In March, I worked on several Daily Herald projects that allowed me to practice my lighting skills: our quarterly player of the year stories for winter sports, food shoots for stories in our upcoming food magazine, Taste, and a series on women in male-dominated fields. For the first and last of those projects, I focused on experimenting technically with gels and trying to put myself at unique angles to get a new perspective. I really enjoy shoots that allow for me to use additional lighting because it allows me to manipulate light to make it do exactly what I want as to opposed my usual situation of making unchangeable natural light work for me on general assignments. 

The first few days of the month were jam-packed with the end of high school boys and girls basketball tournaments. As I explained last month (which was primarily sports assignments), shooting sports so frequently has allowed me to really tune my workflow and become as efficient as possible while photographing games. Getting to shoot so many games also made me very familiar with each of our players of the year, which made for making representative portraits and interacting with them on shoots a more straight-forward task.

Primarily with my "off time" this month, I did my monthly Monday Close-Up on Brighton Gibson, a male cheerleader at Orem High School who has Fragile X syndrome. I photographed Brighton during the latter portion of February and very start of this month, and the story published the first Monday of March. You can read and see more about Brighton in my story here: provodh.com/vpaw8.

At the end of March, I also traveled back to Ohio to sing with the Singing Men of Ohio (the men's choir I sang in at my alma mater) for the group's annual alumni weekend, and visited a few Ohio friends I hadn't seen in years. Seeing but having to leave so many good friends was a bit of a bittersweet experience, and made me mentally revisit the importance of creating a healthy work/social life balance in my own life. In my opinion, it's extremely hard to be a successful professional and live a full personal life (which is the case with many professions), but I'll keep trying to find that balance as I continue to grow while moving down the path of photojournalism.

Brighton Gibson turns his head and tells a sassy joke as freshman Ellery Davidson reacts and Madi Patten, a senior on the cheer squad with Down syndrome, fixes the hair of freshman Lauren Crawford before basketball senior night Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, at Orem High School. Brighton is a senior on the cheer squad who has Fragile X syndrome, which can appear like autism, but autism and Fragile X are not the same thing. Though Brighton loves performing and being sassy, social attention can lead to overstimulation in those with Fragile X, so he often closes his eyes or looks away from people when he's feeling overwhelmed.

Brighton Gibson cheers with the Orem high school cheer squad during basketball senior night Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, at Orem High School. Though he has always had a love of singing and performing, Brighton was extremely shy and introverted when he first came to high school. Therefore his parents wanted to work on his social skills and decided that eventually joining the cheer team would be one of his goals to help break out of his shell.

Brighton Gibson and Madi Patten hug senior Gracyn Matthews during basketball senior night Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, at Orem High School. "The impact they have been to our team, really can not be expressed in words," said Orem cheer coach, Debi Lee, of Brighton and Madi. "Seeing them both grow in confidence, and become who they are has been not only fulfilling as a coach, but life changing for me."

Brighton Gibson, in hoodie, boards a bus with the rest of the Orem high school cheer squad for the boys basketball team's state semifinal game, held at the UCCU Center, Thursday, March 1, 2018, at Orem High School.

Brighton Gibson puts silverware away under the cover of a blanket Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018, at the Gibson's home in Orem. Brighton does chores like any normal teenager, but Fragile X can cause him to be reclusive and seek emotional comfort when he's too overstimulated, especially when outside of his comfort environments like the cheer squad and his home.

Brighton Gibson listens to music and sings into his toy microphone Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018, in the basement of the Gibson's home in Orem. "He’s always been a singer," said Rachael, his mother. "He’ll come out on the back porch or the front yard and just sing his heart out. Though, as soon as he gets attention, he stops." 

A police vehicle pursues the "bandit car" (not pictured) during night pursuit training held by the Utah County Sheriff's Office on Friday, March 9, 2018, at the Emergency Vehicle Operations Range near Camp Williams State Military Reservation in Bluffdale.

McKenna Smith, of Eagle Mountain, practices putting on her breathing apparatus in a time trial during the Firefighter Rookie Challenge on Saturday, March 17, 2018, at the Utah Fire and Rescue Academy in Provo. 

Sam Dahl, right, jokes around with Randa Mortensen, both of Provo, after they finished the race during the Rex Lee Run held Saturday, March 9, 2018, in Provo. 

Brynnlee Cloward, 11, of Lehi, tells a story during her video audition Thursday, March 15, 2018, at the Orem Public Library. Auditions were recorded on two tablets and then sent off to judges for a chance to be included in the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival or the Biggest Liars Contest. 

Halen Hubbard, of Herriman, right, waves his cell-phone flashlight in the air with the rest of the audience as Jake J and the Killjoys performs during Bon Jovi's "This House Is Not For Sale" tour held Friday, March 16, 2018, at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City.

Jonny Peay rests for a moment after completing an exercise during a CrossFit class Wednesday, March 14, 2018, at Elevate Fitness & Rehab in Orem. Despite having Down syndrome, Peay strives to live a "normal" life and plans on attending Utah State University in the fall.

Lone Peak forward Max Brenchley (1) hugs guard Steven Ashworth (3) as they go to celebrate after their victory over the Pleasant Grove Vikings in the UHSAA 6A Boys Basketball State Championship on Saturday, March 3, 2018, at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City.

Salem Hills' Keanna Vaitohi (13) and Cedar City's Dream Weaver (00) collide as they scramble for a loose ball during the quarterfinals of the UHSAA 4A Girls Basketball State Tournament in a game between the Salem Hills Skyhawks and the Cedar City Redmen on Thursday, March 1, 2018, at the UCCU Center in Orem.

Salem Hills girls basketball head coach Kyle Francom waves as the boys basketball team congratulates the girls basketball team after the girls team defeated the Logan Grizzlies in the semifinals of the UHSAA 4A Girls Basketball State Tournament on Friday, March 2, 2018, at the UCCU Center in Orem.

Salem Hills' Savannah Gustin (21) kisses the championship trophy with her teammates after their victory over the Hurricane Tigers in the UHSAA 4A Girls Basketball State Championship on Saturday, March 3, 2018, at the UCCU Center in Orem.

Lone Peak guard Steven Ashworth (3) jumps into the arms of head coach David Evans after their victory over the Pleasant Grove Vikings in the UHSAA 6A Boys Basketball State Championship on Saturday, March 3, 2018, at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City.

Maple Mountain senior Brandyn Van Tassell poses for a portrait Thursday, March 15, 2018, at Maple Mountain High School in Spanish Fork. Wrestling in the 182-pound weight class and a two-time state champion, Van Tassell has been named the Daily Herald's 2018 Utah Valley Wrestler of the Year.

Vineyard mayor Julie Fullmer poses for a portrait Tuesday, March 6, 2018, at the Vineyard Public Safety Building. Fullmer is the first female mayor of Vineyard, a rapidly-growing city in Utah County.

Provo Fire Department Battalion Chief Debby Honeycutt-Shepherd poses for a portrait Wednesday, March 7, 2018, at the Provo Fire Department.

Nisha King, a sergeant in the Provo Police Department and a member of the Orem-Provo-BYU Metro SWAT team, poses for a portrait Thursday, March 8, 2018, at the Provo Shooting Sports Park.