I officially passed the half way mark for my internship here in Provo. My first goal for my internship was to push past myself creatively in similar situations.  I shoot a lot of sports, spoiler: there's a lot of sports in this post, and I have been looking at how I have different situations and how to make them better or just different.  I've been called a sports shooter, which I used to think was a bad thing to be labeled. I realized it should be something I should embrace. Embrace but not become a slave to. 

My second goal was to listen to people better. If you have met me, I like to talk a lot and very loudly. My mom used to tell me that the most interesting people you meet at a party are the ones that let you tell your stories and control the conversation. You leave it thinking, " Wow, That guy/gal really genuinely cared about what I said and wasn't looking at their phone or thinking about what they were going to say." 

This has been a struggle because usually I am lining up a punchline or witty retort then actually listening.  

I did a story on a 13-year-old girl named Emme Smith whose days were planned out from 6 am to 9 pm everyday. I was over at their house when Emme turned and said " You don't talk much do you ?" 

SUCCESS!!! I did it!!!! I tricked a 13 year old. I'm the coolest guy in the world.  * Cue me flipping up the collar to my leather jacket, lighting a cigarette, and riding towards the sunset on my motorcycle.* 

This internship has been a great learning experience. I always felt so pressured in college to compete with my classmates rather than with myself. I was constantly looking over at computer screens and thinking "Yeah I did better," or "Shit, they kicked my ass". 

Don't get me wrong I love WKU and I wouldn't trade my experience for the world. 

I moved to Utah and realized that no one cared. All I had out here was my camera, my own issues with my photography, and my yellow hat.  Quick side note, everyone should own a reliable beanie that they can wear at all times. It's like someone is hugging your head. 

I don't know if it was the mountains, the staff (which is the dopest staff I've worked with), or the fact I was away from everyone but slowly but surely the feeling of needing to compete went away. I started to go to assignments with the goal of experiencing than winning. Listening instead of competing. 

For the first time since I started shooting, I was feeling a sense of drive for me to make a better image for me and the person in the frame and that is it. 

Thanks for reading and your reward is a bunch of photos.