Numerous students would rather not be photographed, videoed, or interviewed. Personal issues is the main reason students refuse to take a picture. For example, there are reasons such as having low self-esteem, worrying about being judged, or even simple stuff like having a bad hair day.

Recently I was working on a recognition post for the seniors at Ada High, gathering their favorite high school memories and wrapping it all up as a reminder of their time as a young adults.  However, most said they didn’t have a memory worth sharing, or they were uncooperative when it came to taking a picture. At Ada High there are a total of 130 seniors, 69 girls and 61 boys. However, many of them claimed to have no good memories, or they refused to take a photo for me. It took quite a bit of time to collect some of the information I needed, and it is still not even finished thanks  to students who refuse to take pictures.

Self-esteem is a big issue during high school. If you wear your hair a certain way, say the wrong things, or even dress a specific way, you’ll get judged. Not wanting to take a picture because someone once called you “fat” or “ugly” can affect a lot more people than expected. Not a lot of people understand that words can hurt, and they cut deeper than imagined. Although people do judge, it shouldn’t affect the way you view yourself. Taking pictures is just another way you can capture moments and remember them forever.

In journalism, we use pictures for everything. We use them for description, to tell a story, or simply to make our stories better. Not being able to get students’ pictures for our articles causes an issue that is sometimes hard to deal with, especially with editors and advisers breathing down your back, wondering why your article has no photos. Dealing with uncooperative students teaches you to have patience when it comes to journalism. Inspiring students to show their true self has helped me out a lot!