[1]NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–For David Leeson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer for the Dallas Morning News, his camera has been “an amazing, powerful tool….”
“I knew that Jesus Christ had brought some sort of change in my life and that I wanted to do the same for others in my career, whatever that career would be,” Leeson said during the fifth annual Baptist Press national Collegiate Journalism Conference Oct. 13-15 in Nashville, Tenn.
“It just so happened it was photojournalism. And with this little magical box, this wonderful thing called a camera, I realized that something amazing could happen, that I could touch hearts and minds with it,” Leeson said.
Leeson and Steven K. Helling of People magazine and Gary Fong of the San Francisco Chronicle were the conference’s keynote speakers, while a variety of workshop leaders focused on news and feature writing, photography, broadcasting, graphic design and public relations. Worship was led by members of the Christian recording group No Other Name.
The conference’s “Prepare the Way” theme encouraged the 100-plus students and faculty to prepare the way for Jesus to be glorified through their craft and their Christian faith.
“It has been our goal from the beginning to hold an event giving students the best skill-building workshops anywhere and to encourage them in their pursuit of a career in journalism,” said Will Hall, vice president for news services with the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee and executive editor of Baptist Press.
[2]“The extraordinary faculty we hosted did a wonderful job of conveying the message that Christian journalists need to honor God by excelling both in the quality of their work and their daily witness,” Hall said.
In the annual Excellence in Journalism Competition, Jonathan Smith, a student at Abilene Christian University, won the top award — the President’s Award — for overall excellence.
Leeson said Christian journalists must use their work to reflect Jesus Christ, but noted: “I desperately want you to understand something: It’s not about you.
“It’s about something far greater than you. And as Christians, as believers in Jesus Christ, it’s about something even greater than that,” Leeson said. “It’s about Jesus Christ within you working both in and through you to make a difference.”
In 1992 Leeson decided to leave photojournalism and become a minister. But while attending classes in preparation for ministry, he heard God say, “This is not what I want for you.” In response to God’s leading, Leeson returned to journalism and realized that his profession provides just as much opportunity for serving God as being a pastor would.
“[God] wanted me to know I am right now on the frontlines of the ministry. I am in a mission field,” he said.
Leeson discovered that he, along with all other photojournalists, had an opportunity through photography to direct people’s attention to needs in the world and motivate them to meet those needs. He encouraged students to use journalism as a ministry to care for people and inspire compassion.
“You have a mission and that mission is right there with you right now,” Leeson said. “You may not fully recognize it. You may not fully understand it. But you have a mission.”
Helling, a writer for People magazine, said Christian journalists must maintain their Christian testimony before colleagues, editors and readers.
He has covered stories in the United States, the Caribbean and South America, including the Terri Schiavo case, Tiger Woods’ wedding and Natalee Holloway’s disappearance in Aruba.
“You have to decide as a Christian what you’re going to promote and what you’re not. And the first thing you have to decide as a Christian journalist is who you represent,” Helling said.
Those who represent Christ must avoid situations that will lead to sin and take principled stands for biblical values when necessary, he said. At times a Christian writer may have to decline the opportunity to write an article if that article would hurt the cause of Christ, he said.
“I’m going to be answering to God one day for the things that I did,” Helling said.
Christian journalists must make a commitment to be fair in their writing, he said. Fairness does not require setting aside a Christian worldview but does demand that writers identify their biases and not allow those biases to interfere with objective reporting, Helling said.
“Always be in prayer for wisdom,” he said. “You’ve got to spend some time on your knees praying to God, saying, ‘Lord, I don’t know what Satan is going to throw my way today, but I need to know how to handle it.’”
Christian journalists have a powerful opportunity to influence the world positively and should do their work as kindly and fairly as possible, Helling concluded.
“There’s a chance that … wherever you’re put, and wherever God puts you, you can be a positive influence,” he said.
Fong, director of editorial graphics technology at the San Francisco Chronicle, showed students some of his photographs over the years and said journalists have unique opportunities to meet people and learn how God has worked in their lives.
Fong said his work at the Chronicle has required him to search for interesting people to photograph. By trusting and listening to God in his search for pictures, Fong said he has encountered friendly people and captured beautiful images of God’s creation.
“In my course of wandering I always ask God, ‘Lord, You bring me to those people that You want me to see. You open my eyes to the pictures that You want me to see, people that You want me to meet. I am open to You, to anything You want me to see and share,’” he said. “And I have an opportunity to meet some of the most fun people, average people and just memorable people.”
Showing students a picture he took of birds standing on a frozen pond, Fong said that God often uses moments from his photography to call to mind spiritual lessons. The birds reminded Fong that God takes care of every creature on earth and provides for all our needs.
“God takes care of us,” he said. “I just keep thinking about that and praising God for that.”
One highlight of Fong’s career has been participating in a group called Christians in Photojournalism, he said. Early in his career, Fong felt like he was the only Christian working in journalism, but in the mid-1970s he met several other Christian journalists and formed a loose association that has grown to more than 1,200 people. Members of the group make it a priority to encourage one another to remain faithful to Christ as they pursue their craft, he said.
For a Christian to experience ultimate success in journalism, he or she must be committed to Christ and draw encouragement from God’s love, Fong said.
“If you are committed to the Lord and you bring God with you to serve Him in your craft, He will remind you that He loves you,” he said.
“Live for Him. You take Jesus with you when you walk. You surrender all to Him.”
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2005 Excellence in Journalism Contest Winners
PRESIDENT’S AWARD
Jonathan Smith, Abilene Christian University
INDIVIDUAL YEARBOOK
Art/Illustration
Amy Visser, Corban College, first
Best Overall Coverage
Amy Patterson, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, first
Brooke Dammon, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, second
Jessica Youngpeter, Baylor University, third
Club/Portrait/Academic Copy
Brooke Dammon, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, first
Amy Patterson, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, second
Kristin Allman , Ouachita Baptist University, third
Graphic/Infographics
Lessie Bernshouse, Blue Mountain College, first
Portrait Spread Design
Erin Smith, Ouachita Baptist University, first
Amy Patterson, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, second
Sports/Club Design
Amy Patterson, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, first
Jessica Youngpeter, Baylor University, second
Amy Patterson, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, third
Sports Copy
Jessica Youngpeter, Baylor University, first
Chase Williams/Christi Snow, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, second
Jessica Youngpeter, Baylor University, third
Student Life Copy
Kasey McKeever, Ouachita Baptist University, first
Aline Defreitas, Baylor University, second
Aline Defreitas, Baylor University, third
OVERALL YEARBOOK
Vindagua 2005, Lee University, first
2005 Bluebonnet, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, second
The Angelos, California Baptist University, third
OVERALL BROADCAST
Patriot Talk, Cumberland College, first
INDIVIDUAL PHOTOJOURNALISM (B&W)
Academic/Organization
Kristen Nicole Sayres, Union University, first
Adam Bishop, Liberty University, second
Kristine Endsley, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, third
Creative/Artistic
Adam Bishop, Liberty University, first
Lindsay Stavish, Union University, second
Matt Trent, Liberty University, third
Personality
Adam Bishop, Liberty University, first
Michelle Attaway, North Greenville College, second
Kristen Nicole Sayres, Union University, third
Photo Spread
Kristen Sayres/Lindsay Stavish, Union University, first
Sports
Travis Donley, North Greenville College, first
Travis Donley, North Greenville College, second
Kristen Nicole Sayres, Union University, third
INDIVIDUAL PHOTOJOURNALISM (COLOR)
Academic/Organization
Kathleen Murray, Union University, first
Amanda Herron, Union University, second
Alicia Whaley, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, third
Creative/Artistic
Jonathan Blair, Union University, first
Steven Heldenbrand, Baylor University, second
Steven Heldenbrand, Baylor University, third
Personality
Steven Heldenbrand, Baylor University, first
Robert Shaw, Baylor University, second
Natalie Kaspar, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, third
Photo Spread
Steven Heldenbrand/Eric Chyn, Baylor University, first
Steven Heldenbrand/Eric Chyn, Baylor University, second
Kathleen Murray, Union University, third
Sports
Jonathan Blair, Union University, first
Steven Heldenbrand, Baylor University, second
Kristin Hiller, Union University, third
OVERALL WORLD WIDE WEB SITE
Cardinal & Cream, Union University, first
Cedars Online, Cedarville University, second
INDIVIDUAL NEWSPAPER
Cartoon/Infographics/Ad Design
Donny Stephenson, Ouachita Baptist University, first
Travis Mitchett, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, second
Wes Rice, Gardner-Webb University, third
Center Spread Design
D.J. Warren, Houston Baptist University, first
Hannah Persall, Union University, second
Jennifer Menster, et al, Gardner-Webb University, third
Feature Writing
Tracy Upton, Houston Baptist University, first
Mitchell Smith, William Carey College, first
Courtney Willey, Campbell University, second
Natalie Kaspar, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, second
Allison Staly, North Greenville College, third
Natalie Kaspar, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, third
Front Page Design
Pete Marozzi, Campbell University, first
Natalie Kaspar, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, second
Vicky Misa/Brad Newman, Oklahoma Baptist University, third
Indepth Writing
D.J. Warren, Houston Baptist University, first
Natalie Kaspar, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, second
Courtney Willey, Campbell University, third
News Writing
Janice Marie Ferguson, Deanna Lowry, Baylor University, first
Natalie Kaspar/Sara-Jane Sanders, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, first
Joe Dugan, Cedarville University, second
Amanda Eady, William Carey College, second
Elvia Aguilar, Wes Spencer, Baylor University, third
Nic Pfost, Union University, third
Regular Column Writing
Natalie Kaspar, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, first
Erin Glenn-Everett, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, first
Melissa Lilley, Campbell University, second
Joe Dugan, Cedarville University, second
Jason D. Pope, Liberty University, third
Jill Martin, Union University, third
Sports Writing
Julie Pickard, Union University, first
Drew Williamson, Baylor University, second
Julie Pickard, Union University, third
OVERALL NEWSPAPER
Division I
The Bells, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, first
The Bison, Oklahoma Baptist University, second
Cardiinal & Cream, Union University, third
Division II
The Liberty Champion, Liberty University, first
The Baylor Lariat, Baylor University, second
The Pilot, Gardner-Webb University, third