Billy Henderson

Legendary Clarke Central High School football coach Billy Henderson works out at the YMCA in Athens, Ga., on Wednesday, September 9, 2009. Henderson is recovering from a compound spinal fracture he suffered several years ago and says he is learning to walk again.


Playing catch up here on a slow morning.....

I was asked a few weeks back to photograph former high school football coach Billy Henderson while he continues to rehab from back surgery from an injury over a year ago. He was being honored at Clarke Central high school that night.





Shooting in the YMCA made for an interesting challenge as its a weight room and he moves fast. Its trying to make this into an interesting photo that becomes the challenge. I love a good mirror shot and with the symmetry it was really nice.




The grimace shot i think really tells the story.

I think the biggest shortcoming in some of the work I'm doing is not giving it enough time. This could easily be expanded on, but as usual, the editors want it for tomorrow's daily.

Black and Blue Feature Hunting

I worked Monday, Labor Day. Very thin paper news wise. I went out feature hunting thinking that i would need an A1 dominant photo. Figured I would go looking on the Broad River for kayakers and canoes (there were none) and instead went to Watson Mill State Park where i knew there would be people.

The most photogenic people were these kids sliding down a small waterfall on the far side of the river on an innertube. The river was running very, very low - maybe 3-6 inches deep. I carefully walked over there with my 24-85 (D700) & 300 (D2X) and go to the top of the rocks they are sliding down. I try to shoot an overhead shot and realized my shadow was getting in the way. I decided to walk down to the bottom where they were splashing down into a small pool of water. I made it 3 steps on the brown, algae covered rocks before i slipped and went boom.

The 300 landed on my chest but the 24-85 nailed a rock, lens first, shattering the protective filter on the end of it. Some parents checked on me and i went off to the side to break out the filter so i could continue shooting. Made some photos. Became more aware of where i was putting my feet.

All told i ruined a pair of shoes, bruised the whole right side of my body and broke a filter that is still stuck on the lens.

On retelling the story, my friends were more concerned with the camera. They know me so well.

Star Trails, pt 2.....

Stars swirl above a lighthouse outside Poplar Springs Baptist Church near Watksinville, Ga., on Monday September 7, 2009. (Ed. Note: The pink colors are sky-glow originating from Watkinsville and Athens while the greenish light is coming from a streetlight behind the lighthouse)

(15 minutes, 20mm, ISO 100, f/4, Nikon D700)

I enjoy a good star trail shot every now and again. This is a church outside of Watkinsville that i found while feature hunting. Sadly it has a green streetlight that doesn't seem to have a switch or anything that would easily render it dark.

It works but i need to find a much darker place to try and something to frame it over.

*** Edit *** This was picked up as one of the Associated Press' "Photos of the Day" or something of that nature. It was also posted on MSNBC's Photo Blog. And The Orlando Sentinel's Photos of the Day.

BMX fun

Kyle Kelsey, 20, does a flip on a BMX bike at the Athens Clarke skateboard and BMX park in Southeast Clarke Park on Wednesday, September 2, 2009 in Athens, Ga.

The local skate/bmx park is going to undergo renovations next week for a day. Somewhere the photo gods smiled on me, had an editor actually ask me to go out there AND miraculously had it for the exact same time a local professional BMX cyclist would be out there.

I thank the photo gods and am humbled by them.

Player of the Week: Ryan Faust

Clarke Central's Ryan Faust was named ABH Player of the week after having 5 sacks against Loganville.

For once, having to wait until after practice paid off for me. Shot this at ISO 100 1/250th at f/29 and TWO Nikon speedlights at full power, camera left.

Of course i hyperextended my knee in the process on the very steep hill i was shooting up.

High School Football : Loganville vs Clarke

Clarke Central's Tony Glenn intercepts a pass on the first play of the game as the Loganville Red Devils lead the Clarke Central Gladiators 15-14 at halftime on Thursday, August 28, 2009 in Athens, Ga. The play was reversed on a pass interference penalty.

Now i realize that not all of my loyal readers have any desire to read or look at football photos of any sort, alas this is what makes me money.

This week was a local game at Clarke Central. Seemed like a pretty good matchup. Shot the first half and felt good, beyond sweating to death. Timing was a tad rusty at first. Shot from my knees most of the game. Good to try and get into a rhythm before Georgia football starts.

Kept trying to do a "Peter Read Miller" shot with the 80-200 when the teams were inside the 15 yard line. Either the ball went the other way or the kid just didn't dive or jump or do anything remotely interesting visually. Got my shirt wet for no reason.



The Clarke Central Gladiators take the field as the Loganville Red Devils lead the Clarke Central Gladiators 15-14 at halftime on Thursday, August 28, 2009 in Athens, Ga.



Clarke Central's Derrick Smalls just misses an interception in the second quarter as the Loganville Red Devils lead the Clarke Central Gladiators 15-14 at halftime on Thursday, August 28, 2009 in Athens, Ga.

(The focus just did not come back in time as the frame before this was perfect beyond being out of focus)



Clarke Central's Ryan Faust hits Loganville quarterback A.J. Schmidt as he tries to make a pass as the Loganville Red Devils lead the Clarke Central Gladiators 15-14 at halftime on Thursday, August 28, 2009 in Athens, Ga.



Clarke Central cheerleader Mia Thomas checks her hair before the game as the Loganville Red Devils lead the Clarke Central Gladiators 15-14 at halftime on Thursday, August 28, 2009 in Athens, Ga.

She's not vain, really.

August Spot News Roundup

Athens Clarke firefighters walk back to their truck as they work to extinguish a brush fire behind Athens-Ben Epps along Beaverdam Road on Tuesday, August 11, 2009 in Athens, Ga. The fire broke out shortly before 3PM and spread quickly by the wind.

August was a so-so month spot news wise. We had UGAPD's bomb squad (who refused to be identified) and we had a few fires and an accident. Only the airport brush fire turned out to be much of anything visually. My thoughts go out to one of the airport employees who worked this fire who ended up hospitalized after it.

Generally a slow month with the only interesting things happening in the evening and overnight hours.



Athens Clarke firefighters overhaul the inside of a house that caught fire in the 4000 block of Twin Ln. in Winterville, Ga., on Friday, August 7, 2009.



Athens Clarke firefighter Lt. Tim Taylor looks into the sunroof of Zacary Thompson's SUV after Thompson was involved in a car accident at College Station Rd. and Perimeter Rd. on Monday, August 24, 2009 in Athens, Ga. Thompson's Jeep Grand Cherokee was struck broadside by a Volkswagon Beetle after Thompson failed to yield right of way to the other driver. Thompson was taken to an area hospital.



A UGA Police bomb technician who refused to be identified walks past a robot outside of a foreclosed house where there was purportedly a hand grenade off of Towne Center Dr. in Athens on Thursday, August 6, 2009.