Chris Jenkins has been a familiar sight on the Mississippi University for Women campus for more than two decades — usually with a camera in tow. As The W’s official photographer, he documents the history of the university through photos and video. Some of those images are part of an exhibit now up in the Art & Design Building on campus through April 15, in conjunction with a Ceramics Invitational exhibit. A reception Friday, April 1 from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. is open to the public.
“Chris Jenkins: Views of The W” includes 39 photographs. The collection includes not only images of the historic campus, but also photographs Jenkins took in Scotland with an MUW study abroad group. There are photos, too, of musical artists including B.B. King, Widespread Panic and The Avett Brothers, among others.
“Music is a life-long passion of mine, so I love shooting live performances,” said Jenkins, whose first live concert was to see Queen in Atlanta in 1979. “My parents took me and my brother, Steve. That show blew my little 8-year-old mind. I have been hooked on live music ever since.”
Jenkins fell into photography and videography almost by accident. He recalled his earliest days with The W in 1992, when he was station engineer for its radio station, WMUW. In October of that year, a tornado damaged the landmark MUW clock tower.
“My boss at the time handed me a video camera and told me to go shoot some footage of it for FEMA. That was the first time I had ever picked up a video camera,” Jenkins said. It would be the first of many video projects.
The still photography work began in earnest in 1998, when Jenkins had the opportunity to join the university’s Public Affairs staff. His first assignment was shooting the Eudora Welty Writers’ Symposium. Thousands of photographs and videos have followed, including the freelance photography and videography he does.
Today his work can be seen on the university’s website, in the alumni magazine Visions, in television spots and in all recruiting and marketing materials for The W. He has won numerous awards, including first place and the grand prize award at the 2014 College Public Relations Association of Mississippi conference. He has also been published in TV Guide Weekly Magazine, Mississippi magazine, Catfish Alley magazine, The Dispatch newspapers and The L. A. Times newspaper, among others.
Practice, practice
Jenkins’ advice to aspiring photographers is to “take lots and lots of photos,” he told Monica Kizer of MUW’s Spectator newspaper. Gone are the days when photography was film-based. “Every time you clicked the shutter, it cost you money,” he said. The digital age, however, allows photographers to shoot at will inexpensively.
“So just shoot, shoot, shoot,” he advised. “Get out there and just practice.”
Being a photographer makes one look at the world differently, he said.
“I’m constantly seeing a photo everywhere I look,” he told The Spectator. “I think in terms of what will make a good photo, even when I’m just walking down the street. In my mind, I see photos everywhere, and that’s pretty cool to me.”
Jenkins’ photography exhibit in Gallery B and the Ceramics Invitational featuring Lynnette Hesser and Steve Loucks in the Eugenia Summer Gallery will be on display through April 15, as will Junior Seminar artwork. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information, call 662-329-7291.
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.