Storytelling that I like...

"Ian Fisher: American Soldier" by Craig F. Walker (The Denver Post, 2009)

I met my boyfriend Jake four years ago, and 6 weeks after we started dating he left for basic training. Every since then I have been trying to learn and understand military life because I had never met anyone who was in the military before. Especially now, as one day I'll be an army wife and possibly working for a newspaper on an army post, I like to see how this life is portrayed in new ways and how in-depth journalists are able to get since security clearance is so restricted.

Kyle Spradley pointed this piece out to me, and what I like so much about Walker's photos, besides the topic being of great interest to me, is the access that he was granted. You can tell how close he became with Fisher and the other soldiers, and because of that he was able to capture images that most photographers wouldn't. He doesn't just focus on how the military is affecting Fisher, but Fisher's relationships at home as well, including his family, friends and girlfriend. He also uses a lot of angling and layering, which give variety to his different chapters. I found his work very impressive, especially since there were nearly 30 images in each chapter, and that with each new image I felt like I wasn't seeing any moment or style twice. Being able to have access like this, the time spent making it and the skill to bring it all together is something that I would love to achieve.