One of the fun – and by fun I mean challenging – aspects of daily newspaper photojournalism is illustrating a story that by nature isn’t very visual. While photojournalists shouldn’t be considered a service department for the rest of the newsroom, there are times when you have to illustrate something for a writer. It’s just part of the job. Such was the case today when I got sent out to find a photo to go with a story about coffee prices increasing. My editor sent me to the Sterling Family Restaurant to find people drinking coffee. The restaurant was very folksy and reminded me of a similar place in Albany, Ind. (Osborn’s Restaurant) where I would go with my grandparents to eat when I was a child. The head waitress on duty was very helpful and started pouring coffee for patrons more or less so I could take photos of her in the act. I obliged her by snapping a few frames of this, but continued to look for a more genuine, candid moment. I found one, and this was far and above my favorite frame from the take:
