Monte Wins State

The Montesano High School football team earned a state title after turning around one of their worst early season performances in years. It was a blast to be at the Tacoma Dome documenting the celebration. A personal victory: All season I had been trying in vain to get a shot of coach Terry Jensen and his son, senior quarterback Matthew Jensen. During games, Terry didn't show favoritism and he didn't overcompensate by being extra hard on his son. The two just didn't interact much. So when, in the melee of celebration on the field I saw Matthew searching through the crowd, I hoped he was looking for his father. It was an honor to capture the moment when the two men embraced.

Hoquiam House Fire

Aberdeen Captain Kelly Niemi tears a hole in the roof of a burning house on Alder Street in Hoquiam.

Loggers Playday 2012

Weed Eaters

The Westport Winery hired a shepherd and 250 goats to clear their land of some of the more stubborn weeds, like Scotch Broom and Himalayan Blackberry. The winery folk say the goats did in four and a half days what it would have taken a crew of two all winter to do.

Football Mugs

Each year, in the lead up to high school football season, the sports guys and myself travel to the 12 schools in our coverage area and stock up on mug shots. These are simple, head-and-shoulders pics of each team's top athletes, destined to accompany sports stories throughout the season. If a kid does an outstanding job, we throw his mug in the paper. I love these photos. There's something so honest about them. Even when the kids are doing their best to be intimidating (sometimes successfully) there's a depth to them that I find really compelling. The trouble is, out of the hundreds I've shot over the years, the only venue is the newspaper. They run an inch long and are footnotes to stories. What a perfect post for the digital medium! Here are some I chose almost at random. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

More From the Press' Last Days

The press crew, from left, Press Operators Mike Hamilton, Pressroom Manager Dave Marlow and Press Operators Steven Steuermann and John Volkert.

In distribution, Marshall Harris and Jacqueline Westerfield

More of the Press

Going, Going...

I'm working on a project to document the last week of the press here at The Daily World.

The Roof is on Fire

The Aberdeen Fire Department spent a couple of months conducting training exercises in the city's old locker room building at Pioneer Park. Some with live fire. For a grand finale they let it burn to the ground.

Tattoos Are a Life Sentence

An inmate at the Stafford Creek Correctional Facility listens to law enforcement officers during a forum on the rights of felons to carry weapons after their release. They basically don't have any.

Return of the Tall Ships

The Lady Washington comes back to her home port at the confluence of the Wishkah and Chehalis Rivers. The Lady Washington, followed by the Hawaiian Chieftain, approach their home port. Bosun Rangi Ferris stands on the prow of the Hawaiian Cheiftain.

Vault!

David Rockett of Willapa Valley High School launches, clears. Damian Mulinix of the Chinook Observer was also at the meet. His is one of the blogs I look to for inspiration. Check it out!

This One's a Keeper

And his name is Jamie Bigbie of Hoquiam, blocking a penalty kick during a shootout of a district match against White Salmon. Hoquiam lost by one goal.

Sea Lion

This fellow was hoping for scraps from some crab fishermen on the docks at Westport.