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This story assignment was about the different study spots on campus for new students to find with all the overcrowding here at Virginia Tech. It required me to focus on framing and lighting so much to apply the techniques we learned in class. I produced this story by taking pictures on a cannon mirrorless camera around campus of all the different spots we have here on campus. Throughout the process, I worked on improving my ability to use a camera because this was the first time I had ever touched a camera like this before.

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Some of the most interesting discoveries I made while working on this story was how important lighting and framing is. I realized that lighting affected everything about the photo. For example, when I took the photo of the girl on the bench, the lighting kept making it seem blurry or brighter than it really was, which made me have to adjust the exposure a bunch. I also discovered how much of a difference framing can make in the overall quality of the final piece. These discoveries helped build my first grasp of visual story telling. 

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One of the challenges I encountered while working on this story included taking photos in public for the first time. For example, this was my first time going around with a camera, so, the social anxiety got to me in a way. I overcame the challenge once I was out there for awhile and I settled in and got in a zone. Working through these issues strengthened social awareness skills and helped me learn how to be comfortable with my camera.

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I will use what I learned from this story assignment in future courses in my major to improve my ability to photograph good quality photos. For example, I now know how to take high quality photos that can tell a good story, and that experience will benefit me as I continue developing my communication and visual storytelling abilities. This assignment engaged my brain to learn new things and hone a new skill