A Persistent Vision is my blog, and my philosophy.

I am an associate professor at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. I’m part of the photojournalism and journalism studies faculties, but my teaching is primarily in photojournalism.

Persistence of vision is a physiological phenomenon that explains  how a series of still photographs can appear to be a moving picture. The brain sees the still pictures with slight differences and connects them logically to suggest motion.

Persistence of vision also describes my core beliefs about photojournalism/visual communication and the role it can play to inform a public and to document history.

Walter Williams, first dean of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, set forth his vision of journalism in The Journalist’s Creed. In that spirit, I offer my persistent vision:

I have a persistent vision…

• that pictures communicate in ways that words cannot.
• that visual documentation of events is an essential part of the public and historical record.
• that photographers/videographers/designers are skilled communicators using specialized tools and methods of communication.
• that visual journalism is valuable and deserves support from the industry and the public.

That is my persistent vision and my perspective for this blog. It’s admittedly idealistic and may conflict with the real world, but without idealism there is little to strive for.