Through the Lens

O’Neil Arnold ’85 counts himself as “one of the lucky ones.”

“If you had told me as a Berea College student that I could see the things I see or do the things I’ve done, I would have been really happy,” Arnold told a captivated group of current Berea College students during a mentorship visit this spring. 

“This is me when I was you,” he said, pointing at a photo of him from the dark room in the old Edwards Building.

Arnold shared with 10 Berea College students who make up the multimedia team about his career as a photographer—a path he hadn’t initially considered growing up in Norton, Virginia. 

He learned about Berea College from a recruiter who visited his high school. His guidance counselor considered him a good candidate for the school, so Arnold visited Berea on a weekend trip. That included a visit to the observatory and the telescope. A self-proclaimed “science geek,” Arnold said that visit “sealed the deal.” 

“I came from a family with a modest income,” Arnold shared. “Coming to Berea College was a big, big part of being able to afford college.” 

He came to Berea as a physics major, aspiring to be an astronomer. Science just made sense to him. The heavy math requirements for the major didn’t make as much sense to him, though, he recalled. 

As a first-year student, he worked in food services and took on a secondary position as a photographer with the campus News Bureau. He showed promise, and Ann Ford, the News Bureau director at the time, offered him a primary student position. His labor position helped him tap into his creative side—photography was something that came naturally to him. 

Arnold began to feel conflicted about his future.

“I had heard a couple of presentations from newspaper photographers on the ability to use photography as a communication tool, and that just lit a fire in me,” he said. “I had never thought of photography as a communications tool. I looked at some of the pictures that they showed, and I just fell in love with that concept. So, I was torn as a science student with a keen interest in science. But there was this tug at my heart toward using photography as a communication tool.”

Arnold had some prior experience in photography. He worked for his high school newspaper and had shadowed the photographer at his hometown newspaper. He learned to process film as a teenager because he enjoyed photographing the night sky and wanted to get the perfect process on his colors and contrast. 

He eventually became chief photographer for the Bureau and remembers the sense of pride and responsibility he felt about the role. It was something he took seriously, and he encouraged the students today to do the same. Arnold stressed the importance of professionalism as a student photographer and a representative of the College. The student photographers’ work reflects the College, he said.

“You can take really meaningful photos at Berea,” he said. 

He recalled important photography assignments while on campus, including photographing Berea College Trustee Alex Haley, the renowned author of “Roots” and “The Autobiography of Malcolm X.” He had the opportunity to engage with photographers from Parade Magazine while they visited campus. He was also the one to develop the films of the photographs used to announce Berea’s new president, John B. Stephenson, in 1984. 

“Mrs. Ford told me to plan to be in the dark room for seven to eight hours,” Arnold said. “They showed me a 5×7 print of a man and told me to the go to the darkroom and recreate 50 copies. It was ‘top secret.’ They didn’t tell me who it was or why. I was honored that they trusted me to do that.”

While at Berea, Arnold landed an internship one town over with The Richmond Register. This experience secured his decision about pursuing a career in photography, and he went on to earn a master’s degree in photojournalism from the Ohio State University. He initially worked as a designer for a magazine in Louisville, where he made enough connections to start a career as a freelance photographer. 

“I’m that odd alum whose career came out of their labor position and not exactly from their academic studies,” he said.  

He reflects on and uses his Berea experiences still today, as he has had the privilege to photograph “delicate situations,” where he’s needed to sign non-disclosure agreements or is the only photographer allowed in the room. 

Fresh off a weekend photographing the 152nd Kentucky Derby, Arnold acknowledged that without Berea, and without the Labor program, he may not be where is today. 

“Every minute counts at Berea,” he told the students. “Take advantage of the opportunities given to you and don’t let them pass you by.” 

He encouraged the students to explore their strengths and be proud of their work. 

“There are so many directions you can go with photography,” he said. “Use this time to reflect on your interests and passions. You’ll know in your heart where you need to go. You’ll have this feeling of satisfaction with your work.” 

For Arnold, the Berea experience opened him to a new world of opportunities, not only in his career but in how he viewed the world. Classes like “Issues and Values” were impressive to him and offered a new perspective. 

“I think you have to look at it from the liberal arts perspective,” he said. “It teaches you how to think, and it opens your mind. You’re focused on the whole person. I think Berea’s really good at that.” 

Arnold’s mentorship meeting with students opened a new perspective for them, too. Timothy ’27 is a communications major at Berea also focusing on minors in digital media, film production and business. The workshop reminded him of the importance of his work. 

“I love how he mentioned that being a photographer in the multimedia office is more than just the craft itself,” he said. “It’s also an opportunity to represent Berea College and be part of something bigger in a creative way. It is such a beautiful job that I’m grateful for, and hearing that from another person’s perspective was very refreshing.” 

Timothy believes that, like Arnold, his Labor position will prepare him for his future endeavors. He aspires to move to New York City and work in the multimedia space. 

“My labor position has been an opportunity for me to have my dream job on campus and see what I can be after I graduate,” he said. “I’m getting a great taste of it and building my experience as much as possible.”