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Mountain Workshops

  • Stories
    this year's stories and past work
  • Past Workshops
    documenting Kentucky
  • About
    workshops what and why
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    Elizabethtown 2010 volume and more
  • Contact
    how to reach us
  • Our People
    faculty, writing coaches, and staff


    Slide shows



  • A steady, stern hand | Whitney Leaming

    For Coach Robbie Lucas, life is about more than football.

  • Active love | Tim Harris

    Active Day of Somerset is a place filled with people who love.

  • Avoiding the rust | Brittany Sowacke

    For Carter Muse the secret to a long life is hard work, family and the land

  • Being Julia | Shelby Mack

    Julia Blenkhorn never leaves the house without kissing everyone goodbye.

  • Breaking even | Carolina Hidalgo

    “They’re running the small farmer out,” Jim says, looking out over the pastures of his childhood.

  • Catering bond | Nat Bayjay

    The Sobiecks’ common interest propelled them from being just a couple to being two chefs running a successful ...

  • Coffee and community | Heather Cassano

    At Amon’s Sugar Shack, discussions about politics and sports can get as heated as the coffee.

  • Community pastor | Sam Oldenburg

    Since Pastor Reggie Tipton came to White Oak Baptist, attendance has grown sixfold.

  • Cruising with the oldies | Kevin Cook

    Local man, town have a passion for the classics

  • Cutting Teeth | Khristopher Kramer

    Sixteen-month-old Bennett Tucker sees the dentist seven days a week, and seems to enjoy it.

  • Distributing books, delivering love | Spencer Bakalar

    The Pulaski County Public Library’s bookmobile.

  • Downtown Diner | Justin Philalack

    Ask anyone in Somerset where to find a good burger, and they will point you to Lynn’s Lunchbox.

  • Familiarity breeds ‘content’ | Tony Hoare

    The grass grows greenest right under Ruth Ann Burton’s feet.

  • Farming genes | Leslye Davis

    Charles and Mark Bishop make their rounds on land that has been in their family for 97 years.

  • Having the faith to fail | Megan Westervelt

    A couple and their six children build a life at Longwood Hollow.

  • Helping farmers | Katie Rausch

    Bruce Bruce grew up on a farm and says he became a veterinarian because it would keep him ...

  • Johnny B’s Secret Ingredient | Luke Sharrett

    Johnny B and his wife Nellie grill nearly every day.

  • Life’s second chance | Michael Rivera

    The vista offers a dream sequence — and that fits Barry Burkett’s life perfectly.

  • Love of the Land | Demetrius Freeman

    State Rep. Tommy Turner is equally comfortable hashing out legislation or roaming the farm.

  • Mr. and Mrs. Mayor | Michele Kraus

    Breezing through town in his white Corvette or on his Harley, Ron Jones stands out.

  • No appointment necessary | Alix Mattingly

    Jerry can’t remember wanting to be anything but a barber.

  • Orchestrating life | Crystin Faenza

    When the life of Patty Loveless ended in June 2011, her husband Ricky began his life as a ...

  • Puppy love | Lauren Vied

    Bob Walther is the proud owner of three rat terriers, two of which are therapy pets.

  • Staying Afloat | Jerry Englehart Jr.

    Businessman J.D. Hamilton hadn’t intended to be a marina operator on Lake Cumberland.

  • Striving for perfection | Ariana McLaughlin

    Mariko Krause has a drive unlike ‘most any other teenager.

  • The book and its cover | Sarah Gerace

    When it comes to Jessica Van Bruggen, the adage, “Don’t judge a book by its cover” fits perfectly.

  • The Season | Charles Weibel

    Somerset duo produces “The Season,” a Web-based series documenting their school’s football team.

  • The town mother | Megan Tan

    Elaine Wilson collects other people’s memories.

  • Tumbling forward | Lauren Wood

    What Katie Dalton might achieve before she turns 15 is anyone’s guess but hers.

  • Turning wood to art | Natalie St. John

    “Other people look at a burl and see disease. I see money,” says Chris Ramsey.

  • We (heart) animals | Sarah Coulter

    Veterinarian Tammie Bumgardner’s compassion has saved countless locals animals

  • ‘He can’t do that, you know.’ | Eric Shea

    Aaron is a varsity wide receiver who has six fingers.

  • ‘If you break it, I can fix it’ | Sammy Jo Hester

    At age 95, Ira “Red” Cornett still gets to work at his machine shop every day promptly at ...

  • “Birds of a feather . . .” | Morgan Walker

    A nurturing spirit is what drives Francis Carter as she cares for her students and her birds.



  • Videos



  • A Grave Decision | Bailey Nance

    Small-town life turns out to be more satisfying than Renny Smith expected.

  • A Way of Life | Celina Fang

    Jerry Gentry works long days, and he has struggled to stay in business. But he can’t imagine doing ...

  • A Wild Soul | Andrea Wise

    Wildlife Rehabilitator, Alan Sidwell, loves animals deeply enough to let them go.

  • Charlie Lives! | Mimi Schiffman

    Who’s the man who has kept Science Hill School children out of the boiler room for 40 years?

  • Committed to Care | Jessica Marcy

    The answer to our prayers isn’t always what we expect.

  • Crank It Up | Renée Deemer

    Denzel Gaines refuses to be separated from the Bluegrass music he loves.

  • Family Values | Gino Siller

    Shoot safely. Eat what you kill. Honor the Lord. Ronnie Claiborne knows what he believes in.

  • Father’s Fury | Wesley Bacon

    Movita Michael explores her past through her art.

  • Forever Young | Lain Ewing

    These days Glenda and Jimmy Eastman are living the grandparents’ dream.

  • Future Focus | Chris Hintz

    Like many young waitresses, Christen Stoll has dreams of college and a professional career. But first, she must ...

  • In Their Blood | Maya Sugarman

    A tragic choice four decades ago still shapes life for Pam Marrinan and her daughter, Charline.

  • Lean on Me | Greg Moore

    Rhonda Wilford is the kind of friend you want when life gets really tough.

  • Love Song | Sara Lewkowicz

    Tammy Williams is a one-singer woman. Straight up.

  • One good note | Vanessa Patchett

    Patricia Cooper had always wanted to learn to play the violin. Now, it's about more than music.

  • Rising from the Ashes | Gaily Ligaiya Romero

    Terry Moore built a business to begin healing a broken heart.

  • Roadside Ark | Terri Flagg

    Lots of people have collections. Few collect like Tammy Todd.

  • Save Me | Paige Stoyer

    In a world of uncertainty, help sometimes comes from unexpected places.

  • Sidestepped | Josh Mauser

    A terrifying sound challenges champion athlete Makayela Banks.

  • Take and Give | Andrew Propp

    Joe Neikirk runs his store according to the principles of his faith. Among them: Thou shalt not steal.

  • The Rescuer | Mike Mulholland

    Alyce Grover refuses to give up on people — or animals.

  • Timeless Art | Zach Conkle

    Dan Dutton loves to get lost in creativity.

  • Unconditional Love | Greg Johnson

    Adam Theodore was starting his senior year in high school when tragedy struck. Now, “family” is the most ...

  • Whatever It Takes | Catherine Spangler

    Tawana Collins wants the best for her daughter. But she can’t do it alone.



  • Book Portfolios



  • Picture edit | Ron Page

About

The Mountain Workshops are three concurrent programs, the Photojournalism Workshop, Picture Editing Workshop and the Multimedia Workshop. The workshops offers a hands-on learning experience in documentary-style photojournalism.

Questions

Jim Bye | Coordinator The Mountain Workshops Western Kentucky University
jim.bye[at]wku.edu
270-991-1999

Past Years

Elizabethtown, KY 2010
Murray, KY 2009
Mayfield, KY 2008
Danville, KY 2007
Madisonville, KY 2006
Lawrenceburg, KY 2005
Lebanon, KY 2004
Bardstown, KY 2003
Cave City, KY 2002

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