Photos of the Year III

ILLUSTRATIONS AND PORTRAITS

Dog Days of Summer


Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green


Former Olympian and Georgia gymnast Courtney Kupets


LeEllen Chandler made it her mission to find out where, when and how her grandfather died in World War II.


Gameday cover: Georgia vs. South Carolina in the first of several night games
(Cedar Shoals' Caleb Miles, left, and Charmarcus Pittard pose for illustration)


Clarke Central defensive stars Devante Derricotte, left, and Jordan Pierce


Georgia running backs Caleb King, left, and Washaun Ealey


Jefferson QB Darius Minor


Georgia gymnasts from left Courtney Kupets, Courtney McCool, and Grace Taylor have each scored a perfect 10 on beam this season.


Oconee County setter Darby Rogers is the 2009 Athens Banner-Herald Volleyball Player of the Year.


Madison County's Courtney Freeman


Illustrations on concussions in football


Georgia defensive end Cornelius Washington


Brooks Mendell played baseball with the MIT beavers on the 1993 team that won its conference for the first time ever. Brooks has written a book about that winning season called Beaverball.


Emily O'Rear of Athens Academy is the 2009 girl soccer player of the year.


Illustration on Gym Dogs fitness and nutrition


Georgia's Jeff Owens, left, and Geno Atkins


Georgia cornerback Brandon Boykin


Daniel Gade, who lost his leg when hit by a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2005, is competing in the Nautica New York City Triathlon Sunday, July 26. He began doing triathlons last year and competes with Operation Rebound and the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF).


Brian Bowles is the WEC (World Extreme Cagefighting) Bantamweight Champion.

Photos of the Year II

FEATURES AND NEWS

Liana Krissoff, a Cook Book author, holds daughter Thalia Krissoff, 3, as they take a break from canning okra Wednesday, July 1, 2009, at their home in Carlton. Krissoff is working on a new book all about canning foods.


Lightning electrifies the sky behind City Hall as a line of thunderstorms moves through Athens early Thursday morning. Over 4,000 people lost power in Northeast Georgia during the storm.


Delaney June, 3, left, gets distracted during the dress rehearsal for the "Trip Around the World" Freedom of Movement Dance Academy recital Wednesday at the Oconee County Civic Center. June's class represents the North Pole. Performances will be held Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.


Shanon Hays, the TRR Cobb House Program Coordinator, primps a dress worn by Mary Ann (Lamar) Cobb, the wife of Howell Cobb, at a state dinner in 1860 during a tour of the the 19th century Federal-style mansion Wednesday afternoon in Athens.


Blake Hataway slides down a rock into the Broad River Friday, June 19, 2009, in Danielsville.


Clifton Ward, 95, still helps tend cattle for his son, Albert Ward, on his son's cattle farm in Commerce.


Dakota Hamlin, 7, right, and friend Arlo Fowells, 4, hold their candles in the final moments of the Inauguration Candlelight prayer service held on the steps of City Hall Tuesday evening in downtown Athens.


Graduation Coach/Counselor Cedric Allen talks with 11th grader Teaspoon Jones while walking down the hall in Oglethorpe County High School in Lexington. Local schools systems might have to decide whether a Graduation Coach is a position worth saving under Gov. Sonny Perdue's proposed budget for K-12 education.


Nancy Miller coaxes her Alpaca Noelle to her for a kiss Wednesday Sept. 16, 2009, at her farm Crooked Pine Hollow Alpacas in Winterville.


Larry Clack of Athens, center, and sister Carol Griffin, left, boo a speaker who supports health care reform during a protest Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009, at the Oconee Veterans Park in Watkinsville.


Army Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Wilson addresses D.E.P. soldiers during a training session Saturday at the Army Reserve Center near Athens Ben Epps Aiport.


Willie Jordan, left, and son Michael Jordan watch down the street where police work at a neighbors' mobile home where a triple homicide took place Wednesday night in Hallmark Mobile Home Park in Athens.


Athens-Clarke Police Sergeant Mike Young, left, along with Officer Jeremy Spivey and Officer Drew Cook take calls about a storm after taking in a better view in the Classic Center parking deck Friday night in downtown Athens.


Barrow County and Winder firefighters train to properly extinguish propane fires and learn the signs that a tank might explode as a part of a "Pressurized Container Class" given by staff from the Georgia Fire Academy Thursday night outside of the Winder Fire Stadion No. 2 in Winder.


S.J. Ursey of band "Creepy" hula-hoops with a hoop made by Allison Workman before the annual Flagpole Music Awards Thursday June 25, 2009, at the Morton Theater in downtown Athens.


Fireworks light up the sky over Lake Russell during the 13th Annual Elbert County Fireworks Show Friday night at Richard B. Russell State Park in Elberton.


Lee Green, a carpenter for 36 years, uses a stick to push a piece of wood across a table saw Thursday in his shop at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore on Barber Street. Green's job was created for him by the Senior Community Service Employment Program at Athens Council on Aging. Green, 56, was unable to work after a stroke in 2006.


Jeremy Miller as "T.R.R. Cobb" ,right, and Danielle Miller as "Mary Anne Cobb" the wife of T.R.R.'s brother Howell Cobb rehearses vignettes that will be performed by the Rose of Athens performers during holiday tours of historic houses Thursday Nov. 19, 2009, at the T.R.R. Cobb House in downtown Athens.


Megan Lamb, center, leans on friend Alex Ramirez during the Peace Place's 9th Annual Candlelight Vigil to remember those who have died as a result of domestic violence in the last year in Georgia Tuesday Oct. 13, 2009, outside of the Barrow County Courthouse in Winder.


Lance Witt, 6, runs circles around a trampoline outside of his home Wednesday Dec. 3, 2009, in Winder. The first-grader was born with a congenital heart defect and had a heart transplant this summer that has given him a lot more energy.

Photos of the Year I

I can't believe 2009 is drawing to a close. I started this photo blog in January and although I didn't steadily post until the summer have for the most part documented my year of photojournalism here. This has been the most difficult year so far in my career and probably in my life. I have pressed on by submerging myself into my craft and the result is my best year ever photographically.
Earlier this month the staff had to compile our ten best photos of 2009 for the Year in Pictures section that ran this past Sunday. Here is an extended version of my favorite photos from 2009. I've broken the collection down into three 20 image installments: Sports (action & feature), Features and News, and Illustrations and Portraits.

SPORTS

Georgia's Courtney McCool scored a 9.775 in her season debut on bars at the Gym Dogs' meet against Florida Saturday Feb. 28, 2009, at Stegeman Coliseum. The Gym Dogs' won the meet 198.200-196.650.


Arkansas' Greg Childs grabs the facemask of Georgia's Brandon Boykin
as he runs in a touchdown in the 3rd quarter of the Razorbacks 52-41 loss Saturday Sept. 19, 2009, at Donald W. Reynolds Razorbacks Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark.


East Jackson's Tyler Collins, right, cries tears of joy as he hugs teammate Michael Stephens after the Eagles 27-14 victory over the Manchester Blue Devils in the first round of the Class AA playoffs Friday night at Eagle Stadium. Collins scored two touchdowns and made an interception in what was the first playoff game ever for the Eagles.


Tennessee's Eric Berry catches a popped up fumble by Georgia's Michael Moore in the 4th quarter of the Volunteers' 45-19 win Saturday Oct. 10, 2009, at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. Berry returned it 46-yards and set the Vols up for their final touchdown.


Georgia's Courtney Kupets warms up on beam before the Gym Dogs win over West Virginia Friday night at Stegeman Coliseum.


Georgia's Jonathan Taylor is chased down and tagged out between 2nd and 3rd base by Clemson's Mike Freeman in the 4th inning Tuesday night at Foley Field in Athens.


Clarke Central's Derrick Smalls leaps onto teammate Jordan Pierce after making an interception in the opening drive of the Gladiators' win over the Habersham Central Raiders Friday Sept. 11, 2009, in Athens.


North Oconee catcher Danielle Smith warms up before the first game of the season against the Oconee Warriors Saturday, Aug. 15, 2009, in Bogart.


Georgia's Caleb King bursts past Auburn defenders into the endzone for the go-ahead touchdown in the 4th quarter of the Bulldogs' 31-24 win over the Tigers Saturday Nov. 14, 2009, at Sanford Stadium.


Andrew Lee carries a heavy bag to train at the old gymnasium in Colbert, Ga. Lee and two other young boxers are training with Jess Croya with the goal of making it to the 2012 Olympics.


Georgia's Bryce Massanari steals third base as LSU third baseman Tyler Hanover tries to bring down a high throw in the Bulldogs' 10-8 win over LSU Saturday April 4, 2009, at Foley Field.


Georgia's Akeem Dent almost makes an interception in the 1st quarter of the Bulldogs' 24-12 win over the Michigan State Spartans in the Capital One Bowl Thursday, Jan. 1, 2009 at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando,Fl.


Oconee County's Davis Aiken is chased down by Perry's Sam Kinnas to get the last out in the Warriors 7-5 loss to the Panthers in the state quarterfinal series Tuesday in Watkinsville.


Athens Academy's Lisa Sheppard placed first for the girls in pole vaulting Thursday at Athens Academy.


Georgia coach Suzanne Yoculan cries after realizing the Gym Dogs have won their 10th NCAA Championships title Friday, April 17, 2009, at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln, Nebraska.


Auburn's Tommy Trott tries to bring down Georgia's Reshad Jones after Jones' interception in the 3rd quarter of the Bulldogs' 31-24 win over the Tigers Saturday Nov. 14, 2009, at Sanford Stadium.


Brian Bowles trains for the WEC Bantamweight World Championship title fight Wednesday July 29, 2009, at The Hardcore Gym in Athens, Ga. Bowles will take on defending champion Miquel Angel Torres Aug. 9, 2009, in Las Vegas, Nev. Bowles beat Torres by knockout.


Brian Bowles trains for the WEC Bantamweight World Championship title fight Wednesday July 29, 2009, at The Hardcore Gym in Athens, Ga. Bowles will take on defending champion Miquel Angel Torres Aug. 9, 2009, in Las Vegas, Nev.


Alabama QB Greg McElroy dives to the 1-yard line for a first down setting up a Mark Ingram touchdown in the 4th quarter of the Tide's 32-13 win over the Florida Gators in the SEC Championship Saturday Dec. 5, 2009, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.


Alabama's Mark Ingram grabs an SEC Championship hat and yells in celebration after the Tide's 32-13 win over the Florida Gators Saturday Dec. 5, 2009, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.