The moments James Lovelace wants to keep

For the Columbian sophomore, a camera offers a way to preserve memories and connect with the people around him.

Top photo: A Columbian color guard member performs at sunset. (Photo by James Lovelace)

Columbian High School sophomore James Lovelace is pursuing his interest in photography and sharing his work from school events.

TIFFIN, Ohio – James Lovelace had a plan for Clash of the Classes: sit off to the side, look at his phone and keep to himself.

His mom encouraged him to bring his camera. That suggestion changed how the Columbian High School sophomore spent the event. Taking photographs gave him something to do and a reason to meet people. He had come prepared to watch. Now he had a way to contribute.

“Turns out I got really good shots,” James said.

The next day, he received a field pass to photograph Columbian’s homecoming football game. For James, who describes himself as an introvert, those opportunities have given a longtime interest a place in his school life.

A Columbian band member waves from the stands. (Photo by James Lovelace)

The camera is helping him connect with classmates. The photographs give him something he can return to, a way to hold on to experiences he wants to remember. That matters to James for reasons that reach beyond a school event.

James said he was skateboarding with friends after work last fall when he lost his balance while riding downhill. It was a hill he had ridden before. The fall led to a difficult recovery, which he said included physical therapy, learning to walk again and coping with memory loss.

He remembers being frustrated with how much he had to relearn. Along with the physical work of recovery, he said, came the unfamiliar experience of relying on other people to tell him about parts of his own life.

Columbian science teacher Jeanette Marshall said his recovery took time.

“He is really a walking miracle,” she said.

For James, a photograph offers a record of a moment he can revisit.

“I realized, if I take photos of it, it’s hard to forget,” he said.

His interest in photography began long before the accident. James remembers taking pictures with a Polaroid camera around age 5. What started in childhood has grown into something he wants to keep learning and getting better at.

The camera he uses now came from his grandfather on his dad’s side, who first put him to the test. His grandfather let James use the camera for a day to see whether he could handle it, and gave it to him only after James proved he was good at taking photos. Owning it has given him the equipment to pursue photography more seriously. He wants to keep developing his skills, including editing, and learn how to turn his interest into work he can be paid to do.

“It’s a big learning process,” he said.

James also credits his faith with helping him find direction while he was looking for work. He recalled praying for God to “show me something I can do.” Photography has become something he hopes to pursue as a side business, with earnings helping him improve his equipment and continue learning.

He has another goal, too: becoming a paramedic. He hopes the money he earns through photography can eventually help pay for that schooling.

“I realized, if I take photos of it, it’s hard to forget.”

James Lovelace, Columbian sophomore

For now, school events offer opportunities to practice and share his work. His classmates and their families can look back at the moments he photographs, seeing a familiar event through another student’s eyes.

The camera he earned his grandfather’s trust with is now helping him take part in school life. With each event he photographs, James has something of his own to contribute and something to keep.

Through James’ lens