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By JOYANNA LOVE | Managing Editor

Photography has been an uphill climb for me throughout my career.

All of my training has been on-the-job, since I never took a photography class in college. Such a class (and one in video) is likely now a required course in most journalism programs, but at my alma mater when I attended, it was optional. One of my top pieces of advice for students interested in this field is to take a photography course to have a better foundation than I did.

Unfortunately, journalist photography is not the type of thing that has a solution that works in every setting. Sometimes even in the same room, the same settings do not translate to quality photos. Fortunately, in my time here, I have had helpful advice from co-workers that has greatly improved my skills and confidence when taking photos.

This week, I especially liked how some photos I took of food at a local restaurant turned out. Food photography is especially difficult because the dish reflects a lot of light. Settings have to be changed and different angles tested to get the best shot. On this day, it all came together, and I was able to get some nice shots. It is always a good feeling to be able to see hard work pay off.

Sometimes when trying to take a photo, the focus is off. The photo comes out blurry or the wrong portion of the photo is sharp, while the important part is out-of-focus. A couple of times if I just step back a little, it all comes into focus.

Life is a bit like this. Changing perspective can bring things into a clearer focus. Things that seemed like a huge problem are sometimes more manageable when looking at them from a different perspective. Sometimes a small change, like walking away for a minute or choosing to take a nap before trying to tackle a project, can make a big difference.