By Zachary Leach
The job of a photographer is not as easy as some say it is. Being on the sidelines of the big events or crucial games, sitting without friends by your side in order to focus, and capturing each moment of the game that way others will remember them forever. This is the job of senior Tyler Josephson.
With only one previous year of Baron Banner under his belt, Josephson has proven himself with his skilled camera work, excellent articles pieces, and collaboration with peers to become this year’s co-photo manager for Baron Banner.
“As a photo manager, we are in charge of making sure we have covers for school events, [and] making sure we get enough photos to provide for articles,” Josephson said.
This passion for photography didn’t develop until three to four years ago. Curious about photography, he used his money to buy a cheap and affordable camera. Though it wasn’t much, he took his camera everywhere he went, capturing every fleeting moment that passed by. As time went on, the craft and him clicked.
Eventually, Josephson wanted to sharpen and focus his skills. He was truly passionate about the art, so he wanted to learn from those with experience.
What better way to gain this experience than to join a group of writers and photographers who have covered big school events, have free training and resources for their students, and have students full of passion and determination for their crafts as well? Baron Banner was the perfect fit.
“I saw it as an opportunity,” Josephson said. “To expand my knowledge and ability of photography. Journalism is a special type of photography. It’s not like anything else because you’re trying to capture a story within a photo and there’s a lot of variety.”
Under former senior and photography manager Andrew Hsieh’s wing, Josephson was exposed to the art through a new lens.
Beyond putting long hours into his pole-vault practices, beyond planning out future photos with future articles and beyond putting in volunteer work for the Just Serve club, Josephson also runs his own photography business on Instagram: tkjphoto. Not only is it another way he makes money to invest in future equipment, but he also takes photos of things he’s truly passionate about, including portrait and aviation photography.
This being his last year, being a part of Baron Banner, Josephson plans on not only enjoying his last year with friends but also leaving a mark within the program.
“I hope to leave an impact on the class and lead our photographers in a way that hasn’t been seen before,” Josephson said. “I want people to learn to appreciate photography and have a new understanding.”
Although the life of a photographer, especially the busy life of Josephson, isn’t easy, his burning passion for this work doesn’t feel like a chore, but a way of life.