It’s that time of the year again when year-end contest deadlines are looming. While looking back at 2010 and the stories I’ve covered, I thought it would be nice to share some of my favorite photos of the year with you.
Some of the photos from my last post would have made it on this list, so be sure to check those out, too. Here then, are my favorites in chronological order:
Kindergartners walk back to their classroom with their new books after an assembly with the "Queen of Hearts" at Franklin Primary Center in Munhall on Tuesday, January 12, 2010. After reading with the Queen of Hearts (storyteller Kim Adley), students were able to choose a book to keep.
Mark DeLouis, 91, plays accordian at his home in McKees Rocks on Friday, January 22, 2010. DeLouis met his wife Virginia while playing accordian at a party in the 1940's.
Barbara Talerico looks up at the snow covered branches of the trees lining Resaca Place in the Mexican War Streets as she carries a bag with coffee and treats to a friend's house on Saturday, February 6, 2010. Electricity was out of service in much of the Mexican War Streets. The National Weather Service expected the storm to dump 12 to 18 inches of snow in the area.
John Engberg follows as his beagle Scout makes her way through the snow blanketing West Park on the North Side on Saturday, February 6, 2010.
Jon Bovard, 21, of Scott Twp., flies through the air while snowboarding in the St. Clair Country Club golf course on Tuesday, February 9, 2010. Bovard and friends Leslie Conroy, Ashley Schreiber, Josh Schreiber, and Alex Froats all had the day off from their colleges and high schools so they took the slopes of the popular Upper St. Clair sledding area.
Connor Wimer (left), 3, runs with out on to the boat launch where his grandparents Barb Wimer (right) and Brian Chvala, of Portersville, Butler County, stand with their dog Lucky at Bear Run Launch Area on the north shore of frozen Lake Arthur at Moraine State Park on Sunday, March 7, 2010.
Bob Summers performs as Jesus during a performance of "Make Us Believers" - a musical opera of the Passion of Jesus Christ" at St. Titus Church in Aliquippa on Sunday, March 21, 2010. Summers wrote and directed the play as well as starring in it.
Peter Kope (right) and Dane Toney of Attack Theatre perform "Ladder Duet" during a press conference in Gateway Center on Thursday, April 29, 2010, announcing Dollar Bank's sponsorship for the upcoming Three Rivers Arts Festival.
Jim Seibel (right) and J.P. Cleary ride cable chairs as they inspect structure of the West End Bridge on Wednesday, May 26, 2010.
What a great thing it is to witness just how much it means for people to become citizens of the United States. It was a very emotional and proud day for these and 30 other folks who became Americans on that day:
New United States citizen Eka Mehalko holds her daughter Sofie, 8 months old, during a naturalization ceremony at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum in Oakland on Wednesday, May 26, 2010. Mehalko is originally from the Republic of Georgia.
Tears stream down Mindy Jeffers' cheek as she takes the oath of citizenship during a naturalization ceremony at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum in Oakland on Wednesday, May 26, 2010. Jeffers is originally from Trinidad and Tobago.
Aaron Bubenheim outside of the offices of Federated Mortgages where he works in the Trimont Tower on Mt. Washington on Monday, August 2, 2010. Bubenheim plays bass guitar for the group Meeting of Important People. The photo was taken for a story about musicians and their daytime jobs.
A big news story is an exciting and challenging thing to cover. A bold robbery attempt went wrong for the not-so-smart criminals who decided it would be a good idea to hold up a business just a block from Zone 1 Police Station. Something like this takes more than one person to cover and several of my colleagues were there in different places around the scene as police searched for two of the men who had run away after attempting to run down another police officer (who thankfully has recovered from her injuries). I talked my way into a business across the street and had a bird’s-eye view of the scene as SWAT officers looking for the robbers prepared to enter a scrap yard:
Pittsburgh Police SWAT officers enter Warhola scrap metal building looking for suspects who fled a shooting and attempted armed robbery next door at The Swap Meet on Brighton Road on the North Side on Wednesday, September 15, 2010.
Pittsburgh Police SWAT officers round the corner from Pennsylvania Ave. onto Brighton Road after looking for suspects involved in a shooting and attempted armed robbery at The Swap Meet on Brighton Road on the North Side on Wednesday, September 15, 2010.
In contrast to the tense scene above, I photographed cross country runners as they stretched out before practice:
Members of the North Allegheny Cross Country Team stretch out during practice at North Allegheny Middle School - Cumberland Campus on Friday, October 8, 2010. Cross country has become a year-round sport.
Brian Buttacavoli (left) reaches for a pass in front of defender Jeff O'Brien during a pick-up football game at West Penn Park in Polish Hill on Wednesday, October 20, 2010. The guys were enjoying the beautiful weather during their lunch hour from their jobs at the Allegheny County Health Department.
I came to milliner Jennifer Copeland’s house to take a portrait of her and was struck by the beauty of the unfinished hats hanging on her window shade:
Straw hats under construction at Jennifer Copeland's millinery studio at her home in Squirrel Hill on Friday, October 22, 2010.
Steelers Chris Scott (left) compares hand size with Brian Anthony (right), 11, at Macy's Ross Park Mall store in Ross Twp. on Tuesday, October 26, 2010. Through Project Bundle-Up, the Salvation Army, and Macy's, 34 Steelers players shopped with 46 kids from New Kensington in need of new winter hats, coats, and scarves.
Jesse Arrigo is an inspiration. She approaches her challenges with an upbeat, positive attitude. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to meet her.
Jesse Arrigo answers a call on her phone on Friday, October 21, 2010. Arrigo, 27, of Millville, NJ, received a hand transplant at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center on September 11, 2010. Arrigo is staying at Family House in Shadyside with her father Wayne and her 1-year-old daughter Cody as she undergoes rehabilitation. Arrigo's donor was a 33-years-old woman from Erie, PA.
Jesse Arrigo talks about the hand she received in a transplant at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Divers float a body in a raft to River Rescue's boat after being called to recover it on the North Shore near PNC Park, just downstream from River Rescue's boathouse on Thursday, October 28, 2010.
Jack Hoerner plays soccer with Remy, his Boston Terrier, at Mellon Park in Shadyside on Saturday, October 30, 2010. Hoerner kicked the ball which Remy then ran after and pushed it back to him to kick again. Hoerner says that Remy can play like that for hours.
Sixth-graders Eric Steffler (left), 12, and Spencer Croskey, 11, join in the flag folding demonstration during Mars Area Centennial School's fourth annual Veterans Day Celebration on Friday, November 5, 2010.
Veterans from American Legion Post 600, from left to right: Dale Dickinson, Dave Dalsass, John Arce, and Ed Ryan stand at attention after firing a 21 gun salute during a memorial service honoring veterans at Riverside Community Church in Oakmont on Saturday, November 6, 2010.
Samira Shaheen, of Regent Square, paints a watercolor study of the sculpture garden at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Oakland on Tuesday, November 16, 2010.
Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl looks at the city's Christmas tree with his son Cooper, 2, shortly after the lighting ceremony at the City County Building in downtown Pittsburgh on Friday, November 19, 2010. The tree, a 45-feet-tall colorado blue spruce, was donated by Hazelwood resident Alice Rhodes.
Firefighters clean up the scene after two workers died and two were injured in an explosion and fire at the AL Solutions plant in New Cumberland, West Virginia north of Weirton on Thursday, December 9, 2010.
Mason Baird, 2, rolls a snowball down a hill at Boyce Park on Saturday, December 11, 2010. Mason and his dad Steve, of Murrysville, spent the afternoon sledding and making snowballs.
Police Officer Robert Synowiec adjusts Tyzachary Diggs' new bike helmet during the annual Pittsburgh Bureau of Police bike giveaway at Zone 5 Station in Highland Park on Saturday, December 18, 2010. Kids were given a bike refurbished by Kraynick's Bike Shop along with a helmet from the Kohl's Foundation and Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC's Safe Kids Allegheny County program. Tyzachary, 9, and his mom Barb DeAngelis arrived early and were the second in line.
There are a lot of highs and lows involved with covering the news. It’s exciting to rush to the scene of a fire or an accident, but it’s sobering to think about the people who suffer as a result of the tragedy. A big part of what the job entails is introducing myself to complete strangers who I come across doing something interesting and explaining to them why I’d like to take their photo.
I really enjoy meeting people, spending time with them, and telling their stories. Ultimately that’s the most rewarding part of being a photojournalist – at least it is for me.