Halloween Parade

On Saturday, I photographed the Leesburg Halloween Parade. This year was the first time in awhile that I dressed up for Halloween. I was Neo from the Matrix. It was pretty hard to shoot at night with with dark sunglasses on. But, I had a good time.

On the Campaign Trail

Candidate for governor Creigh Deeds jokes with supporters outside the Loudoun Campus of Northern Virginia Community College after a campaign stop on Oct 28.

More Fall Color

A couple of kids hanging in a tree during a cross country meet. . .

Walk in the Park

I went for a walk near the Appalachian Trail in northern Loudoun County. The trees were really singing.

Arlington Moment

Sheryl M. McIlvaine touches the headstone of her husband James McIlvaine during a visit to Arlington National Cemetery on October 19, 2009. James McIlvaine was killed in Iraq on April 30, 2009.

I made this photograph while waiting for another burial to begin during an assignment at Arlington National Cemetery. A group of press photographers, including myself, were all standing in a cordoned off area about one hundred feet from the grave site. I'm sure we all made this picture with varying degrees of composition.

This image represents another way in which the war in Iraq and Afghanistan has come home for me in the past couple of weeks. It was very sad to watch.

Fallen Hero: Stephan Mace

Last Sunday, I was assigned to photograph the arrival of the body of Stephan Mace, 21, who was killed on Oct. 3 during combat in Afghanistan. His body was flown into Leesburg Executive Airport and then he received a police escort back to his home town in Purcellville, VA.

The following day, I photographed his funeral at Purcellville Baptist Church. It was a very quiet and sad event. My camera often acts as an shield against the emotions of an event that I'm witnessing. It was not until later when editing my final selection for the paper that I realized the importance and the sadness of the day.

His death seems to coincide with an increase in focus on the war in Afghanistan, which begun 8 years ago. When this war began Mace would have been 13-years-old. That fact deeply resonates with me.

It was a honor to be able to document these events because my images will become a part of the public record that will memorialize Mace's sacrifice and the sacrifices of all the soldiers that have died fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Tears of Joy

Last Saturday, I shot a huge cheerleading meet at Park View High School in Loudoun County, Virginia. Usually at these events there is an over abundance of happy cheerleaders. After all the awards had been handed out and the realization of winning hit one of the happy cheer leaders, she start to cry with joy.