Writing/Essay/Journal
While Dan Corrigan is the staff photographer at music venue First Avenue, he is also a longtime member of the stage crew. He loves First Avenue so much that he considers it an honor to mop the stage floor—a job that is traditionally done by the rookie on staff.

Write about a place you love. Why do you feel at home there? Is there a sense of community established by the other people there, or is it a solitary space? Can you make any analogies for that place? (Dan refers to First Avenue as a pirate ship!)

Activity
Practice taking photos, either with a camera or camera phone, and then discuss in small groups the following: in a world where camera phones are increasingly more popular than cameras like Dan’s Nikon, how can you apply some of Dan’s “photographic words of wisdom”?
1. Find a unique spot that gives you a new perspective.
2. Look for the right light and wait until your subject moves into it.
3. Try to get your subject to make eye contact with you by looking through the lens.