NEBRASKAland editor visits, talks with students

NEBRASKAland magazine editor Jeff Kurrus gave a presentation to CSC students and Chadron community members in three separate time slots this week at CSC.

His Monday presentation, entitled “Writing with a Camera,” was about getting a story out of any picture you take.

“When you always have a camera with you, you always have the opportunity to tell a story with a photo,” Kurrus said.

Whenever he sees wildlife, no matter how big or small, he stops to get a few shots. He even photographs a certain spider that lives in his back yard. He said his family has a butterfly garden, which is why the spider sticks around.

“If you create a habitat, wildlife will come,” Kurrus said.

He explained that his process of creating a story starts with taking photos, then asking himself every question possible, associated with the subject. He said he never gets writer’s block because he can always come up with a story by asking “the five W’s” about a photo.

For example, he took a shot of a bird’s nest, then wondered why baby birds’ mouths are yellow. The next step in his writing process is to research and find the answers to such questions. He said he often speaks with biologists to find accurate information about the wildlife he shoots.

Aside from his work on NEBRASKAland, Kurrus has also written two children’s books. His latest, “The Tale of Jacob Swift,” follows the life of two actual swift foxes that he observed, and Robert Palmer photographed for the book.

Kurrus said that before his book was published he had 1,000 Papillion-La Vista fourth grade students review it.

They were not afraid to tell him what they liked and disliked about his story.

After going through about 60 classrooms he turned his revised edition over to biologist and CSC chair of Applied Sciences, Teresa Frink, to check the accuracy of his facts.

Kurrus said the goal of his work is to get students interested in nature so they will want to learn more and how to conserve it.

Kurrus also spoke Tuesday in Burkhiser.

Kurrus, a native of Memphis, Tennessee, completed his undergrad at the University of Memphis in 1998 and went on to obtain his master’s in English from the University of Nebraska-Omaha in 2002. Kurrus spent years doing freelance writing until he found the job he wanted.

In 2006, he became NEBRASKAland’s Associate Editor. In addition to “The Tale of Jacob Swift,” Kurrus also authored, including “Have You Seen Mary?”

In front of a small crowd of no more than seven or eight people, Kurrus stressed the importance of “the grind” when it comes to obtaining the job an individual wants.

“It’s about trying to get your work out,” Kurrus said.

Viewers of the presentation took in a lot of helpful information, including a better understanding of the journalism business in its entirety. Kurrus claimed that the business is tricky, as you will find writers and photographers who are willing to sell their work for free in many instances. Therefore, it is necessary for journalists to find ways to add value to their work.

In Kurrus’ case, he looks to promote the outdoors with his work, aiming to tell stories with his photography alone.

He stated that the photography should grab the attention of the reader, which would then prompt them to be more interested in the information given based on the photos.

Kurrus mainly focused on what he feels it takes to land in the position you want to be in as a professional.

He goes into depth about the important aspects of being a journalist, discussing the need to ask the basic journalism questions when taking photos: who, what, where, when, why, how, and can.