Hi! I am Samantha MadarA photojournalist here at the Dispatch of Columbus. I was born and I grew up in Michigan, and before panicking: no, I am not Ann Arbor.
I grew up in a rural town north of Lansing, Michigan, called St. Johns. It is your little town typical of the film Hallmark where everyone knows you, and if you are arrested by a cop, it is probably the father of your teammate who wonders why you are so late.
I was always the girl with a camera in her hands. I always used my first camera, an orange Kodak Easyshare M753, to take pictures of my friends and I long before basketball training to take pictures of my starry star sister by hitting circuits at the stadium.
Although I call the state in the north of my first house, I always considered myself a little nomadic. The photojournalism took me across the country, having lived in nine cities and five states. But Columbus has always been one of my favorite cities.
After completing an internship in The Dispatch in 2018, I knew I wanted to work here one day. This dream came true last year when I was hired as a photojournalist of the staff, and it has been a thrill since.
What made me want to be photojournalist
In 2010, my directory teacher sent me to a workshop in Michigan Interscholastic Press Association. It was then that I heard the word “photojournalism” for the first time. I remember being seated in this auditorium, seeing these incredible narration images that made me feel all the emotions, and I said to myself: “That, I will do that.”
Before I know, I was accepted at Central Michigan University, which has one of the best photojournalism programs in the country. I had no idea what I was signaling, but I am so grateful that it was the path I chose. From there, I learned the depths of photojournalism, the impact it can have on communities and the immense responsibility for being a good journalist.
Passionate about sports photography
Some might say that my brain is full of two contradictory passions. On the one hand, you will find art supplies, a sewing machine, glass cut into pieces for a mosaic and plants. Many, many plants. On the other hand, there is a basketball, racing shoes, golf clubs and too many WNBA teams, NFL and Big Ten to count. I always thought that I should find a career that would correspond to one or the other, but younger me was wrong.
Photojournalism allows me to combine my creative activities and my love for sport. Nothing compared to the capture of Buckeyes raising a national championship trophy In the air while the confetti fall around them or meet living legends on Field Lambeau in Green Bay.
But some of my favorite moments took place on the smallest scene. There is something so special in the photography of secondary athletes, to see their dynamism and to see their first successes. Recently, I covered an Olentangy Liberty Boys button match with Ohio State with two brothers playing together in the same team for the first time. I took a photo of them celebrating, and their father contacted me after the match to thank me for capturing the moment.
My favorite thing about my work
I love the chance to meet people who are extremely passionate about their work, their faith or their volunteer work. It is inspiring to meet someone who believes in something so strongly that he is ready to do everything to do it. Finding a way to illustrate their passion and reflect who they are through photography is a funny challenge.
Photojournalism also allowed me to expand my world vision and see the ups and downs of humanity.
I learned Mormonism during the annual conference of the LDS church in Salt Lake City. I covered a parade of pride in the morning and the celebrations of Eid al-Fitr that evening in Pennsylvania. I witnessed the dreams that became reality during the Break Series of Little League World and Hearts Break during meetings of the Municipal Council. I witnessed democracy in action at the Wisconsin State Capitol and Justice served at the Jackson County Justice Palace in Jackson, Michigan. I worked on stories that made me hold tears while documenting the consequences of natural shots and disasters.
I do all this for the communities in which I work and to testify for others so that they can live and learn by themselves.
The Samantha Madar distribution photojournalist can be contacted at smadar@dispatch.com.
Ohsaa boys’ basketball finals: Westerville North, Olentangy Orange
Westerville North (DII), Columbus Academy (DV), Reynoldsburg and Olentangy Orange (DI) participate in the title matches of the Ohsaa Basketball State Championship at the University of Dayton Arena.