Final Portrait Series

Life Beyond ROTC

ROTC consumes the life of young college students at the University of Missouri, but personality and passions lie beyond the uniform and the discipline.

In this project, student members of the Air Force ROTC showcase their hobbies and passions. This portrait series uncovers the lives of those who have committed their time to serve their country.

This project aims to defy the stereotypes of people in uniform as bland, single personality, people and show that they are students who enjoy sports, travel, and filling their time with loved ones. 

Brianne Caldwell

Brianne Caldwell is a senior studying Civil Engineering and strives to be a helicopter pilot, part of aircraft maintenance, or be a member of security forces after graduation. Caldwell also has a passion for the Cubs. This flag is one of her 200 item collection of Cubs memorabilia. She says she loves how the flag shows her love for the military and for the Cubs.

Kris Long

Kris Long is a senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Long is also the president of the Baptist Student Union, a Christian campus organization. Long has been dating his fiancée, Kayla Goth, for four years and four months. They got engaged last year and are getting married Jan. 13, 2017.

Teddi Moorman

Teddi Moorman is studying Russian and International Studies. She will be going to McChord, an Air Force base in Seattle, after graduation. Moorman loves to travel and has been to about 17 different countries. She studied abroad in Kazakhstan and developed her Russian. Moorman would like to visit Alaska someday as well as go back to Switzerland and Kazakhstan.

Emma Vickers

Emma Vickers is a senior double majoring in Russian and Psychology. After college she will be working as an OSI agent investigating felonies and other charges. She has had a passion for track since 5th grade and started to dedicate most of her time to track her senior year of high school. Vickers is now the captain of the track team at Mizzou. 

Lighting Diagram

Analysis: This was a very fun project! I enjoyed this one the most I think because everything seemed to work out. I got all my people scheduled for the right day when they were all in uniform and my equipment worked! I only had one shot and I pulled it off. I liked this cross lighting because it lit them pretty equally while the background was dark. I like that look of being in a studio but being outdoors. The locations worked out very well too. I got a track in the background along with the flag from Crowder Hall was a nice touch. Everyone remembered their item and I was just amazed that my final project came together so quickly.