Blog - Ben Goff Photography

180 Weekend

2012-01-29T23:08:00.000-08:00

Middle School students listen Christian rock band Mark & Clarissa perform during the 180 Weekend event at Bethlehem Church on Friday January 27, 2012.

High School students raise their hands in the air while listening to Christian rock band 'Hudson' perform at the 180 Weekend event at Parkwood Baptist Church on Saturday January 28, 2012.

Brad Hudson of the Christian rock band 'Hudson' performs at Parkwood Baptist on Saturday.

Middle School students listen Mark & Clarissa at Bethlehem Church on Friday.

My new TTV toy

2012-01-29T22:55:00.000-08:00

Last week I acted on a tip that a local consignment store going out of business had some old cameras.

There was in fact a Polaroid model 150 roll film camera there. Unlike the other Polaroids I have, you can't get film for these older models anymore, but it was very clean and only $20 so I got it for a shelf piece.

Next to the 150 was a little Kodak Brownie camera for $15. Not in pristine condition by any means, but unlike the Brownie I've had for a while this one had a clear viewfinder with no lines.

That means TTV time baby!

That's "thought the viewfinder" for the uninitiated, wherein you use a modern digital camera to shoot through the waist level finder of a Brownie or some other such camera.

I know what you're thinking. It's sort of silly using the dirty viewfinder of a 50-year-old camera that wasn't even a good camera to start with in order to get low-fi pictures out of a $7,000 digital SLR set up.

If this boggles your mind, just think of the Brownie as a cheap but cumbersome filter that produces vintage looking pictures. It's sort of like the Hipstamatic app on my iPhone, but unlike the iPhone, I have all the motion-stopping shutter speeds and low light performance of that state of the art Canon Mark IV taking the pictures.

I took a little walk around downtown Gastonia the next day to play around with it. After adjusting to the reversed image in the viewfinder it was fun to use. I got these pictures a and a few odd looks from people on the street.

Drunk Pelican Orchid?

2012-01-22T16:17:00.000-08:00

I had an assignment to photograph orchids for a Gaston Gazette 'In Focus' photo page last week at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. They're getting ready for their upcoming 'Orchid Spectacular' and they let me go behind the scenes to their greenhouses to shoot some of the flowers that will be on display (below). I think this flower (above) looks sort of like a drunk pelican wearing a hat and a big smile. Do you see it?

Panthers vs Buccaneers

2011-12-31T13:12:00.000-08:00

Tampa Bay wide receiver Arrelious Benn catches a pass pass in the end zone during the second quarter of the game against Carolina on Saturday December 24, 2011 at Bank of America Stadium. The pass was initially called incomplete, but on review was ruled a touchdown.

Carolina quarterback Cam Newton evades Tampa Bay defenders Quincy Black, left and Frank Okam during the first quarter.

Carolina running back DeAngelo Williams breaks the tackle of Tampa Bay defender Ahmad Black during the second half.

Ashes

2011-12-23T11:56:00.001-08:00

A family photo lies in the ashes of a mobile home on River Loop Road just outside Belmont that was destroyed by fire on Sunday December 11, 2011. Five people were seriously injured due to smoke inhalation.

Solar is here!

2011-12-15T23:45:00.000-08:00

Freshly installed solar panels sit on the roof of the Gaston County building that houses the Gaston County Police Department and other services on Thursday December 1, 2011.

I recently had the privilege of photographing what the owners claim is the largest photovoltaic installation on a government building in the Southeast.

NARENCO, a company that already has an installation on the roof of a local commercial building, the National Gypsum facility in Mount Holly, is installing 3,122 photovoltaic panels on the roof of a Gaston County building in Gastonia whose main tenant is the Gaston County Police Dept.

This installation is rated to produce 740 KW of power that will be sold to the local utility provider Duke Energy. That's enough to power over 250 average American homes.

It's a little more than a token gesture, but not quite enough to save the world.

Sustainable energy is being put onto the grid, which means less coal is being burned. That's a good thing for everyone. But this is a perfect example of how sustainable energy can be green in more ways than one.

The county is making money by leasing the roof to NARENCO, it isn't a ton of money, but it's money they wouldn't have had otherwise.

And this shining example of how sustainable energy can be a win financially for local government and business is right here in my hometown. The same hometown that is installing electric car charging stations at several of it's parking areas and implementing new recycling initiatives (or at least trying to, but that's another story).

It is, I think, a piece of the future. As the cost of traditional energy goes up and the cost to manufacture PV panels decreases there will only be more projects like this popping up on roofs of buildings everywhere, or perhaps even serving a dual role shading parking lots.

It's inconspicuous, clean, green, and profitable, and the public response has been, from what I've seen, overwhelmingly positive.

Best of 2011: Prep Football

2011-12-13T14:04:00.001-08:00

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

Prep football season came to a rather anticlimactic close for me a few weeks ago. Unlike previous years when it seems like I covered one or two teams extensively throughout the year, this year I was all over the place.

I saw a few good games (or first halves, anyway), got a few good pictures, but never felt really inspired. Maybe it's just that I'm in my fourth year of being a newspaper photographer and it's starting to feel like I've done it all before.

In any event, enjoy this slideshow of some of my best pictures from this past season.

ACC Championship

2011-12-04T03:05:00.000-08:00

Enjoy a few selects from Saturday's ACC Football Championship game between Clemson and Virginia Tech in Charlotte.

I devoted a great deal of time to trying to find and get shots of one specific Clemson assistant coach that may or may not have actually been on the sidelines at any point during the game, but I did manage to get a few decent shots of game action.

And on another note, I dropped my stainless steel water bottle as I was getting out of my car (I had to park about five blocks away, just FYI), splitting it open at the bottom. Normaly they have free bottled water in the field media workroom (I heard one guy refer to it as the 'media lounge'), but today? All out.

So I had to ride the elevator up and down and all around, then walk half way around the concorse amid screaming fans just to pay $4 for a bottle of water.

At the end of the evening, I would say my day was better than the Hokies' but worse than the Tigers'.

Toy Run

2011-11-29T13:15:00.001-08:00

Hundreds of motorcyclists ride East on Franklin Blvd. during the 25th Annual Gaston County Toy Run for Kids motorcycle ride on Sunday November 27, 2011.

Downtown

2011-11-23T16:00:00.000-08:00

A few recent Hipstamatic photos of downtown Gastonia.

The votes are in

2011-11-23T15:56:00.000-08:00

Gastonia Mayor Jennie Stultz congratulates Mayor-elect John Bridgeman at Nick's Steak and Taphouse as election results begin to show a clear victory for Bridgeman on Tuesday November 8, 2011.

Jim Jones, from left, Mitchell Sanders, Titus Greene, Gastonia Mayor-elect John Bridgeman, Lisa Mobley and her brother Greg Mobley watch election results come in on a laptop at Nick's Steak and Taphouse.

Red

2011-11-15T15:10:00.000-08:00

Just a little fall color I found the other day.

The ruins of Alba Mill

2011-11-09T02:00:00.000-08:00

I recently explored the ruins of Alba Mill in rural Gaston County north of Stanley, thanks to the tip of my colleague Leo Hohmann who makes it a hobby to find old abandoned historical treasure like this.

As best as I've been able to find out, this is an old paper mill, but the internet didn't offer much information.

In any event, it's been long abandoned and barely any of it is still standing. I thought it was a pretty cool place to explore and I'll probably return to take more pictures in the future.

Paranormal Investigators

2011-10-28T04:01:00.000-07:00

The State Paranormal Investigations team poses for a photo with some of their gear at the historic Gaston County jailhouse in downtown Dallas on Sunday October 16, 2011. From left: Jeff Rielly, Drew Skinner, Sandra Handy, Dave Hodges and founder Chris Rushing.

I've never tried to flare my lens with a laser before, so I wasn't sure what would happen. I think it looks kinda cool and appropriate for the subject matter. I'm glad we got the flare right on one take though, that laser was burning my brain.

The Haunted Mill

2011-10-16T00:47:00.000-07:00

Check out these terrifying scenes from The Haunted Mill in Belmont and get in the mood for Halloween.

Full slideshow here

Busy Keeper

2011-10-15T15:33:00.000-07:00

Brevard goalkeeper Crissy Moran leaps high but fails to stop a goal shot by Belmont Abbey's Carly Kensinger during the game at Belmont Abbey on Tuesday October 4, 2011. Below: Moran dives for the ball as Belmont Abbey's Ananda Gebreyesus prepares to take a shot.

Junkyard Dogs

2011-10-13T23:52:00.000-07:00

I spotted these two mischievous, I almost want to say demented looking, dogs while taking pictures at a home where police ar investigating the deaths of a number of dogs found dead at a home on Mitchem Road near Ranlo on Thursday October 13, 2011.

OKI 2011

2011-09-26T18:16:00.000-07:00

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

Here are some Hipstamatic photos from my recent week of vacation on Oak Island and surrounding areas, including Southport and Wilmington.

My goal was to shoot all week with only the Hipstamatic app on my iPhone 4, but I caved on the penultimate day of the trip and took a few sunset pictures (this one and this one) with my "real" camera. I'm weak, I guess.

Gaston remembers 9-11

2011-09-26T18:13:00.000-07:00

Devin McKenney, left, lights a candle for fellow Community Fire Department firefighter Stephen Roberts at the 10th Annual We Will Never Forget ceremony in Stanley on Sunday September 11, 2011. Over 100 firefighters from 18 departments attended this year's event.

Linda English Edwards points the the plaque for her father to her grandson Ayden Whitney, 6, at the new Gastonia Police Memorial following a joint 9-11 memorial and dedication ceremony in front of the Gastonia Police station on Sunday September 11, 2011. Edward's father, Officer James Edward 'Red' English, was shot and killed in the line of duty in 1948 when she was 7 years old.

Rainout

2011-09-11T01:01:00.000-07:00

Lightning rips across the sky as fans leave the parking lot at South Point following the postponement of the football game against East Gaston due to weather on Friday September 2, 2011.

South Point Homicide

2011-08-29T21:43:00.000-07:00

Trey Gercak consoles Allison McCall, right, and a Gaston County Police officer talks with McCall's mother as police investigate the death of McCall's sister, Christina McCall, in front of the home at 129 Midwood Lane near Belmont late Sunday August 28, 2011.

Christina McCall was reportedly ending her relationship with her boyfriend of three years,Franklin Janell White, when he shot and killed her in front of her home where she lived with her parents and teenage son.

White died later Monday morning in a shootout with York County Sheriff's officers who were attempting to arrest him on a warrant for first-degree murder.

More details in this developing story from The Gaston Gazette

Gazette Cup 2011

2011-08-29T21:37:00.000-07:00

Ashbrook's Dustin Ferris left, and Forestview's Dale Rauch head the ball during the Gazette Cup final at Poston Park on Saturday August 27, 2011.

Ashbrook's Ivan Lopez takes a spill as Forestview's Hunter Ballard gains control of the ball.

Forestview goalkeeper Cole Poole catches the ball as Asbrook players, including Danny Cullum, left, charge the crease.

Ashbrook's Gustavo Laverde, left, and Forestview's Boo Davis head the ball.

Forestview players, including Boo Davis, from right, Brent Johnson and Dale Rauch celebrate after Rauch scored a goal against Ashbrook in overtime during the Gazette Cup final at Poston Park. The goal was the only point in the match.

Thumbs Up!

2011-08-17T11:54:00.000-07:00

Noah Conner, 4, gives a thumbs up as his mom Sara Conner takes pictures of him strapped into a UH-72 Lakota helicopter that landed outside Keeter Stadium during the American Legion Baseball World Series in Shelby on Sunday August 14, 2011.

Runner Up

2011-08-17T11:52:00.000-07:00

Alexandria Freeman, from right, and Beth Smith celebrate after it was announced that Malyn Bailey was the 1st runner up, leaving Freeman and Smith to be crowned Miss Gaston County 2012 and Miss Gastonia 2012 respectively, during the Miss Gastonia Scholarship Pageant at Gaston College on Sunday August 7, 2011.

More Horseshoes?

2011-08-17T11:37:00.000-07:00

Cherryville Post 100 pitcher Adam Benfield poses with his lucky horseshoe in the dugout at Buck Fraley Field in Cherryville on Sunday July 31, 2011. Benfield found the horseshoe and now brings it to games and keeps in the bull pen for good luck.

Horseshoe Aces

2011-08-05T23:50:00.000-07:00

North Carolina Horseshoe Pitchers Association hall-of-fame member Dufay Pearson pitches in the George Poston Memorial Evening Horseshoe Tournament at George Poston Park on Saturday July 30, 2011. Below: Tim Carson lines up a shot.

Joy

2011-08-05T23:47:00.000-07:00

Memorial

2011-08-05T23:44:00.000-07:00

Angie Allen, left, lights a candle for her daughter Leann Allen, 8, during a memorial for 2-year-old Addison Lanham in the parking lot of the Exxon station on Edgewood Road in Bessemer City on Saturday July 23, 2011.

Lanham was transported by ambulance from the adjacent America's Best Inn on Thursday and died at the hospital shortly thereafter from an untreated broken leg and sepsis (blood poisoning). The child's mother and registered sex offender boyfriend both face charges in the death.

'Roid Week 2011

2011-07-21T14:19:00.000-07:00

With my iPhone I can now take pictures and not only see them instantly, but share them instantly. In the studio the LCD screen on my digital camera (or a separate monitor) provides the instant preview a Polaroid back once did for my predecessors.

Fact is, Polaroids are obsolete for nearly all consumer and professional uses. That doesn't make them any less fun to use, though.

In the right conditions, these cameras can still take surprisingly good pictures, but qualities that would normally be seen as undesirable, like light leaks, faded colors, and lens flare, are part of the charm of shooting with vintage cameras.

For me, Polaroid cameras are toys. It's nice to leave behind the weight (figuratively and literally) of professional digital cameras and the need to make technically good images and just go with the flow.

You might get something cool out of a Polaroid or you might not, but there's something fun abou pulling, waiting and finally peeling the film apart to see what you got.

In an ironic twist, the internet has helped spawn a new cult following for Polaroids on sites like Flickr.

In 2006, one group on Flickr started 'Roid Week, a loosely organized, annual, five-day celebration of all things Polaroid. This year, over 1,400 people contributed nearly 4,000 polaroid images to the group.

These are a few of my shots from my wanderings around town during 'Roid Week 2011. I did break the rules a little by making it a seven-day affair starting on a Wednesday, but being a Polaroid enthusiast has never been about being a conformist.

Check out more of my Polaroid pics

William Partlow

2011-07-21T13:53:00.000-07:00

This is William Partlow, a local basketball player soon to be inducted into the Gaston County Sports Hall of Fame. He told me he used to be a model when he was younger -- had an agent and everything.

I'm not normally a fan of smiles in posed portraits, but I think the photo above shows his personality pretty well, even if he was taking direction like a pro. The headshot below is a decidedly more serious treatment. I think they both work, but in different ways.

Artificial Portrait

2011-07-13T15:49:00.000-07:00

I think it's important for portrait photographers to occasionally remind themselves what it feels like to walk away from a shoot seeing doughnuts (from a ring flash).

So, as I was tooling around yesterday taking some self portraits I decided to make like Brad Trent and do what he calls an "artificial portrait" by pulling back to show the reality of the lighting being used to create the picture.

I usually find including your lights in the frame to be cliche, but Trent's portraits are about pulling back the curtain rather than than saying "Ooh, look at the cool gear that I have and you don't." He pulls it off.

As far as portraits go I've largely been influenced by the work of Dan Winters and Ben Baker, among others. I think my own style is somewhere in between the subtle but dramatic Winters and the high-contrast, almost surreal look of Trent, but for these pictures I went for the more contrasty look.

To do this right I should have pulled the camera back and included my ring flash in the shot too, but there was a wall right behind the camera position so I had to zoom out rather than back it up.

Also, I cut my feet off. Oops.

Below is the shot that I was originally going for (in my defense, I didn't have the best raw material to work with).

Extreme Runner

2011-07-09T23:25:00.000-07:00

Runner CJ Barnhart poses on top of Hidden Wall at Crowders Mountain State Park on Tuesday July 5, 2011. Barnhart runs the trails at Crowders to train for races involving obstacle courses like the recent Super Spartan 8-mile race in Winnsboro, SC where he took home a medal.

Play at the plate

2011-07-09T23:19:00.000-07:00

Shelby Post 82 catcher Ryan Luckadoo tags out Stanley Post 266 baserunner Justin Williams as he slides into home during the first game of a Junior Legion double header at East Gaston High on Tuesday July 5, 2011.

I actually managed to get a few decent baseball shots this past week, which is refreshing since I didn't think I did a great job during high school baseball season.

Summer (feature) fun

2011-07-05T02:20:00.000-07:00

A few features from the past week's festivities. Click on photos for captions.

Happy Independence Day!

2011-07-05T01:20:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of my favorite fireworks pictures from this long Fourth of July weekend. The top one is from Gastonia on Monday and the bottom two from Cherryville on Friday.

A Marine Comes Home

2011-06-21T23:19:00.000-07:00

A U.S. Marine Master Sergeant offers words to the family of fallen Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas O'Brien, including his mother Tammy O'Brien, second from right, sister Haley O'Brien and father Richard O'Brien, Jr. during a memorial service for fallen Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas O'Brien at First Assembly of God church on South Myrtle School Road on Monday June 20, 2011.

Nicholas O'Brien was the first member of the armed forces from Gaston County to be killed in Afghanistan since the conflict began. A roadside bomb exploded while he and his fellow marines were on routine foot patrol in Helmand Province on June 9, killing O'Brien and wounding others.

View a full slideshow from the event and read more about it here.

U.S. Marines carry the casket containing the body of Lance Cpl. Nicholas O'Brien to a waiting hearse following the memorial service. O'Brien will be laid to rest next Tuesday at Arlington National Cemetery.

Above: Supporters with U.S. flags line the entrance to First Assembly of God to welcome the procession carrying O'Brien's body to the memorial service. Below: Members of the Patriot Guard Riders turn out in support of O'Brien.

Muddy and loving it

2011-06-21T23:17:00.000-07:00

I had to go home and change after this assignment.

Battle of Ramsour's Mill

2011-06-18T21:07:00.000-07:00

I was assigned to photograph the Battle of Ramsour's Mill Celebration and Reenactment at a historic site in Lincolnton today. Due to a low turn out of reenactors this year, they chose not to do an actual Revolutionary War battle simulation (bummer) and the weather scared people off too.

There were actually over a hundred spectators when I arrived, but they quickly dispersed after the afternoon's demonstrations (below). With few visitors interacting with the reenactors I didn't have much to photograph, but I got all that I needed anyway and was able to spend the down time learning a thing or two about history myself.

And I think I must have spent half an hour watching this line of thunder storms roll in and precipitate (pun intended) a mass retreat from the battlefield. As ominous as the sky was, the storms turned out to be pretty mild.

Crazy Eyes

2011-06-18T20:59:00.000-07:00

James Richard Verone peers through the glass of a visitation booth at the Gaston County Jail on Thursday June 16, 2011 where he is being held while awaiting trial for an alleged bank robbery.

I believe this is the first time I've been asked to shot a portrait of an inmate at the jail. Which makes sense. The jail doesn't normally allow cameras inside and most inmates have lawyers telling them not to speak to the media.

This guy is an exception to the rules, in more ways than one.

If you have a minute, I highly recommend reading The Gazette article about this man who has decided to make his new residence the Gaston County Jail.

Hartford Drive Homicide

2011-06-18T20:50:00.000-07:00

A family member consoles a woman who made statements indicating that she was the mother of a man found dead at 2102 Hartford Drive off of Hudson Boulevard on Friday June 17, 2011.

Read my original story here, and the follow up with details here.

Guns drawn, Gastonia police officers prepare to enter and clear a home at 2102 Hartford Drive where a man, covered with a yellow tarp, was found shot in the chest in the front yard just before 10:00pm on Friday June 17, 2011.

Neighborhood children watch as Gastonia police investigate the murder.

Education in trouble

2011-06-05T12:07:00.000-07:00

North Gaston physical science and chemistry teacher Elizabeth Leonard poses with the smart board in her classroom on Wednesday June 1, 2011. Leonard received a pink slip informing her she may not have a job next year despite being named the Gaston County Schools New Teacher of the Year.

Cheryl Virgil, left, a pre-kindergarten educator who works with autistic children, gets fired up while speaking at the "Save Our Schools" rally held by the Gaston County Democratic Party in front of the Gaston County Courthouse on Thursday May 26, 2011.

Graduation time again

2011-05-24T01:33:00.000-07:00

Nataya A. Smith celebrates after receiving his diploma in Welding Technology during Gaston College commencement in Bojangles Coliseum on Friday May 13, 2011.

Abbey Lightning

2011-05-13T10:58:00.000-07:00

Lightning bolts light up the sky over the Belmont Abbey Basilica during severe thunder storms early on Wednesday May 11, 2011.

RV vs House

2011-05-13T10:51:00.000-07:00

A recreational vehicle sits crashed into a the garage of a home at 615 Rosemary Lane on Saturday May 7, 2011. Firefighters were dispatched to the incident that sent one man to Gaston Memorial Hospital with non life threatening injuries at 8:15 p.m. on Friday.

Relay for Life

2011-05-13T10:47:00.000-07:00

Breast cancer survivor Carolyn Glover kisses her granddaughter Mckenzie Glover, 8, during opening ceremonies for Relay for Life at Ashbrook High School on Friday May 6, 2011.

Elizabeth (last name declined), 9, leads friend Heather Mattison around the track at Ashbrook during Relay For Life.

Stephanie Rodriguez and other Ashbrook students welcome people as they arrive.

Kevin Millwood

2011-05-03T18:35:00.000-07:00

Kevin Millwood pitches for the Scranton / Wilkes-Barre Yankees during the game against the Charlotte Knights on Thursday April 28, 2011 in Fort Mill, SC.

As if baseball isn't boring enough, I spent the better part of two work days just to get a few shots of this guy.

Not that I'm complaining, I get paid to go out and take pictures every day and I don't care all that much what it is. The next day I got to go rock climbing to take pictures, so life is in balance.

Cross Walk

2011-04-23T10:29:00.000-07:00

Efrain Palafox, left, and Jacob Jonas act out the roles of a Roman soldier and Jesus respectively during a cross walk and youth rally sponsored by area churches in Linconton on Friday April 22, 2011.

Over a hundred people carried crosses for a mile down East Main Street, ending with a reenactment of the crucifixion at the Lincoln County Courthouse.

Madison Holt, 14, bows her head in prayer with hundreds of others following the reenactment of the crucifixion in front of the Lincoln County Courthouse.

Score!

2011-04-23T10:27:00.000-07:00

South Point's Haley Stewart, left, pats teammate Katie Sneathen on the helmet after Sneathen ran in to score during the game against North Gaston on Thursday April 21, 2011 at South Point.

Up in Smoke

2011-04-23T10:22:00.000-07:00

Firefighters battle a fire on the roof of a building at National Gypsum on Drywall Drive in Mount Holly on Saturday April 16, 2011.

Long Lost Sister

2011-04-22T11:17:00.000-07:00

Floyd Kennedy hugs his sister Peggy Loury for the first time in 61 years as their sister Geneva Webb looks on during a family reunion at the Webb home in Mount Holly on Saturday April 9, 2011. The three were among seven siblings in a children's home in Ohio and were separated at a young age as they were adopted by different families.

Geneva Webb looks out the window while waiting with her sister Peggy Loury, left, for their brother Floyd Kennedy to arrive.

Bill's Race

2011-04-22T11:09:00.000-07:00

Runners take off at the start of the "Bill's Race" 5K and walk at Belmont Abbey College on Sunday April 17, 2011. The race honors the school's late track coach Bill Hodge, who passed away in the fall, with proceeds going to the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

Bobbie James celebrates after finishing the "Bill's Race" 5K and walk with her dog Abbey.

Catherine Hodge Christman, from right, looks over a scrapbook of track photos with track athletes Lauren Smith, Leondra Pridgen, Tasha Stewart and Jazz Samuel during a reception following the "Bill's Race" 5K and walk. The scrapbook was presented to the Hodge family along with a hat he often wore.

Whitewater Slalom

2011-04-22T10:39:00.000-07:00

Scott Mann comes up after rolling his kayak at the finish line on his second of two runs on day two of the men's single kayak division at U.S. National Slalom Team Trials at the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte on Saturday April 16, 2011.

Austin Keiffer takes his second of two runs in the men's single kayak division on day two of team trials.

Track stars

2011-04-22T10:36:00.000-07:00

Bessemer City's Tray Good leaps the last hurdle to win the boys' 300m hurdles with a time of 41.44 seconds during the Gaston County track and field championships at Ashbrook on Wednesday April 6, 2011.

South Point's Tyler Bray leads the boys' 400m dash on his way to winning with a time of 51.94 seconds. Forestview's Sham Williams, right, finished fifth.

Houseplants

2011-04-22T10:33:00.000-07:00

3.2.1...Contact

2011-04-07T13:37:00.000-07:00

Belmont Abbey infielder Joey Frabasile makes contact with the ball during the first game of the double-header against Mount Olive at the Abbey on Saturday April 2, 2011. The ball was caught for a out in center field.

This isn't an overly spectacular sports shot, but catching the ball contacting the bat at the collegiate level is something I only do a couple of times a season.

It sure is nice, though to shoot baseball during the day every once in a while when you can use a shutter speed fast enough to freeze those ephemeral moments that can't be seen with the naked eye.

Not Your Average Etiquette Ball

2011-03-31T23:30:00.000-07:00

Shan Adams, right, reacts after daughter Destiny Adams takes first place in a best dressed contest at the Not Your Average Young Person seventh annual Etiquette Ball for middle and high school students at the Gastonia YMCA on Saturday March 26, 2011.

Young fans react as musician Joe Barrino AKA Teeny, below, makes a surprise appearance at the Etiquette Ball on Saturday.

Young women scream and cheer as Jeremiah Tims, 15, walks the runway during a best dressed contest at the Etiquette Ball.

Markel Hemphill, 17, breaks it down during the dance.

Faces

2011-03-28T16:23:00.000-07:00

Imperial Mill

2011-03-28T16:13:00.000-07:00

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

(Click on image to advance slideshow)

I recently took some time to stroll through the abandoned and gutted Imperial Mill building in Belmont. At over 100 years old, it's one of the oldest in the area, but demolition will continue if no one steps up to redevelop the site soon.

I was assigned to go take picture of this mill and one other in Belmont when demolition work began several months ago, but only had time to get a few shots of each. This is a large mill, and I wanted to go back and wander around exploring a little more.

As luck would have it, I procrastinated until I went into work one day and had an assignment to get more pictures of the mill, and lots of time to do it. I would have gone back on my own time, but I can't complain about getting to do it on the clock.

Brownie

2011-03-28T16:07:00.000-07:00

Wanna see my lizard?

2011-03-14T18:44:00.000-07:00

Meet an old toy and a new toy.

This foam lizard has been hanging on the wall of every place I've lived since I got it at a fair when I was maybe 8 years old (if that). I don't know why. There's absolutely nothing special or sentimental about it. It's just always been there.

The picture was taken with my newest toy, namely the Hipstamatic app for my iphone 4.

I've had the phone for a while now, but until some of my friends recently started posting cool iphone pictures I wasn't exactly inspired to use it as a camera.

I was looking at the phone as just a not-so-good camera, but with this app it's becomes one more toy camera to add to my collection--and the only one that I have with me at all times. It's no substitute for the look of real vintage film cameras, but kinda cool none the less (not to mention cheaper).

Check out more of my Hipstamatic pics

Technology

2011-03-14T18:41:00.000-07:00

Silent Watcher of the Bookshelf

2011-03-10T18:09:00.000-08:00

Guest Room

2011-03-10T18:07:00.000-08:00

Faces & Places

2011-03-07T22:39:00.000-08:00

Artist John Rankin with his painting "Gaston Recalled & Relived" depicting Gaston County places and faces, in his home on Monday February 28, 2011.

Rankin has traveled all over the world painting scenes from abroad, but was inspired to create this piece after a friend pointed out that he had no paintings depicting the character of his home town.

Think Pink 2011

2011-03-07T22:34:00.000-08:00

Belmont Abbey's Kelsey Long shoots over the defense of Limestone's Tia Williams during the game on "Think Pink" night in the Wheeler Center on Thursday February 17, 2011.

Belmont Abbey's Paula Regalado passes the ball to teammate Kelsey Long, left, during the game against Limestone.

HART Training

2011-02-27T10:16:00.000-08:00

The North Carolina Helio-Aquatic Rescue Team (NCHART) conducted training at Crowders Mountain State Park on Thursday February 24, 2011. U.S. Army National Guard Blackhawk helicopters lowered rescuers to a "survivor" on the cliff face simulating the rescue of a rock climber from the David's Castle area and Practice Wall on top of Crowders Mountain.

Photographer

2011-02-27T10:14:00.000-08:00

All County Band

2011-02-27T10:11:00.000-08:00

Connie Weeks conducts the second of two middle school bands in the 2011 All County Band Concert at Ashbrook on Saturday February 12, 2011. Weeks is a band director at Asheville Middle School in Asheville, NC.

Stanley Middle School trombonist James Goode dozes off while waiting for the concert to start.

Basketball Action

2011-02-14T23:05:00.000-08:00

Belmont Abbey's Shayla Jackson, left, makes a shot past the block of Pfeiffer's Christina Harvey during the game in the Wheeler Center on Saturday January 22, 2011.

Night shift newspaper photographers shoot a lot of basketball this time of year. Here are some highlights from the past few weeks.

Highland Tech's Derrick Shuda, right, blocks as Lincolnton's Michael Cunningham attempts a shot during the game at Highland Tech on Friday January 21, 2011.

Lincolnton's Jessica McCleave, from left, Chelsea Slentz and Katie Reeder celebrate after defeating Highland Tech with only seconds on the clock in overtime at Highland Tech on Friday January 21, 2011.

Ashbrook's Justin Byrd drives jumps to take a shot past South Point payers, from left, Quintin Reeves, Patrick Truesdale and Taylor Williams during the game at Ashbrook on Friday January 28, 2011.

South Point's Quinton Reeves, left, blocks a shot by Crest's Demarrio Mintz as Crest's Jonathan Bullard looks on during the game at South Point on Friday February 11, 2011.

Miss South Carolina?

2011-01-16T15:45:00.000-08:00

Mya Hipps, 19, just won a Miss South Carolina preliminary, Miss Greater Lyman South Carolina, and will be a contestant in the Miss South Carolina pageant in July.

Abbey vs Queens

2011-01-16T15:40:00.000-08:00

Belmont Abbey's Tyshawn Good drives to the basket as Queens' Preston Newlin guards during the game in the Wheeler Center on Thursday January 13, 2011.

New Lights

2011-01-16T15:37:00.000-08:00

I got a few new lights. A funky lamp for my living room and an ABR 800 ring flash. This is what happens when both arrive on the same day.

Two Alarm Fire

2011-01-16T15:30:00.000-08:00

Firefighters from eight departments battled a commercial blaze at Roseberry's Salvage Building Supplies at 215 Davis Heights Drive on Saturday January 8, 2011. Read the full story at gastongazette.com

Igloo Party!

2011-01-16T15:25:00.000-08:00

Belmont Abbey College students, including Jessica Simons, left, pack in the final pieces of snow to complete an igloo at the school on Monday January 10, 2011. After the igloo was complete it was large enough to accommodate 13 seated or kneeling people.

Marielle McLaurin emerges from the nearly complete igloo.

Dotson's

2011-01-07T22:57:00.000-08:00

Dotson's Fish Fry owner Dennis Dotson poses for a portrait in the dining room of his now closed restaurant in Belmont on Wednesday January 5, 2011. Due to declining business, Dotson says he decided not to reopen the 50 year-old business after closing for a Christmas break.

Holiday Hoops Action

2011-01-07T22:53:00.000-08:00

Lincolnton's Larone Studirant, left, and West Lincoln's Dylan Jenkins go after a rebound during the People's Bank Holiday Classic at North Lincoln on Wednesday December 29, 2010.

West Lincoln players Jamie Harkey and Molly Leatherman, clockwise from top left, Lincolnton's Bridgett Derr, West Lincoln's Erica Webb and Lincolnton's Jazmine Killian struggle for control of a loose ball during the first round of the People's Bank Holiday Classic on Wednesday.

Snow Day

2011-01-02T02:05:00.000-08:00

Several inches of snow covers Kings Pinnacle, part of Crowders Mountain State Park on Sunday December 26, 2010 as seen from N.C. Highway 161 near Kings Mountain. Check out the same view in spring. Below: A five-segment snowman standing over six feet tall and holding a sign reading 'Super frosty' decorates the front yard of the Hostetler residence on North Main Street in Belmont Sunday.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-23T23:34:00.000-08:00

I rode around all over Gaston County photographing the best-decorated houses in town for the Christmas eve edition of The Gazette. I got some good tips and was able to find some truly impressive light displays.

Check out the photo gallery

Carols for Curly

2010-12-23T23:25:00.000-08:00

Zachary Etherton weeps at the 'Carols for Curly' candleligt vigil in support of his close friend and relative Michael 'Curly' Hastings in Cramerton on Sunday December 19, 2010. Hastings, an N.C. State Trooper and Cramerton Native, is in a coma in New York City after hitting his head in an accidental fall recently.

Read the full story

Hastings cousin-in-law Lori Davis, above, speaks at the Carols for Curly vigil and Autumn Cauthen, 7, below, holds a candle during the event.

Salvation Army Star

2010-12-21T01:01:00.000-08:00

Serenity Lincoln, 2, eats dinner at the Salvation Army shelter on South Broad Street on Wednesday December 8, 2010. Lincoln currently lives at the shelter with her mother and three year-old sister.

Everyone Loves a Parade!

2010-12-21T00:46:00.000-08:00

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

Everyone loves a parade. I shot a bunch this year (Seven, I think, but I lost count). Enjoy some of my favorite moments from all the various parades. And by favorite I mean my favorites, as I shot litteraly hundreds of parade photos over two weeks. Visit gastongazette.com to see slideshows and videos of them all.

Panthers vs Falcons

2010-12-21T00:14:00.001-08:00

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

Just Missed It

2010-12-12T21:51:00.001-08:00

Lincolnton defender Wesley Perkins, right, and Carver's Denzel Rice go after the ball after Perkins broke up a pass intended for Rice during the state semifinal game at Lincolnton on Friday December 3, 2010.

Lincolnton defensive lineman Jamie Stamper celebrates after Lincolnton recovered a ball fumbled by Polk County during the playoffs game at Lincolnton on Friday November 26, 2010.

Lincolnton defensive back Jonathan Sherrill, left, nearly intercepts a pass intended for Polk County receiver Ryan Thomas during the playoffs game at Lincolnton on Friday November 26, 2010. Sherrill was unable to maintain control of the ball as he went to the ground.

Gift of Thanksgiving

2010-12-12T21:49:00.000-08:00

The dancers of Camino Haciaclo twirl flags as Christian rapper Jonah Greene performs during the Gift of Thanksgiving giveaway at Dixie Village Shopping Center on Thursday November 25, 2010.

Kicker

2010-12-12T21:43:00.000-08:00

Lincolnton place kicker Kevin Miller lines up with the uprights while taking practice kicks on the Linconton practice field on Wednesday November 17, 2010.

Easy Feature

2010-12-12T21:40:00.000-08:00

Underneath a nearly full moon, Cliff Hale with Hatley's Sign Service puts the finishing touches on a sign on the facade of the new CaroMont Psychiatric Associates location in the Northridge shopping center on Friday November 19, 2010. The CaroMont Health facility is moving from a location in the professional building near Gaston Memorial Hospital.

This was an easy feature hunt. I found this across the parking lot shared with The Gaston Gazette building.

Ghillie Dhu's Enchantment

2010-11-22T00:16:00.000-08:00

'Ghillie Dhu's Enchantment,' a new tree-like kinetic sculpture by artist Harry McDaniel stands some 20 feet tall in Center City Park off of Main Avenue on Tuesday November 9, 2010 as crowds gather for Keep Gastonia Beautiful's dedication service for the piece.

Check out the full gallery

Fall Colors

2010-11-22T00:13:00.000-08:00

Fall color in it's peak at Crowders Mountain State Park on Monday November 15, 2010.

WWII Vet

2010-11-14T20:57:00.000-08:00

World War II veteran Foy Mercer, who at 92 has survived the battle of the bulge and brain surgery.

I thought it was cool listening to this vet tell his story. As it turns out, he's lived just about everywhere I've lived, only a few (or more) decades earlier. He was a pastor in Brevard, where I went to College, and in Rocky Mount, where I got my first newspaper job and lived for a year. Small world.

Etiquette Edge

2010-11-14T20:47:00.000-08:00

Photos for a cover story in The Gazette's women's magazine Gaston Woman about Julie Roberts, owner of Etiquette Edge, which provides good manners and decorum education for children K-12. Roberts teaches proper etiquette for every aspect of social life, including writing thank you notes, talking on the phone, online interactions, and text messaging.

Hooters for Neuters

2010-11-14T20:29:00.000-08:00

Brandon Dougherty, 7, and his mom Cathy Dougherty pet a dog from the Gaston County Animal Shelter up for adoption at the Hooters for Neuters event at Hooters on Saturday November 6, 2010. The shelter brought eight last-chance dogs to the event, with several, including this one, finding homes.

Two kittens wait to be adopted during the event, put on by the Gaston County Low-Cost Spay / Neuter Clinic.

Caleb McCraw-Guyer, 8, gets a sloppy kiss from a dog in the back of a Gaston County Animal Control truck on Saturday November 6, 2010 at the Hooters For Neuters event. Friends of McCraw-Guyer's family adopted the dog at the event, and while he won't be the owner, he said he will be seing the pet all the time.

Conference Carolinas Championship

2010-11-14T20:20:00.000-08:00

Pfeiffer players celebrate after Belmont Abbey's Connie Axiotis, right, missed an overtime penalty kick giving the victory to Pfeiffer in the Conference Carolinas Championship match on Saturday November 6, 2010 at Alumni Field.

Belmont Abbey's Rebecca Mateo wins a header during the match.

Full gallery at Gaston Gazette

A referee tries to break up a fight that broke out between Belmont Abbey and Pfeiffer players during the heated and emotional match.

Belmont Abbey goalkeeper Anna Donaldson attempts to block an overtime penalty kick.

Belmont Abbey players console one another after losing to Pfeiffer in overtime penalty kicks.

Abbey Men's Soccer

2010-11-14T20:16:00.000-08:00

Limestone goal keeper H.B. Lockwood dives to make a save after Belmont Abbey's Gianluca D'Agata, right, took a shot on goal during the game at Alumni Field on Saturday October 30, 2010.

Touchdown Pass

2010-11-14T20:14:00.000-08:00

Cherryville's Dashaun Brooks, left, makes a touchdown reception over Bessemer City defender Damian Scott to end the first half at Cherryville on Friday October 29, 2010.

Lunar Halo

2010-10-29T22:45:00.000-07:00

The steeples of the Belmont Abbey Basilica point towards the moon surrounded by a 22 degree halo, an optical phenomena caused when light from the sun or moon refracts through hexagonal ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere, the early hours of Sunday October 24, 2010.

Goble Street Fire

2010-10-29T22:43:00.000-07:00

A firefighter lifts a burning trash can from the remains of an unoccupied house on Goble Street that burned to the ground around midnight on Saturday October 23, 2010.

Crane vs House

2010-10-29T11:42:00.000-07:00

A firefighter walks past the wreckage of a 70-ton construction crane that fell onto a house at 1212 Oakwood Avenue on Thursday October 21, 2010. Crews contracted through Denton's Tree Service were using the 140 foot boom to remove a large tree on the side of the home when the crane tipped over and fell onto the house.

EMS personnel take a worker from Denton's Tree Service to an ambulance after the crane collapsed. The worker was reportedly a tree climber working to cut sections of a large tree that were being removed by the crane, and when the crane began to collapse in his direction he jumped or slid down the tree sustaining non life threatening injuries.

Orchid Cactus

2010-10-29T11:39:00.000-07:00

A flower of the 'Epiphyllum oxypetalum,' commonly known by names such as orchid cactus, dutchman's pipe, or Night Queen, at the home of Hilda Olive on Saturday October 16, 2010. The species of cactus native to Sri Lanka commonly grows in trees and rarely blooms, and only at night, with flowers wilting before dawn.

Prep Soccer Action

2010-10-29T11:35:00.000-07:00

Forestview goalkeeper Anderson Gibbons dives to make a save as teammate Justin Henry, center, attempts to defend Ashbrook's Marc Del Castillo, during the match at Ashbrook on Wednesday October 20, 2010.

Ashbrook's Carlos Loazia, left, celebrates with teammate Juan Villa after scoring a goal against Forestview.

Confederate Heritage

2010-10-29T01:10:00.000-07:00

Wearing his Confederate flag themed T-shirt, Travis Lewis, 17, stands beside monuments to his Confederate ancestors, including James Lewis and his son William F Lewis, on Thursday October 7, 2010 at New Hope Presbyterian Church. Lewis got in trouble recently for wearing the shirt to Hunter Huss High School, although he says the flag is not about race, but rather a symbol of his southern heritage.

Story: www.gastongazette.com/articles/flag-51449-confederate-shi...