Behind the Lens: Herald photographers share how they got the shot

Each year, The Daily Herald publishes thousands of images. Here are a handful that became favorites, including two that most moved staff photographers Ryan Berry and Olivia Vanni.

Ryan Berry

Joel Christensen, 24, cannot see or fully hear due to infantile refsum disease. With grandfather Harold at his side, Christensen tosses trash into the pit at the Airport Road Transfer Station in Everett. Going to the transfer station is one of Christenen’s favorite activities. The vibration of humming machinery, the whooshing of front end loaders and the tactile nature of his family’s trash all stimulate his strongest senses. (Photo by Ryan Berry)

“Photojournalism often requires chasing moments, looking for the peak action in any given situation. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle. For me, though, the photos that have a lasting impact on how I see the world are almost always found in the quiet moments.

My favorite photo from 2022 is this one of 24-year-old Joel Christensen and his grandfather Harold at the Airport Road Transfer Station in Everett. Born with Infantile Refsum disease, Joel cannot see or fully hear, but the sensory experience of visiting the garbage facility makes it one of his favorite things to do. While we interviewed and photographed the family, Joel stood still along the edge of the dump for 15 minutes, smiling, feeling the machinery whir all around him. His grandfather stood by his side. The unbridled joy and love shared between those two, all while in a place many folks would never wish to visit, struck me like a brick.

To show a tender, quiet moment in a loud, bustling space is really meaningful to me. And while I don’t feel I can fully convey the bond these two have, I think this photo does their relationship at least some justice. That means a lot to me. It’s important in this field of work to be reminded of how good people can be, and I’m humbled to keep this image as a personal favorite from my career.”

Three more of Ryan’s favorite photos:

Three more of Ryan Berry’s favorite photos (from left): Josh and Nicki Haine help their 4-year-old niece Eleanor get around on skates for the first time as her mother Tiffany Butler (left) follows at Arlington’s seasonal ice rink. One-year- old Amiyah and her grandfather Bob pedal past a rally in support of LGBTQ+ students in Marysville. Trayce Hanks (left) of Lake Stevens peeks at another runner as they cross the finish line neck-and-neck during a relay race.

Olivia Vanni

Ashley Olson releases green balloons from the dock at Davies Beach on Lake Stevens in memory of her brother, Joey Mell, who overdosed a year earlier. Green was Mell’s favorite color and Olson describes her brother as “gorgeous” and “a real thrill seeker” due to his job as a highline tree trimmer. (Photo by Olivia Vanni)

“One of the tasks that a daily newspaper photographer performs on a regular basis is finding feature photos. Sometimes it’s a last minute request by an editor to fill a space in the following day’s newspaper. Other times it’s a visual moment we happen to spot while driving between assignments.

I was tasked with finding a feature one day in February. I had been out for almost two hours, aimlessly driving around different parts of the county when I decided to make one final stop at Davies Beach in Lake Stevens. I instantly spotted what I thought were balloons on the dock and quickly parked. As I walked I realized there was a woman seated at the end of the dock holding them. I approached and introduced myself, explaining I worked for the newspaper and was out taking photos.

The woman introduced herself as Ashley and quietly explained she was there to release balloons in memory of her brother who had passed away a year ago to the day. We chatted for a while about her brother, what he loved and who he was. She graciously allowed me to photograph her balloon release and I captured my favorite image from the year. It may not be the most action packed or visually stunning photo I took but it was the one that meant the most to me as both a photographer and human. When people like Ashley allow us to document the most intimate moments I am reminded why I love what I do and why it is so important.”

Three more of Olivia’s favorite photos:

Three more of Olivia Vanni’s favorite photos (from left): Beverly LaBruyere holds the hands of Ferne Violet Berg Ullestad during Ferne’s 100th birthday celebration in Marysville. Dancers wait to enter the longhouse for the Salmon Ceremony in Tulalip. Everett High School student Soren Dellaguardia leads a walkout to protest rape culture in schools.