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Derek grew up in New York, while spending part of his summers in Maine, where he developed an appreciation for its wild landscape and natural beauty. Moving from a metropolitan area to the wide-open spaces of Maine felt like an escape to an earlier time when life was simpler, he says. The air seemed pure and the dark night skies were both quiet and alive. After graduating from the University of New England in Biddeford, Derek started his photojournalism career at a newspaper in White Plains, NY. In 2004, he moved to Scarborough and joined the staff at the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram. He lives with his wife and three children in Scarborough. His favorite assignments are photographing the outdoors of Maine, especially along the coast, and covering local sporting events.

Latest
  • Published
    March 8, 2024

    In photos: The best of February

    If you were planning to visit Maine for the first time, February wouldn’t be the best month – unless you were a high school sports fanatic. Then you’d be in heaven. But after the destruction of January’s two major storm surges, we welcomed a quieter, milder February. Here are some of the Portland Press Herald photographers’ favorite photos from the month.

  • Published
    February 23, 2024

    In photos: See the action from Friday’s high school postseason games

    Take a look at some of our favorite images from the girls’ and boys’ basketball regional finals.

  • Published
    February 22, 2024

    In photos: See the action from Thursday’s high school postseason games

    Take a look at some of our favorite images from the girls’ and boys’ basketball regional semifinals.

  • Published
    February 21, 2024

    In photos: See the action from Wednesday’s high school postseason games

    Take a look at some of our favorite images from the girls’ and boys’ basketball semifinals.

  • Published
    February 20, 2024

    In photos: See the action from Tuesday’s high school postseason games

    Take a look at some of our favorite images from the basketball quarter and semifinals, nordic skiing and wrestling championships.

  • Published
    February 16, 2024

    In photos: See the action from Friday’s high school postseason games

    Take a look at some of our favorite images from the basketball quarterfinals.

  • Published
    January 16, 2024

    In photos: Willard Beach’s fishing shacks

    Take a look at the three historic fishing shacks that stood for over a century on Fisherman’s Point at Willard Beach and were washed away in Saturday’s storm.

  • Published
    January 13, 2024

    In photos: Maine’s coast battered by yet another storm

    Around 2 inches of rain fell Saturday in southern Maine, flooding low-lying streets and businesses, while a record-breaking high tide inundated the already-soggy coast, eroded beaches and washed away two iconic fishing shacks.

  • Published
    January 10, 2024

    In photos: Aftermath of the storm

    A winter storm that started Tuesday night and ended late Wednesday morning carried heavy rains and high winds, resulting in widespread flooding and power outages across the state.

  • Published
    December 26, 2023

    2023 Photos of the Year: Maine’s asylum seekers

    In recent years, thousands of asylum seekers, mostly from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola, have made their way to Maine, hearing that it’s a safe haven. From January to June, more than 1,600 arrived in Portland in need of help. The city found itself frequently overwhelmed, with little to no space available in its shelters as families, including many with small children, kept coming. Community groups, nonprofits and churches helped house and guide the newcomers. The city turned the gym in the Portland Expo into temporary housing from the spring into late summer. Our photographers spent months this year documenting the lives of new asylum seekers trying to make their way in an unfamiliar place and checking in on others who had been for years to see how their lives in Maine had turned out.