Courtney Hergesheimer is a photo and video journalist at The Columbus Dispatch with a passion for working on in-depth, investigative stories.
She has been at the Dispatch since 2008.
Below, she answers a few questions about her job.
Why I became a photojournalist
My interest in photography started in junior high school when I started photographing plants and animals in my backyard. In high school, I gave it serious attention as a career option. Even as a budding photographer, I gravitated toward a documentary style. I liked capturing what I saw rather than trying to control or change the scene. Photojournalism seemed to be the obvious choice.
At Western Kentucky University, I started doing video work and discovered that the medium lets the viewers hear from the subjects in their own words and see their emotions. It’s very powerful in storytelling.
What I like best about my job
I love meeting new people, learning new ideas and seeing different ways of life on a daily basis. I can give people a chance to be seen and heard. This includes survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence, families who have lost loved ones in jails and to suicide, incarcerated teens and survivors of other horrible trauma.
I get to document people’s triumphs as well. One year, I followed a very brave young woman who was paralyzed in a sledding accident as she finished her senior year of high school and carved a new path for herself at Denison University.
Astory with a lasting impact on me
The stories and people I’ve covered have shaped who I am. It’s hard to pick one story but I’ll give you two important projects. Last year, I was on a team that examined why people are dying in local jails. For the project, I wove together footage from tearful interviews, selected telling security camera footage and created powerful portraits and video documentaries. One of the documentaries, about a 19-year-old man with autism who died after spending less than 24 hours in jail, has been viewed more than 3.5 million times around the world.
This year, I joined a team to examine vicious dog attacks and weaknesses in Ohio’s dog laws. My focus was on Avery Russell, now 12, who is making a comeback after a near-fatal attack by two pit bulls.
What is the biggest challenge I face?
It can be challenging to convince people that I just want to document their normal life, that they are, in fact, interesting enough, and they don’t have to “do” anything for the camera.
What I like to do when I'm not working
I love traveling with my husband, Juan. South America and Scandinavia seem to be our preferred destinations lately. But I also love being at home, working in my garden, growing food, or taking a walk in the woods with my aging Chow-Shepherd mix, Penelope.
Why journalism matters
Journalism is accountability. We have a unique position to shed light on issues that might go unseen, people that go unseen. Their stories are important, and it is an honor to tell them.
Photojournalist Courtney Hergesheimer can be reached at chergesheimer@dispatch.com.
