Amanda Montigney
Samantha Allen, Multimedia Editor of The Highlander, received an Honorable Mention in the Sports Photo Category of the Pennsylvania News Media Association’s prestigious and highly competitive Keystone Press Awards.

Samantha, who has a double major in English and mass communications and a minor in history, took her winning photo at the women’s Basketball game against Lebanon Valley College.

Allen has served in her editorial position for three semesters and as a staff member for two years. Editor in Chief Annette Ritzko entered the winning photo. Dr. Melissa Sgroi, advisor, notified editors of the win.

“I was super excited when I found out, and I couldn’t believe it! It made me happy that my photo had won, and I was proud for Misericordia and to win for The Highlander,” said Allen.

Allen has been interested in still photography for years, and she plans to integrate it into a career.

“I’ve always loved photography and did it as a hobby, but I fell out of doing it for a while once I started college. After I had Jimmy May’s photography class my first semester of junior year, I got back into it. I just love everything about photography,” Allen said.

Allen is enthusiastic abut every assignment. She usually rushes to get back from photo shoots so she can look at the images she captured.

“I can’t wait to get the SD card into my computer to look at the pictures I just took. To me, photography is so much more than just taking the pictures. It is about capturing moments in time,” said Allen.

Allen also enjoys the photo editing process, within the ethical limits of journalism, unless she is working on art photography.

“One of my favorite parts of photography is,, without a doubt, the editing process. I love to be able to bring certain aspects of a photo out and enhance an image. To also be able to bring out even more beauty of that photo and to show more detail,” Allen said.

Allen has been working with a professional photography business, Samantha Marie Photography, since her sophomore. She pitches in whenever she gets time away from classes or on breaks from school.She said all of her experience is paying off in terms of her skill.

“I love seeing how much my photography has taken off and how much I have learned in just a short amount of time. I just love being able to work with clients, helping them come up with photo ideas, and to be able to help them create beautiful moments that they can have forever and that they can share with others,” Allen said.

Samantha said she treasures seeing and hearing the reactions of her clients when they see her photos for the first time.

“When I am finally able to send the final edits over to my clients, I love to hear their responses and reactions. Hearing how much a photo that I took can mean to someone makes me so very happy and makes me smile. It means a lot to me that I made a person, family, or loved ones excited to see what I took of them or for them,” Allen said.

Allen applies her visual skill in graphic design, too. “I really enjoy creating images, logos, working with color, and helping people make something. Graphic Design lets me do this. Anything that lets me show my creative side is something I have always loved to do and I hope to be able to do this in my future career,” Allen said.

Allen is graduating in December 2018. Although she isn’t quite sure what her plans are, she hopes that wherever her future leads she will work in the visual arts.

“My hopes are that after graduation I can continue my dreams of photography and to be in a place where I can use my creative talents. I hope I can find a career that allows me to continue to be creative and also to be able to find that creative atmosphere where I can grow as a photographer,” Allen said.