Tuesday, November 11, 2008

On Tuesday, Veterans Day, I attended the Veterans Day event at St. Anthony’s Catholic School in Florence. While I was there I was able to meet and talk to several veterans from various conflicts. It was nice to sit for a moment and talk with them and hear their stories of service. Everyone I met is proud of their service and in my opinion deserves to be honored for it. It is just as important to not forget those currently serving our country and support them as well. This picture I took is of Air Force veteran Charles Wanner, who served from 1976 to 1983 in the Grenada conflict. This picture is similar to the one that was used in the newspaper and it was a toss up as to which one to use. So here is the other one in black and white. Thank you veterans and active duty military for your service. Morning News/John D. Russell

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Francis Marion University Visiting Assistant Professor of English Meredith Reynolds (left), Assitant Professor of English Audrey Johnson (center in Blue), and Assistant Proffesor of Spanish Kristin Kiely (right) share a laugh while discussing their voting experiences and enjoy a free tall Starbucks coffee on
November 4, 2008. Starbucks offered a free tall coffee to anyone with an “I Voted” sticker on Election Day, November 4, 2008. 

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

On Wednesday, October 29, 2008, I accompanied long time co-worker and friend Libby Wiersema to The Grove, a Bed and Breakfast in Marion, SC. She is going to write a story about it for Inner Views magazine in the November issue. The owners of The Grove, Denley and Ann Caughman, were very nice and told us a lot about the history of the house built in circa 1895. I don’t want to give away too much, you’ll have to read Libby’s article to get the full story, but it is a beautiful old Victorian era home. Throughout the tour and my taking pictures I couldn’t help but wonder through history what the house has seen and what people that have visited or lived there. Denley was showing me the barn where he likes to make furniture by hand. We were walking down the alley way of the barn on the way out when I had one of those, “wholly cow I really need to take a picture moments”. This was the picture I made. I feel like it’s a timeless photo that could have been taken a century ago. Something draws me into it. Thank you to the Caughmans for showing us there Bed and Breakfast and thanks “Lib” for another neat story, I can’t wait to read about it. MORNING NEWS/JOHN D. RUSSELL

Arrested and charged in the murders of two women, Tommy Johnson remains in jail and his pets are left to be cared for by the homeowner, Johnson’s brother. 

Thursday, October 23, 2008

For the first time in more than 40 years South Carolina opened alligator hunting to the public through a drawing of 1000 tags in four different regions. Coming this Sunday in the sports section of the Morning News, a story about 301 Deer and Wild Hog Processing adding alligator processing to their business. Read Mark Haselden’s story about the hunt, the processing, and the tools needed to catch “the big one.” Then watch a slide show to see what tools are needed and how alligator processing works.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Got this shot that wouldn’t print so well for the paper, but I liked it...so enjoy!

Monday, October 13, 2008

A few weeks ago a call came over the police scanner about someone stealing an ambulance from McLeod and leading police on a chase.  So I grabbed my camera and ran out the door only to find the wrecked ambulance and the suspect already arrested.  Luckily they brought him back to an area closer to McLeod while they investigated what happened.  Originally, because he was a patient at McLeod, it was unknown whether he would be charged or not.  Last week he was, so now I am able to run his photo and name.  I love this photo because you can make out the ambulance on the tow truck in the background as the suspect sits in the back seat of the patrol car.

Suspect Jeremy Dunmore sits in the back of a Florence Police Department patrol car after he allegedly walked out of McLeod and drove off in an idling Darlington County EMS ambulance on Thursday, September 18, 2008. The suspect hit two other vehicles, including a second ambulance and led law enforcement on a short chase before being apprehended.

Snapped this shot of Rebecca helping me out during a photo illustration shoot for antibiotics.  I wanted it to be a pair of hands tossing out a bunch of pill bottles.  It gets so hot in our studio under those lights and I had my head and arms crammed in this tube.  She kept laughing at me so a took a picture.

Here is a shot I got while taking photos of FMUs goalie’s running through drills at practice.  Surprisingly I didn’t get hit by a single soccer ball!

Here’s a photo I snapped during a high school football practice last week.  I wasn’t going to post this picture but my coworkers convinced me I should.  First word that comes to my mind....UNBELIEVABLE.  What’s even sadder?  There were TWO coaches chainsmoking, on the field, throughout practice.

Myself and Morning News reporter Dwight Dana were fortunate enough to sit down with Mr. T. Taylor Warren this past July, in Florence. When I first moved to South Carolina, working in Sumter at the time in 2000, I attended my first NASCAR race at Darlington. One of the first friendly faces I saw was Mr. Warren’s. He always wore a smile that complemented his Goody’s Headache Powder yellow hat. From the beginning I always got a feeling that he had seen alot and in fact he had, as NASCAR’s first chief photographer. I treasured the time recently when I was able to sit down and talk with him. As a photographer I can’t begin to fathom the things he had seen over his more than 50 years at the race tracks. Thank you Mr. Warren for giving everyone a smile and most of all your contributions to auto racing. John D. Russell/Morning News

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

A motorist passes the scene of a deadly accident as a S.C. State Trooper stands over a motorcycle on the I-20 on ramp from I-95 in Florence on Tuesday, October 7, 2008.  The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene and the passenger was transported to an area hospital for treatment.

Thursday, October 02, 2008

On my way to the office this morning the Florence Fire Department was doing their twice annual fire hydrant checks in front of my house and around the neighborhood where I live. I stopped and hung out with them for a few minutes, learned something new, and made this photo of Captain Mike Ward tightening the top of the hydrant after testing.

Monday, September 29, 2008

I compare shooting high school football to trying to take a picture inside a black hole.  The lighting is so beyond inadequate for action shots I cannot even describe the frustrations experienced on the field.  UNTIL NOW.  Both Florence Christian Academy and Darlington High School have built new stadiums with AWESOME lighting.  Granted it’s not as good as an afternoon game, but it’s as close as any photographer can hope to get for high school football.  The endzones are always incredibly dark compared to the rest of the field and I snagged this shot of an interception in the endzone with the light highliting the players.  I ran a shot I took a split second before this one in the paper, so I thought I’d share a close up version here.

Florence Christian junior Matthew Jepertinger (84) tries to catch a pass while under pressure from Dillon senior Josh Funderburk (8) and junior Kyle Johnson (6) during the Eagles game against the Warriors in Florence on Friday, September 26, 2008.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Here are a couple of cool shots I got at the FMU game against Coker yesterday...enjoy!



Francis Marion midfielder Ivan Juric (8) jumps over Coker sophomore goalie Joel Tyson (01) during the Cobras game against the Patriots in Florence on Wednesday, September 24, 2008.



Francis Marion’s Ivan Juric (8), Willie Hunt (11) and Coker’s Dennis Gonzalez (20) collide while trying to head the ball during the Cobras game against the Patriots in Florence on Wednesday, September 24, 2008.