How in the hell is it already the end of October? More importantly, how is it already almost the end of my third semester of graduate school? I feel like I’ve been moving at full speed for the past few years.

I only started my photo career three years ago. The TimeHop app on my phone so lovingly reminded me that three years ago this month I had my first photo ever published in USA Today. Now it wasn’t because USA Today was all like “hey, you, unpublished wannabe photojournalist, we want to send you on assignment!” It was more along the lines of the fact that I had a friend who worked in PR  who needed a photographer to shoot stills for a MPT (Maryland Public Television) commercial shoot with Stephen Bogart (yes, Humphrey’s son) on esophageal cancer. That photo made it to several publications through their publicist, one being USA Today, and it led to me getting work elsewhere. There are opportunities everywhere, even in the most unlikely of places. Sometimes a path to where you want to go isn’t the most obvious or direct.

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Right now I’m sitting on my bed after completing a photo assignment this morning for The Baltimore Business Journal, which was a portrait series of a deli owner. I just removed my AC unit in my window and tuned on my space heater. Old city town homes sometimes have weird ventilation even if you do have central heating/air conditioning. I have creative non-fiction writing class tonight. I love that class but I just feel so uninspired lately when it comes to writing. Hopefully once the transition into winter happens my creativity will spark back up. It kinda has to or else I fail graduate school. 

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Assignments for me lately have been pretty standard. This past weekend was the Halloween Lantern Parade that I shot last year. It’s always so much fun. Here’s a handful of photos to show you guys what I’ve been up to in the PJ world of wonders.

Baltimore, Md – September 19, 2015 – The Crazy Tuna from Hopkin’s Creek, Md had a colorful spread of tuna out at this past weekend’s Baltimore Seafood Fest held at Canton Waterfront Park. (Kaitlin Newman/Baltimore Sun)

Towson, Md – October 16, 2015 – Psychic Sandi Athey attempts to reach Baltimore character Divine while on-air at WTMD during a tribute to the late actor this past Saturday. (Kaitlin Newman for The Baltimore Sun)

Towson, Md – October 16, 2015 – Ellen Degenerate waits to perform at WTMD during a tribute to the late actor Divine this past Saturday. (Kaitlin Newman for The Baltimore Sun)

Baltimore, Md – October 24, 2015 -The inaugural Great Baltimore Oyster Festival was held at West Shore Park this past weekend. (Kaitlin Newman for The Baltimore Sun)

Baltimore, Md – October 24, 2015 -The inaugural Great Baltimore Oyster Festival was held at West Shore Park this past weekend. (Kaitlin Newman for The Baltimore Sun)

Baltimore, Md – October 24, 2015 -The inaugural Great Baltimore Oyster Festival was held at West Shore Park this past weekend. The Mildred Belle, an authentic Chesapeake buy boat, was docked in front of the festival. (Kaitlin Newman for The Baltimore Sun)

Baltimore, Md – October 24, 2015 – Randy Jordan, 27, plays with Tongue in Cheek at The Halloween Lantern Parade held at Patterson Park this past weekend. (Kaitlin Newman for The Baltimore Sun)

Baltimore, Md – October 24, 2015 – The Halloween Lantern Parade was held at Patterson Park this past weekend. (Kaitlin Newman for The Baltimore Sun)

Baltimore, Md – October 24, 2015 – The Baltimore skyline is encapsulated in a bubble. (Kaitlin Newman)

Clearly there’s been a lot of oyster/seafood related festivals around the city the past few weeks. You would think the events would slow down as it gets colder but they actually multiply.

The nominations for the Mobbie Awards started this week. Thanks to those who have nominated my blog (and my Instagram account!) this time around. I’ll write a quick post when voting starts.