Tallulah – The N.C. Press Association formally announced its 2019 awards winners Feb. 27.
Three photos that were published in The Graham Star during the contest period of Oct. 1, 2018 and Sept. 30, 2019 – “Awe-Inspiring Sight” (Feature Photography, published Jan. 24, 2019), “It Was a Nightmare” (Spot Photography, published Nov. 8, 2018) and “Celebrate Good Times” (Sports Photography, published Sept. 12, 2019) – all won first place in Division A, which is for papers with circulations below 3,000.
“Art Miller paints an exceptional picture with his photographs,” said Kevin Hensley, publisher/editor of The Graham Star. “This newspaper is fortunate to be the canvas in which Miller’s work is displayed to the world.”
Miller braved slippery elements to capture the photograph of an overturned school bus in a creek for the “It Was a Nightmare” story, while his photograph of a U.S. flag at Fontana Dam truly was an “Awe-Inspiring Night.”
The “Celebrate Good Times” photo – captured by Hensley, after Robbinsville volleyball defeated Murphy for the first time in four years – fully displayed the jubilation of breaking a losing streak against a rival school.
“The Lady Knights had a remarkable season. Some could argue that it was their best one in history,” Hensley said. “They broke the single-season win record for Robbinsville volleyball, so there were countless opportunities to capture a celebration.
“When a team has a successful year, it makes our job so much easier. But it’s not about us; we’re here to cover events and spotlight achievements. Our hope is to always document history, so it can be preserved and reflected on positively by our readers for years to come.”