Brett Phelps

From public meetings to happy greetings, it’s a pleasure to document this wonderful city and its people. Here are some slices of life that I have captured over the past several months in Indianapolis. Photographed for @mirrorindy @report4america @catchlight.io

Easter Sunday in Indy: Serving the Lord and serving looks Big hats and head pieces, a pinstripe suit, flashy bangles and earrings, and lots of pinks, blues and purples. Reporter Megana Waiss and I captured the impromptu fashion show that unfolded in the sanctuary of Witherspoon Presbyterian Church on Easter Sunday morning. Photographed for @mirrorindy @report4america @catchlight.io

One of the greatest gifts I received this year was the opportunity to photograph the participants, coaches and production staff at the 50th Mountain Workshops in October! It was a fantastic time, as always, getting to see old friends and meeting so many visual journalism colleagues from across the country. The Maysville, Kentucky, community was a great host as participants worked to showcase their town during the week. Thank you @wkuvjp / @mtnworkshops for allowing me to document the behind-the-scenes of an incredible workshop! There were so many moments and photos that I could not fit them all into one Instagram post. If you would like to see more images or download pictures of yourself, there will be a link in my story for the next 24 hours to a Google Drive folder containing the photos.

Redistricting in Indiana – Over the past several months, I have documented how Hoosiers have reacted to a mid-decade redistricting push by President Trump for new congressional maps in Indiana. I have attended rallies, protests, phone banks and legislative sessions to help tell this story at a state level. There were moments of fear and celebration. Tears were shed during passionate arguments. No matter which side residents were on, one thing was clear in this “will they or won’t they” drama: a passion for the state of Indiana. The bill, HB 1032, was defeated 31-19 in the Indiana Senate on Dec. 11, 2025, at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis. Here is a brief edit of my time following this story. Photographed for @mirrorindy @report4america @catchlight.io

The Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar was a blast! I had a great time connecting with old friends, making new ones, and learning from some of the greatest photojournalists in the industry. Receiving first place in the Short Form Video Project category is the cherry on top! @atlantaseminar

As you step into the Clermont Rodeo, you can hear the sound of horses’ hooves trotting against the dirt, cows mooing in the distance and children screeching with joy as they practice lassoing. When the national anthem starts to play, cowboy hats are removed from folks’ heads and placed over their hearts. Loudspeakers squelch as an announcer introduces various acts. Audience members “ooh” and “ah” as competitors tie calves, navigate barrels and ride bulls. Above are photos from the 70th Clermont Rodeo in Indianapolis on Sept. 20, 2025. Photographed for @mirrorindy @report4america @catchlight.io #MirrorIndy #Photojournalism #ClermontRodeo #IndianaRodeo #RodeoLife #CowboyCulture #HoosierLife #CowgirlStyle #IndyEvents

When I interviewed with the Boston Globe for my co-op this past spring, one area I wanted to grow in was sports photography. Thank you @bostonglobe for supporting this goal! 1. Lesley University’s Baileigh Sinaman-Daniel (center) is believed to be the first woman born with one arm to score a basket in NCAA Division III history. 2. St. John’s Kevin Bisson checks Catholic Memorial’s Cam Reed. The Catholic Memorial team celebrates after defeating St. John. 3. Celtics guard Jrue Holiday attempts to block Washington Wizards forward Anthony Gill’s shot. 4. Lavender Kozaka places first in the varsity girls’ long jump at the MIAA Division 3 Indoor Track Championship. 5. Red Sox pitcher Justin Wilson throws the ball to first baseman Triston Casas during the game against the Seattle Mariners. 6. Quincy’s Jayden Francois wins the 400-meter hurdles at the Division 2 track and field championship. 7. Fans react to a play made at the Rainbow Six Siege Esports World Championship. 8. Celtics forward Jayson Tatum tries to block Charlotte Hornets Josh Okogie from making a layup. 9. Participants compete in the 129th Boston Marathon. Evanilda Ferreira reacts after crossing the finish line. 10. Spectators cheer on racers from their window during the 129th Boston Marathon. Valeria Riva reacts after completing the race. 11. Ashlyn Hebert celebrates making it to second base. 12. The Millbury team celebrates after winning. 13. Celtics’ Xavier Tillman and Payton Pritchard scramble for the ball. 14. Bishop Feehan’s Maddie Coupal, left, laughs with Olivia Abren before the game against Archbishop Williams. 15. Red Sox pitcher Brayan Bello celebrates after striking out a Seattle Mariners player. 16. Walpole’s Paul Whelan slides into second base as Reading Memorial’s Kamden Greatorex attempts to catch the ball. 17. The Walpole team celebrates after winning the game against Reading. 18. Chelmsford High School’s Matthew Hall (left) and Braintree High School’s Ben Phan (right) react after Braintree’s Michael Ryan tagged Hall out. 19. Players from North Reading celebrate after their win against Arlington Catholic. 20. Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers reacts after hitting the ball vertically.

Hundreds of students from Herron, Shortridge, North Central and Brebeuf high schools walked out of their classrooms Friday, Sept. 5, to protest gun violence. Many of them packed into IndyGo’s Red and Purple line buses to make their voices heard at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis. The protest was part of a nationwide Students Demand Action walkout calling for stricter gun laws. I photographed the walkout while on assignment for @mirrorindy , @catchlight.io and @report4america . Read more from @carleylanich and see additional photos from me at mirrorindy.org!

I have completed my first month with @mirrorindy ! Here are a few of my favorite photos since I’ve been back in Indiana. Thank you, @report4america and @catchlight.io for making this experience possible. 1. Kamari Carr dunks the ball on July 18, 2025, in Monument Circle. 2. Performers from the LaNique Expressions Dance Company rest on July 19, 2025, before performing at the Indiana Black Expo. 3. Elizabeth Masur works to maintain native flowers and grass on July 16, 2025, at Lee Road Park. 4. Miguel Martinez, 14, (left) and David Garcia, 14, wait for their ride on July 31, 2025, after an open house at Shortridge High School. 5. Christopher Delfino cosplays as Mario on July 31, 2025, during Gen Con. 6. Brooke Burd cosplays as Viera Warrior of Light from Final Fantasy XIV on July 31, 2025, during Gen Con. 7. Craig Inman did not want his 12-year-old daughter to go to Options Behavioral Health Hospital. “She was already having a hard time, and then they made it much worse,” said Inman. “You can see it, like, she’s not the same little girl anymore.” 8. Students and parents attend an open house on Aug. 1, 2025, at Jonathan Jennings School. 9. State Rep. Ed DeLaney speaks during a sit-in on Aug. 7, 2025, at the Indiana Statehouse. 10. Protesters chant during a sit-in on Aug. 7, 2025, at the Indiana Statehouse. Residents are protesting the restricted meeting between U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Indiana Governor Mike Braun amid recent efforts for states to redraw their districts between census years. 11. The Indiana Statehouse on Aug. 7, 2025. 12. After a 28-year career in the Jefferson County Public Schools in Kentucky, Marty Pollio has assumed a new role as Ivy Tech Community College’s 10th president. 13. Jazmin Brown, left, and Alecea Brown cheer for Indianapolis Fever player Lexie Hull (10) on July 18, 2025, during the WNBA All-Star 3-point Contest at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. 14. Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese (5) makes a layup on July 19, 2025, during the WNBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. 15. Terrance Harris dunks the ball on July 18, 2025, at a court beside Monument Circle.

Cooper Flagg has “the whole basketball world here at the tip of his fingers.” Newport, Maine couldn’t be prouder. One of my last assignments for The Boston Globe was to travel to Newport, Maine and spend a day documenting the town where the number one draft pick for the NBA was raised. When I arrived, I started looking for features right away, trying to meet anyone who could show me what it’s like to grow up in this roughly 3,200-person town. That was when I stumbled upon Maddox, a 15-year-old riding his bicycle through town. After making a feature of him and meeting his grandmother, he quickly offered to show me around town. So, I began walking alongside Maddox and his bicycle through Newport. He took me to Cooper’s house, the different schools Cooper attended, and the local fire station, where he thought someone there might have known Cooper. It just so happened that the fire station was hosting the high school baseball team’s end-of-year banquet that night, which included kids who had grown up with Copper and some who had played basketball with and against him. After the banquet, the team started playing basketball in the fire station. From a cardboard cut-out of Cooper in a local gas station to stashed-away signed merchandise, this town is close-knit and loves to talk about their “hometown boy,” Cooper Flagg. It was a joy to meet the residents of this lovely town and take a peek into life in Newport, Maine.

To say I had a blast in Boston would be an understatement! Last week, my six-month co-op with The Boston Globe came to an end. In January, I packed my belongings and headed to New England to embark on a new adventure! And an adventure it was! I had the opportunity to work and learn alongside some of the most talented people in the journalism business. From days working the photo desk to my time out in the field, every day posed new challenges and experiences! One day I might be covering a Boston Red Sox game, the next an American Revolutionary War reenactment and the next a Boston Celtics game. I am incredibly thankful for the chance to have lived in Boston for the last six months and feel blessed to have had the opportunity to document its community! My next adventure will take me back to Indianapolis, where I will be working for Mirror Indy alongside Report for America and CatchLight!

When you get to do the Ken Burns effect on Ken Burns, it’s a great day! The Ken Burns effect is when pan or zoom is added to a still image in post-production to make it appear moving or to add emphasis. I took these portraits of Mr. Burns at the Old North Church in Boston in April, ahead of several events in Boston, Lexington, and Concord, where he promoted his upcoming documentary series that explores the American Revolution. His series focuses on the lesser-known characters of the revolution, a war that is celebrating its 250th anniversary this year. Thanks @bostonglobe for giving me this assignment!