Photographer of the Year Portfolio
This is my portfolio for the 2026 IHSPA Photographer of the Year.
Thank you for your time and consideration of my work.
Sky High in a Suit and Tie
Crowd surfing through a group of students, Thomas Tong ’26 celebrates at the Graduate Hotel May 3. Students danced, ate and partied from 6-9:00 p.m to celebrate West High prom.
NSPA 3rd Place National Feature Photo of the Year
Published May 29, 2025 in the West Side Story Print, Vol. 57, Issue 6, Page 2
Behind the lens: A dark dance floor drenched in sweat from teen mosh pits doesn't wait for you to figure things out; you have to react. Covering the West High prom, my first assignment for the Press-Citizen, taught me that real photojournalism isn't waiting for a poised picture, but going with your gut. As I shot with flash for the first time, amid constant motion and lasers as the only light source, I had to adapt quickly. As the music swelled and the crowd shifted, I saw a familiar smile rise above it all. In that instant, I aimed and fired, letting the burst of light cut through the darkness to freeze him midair. The image suspends a special moment in a split second. And in learning to trust the flash — to trust myself — I captured what I value most: a fleeting moment, illuminated.
Stolen Moments
In the pocket, a guitarist plays "Stolen Moments" by Oliver Nelson during the Iowa City Jazz Festival in downtown Iowa City July 5. At the Iowa City Jazz Festival, groups performed near the Old Capitol Mall July 4-6.
Published Jan. 23, 2026, in the West Side Story Print, Vol. 58, Issue 3, Page 21
Behind the lens: Photography and jazz share a discipline; both require you to sit in the pocket while staying precise. As a jazz saxophonist, covering the Iowa City Jazz Fest for the Press-Citizen felt equally innate. While moving through downtown, I heard a guitarist playing "Stolen Moments" by Oliver Nelson — one of my favorite charts. With the midday light and ambient energy, I used this opportunity to experiment with bokeh, adjusting focal length and distance to isolate the subject in his own world, conveying the feeling of being engrossed in creating art. In that moment, I was grateful to "steal a moment" from an equally passionate artist.
Athletics in Arc
Landing in the sand, Dubuque Hempstead’s Jordan Plummer ’26 competes in the long jump. Plummer earned a personal record of 21-04.25, placing sixth at the Iowa track and field state qualifying meet at Trojan Field May 15.
Published May 15, 2025 on @westhighathletics Instagram
Behind the lens: Just like photography, track and field is explosive -- something I've come to appreciate in both of my disciplines. Although I'm a distance runner, shooting the long jump gave me a newfound appreciation for the event. Stationed opposite the pit, I tracked the athlete's approach, counting each stride to anticipate the board. As he made the jump, I dialed a fast shutter speed and continuous burst to capture every intricacy. When he struck the sand, the pit erupted, each grain scattering outward in a suspended arc. Even though the photograph is still, you can see the motions from the collision. It's moments like these that I'm drawn to the sport and the craft, through an appreciation for timing, detail, and effort.
It's Not Too Late
During the nationwide 'Hands Off!' protest, a husband checks on his wife on N Dubuque Street in downtown Iowa City April 5. The march route was handicap accessible, allowing people of all ages and abilities to come together and protest against the Trump Administration's new policies.
Behind the lens: Not every moment is loud; some are quiet, deliberate, and deeply personal. As a photographer, these are my favorite moments. Something so minuscule you could miss it if you blink while walking down the streets of Iowa City. Amidst the chants and police sirens of the "Hands Off!" protest downtown, I searched for moments past the surface of the protest. As the crowd flowed past, I spotted a couple side by side, their presence stable between the movement around them. I used framing to isolate them, letting people, signs, and motion fall away at the edges so their connection remained central. Finding the small moments through photography has made me a more careful, inquisitive journalist and person. That's why it's my vocation to find where conviction feels personal.
Freedom in Flight
Coming up for a breath, Winston Fan ’26 swims the 100-yard butterfly at Summit Middle School Feb. 8. Fan qualified for the IHSAA state championship by finishing second at the IHSAA district meet with a time of 51.11. "It feels freeing," Fan said. "All the nerves dissolve with each exhale as years of dedication finally pay off."
Behind the lens: The butterfly is a stroke of transformation; it's demanding, rhythmic, and fleeting. As Fan surfaced for a breath, his arms carved outwards like wings in motion. Shooting using tracking focus and a tight frame, I captured the moment he describes as "freeing." Interviewing him afterward, I began to understand my own version of that freedom; after years of making mistakes, learning, and adjusting, you learn how to be free-spirited. Like a butterfly mid-flight, the image exists in a fragile space between strain and grace. In that moment, the subject and the photographer arrive in the same place: discipline gives way to effortlessness, and all that's left is freedom.