Shout out and some thoughts

This past weekend I went to Lansing for the MPPA seminar from Friday until Sunday afternoon. It was a great time watching the work being judged and meeting some new people and making some new friends. I went with Ryan Wood, Shaminder Dulai and Nathan Morgan and had a ridiculously good time. Mad props go to Ryan Wood for being named Photo Editor of the Year and Nathan Morgan for Michigan Photographer of the Year along with the others who placed. You both deserve it! I was happy to hear I received third place for General News and second place for Feature Picture Story.

Right now it's really easy to get caught up in the politics, the bureaucracy, and the bad news of the industry and economy that is really hitting everyone hard. But this weekend was an inspiration and helped snap some things I've been told by Ryan, into my brain. Denny Simmons, Tim Rasmussen and Emily Rasinski all had great presentations and really made me remember why I love working for a newspaper and that I am still working for a newspaper and with an AMAZING staff, but more importantly, friends. So, with this weekend having been a blast, an eye opener, informative, inspiring, challenging, fun, and crazy, I'm putting one step forward and not looking back. Whatever will happen will happen and the only thing I can change or do something about are finding stories and trying to make good pictures.