While students carry on about their everyday lives whether it’s studying in class, performing in a play or even cheering on your team on the sidelines, you just might see a student taking your picture. You may be wondering, “Why?” Well, that person taking a picture of you is part of the publication staff.

Here at Manhattan High, the publications include “The Manhattan Blue M” for the yearbook, and also “The Mentor,” which is the newspaper publication. One major thing that contributes to these publications is photography, also referred to as photojournalism when it correlates to anything involving a certain kind of media and/or publications. Photo students who are on the publications staff take pictures of almost anything and different photographers have different preferences as well.

“I really like portraits, it lets you control the image and be creative,” staff photographer Hailey Eilert said.

Portraits are usually used when the staff needs any sort of mug shot for a column in the newspaper. The creativity comes in play when the photographer chooses the setting for the background.

To cover sports takes a little more knowledge about how to use the camera because if not then the pictures won’t turn out for the best. “Sports are more difficult to shoot than a more relaxed event like a club meeting or orchestra concert. Everyone and everything is moving fast and the conditions that most games are played in require you to have first hand experience in shooting things like that.”  staff photo editor McKenna Eilert said.

Taking pictures for the publications isn’t like any normal homework assignment, there is time and effort put into it as well. “I spend many of my school hours everyday either shooting photo shoots, editing photos, or writing captions,” staff photo editor Aaron Hemby said. Writing stories and columns may be a big contribution to the publications but also taking the photos needed for that specific event is a memory worth capturing.