Fresh Fotos is a program available to first year Iowa State University freshmen. Students apply to be part of the program in which they are expected to take pictures that portray their first year at ISU.

Before becoming part of the program, the students must apply and then go through an interview process. At the end of this process 12 students are chosen to visually document their first year of college.

According to Megan Koehn, “we all mentioned that we see campus in a different way.” Which she believes helped the interviewees decide which 12 freshmen to pick.

The Student Activities Center lends out basic digital cameras for each individual to use throughout the year.

“They didn’t really give us any guidelines,” said Koehn, “they just kind of set us loose.”

With the exception of meeting every other week to discuss the photos they have taken and being required to taking up to 12 photos each month, the students were allowed to do almost anything they wanted for the project.

“I really enjoyed the freedom we had to take pictures of whatever we wanted,” said Emily Hall. “It allowed us all to truly share our freshman experience.”

Each individual either had the hobby of taking pictures or enjoyed photography overall, which is what led them to applying for the program.

“I would wholeheartedly recommend this to any freshman who enjoys photography,” said Elizabeth Berger. “It’s a great way to learn more about photography, meet other freshmen, and hear the stories associated with their pictures throughout their first year in college.”

Each year, the Fresh Fotos members’ photos are displayed in the Memorial Union Gallery of the following Fall. The project leaders choose five photos from each student and exhibit them.

The students’ photos are currently on display at the ISU Memorial Union until Oct. 19. If you miss out on the exhibit, you can visit the Student Activities Center’s website and navigate through the entire collection of pictures from fall 2009 to spring 2014.