This was our last project for Jou3601 class and I ended up shadowing Pastor Mike Patz from First Assembly of God, for about 14 hours straight. It was definitely an adventure and I gained a lot of insight personally and spiritually during the process.

Jared and I spent an entire summer and some on Preview staff together. We were part of a team that was responsible in getting freshman psyched for UF and already registered for classes by their first day. The preview experience was bitter sweet, I sacrificed quite a bit but learnt a great deal from it. I dare say I have lifelong friends because of Preview and Jared is one of them. He's engaged to his high school sweetheart, Michelle and I'm incredibly proud of them both. "Jared, my man." (In a Denzel in American Gangster voice)

Peter's one of the first people I took class with at UF, I know my clients all seem to be indelibly tied in with my experiences at the University ('it be like that sometimes'). I forget what honors class we had together but Peter's always been brilliant and we shared the same interest in Political Science. What is even more outstanding is the fact that his step grandmother is Ghanaian! So technically he's family, and we had a chance to bond like relatives during the photo shoot. I did mention somewhere in this blog a picture's meaning can express ten thousand words? Yes I did, its the title.

I have been on the grind with photo shoots this week & Nabbie and I actually lived in the same dorm freshman year. This shoot was especially memorable as we both shared memories way back when my gator 1 ID still looked nice and crisp. I think our friendship translated to her comfort level in front of the lens and even though her shoot took a tad longer than planned it was still a pleasure to catch up with an old friend.

Taking grad photo shoots is a bitter-sweet reminder that my 4 year tenure at UF is about to be over. I actually enjoyed spending the hour or so with Shari-Ann partly because she has a priceless smile and it was great recounting some of our favorite memories of being a Gator. She did ask a pertinent question though, who is going to take my (the photographer's) graduation pictures?

Women's Appreciation Day (WAD) is one of my favorite events that my chapter hosts annually. I have three angels for sisters and I the women in my life (mom included) dearly, and even if they are not in attendance its still a great opportunity to appreciate women. I took way more pictures but these two were in my top list for 'most telling'. We invited a representative from Mary Kay to do facials, there were also massages, free food etc. Disclaimer, no its not the same person in both pictures lol.

It's funny that the day after UF proposes budgets cut, where the 'worse possible scenario' may lead to eliminating funding for the Multicultural and Diversity Affairs, the Plaza of Americas is filled with culture & colors from Cree and Aztek/Mexika indigenous peoples. Keith Sharphead is Cree, originates from Alberta Canada; Juan Salinas (middle dancing) and Joana(Juan's daughter) are Aztek/Mexika from Mexico city and they participated in the 2nd annual cultural awareness demonstration on campus. I was blown away by the dancing and captivated by their clothes. It is more obvious to see the implication of budget cuts on places like the IBC or La Casita, Center for Service & Leadership or programs such as Gatorship, but this demonstration by beautiful people of an amazing culture may not have happened if the MCDA didn't have a hand in sponsoring it. Now that's another thing worth protesting about!

I'm walking around campus and I'm trying to savor every moment...after four years who would have thought that I'd want my last two weeks to be my most memorable at UF. Well at least the most documented behind my camera...I sneaked into the dance pavilion as Olivia, Kendra and Sam preview a dance performance for the spring showcase this weekend. Yea I know, I need a wide angle lens and a tripod but for what I got I wasn't complaining at all. Kudos to UF junior Courtney Baron for choreographing this dance entitled "Go forth young child, and soak your sponge" for her Dance Composition 4 class...maybe I should have taken up dance as well. Sike, nah.

I was playing around with a photo editing site I just discovered and smiles and sorority girls are my favored subjects...wait that didn't come out right. Well the colors definitely caught my eye and I wanted to compare and contrast smiles, colors, girls...now I'm just being silly.

So this is one of the pictures I took in February and its definitely one of my favorites. Harvard, the dude jumping & my frat brother, is an inch and a half taller than I. It was supposed to be Kids Day with Greeks from UF playing with kids but it ended up being an opportunity for college students to play in bounce castles, jump rope, flag football and egg races. I jumped right in after this picture, acknowledging the fact that I'm still eleven at heart.

The Ladies of the Iota Lambda chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. marched and joyously sang through campus. They were amongst a sizable new class of Greek initiates to join the NPHC and MGC councils. Though quite a few people wondered why they only marched and sang, I was impressed because thier serenade was a refreshing difference from the usual 45 minute shows other organizations put on in order to introduce their members. Probate shows seemed to have become commercial, and people were lining up with quarters in anticipation of the next step and dance routine. The first picture, with the little girl and the 'future aka' shirt, made it in today's Alligator.

Over the weekend, quite a number of people joined Greek organizations. Attending the probate shows of friends and non-friends alike, I was reminded of my own show almost 3 years ago. I played around a bit with the colors for each picture....like an awakening moment for each show participant.

This year's FACES Modeling Troupe Inc. fashion show was different from the years prior. Some of the clothes weren't as flashing and the strides as exaggerated. The themes and throw back videos were still interesting, and definitely a great opportunity to practice taking pictures with flash in the Reitz Union.

On my way to class I noticed a swarm of students outside Turlington and fire trucks on standby. Grateful that I didn't forget to carry my camera to school today I start snapping away, almost forgetting that I was going to be late for my class... again. Again humbled by the fact when my pictures make it in the Alligator. Maybe, just maybe, I can live up to my childhood fantasy as Peter Parker...where my web shooting device at?

While looking for a subject for my final project in Freeman's class, I was thinking about themes to tell a story. I stumbled upon Physical Plant workers by Newell drive on campus, and I realized how much goes unnoticed. With budget cuts, I know departments face difficult decisions and some professors may lose their jobs; seeing these men hard at work made me wonder about the plight of the non-faculty staff. I'm grateful this picture made it in the Alligator today, I hope it lets students take a brief second and appreciate the unsung heroes of UF's workforce.