Each of us participants were paired with an AP staff photographer. Paul Sancya of Detroit was my guru for the week, and we were assigned to photograph a car wash. Paul was fantastic and the car wash, believe it or not,  was equally so. He was there for me in a heart beat, like to discuss story angles and editing, but kept a low profile while I photographed. Each of us were required to use our mentor's equipment, which for most of us meant shooting a Nikon D1, so I had technical questions.

In terms of learning something I could build upon after the workshop, my goal of the week was to nudge out of my habitual shooting style - too much concern for composing and not enough for capturing spirit. I was able to loosen up on day two, in part because I'd taken all my usual shots, and because more than one person recommended I take more risks. Shooting habits are hard to break indeed. Luckily, day two was fruitful, and I've shot two images since the workshop that show growth towards a less structured style.
 

This image is a break from my typical style in that  it's loose using a long lens. I usually get close with a wide angle or I shoot super tight with long lenses... and I didn't recompose to hide the doorway light behind the boy's face. Instead I concerned myself with the interaction between this mother and child and let them create a photo for me.

 

What surprises me about this image (uncropped) is I took it during a conversation. I looked to my left while listening, swung my camera up, took a snap, and continued the conversation. I figured I was too far away to "get it," but I like the image because of the distance.    My voice shakes when I speak in front of large groups, my brain sometimes draws a blank and I've been told I turn red. So, articulating how my images  communicated my story was by far my biggest  challenge and the most valuable learning experience at the workshop.On three occasions we spoke individually in front of the group: introducing  ourselves on day one, describing how our first shoot went on day two, and presenting our final edit (six images) when we made a case for each image and its place in our story.

But, as a result, I've returned to my newsroom with a renewed spunk in defending the images that I believe are important, particularly in photo package situations. News editors often moonlight as photo editors here and I honestly began to lose hope when too many times my images were thoughtlessly published. But, after one week of being surrounded by some of the best AP photojournalists and talented young photographers, I am on fire with a renewed sense of purpose, much to the chagrin of my editors. 

Thank you Diverse Visions.

 
Leslie Mazoch