by Matthew Ligrani

UHCLIDIAN STAFF

Photographer Linda Lapointe has a photographic eye that captures emotion at just the right moment.

"I find it satisfying to find the right composition, or capture the emotion at that very instant," Lapointe said. "The bonus is discovering, among the newly developed photos, all elements have come together perfectly."

The 2002 UH-Clear Lake graduate got hooked on photojournalism after taking an assignment from a religious organization to photograph the work of Ethiopian missionaries. Since her visit to Ethiopia, she has photographed in Kayenta, Ariz., India and Mexico.

Lapointe recently visited Bhutan, a Buddhist kingdom located in the Himalayas, on a National Geographic photography expedition led by Steven McCurry, renowned for his famous National Geographic cover shot of the green-eyed Afghan refugee.

"I called him my "tor-mentor," because of his relentless teasing," Lapointe said jokingly. "It was very interesting to see how McCurry interacted with the people and made them comfortable enough to cooperate with him. This expedition was a once in a life time experience that allowed me the opportunity to work with the best in the field; I am glad I went."

Lapointe is currently developing a documentary style of photography. This type of photography allows her to portray emotional humanistic qualities in her photography.

"I like to do documentary work such as a day in the life, whether for corporate executives or people wanting a visual document of a loved-one," Lapointe said.

Lapointe's photo essay, "Phoebe-A Day in the Life of an Alzheimer's Patient," features an accurate representation of the emotional confusion her mother-in-law displayed while battling the disease.

Lapointe recently won the Juror's Choice Award from Jean Caslin, executive director and curator at the Houston Center for Photography, in the Sixth Annual Photography Juried Exhibition for a body of work that included photos from her expedition to Bhutan.

She was also awarded the Community Arts Service Award from The Arts Alliance Center at Clear Lake. Her photos are regularly featured in the bi-monthly TAACCL publication, "State of the Arts in Clear Lake."

Lapointe's photos, "Inquiry" and "Pride and Joy," were recently published in the UH-Clear Lake 2003 Bayousphere magazine.

Lapointe plans to continue focusing on a career in photography.

"Anyone can learn the technical skills of photography, but to have an eye for it is a gift," Lapointe said.

For more information about Linda Lapointe, visit www.ghg.net/soulart.

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