Gracie Tait, a fifth-grader from Ascent Academy's Lehi Campus, prays before performing with other fifth-graders during the second night of the 2019 Hope of America Student Showcase held Wednesday, May 8, 2019, at the Marriott Center in Provo. Every year for three nights, over 8,000 fifth-grade students from over 100 Utah schools come together in red, white, and blue to form the American Flag and perform patriotic songs with choreography.

I'm not going to lie, May was rough.

All the challenges I met last month when I became the photo editor and sole photographer at the Daily Herald got more encumbering as Utah County went into high gear with loads of things happening. Most notably were seven different state sports tournaments (with as much time spent in rain delays as playing games) and graduations for the more than a dozen high schools in our coverage area. Though I'm alone, I am fortunate to be able to hire local freelancer photographers to help carry the load.

What May boiled down to was maximizing how many assignments I could semi-reasonably get to in a day, and hiring freelancers for whatever holes were left. That resulted in me often focusing on front-page and less straightforward assignments and having freelancers cover sports. However, I still got a decent sampling of sports, since there were so many games to go around. Being the chief point of contact for visuals for freelance photographers, staff writers, editors and image sales as well as pursuing my own stories does leave me feeling spread quite thin. I had planned to hire a chief photographer in mid-April, but the retirement of our publisher and corporate dealings delayed the process. What I thought would be two weeks to a month of being solo has turned into seven weeks, and I am sure it will at least be another few weeks before I know if we'll even hire another photographer or not.

Besides the growing pains of being a new photo editor, the past month was very rewarding. A good amount of the assignments I photographed were meaningful and continue to remind me of how much I love being a newspaper photographer. My respect for photojournalism was deepened when I got out of town for a weekend and drove to Denver to attend The Image Deconstructed Workshop. The workshop revitalized my appreciation for the many different roles photography can play in connecting people and concepts, and made me think of ways to employ the visual arts as a career outside of traditional newspaper journalism. 

However, The Image Deconstructed (TID) primarily focused on the human role we as photographers play in connecting with those in front of our lenses, and thinking outside of ourselves to help to create the most honest, considerate images possible. This, out of everything else, is something I personally feel like one can lose working at a newspaper, especially with limited resources. It's easy to pump out images from assignments without really considering how profound our roles as visual storytellers are in communities. Even more profound than always thinking through – I mean genuinely thinking through – our roles, is reflecting on how considering our own identities is essential in the photographic process. While working I've so frequently thought of myself inadvertently in this neutral, sterile perspective in which to reflect those I photograph. While it is crucial to be fair and balanced in journalism, one must put themselves out there to engage with people and not act as if we are these invisible "flies on the wall". This kind of introspection has led me to pause and think of my approach to my work on a daily basis, and also dig more deeply into how I view myself and "who" I am.

Joshua Christensen processes with other soon-to-be graduates before receiving their diplomas during Westlake High School's graduation ceremony held Wednesday, May 29, 2019, at the Marriott Center in Provo.

Pleasant Grove head coach Darin Henry holds up the championship trophy as he celebrates with players after defeating the Lone Peak Knights 5-4 in nine innings during the UHSAA 6A Baseball State Championship game Friday, May 24, 2019, at UCCU Ballpark in Orem.

Kaylyn Shinners, widow of the late Provo Police Officer Joseph Shinners, hugs Provo Police Sergeant Sean Ellefsen as he holds a plaque dedicated to her late husband during a memorial service held to honor fallen Provo police officers Monday, May 13, 2019, at Provo City Center. Officer Shinners was killed by a suspect he was investigating at a Bed Bath & Beyond in Orem on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019.

Elizabeth Chantry, a soon-to-be graduate of Timpanogos High School, eyes her music as she practices playing the flute Tuesday, May 28, 2019, at her home in Orem. Chantry is legally blind and has approximately 20/400 vision, due to a condition called dominant optic nerve atrophy, so she has to be very close to her music to make out the notes.

The American Fork River flows over rocks and logs just south of Tibble Fork Reservoir on Thursday, May 23, 2019, in American Fork Canyon. The increased water flow coming down rivers like the Provo and American Fork rivers after frequent rainstorms are a major safety concern, according to Sgt. Spencer Cannon with the Utah County Sheriff’s Office.

Tony Gibson, a diving instructor and an owner of North American Divers, gets his breathing apparatus into place before a diving class held by his dive shop Thursday, May 9, 2019, at a private residence in Lindon.

Pleasant Grove defender Camden Read (3) embraces forward CJ Wiggins (14) after the Vikings fell to Weber 3-1 during a semifinal match in the UHSAA 6A Boys Soccer State Tournament between the Pleasant Grove Vikings and the Weber Warriors held Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at Juan Diego Catholic High School in Draper.

Lone Peak outfielder Trey Gambill (20) and Pleasant Grove shortstop Brock Watkins (2) react as Gambill is called safe at second base during the UHSAA 6A Baseball State Championship game between the Pleasant Grove Vikings and the Lone Peak Knights held Friday, May 24, 2019, at UCCU Ballpark in Orem.

Milo Yuan, 7, of Provo, waves an American flag as his mother, Katherine, adjusts his cap during Provo's annual Memorial Day service held Monday, May 27, 2019, at the Provo City Cemetery. Milo's father is a U.S. Army veteran.

Alan Farnes, of Provo, rides his bicycle on West Center Street while pushing along his sons, John, 5, left, and James, 3, in a ride-along trailer during Provo's celebration of Bike to Work Day held Wednesday, May 1, 2019.

A soon-to-be graduate sports a patch on his graduation cap during Provo High School's graduation ceremony held Monday, May 20, 2019, at the UCCU Center in Orem.

Rachel Wilkerson and her husband, Richard R. Wilkerson, owner of Wilkerson Farm, work to secure a post-hole digger on the back of a tractor as their daughter, Priscilla, 1, checks out the equipment Wednesday, May 15, 2019, at Wilkerson Farm in Orem. One of the biggest challenges facing farms and farmers in Utah County right now is the need and desire to build more homes for the growing population, and shrinking real estate for farms to subsist.

Lone Peak third baseman Cade Walker (2) tries to balance hats stacked on his head during an elimination-bracket semifinal game in the UHSAA 6A Baseball State Tournament between the Lone Peak Knights and the Syracuse Titans held Friday, May 24, 2019, at UCCU Ballpark in Orem.

A kitesurfer recreates as first responders contain the scene of a crash where a semi-trailer hauling propane rolled off State Route 189 and into Deer Creek Reservoir on Tuesday, May 28, 2019, in Provo Canyon. Highway 189 between State Route 113 and Wallsburg was closed for the rest of the evening to allow for a careful cleanup effort.

Scottie Meek, of Pleasant Grove and with the Salt Water Bunch, celebrates with gunfire as the train departs during a 150th anniversary of the "Golden Spike", or completion of the 1st transcontinental railroad across the U.S., held by the Heber Valley Historic Railroad on Friday, May 10, 2019, in Heber City.

Pleasant Grove pitcher Jackson Hill (1) slides across home plate past Lone Peak catcher Keegan Nitta (8) to tie the game 2-2 during the UHSAA 6A Baseball State Championship between the Pleasant Grove Vikings and the Lone Peak Knights held Friday, May 24, 2019, at UCCU Ballpark in Orem.

Eloise Hyde, 8, of Bluffdale, takes video of her surroundings before the train departs during a 150th anniversary of the "Golden Spike", or completion of the 1st transcontinental railroad across the U.S., held by the Heber Valley Historic Railroad on Friday, May 10, 2019, in Heber City.

Clare Oliphant, a U.S. Air Force veteran who served in World War II, poses for a portrait Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at his home in Orem. Oliphant was born on June 11, 1919, and will turn 100-years old next month.

Timpanogos' Zach Jenkins (1) does a backflip to pump-up his teammates before the UHSAA 5A Baseball State Championship game between the Timpanogos Timberwolves and the Cottonwood Colts held Friday, May 24, 2019, at UCCU Ballpark in Orem.

American Leadership Academy goalkeeper Marcus Haston (1) reaches for the ball, but Judge Memorial forward Dominic Arias (19) eventually scores a goal during a 3A state semifinal match between the American Leadership Academy Eagles and the Judge Memorial Bulldogs held Thursday, May 9, 2019, at Juan Diego Catholic High School in Draper.

Diane Trotter, 71, of Provo, waits to perform with members of Jean's Golden Girls before the opening night of the 2019 Hope of America Student Showcase held Tuesday, May 7, 2019, at the Marriott Center in Provo.

Timpanogos shortstop Davis Kirby (23) tries to psych-out Cottonwood outfielder Dalton Hodge (1) during the UHSAA 5A Baseball State Championship game between the Timpanogos Timberwolves and the Cottonwood Colts held Friday, May 24, 2019, at UCCU Ballpark in Orem.

Afton Black does a "Spider-Man"-inspired pose as her name is called to receive her diploma during Provo High School's graduation ceremony held Monday, May 20, 2019, at the UCCU Center in Orem.

Spanish Fork pitcher Briley Young poses for a portrait Friday, May 31, 2019, at the Spanish Fork Sports Complex. A senior, Young plans to pitch for Snow College's softball team in the fall.