Hayley Coronado: Josiah Queen’s musicality echoes joy
The Josiah Queen concert was my favorite event of the year to shoot. I have a dream of being a concert photographer in the future, and so being able to capture a well-known artist for the first time was an amazing experience. I set a goal to capture photos that portray a story. This photo stuck out to me because it told the story of the concert by capturing Queen’s joy. I like to give a creative twist to my photography when capturing events, and for this one I played around with different angles and lenses. When I was editing the photos from the concert, I wanted the images I captured to create a feeling of happiness, in hopes that it would do the same for others.
Victoria Angelov: Simple Hebrew songs initiate serenity
The Convocation hosting Michael Iskander was one of my favorites to shoot this semester. Getting to hear about the new season of “House of David” as well as the show’s new music album was exciting. The song Iskander sang towards the end of Convocation was extremely moving, especially because it was sung in the original language: Hebrew. This element gave it such beautiful meaning and depth. I had to be quick on my feet to take this photo, as it was quite a spontaneous moment. I had to speed walk around the stage to get some shoots since I did not know how short the song might be. That’s something you always have to be ready for as a photographer: quick thinking and acting, to make sure you’re getting the shots as moments come by. That’s what makes it so exciting and worth it!
Jordan Blabey: Liberty ends regular season on a high
This photo is my favorite due to the energy and history behind the shot. This was taken just minutes after the Liberty Men’s Basketball team won their last regular season game and became the No. 1 seed in Conference USA. It was a tight game against Sam Houston, but a few key plays gave Liberty the statement win, with the help of Zack Cleveland’s near triple-double. After the team lifted their trophy, they gathered for a team interview, which was entertaining to watch. The media teams gathered around to get the best shot. These moments are pure chaos because there are so many people celebrating. It’s hard to decide what to capture and which settings to use. Luckily, I was able to find an opening to get a shot of the interview. This was an especially exciting moment for me because I grew up playing basketball. I had considered trying to play at the college level, so getting to experience the energy of the court as a photographer was absolutely awesome.
Iwan Steinmann – Convocation Speaker brings emotion
This photo of Philip Anthony Mitchell displays a freeze-frame of his admirable and contagious passion for Christ which he spoke about at Convocation. He stands with eyes closed, face fervent, and hands raised, expressing a raw love for God that words alone cannot describe. I chose to make the photo black and white because it draws attention to Mitchell and the emotions present in the room. This enhances the photo to a more dramatic and personal level. The sweat on his face and the tension in his posture show how he is fully pouring himself out physically, emotionally and spiritually in worship to the almighty God. Soft beams of light cutting across his body add a subtle, almost heavenly feel that shows a sense of genuine love for God’s Word and his people. This photo not only displays a moment in time but also functions as a visual testimony of his passion for Christ, encouraging us to show this same passion for Christ in our daily lives.
Angelov, Blabey, Coronado and Steinmann are photographers for the Liberty Champion.