As I wrap up my time with Columbia Gorge News, I figured the best way to reflect is by sharing some of my favorite pictures that I have captured while working in the Gorge.

Over the course of my four years with CGN, I have taken and edited more than 10,000 photos. Not all of them have been published, but I have saved every photo that made my final cut. My role has expanded from a rookie reporter to sports editor, designer, and even delivery driver from time to time, but photography quickly became one of my favorite aspects of journalism. I view photojournalism as a challenge. How can I get the best photo that represents the story I am about to tell? I learned the power of capturing a subject’s emotions and how that impacts the story.