“Robert Ward drew forth the best of our ability to think from the deepest parts of soul,” said John Hazen White, Jr. ’76 at a special assembly on May 10 during which he received the Ward Medal, one of the school’s most prestigious alumni awards.
Photographers Braden Chattman and Michael Zide are so in sync with one another that, during a recent talk at the Williston Northampton School, they finished each other’s sentences.
“The big word at Hallmark is ‘intention,’” said Mr. Zide. “As someone who absorbs photography,” Mr. Chattman chimed in, “that’s what ultimately matters.”
The Hallmark Institute of Photography teachers were at Williston on April 23 to give the final evening talk of this year’s Photographers’ Lecture Series. That afternoon, Mr. Chattman and Mr. Zide had also spent a class period speaking to Williston’s photography students about what a professional career in photography involves.
“Photography is a lot more than a career decision,” said Mr. Chattman. “It’s a lifestyle.” He described his dream retirement: traveling the country with his wife, who is also a photographer, in a motorcycle with a tripod mounted on its sidecar. That way there would be no glare from car windows. Continue reading
Ron Wyatt’s best tip for getting to know your camera is to leave your manual in the bathroom.
“Every time you spend quality time in the bathroom you’ll learn something new,” he said on Thursday, April 11 in the Dodge Room of the Williston Northampton School. “Great photo opportunities come up, you don’t want to be playing around trying to figure out how to work your camera.”
An Explosive Entrance to Freelancing
On December 5, 1970 the Linden, NJ Exxon refinery exploded. Working nearby on the General Motors assembly line, Mr. Wyatt ran to the scene and photographed the aftermath. Later that day he called an area newspaper to see if they were interested. Although they didn’t want photographs of the explosion, they reviewed his work and offered him a position as a freelance photographer. Continue reading
As an eighth grader, Olivia Foster was looking for a challenge. Then she came across the Congressional Award online—a national program where students can earn medals for completing tasks in areas such as public service, personal development, physical fitness, and exploration—and her path became clear. Now a junior, Ms. Foster will be awarded the highest youth award in the program, the gold medal, at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. in June.
Signed into law by President Jimmy Carter in 1979 to “recognize initiative, achievement, and service in young people,” the Congressional Medal program is open to American citizens aged 14 to 23 years old. Participants can earn bronze, silver, and gold certificates, or bronze, silver, and gold medals.
In order to qualify for the award, participants must complete a number of hours in four areas: Personal Development, Volunteer Public Service, Physical Fitness, and Expedition/Exploration.
“Few visitors ever get to experience Thailand at its core, which is something I have been lucky enough to do,” said Emma Murray in an article she sent to The Republican. Read more about her adventures here.
Safe travels Emma!
