These past two weeks have really thrown me for a loop as a photographer. I haven't been having any particular difficulties with creating images, but in how I archive and store them after they've been created. After shooting my second assignment for The Post on last Monday, my hard drive started acting strangely when I was uploading my files to be post-processed. To make a long story short, that was the beginning of my hard drive crashing. After two days of trying everything I could think of and asking anyone that could help, it was confirmed-my hard drive had crashed and I had lost all of my files on it. I thankfully had some of my files backed up on another hard drive, but only up until July. All the images I had taken from mid July until last Monday had been lost. I have since sent my external drive to Western Digital in hopes of recovering those lost files, I haven't heard anything from them on the matter as of yet.

Although this has been a major set back, I have learned a lot from it. I had a photo assignment on that hard drive that was due that Thursday, and I hadn't confirmed that the hard drive had completely crashed until Wednesday morning. I had to push myself to find another subject to shoot in an extremely limited time span in order to meet deadline for my class. I wasn't very happy with what I shot, but I had to get something. This experience taught me first hand that even if everything goes wrong, a photographer still has to make deadline. It also taught me a lot about religiously backing not just one, but numerous hard drives with files in different places to ensure that photographs are secure. Since the incident I have invested in new hard drives and workflow methods to ensure that if something like this happens again, I can isolate the damage done to the absolute best of my ability. Below is the only image I was somewhat happy with after spending an impromptu afternoon with the Athens fire department.

Athens firefighter Sean Dean puts on his fire jacket during a slow day at the Athens fire department on Wednesday, October 16, 2013.

After recovering from my hard drive troubles, I shot both Ohio University soccer and volleyball this weekend. This was my first time shooting volleyball. As I shoot sports more and more, I find myself getting much more acquainted with sports and how to best photograph them. Going to school here at Ohio University gives me many opportunities to shoot a wide variety of sports, giving me lots of time to polish my sports photography. 

Ohio University midfielder sophomore Leah Sandercock dribbles upfield while guarded by Eastern Michigan University midfielder junior Molly Krick on Friday, October 18, 2013 at Chessa Field. Ohio University fell to Eastern Michigan University 3-0.

Ohio University forward/midfielder senior Maggie Murnane heads the ball towards the Eastern Michigan University goal on Friday, October 18, 2013, at Chessa Field. 

Ohio University midfielder sophomore Lauren Haley works to hold posession of the ball against Eastern Michigan University defender freshman Madison Hirsch at Chessa Field on Friday, October 18, 2013.

Ohio University middle blocker graduate student Alexis Pinson sets the ball over the net while contested by a Ball State University player as other Ohio University players watch intently. The Cardinals narrowly defeated the Bobcats in five sets during the game held at the convocation center on Saturday, October 19, 2013.

Ohio University middle blocker graduate student Alexis Pinson spikes the ball as a Ball State University player attempts to block the shot.

Ohio University outside hitter junior Kelly Lamberti blocks a shot by Ball State University setter sophomore Jenna Spadafora.

Ohio University middle blocker sophomore Karin Bull spikes the ball past a Ball State player's block.