Three Minutes with Ben Lonergan

Published 3:08 pm Tuesday, November 17, 2020

East Oregonian and Hermiston Herald photographer

When and why did you move to Hermiston?

Although I don’t live in Hermiston, I moved to Pendleton to work at the East Oregonian in June 2019 and I work in Hermiston several times a week taking photos for both the East Oregonian and Hermiston Herald.

Where is your favorite place to eat in Hermiston?

While I don’t eat many meals in Hermiston, I enjoy grabbing lunch at Southern Twain BBQ on occasion.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

In my spare time I enjoy shooting photographs and exploring the Eastern Oregon countryside.

What surprises you about Hermiston?

I am always surprised by the tight-knit community in Hermiston and the surrounding Eastern Oregon towns. Having come from a large city, I admire how closely people can work together and support each other.

What was the last book you read?

The last book I read cover to cover was Ernest L. Crockatt’s book “The Murder of Til Taylor: A Great Western Sheriff,” while researching for the East Oregonian‘s Til Taylor special section earlier this summer.

What website or app do you use most other than Facebook?

In addition to Facebook and other social media sites, my most commonly used application is most likely Photoshop.

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?

I love traveling through the national parks and would love to continue to explore the National Park system.

What is one of your goals for the next 12 months?

I would love to get the chance to get outside and hike more often and continue to learn the intriguing details that make Eastern Oregon what it is.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

I have always been interested in pursuing photography as a career and my proudest accomplishment was getting the opportunity to join the East Oregonian and work as a photographer day in and day out covering Eastern Oregon and the people that live here.