More than a week ago, visual journalist Alyssa Pointer spotted a notice about a protest planned in downtown Atlanta and quickly raised her hand to cover it. As May 29 approached, the newsroom decided to increase our presence for the event – just in case. Journalists often plan for the worst and hope for the best. This time, events took a turn for the worse.
As the peaceful protests erupted into chaos and violence, Pointer jumped into action. She and two trusted freelance photographers wove through a wildly unpredictable crowd recording the tumultuous night of looting, burning cop cars, anger and fear.
Our visual journalists were there that night and have been every night since.
Veterans photographers Curtis Compton and Hyosub Shin provided added depth to our coverage, giving us views from above and ground level. The situation each night was volatile, though some peace seemed to be developing.
This story quickly evolved and spread far beyond downtown Atlanta. It would have been impossible to cover without some key freelance photographers including Ben Gray, Steve Schaefer, Jenni Girtman and John Amis.
You deserve to know what’s going on in your community, and that’s what we strive to do – no matter the circumstances.
--- Sandra Brown, Senior Visuals Editor
Credit: HANDOUT
Credit: HANDOUT
Curtis Compton
Award-winning visual journalist Curtis Compton joined the AJC as a photo editor in 1993 before returning to the field as a staff photographer. Previously, he worked for the Gwinnett Daily News, United Press International and the Marietta Daily Journal. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia. Compton is an avid sports photographer and often found on the sidelines shooting UGA football as well as the Atlanta Falcons. He was the principal photographer for EMMY award-winning “Bronco Goes to Camp.” He has documented the Iraq War, highlighting the efforts of Georgia-based troops.
Alyssa Pointer:
Award-winning visual journalist Alyssa Pointer joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2017. She graduated from Western Kentucky University and has worked as a visual storyteller in Wisconsin, Illinois and Kentucky. No matter her surroundings, she strives to create impactful images of the people and places within a community. She loves challenging her visual perspective with daily assignments and finds the most joy in working on long-term projects. Pointer is on the board of the Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar, America’s longest continuously operating photojournalism conference.
Credit: Phil Skinner
Credit: Phil Skinner
Hyosub Shin
Award-winning visual journalist Hyosub Shin was born and raised in South Korea. Inspired by the work of National Geographic photographers, he took his first flight and came to the United States to study photography, which eventually lead him to the AJC. More recently, Shin has taken his photo skills to the sky. After getting his drone pilot’s license, he has provided aerial perspectives of metro Atlanta and Georgia for the AJC. In addition to news and feature photography, Hyosub has photographed college and professional sports, including Georgia Tech, Atlanta United and the Atlanta Braves.
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