August 8, 1998

The bar keeps getting raised

Two years ago, when I was just a sixteen-year-old and a little wet behind the ears, I put my portfolio on-line. The comments I got were all roughly the same “You are really good for a junior in high school!” Some weren’t that positive, but most people had good things to say. The element that they all had in common was the phrase “for a junior in high school” or something to that effect.

I no longer have that crutch. I graduated May 30th, 1998, and now I am an 18-year-old who has been thrust into a world where there are people in my age group who are quality photojournalists. I am very good friends with some of them. But one thing is for sure, I now have a lot more competition. When I started out almost three years ago, I had a head start on most young photojournalists. There were not a lot of people my age who were as into photojournalism as I was. Now, as I enter into adulthood, there are many more who are entering the field. And that trend will only continue as I get older and older, and the competition gets better and better. But the way it stands right now, I feel I have an edge.

I am determined to keep that edge. I will work as hard as I possibly can to keep myself in the upper-ranks of whatever level I am at. The drive to be the best at photojournalism is one of the strongest drives I have ever had. By nature I am a very competitive person. And I think it is very important to me to be the very best because I care so much about what I do. If I didn’t care about my craft and my performance then I should just quit right now.

In exactly one month from today I get on a plane to Columbus, Ohio, en route to Ohio University. Its going to be a day filled with emotion, both deep sorrow and extreme joy and anticipation. You never know, things may not work out, and I am prepared for that if the situation isn’t right. But I am very optimistic that these next four years will be a phenomenal four years of my life. And in all honestly, I am really looking forward to what is to come in my life. I feel as if I am standing on a bluff, overlooking a valley of gold. In order to get there I will have to climb a few hills, dodge the snakes, and stay on the path. Its going to take some work.

I am ready to work harder than I ever have in my entire life. I need to keep that edge.

August 8, 1998

Joe Jaszewski

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Joseph Jaszewski
< joeja@ucdavis.edu >
Student
Davis, California
Other journals by Joeseph Jaszewski
358 April 17, 2000 Thank goodness for film
353 February 25, 2000 McCain in California
345 February 17 , 2000 Wrestling with the WWF
335 November 20, 1999 Trust your instincts
331 Is Photojournalism Dead? Joe Jaszewski Why be a student of photojournalism, if in fact its deceased?
315 September 12, 1999 It was one of the businest days
313 September 6, 1999 T-Ball days
300 July 10, 1999 "We'll Make This One Work"
293 June 30, 1999 105 degrees. 5pm. American Legion baseball, Rio American High School
289 June 2, 1999 Exactly Two Months Ago
287 May 31, 1999 One of my favorite subjects to photograph
275 May 1, 1999 How do you cover a demonstration when you are the target of crowds displeasure?
268 April 22, 1999 While out on assignment, I usually have some clue of what I should do, and when I should do it.
256 March 25, 1999 Hoop Frames
249 March 15, 1999 Perhaps those who should be most concerned about the future of photojournalism are students
220 February 9, 1999 Airlines are a Curious Thing
203 January 18, 1999 Last week I was asked to join the staff of The Sacramento Bee’s group of 7 community weekly newspapers, Neighbors.
196 January 4, 1999 The next step
187 December 13, 1998 Shoot with just one body, a 35mm f/2 lens, and a roll of 800 film.
177 November 21, 1998 Sometimes, things just have a funny way of working out and fate joins your side for a bit.
164 October 27, 1998 It sure feels good when someone in a management capacity notices the work you do and goes out of their way to acknowledge the quality of that work and compliment you.
154 October 7, 1998 Getting my feet back on level ground
148 September September Tom Hubbard Thoughts on being a freshman Guest Journal Thoughts on being a freshman Photos added 9/29
137 August 24, 1998 When formal assignments are running thin and I just have that itch to shoot, I rely on my family to provide a subject: themselves.
130 August 6, 1998 The bar keeps getting raised
119 July 24, 1998 I had no guarantee of selling the photos I was about to take. I figured if I couldn’t get anyone to buy them, then I would just chalk it up to experience.
114 July 17, 1998 . The best high school photojournalism program in the world
110 July 8, 1998 Redemption
103 June 25, 1998 Let’s go and knock on other people’s doors and meet them
91 June 12, 1998 This was a milestone for me, considering I had never had an assignment from a commercial newspaper
71 May 8, 1998 Why I chose Photojournalism as a Career
 
Contributor since 1998
  
   


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