Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site

On Sunday, I was given an assignment to travel to Newton Grove, NC to make images of Civil War life during a demonstration at Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site. The Battle of Bentonville, fought March 19-21, 1865, was the last full-scale action of the Civil War. This major battle was the largest ever fought in North Carolina, and was the only significant attempt to defeat the Union army of Gen. Sherman during its march through the Carolinas in the spring of 1865. 

I had the luxury of staying as long as I wanted so I hung out for a good four hours that day, wandering from one end of the battlefield to the other, taking photos, asking questions and doing a whole lot of listening. The images below are three that ran in the paper. I liked that they were all tied together by smoke, but in completely different ways. You can view all the the images from that day right here. As always, thanks for looking.

Anything could happen

This does not even begin to touch what I have been doing for the past five months, but it's a start. These are a small handful of images I have made since I began interning at The Fayetteville Observer at the end of August. While I initially thought I would be leaving at the beginning of March, the internship has been extended for a few months, so I will be sticking around a little longer! I am excited for the opportunity to continue discovering and documenting this part of the state and the people who live here.

POD: Day 365 | 8.15.12 | ONE YEAR OF PODs!!!

Wayne Brandon, 16, installs brakes on a brand new Redline DS1 bike inside Grassroots Bikes, a nonprofit bike shop on Mangum Street on Wednesday, August 15, 2012.


From the first day of Photojournalism 1 on August 15, 2011, with my teacher Jay Capers, and his assignment to take at least one photo every day and post it on our blog, to 365 days later...two days before I ended my second internship at The Herald-Sun. It has not been easy to do this, but it has been an enjoyable challenge. One that I plan on keeping up with, but in a different format. I have really loved exploring photography through the use of my iphone. It is small, silent and always with me. Different applications make it fun to experiment and be creative in a variety of ways that my dslr cannot (not to mention how many actuations I'm keeping off of my work camera). In the midst of the grind with daily assignments that may or may not entice my inner creative self, this is a very welcome outlet and one that I've turned into a daily activity. I post from my phone to a Tumblr blog. Feel free to check it out and follow: http://mmelvinphoto.tumblr.com/ I will still be using this blog to post personal work and assignments from the paper, so keep your eyes here as well. Thanks for all the views and kind comments! Stay tuned for more!

POD: Day 362 | 8.13.12

Joe Biden makes a campaign stop in Durham, NC.

POD: Day 359 | 8.9.12

(For an upcoming story about a church in the Lakewood neighborhood that has opened its doors to its Latino and Burmese communities in order to keep its doors open.)

POD: Day 358 | 8.8.12

   

Daljinder Kaur Bhangoo (left) and Iqjyot Kaur Gill (right) join in prayer during services at the Sikh Gurudwara of NC in Durham on Wednesday, August 8, 2012. Bhangoo and Gill, students at NC State University and members of the Sikh Student Association, joined members of the Gurudwara and other people in the community for a candlelight vigil to honor the members of the Sikh community who were killed at the Oak Creek Sikh Temple in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Sunday.

POD: Day 357 | 8.7.12

Jonathan Howard assembles boxes to store books as they prepare to move them from the Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to a temporary location during the renovation at Duke Univeristy's Perkins Library  on Tuesday, August 7, 2012.

POD: Day 356 | 8.6.12

Running back Desmond Scott waits for instruction between drills during the Duke University football practice at Brooks Practice Field on Monday, August 6, 2012.

POD: Day 353 | 8.3.12

A ring-tail lemur snacks on a frozen watermelon pop during Watermelon Day at the Life & Science Museum on Friday, August 3, 2012. In recognition of National Watermelon Day, the Museum is offering watermelon feasts for its bears, lemurs, farmyard animals, as well as humans.

POD: Day 352 | 8.2.12

 

NC Central University | First football practice of the season | Durham, NC

POD: Day 351 | 8.1.12

(From left) Public Health Director Gayle Harris, Board of Education Chair Heidi Carter watch as Chairwoman Sue McLaurin, of the Durham County Board of Health, puts out a large cigarette to symbolize the beginning of the new smoking rule during the Durham County Free Your Lungs Celebration at American Tobacco Campus on Wednesday, August 1, 2012. The rule expands the number of places that are off limits to smokers and goes into effect August 1st.

POD: Day 347 | 7.28.12

Rebecca Johnson practices suturing a vessel in a small vessel anastomosis training session during the Thoracic Surgery Directors Association Boot Camp at the William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education in Chapel Hill on Saturday, July 28, 2012. The boot camp, in its fifth year, is designed to bring medical residents, specializing in cardio thoracic, from across the country to learn how to perform complicated surgical procedures using simulation devices that mimic actual surgeries they will perform in their speciality.

POD: Day 345 | 7.26.12

Spender Hollomon, a pool technician with Pool Specialists, uses his shirt to wipe sweat from his face after cleaning a residential pool on Thursday, July 26, 2012. Hollomon prepares to work in the heat by wearing a shirt that wicks away moisture, drinking close to a gallon of water and driving to work with the windows down, "You don't want to go from being really cold to being really hot." 

POD: Day 344 | 7.25.12

A construction worker walks through the build site of the new 34,000 sq ft Center for Hope located by  the Durham Rescue Mission on Wednesday, July 24, 2012. The Mission received a legacy gift from the estate of Sandra P. Peterson in the amount of $450,000 which will help build a new kitchen, dining area, residential space, classrooms, and office space. According to Project Superintendent Doug Smallen, construction is expected to be completed by the end of December.

POD: Day 343 | 7.24.12

Rosa Elena Ochoa prepares a mango raspado (shaved ice flavored with syrup and fresh fruit) at Elena's Raspados in front of Compare Foods on Avondale Avenue on Tuesday, July 24, 2012. Ochoa keeps the prices low and when told by friends that she should charge more, she said "It's not a lot of money for me, but seeing the people who come and watching them enjoy it, it does my heart a lot of good."

POD: Day 342 | 7.23.12

Aytch Bures (cq) suspends upside down from aerial silks during Adult Circus Camp at FlowJo in Carrboro on Monday, July 23, 2012. The camp covers aerial moves, juggling, hula hooping and partnered balance maneuvers.

POD: Day 339 | 7.20.12

 

Austin Brown, with the Durham Striders,  pushes toward the finish line in the 200 meter dash, sub-bantam boys division, at the Russell Blunt East Coast Invitational at Wallace Wade Stadium on Friday, July 20, 2012.

POD: Day 337 | 7.18.12

The Durham Bulls' Leslie Anderson swings at a pitch for a single in the fifth inning against the LeHigh Valley IronPigs on Wednesday, July 18, 2012.

POD: Day 336 | 7.17.12

 Will Bunton | Greater NC Pro-Am | NCCU's McDougald-McDonald Gym

POD: Day 335 | 7.16.12

Back to the Bulls...