On Thursday I was assigned to photograph a portrait of Rolf Skoetsch, a local history buff who volunteers at the Wyoming National Guard Museum. Rolf is a really nice guy. After I took his portrait, I ended up having a conversation ranging from antique tractors to Germany with him in his driveway for another hour. This might not be the world’s greatest portrait, but it was a nice assignment for me because I got to get out of the office and have a conversation with someone. Connecting with people is a part of photography that is absolutely essential for good community photojournalism. You have to be able to get to know folks and have a conversation with them. As I was told once: always look for the lowest common denominator when working with folks you don’t know.
![Rolf Skoetsch Rolf Skoetsch poses with a 1930s era John Deere row crop cultivator that adorns the yard at his Rucker Road home on Thursday, June 2, 2011. Skoetsch, who immigrated to the United States from Germany as a teenager after World War II, has a collection of antique farm equipment.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110602-RolfSkoetsch0008-jb1.jpg)
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