AJC Photojournalist Ben Gray--Photos of the Year, 2013

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AJC Photojournalist Ben Gray--Photos of the Year, 2013

May 23, 2013 Atlanta: Atlanta Squad 4 firefighters helped fight the two-alarm fire at the Little 5 Corner Tavern on Thursday afternoon May 23, 2013. The body language, expressions and soot in this photo shows the hard work of being a firefighter. BEN GRAY / BGRAY@AJC.COM

May 24, 2013 Atlanta: The full moon rises over the Midtown horizon Friday evening May 24, 2013 to kick off the holiday weekend. I've always loved photographing the moon so I tried to shoot a skyline photo of Atlanta with the full moon rising. Unfortunately I misjudged the location where it came over the horizon, so I had to scramble to come up with an interesting photo. BEN GRAY / BGRAY@AJC.COM

July 4, 2013 Atlanta: The best mid-race thirst quencher courtesy of the Whitehall Tavern. Shot using Instagram while running the AJC Peachtree Road Race on Thursday July 4, 2013. For this year's Peachtree Road Race, I wanted to take a unique approach to covering the race through the eyes of a participant, so I ran the race while using my iPhone to shoot and publish photos in real time to the AJC Instagram account. BEN GRAY / BGRAY@AJC.COM

August 20, 2013, DeKalb County: Relatives including Misty Henderson, center, are overcome as the buses with their loved-ones pull into the parking lot at Walmart to be reunited with them Tuesday afternoon August 20, 2013 after shots were fired at McNair Discovery Learning Academy and the school was evacuated. Henderson had two grandchildren at the school at the time. After hours of waiting for the children to arrive, the show of emotion was intense, but over fast with a range of smiles and tears. I especially love the Virginia Tech shirt in this photo and the police tape holding the families back. BEN GRAY / BGRAY@AJC.COM

November 12, 2013 DeKalb County: Emani Moss' grandmother Robin Moss is the center of a hug during a prayer vigil Tuesday evening November 12, 2013 at the Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church in DeKalb County. The intricate body language in this hug really spoke to me and showed the love and caring this family has amidst the tragedy of Emani's death. BEN GRAY / BGRAY@AJC.COM

May 3, 2013 Dunwoody: Dunwoody Police investigate after an officer involved shooting in a shopping center in Dunwoody on Friday afternoon May 3, 2013. When police responded to an auto theft call in the parking lot the suspect tried to speed off crashing into a car, an SUV and two police cars before heading for a police officer when a police officer shot at the car and the suspect was arrested. Sometimes a small gesture makes the difference between an OK photo and a great photo. While at this chaotic scene involving a short police chase and a couple damaged cruisers, the one officer holding his head made the photo. BEN GRAY / BGRAY@AJC.COM

June 13, 2013 Atlanta: Post-storm clouds catch the setting sun on the Connector in midtown Atlanta on Thursday evening June 13, 2013. I absolutely loved this eerie, post-storm light, but was hustling to get to a damaged neighborhood north of town, so I couldn't pull over to make an interesting photo. BEN GRAY / BGRAY@AJC.COM

July 15, 2013 Atlanta: Marietta resident Valerie Ward, from left, and her daughters Rochelle Ward and Jasmine Ward hold hands in prayer at the end of the �Respect Black Life: I Am Trayvon Martin� march and rally Monday evening July 15, 2013. More than 1,000 people turned out for the protest that started in the West End and ended at CNN Center. After wading through the thick crowd of protesters for a couple hours, I moved to the fringe of the crowd and found this family praying together. The man in the background with the raised fist made the photo for me. BEN GRAY / BGRAY@AJC.COM

August 20, 2013, DeKalb County: Aaliyah Battle, 4, hangs on the bus window and cries as DeKalb County Sheriff's Deputy John Conley comforts her while waiting to be reunited with her family Tuesday afternoon August 20, 2013 after shots were fired at McNair Discovery Learning Academy and the school was evacuated. As much as I love this photo, I don't think it does justice to the wonderful moment that unfolded in front of me when this sheriff's deputy went to comfort a distraught four-year-old. BEN GRAY / BGRAY@AJC.COM

August 30, 2013 Atlanta: Willisha Jones, center, mother of 18-month-old Jesstin Sellers, is comforted by Pastor Michael Lewis of Mt. Nebo Baptist Church during a candlelight vigil for the toddler Friday evening August 30, 2013 in Southeast Atlanta. At right is Sellers' great grandmother Mabel Russell. Sellers died after being shot in the chest with a BB gun allegedly fired by his father. Photographing tragedies is never fun, but it always surprises me how often families welcome journalists in during these pivotal moments in their lives. BEN GRAY / BGRAY@AJC.COM

September 2, 2013 Atlanta: Justin Upton slides in safe behind the Mets' Anthony Recker on a two-run double hit by Freddie Freeman in the first inning of Monday's game at Turner Field September2, 2013. Covering my first baseball game in several years, I was a little nervous before the first pitch, but this game had some action to shoot and I fell right back into the groove. BEN GRAY / BGRAY@AJC.COM

September 12, 2013 Atlanta: Atlanta Police Sgt. Ricardo Vazquez heads down an access road in Southwest Atlanta to were a body was discovered in the trunk of a burned out car Thursday afternoon September 12, 2013. Frequently when covering news access is restricted, as it was when a body was found in a burned out car in a wooded section of Atlanta. This time not having access made for a more interesting photo when the homicide detective had to hike down a gravel road to get to the crime scene. BEN GRAY / BGRAY@AJC.COM

September 26, 2013 Lithonia-Hunters Jake Hammond, from left, Jody Hammond, Jesse Parker and Nick Hammond, from Monticello, Ga., tend to their dogs after they tracked and killed the hog that has been causing problems in the Stonebridge Woods subdivision of Lithonia. The dogs found the hog within 10 minutes of starting their search Thursday evening September 26, 2013. After a fast and intense hunt for this hog, I was struck by this quiet moment between hunter and dog. BEN GRAY / BGRAY@AJC.COM

October 7, 2013 Atlanta: Atlanta City Councilman Lamar Willis pauses while speaking to the media Monday afternoon October 7, 2013 about being disbarred by the Georgia Supreme Court for ethical breaches. Willis' expression in this photo, combined with the City Hall lettering behind him, told the story of the day without showing the crowd of seniors who were bussed in to stand behind him as he talked. BEN GRAY / BGRAY@AJC.COM

November 11, 2013 Atlanta: The sun sets over Turner Field and a statue of Hank Aaron on Monday evening November 11, 2013, the day the Braves announced that they would be moving to Cobb County. As soon as I heard of the plan to move the Braves out of downtown Atlanta, I decided I would go shoot the sun setting over Turner Field. I loved the way the statue lined up with the Turner Field sign and it made it even better that it was Hank Aaron. I only wish there had been a more interesting sunset for the background. BEN GRAY / BGRAY@AJC.COM

NOVEMBER 13, 2013 ATLANTA The Ice Goddess takes shape in the Cascades Garden. Photos for story previewing "Garden Lights, Holiday Nights, " Nov. 16-Jan. 4 at the Atlanta Botanical Garden shot Tuesday, November 12, 2013. The big addition this year is that "Earth Goddess," the 30 feet wide by 25 feet tall sculpture from the "Imaginary Worlds" exhibit, will be turned into "Ice Goddess" with LED lights replacing plants. Rather than just shooting the lit topiary for this photo, I decided to use out of focus lights in the foreground to capture the dreamy, mysterious feel you have when walking through the gardens. BEN GRAY / BGRAY@AJC.COM

September 16, 2013 Lithonia: Bullet casings lay in the street as DeKalb Police investigate the scene of a shooting death in Lithonia on Monday September 16, 2013. After taking photos that covered the general scene of this shooting, I decided to try something different, so I placed my camera on the ground and focused on the spent casings rather than on the detectives in the background. BEN GRAY / BGRAY@AJC.COM

See Garden Lights, Holiday Nights at the Altanta Botanical Garden through Jan. 3.

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May 23, 2013 Atlanta: Atlanta Squad 4 firefighters helped fight the two-alarm fire at the Little 5 Corner Tavern on Thursday afternoon May 23, 2013. The body language, expressions and soot in this photo shows the hard work of being a firefighter. BEN GRAY / BGRAY@AJC.COM

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