Man's best friend

David Mickler broke his neck on Christmas Eve in 1989 and has since been unable to use his hands or legs. Here, he is shown petting his service dog Joy at his home in Wilmington on Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2007, during an interview with the Star-News.

Au Pair

Au pair Christin Klaffer, 24, holds Anna Benfield, 1, one of three children she cares for during their visit to Hugh MacRae Park on Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2007. Klaffer, as an au pair, cannot take classes at Cape Fear Community College because they don't sponser foreign students. They will, however, allow undocumented immigrants to take classes.

Champions

These are scenes from Hoggard's championship victory...

Hoggard

Cabbie

This is a frame from a night-in-the-life story on a local cab driver. There are more to come..

Vigil

Jentry Pabers (left) comforts Rock Johnson during a candlelight vigil held on the riverwalk on Water Street by CFCC on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2007, the one-year anniversary of the shooting death of Petyon Strickland at the hands of former sheriff's deputy Chris Long. Pabers and Johnson were friends of Strickland.

Onward

Hoggard players shake sparkling cider into the air while celebrating their 20-6 playoff victory over Southern Durham at Hoggard on Friday, Nov. 30, 2007.

Contest Judging

For those of you in the Pittsburgh Press Photogs contest, here're some frames from the contest judging at a place called Slice of Life in downtown, Wilmington.

Riegelwood: A year later

A year ago, Christopher Freeman, 9, was flung from his mobile home and nearly died in the Riegelwood tornado that left eight dead, including his parents. He has since recovered. Here, he shows his surgical scar from injuries sustained during the tornado while playing on a trampoline at his grandparent's house in Navassa on Saturday, November 10, 2007.

See my slideshow on Riegelwood's difficult recovery at

www.starnewsonline.com/multimedia

or directly at

http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/multimedia03&folder=tornadoslideshow

Girl in a box

UNCW sophomore and exhibit volunteer Sue Morton cleans out a display case at an exhibit entitled "The Measure of All Things: The Human Scale" at the Cameron Art Musuem on Wednesday, November 14, 2007. Opening receptions for the exhibit and two others entitled "Big" and "Little" will be held at the musuem at 6 p.m. today (November 15) for members, and 7 p.m. for the public.

Fruition

Hey all. All those nights covering Friday finally come together in this doubletruck in the paper and online at

www.starnewsonline.com/gameday

Check it out, and let me know what you think...

Shooting

The Wilmington Police Department investigates a shooting that took place at about 10 a.m. on Wednesday, November 7, 2007, at the intersection of 11th street and Orange street. An unidentified man was transported to New Hanover Regional Medical Center suffering from a gunshot wound to the hip, according to a Wilmington Police Department news release.

Victory

Hoggard celebrates winning it's 6th straight conference title after defeating New Hanover 21-0 on Friday, November 2, 2007.

Museum of Forestry

Outtake

Halloween bartender

Bartender with bullet holes in his head makes a halloween martini with an eyeball...

The Wave Swinger

Chi Hua Hua

English Tuttle, receptionist at the Dineen Animal Hospital, handles Roo, a two-legged rescued Chihuahua, on Thursday, October 18, 2007.

NY times outtakes

Here are a few unused frames...

Piers...

Al Baird, founder of the North Carolina Fishing Pier Society, poses for a portrait on the Kure Beach Fishing Pier on Thursday, October 11, 2007.

Quirky

UNCW geology student David Gomez, 20, poses for a portrait with a ramen noodle sandwich he created on Friday, October 12, 2007.

Dog Frisbee

Kizzle, a 3-year-old female Doberman Pinscher, jumps after a frisbee during the 2007 Skyhoundz Hyperflite Canine Disc Championships at Wrightsville Beach Park on Saturday, October 13, 2007. Kizzle is owned by Stretch Taylor of Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Head Start

Head Start teachers and 260 students release balloons into the air to celebrate Head Start's 40th anniversary on N. 6th Street on Tuesday, October 16, 2007. Head Start is a federally funded program for at-risk preschool children.

New York Times website

A freelance gig I did for the NYTimes made the front page of their website. I'm pretty sure the print edition is being published tomorrow (Sunday)...So check it out!

Paul Stephen

Here's a portrait of fellow Star-News photog Paul Stephen that I shot as we covered a long, long mayoral election in Wilmington. The daily grind...ha.

UNCW Point Guards

This is a portrait I shot for a story on the two guys going after UNCW's point guard position...

Riverfest

Scenes from Wilmington's Riverfest 2007...

Mini Prix

Nick Morris, racing for Fairway/Sea Trail, watches as other racers pass him in a practice lap after colliding with the tire barrier during the Cape Fear Mini Grand Prix at the North Campus of Cape Fear Community College on Saturday, October 6, 2007.

New York Times assignment

These are photos from my first New York Times assignment. The story is on 2008 presidential candidates and their focus on young black women's undecided votes. We followed a representative from the Obama campaign at this salon in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Fish

This is a bonus shot from a fish fry...

Frisbee Golf

Here are two from frisbee golf. I was trying to pull an Alison Yin and step way back. Did it work?