I’ve never led a protest, been a national champion, set fire to a Westwood apartment complex, been a punk rock star and professor, or beaten U$C ““ but I’ve been there to cover it.
I have, however, driven over 4,000 miles to Indianapolis and back with my camera to shoot the Final Four, forgotten what sunshine looked like during winter quarter, and fallen asleep during an 8 a.m. final after driving back all night from the Sweet 16 (sorry Professor Krop).
As a staff photographer, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to shoot some of the school’s hottest stories, always chasing the critical moment that best tells the story to tomorrow’s readers.
Covering sports at arguably the most dominant athletic university is a pretty sweet gig. Not only do I get better seats in Pauley than Jaleel White, but I get to travel all over the country following many teams en route to our 100 national titles.
Some of my fondest memories come from these trips, including being locked out of a Maui hotel until past 2 a.m., ordering the biggest steaks they sold in Bend, Oregon, after spending 6 hours traipsing around a golf course in 45-degree rain. I’ve rubbed elbows with some of the greatest sports photographers of today as the men’s basketball team brought UCLA back into the national spotlight at the Final Four in Indianapolis.
Now don’t get me wrong, working at The Bruin has not been all vacation, but rather quite the opposite as most hours are spent inside the windowless litter box known as Kerckhoff 118 (that’s said with affection). In between countless paper wars and way too much orange chicken, the Daily Bruin office became home. I began to question why I paid so much for an overpriced apartment that I so rarely occupied.
As the 2004-2005 Photo editor, I was privileged to spend a rewarding ““ yet exhausting ““ year collaborating daily with an incredibly hard-working and ambitious staff, producing award-winning content that satisfied not only our love for journalism, but also brought together the UCLA community to address its deepest flaws and celebrate its greatest victories.
“Real world” jobs in my future may provide classier travel (or at least an upgrade from sleeping under the table in a hotel room with nine people in Arizona), a decent income will enable me to finally afford my own camera, and maybe someday I’ll even make it courtside again.
However, I doubt any work experience will ever compare to the joy and satisfaction I’ve received while working with such outstanding journalists and, more importantly, great friends.
Oh, and about that final … don’t worry, Mom, I passed.
Winters was the 2004-2005 Photo editor and a senior staff photographer from 2005 to 2007.