New Symrna

My Photo scholarship 2010 entry

Worldwide | Tuesday, August 10, 2010 | 5 photos

The Shuttle Discovery photo was taken April 5, 2010, at New Smyrna Beach. It was published in the New York Times the next day. It was the greatest thing that ever happened to me.
About four days later, my girlfriend’s father was killed in a car accident. The day before his funeral we were at his mother’s house. She didn’t know about the photo, but she was telling us stories about how she used to pick up her dad from work how they watched the shuttle take from the beach. She said they used to drink whiskey and rye and eat Dunkin’ Doughnuts on the beach while waiting for it late at night.
After the funeral, I gave her a print of the photo because I thought it might mean more to her.
She gave me a huge hug before she left, and I’ll never forget that.
I gave her something that she can look at and remember the time she spent with her child, watching the shuttle light up the beach.
Its the first time in eight years I realized what I was doing with photography.
I’ve been told the photo is historic, that Obama spoke at NASA that day, that people have been trying to get that shot for years and it was the last “night” launch.
While all of those things may be true, the photo I took reminds me of when I used to spend the day at the beach with my family and watch the thing fly into space.
My photos are of families at the beach. They are spiting off a dock, pretending to fly into the sunset, throwing a ball, building a sand castle and all gathering to watch mankind’s greatest endeavor. Yes, that’s the photo that made me realize why I take pictures.

I take photos to provide memories for people. and it is my life's goal to make you remember.
This scholarship would help me achieve my goal of being a photojournalist, and tell people's stories.
I have also incorporated the theme of flying because I think it is whimsical, like the feeling of freedom you get at the beach.