The KU J-school assignment - 40 years apart

     A couple of weeks ago, the boys and I traveled to Lawrence for some housekeeping chores. When we were finished with the chores, we walked to the KU campus to visit the Natural History Museum. As we walked up the steps to Dyche Hall, a young woman approached us and asked if she could photograph us visiting the museum. She said she had a photography assignment for a journalism class.

Lawrence Park winter 1970-71

     We said we had no problem with that and she was so unobtrusive the boys and I soon forgot that she was there. But it did take me more than 40 years ago when I took my one journalism photography course here at KU. The biggest difference, of course, would be the equipment we each used. The current J-School student could shoot in the low light of the museum without any problem. When I took the class, I used a light meter separate from the camera and did everything manually.

Sally throws a Frisbee through a car window at Nieman School 1970

Contact sheet of photos I took for class

The photos in this blog are from those assignments almost 45 years ago. I hadn't seen these for several decades, but I'm still happy with them. I'm probably still too proud of them mainly because I can't remember my grades.

Scott and his trombone

    I liked the class, the instructor not so much. It took a lot of time and unlike writing, it involved actual time of doing things, shooting the photos, developing them and finding out they weren't in focus and the perfect photo was probably a smidge over. In contrast writing was a lot of time, sitting and staring and then putting something down on paper. Writing seemed like the way I might have the most success.

Chris Jensen shoots the ball in the backyard at the Topeka house on Jewell.

I didn't share any of this with the young woman that day - thought it was probably more than she wanted. If I could do it again, with instant results from the photography, I'm not sure which I would choose. Probably would still be writing.