Day 42 (Tues., July 19)

I am beginning to understand that thing pro photographers talk about when they say "moment". I am trying to understand that this summer. I think that my photography has good composition and light, but the one thing that lacks is moment. How do you find the moment? That's the biggest question of this career. You cannot teach moment to anyone. Moments just happen and you have to be ready for them. Look around and have patience, they tell me. I think I am finally grasping that tip. Today, while shooting youngersters and their running club, I happened to spot a teenage couple who was enjoying quality time after a run. The boy just finished his morning run and his girlfriend was happy to see him back. I thought this was a great shot. I took it. Although it has nothing to do w/ the assignment I was doing there, it's still a good photo and I felt good about being able to see an aspect of "moment".

Today, my journalistic integrity was put to the test. When I started to think about journalism as a career, I knew I would be put in tough situations in which I must forget about my bias and personal opinion and get the job done. So far, the only thing I've had trouble when it comes to this is when shooting sports. I have been put to the test when I go cover a game w/ my team's rival. Today was a lot like that. I was sent out to shoot Wal-Mart. I cannot turn down the assignment because of my personal opinion. I reminded myself that when I shoot an assignment, I need to be totally neutral. It's the only way to do my job effectively. That's what journalism is all about. Reporting all sides of the story while giving equal time to different opinions. Therefore, an unbiased approach to an assignment is a must.

I guess you are wondering why I don't like Wal-Mart. The company did something that hurt me a couple years ago in Mexico State. I grew up 15 minutes away from the Aztec pyramids of Teotihuacan, which means place where men become gods in the indigenous language of Nahuatl. A couple of years ago, the Wal-Mart company decided to put a Bodega Aurera in San Juan Teotihuacan, my mom's hometown, which is roughly a mile away from the pyramids. During the set up of the foundation for the store, the contractors dug up an old sacrifice temple that was buried. The company shifted the construction a few feet away from the site, as if that was going to take care of the worries by historians and indigenous activists. Who is to say that there aren't any more archeological beauties under the new location? I think the globalization process of many companies is eating up the wonders of our world and our history. Like my coworker Joe said the other day "we are a virus".

So, there I went to Wal-Mart to shoot my assignment. I have made a call to their manager as I wanted to make sure it would be cool to come in and shoot some photos. He said yes, but turned out I wasn't allowed to shoot inside. They told me I can shoot all I wanted outside, but not inside. "Corporate policy" as the manager said. Hmmm, are they hiding anything? Who knows. I went outside and met with Mr. Jose Montemayor (pictured above). I got to hear why he was so happy about Wal-Mart and the idea they will be building a bigger store.

That's one thing about doing this assignment. I got to know Mr. Montemayor and he was just as nice as anyone I have met here in San Angelo.

Today, before heading to work, I drove by the Taylors and dropped off the card. George received it at the door and I headed to work. Tonight, I was getting ready to start cooking supper, when I got a call from Betty. She invited me to Chilango's, a local Mexican food restaurant from where I have heard all kinds of good stuff. I couldn't turn it down and it really wasn't a question if I should because my assignment w/ them was complete and I built a friendship w/ them. We were no longer on a professional relationship, so I decided to go hang out w/ my friends the Taylors. So we went to dinner. Everyone who has been recommending Chilango's was right. The food is amazing there. During dinner, the Taylors and I talked about living in Texas and what some of my future plans are. Betty offered her hospitality if I was ever to come and visit my friends here. I might take her up on it. Why not? They are great. Now I know what she meant when she said they would adopt me. Later we went to get ice cream, and I sure couldn't turn that down. I love ice cream.

Today I remembered what my ethics and journalistic goal is. I want to be fair and balanced. I want to show all sides of the story and not let my personal opinion get in the way. I tried my best to be neutral today.

Also today, I went home to cook myself a brief lunch. At the door there was a Fed-Ex note. At first, I thought it was one of those gifts for my b-day month the way I started on the first of the month. It turned out to be a contract. I have been in contact w/ a publishing company that is putting out a book about Latinos and their political presence in the United States. It's scheduled to print in the fall. They are seeking some photos that I shot in May during the victory party by Antonio Villariagosa, the first Latino mayor of Los Angeles to be voted into the office in 132 years. Along w/ the contract came a book entitled Mexican Americans in Texas by Arnoldo De Leon, who happens to be a professor at Angelo State University, just down the street from here.

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