UAM Administrative Specialist Publishes Photographs in Two Publications

Staff Writer

    Janelle Martin, administrative specialist III to the vice chancellor for student affairs at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, recently published

Photo by Douglas Boultinghouse

Photographs Published - Janelle Martin, administrative specialist III to the vice chancellor for student affairs, poses with her photo entitled Cross Cut Competition. Capture Arkansas and Capture Memphis chose Martin's photography for a spot in their books.

   Capture Arkansas and Capture Memphis, both published by Pediment Publishing Company, chose Martin’s photography for a spot in their books. Both Capture Arkansas and Capture Memphis held a contest for six months from May to October to find a winner. Martin’s picture, Cross Cut Competition, won out of 63,774 photos by 2,061 participating photographers in Capture Arkansas.

   The photo, Cross Cut Competition, featured two UAM students competing in the 2009 Forestry Conclave held yearly on campus. Martin’s photo featured under the heading of Life which features industry, farming, schools, campus life and living in Arkansas.

   Martin did not know her photo was chosen until the release party held  Nov. 6 in Little Rock. During the release party, photographers signed autographs of their photos.

   “It was an absolute amazing experience and I felt so special,” Martin said.

   Capture Memphis, chose to publish a photograph entitled Billiard Room, Martin’s photo of a Graceland Tour of Elvis Presley’s home. This photo published underneath the Landmark and Architecture heading. The competition in Capture Memphis ran along 17,301 photos submitted by 464 participates. Martin did not attend the release party, but she shared the excitement through e-mails of photos.

   Martin started her job at UAM in 2001 with the same position she holds today. She held 10 years of previous service to the state of Arkansas as well. She is nearing 20 years with service to Arkansas.

   Martin started her love for photography with her maternal grandfather and his family slide shows. Her grandfather traveled Arkansas, taking pictures along the way, with pictures of his grandchildren also.

   “When he passed away in 1985, my Nana gave me Granddaddy’s prized slide collection. I have hopes of scanning all the slides one day, but it is a very time consuming process,” Martin said.

   Martin said the encouragement from friends, family and acquaintances draws her closer to her love and enjoyment of photography.

   “It really makes me happy to learn when something I have captured through my camera has touched another person,” Martin said.

   Martin’s love for traveling and enjoyment for nature inspires her as well.  

   In Martin’s spare time, she likes being a photographer for hire, but with her work and graduate school, it becomes limited. Martin will soon complete her first graduate level class toward a master's degree in education.

   “I love UAM, the Monticello community and our great State of Arkansas and enjoy doing my part to help promote them all.  I consider myself a traveling ambassador for our University, city and state and find myself continually encouraging others to check us out,” Martin said.

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