braun (8) hugs center fielder Carlos Gomez (27) after hitting a home run in the sixth inning to put the Brewers ahead of the Diamondbacks 1-0 at Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ, on Friday, July 24, 2015.
Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Chris Owings (16) steals third base and beats the tag by Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Hernan Perez (14) in the sixth inning at Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ, on Sunday, July 26, 2015.
Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Chris Owings (16) forces out Philadelphia Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp (19) at second and throws to first to complete a double play and end the top of the 7th inning at Chase Field on Tuesday, August 11, 2015, in Phoenix, AZ.
Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (44) is tagged out at the plate by Miami Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto (20) in the 8th inning at Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ, on Wednesday, July 22, 2015.
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zack Godley (52) pitches during the first inning of his major-league debut at Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ, on Thursday, July 23, 2015.
Arizona Diamondbacks right fielder Ender Inciarte (5) is forced out by Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Scooter Gennett (2) as he throws to first base to complete a double play and end the first inning at Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ, on Sunday, July 26, 2015.
Phoenix Mercury guard Monique Currie (25) drives through contact by Minnesota Lynx forward Maya Moore (23) as she grabs for the ball at the U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix, AZ, on Friday, August 7, 2015.
Phoenix Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner (24) insists on too much contact on her shot after going up against Minnesota Lynx forward Rebekkah Brunson (32) at the U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix, AZ, on Friday, August 7, 2015.
Wide receiver Jacob Brown claps for his teammates from the sidelines during football practice at Paradise High School in Phoenix, AZ, on Wednesday, July 29, 2015.
Wide receiver Hunter Dean-Gibson, right, and offensive lineman Nathaniel Jonathan, center, take a break with the team during football practice at Basha High School in Chandler, AZ, on Thursday, July 30, 2015.
Offensive lineman Nathaniel Jonathan, left, works during a drill at football practice at Basha High School in Chandler, AZ, on Thursday, July 30, 2015.
Quarterback Drew Inness (9) calls teammates in for a break at the start of drills during football practice at Northwest Christian School in Phoenix, AZ, on Tuesday, August 11, 2015.
Joe Johnston, co-owner of Liberty Market in Gilbert, AZ, sits inside his restaurant on Friday, July 7, 2015.
Fire fighters respond to a fire at 11017 N. 39th Pl. in Phoenix, AZ, on Thursday, August 13, 2015.
Cathy Carlat, Mayor of Peoria, left, walks around the Indian Ruins with Chris Jacques, Peoria Planning Director, in Peoria, AZ, on Friday, August 7, 2015. The city aims to preserve the ruins and build paths around them so citizens can appreciate the civilizations that came before their own.
Arizona Representative Kelly Townsend speaks during a press conference held at Butcher Jones Recreational Area in Tonto National Forest located near Mesa, AZ, on Tuesday, August 4, 2015.
A Salt River foal stands at Butcher Jones Recreational Area in Tonto National Forest located near Mesa, AZ, on Thursday, August 6, 2015. Also see video: http://www.azcentral.com/videos/news/local/arizona/2015/08/07/31273931/
The sun sets behind skyscrapers in Phoenix, as seen from The-Hole-in-the-Rock at Papago Park in Phoenix, AZ, on Wednesday, August 12, 2015.