Skip to Main Content
The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

A woman points a camera at the viewer

Photography through a racial lens

Serena Liu, Editor-in-Chief February 23, 2023
For many students, seeing people of color misrepresented through photography is disheartening. However, the effects also bleed into students’ daily lives. While occasional unflattering photos may be inevitable, some students of color have found that their skin tone has looked inaccurate or improperly exposed in their photos. These photos are put in the yearbook for everyone to see and look back on. 
English teacher Erin Fluchel poses with the camera she uses during sessions. Fluchel experimented with other types of photography but decided that she preferred family moments most. “[Photographing a wedding] was stressful. It was a long day that I was away from my kids. I felt like I was capturing more of the stage moments and not the spontaneous stuff that I love doing. I'm glad that I tried these things, but it wasn't for me. Again, it was less about connection and more about getting perfect things,” Fluchel said.

Snapshots of life

Addie Gleason, Managing Editor-in-Chief March 31, 2022

Looking through her camera viewfinder, English teacher Erin Fluchel waits for the right moment to capture. The camera lens follows a child splashing in a creek; the parents watch from afar. Click. The...

Gathered with her friends over the summer, senior Bridget Thomas poses for a disposable photo taken by senior Molly Reinecke. Reinecke started taking film pictures of her friends in 2019. “It’s always super fun because Molly brings her camera when we’re all hanging out and she just takes pictures of candid moments,” Thomas said. “Then we get reminded of all the fun times a few weeks later when Molly gets the photos back."

Disposable cameras, lifelong memories

Maddy Truka, Social Media Manager + Video Editor April 22, 2021

Loading the camera with film, checking the shutter speed, adjusting the aperture and getting ready for the perfect shot. The only difference is you can’t see the photos right away. In 2019, film and...