Photos: AJC Super 11 outtakes

High School Sports

Photos: AJC Super 11 outtakes

A behind the scenes look at the shooting of the 2015 AJC Super 11 portraits.

AJC photojournalist Curtis Compton (left) was the brainchild behind this year's AJC Super 11 portraits that left Stephens County offensive lineman Ben Cleveland and others covered in colored dust powder. It was a messy undertaking by a small crew who showered the state's top high school football players and Atlanta's Rite Studios with color.

Dust is thrown into the air a few seconds before the cameras start flashing during Stockbridge High School defensive end Charles Wiley's AJC Super 11 portrait.

Archer High School defensive back Dylan Singleton lets the dust fly as he pounds the football for his AJC Super 11 portrait. A key light was used from the side to light the faces of the football players and a main light was used to fill the subject enough from the front side to prevent getting a silhouette.

Standing behind the camera wasn't any safer. The powder blew everywhere as evident when AJC videographer Ryon Horne greeted Woodward Academy running back Elijah Holyfield. Past AJC Super 11 portrait shoots have used fire, and fog.

Lanier High School defensive tackle Derrick Brown poses for his AJC Super 11 portrait.

Colored dust powder flies behind Lanier High School defensive tackle Derrick Brown as he tosses a football forhis AJC Super 11 portrait.

Rabun County Indians wide receiver Charlie Woerner poses for his AJC Super 11 portrait.

Rabun County wide receiver Charlie Woerner reaches for the football as assistants toss colored powder for effect during his AJC Super 11 portrait.

Rabun County wide receiver Charlie Woerner tosses football coated with colored powder for his AJC Super 11 portrait.

Elbert County Blue Devils quarterback Mecole Hardman Jr. poses for his AJC Super 11 portrait.

Elbert County quarterback Mecole Hardman Jr. prepares to toss a football for his AJC Super 11 portrait.

Archer High School defensive back Dylan Singleton poses for his AJC Super 11 portrait.

Archer High School defensive back Dylan Singleton prepares the football for with colored powder his AJC Super 11 portrait.

Stockbridge High School defensive end Charles Wiley flexes for his AJC Super 11 portrait. The things got messy ...

Stockbridge High School defensive end Charles Wiley is surrounded by a cloud of powder. The subjects players were backlighted to enhance the effect of using flying powder.

Roswell High School linebacker Tre Lamar poses for his AJC Super 11 portrait.

The dust begins to settle in front of Roswell linebacker Tre Lamar during his AJC Super 11 portrait shoot.

Cedar Grove defensive tackle Antwuan Jackson poses for his AJC Super 11 portait. He would not remain this clean for the rest of the shoot.

Cedar Grove defensive tackle Antwuan Jackson is shadowed by colored powder dust for his AJC Super 11 portrait.

Cedar Grove defensive tackle Antwuan Jackson is covered in dust for his AJC Super 11 portrait.

Stephens County offensive lineman Ben Cleveland flexes for his AJC Super 11 portrait.

Stephens County offensive lineman Ben Cleveland shakes off some the dust he collected during the shoot of his AJC Super 11 portrait.

Woodward Academy running back Elijah Holyfield poses for his AJC Super 11 portrait.

Woodward Academy running back Elijah Holyfield strikes a running pose as he is showered with colored powder for his AJC Super 11 portrait.

McEachern High School defensive tackle Julian Rochester flexes, but only after putting on his Georgia hat, for his AJC Super 11 portrait.

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AJC photojournalist Curtis Compton (left) was the brainchild behind this year's AJC Super 11 portraits that left Stephens County offensive lineman Ben Cleveland and others covered in colored dust powder. It was a messy undertaking by a small crew who showered the state's top high school football players and Atlanta's Rite Studios with color.

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