Capturing Moments: A NY Times Photographer’s Passion Project Through the Lens

NEW YORK (WABC) — With 2024 now in the past, we reflect on some of the most impactful moments of the year.

“I adore it. I’ve been engaged in it for roughly 16 years, and it’s the highlight of my year,” remarked Jeffrey Henson Scales, The New York Times.

Henson Scales is a participant in a crew at The New York Times which devotes months to assembling the publication’s Year in Pictures.

“We typically sift through approximately 400,000 photographs and we edit them in chronological order,” stated Henson Scales.

Eyewitness News Reporter Kemberly Richardson first met Henson Scales in 2020, amidst the pandemic with the Times outlining the conditions.

Four years later, he expressed that politics and global disputes were significant influences. He shared a haunting image of a soldier in Ukraine, firing upon Russian Troops.

“He captured it just as the explosion occurred with all the leaves and debris swirling up,” Henson Scales remarked.

One cannot help but be captivated by the photograph of a student at UCLA gazing out at an encampment.

There is a vital skill that Henson Scales believes is essential for seizing extraordinary images.

“You must foresee moments and position yourself, contemplating this could be a promising spot,” he noted.

In another image, the contrast is remarkable. A young girl playing outside a former school in Haiti, which now serves as a refuge for families displaced by gang violence.

The team seeks to maintain equilibrium, ultimately refining hundreds of thousands of photos from around the globe to merely 113.

“It feels like an enormous undertaking. It can be tiring and the rapid shifts can be overwhelming when reviewing,” Henson Scales commented. “After 10,000, okay it’s time for a rest.”

Looking forward to 2025, Henson Scales anticipates that more astounding photographs will be captured during the inauguration, the conflict in Syria, and as the nation addresses immigration.

“Observing great photography is an excellent way to engage with the news and view the world, it’s unmatched,” he stated.

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