University of Montana journalism student Casandra Evans had photographed Lady Griz Basketball Head Coach Nate Harris before, but never like this. Early on a recent Friday morning, she traded gymnasium hardwood for bedroom carpet, capturing Harris as he woke his daughters and got them ready for school.
At the UM School of Journalism’s Montana Photo Workshop, Evans had been tasked with telling the story of who Coach Harris is on – and off – the court in 12 pictures. In just a few days, Evans had taken more than 8,000.
“Whittling that down was so hard,” Evans said. “It was like a four-day photojournalism trial. I learned a ton.”
Going deeper, building trust with sources and finding the photos that tell the story are at the core of the workshop. Now in its third year, it presents UM students and young photographers from around the country a chance to build their skills with guidance from expert photojournalists.
One of those mentors this year? Brontë Wittpenn, a UM alumna and photographer on this year’s Pulitzer-Prize-winning team from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Photo by photo, hour by hour, Wittpenn sat by Evans’ side, poring over each of those 8,000 photographs to find the 12 that would best tell Coach Harris’ story. She also helped Evans refine her portfolio.
Evans knows that kind of one-on-one mentorship is pushing her closer to her dream of taking pictures for an NFL team.
“These are people who could become our bosses or help us get to the places we want to be,” Evans said. “I figured that this was my opportunity to show them what I can do and ask them, ‘What can I do better?’”
Originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on the eastern edge of the Appalachian Mountains, Evans found UM on a quest for a place with higher peaks. She says she saw pictures of the Oval and imagined herself sitting in the grass on a sunny day, reading a romance novel.
“You know when it feels like a string is pulling you?” Evans said. “That’s what I felt.”
She started out in wildlife biology, but a photojournalism class with School of Journalism Professor Jeremy Lurgio changed everything. He assigned her to cover a Griz men’s basketball game. After one evening on the court, capturing the action and finding the best photos on a deadline, Evans was hooked.
The School of Journalism’s photojournalism classes have a reputation for producing top-level talent. This May, graduate Maddie McCuddy won the top college photojournalism prize in the nation. But in a school where the motto is “Learn by Doing,” class is just the beginning.
Lurgio, who also directs the Montana Photo Workshop said he helped launch the first workshop three years ago because he saw an opportunity for UM to cement its status as the photojournalism hub of the Northwest. He leaned into what makes this University different: a strong sense of partnership with the community, personalized mentorship and a style of learning that pushes you to leave the classroom behind.
The workshop welcomed 18 students this year – more than half from UM – and mentors from Getty Images, the Colorado Springs Gazette and the Portland Trail Blazers.
“There’s something about bringing this group of instructors together with these motivated, dedicated students,” Lurgio said. “Wrestling with storytelling, ethical dilemmas and technique – there’s a magic I can’t put into words.”
The magic this year took participants to a retired couple’s off-the-grid home in the mountains above Frenchtown, a beekeeper’s apiary and a local synagogue during Rosh Hashanah. They took photos, yes, but Lurgio said they also took time to slow down and get to know the people in front of their lenses.
For Evans, the workshop was a chance for her to hone her skills behind the camera at a crucial time. She’s set to graduate this winter with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism.
“At the J-School, our professors teach us something, and then we go out and actually do it,” Evans said. “With that real-world experience, I know my goals are in reach.”
By Austin Amestoy, UM News Service