On the street & off the cuff

By Michael Malik
Indiana University
Photo by Rachael Strecher, Columbia College

Adrian DiUbaldo (right), a 23-year-old photography student from Metro-politan State College in Denver, said the 2006 SPJ Convention and National Journalism Conference is the first SPJ conference he’s attended. Diuvaldo said he hopes the days he spends in Chicago will not only improve his skills as a photojournalist, but also help him connect with editors seeking entry-level photographers.
Here are some of Diuvaldo’s thoughts on journalism and the convention:
If you were in charge of creating your own seminar about photojournalism, what would you make it about?
Probably ethics, in terms of what to do, and what not to do. With journalism there can be a lot of controversy. We are giving the information and a lot of people have to understand that all information needs to be taken with a grain of salt, and not a lot of people understand that.
Is there one photojournalist that you would like to meet right now, dead or alive?
I really enjoy portraiture. Arnold Newman is an amazing portraiture (photographer). War photography would be (Time magazine photographer) James Nachtwey. He’s amazing. One who’s passed would be Henri Cartier Bresson (considered by many to be the father of modern photojournalism).
Have you ever been to Chicago before? Do you think you’ll enjoy it?
Yeah, I’m looking forward to it. I don’t know anything about Chicago, but I’m excited about it.
Do you think you will go to the convention next year?
Yeah, we’ll see.
What’s the main reason that you’re here?
I won an award, Mark of Excellence, for feature photography.
What is it about photojournalism that you love the most?
Just telling stories visually. Everything about the story, getting to a situation, or an event, and creating something with people who are already there. Explain what it was like there.