Frame in Focus: Jerry Wolford’s ‘The One to Beat’
‘Frame in Focus’ features interviews with NCPPA photographers about their work. The series is a way to share images and encourage dialogue with photographers in North Carolina. We want to provide a platform that promotes active learning and fosters support for our state-wide photo community.
We’re going to start by highlighting some of the winners in the 2011 NCPPA photos of the year contest.
We’re pleased to share Jerry Wolford’s second place Sport Picture Story called “The One to Beat.” You can see the complete entry here.
Jerry you had a memorable story in this year’s contest about Ryan Leonard, a 14 year old varsity wrestler who has no arms. Can you tell us how you met Ryan?
I originally saw a short story about Ryan in a free magazine circulating in Asheboro. It sat on my desk for months and finally our Director of Photography, Rob Brown, shamed me into giving the story a try. The story I saw was about him playing football, but I was more interested in the solo sport of wrestling and wanted to wait to start the story. I reluctantly started during football season. Those photos ran in the paper, but the strongest final edit came from the wrestling season for Ryan. On reflection, the football season paved the way for me to have a more free flowing access during the visually more important wrestling season. I was less of an intrusion at that point.
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