Originally published December 25, 2010 at 10:00 PM | Page modified December 28, 2010 at 8:35 AM
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Seattle Times Pictures of the Year 2010
AT A MOMENT in our culture when generalism is shunned and niche interests are celebrated, The Seattle Times still strives to be all things to all people. For proof, look no further than the images captured by the paper's photographers during a year that was rich with fascinating subject matter.
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STEVE RINGMAN / THE SEATTLE TIMES
June 19: Relatives of the victims in Seattle's deadliest fire since 1971 — four children and one young woman killed in a Fremont apartment — mourn during a memorial service at KeyArena on June 18. Those who perished were siblings Joseph Gebregiorgis, 13, Nisreen Shamam, 6, and Yaseen Shamam, 5; their cousin, 7-year-old Nyella Smith; and their aunt, Eyerusalem Gebregiorgis, 22. "Taking these kind of photos is the hardest part of the job as a photojournalist, but one of the most important — documenting grief that triggers empathy and togetherness for a community. Shooting through bars on a railing from a distance, I didn't shove a camera in their faces, but fired off only a couple of frames that told the whole story." - Steve Ringman
MARK HARRISON / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Oct. 11: When Ike Ditzenberger scored a touchdown for Snohomish on the evening of Sept. 24 that eventually the entire world would see, the joy was shared among everyone involved, on both sides of the football. Ditzenberger, born with Down syndrome, ran 51 yards to score in the final 10 seconds of the Panthers' 35-6 loss to Lake Stevens. A video of Ditzenberger's touchdown was posted on YouTube and went viral, getting millions of views. "Thanks to his coach and a group of kids who have learned about the intersection of sports and humanity, Ike is just one of the guys. Hollywood has called, and Ike's parents are coordinating the movie rights." - Mark Harrison
Greg Gilbert / The Seattle Times
Aug. 6: Team "boss" Navy Cdr. Greg McWherter, foreground, in the No. 1 aircraft, leads Blue Angels Navy Lt. Rob Kurrle and others in a pass over Seattle and Lake Washington during a practice run Aug. 5 for the elite squad's annual appearances at Seafair. "I shot this photo on board an Oracle propeller-driven aircraft. The doors on the left side of the plane were removed to allow an unobstructed view. We circled the Space Needle until we got word that the Blue Angels were ready for us. We headed to Lake Washington and flew above the hydroplane racecourse until the four jets came into view in perfect formation, moving closer to us until they were within maybe 30 feet. We circled over the lake (twice) as though we'd done this a hundred times before." - Greg Gilbert
ERIKA SCHULTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Jan. 22: Enette Dumerin holds her 3-year-old twins, Carlebre (left) and Jeff Dumerin, in a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft about to take off Jan. 17 from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, headed for the United States. More than 180 evacuees were transported in the aircraft five days after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake devastated their homeland. The evacuees had ties to the U.S., either through citizenship or residency. "A small group of Northwest journalists, including reporter Hal Bernton and me, accompanied an Air Force humanitarian mission that departed from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, picked up soldiers and supplies in Virginia, then landed for a few hours to rescue the evacuees. On the tarmac, we saw hundreds of people who were sick, injured and exhausted. Almost a year later, it's distressing to see that life hasn't gotten better for Haiti's citizens. People are sleeping in crowded refugee camps, living with their infrastructure in shambles and struggling with cholera. I saw firsthand that Americans can make a difference in Haiti. Reflecting on this assignment has reminded me that we, I, can do more." - Erika Schultz
KEN LAMBERT / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Jan. 5: Mike McGinn dons a tie before taking the oath of office Jan. 4 as Seattle's new mayor. The desk in his sparsely furnished office has a colorful past: After incumbent Frank Edwards bought it in 1928, he became an impeachment target as citizens claimed the city spent as much as $11,000 for the desk and four accessory pieces. The set remains an office fixture. "After seeing many pictures of Mike McGinn dressed casually, often on a bike, during his campaign, I tried to get him putting on his tie before being sworn in. I'd like to take all the credit for this, but the real hero, in my book, is Mark Matassa, McGinn's communications director, who was as persistent as I was about getting me in. The secret to good political photography is to nudge early and often." - Ken Lambert
ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Sept. 19: After the last bronc has bucked at the Pendleton Round-Up rodeo grounds, spectators and competitors head down to Main Street where, for $10, they can try their hand at staying aboard a mechanical bull in this eastern Oregon town. "Devyn Meilleur of Kennewick showed plenty of style during the 100th anniversary of the famous rodeo whose motto is "Let 'er Buck." - Alan Berner
STEVE RINGMAN / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Sept. 2: Rick Williams sobs over the death of his brother, John T. Williams. The First Nations totem carver was carrying a folding knife and slab of wood when he was shot at the corner Boren Avenue and Howell Street by a Seattle Police officer who, authorities say, feared for his safety and ordered Williams to drop the knife." "It was a sad morning the day after carver John T. Williams was shot by a policeman. His brother Rick Williams breaks down during a TV interview at Victor Steinbrueck Park where he sits and carves. I wanted to hug Williams who was so filled with grief — a hard photo to take." - Steve Ringman
JIM BATES / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Aug. 8: Chris Gallagher from Bellevue dejectedly watches the Mariners while wearing an Oscar the Grouch outfit because, he said, the team played like garbage. The Mariners playoff drought is nine seasons long, so far. Creativity like this can keep a fan sane.
GREG GILBERT / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Sept. 28: King County Executive Dow Constantine, right, and budget Director Dwight Dively consult with staff before a speech and news conference Sept. 27 to outline details of cuts to the county budget. "As his staff gave their boss updates, I kept an eye on Constantine and his entourage, watching their body language and expressions. I stayed back out of the way and shot with a telephoto lens. Sometimes you get lucky and everything comes together in an instant. In the next frame after this photo was taken my view was blocked by a staffer." - Mike Siegel
CLIFF DESPEAUX / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Oct. 1: Cage-free organic chickens roam the grounds of Stiebrs Farms in Yelm, Thurston County. The chickens are allowed outside from approximately 10:30 a.m. until dusk. The farm has about 125,000 hens. "This picture illustrates a story about how Stiebrs Farms interprets what "cage-free" and "organic" means to them, because some farms allow their organic chickens just minutes of outdoor time per day - if at all. Shooting this picture was a challenge: After finding a good location (under one of the ramps the chickens use to go outdoors), I had to wait - crouched, getting filthier by the second - until the birds on the ground and the birds on the ramp made a unique composition." - Cliff DesPeaux
MIKE SIEGEL / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Feb. 21: In the first round of the finals in men's ski cross at the Olympic Games, American Daron Rahlves, right, crashes with Frenchman Ted Piccard off the second-to-last jump. "The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C., was an opportunity of a lifetime to watch such accomplished athletes perform on the world stage. I photographed most of the events in North Vancouver at Cypress Mountain, where I'd go hours early to get just the right spot. I waited on the mountain for five hours for the men's ski cross finals to begin, photographing every skier during their final two jumps and capturing Daron Rahlves and Ted Piccard collide midair, eliminating them from medal contention." - Mike Siegel
JOHN LOK / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Oct. 24: President Obama greets a cheering crowd during a campaign rally for Sen. Patty Murray on Oct. 21 at Hec Edmundson Pavilion at the University of Washington. He also stumped for his economic policies in the face of high unemployment. "President Barack Obama's visit to Seattle capped off a very busy week for me in October. I also covered the visits of Vice President Joseph Biden and former President Clinton just days earlier. Most of the images I made from Obama's event were from a distance due to media restrictions. So near the end of the event, I was happy to see him making his way to a spot right in front of me to shake hands with people in the crowd. This was my favorite from the pictures I made in that short window of time." - John Lok
KEN LAMBERT / THE SEATTLE TIMES
May 4: Seattle Storm center Lauren Jackson is given a mock interview by 10-year-old Alex Evans of Bothell during a promo taping on Media Day for the Storm at KeyArena May 3. Evans is a member of the Storm Dance Troupe.
MARK HARRISON / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Oct. 1: "There is a lot of anguish and angst"' among staff, Seattle Children's Medical Director Dr. David Fisher said at a news briefing after the death of another child at the hospital — a newborn who died two days before an 8-month-old girl died Sept. 19 of a medication overdose.
JIM BATES / THE SEATTLE TIMES
July 21: Seattle Police Sgt. Brian Kraus moves in with pepper spray to stop a fight at First Avenue and Bell Street early on the morning of July 17. The rowdy, sometimes violent bar scene in Belltown has raised concerns about the neighborhood. "Reporter Sara Jean Green and I were on assignment to cover the Belltown violence problem with Seattle Police. I knew that if we were going to get a storytelling photo it would be at closing time, 2 a.m. We worked our way down Second Avenue, watching folks file out of the clubs and bars. I kept my eye on Sgt. Kraus of the bike patrol, knowing he would notice the first signs of trouble. People across the street were squaring off; Kraus started to pedal, and I ran after him, taking pictures all the way. This shot was just before Kraus used the pepper spray. I shot many other frames of the arrests and first-aid to the hurt people, but this was the telling moment." - Jim Bates
ELLEN M. BANNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES
July 5: Kadhimia Shuhel, originally from Iraq, was one of the most enthusiastic of 514 people sworn in as new U.S. citizens at Seattle Center on the Fourth of July. The Ethnic Heritage Council hosted the 26th Annual Naturalization Ceremony. "I've covered the naturalization ceremony held at Seattle Center many times over the years, but never have I seen someone as excited to become a United States citizen as Kadhimia Shuhel. She just couldn't stay in her seat before the ceremony began, to the delight of others around her who were becoming citizens, too. It was wonderful to see someone so thrilled at becoming something I take for granted. It made me realize how lucky we are to be born in this country." - Ellen M. Banner
DEAN RUTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Sept. 18: Seattle Storm fans reach out to touch the WNBA championship trophy offered to them by Celeste Keaton, one of the Storm's owners. Keaton is reflected in the trophy. The Storm captured the team's second WNBA title on Sept. 17, a fitting cap to a thrilling season. This was a rough year to be a sports fan in Seattle. The lone bright spot was the Seattle Storm. There was such a buzz around the team almost from the beginning of the season, which made them fun to be around. When the team returned to Seattle from Atlanta after the title game, fans packed the airport eager to be a part of that history, and ownership rewarded them by sharing the trophy. There was a genuine sense of pride in this team's accomplishments that seemingly all of Seattle reveled in. - Dean Rutz
STEVE RINGMAN / THE SEATTLE TIMES
May 17: Mount Si first-baseman Brielle Buhner, a senior, clowns around with her dad, former Seattle Mariners star Jay Buhner, before a game against Mercer Island. After five knee surgeries, starting when she was 13, Buhner flourished in her first full healthy season, hitting .473 with six doubles, five triples, two home runs and 19 RBI in the regular season. "Jay Buhner has a great relationship with daughter Brielle, which I captured before the start of softball game at Mount Si High School. This was intended to be a formal portrait: father standing with daughter, both holding gloves. But it was their goofing around before the photo shoot that made for the better image. I had to be on my toes for an unexpected moment that turned out to be our lede photo." - Steve Ringman
GREG GILBERT / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Oct. 8: A honey bee stops at a dahlia at Bellevue Botanical Gardens. The dahlia in the photo is named Kelsey Kristie, a new variety to be introduced in 2012. The originator of the flower is Colin Walker. Walker and his father, Roger Walker, are members of the Puget Sound Dahlia Association. Together, they plant and maintain the dahlias at Bellevue Botanical Gardens.
MIKE SIEGEL / THE SEATTLE TIMES
July 18: Before leaving for the Farnborough Air Show near London, Boeing'ss 787 Dreamliner No. 3 takes a test flight.
KEN LAMBERT / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Sept. 30: Injured shooting survivor Thyda Luellen Phan, center, is escorted to a gathering at Khemarak Pothiram Buddhist Temple in Seattle's South Park neighborhood Sept. 28. Her sister, Pary Sok, left, and cousin, Itaily Sun, right, joined family and friends to pray for Phan's mother and the three family members she shot and killed before turning the gun on herself. "I had already introduced myself to Phan when I made this picture. Still suffering from two bullet wounds after the shooting spree at her West Seattle home, Phan needed help into the temple. Her mother, 60, had been suffering from mental illness and the trauma of the infamous killing fields of her native Cambodia." - Ken Lambert
ERIKA SCHULTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Aug. 31: Jack Ahern, 9, rests on a mattress while moving into a small apartment in the University District from Nickelsville, the only organized King County tent city that allows children for extended periods. Jack loves zombies, National Geographic magazines and, of course, his mother, Kim.
STEVE RINGMAN / THE SEATTLE TIMES
April 19: Mariners Eric Brynes crashes into Detroit Tigers catcher Alex Avila in the second inning right after Ken Griffey Jr. scored on a single by Casey Kotchman. Brynes was tagged out. And despite the baserunning heroics at the plate, the Mariners lost the game 4-2. "When I cover baseball (this was my only trip to the ballpark last season) it's usually, no hits, no errors, no runs, no photos, because I miss lots of action. For me, half the battle is staying awake. But I do have pretty good luck. So when the Mariners Eric Brynes rounded third I grabbed my short lens — swinging it to home and, bang!, made my favorite baseball photo in 30 years of trying." - Steve Ringman
MIKE SIEGEL / THE SEATTLE TIMES
April 16: During an inquest in a King County courtroom, Seattle Police Officer Daina Boggs identifies a picture of the gun she found in Maurice Clemmons' pocket the morning he was shot to death by Seattle Police Officer Benjamin L. Kelly, on Dec. 1, 2009. Clemmons had shot and killed four Lakewood police officers two days earlier.
STEVE RINGMAN / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Feb. 12: American Bode Miller drives around the top gate of the "Weasel" turn as he takes his first practice run on the Dave Murray Downhill course during the Winter Olympics in Whistler, B.C.
MARK HARRISON / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Oct. 14: Huskies junior guard Isaiah Thomas -- all of 5 feet, 9 inches -- hugs 7-foot sophomore transfer Aziz N'Diaye. This more experienced University of Washington basketball team is Thomas' to lead for 2010-11.
ELLEN M. BANNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Aug. 16: Mark Lerchenmueller, of Issaquah, soaks in the sun at Golden Gardens Park in Seattle as he talks to a friend on his cellphone. On that day, a Sunday, the temperature hit 96 at 3:35 p.m. at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, breaking the 1967 record of 92 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. A day earlier, the temperature hit 95 degrees, breaking a two-year record.
MIKE SIEGEL / THE SEATTLE TIMES
May 16: Frogs, toads and salamanders traveled much farther than scientists initially thought possible to colonize habitat after the eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980. Some red-legged frogs, such as the one above, traveled more than 2 miles as they hopped, crawled and scrambled over and around whatever was in their way. A whole new ecosystem has been born, and salamanders, frogs and toads are taking on whole new territory.
ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Aug. 18: Nick Buell built this Pacific class 4-6-2 engine from scratch over five years. It??s 1/8 scale and modeled on one that the Southern Pacific ran. "Nick Buell's love of steam trains began when he was a youngster in Wenatchee. His skill as a machinist allowed him to build this smaller replica with its half-ton engine. He operates it with the Kitsap Live Steamers club in a Port Orchard park." - Alan Berner
JOHN LOK / THE SEATTLE TIMES
March 1: Team Canada mobs Sidney Crosby after he scored the game-winning goal in overtime to beat the United States 3-2 in the men??s hockey gold-medal match at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Feb. 23: Abayneh Adefris, 14, gets a farewell kiss at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport from Traci Grant, of Mill Creek, his foster mom for much of his four-month stay in the United States. He returned to Ethiopia with a new prosthetic arm, after losing both of his in a train accident, and 142 pounds of bags that included a bicycle.
ELLEN M. BANNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Sept. 20: Auctioneer Sean Endicott calls out that Tom Davy has placed a bid at the Olive 8 condo auction in downtown Seattle. Davy's son, Mike Davy, sits with his father. About 200 bidders attended the auction.
ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES
April 23: An employee with mall security pursues a suspected shoplifter at Pacific Place in Seattle as the young man heads down the up escalator from the second floor. On the lower level, the suspect dropped the items from Brookstone and fled the building without being caught. "While I was kneeling in front of a Pacific Place window display photographing Kardashian fashions there was a commotion from the Brookstone store to my right. A mall security officer was pursuing the suspected shoplifter. I rotated and took two frames. The race was won by the fleetest, but not before discarding the items taken. The suspect escaped." - Alan Berner
MIKE SIEGEL / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Feb. 26: Team Canada has a drink on ice after beating the United States 2-0 to win the gold medal for women's hockey in the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
JIM BATES / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Sept. 21: After posing for the formal photos for the wedding of DeAnna Hunter and Matthew Fink on Sept. 17, the bridesmaids and groomsmen take a break to chase geese at Gas Works Park in Seattle. The wedding party includes, from left, Ashley Johnson, Adam Cochran, Tabi Adkins, Chris Corey, Kierstien Wilson, Kia Petropoulos, Megan Murray, Kyle Tait, Caitlin Wollaston and Kyle Bressler.
ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES
March 19: University of Washington medical student Elizabeth Zeeck holds up Lili Peacock-Villada's "Match Day" letter to see if she received the residency she wanted in Boston. Heightening the tension was that Peacock-Villada's husband, Kyle Chambers, left rear, was still waiting for his letter. They couldn't see through the envelope and waited until Chambers got his envelope before opening them. All three got their choices of medical residencies. They were with other graduating UW medical students, their families and friends in the Magnuson Health Sciences Center as part of the National Resident Matching Program.
JIM BATES / THE SEATTLE TIMES
June 20: Colin Kahler from Sequim, in the stands for a Storm game against the Los Angeles Sparks on June 11 at KeyArena, asks Lauren Jackson to marry him. But he got a T-shirt and a kiss instead.
ERIKA SCHULTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Feb. 22: Michael Daniels, 16, a Franklin High School student, jumps from rock to rock in the sun on a Sunday afternoon at Snoqualmie Falls. Daniels said it was his first time at the waterfall. "It's beautiful,"' he said. "Before going to an assignment around the Fall City-Carnation area, I stopped by Snoqualmie Falls to look for a feature photo on a sunny, Sunday afternoon last February. The waterfall is a refreshing break from the city into the natural world - and a great place for people-watching. On previous trips to the falls, I've met a Cambodian monk, a steelhead fisherman, East Indian families with strollers and kayakers. That day, I met Franklin High School student Michael Daniels after I took a photograph of him rock jumping." - Erika Schultz
GREG GILBERT / THE SEATTLE TIMES
June 17: A great blue heron tends to one of four chicks at a nest built on the Port of Edmonds breakwater.
ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Sept. 14: Fermin Salomon Morales, from central Peru, tends a band of 1,000 sheep on rangeland east of Moxee in Yakima County. Morales works in Washington state for three years at a time, sending money back to his wife and children. He then heads back to his small South American village for three months before returning for another stint on the range. "Morales says he loves the big sky land, and he breaks up the loneliness with cellphone calls back home and traditional Peruvian dishes he cooks for himself." - Alan Berner
Join the Seattle Times photo editors and photojournalists on a journey through 2010 in an evening of conversation about capturing the moments that make up our lives at 7 p.m. Jan. 27, in the Microsoft Auditorium at the Seattle Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave., Seattle.
Reprints of these Best of 2010 photos are available for purchase, digitally reproduced on archive-quality paper. To order visit seattletimes.nwsources.com/photography/buying
AT A MOMENT in our culture when generalism is shunned and niche interests are celebrated, The Seattle Times still strives to be all things to all people.
For proof, look no farther than the images captured by the paper's photographers during a year that was rich with fascinating subject matter.
While exploring the breaking news of this topsy-turvy year, the idiosyncrasies of our region and the particulars of the human condition, they have managed to tap into the universal: Joy and pain, elation and sorrow, achievement and yearning, amusement and no small dose of wide-eyed wonderment.
Steve Ringman's portrait of grief from a memorial service for the victims of an apartment fire in the Fremont neighborhood this spring, for instance, touches the soul not just because it's an arresting composition. It touches us because we all can relate to the agony on display.
In Erika Shultz's quietly moving portrait of a Haitian mother and her two sleeping sons on a refugee flight out of their earthquake-ravaged homeland, we sense the psychic toll that a natural disaster and subsequent dislocation can take.
Similarly, Jim Bates' image of a police officer moving in to stop a street brawl after last call in Belltown this summer taps into our shared sense of outrage over public-safety problems in an otherwise law-abiding city.
At the other end of the emotional spectrum, who can't root for Snohomish High School football player Ike Ditzenberger, who has Down syndrome, after seeing Mark Harrison's joyous image of him celebrating his touchdown for the Panthers?
Likewise, the excitement captured by Ellen M. Banner of newly minted U.S. citizen Kadhimia Shuhel, an Iraqi native, during a naturalization ceremony on July 4, is infectious.
And even if you don't follow sports, it's easy to identify with the sense of shared accomplishment in Dean Rutz's shot of fans grasping at the Seattle Storm's WNBA championship trophy.
The mark of great journalism is not just great newsgathering.
We also have to be able to see what our subjects see and feel what they feel, then depict those things in such a way that you, the reader, see and feel them, too.
Tyrone Beason is a Pacific Northwest magazine staff writer.
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