I sat down with KTOO newsroom intern Caroline Halter as part of a broader plan to make sure I do two-ways with departing staffers to get their perspective on their time here in Juneau. I'll plan on interview our arts intern Jack Sanders and perhaps incorporate both two-ways into a large piece for broadcast and web.

CAROLINE CAME TO US from Seattle. Relatively new to public journalism, Caroline jumped right in as a public policy reporter covering Alaska Legislature. Eventually she branched out and worked on a few larger, feature stories. And we eventually got to collaborate a bit on her Curious Juneau piece.

You can listen to our two-way below.

AS A LITTLE SIDE PROJECT I always try and capture my fellow co-workers and journalists in the field while their working. (Sometimes I take photos of them in the office, also). I happened to snap one image of Caroline while she was interviewing Rachael Byrd for Caroline's Curious Juneau piece. The image was focused on her knee and leg, but I still liked the image.

I had just gotten home from walking around Juneau and Douglas, almost six miles in all. It was early evening, and I had started to change to put on my PJs for the night.

And then I heard a fire truck, and then another, and another.

Two went by.

I looked outside our atrium that looks out over downtown Juneau.

I could see smoke coming from somewhere near the Subway, but couldn't pinpoint which building might be on fire. I could see people standing at the corner of 2nd and Seward staring up the latter. I grabbed my best camera, swapped the 50mm lense for the 28-200, and headed out the door. 

(I regrettably left my phone, my second camera and my audio recorder behind me. I typically pack everything in a sort of "go bag," so that I have everything in reach when I need it. However, I had lightened a little so that I could walk around with it earlier in the day.)

ONE OF THE CHALLENGING things about covering a fire in the evening is that even in Juneau, where the sun hangs over the sky a little longer than the rest of the Lower 48, your natural light is limited ... and you become progressively dependent on artificial light (which you can't count on) and your camera settings (of which I have not mastered yet). I was grateful enough to have captured some awesome images. 

I ALWAYS TRY TO remember a few things. Get a range of near-middle-far photos. And Also try to establish something in the foreground, midground and background. Those two principles are my key. After that, I try to frame something so that it pleases my eye, make sure my settings are as close as I can get them, and snap. I do multiple captures, because sometimes I can't always get the one shot I want. And waiting to set something up isn't always a luxury you have while shooting spot news.

I ALSO HAVE A NEW FAVORITE game: I basically try and shoot other journalists working a story, but particularly the KTOO staff. I tag a folder in my Flickr account called the Way We Work, and it features all the photos I have of people working on stories or out in the field.

Disclaimer: All photos are currently Creative Commons. If you share these photos or use them for publication, you must give me credit and link back to the source. I also really appreciate if you send me a message to let me know you are using them.

I meet some interesting and talented people in my field. My roommate began inviting a female acapella group over to the house to practice several weeks ago. They were practicing for two different sets at Folk Festival, which is a weeklong celebration of folk music in Juneau, Alaska. The Queens performed in Centennial Hall on Thursday night. I was lucky enough to take some pictures.

I got to meet everyone multiple times. So when they finally performed I made sure I had my camera and I was in the front of the stage.

I'm pretty happy with the way the shots came out. I definitely need to refine my game, and make sure I keep track of which songs are being performed when.