Daily Life Georgia - On Assignment For Associated Press

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Kennesaw State University students play a game of bubble soccer on campus at sunset, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016, in Kennesaw, Ga. (AP Photo/Branden Camp)

I'm four weeks into my last semester in college at Kennesaw State University north of Atlanta.  Throughout my entire college career, I've always had a camera hanging on my shoulder.  I have been hired on the spot by photo editors simply because I had my camera at the right moment.

I also believe that if you are aspiring to be a photojournalist, you really should have a camera at all times.  You never know what will unfold right in front of you.  New York Times staffer Tyler Hicks won a Pulitzer while covering a mall shooting with a small camera while he was in Kenya.  His wife eventually brought him his professional gear.

I took these images for the Associated Press after one of my evening classes. Class let out a little early and I was making my way back to my car. As I was walking across campus, I spotted a bunch of college students running around in big bubble suits.  The sun was falling behind the trees and the sky turned to that nice blue color, lined with purple colored clouds. 

As a last note, I highly encourage you to visit AP's image blog and study away.  This is how I learn and grow as a photojournalist.

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Kennesaw State University students play a game of bubble soccer on campus at sunset, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016, in Kennesaw, Ga. (AP Photo/Branden Camp)

A look into the future...

Today I began a long-form story on farming.  I started the day networking with farmers and agriculture professionals at AG Forecast 2016 in Macon, Georgia and ended my day at Blessed Acres Farm, a small farm in Milner, Georgia. I plan to spend the next 6-9 months documenting the lives of farmers and better understanding agriculture in Georgia.

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Jennifer Head and her farm dog walk through Blessed Acres Farm, Friday, Jan. 29, 2016, in Milner, Ga.  Photo:  Branden Camp

"Happy Hunting"

If you ever hang out with Associated Press photo editor Mike Stewart, he always ends the conversation with "happy hunting" or "go make an image."  Every time I'm on assignment, both these sayings echo through my head.  I have this good anxiety that runs through me every time I head out to find an image.  I'm afraid of not making a good image.  AP staff photographer David Goldman says he always works until he is mentally exhausted in order to make a great image.  I've made this my goal as well.

My favorite assignments have been the ones where I have to go out and find an image when the photo editors says something like, "It's January and people are out enjoying spring like weather.  Take a photo that tells that story."  

Here are some of my favorite images that I've had to go hunt down this month.

Snowy Day in Georgia

I remember it was January 2005 and I was sitting in an office building in New Brunswick, NJ.  The local news said it was going to snow as much as two feet.  Being a Georgia boy my whole life, I thought for sure that it wouldn't really snow that much, that it couldn't snow that much.  After all the most snow accumulations I saw growing up were inches.  Where I grew up, just the idea of snow got you out of school.  Sure enough, it snowed around 22 inches on that Saturday.

Only being in the "Garden State" a few months, I was getting my taste of what I thought would be home for the rest of my life.  I'm not going to lie, I was pretty excited to see that much snow.  It marked a new beginning for me.  Fast forward 12 years and I can't be more happy to only see an inch of snow on some parts of the ground here in Georgia.  It may not be Central Park covered in 24 inches of snow, but it's still beautiful.

Sunlight shines on a house during a light snow fall, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, in Woodstock, Ga.

A cyclist rides on an ice covered street during a light snow fall, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, in Woodstock, Ga.

Snow flakes fall on a horse during a light snow fall, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, in Woodstock, Ga.

Snow flakes fall on horses during a light snow fall, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, in Woodstock, Ga.

Snow falls on a shed during a light snow fall, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, in Woodstock, Ga.

Ted Cruz Campaigns in Georgia

There are many times as a freelance photojournalist that I don't get hired to cover assignments, but I go anyways.  It's important to me that I document history even if I don't have the luxury of getting paid to do it.  Covering Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz was one of those "self assignments."  Cruz made a campaign stop north of Atlanta, Georgia in the city of Kennesaw.  He met with press before the event and then made his way over to an airplane hanger to speak to supporters.