U.S. Rep. John Lewis

U.S. Rep. John Lewis helped pack meals with over 5,000 other volunteers at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. After giving a speech to volunteers, he met with media to give interviews. This is when I get to hunt for images. Surrounded by cameras, microphones and one light on him, I crawled around looking for the best angle with the best light.

U.S. Rep. John Lewis during an interview, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, in Atlanta. Branden Camp for AJC

U.S. Rep. John Lewis during an interview, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, in Atlanta. Branden Camp for AJC

U.S. Rep. John Lewis helps volunteers pack meals, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, in Atlanta. Branden Camp for AJC

"Happy Hunting"

If you ever hang out with Associated Press photo editor Mike Stewart, he always ends the conversation with "happy hunting" or "go make an image."  Every time I'm on assignment, both these sayings echo through my head.  I have this good anxiety that runs through me every time I head out to find an image.  I'm afraid of not making a good image.  AP staff photographer David Goldman says he always works until he is mentally exhausted in order to make a great image.  I've made this my goal as well.

My favorite assignments have been the ones where I have to go out and find an image when the photo editors says something like, "It's January and people are out enjoying spring like weather.  Take a photo that tells that story."  

Here are some of my favorite images that I've had to go hunt down this month.

Snowy Day in Georgia

I remember it was January 2005 and I was sitting in an office building in New Brunswick, NJ.  The local news said it was going to snow as much as two feet.  Being a Georgia boy my whole life, I thought for sure that it wouldn't really snow that much, that it couldn't snow that much.  After all the most snow accumulations I saw growing up were inches.  Where I grew up, just the idea of snow got you out of school.  Sure enough, it snowed around 22 inches on that Saturday.

Only being in the "Garden State" a few months, I was getting my taste of what I thought would be home for the rest of my life.  I'm not going to lie, I was pretty excited to see that much snow.  It marked a new beginning for me.  Fast forward 12 years and I can't be more happy to only see an inch of snow on some parts of the ground here in Georgia.  It may not be Central Park covered in 24 inches of snow, but it's still beautiful.

Sunlight shines on a house during a light snow fall, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, in Woodstock, Ga.

A cyclist rides on an ice covered street during a light snow fall, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, in Woodstock, Ga.

Snow flakes fall on a horse during a light snow fall, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, in Woodstock, Ga.

Snow flakes fall on horses during a light snow fall, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, in Woodstock, Ga.

Snow falls on a shed during a light snow fall, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, in Woodstock, Ga.