The Chronicle's Year in Photos

Our Photography Editor Ian Jaffe takes a look back at some of the best photos of 2017.

1. Duke gets a new president:

The inauguration of a new Duke president brings along regalia, speeches, and traditions as old as the University itself. This photo of Vincent Price's inauguration as Duke's 10th president is one of my favorites for how it captured the trappings of the inauguration and conveyed the fresh simplicity of a new presidency.

2. Men's basketball wins the ACC tournament:

Duke men's basketball set records by becoming the first team to win four games in four days on its way to winning the ACC tournament for the 2016-2017 season. This photo is one of my favorites from 2017 for how it conveyed the excitement in the Barclays Center after the defining moment of this team's 2017 season.

In the wake of nationwide protests demanding the removal of statues and monuments commemorating confederate monuments, the Duke Chapel's Robert E. Lee statue was removed by school administration after it was defaced. This photo is one of my favorites from 2017 because of how it captured the emptiness of the alcove shortly after the controversial statue was removed.

4. Steve Schewel wins the Durham mayoral race:

Durham's mayoral election was a major focus for The Chronicle in 2017. This photo illustration, published after the mayoral debate, depicts candidate Farad Ali (left) and then-candidate Steve Schewel, a two-time Duke grad who went on to be elected mayor. It is one of my favorite photos from 2017 because of its creative use of illustration.

5. Coach K wins his 1,000th game at Duke:

This year saw Coach K reach another milestone: 1,000 wins at Duke. This photo shows him surrounded by his team at a ceremony commemorating his 1,000th win. It is one of my favorites because of Coach K's clear focus and framing, and shows him surrounded by his team wearing their Coach 1K shirts.

6. The last resident of Campus Drive:

One of my favorite photos from 2017 was this photo of the now-empty house on Campus Drive that was occupied by Elli Jantz for the last 40 years. It was the last home on the street to be used as a private residence, and will eventually be moved to make room for the art museum in its backyard. Looking at it, you can almost feel the emptiness of the formerly lively home.

7. Students celebrate victory over UNC:

Another favorite photo from 2017 is this one, depicting students poised to throw a wooden bench into the post-UNC game bonfire. The heat is palpable, and you can imagine the bench as it is thrown into the fire.

8. Tory Lanez headlines LDOC 2017:

Rapper Tory Lanez headlined the Last Day of Classes concert in spring 2017. This photo is one of my favorites because of how Lanez is framed, with lines of students celebrating the end of classes on either side and stage smoke in the background.

9. Duke women's soccer loses in the NCAA semifinals:

Following a dominant season that saw the Blue Devils rack up a program-record of 19 straight wins and reach the finals of the ACC tournament, the top-seeded Blue Devils powered through the early rounds of the NCAA tournament to reach the College Cup. But the national championship hopefuls' season came to an abrupt and heartbreaking end when they fell to UCLA by a penalty kick in the semifinals. This photo captures the emotions as the team walked off the pitch following the shootout.

10. Das Boot goes to South America

After tenting and the UNC basketball game were over last year, a Duke housekeeper recycled a tarp from the Das Boot tent for a summer camp in her home village in South America. While not a photo taken by a Chronicle photographer, I enjoyed how this photo captured the joy of the children who were able to benefit from this unique example of conscious re-use. 

11. Coach P nets her 600th win:

Another one of my favorite photos from 2017 is this photo of Coach Joanne P. McCallie surrounded by her team after her 600th career win. Everyone is smiling and you can sense the pride in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

12. Nugget, the beloved campus dog:

A number of animals can be found on Duke's campus, from the squirrels in the trees to the cats that wander around—but few are as prolific as Nugget. Keith, her owner, brings the golden retriever to campus quite often, letting students escape from the worries of classes by petting her and chatting with him about their day. This photo captures the playful, fun nature of the widely-adored canine and her relationship with Keith.

13. Duke football wins the Quick Lane Bowl:

After recovering from a mid-season six game losing streak to win its last two games and resurrect its season, the Blue Devils found themselves heading up north to Detroit to play in the Quick Lane Bowl against Northern Illinois. Duke's defense shone through in its 36-14 victory over NIU, and this photo captures the celebration that followed Duke's second bowl win in three years.

14. Duke softball plays its inaugural game:

2017 was also a year of firsts for the Blue Devils. Following the completion of their East Campus stadium, Duke's softball team took the field for the first time against N.C. State. The Blue Devils led for most of the game and scored their first home run before falling 8-3 to the Wolfpack. This photo captures a special moment before that first game as Duke athletic director Kevin White, joined by President Vincent Price and softball Head Coach Marissa Young, cut the ribbon to signify the opening of the stadium.

15. Duke's DeWitt Wallace Center revokes Charlie Rose's journalism award:

Following a report in the Washington Post that eight women said they had been sexually harassed by Charlie Rose, Trinity ‘64 and Law ‘68, Duke's DeWitt Wallace Center rescinded the Futrell Award that it gave the journalist in 2000. This photo captures the alumnus at Duke's 2016 commencement, when he was awarded an honorary degree by the University.

16. Critters around campus

One mainstay of Duke's quads is the University's squirrel population. Whether they are chasing each other up the trees during the day or burrowing into snow to find nuts during the colder months, the cute little critters are familiar sights on campus. This squirrel seems to have just noticed the camera when we got an action shot of him in front of the chapel.

17. Another year, more exams:

During this past semester's midterm season, we sent a photographer to capture the feelings around campus at that time. This shot, which depicts a pair of students studying in The Edge of Bostock Library, shows a girl mid-yawn (or mid-scream, as some of our photographers thought) and captures all the stress and exhaustion of exam week.

Happy New Year’s from The Chronicle's photography department!