CANUTILLO, Texas (KVIA) — A Borderland high school senior got the invitation of a lifetime when he was hired to photograph the 90th Annual Sun Bowl game in December 2023.

18-year old Canutillo High School student Ryan Romero was hired by none other than the official University of Notre Dame publication, “The Observer,” to document the Fighting Irish.

He’s been shooting sporting events since 2022 and his portfolio includes UTEP women’s soccer and volleyball, the Rhinos, and now Notre Dame is on his resume.

“You just got to get the right moment. You got to get the players running, mid stride, when they’re coming right at you. You just have to be in the right spot at the right time,” Romero says.

He adds that a lot of his favorite pictures are complete accidents.

Ryan has been accepted by UTEP and plans to study journalism. Looks like he’s off to a fantastic start!

Creating an engaging photography website is more than just a digital showcase; it’s a pivotal element in a photographer’s professional identity and in building a successful business. This helpful video tutorial features an experienced photographer sharing a range of tips sure to improve yours.

Coming to you from Justin Mott, this enlightening video dives deep into the intricacies of building a successful photography website. Mott underscores the importance of simplicity in website names and advises against using cliché photography terms. He advocates for clear, straightforward naming, using his own site as an example. His emphasis on authenticity in representing one’s work resonates throughout the video. His advice to avoid over-embellishing one’s skills or experience is particularly significant, stressing the value of honesty and transparency in the professional photography sphere.

Mott also discusses the layout and content of a photography website. He suggests a black, white, or gray background for the main page to let the images stand out. His advice on the landing page is particularly important, recommending photographers to lead with their strongest work to immediately capture the viewer’s interest. Mott also recommends categorizing galleries based on the type of work one wants to get hired for, ensuring each category reflects a well-rounded body of work. Additionally, he encourages photographers to consider the website’s user experience, suggesting features like a lightbox for full-size image viewing. For a comprehensive understanding of how to craft a compelling photography website, check out the video above for the full rundown from Mott.

“Twenty years [later], the work still stands today,” Velasco told Art & Object in a recent interview. “I witnessed this [while] working with my father as a land surveyor assistant. He has taken me to fringes of society that [have] been unseen and unheard [in] the San Joaquin Valley of California. This was less than a year ago.”

In 104 Degrees, an image taken in 1998, Velasco chose to photograph a farm worker in the early afternoon, trading a wide value range for predominant highlights to convey the intense sunlight and heat during the late summer harvest. Velasco stepped rather uneasily in front of the tractor to take this image, shares Ledesma.

In Eric, Velasco depicts the titular youth sitting on a tractor in dappled light. Ledesma cites this work and its community-focused narrative as particularly poignant. Eric’s grandfather — the only Black tobacco farmer in Stovall, NC — had just passed away, so locals were helping Eric’s family cure and farm tobacco. After Velasco photographed the laborers during lunch, they encouraged him to continue while they worked, later asking Velasco how much they owed him for his photographs. “There was a great amount of humility,” said Velasco.

Velasco conjures evocative narratives with certain compositions. In an untitled work from 1999 taken on the same day as Eric, a stern adolescent sits inside a doorway, working with tobacco leaves. The white-hot exterior light spills around the young laborer and into the barn, illuminating the boot-printed texture of the dirt floor before gradually dissipating into the pitch-black interior in dramatic contrast reminiscent of a Caravaggio painting.

Photography is an art form that blends creativity with technical skill and constantly evolves with new techniques and technologies. For those eager to refine their craft, understanding that the journey of learning and growth in photography is anything but quick and straight is essential. It’s not just about capturing the perfect shot, but also about the process and the personal development that comes with it.

Coming to you from The Photographic Eye, this thoughtful video delves into the heart of what it means to be a photographer. It challenges the modern obsession with learning quickly, highlighting the deeper satisfaction found in gradual progress and overcoming challenges. The video emphasizes the value of patience and persistence in photography, drawing on historical figures like Ansel Adams and Harry Callahan to illustrate the point. It argues that real growth in photography comes not from shortcuts, but from the ongoing process of learning, experimenting, and adapting.

The discussion extends to the contrast between instant gratification and the rewarding journey of developing skills over time. The video criticizes the notion of learning photography “fast,” pointing out that true mastery comes from understanding and experiencing the process. It’s about celebrating small victories and the incremental progress that leads to genuine skill and artistic expression. This approach to photography not only enhances technical abilities but also deepens the personal connection to the art form. No matter where you are in your journey, it’s worth a watch.