Eric Lee ’15, a freelance photojournalist for The Associated Press and The New York Times, describes how knowledge and creativity gained from his Gettysburg College education inspire and guide him in his life and photography work.
“Creativity comes from so many different places, but for me it comes from my own experiences—growing up, the community I keep around me, and the things I see out in the world,” said Eric Lee ’15.
Lee, an award-winning photojournalist based in Washington, D.C., views his camera as an extension of his eye. Together, the dual lenses work in tandem to tell stories that resonate with the heart of human emotions.
His photo assignments for media outlets such as Bloomberg News, The New York Times, National Geographic, and The Washington Post have taken him from the Oval Office at the White House and communities across the United States. He has also traveled to the Vatican, Angola, Peru, Brazil, and a half dozen international destinations.
During his travels, Lee has met countless individuals who have become more than subjects in his photos—they have become part of his story.
“We ask so much from the people and communities we photograph,” he said. “We spend time at their workplaces, schools, and homes, watching their lives through the best parts and sometimes the worst. It’s an honor to get to share people’s stories through my lens.
“I spent a year and a half working with a family for my graduate school capstone project. It was incredibly special to get to watch their children grow up and learn about the world, just as I learned about myself with the project. This is a special job that I never want to give up because it connects me to the world,” Lee added.
Lee’s photography has garnered numerous accolades. Earlier this year, a 2024 photograph he took of former President Joe Biden in Luanda, Angola, was named a finalist for Impact 2024: U.S. Presidential Race Picture of the Year. In March, Lee also won first place in the presidential category of the White House News Photographers Association’s Eyes of History contest.
For Lee, identifying the emotions of people, places, and events, and determining how to depict them in a single visual, requires creativity—opening the mind to seeing beyond the scenes in front of him. It’s visual art that draws on the knowledge and skills acquired through a holistic worldview—a worldview Lee developed at Gettysburg College.
“There are so many areas that connect, and the world is not singular,” he said. “Gettysburg, with its liberal arts approach, helped me realize that.”
Lee entered Gettysburg in the fall of 2011 as a health sciences major. He intended to study health sciences to become a physical therapist.
“In my intro to biology course, I was more interested in taking photos through the microscope than actually studying everything in the cells,” he joked. That biology class experience, however, was the catalyst that sparked Lee’s interest in exploring the world through a lens.
“I think of many of the professors I had here at Gettysburg who helped instill this foundation of being curious.”
– Eric Lee ’15
During his studies at Gettysburg, Lee connected with James Udden, chair of Cinema and Media Studies (CIMS), who helped Lee discern his interest in visual media.
“Eric came to CIMS so late that I was certain he could only do a minor. He not only managed to complete the major, but he also found his true language, which is through images,” Udden said. “He has continued to use that ever since in his work.”
Ultimately, Lee changed majors, graduating from Gettysburg with a bachelor’s degree in cinema and media studies.
Extending his knowledge about visual media beyond the classroom, Lee honed his photojournalism skills as a visual communications intern in the College’s Office of Communications and Marketing.
The spirit of mentorship compels Lee to give back to Gettysburg students today, igniting the spark of curiosity just as his professors did for him. He returned to campus in September to speak with students participating in Gettysburg College’s Guided Pathways.
“Eric gave an inspiring presentation about his extensive career as a photojournalist that showcased his work covering major political events of the last few years,” said Brandon Fey ’27, an international affairs and history major participating in the Guided Pathways. “It is incredibly valuable to have alumni like Eric who are willing to share their career journeys and insights with current students. As someone interested in journalism, I greatly appreciated the opportunity to connect with Eric and learn about his career.”
“Mentorship has been a key part of my career path,” Lee said. “I think of many of the professors I had here at Gettysburg who helped instill this foundation of being curious.”
For Lee, exercising curiosity fuels his passion for creating and telling compelling visual stories.
“Every day is a different experience for me,” he said. “Photojournalism is a front seat to history in so many ways.”
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By Michael Vyskocil
Photos by Tyler Caruso and Eric Lee for The New York Times
Posted: 11/03/25
