• Who was your last employer and your position there?

I worked for KNBC-TV, aka NBC4 News, since 1983, for 37-1/2 years. Primarily, I was a TV News Photographer but in the early years, when 2 man crews were the norm, I also did sound. My specialty was Breaking News, I loved to listen to the scanners, and sniff out a good story before anyone else, and beat them to the punch.

• When did you become a PPAGLA member?

I believe it was 2013.

• How long have you been a photojournalist and how did you get started?

I have been a photojournalist since 1976, learning on the job at KOB-TV in Albuquerque, NM. It was a total change of plans, since I was on another career path. Life is full of surprises. I was in a pre-med course of study at the University of New Mexico, and I decided to take a beginning news photography class with Professor Lawrence, head of the Journalism Department. Through a mutual love of chess, and weekly matches, Professor Lawrence knew of an open position at KOB-TV, and recommended me to Roger Beimer, who was in charge of finding a candidate for the job. I was nervous but took on the challenge, hired full- time and learning to shoot news film on a CP16, I was hooked. So, over the next 5 years, I worked hard to hone my craft, transitioning to the new world of video and electronic news gathering. I lived for the job, it was so exciting, covering the full spectrum of news, that it was never enough. In fact, I spent a 2 week vacation shooting for KRON-TV in San Francisco, to get a taste of big city newsgathering. I was smitten by the complexity and volume of shooting news in a major metropolitan area, and made the move to Los Angeles, becoming Vacation Relief in 1983, and hired as a staff ENG news photographer shortly after.

• Please share some career highlights:

At KOB-TV in Albuquerque, I won an APE award for Best Cinematography for a feature story about Pimentel guitars, a family whose tradition of crafting these works of art were a local legend. It was validation of all my work to become the best photojournalist possible, the experience of my peers gave me more confidence in myself and my capabilities.

Since 1999, I have been an instructor at UCLA Extension, teaching Broadcast News to a new generation of TV News people. The courses involved lectures and hands-on learning, from the basics of TV News to all aspects of story telling. I felt joy when some of my students went on to be a vital part of TV News teams across the country, which I helped mentor and consult for their success. I also encouraged and helped students reach their full potential, and assisted them with putting together audition tapes and resumes for maximum effect.

I absolutely love Breaking News, and in my almost 40 years of covering TV news in Los Angeles, there are just so many significant and historical events. From chasing down criminals, politicians and bears, to covering natural disasters, allowing viewers to witness history on so many fronts, from the first infant heart surgery at Loma Linda in the 1980’s to earthquakes and monster fires which continue on, I loved being part of the team that makes up Channel 4 News. Getting judges to let me in to court proceedings that were closed to the media was particularly sweet, and being first on the scene, to scoop the other stations, was thrilling. My office was the world, shining the spotlight on injustice, inequality, and incompetence, with our collective news efforts often bringing about changes in government and society. But if I were to cite one event as profound, it would be the 1992 LA Riots, it was unnerving to make my way through the literally war-torn streets of Los Angeles, to witness the raw emotion and angst generated by social injustice, and the presence of the National Guard among mass looting, in total chaos, challenging me to capture a balanced approach to news gathering.

• What advice do you have for students and those hoping to become photojournalists?

You need to work well under pressure, and in time, you will develop better skills and more confidence. It’s about being clear, concise, and focused, with these 3 elements, you are then able to listen and respond to others, and learn how to phrase the right questions. Only then will you be able to communicate. If you learn what your weak points are, then you can improve on your strengths. Life and photojournalism is an evolution, constantly learning

new and better ways of communicating. If you can strike a balance of being confident with yourself, then you can

be confident in your interactions with your colleagues, since TV News is a team effort. Even when the going is tough, stay cheerful and positive. I always found a way to be effective and have fun at the same time.

• What is something you know now that you wish someone had told you when you were starting out?

Still photos capture a moment in time, video reveals relationships, between seemingly average things to a profound moment. Sometimes shooting a beautiful shot doesn’t explain the story, it’s the camera movement that demonstrates significance. Starting out with a still photography background, I had to learn to illustrate the news stories with a sense of purpose.

Also, the human moments are the intimate moments that photojournalists should be able to capture in a way that is indescribable, sometimes there are no words, and that’s why there are pictures.

• What is your favorite part of being a PPAGLA member?

Sharing the love of TV News and finding fellowship in our chosen field, only another photographer can relate to the struggles and rewards in our daily jobs. I love that PPAGLA promotes freedom of the press in all its forms, and they make us care about difficult issues in an innovative way. PPAGLA encourages members to be open to change, and approach a story with an open mind, and not be locked in to certain ways of doing things. Also, I enjoy celebrating outstanding achievements among the members of our organization at our annual awards ceremony.

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I will be blogging and shooting about wine on Wine Along The 101, http://www.winealongthe101.com

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