Out of My Wheelhouse: Photographing the Saint Martin’s Alumni Awards
When I received an email asking if I'd like to cover an event at Saint Martin's University celebrating distinguished alumni, it was a bit of a head-scratcher. Not only was this completely out of my wheelhouse, but further down the email, I noticed it mentioned that Governor Bob Ferguson would be there accepting an award on behalf of his late uncle.
The more I investigated, the more it felt out of my scope. So, I said, "Sure, I'd love to do it"—because that’s exactly what I always do when things are hard. I lean into them.
I spent the next few days doing deep-dive research on the alumni being honored, and most importantly, Ferguson’s uncle. None of this was familiar territory for me, and it felt a bit overwhelming. I definitely found myself questioning my life choices.
Fast forward to Friday morning. With less than 12 hours until I'd be in a room full of people who have served their communities in ways I could have never imagined, I was still reading and listening to every bit of information I could find.
By the time I needed to leave, I felt prepared, albeit still a little nervous. I put on some chinos and a button-down shirt (I felt fancy), loaded my gear, and headed over to the university. When I arrived at the location listed on the invitation, there were students playing volleyball and basketball, and the softball team was rolling their gear into the recreation center for storage.
This didn’t seem right. I checked the date and time several times, hoping I hadn't missed something important. Eventually, I asked someone, "Am I in the correct place?" They confirmed I was at the correct building, but after I explained the type of event, they pointed me toward another building and said, "Try over there."
After a short walk, I found the right entrance. I knew I was in the correct place when I spotted the media person near the entryway, the fancy attire, and people putting on name tags. Deep breath.
I had brought an array of gear because I wasn’t quite sure what the room would be like or how close to the action I would be. I settled on my Sigma 85mm and Canon 300mm f/4. The room was dimly lit with patches of overhead lighting that made shooting a little tricky, but I ran around testing my shots to get dialed in.
For all of you out there keeping score, my Canon 5D Mark III was cranked to 10,000 ISO. The 5D isn’t known to handle high ISOs as well as my 1DX, but if you look at the photos, you'll see it did a surprisingly great job. Making the noise manageable allowed me to take advantage of the camera's dynamic range, and after applying some denoise in post, the photos turned out beautifully.
Governor Bob Ferguson speaks to alumni and guests at the 2026 Saint Martin’s Distinguished Alumni Event
Ultimately, it was a lovely evening celebrating some incredibly unique community members who have made an impact not only locally, but globally. I found myself comparing my own business model to how they have carried out their careers. It was quite an experience to learn about where they started as students and where they are now as they enter their retirement years.
Go check out my article over on Thurston Talk to read more about the event itself and see the select photos I submitted: A Legacy of Service: Celebrating the 2026 Saint Martin’s Distinguished Alumni
