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June 12, 1998 06-05-98 04:47PM - My pager goes off with an unknown number. Or so I thought. About 10 seconds later I realized the prefix: 348. That’s Roger! Roger Jerkovich, the photography editor at the Sacramento Bee Neighbors (a weekly supplement to the Bee), had just paged me. This was a milestone for me, considering I had never had an assignment from a commercial newspaper. I had shot for various agencies, including the Department of the Interior (more on that later) and two features for the AP on speculation, but I had never had an assignment. I found the closest phone and with anticipation I called him. Sure enough, he wanted me to shoot two assignments the next day, which was Saturday. I didn’t have a piece of paper with me, so I started writing the info he was giving me down on my hand, and then moved to my arm (see picture).
His office was about 20 minutes from where I was, but I needed to get film. So I went over there, thanked him, got my film, and got the assignment sheets so I wouldn't have to rely on my skin as a writing surface. When I was nearly home, I realized that I had left my camera on his light box. AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHRRRRGGGGGGG!!!! Now I had to go back out into the rush-hour traffic for another 40 mintue round trip drive. Furthermore, I had to call Roger and make sure he would be there. He was. I woke of early the next morning due to my excitement. I talked to a friend of mine who reminded me to f--k it up. Thanks, Tom. The first assignment was of a golfer who played at a local high school and now was a key member of the University of California, Davis men’s golf team. I went out to one of the nicer golf course in the area and make some pictures of him putting, chipping, driving, and of course the obligatory portrait. He was a cool guy and it was a nice place for my first assignment ever. My second assignment was a bit more challenging and not so straightforward. It was a rehearsal of a series of one-act plays the Senior Players of American River Community are putting on. The room was cluttered and had horrible flat lighting. It was very tough to get a nice clean shot. I was there for about two-and-a-half hours trying to get a quality photograph. It certainly was nice having that kind of time to spend there, and I think I came away with some decent stuff. Not exceptional, but certainly usable.
A lot of young shooters are getting assignments when they are fifteen and sixteen. I didn’t get my first until I was eighteen. But I worked so hard for that assignment. Countless phone calls, letters, visits with my portfolio in hand, and downright begging. But it was all worth it. June 12, 1998
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Joseph
Jaszewski
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Contributor
since 1998
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Behind
the Viewfinder - A Year in the Life of Photojournalism |
