BEV HORNE: I did a story on a young iFLY instructor in Naperville, where people can experience what it's like to sky-dive inside a huge tube. In this picture the instructor, Bailey Engel, is holding onto Chance Elmore during a "high flight" in that tunnel. I especially liked the look of the red flight suits against the light background.
The magic of a great photograph is that it makes us stop, look and, most importantly, feel.
Maybe it makes us smile. Maybe it makes us cry. Maybe it just makes us pause to reflect on what we're seeing and to try to understand why it moves us like it does.
We recently asked the members of the Daily Herald's DuPage County photo staff to select some of their favorite pictures of the past year. We're sharing some of their picks for news photos today and we'll return on Thursday with some of their favorite sports photos.
We can't say we were surprised by many of their choices, because these were some of the photos that all of us remembered, some of the photos that just jumped off the page or the screen and made us want more.
You may recognize the names of the folks who shot these pictures because all of them are veterans of the Daily Herald: Bev Horne, Mark Black (you can see his picture on today's front page), Dan White and Paul Michna.
They're all dedicated to capturing the images that reflect life in our communities. These pictures give you just a little sample of their work.
PAUL MICHNA: A traveling version of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, officially called "The Wall That Heals," came to Hoffman Estates and I captured this image of Betty Graham of Glenview reaching out to touch the name of a friend who died in that war. The connection she made with her lost loved one and the wall was amazing. You could feel her reaching through time and space. It was an honor to be there for that moment. I'll never forget it.
DANIEL WHITE: While photographing a fall festival at Cantigny Park in Wheaton, I came upon a groom, Mike Dastice, and his groomsmen being photographed by their wedding photographer. I managed to snap a couple quick frames before the 14 members of the wedding party dismounted from the tank. Having a creative prop helped bring out the personalities of this tight-knit group.
BEV HORNE: I followed this therapy dog named Ellie Rose during a visit to Peterson Elementary School in Naperville and captured a really nice moment when a third-grader, Yadira Gomez, reached over to give her a hug.
BEV HORNE: I like this photo because of the expression on Trenton Weber's face. The fifth-grader was getting his head shaved by Alexis Dunaway of Zazu Hair Salon in Wheaton as part of a St. Baldrick's fundraiser at Madison Elementary School in Wheaton.