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Thursday, January 25, 2007
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Photography clicks for Wentworth FINE ARTS STUDENT OF THE WEEK Staff Writer If you know who Melissa Wentworth is you know that where she goes, her camera goes.
Wentworth, a Brainerd High School senior, loves taking photographs and has done so ever since fifth grade.
"It's fun to capture memories," Wentworth said. "I'm horrible at remembering things and this way I have all the photos to look at."
Wentworth takes so many photographs that last year, the high school's yearbook used some of her work, which she thought was "pretty cool." So last fall, Wentworth joined the Brainonian staff and now she takes the photographs for the yearbook as well as lays out pages. There will be 208 pages in the yearbook this school year, and so far, 100 are complete.
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Brainerd High School senior Melissa Wentworth posed with her camera in the Media Center on Monday. Wentworth was named Fine Arts Student of the Week for her work on the Brainonian. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
» Purchase reprints of this photo.
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Nancy Evans, the Brainonian adviser said, "Melissa came into yearbook class as a senior with no experience. She quickly become one of our stars, learning to excel at both photography and page layout design. She devotes many hours outside of class to make sure her pages sparkle. She recently entered a photo contest sponsored by our yearbook publisher."
For this, Evans named Wentworth the Fine Arts Student of the Week. Following is a question-and-answer session with the senior.
What do you think about being in yearbook?
"It's so much fun. It's cool that I get to see what the yearbook will look like before everyone else does. It's a great way to end the day."
Was it pretty easy when you joined yearbook because of your photography skills?
"It came naturally. I pick up on stuff quickly anyway so it was pretty easy. I learned quickly how to use Photoshop.
Melissa Wentworth
Art focus: Brainonian.
Art activities: Brainonian, symphonic band and photography.
Year: Senior.
Age: 18.
GPA: 3.88.
Favorite subjects: Geography and yearbook.
Artist most admired: Thomas Mangelsen, a photographer.
Favorite TV program: "CSI."
Favorite movies: "Pirates of the Caribbean," "Honey" and "Poseidon."
Favorite food: German pancakes.
Favorite song: "Everything You Ever Wanted" by Hawk Nelson.
Parents: Steve and Sue Wentworth of Merrifield.
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"Taking the photos was a piece of cake. I like doing it. There are people who complain about going out taking photos, but I love to do it. I have my camera with me all the time. At the Christmas Ball this year, I had it with me and my friends were telling me to put it down, but I couldn't. I was taking photos for yearbook and myself. I took about 200 to 300 photos."
What makes you a good photographer?
"I think I have an eye for it. I love the natural part of it. I like to take photos when something is happening, as people are in their everyday life ... Living in the moment. I don't like it when people know I'm there taking photos. I don't like to be noticed."
Of all the photos you've taken over the years, which one is your favorite?
"I went on a mission trip to Guatemala last summer and I took about 600 pictures. My favorite picture was one of a cross sitting at the top of a hill overlooking the city of Antigua and the mountains. I love this picture."
What photo are you most proud of that you took for yearbook?
"It was a photo from the boys' swimming event. This guy was doing the backstroke and was coming off the start and the water was hovering over him. I love it when the water splashes in photos. I'm in girls swimming so I know a lot of the guys on the team so it was a lot of fun."
What pictures did the Brainonian staff use of yours last year when you weren't in yearbook?
"I'm in track so I had a ton of pictures from the meets. I also had some from prom and the Christmas Ball."
You also lay out pages. Which page are you most proud of?
"The holiday ball page. I worked with Meg Jourdan on it. We tried to find the right type of setup for the page. We found a calendar page that had snowflakes on it that we liked. We used the squares as photos and put in different colors. It really fit nicely. We changed it so much that no one will be able to tell that we used a calendar."
How long does it take you to lay out a page?
"Sometimes it can take a while because we're trying to find the names of the people in the photos. I think it takes about a week and a half to do one page. We've had six deadlines so far and everyone works on a page or two."
What's your biggest strength in yearbook?
"Photography. In swimming and other sporting events, things go by so fast that you need to know when to take the photo. With me being in sports, I know when to be ready to take it and I have the patience that a person needs to take photos."
What's your biggest weakness in yearbook?
"Writing. Most pages require writing and I'm not good at that at all. I took a composition class at CLC (Central Lakes College) and it killed me. I try to find a variety of ways to write something to be different, but it's tough."
How has being in yearbook improved your skills as a photographer?
"It has helped my concentrate more in finding the good stuff to take photos of. I'm more picky. I strive to take better shots and to get rid of all the out-of-focus ones."
What photo did you enter in the 2007 Jostens photo contest?
"A picture of my sister talking on my phone while walking in a field at my grandpa's. I captured her smiling on the phone and had the background blurry. It was a moment of happiness."
What are your plans after high school?
"To go to Minnesota State University, Moorhead, to earn a bachelor's of art degree in photography and to minor in business management in case I want to open my own studio."
What's your dream job?
"I'd like to be a traveling freelance photographer at a magazine like 'National Geographic.' When I was little I had many 'National Geographic' magazines. I've been a member of it since 2000 and my grandma gave me some of the magazines when I was little. I have some from 1954."
Honorable mention:
Tirth Patel, senior, mock trial: Patel is a lawyer for the Brainerd Blue Mock Trial team, where he has provided leadership and exceptional commitment, his mock trial adviser said. At the Jan. 13 scrimmage in St. Cloud, the judges said Patel did an excellent job, even when he injected humor in his questioning.
JENNIFER STOCKINGER can be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851.
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