In Focus
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
When I arrived at this homecoming, I assessed the scene by blending with the crowd so I could anticipate what might happen. With my camera ready to go, I waited patiently. Then, a soldier appeared. It was Hillary Sweeney, 19, of Holbrook, who was embraced by her mom, Louise, and dad, John, at the Pennsylvania National Guard facility based in South Franklin Township.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
West Greene’s fans burst into cheers after the last out for the win over Williams Valley High School in the PIAA Championship at Penn State in June. Focusing on the crowd presents great opportunities to capture the spirit of the game without shooting the game itself.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
It is essential to connect with the subject and build trust before ever touching your camera. If I can’t feel the pain and grief, how can I capture it? Shirley Gray, right, talks about her grandson, Anthony Edward Gallo, who was fatally shot during an incident with state police at the Grays’ home in Canton Township in October.
Editor’s note: This is the first part of a two-part series on photographing emotions.
As a photojournalist, my job is to tell the story, to report the news while documenting people, places and events in our community.
Sometimes, it’s a terrible thing to have to do.
Emotionally charged situations occur – sometimes, they are uplifting and inspiring, but sometimes, they are tragic and rock your foundation.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
By standing back and observing, getting a feel for what’s going on, I was given an opportunity to capture a soft and gentle moment with Justin Prettiman of Buffalo Township, a specialist with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, as he hugs his daughter, Nicole, 3, before leaving the South Franklin Township armory for deployment to Iraq.
A lot of the images I capture stay with me, and sometimes, doing my job can be difficult.
One of the most important aspects when covering an emotionally charged situation is to have respect, compassion and empathy for your subjects. I am not creating reality, I am only documenting it. That is photojournalism.
These images illustrate the depth and power of emotions captured by the camera.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Continue shooting after a goal or a play – you have a better chance of capturing a compelling image, such as this photo of Waynesburg’s Rhea Kijowski, center, celebrating after scoring a goal with teammates Kylie Sinn, right, and Madison Clayton. Freeport’s Hannah Stokes is overwhelmed with emotion during a WPIAL girls soccer semifinals match at Moon High School in 2017.
When I stood with family members and friends waiting for the arrival of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the Pennsylvania National Guard returning from Iraq, I could feel their anticipation and excitement. When the procession of buses pulled up and the doors opened, the crowd burst into celebration.
It was hard for me to focus. I was completely overwhelmed by the scene. Wandering through the crowd, I hoped to capture an image that would reflect the power of their homecoming.
Back at the office, I sat at my desk, still feeling the force of their reunion, swept away in their joy. I have never experienced anything like that before. The process of narrowing the collection down to one or two photos was going to be difficult. So many of the images captured the joy of the reunion, showing tears running down loved ones’ faces as they embraced.
Then, when I came to an image that made me cry, I knew I found the one.