Small-business insurer Insureon awards the scholarship once each semester to college students 鈥渨hose lives have been impacted by small businesses.鈥� Cable wrote in her winning essay entry that the business that has impacted her is her own: .

Four years ago, as a high school junior in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Cable began taking senior portraits. Later she expanded to also capture weddings and engagements. She is now studying , and at EMU 鈥� and is continuing her 鈥減reviously-baby-now-toddler鈥� business.

The business has been a vehicle for building relationships with clients and connecting with others in her field 鈥� as well as developing business savvy and skills. 鈥淚 get to wear so many different hats. I鈥檓 a photographer one day, an accountant the next, and a sales and marketing rep the following,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淭here is not one day that passes where I do the same thing.鈥�

She is also 鈥渟till learning the fine line that stands between being a business owner and college student. Deciding whether I鈥檓 going to study for an exam or do my taxes is just one of the debates.鈥�

Cable has grown not only in responsibility over the years, but also in her sense of what makes good photography.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 realize until later in my career that there is no such thing as a perfect picture, which is what makes photography so incredibly beautiful,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淲hen I鈥檓 capturing the first look between a couple on their wedding day, the last thing I want to say is, 鈥楬ey, groom. Hold your soon-to-be wife鈥檚 hand and pretend to cry when you see her for the first time.鈥� … My favorite times are when I get to capture the emotion and reality that is going on in that moment.鈥�

During her freshman year, Cable interned with , photography and videography manager in EMU鈥檚 marketing and communications department.

鈥淎ndrea arrived with a healthy foundation of experience and interest in learning how imagery works in marketing efforts,鈥� Strack said. 鈥淗er pursuit of education in both business and photography demonstrates an uncommon understanding of what it will take to succeed in the current marketplace. With her motivation and liberal arts education, Andrea is poised for success.鈥�

(Also check out “,” the best of our 2017 news coverage.)

Strack chose images from among the thousands taken and processed by his team, including hundreds alone that documented two major events of 2017: the spring inauguration of EMU鈥檚 ninth president, Dr. Susan Schultz Huxman, and EMU鈥檚 Centennial Homecoming and Family Weekend.

To view other photo albums from 2017 events, click here.

鈥淚 tried to focus on high-quality images that may not have been displayed in our news coverage or in other venues,鈥� he said.

The image of Huxman and her father at inauguration, he says, wouldn鈥檛 be a selected feature image for coverage, 鈥渂ut the way the two are isolated in that photo, sharing a moment that is pretty unusual in families, is extraordinary.鈥�

Other images, such as the woman participating in the color run, 鈥渃apture the feelings of the moment and of the weekend.鈥�

Two photos of the new water tower on 鈥淭he Hill鈥� behind EMU鈥檚 campus made the cut. Aware of the hill’s prominent role in EMU history, Strack set up a video camera to create a of the construction.

鈥淭he Hill is an iconic feature of student and campus life for the entirety of campus history,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was really important to capture this new feature as part of that continuity.鈥�

From aerial landscapes to insect close-ups, the images showcase the range of photos taken by Strack and his team, which includes part-time photographer and videographer Macson McGuigan, creative director Jon Styer, and a rotating cast of interns. Former photographer/videographer Joaquin Sosa鈥檚 work is also included.

鈥淧eople often admire the equipment and comment on how much it costs, but I always say that the best camera is the one you have with you,鈥� Strack said. 鈥淲e may be going from taking a group shot to event coverage, but we are always keeping our eyes open for other creative possibilities. You always carry your camera so that if the clouds or the sunset is just right, you don鈥檛 miss taking an image of campus that would be really special to share with our global community.鈥�

Many days this fall, Strack could be seen on the campus center balcony, flying a quadcopter to collect images for the Advent video. He also flies during special events, such as homecoming and commencement.

鈥淲e have a pretty good archive of historic photos of campus taken from the air, but now that we can do it more easily, it鈥檚 fun to provide these new perspectives of our campus. People really love these photos,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t really gives you a sense of our place in the Shenandoah Valley with the nearby farms and the mountains.鈥�

View more photos at .

Also check out “,” the best of our 2017 news coverage.