Reid Callanan has taken 12 trips to Cuba since 2010, working as a photographer to capture the true essence of the land. For more than 50 years, Cubans have been under the strict thumb of its government while earning, at very best, $20 a month. But the Cubans Callanan has encountered have immense pride and passion about their country. Reid is one of five members of the American Society of Media Photographers that came to Tipton Hall on Sept. 9 to share their experiences of traveling and photographing in Cuba. Along with Callanan, Tony Bonanno, Jennifer Spelman, Sally Thomson and Karen Novotny have become exceptionally familiar with photographing areas and natives of Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo and Trinidad. Though each of these photographers had different experiences, they had nothing but wonderful things to say about the people and their culture. All said they were welcomed into home after home with open arms and plenty of stories to go around the table. They had never seen such solace coming from people who live in incredibly substandard living conditions. Karen Novotny was invited into the home of a local priest to photograph his living conditions. “This is a relatively nice home although it is crumbling in places,” she said. “They just don’t have the materials to repaint the walls, to replaster the walls, to repair the ceiling, to replace the light bulbs you see over the bed.” The photographers also noted Cubans’ passion for music, family, art and baseball. “This photo was taken when the team from Havana won the state championship,” Tony Bonanno said. “You could barely move through the streets, there were so many people in the streets celebrating, it’s a tremendous passion in Cuba.” Yet when most are finished celebrating and practicing, they return to a home with no running water. Cuban...

By Nick Beckman/Photography by Tim Kassiotus With a pleasant introduction by his brother Matt, Greg Donovan had already set the tone for his Jan. 18 lecture before he even began speaking; “Video Game Marketing 101 (kind of…)” read his Powerpoint slide which was being projected across the beautiful cinematic screen inside of SFUAD’s own Garson Studios. Matt Donovan, co-chair of the Creative Writing and Literature Department opened for his brother with a bit of nostalgia: A story of the two when they were young, experiencing the new video game craze also referred to as “Space Invaders.” The two were mesmerized and undoubtedly changed creatively by the game, both of them seeking out careers in the arts later in life. Matt went on to become a successful writer and Greg to produce the very thing that brought them both together, video games. Greg began his presentation by letting his audience know the casual tone of the lecture. “I use some terms and phrases that are common in the industry” Donovan explained, “ so please ask questions if you don’t know what I’m saying.” Donovan, a former Yilm school student, claims that he began working on the sets of short Yilms and eventually landed himself a marketing job for a gaming company. Here, he says, he found that his passion was for the production of the games themselves. So, after a year or so he moved to Volition, the company he is currently with and has produced Saints Row 1-3 and is currently working on the 4th. Volition is a video game developer based out of Illinois and has also produced titles like Red Faction and The Punisher. The game itself is a delightful mix of colorful characters, ranging from bumbling gang members to over the...