My favorite blog ...

There are many blogs that I have taken interest in and follow. Most pertain to artists and what they provide to the art industry. There are others that I follow that deal with media and media-related topics.

The blog that I have chosen to use is Shannon McCollum's Work. I have had the opportunity to work with Shannon in the past and have been inspired by his work. Referred as ''the Gordon Parks of Hıp Hop'' Shannon McCollum is both a phenomenal person and great photographer. I love following his work as he evokes a creative side in me when it comes to my work.

One of Shannon's pieces that stood out for me is the picture featured on the home page for his blog spot (the picture at the top with the woman). This picture brings to mind strength, beauty and the power that women possess. This pıcture encouraged me to explore greater depths as a photographer and push boundaries. I then did a session with one of my schoolmates which produced a picture of similar quality and reflected the influence he has had on me.

About me ...

My name is Danielle Ashby. I am a Mass Communication major and Spanish minor at the University of West Georgia. I am from Trinidad and Tobago (for those that do not know where that is, it is in the Caribbean). I am a freelance photographer and have done various jobs for news organizations, non-profits and even members of the performing arts. I previously worked as a sub-editor for the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian for 7 years.

During my downtime or not too busy moments I keep myself involved with non-profit humanitarian work. I am currently a member of STAND -- A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition -- a division of GI-Net (Genocide Intervention Network). I lend a hand to these groups to raise awareness to the public and also lend a voice to those that have been suffering from the atrocities that have been going on worldwide. Other organizations I have done work for are: Youth V.I.B.E., WDGA, Workforce Development Global Alliance. Both of these organizations focus on uplifting youth and empowering them with knowledge to become leaders in society.

I registered for this class because I am always open to new ideas of approaching the masses. Being a self-employed photographer I need to become familiar with various means of advertising my work and getting my name out to the public. I am also interested in this class because many organizations are incorporating the use of social media. In order to fully adopt this form of networking into my lifestyle I need to become fully adept to the goings-on of this form of media revolution.