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#APImagesChat with Brynn Anderson

Since joining the AP in 2014, Anderson has covered various national assignments including hurricanes, tornado aftermath, political campaigns, the Super Bowl, Kentucky Derby, NCAA basketball finals and the Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school shooting

HAPPENING NOW: ’s answers questions about her experience photographing at The Associated Press.

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We’d like to welcome photojournalist to our November .

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Hi! So happy to be here. Thanks for having me on.

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Q1: , how did you get your start ?

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A1.1: I was so fortunate to get picked for the cross-format in Philadelphia with staffers , and . And I attended . This all really jump-started my interest in .

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A1.2: Before graduating from and taking classes , I did 3 internships , and . Then I got my first full-time job . All of these experiences helped me prepare for . Then a call changed my life.

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A1.3: It’s exciting being the youngest photographer on staff. I have been able to learn from some of the most talented photographers in the world: @jaechongpix and .

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Q2: , what’s your most memorable image of all time?

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A2.1: My most memorable image was shot at an internship of a woman named Bobbie Jones. Her three-year-old caught their curtains on fire and burned down the family’s rented home.

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A2.2: Jones is a mother of 13, and after the fire, they had nowhere to live. I photographed her as she walked through the home and collected what remained of her personal belongings.

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A2.3: There were many moments when I was unsure when to document and when to put my camera down. I learned how to make an image quickly after this one. As you can see, I only shot two frames before she moved away.

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Q3: , has there been one event you’ve covered with that’s stuck with you above all others? What was it, and why was it so meaningful?

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A3.1: The most memorable moment working is of a young student crying in her friend’s arms at a memorial for the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland. The raw emotion she felt transferred to me and at that moment was captured in my camera.

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A3.2: It was the most difficult assignment I have ever covered. The devastated families and their community lives with me today, and I’m sure it will for the rest of my life.

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A3.3: Another is the one-year anniversary of one of the victim’s mother in her daughter’s untouched room. Sobbing behind my camera, I was still able to capture a moment that will be with me forever.

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A3.4: On a lighter note, two of my more memorable moments were meeting and when photographed me during an assignment.

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Q4: , what’s the most unusual thing that’s happened to you while you’ve been on assignment?

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A4.1: The most unusual thing that has happened to me was a man in his pajamas walking toward my car with a gun sticking out of his pants.

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A4.2: I was on a stakeout assignment for former Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives Mike Hubbard’s home waiting for his arrest. The man tapped on the window and told me to leave.

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A4.3: I didn’t and proceeded to tell him that I was in a public place and would call the cops if he harassed me any longer. It was terrifying and unusual.

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Q5: , what is the most challenging part of being an photographer?

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A5.1: Definitely being a mother and balancing life, job. After 3 years with I got married and had my daughter. That first year of trying to breastfeed/pump while covering a hurricane, or pumping while in my car or in the bathroom before a football game was hard.

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A5.2: Finding a balance for a 24/7 job with a 24/7 child can be difficult. Still is. I was fortunate to take off for 5 months. I’m lucky to provide for my family and be an amazing mom at the same time. That’s the dream for me.

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A5.3: Also, being a woman in a male-dominated field has had its own challenges as well. And I admire those women that have paved the way for me like , , and . And so many more.

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Q6: , whose work do you admire outside of ?

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Back atcha!

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Q1: What genre of photography influences you the most & why? Q2: Since you have covered all of them, what interests you the most?

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Hello! I am most interested in politics and general news. I think they make the most impact on the most viewers. I'm most influenced by images that give me the most emotional reaction. In that case it doesn't matter the genre, just the image.

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Q7: , what equipment do you shoot with?

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I have been a staff photographer since I began in photojournalism, so I have used whatever I’m graciously provided.

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A7.2: I have shot , but what I currently use is . I love to shoot with a Canon 5D mark III and a 35 1.4. My favorite lens of all time so far is the 85 1.2 I don’t own one, so I can’t shoot with it often.

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Q8: , what are your favorite apps?

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A8: I use my phone for everything - even shooting sometimes - so I use a few apps. My favorite is . It’s best for displaying photos. I have one for my work, /brynnranderson and one for my personal life as well /brynnbot.

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Good question! The best answer I can give you is to practice, practice, and practice some more. Look at other amazing photographers work and try to do what they do until you develop your own eye. You've got it! Just keep trying.

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Hi! Tremendous feedback when I started with the . They wanted me to grow as a photographer and so did I. I was open to any feedback and willing to make changes based on that. I just want to be a better photographer, always.

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Hi Nick! I decided to take a photojournalism class in college and I was hooked. I love talking to people about their lives and being able to capture that. It's amazing. I still have a long way to go as a photographer but I love it.

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We’re out of time, big thanks to and all of you for participating in this month’s .

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Thanks so much for having me! I'm honored.

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