Tufts photographers share their favorite images from 2012
The Year in Pictures
Over the course of the past year, the staff of Tufts Photo has shot thousands of photographs on the Medford/Somerville, Boston and Grafton campuses—from the joy of Match Day at the medical school to the poignancy of move-in day for undergraduates, from the struggle of making it to the finish line at the Boston Marathon to the fierce competition on the soccer field.
We asked our photographers to choose their favorite images—and tell us why. Below is a small sample of their work, ranging from sports to alumni events and many things in between.
To see more of the year’s photos, go to the Tufts Now homepage, and click on the “Photos” tab in the middle of the page. Also be sure to check out the team’s Spotlight photos on Tufts Now.
A Happy Match
“Match Day is always full of emotion. These medical students have reached a major milestone in their careers. The contents of that envelope indicate where their lives and careers are going. In the case of this couple, it was a joyful instant of matching in the residency of choice and remaining in the same area.”—Alonso Nichols
Hard on the Brain
“One of the great common struggles every first-year medical student goes through is gross anatomy, so when I was assigned to document medical student life, I knew I had to find a way to capture that. I made about a dozen frames with a similar composition as Phil worked on memorizing parts of the skull, but this single expression really said it all.”—Emily Zilm
A Marathon Soak
“It was incredibly hot for April here in Massachusetts. With temperatures in the 80s, about 16 percent of registered runners opted out of the race. When I saw the kids with their water guns, I had a feeling there could be some fun reaction coming up. Joe Lessard and the other runners were very happy to get some relief from the heat.”—Alonso Nichols
Making Music
“As much as technology has become part of our lives, it’s rare that we get to see how that hot new app gets created. When I was invited to Ming Chow’s computer science class on developing iPad music apps, I really didn’t know what to expect. I was treated to a whole host of innovative ways of making music, but this one, called Impact, stood out in particular, with users drawing their own drum pads. It certainly helped that the demonstration was rigged up to an overhead projector to make for a cool backdrop.”— Kelvin Ma
Smile!
“The picture-of-a-picture concept isn’t new. In fact, I’ve probably made it too many times. But this is one of my favorite pictures from this year because it captures the spirit of the event so vividly. The two photographers’ arms create a frame that draws you into the couple being photographed. The Tufts dental community loves to smile, and there’s such an energy about them that really comes through in this photo.”—Emily Zilm
Something to Celebrate
“Thanks to the support of her classmates, Catherine Dahl was able to complete her coursework on time, despite her health issues, and the Tufts Dental Class of 2012 made a record-breaking class gift before commencement in May in her name. The support of Dahl’s classmates was evident as they all rose for a standing ovation as she crossed the stage, and the energy under the tent that day was unforgettable.”—Kelvin Ma
Sign of the Jumbo
“Passing by the new athletic center as it was being built this summer, I thought, ‘When will this thing be done already?’ I think we’ve all been there when something is so close to being done that the only thing left to do is be impatient. That said, it was a treat when I got the assignment to walk around the Tisch Center when it was just about finished. While the assignment mostly involved photographing empty rooms and unboxed exercise equipment, I was able to snap this frame of a contractor getting ready to put some finishing touches on the main entrance.”—Kelvin Ma
Wide Open Road
“The Locust Barn in Grafton is one of the most iconic landmarks at the Cummings School. With the winding road and the blue sky, it made the perfect backdrop for the cyclists arriving all the way from Medford that morning.”—Alonso Nichols
Upstairs, Downstairs
“For everything that happens on move-in day, it’s never as crazy as you’d think it would be. Although it seems like everyone arrives at the same time on that morning in August, at least from my point of view, it never seems like it’s overwhelming. But then again, I’m not one of the army of volunteers who help incoming freshman haul their stuff up three flights of stairs, like they’re doing here at Miller Hall. I guess we can all thank them for making move-in go as smoothly as possible.”—Kelvin Ma
First Day
“During move in, we spend a lot of time meeting and greetings new Tufts families. They are always gracious enough to allow me to come in their room and make pictures while they negotiate about where to move the beds, plug in computers and hang posters. I always hope that at some point, they will forget that my two cameras and I are there so that I can catch some natural moment of this interaction.”—Alonso Nichols
Father and Son
“This was the third time I’ve photographed Tufts’ matriculation. During lunch on the President’s Lawn, I decided to step away from the crowd, hoping to find something fresh. I knew it could be a risky move and that I might end up empty-handed. It definitely paid off, though, when I stumbled upon this quiet father-son moment, talking to mom an ocean away. It’s the kind of significant moment that a family will remember for years to come, so characteristic of the experience of moving away to college. I’m glad I walked off the beaten path and was able to capture it.”—Emily Zilm
Presidential Welcome
“There are certain pictures you know you need to make for an institution like Tufts. President Monaco, in full academic regalia surrounded by students, is one such picture. At matriculation, I was in the right place at the right time, and everything lined up for this one frame.”—Kelly Benvenuto
Running in Place
“When the Steve Tisch Sports and Fitness Center opened this year, it was important for our department to document. Most of us at Tufts Photo took several trips, from the construction through the opening, and even afterwards. I like how the symmetry of this image reflects how well crafted the facility is and how the three runners facing the afternoon sun evoke a sense of moving forward.”—Emily Zilm
Democracy Rules
“There are times when it can be difficult to see how an assignment will yield a strong image, even though the subject is newsworthy. When voter registration came up, I thought, ‘How am I going to make something interesting out of people at a table?’ As I looked down the row of students, I noticed that both sides created a pattern and, in the center, they had a map of the red and blue states set up. The elements all came together.”—Alonso Nichols
Almost, But Not Quite
“Soccer has become one of my favorite sports to photograph. There is a tremendous intensity and physicality in the action. It’s great to see that Tufts students are passionate about both their athletic pursuits and their academic endeavors. My nine-year-old niece, Joli Vega, has been paired up with the Tufts women’s soccer team through Team IMPACT. She thinks that these women are great, and so do I.”—Alonso Nichols
A Study in Concentration
“The 2012 season was not kind to the football team. In the middle of what would be a winless season, I was asked to photograph Nick Kenyon for the cover of the Jumbo admissions magazine. Despite the struggles the team faced this fall, Kenyon still brought an intensity and quiet dignity to his portrait session that I thought reflected well on him as one of the better receivers for the Jumbos. The cover ran in color, but I prefer the photo in black and white to better focus on Kenyon’s eyes.”—Kelvin Ma
Sea of Faces
“Of course, our job doesn’t always involve hanging out at the coolest or biggest events on campus. Sometimes it involves the more mundane, like photographing 200-plus medical students in a span of two hours for their first-year orientation. When you look at all of the faces on a single page like this, there’s a certain artistic quality to the contact sheet as a whole . . . or maybe I’ve just done one too many of these!”—Kelvin Ma