August 2016
September 14, 2016August was a time of change and travel.
My last 10-days at the Fayetteville Observer were turned upside down with the announcement, the Fayetteville Publishing Co. was selling to GateHouse Media. The sale was a shock, marking the end of 93 years of local, family ownership. Reporters warned me from my first day on the job that journalism is changing and to think long and hard about staying in the business. I took the advise in the opposite way it was intended; I decided from that day on I would fight to be a community newspaper photographer as long as I possibly can. This has always been my goal straight out of college but now I was seeing, first hand, with buyout offers and threats of layoffs, that you need to be irreplaceable.
Here is to continuing to carve a name for myself in the industry that is full of legends.
My last day at the Fayetteville Observer was bittersweet. I was surprised with a lunch out with coworkers and a photoshoot with the whole newsroom!
With my mother and sister as road trip buddies we packed up the car and took the long way home, from North Carolina to Michigan. Within 48 hours of arriving, Mac and I were on a plane to Oregon. A ten day vacation in the place we will soon call home!
