NEWS

Donny Crowe, head of Photographic Services at Louisiana Tech University, was elected to the University Photographers Association of America (UPAA) Board of Directors this summer at the organization’s 48th annual Technical Symposium at Jamestown Community College in Jamestown, N.Y.

A 1987 Tech graduate in photography and employee of the university since July of that year, Crowe can’t picture himself doing anything else.

“It’s a job I’ve really enjoyed doing, every day,” said Crowe, who has photographed everything from alumni gatherings to football bowl games to sorority mixers to NCAA Tournament basketball.

His worst assignment? Shooting elementary school portraits for a local photography service while he was a Tech student. “Photographing 300 to 400 kids – before lunch – was not my thing,” Crowe said. “Every age from little ones on up. We shot in noisy gyms and noisy libraries. Wherever we shot, it was noisy.”

His favorite assignments involve noise too, but a kind more preferable. “The most fun thing to shoot is athletics,” said Crowe, who’s won multiple awards and earned notable recognition for his work.

Crowe grew up in Baton Rouge with little interest in photography. But somewhere along the line, a shutter clicked. Maybe it was taking a few pictures during LSU ballgames, either one the court or on the field as a helper for his dad, who worked televised games as an AT & T employee. And maybe working as an apprentice for a heavy machinery equipment mechanic his first two years out of high school helped fuel his desire for college.

His older brother was already at Tech. Soon, Crowe and his camera were too. And they’ve never left.

Crowe is the father of three sons and a daughter. Stephen will be a freshman at Tech this fall. Brendon, Logan and Marlea attend Downsville High.

The UPAA, through lectures, demonstrations, panel discussions and professional friendships, provides university photographers across the U.S., Canada and Australia a unique opportunity for professional development and networking with colleagues. Crowe will find out his exact duties on the board when the UPAA meets again in mid-October.

Written by Teddy Allen