The First Amendment

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

As a collegiate journalist student, the first Amendment means I can take pictures and report on them in a fair and honest manner.

I have the right to tell the truth about any given subject, even if it criticizes important people, organizations and/or decisions such as government.

For example, if I were to snap a photo of a congressman kicking and beating a puppy and I reported it, including prior convictions on animal abuse in the past, I am protected by the First Amendment. I am protected as long as I do my research, do not portray that congressman in a false light, take the picture while on private land, or obtain information illegally. This means that if I were standing on the public street when I snapped the picture of the congressman abusing the animal, he cannot confiscate my camera, film or memory card, or detain me. I also cannot be put in jail for sharing the story, even though the abuser was a government official.

The First Amendment protects my right as a photojournalist to report a story, without the worry of prosecution because the government doesn’t like what I have to say.

Who I am

My name is Cathy. I am a photography student at Owens Community College. I recently finished a business degree, and decided I wanted to earn a photography degree, too, so that I can open my own business. This is the first semester of my photography degree.

I believe social media,like Twitter, Facebook and Blogging can be helpful, especially for those who own or hope to own a business. It allows us to communicate with many people, from all over the world, at the same time. I plan to use this blog to share what I am doing in class or in extracurricular activities that pertain to photography, such as the recent photo shoot I just participated in at Raceway Park with the Photography Club. I also hope to connect with other photographers so we can share ideas.