Demetrius Freeman is one of two photo interns at The New York Times from Western Kentucky University. Before joining The Times, Mr. Freeman, 27, spent two years after high school traveling in Denmark, Spain, Germany and Atlanta, Ga., while picking up freelance photo assignments for clients including Home Depot, Norfolk Southern and the Georgia Innocence Project. Originally from Atlanta, he recently completed a semester abroad at the Danish School of Media and Journalism and will be returning to Western Kentucky in the fall to complete his degree in photojournalism.

His Turning Point conversation with Whitney Richardson has been edited.

Q.

What is going on in this image?

A.

This image is one of my first photo stories that I took in 2010. This is J.J. and her son, Tyler. J.J. is a young, single parent who was working two jobs to support her son. She was struggling to keep a roof over their heads. This was in Chaney’s Dairy Barn in Bowling Green, Ky. I took this photo the last day I was working with her before she left to move in with her grandparents in Texas. She was 24.

This image was very important to me because it was the first time I saw my photograph make a change in someone’s life. I gave her copies once the story was over. Her family and other people saw the photographs and it made them understand the situation she was going through. They would communicate with her, but I don’t think she ever told anyone she was struggling. When people saw the images, they began to open up and ask her if she needed help watching her son and if she needed money. The story didn’t get very big press, but I liked the fact that it helped someone for the better. It wasn’t just a photo that just disappeared.

Q.

Why was this image your most significant capture from the series?

A.

I spent four weeks with J.J. and her son, going back and forth from school. I took photos of him throwing a temper tantrum because he didn’t want to put on clothes; I had photos that show her doing young things with him, like playing in the sand box.

I think the reason this particular image stuck out to me is because it really showed the core of their relationship. Tyler doesn’t completely understand what is going on, but from this image you can tell that they are a pair. Most of the other images were very documentary-styled captures, but this photo is more abstract, while still telling the meaning of their relationship. It also made me realize the importance of gaining genuine trust and being open to listening. It also showed me that being able to relate to people will provide you with the gift of making really impactful images.

Gordon Parks/The Gordon Parks Foundation

Inspiration: Gordon Parks

Image: Ingrid Bergman, Stromboli, Italy, 1949.

Q.

What’s happening in this photo?

A.

This photo by Gordon Parks is of the Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman. Ingrid left her family to be with her lover, which was really taboo at that time. She was shooting a film and the press was trying to get an image of her and her partner, the director Roberto Rossellini, but they really weren’t allowing the press to take photos of them.

This image is a significant moment because you can actually get the feel of what she is going through. Almost like the world around her is crashing because of what she did. By the expression on her face and the faces of the women watching her, there is almost this symbolism to the world judging her and her feelings about that.

Q.

Why is this image important to you?

A.

This image is important to me mainly because of the back story as to how Gordon got this photo. He was assigned to take photos of Ingrid and her partner together, but they never really allowed the intimate moments to be documented — they would always stage things. So he stopped taking photos and just began hanging out with them. After a while, they created a bond together where they trusted each other. Once that trust was gained, he was able to photograph her and those intimate moments that other people were not able to capture.

Q.

How did this image affect the way you approached your work?

A.

This photo has taught me patience is key and that it is better to be a human first, rather than going in and trying to take photos of someone. I think Gordon Parks was very down-to-earth and very understanding of situations people were in. He was able to relate and was really good at being a human first and letting people understand what he was doing rather than trying to take the best photo.

This image also made me think more about layers I can build upon to make a great image. Not only is it visually layered with subject matter, but with emotions, too. So instead of just standing someone against a wall, you bring in Ingrid’s emotions, their reactions, and now you have a layering effect going on that works together to create this feeling.

Follow @demetriusfreem, @Whitney_Rich and @nytimesphoto on Twitter. Lens is also on Facebook.