Capturing 2024: A Visual Journey Through the Year’s Most Impactful Stories

Gabriella Gregor Splaver, Freelance Photojournalist:

I am Gabriella Gregor Splaver, a freelance photojournalist.

I completed my studies at Columbia, where I contributed as a student photojournalist for The Columbia Daily Spectator.

Right after October 7, protests erupted on our campus almost immediately. It was a routine of waking up, covering the demonstrations for as long as possible, then returning home to rest, and repeating the process. We managed to navigate certain areas of the protest and document events in ways that I believe many of the external journalists could not.

In that instance, I thought about what unique perspective I could offer that these seasoned photojournalists might not possess. For me, it was a matter of knowing this community intimately, as well as grasping the contrast between the current circumstances and what life was like for fellow students heading to classes just two weeks prior.

Undeniably, as a photojournalist, one is expected to document events impartially and accurately. However, as a Columbia student, I have personal connections with the individuals in that tent. I recognize the person in that building, and I am surrounded by many of my classmates.

I had a strong desire to capture a viewpoint that reflects a student’s experience of the unfolding situation.