First Days

I was at Lake Joy Primary in Warner Robins early Monday morning for the first day of school.
My 36th year of shooting the first day of school for the Telegraph. Some of those years
I covered two first days. While working from the Macon office often doing Bibb and Houston
Counties, then after moving to the Warner Robins office covering Houston and Peach
Counties first days. This year Houston and Peach started the same day.

After hearing me comment about all the years of doing "back to school" both my wife Deborah and H/P editor Randolph Murray said that it would be cool to know where all those kids are now. Deborah said it
would be neat to track some of them down.

Lots of changes over the years. See lots more moms and dads with their cameras now, too.

Some things are still the same. Lots of drama and emotion that first day. Always been one
of my favorite things to cover. Some kids excited to be there, some wanting to go back home,
just not willing to turn mommy loose. Momy really not quite ready to turn them loose either.
Some lost and not sure how to find their new classrooms. And a bunch of really dedicated
educators who love their jobs and love these kids.

Mix all these ingredients together and you can't help but get some great art. Someone asked
if it was not boring shooting the same events over and over. Parents, kids and teachers. It is
the same but different too. Different people experiencing new, very important moments in their lives.
And I am blessed enough to be there recording them.