A lot of what I do as a photojournalist is visual problem solving. I’m tasked with making photographs that tell a story in an accurate and hopefully creative way. Often, this involves being in situations lacking visually interesting material that require some extra work to make a better than average photograph. Sometimes, though, you encounter a scene that’s so visually rich you don’t want to leave. Such was the case when I photographed the annual ISU cosmetology competition and fashion show.

After a number of assignments lately that just didn’t have much going for them visually, I welcomed seeing all the elaborate hairstyles, bright colors, and costumes. Making photos usually seems a little more effortless and fun when you have some interesting subjects to shoot.