In a city that can sometimes feel overwhelming, many students search for spaces where their voices can be heard. For members of Columbia’s Black Theatre Ensemble, that space exists somewhere between rehearsal rooms, performance stages, and a shared commitment to centering black voices in theater.

While many Columbia students search for a sense of belonging on campus, members of the CU Gospel Choir find that space through music.

This spring break, Spectator staff photographers, like many other Columbia students, took a break from the office to explore—both throughout New York City and abroad. Despite being outside of their natural habitat, scurrying around campus taking stock pictures, they still produced amazing photos. See a collection of our photographers’ adventures over break.

Twelve Spectator photographers traveled as close as Columbia’s campus and as far as Paris for this semester’s fall photo essay. Photographers were encouraged to showcase moments from their personal lives, and many experimented with film and black-and-white photography. Experience autumn through their camera lenses in this photo essay.