Photo Blog: A Wonderful Whitman Spring Caught on Film

Spring in Walla Walla feels magical to me. Many days are overcast, even dreary at times, which I know doesn’t sound very appealing at first. Yet as soon as the clouds clear and golden sunsets stretch across the horizon, a calmness settles over me that I can only describe as magic.

I often stop to admire these sunsets as they cast an orange glow over the trees surrounding Ankeny Field. The clock tower atop Memorial Building catches a similar glow before dusk. More times than I can count, my studies in Environmental Humanities have led me to the stream on campus. It winds from the east end, near Penrose House (Admission) through Narnia and Lakum Duckum before passing Prentiss Hall (Res Hall) and Reid Campus Center on the west end. Ducks are always quacking nearby while I journal and finish readings for class. They remind me to take breaks and listen to the water babbling below or the trees swaying overhead.

Photography is one of my passions. I took several film photography classes in high school and have always loved the thrill of waiting for a roll to be finished and developed. Working as a student photographer at Whitman opened a whole new world of possibilities when I realized that passion could be both a hobby and a job.

Sunny days are especially exciting because of their dramatic contrast and warm light. Even on cloudy days, though, I’ve found blessings in the diffused sky. The cloud cover balances the light in every frame and is so reliable that I’m rarely concerned about overexposure or underexposure. I’ve become particularly grateful for this when it comes to film photography. Each photo is immediately rolled away into my camera and likely remains unseen for weeks. Without these consistent conditions, I’d undoubtedly wonder whether each image turned out as intended until the film was developed.

Instead, I’ve been able to carry my camera every day without worry. I take photos on my way to class, during study breaks, on walks and during lunch breaks at Cleve. I’ve loved pursuing my love for photography every day at Whitman, and the ducks even love to strike a pose now and then.

Eamon Winkelman ’28 is an Environmental Humanities major from Saint Paul, Minnesota. He came to Whitman interested in Neuroscience (BB&C) and still wonders how he ended up so involved with Art two years later.