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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Three cheers for the photojournalists: You should be celebrated

Look to your left, then to your right.

Do you see a camera?

You should.

If not, one of your closest friends will soon pick a camera up and begin the journey as your group’s historian.

Treasure this person. He or she chose to forgo some of the greatest moments of their college career to capture them behind a 5-inch black lens.

This is so important, because, I’m sorry to say Instagram doesn’t count as photojournalism.

There is something to be said for the wallflower.

For the silent soul who posts and tags you on Facebook hours later, for the person who will give you your graduation photos — the only person who has photos of you and your sweetheart as you awkwardly pretended you didn’t want to be together.

Three cheers for you, Ansel-Adams-to-be.

One for taking the backseat in others’ stories.

Two for shooting frequently.

Three for getting better each day.

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Every moment of your journey — from the first awkward shot of your sister trying to smile to that time you drop it in the water trying to take an artsy photo — your pursuit is an art. And I wish someone had told me that sooner.

So to you: Continue shooting.

To your friends: STOP LOOKING AT THE CAMERA.

And to the parents: Give your children a little extra money for a fisheye.

The product is immeasurable, I promise.

In conclusion:

How do I plan to wrap up four years?

Teary-eyed and alone, with a bottle of wine and “Graduation” by Vitamin C on blast?

No, thank you.

I choose my photos.

The more than two million snapshots mashed together on Facebook, Instagram and my computer’s hard drive may never be printed and might even be forgotten.

But the joy of the moments captured will make Gainesville more than just a pit stop in my life.

They are my points of pride.

Aundre Larrow is the Alligator’s assistant photo editor. He is a journalism and economics senior at UF. 

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