Almost five years ago to the date, something happened that wasn’t that big of a deal at the time, but changed my life forever. I had my first ever photo published. I was sent on a feature hunting assignment for the Northern Star, the student newspaper of Northern Illinois University. I was trying to, I guess, prove myself worthy to be on the staff because I had no portfolio and didn't even know how to use a DSLR, but they had some open spots on the staff and the editor at the time, Ryan Strong, took a chance on me after I brought back the photo. 

The photo is nothing amazing. It was a really simple photo of two girls laying on a hill catching a little tan before classes got in full swing, but it catapulted me into the world of photojournalism which I haven’t looked back since. It wasn’t a good photo by any means, but what it means to me is something that can never be fully understood.

-B. Lewis