|
Friday morning the staff at The Argus said our goodbyes to
photographer Reed Welch, who will be entering a new chapter in his
young life. Reed, who served as a free-lance photographer for this
paper for more than three years, was accepted at one of the top
photojournalism schools in the United States- the Brooks Institute of
Photography at Ventura, Calif.
Sometimes being at the right place at the right time can make all the
difference. And sometimes taking the initiative and asking the right
questions can be a determining factor in molding one’s future. In
Reed’s case, both are true.
Reed told me if he hadn’t stopped by The Argus office in the summer of
2004 and talked the late Dave Heiller into letting him take some photos
“free of charge,” he might not have ever gotten involved with
photojournalism. But Dave took Reed under his wing and became his
mentor. Reed said the encouragement he received from both Heiller and
former managing editor Jane Palen, and later on the many comments and
compliments he received from folks in the community, are what spurred
him on.
“Seeing that first photo I took of those kids after the Diaper Derby at
the fair with my byline on the front page of the paper meant so much to
me,” Reed told me last week.
Once he got involved in newspaper photography, Reed landed a job at
May’s Photo in La Crosse. His work at the Argus helped him land that
job.
Making the decision to head out early Sunday, August 19, 2007 to
capture one most devastating natural disasters to ever hit Houston
County appears to be a decision that will have a major impact in Reed’s
life.
“I wouldn’t be traveling to California to enroll at Brooks Institute if
it hadn’t been for the flood photos I took, or the fact that I’ve had
work broadcast on the major networks,” Reed added.
Reed not only made the decision to brave the heavy rains and lethal
floodwaters to record history in the making with his cameras, he also
took the initiative to contact the local TV stations, who aired his
photos not only on their local feeds, but also nationally. And, he also
contacted CNN, which, after seeing some of his photos, invited him to
be part of a live interview with Reed commenting about his photos,
which was broadcast around the world.
That’s pretty heady thinking for a 22-year-old.
I’ve had the opportunity to see Reed grow as a photojournalist during
the past three years. When managing newspapers for Phillips Publishing
in Spring Valley, we exchanged papers with The Argus. I remember
thinking about what a good eye for photos this Reed Welch fellow had. I
had no idea he was just a year or two out of high school. And during
the year I managed the Houston County News in La Crescent, I again
looked for Reed’s work each week when The Argus arrived.
So when I accepted the position here 10 months ago, I was looking
forward to finally meeting Reed and working with him. I must admit, I
was more than a little surprised when I learned he had just turned 22,
had not attended any post-secondary schooling for art, journalism, or
photography. This was raw talent in the making!
We’re certainly going to miss Reed, not only for all the wonderful
photos that made this newspaper that much stronger, I’m also going to
miss him stopping by and shooting the breeze with me. Reed is a free
spirit, and although 30 years younger than me, we seemed to have a lot
in common. In many ways, he reminded me of myself three decades ago
when I was searching for my niche in life.
Good luck in California Reed. And when you make “the big time,” don’t
forget about your many friends back home. Any by the way, could you
send us a little of that California sun???? This fog and gloomy weather
is getting kind of old.
 |
