100 reasons this is the best job in the world

Yesterday was my last day at the Reno Gazette-Journal.

I've had a great time at the RGJ. I've met a lot of great people, hopefully improved and learned a lot. Something that I've learned that has been proved repeatedly throughout this internship has been the fact that I have the best career in the world. Here's 100 reasons why (and there's many more):

1. Everybody has a story to tell.
2. Shootouts.
3. Rodeos.
4. Always entering clip contests but never winning.
5. "That's a big lens."
6. Getting up early for sunrises, skipping dinner for sunsets, staying up late for the stars.
7. Shooting from the catwalks.
8. Sneaking into places you shouldn't be.
9. Speeding tickets while driving to breaking news assignments.
10. Knowing about the best places to eat in town.
11. Seeing a shy person become comfortable around you and your camera.
12. Meeting random people on feature hunts.
13. I love my job...unlike your accountant.
14. "Do you take pictures?"
15. Shooting the smiles and the tears - sometimes at the same time.
16. Photo mechanic.
17. Evening light.
18. Not wanting to leave an assignment.
19. Telling the whole story.
20. Miss America contests.
21. Going behind the scenes.
22. Roadtrips for assignments.
23. Seeing your work on AP.
24. Feature hunts at sporting events.
25. Being where the action is.
26. The struggle to make a better image than the day before.
27. Thinking you're in a slump and then coming out of it...only to fall back into one.
28. Everything is inspiration.
29. The little moments.
30. Details.
31. The colors red and blue together.
31.5. And most other colors in general.
32. Being more mobile than TV videographers.
33. Capturing ambient sound.
34. Knowing when and why to take the photo.
35. When reporters think you're crazy for working so much.
36. When other photographers think you're crazy for working so much.
37. Arizona Ice Teas.
38. Front page, above the fold.
39. "Can I get a copy of that?"
40. Getting together with other shooters and talking about nothing but photography.
41. Getting together with those who aren't shooters and awkwardly trying to explain photography.
42. You're not sitting in a cubicle.
43. Public Relations people that let you go wherever, do whatever you want.
44. Chicks dig cameras.
45. Waiting for the moment.
46. Ambient lighting.
47. Spending money you don't have on photo equipment.
48. Still using film every once in a while.
49. Looking back at past photographs to see how you have improved.
50. Looking at other photographers' work to see how much you suck.
51. Capturing history as it happens.
52. The amount of random and useless information you compile from interviews.
53. Every day is different.
54. Someone paying for your gas.
55. Using Photoshop to color correct, crop, save and...that's it.
56. Letting a kid look through viewfinder.
57. Making new friends every day.
58. Press passes.
59. Zero lunch, four hours of sleep, 1,000 images, five minutes until deadline.
60. Environmental portraits.
61. Being a stranger that cares what others have to say.
62. Bringing the camera everywhere.
63. Talking your way into restricted areas.
64. Meeting other shooters on assignment.
65. Getting an epic farmer's tan.
66. Everyone is jealous of what you do.
67. Never reading the instruction manual.
68. Putting together a decent photo package.
69. Getting an image nobody else saw.
70. Arriving early, leaving late.
71. Being the only one with my view of the event.
72. Trying to blend in with the crowd.
73. Feeding your curiosity.
74. Experimenting.
75. Irony.
76. "Am I going to be on TV?"
77. Getting your paycheck...a good reminder it's really, really, really not about the money.
78. Realizing your entire portfolio is filth...and trying to shoot images to replace them.
79. Trying to make an exciting image at a boring assignment.
80. Running into models willing to pay for headshots when you're out on assignment.
81. "What did you do today?"
82. Hail Mary shots - when they work.
83. People wanting you to tell their story.
84. Subjects who have zero camera awareness.
85. Scanner traffic.
86. Police ride-alongs.
87. Seeing the work of what your photographer friends are doing and feeling inspired to either never pick up a camera again or to go out and shoot immediately.
88. Sleeping next to your gear.
89. Someone asking you a photo-related question.
90. Events people want you to cover.
91. Being thrown into situations where I am completely out of my element.
92. Having no natural talent but all the drive in the world.
93. My back hurts, my feet are sore, I can't keep my eyelids open and I can't wait to get back to work the next day.
94. What I do in my day off resembles what I'd do on a workday.
95. What day off?
96. Nobody ever wants to take your photograph.
97. Depth of field.
98. Convertibles
99. Shooting photos of family and friends, just because you can.
100. Nobody else does/sees/experiences what we do.