Gazette photographers pick their favorite News photos of May 2019

Randy Randall of the Marine Corps League salutes during the national anthem during Memorial Day Services presented by the Metro Area Veterans Council at the Veterans Memorial Building in Cedar Rapids on Monday, May 27, 2019. Randall delivered both the Invocation and the Benediction for the event. I was looking for an image that was somber, dignified and quiet for my coverage Memorial Day. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

Kelsea Ballerini's stage design was dominated by large video boards, but as the lights came down the simple backlight created a beautiful silhouette. Ballerini performs at US Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids on Friday, May 10, 2019. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

This came together at the last minute—the Cirque du Soleil publicists had been generous in allowing us access behind the scenes during the day, so when they offered us a chance to photograh their performance in the evening, I couldn't say no. Photographing the show with full costumes, hair and makeup was a chance to catch the actors at their very best. Erin Cervantes performs an aerial routine on a swinging chandelier during Cirque du Soleil's performance of 'Corteo' at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids on Wednesday, May 1, 2019. The show runs through Sunday, May 6. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Kim Wesbrook talks to the three-month-old boy she is fostering at her home in Cedar Rapids on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Kim and her husband have three adopted children and have fostered nine infants since moving back to Iowa. I couldn't photograph the baby's face because he is in foster care so it was challenging to still get the interaction with Kim that I really wanted to capture. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

Owner Nichole Reicher applies make up with an airbrush to Jesse Tauke of Manchester at Beauty Edit on Third Street SE in the New Bo neighborhood of Cedar Rapids on Thursday, May 16, 2019. Reicher was doing a trial for Tauke's wedding in early June, which allows the bride and make up artist to plan how the make up will look and will speed up the preparations on the wedding day. I am pretty much obssesed with incorporating reflections in my images. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

It's fun to look for quiet, behind-the-scenes moments at campaign events, so it was pure luck when I walked into this public pavilion and saw a man steaming the flags that would no doubt become the background for countless photo ops later on. Kirk Klamerus of Springville steams flags before Rep. Beto O'Rourke (TX–16) speaks to Iowans at City Park in Tipton on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

My job is a study in continuing education. I learn something new every day. Hearing the effort needed to keep the various repairs and renovations as historically accurate is impressive. Historic structures manager Sarah Aly spreads adhesive as she replaces porcelain tiles in one of the bathrooms at Brucemore in southeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Thursday, May 2, 2019. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Smaller solar installations can create a challenge photographically, due to the safety issues in accessing the roof during active work. This farmhouse had a second-story balcony that gave both a closer vantage point as well as creating a dynamic frame for the action. Moxie Solar foreman Tanner Williams of Iowa City carries a panel into place while installing a 12-module solar array at a farm outside of Wellman on Monday, May 20, 2019. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

I photographed students moving into the dorms at the start of the school year so why not photograph them moving out? The reflection just caught my eye and elevated a normal, matter-of-record shot.Abbey Jamison of Onawa, Iowa, is reflected in a window on the back of the truck as she loads a tote into the truck outside of Burge Hall in Iowa City, Iowa, on Friday, May 10, 2019. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Sometimes a picture is just too good to pass up. A reporter and I were heading back from an assignment in Maquoketa when we passed the three goats soaking up the sun on the roof and hood of an old school bus. I got a few hundred yards away when the itch hit me. As I turned around I hoped the goats would still be on the bus. I was relieved that they were still there. As I made a few frames, the center goat got up and got into a pushing match with the goat on the hood of the bus. I knew I had my composition and moment.A goat prepares to butt heads with another in a game of king of the bus as they stand on a 1944 Dodge school bus parked in a field at Wickerwood Family Farms near Baldwin, Iowa, on Monday, May 13, 2019. The bus was used in the nearby Monmouth School District. According to Melissa Wood, she and her husband started the farm so their children could have the farming life. Wood says that the family started with nine Boer goats and now have over 100. The goats are all registered and are raised primarily for breeding stock. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

The bond between Quinn and Zoey was obvious from far across the pasture, and I began photographing as I walked closer. EloQuinnt, known at the farm as Quinn, nuzzles Zoey Stolba, 13, of Clarence at Unbridled Spirits in Lisbon on Wednesday, May 1, 2019. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

It's always a good day to be in the woods. Especially with dogs on the hunt for rare, endangered turtles. Unfortunately, the dogs didn't find any on this land owned by the Bur Oak Land Trust but it was still fun to watch the dogs root in the dirt searching for the scent. One of John Rucker's turtle-searching Boykin Spaniels searches around a downed tree for ornate box turtles on a property in Johnson County, Iowa, on Monday, May 20, 2019. The Bur Oak Land Trust brought Rucker and his turtle dogs to the 40-acre site to assess how many of the threatened reptiles live on the property. The turtles are threatened by habitat loss and poaching. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

I didn't have high hopes that I would see anyone using the recently renovated lake at noon on a Wednesday. I was glad that Keydrin and her dog were taking a walk at that time. I had to laugh at Bentley's go big or go home attitude in wanting to play with a tree branch instead of just a stick. Bentley wants to play with a large tree limb that Keydrin Buckman of Iowa City, Iowa, tries to take away from her dog as they walk along Kent Park Lake at F.W. Kent Park in rural Oxford, Iowa, on Wednesday, May 22, 2019. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Geese may be aggressive during nesting and leave a bit of a mess behind, but it was still a nice break to watch the little family while racing between holes on the golf course. Goslings are guided away from the golf cart path at Finkbine Golf Course in Iowa City during the MVC Valley Divisional meet on Monday, May 13, 2019. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

The communal meals at Amana are a neat opportunity to go beyond the stereotypes of German-American settlers and learn a bit about the Amana residents' place in various cultural and religious movements. I'm always interested in how immigrants keep aspects of their heritage alive while adapting to a new environment. Jon Childers, Executive Director of the Amana Heritage Society, talks with visitors gathered before a meal at the Ruedy Home and Amana Communal Kitchen Museum in Middle Amana on Sunday, May 5, 2019. The Amana Heritage Society is purchasing the Ruedy home and plans to expand programming at the site, including communal meals featuring classic recipes from the Amana kitchens. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

I had just set up my lighting when I noticed a V-shaped beam of light coming through one of the windows. I ended up pushing my list stands out of the way. I positioned the plate at the narrow part of the shaft of light to get a spot light effect with nice falloff. A mini mushroom tart made with paper thin layers of buttery pastry baked to conceal a mushroom filling with just a hint of Tuscan white truffle oil at the Caucus Bistro, 811 Pacific St., in Ladora, Iowa, on Thursday, April 25, 2019. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

The time stamp on this photo is 04:01:57. In early, out early I often say when given an early morning assignment. It's not quite as sharp as I'd like but I like the streaks from the runway lights and the burst from the light on the plane. A United Parcel Service Boeing 757 lands in the early morning at The Eastern Iowa Airport in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, May 10, 2019. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

The farmer had warned us that there wasn't yet much to see in his fields, planted with cover crop rye, but as we drove out to the field I was drawn to the double image created by his side mirror. Terry Ward drives past a field planted with rye at his farm in La Porte City on Monday, May 6, 2019. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

The step club members shown here were talking with us about what their group means to them, and watching them interact and laugh with each other made it clear that they care a lot for each other. Jabari Clark, 17 (from left), Dynasty Roundtree, 15, Romisha Techau, 16, and Diamond Roundtree, 17, of the Washington High School Step Club joke around while talking with Gazette reporters at the school in Cedar Rapids on Wednesday, May 22, 2019. Members of the group say the club makes them feel part of a family and more connected to their heritage. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Gov. Kim Reynolds pulls a pile of pens closer to begin signing a bill as Iowa Rep. Ashley Hinson looks on at the Educational Leadership and Support Center in Cedar Rapids on Monday, May 6, 2019. HF 637 will require school districts to make a report to the Board of Educational Examiners within 30 days of taking disciplinary action against a certified employee. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

TeeJay Ray, 16, of Cedar Rapids holds up her fist while participating in a protest against gun violence in the 1500 block of First Avenue East in Cedar Rapids on Sunday, May 19, 2019. The event was organized by friends of Matrell Johnson and Royal Abram, who were killed in a shooting early Saturday morning in southwest Cedar Rapids. I'm always grateful to the friends and family who allow us to help tell their story, especially at times of crisis. Those we spoke with and photographed during this peaceful protest and at a vigil later the same day helped to tell the stories of Royal and Matrell. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

This photo is subtle and takes some time to see all the elements. The Golden Arches, the signs, the demonstrators, the reflections all just seem to work. Demonstrators enter the McDonald's, 1530 First Avenue NE, with other McDonald's workers and union activists in northeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Thursday, May 23, 2019. The strikers are demonstrating for union rights and a livable wage. The demonstration was part of a coordinated protest in more than a dozen cities on the day of the fast food corporation's annual shareholder meeting. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

This has a 'Norma Rae' feel to it. I love the deep, blue sky and the directional, warm, morning light. I noticed Brandon walking the picket line holding this sign. A gap would form where I could see the McDonald's sign right before Brandon turned and walked away. I picked a lower camera angle to clean up the background. I photographed Brandon circulating through the picket line three or four times until I felt comfortable that I had my shot. McDonalds worker Brandon Saul pickets in front of the McDonald's, 1530 First Avenue NE, with other McDonald's workers and union activists in northeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Thursday, May 23, 2019. The strikers are demonstrating for union rights and a livable wage. The demonstration was part of a coordinated protest in more than a dozen cities on the day of the fast food corporation's annual shareholder meeting. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

We often photograph the mayor, Brad Hart, participating in public events such as group bike rides, as we did his predecessor Ron Corbett. So when the Cedar Rapids city council members put on helmets, I moved into position to capture Scott Olson among the pack on the city's new Veloride e-bike. Riders, including Cedar Rapids City Council member Scott Olson (right), ride in the Fourth Avenue SE bike lane while trying out the new Veoride e-bikes during the launch of the new bike share in Greene Square in Cedar Rapids on Monday, May 13, 2019. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

These high schoolers are part of a proud new tradition at Washington High School that seeks to celebrate black heritage in the U.S. They spoke with seriousness and eloquence about why step is important within Amerian culture. Diamond Roundtree, 17, (from left), Romisha Techau, 16, and Dynasty Roundtree, 15, of the Washington High School Step Club demonstrate a routine at the school in Cedar Rapids on Wednesday, May 22, 2019. Members of the group say the club makes them feel part of a family and more connected to their heritage. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Avionte Crawford waves to his sister as she arrives in the lobby for the Spring Graduation for Metro High School at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Cedar Rapids Convention Complex in downtown Cedar Rapids on Saturday, May 25, 2019. I was photographing Avionte nervously texting members of his family to see where they were and his face just lit up when his sister came through the door. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

I winced inside when the co-founder of the Iowa Farm Sanctuary said that most of the work tending to the animals is done in the mornings. I didn't have high hopes for finding a nice moment to illustrate the story. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw volunteer Kevin Recknor, of Iowa City, Iowa, laying with Molly Brown in the barn at the Iowa Farm Sanctuary in Marengo, Iowa, on Thursday, April 25, 2019. Molly came to the sanctuary after being found in a semi-trailer at a truck wash. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Go early, stay late is a lesson I learned early in my career. I'm glad I stayed because up until then I had photos of people standing at a podium under a canopy and terribly backlit. None of those photos had the emotional impact that, hopefully, connected with readers. D.J. Schroeder touches the monument to victims of the Douglas Starch Works explosion including her grandfather Jon Martinek during a ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the explosion at a memorial honoring the 44 people killed in the explosion at Linwood Cemetery in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Monday, May 20, 2019. Martinek was the father of seven children and emigrated from what is now the Czech Republic. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

This is just a nice moment between a woman and her long-time pet cat while she stays at her parent's home while performing with the Cirque in Cedar Rapids. Erin Cervantes holds her 18-year-old cat Simon in the kitchen of her parent's Michael and JoAnn home in Bertram, Iowa, on Tuesday, April 30, 2019. Cervantes is staying with her parents for a few days during the run of the upcoming Cirque du Soleil 'Corteo' performance at the U.S. Cellular Center. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette) (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

98-year-old Glen 'Red' Henton of Maquoketa holds up a 'Saving Private Ryan' poster signed by actor Tom Hanks and director Stephen Spielberg. Henton and Spielberg's father, Arnold, served together in the US Army Air Forces during World War II in the 490th Bombarment Squadron stationed in India and Burma. Photographed on on Thursday, May 16, 2019. I wasn't happy with any of my images from this shoot but I immensely enjoyed talking with Red about his time serving with the Burma Bridge Busters B-25 squadron. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

Being the father of a daughter, I've noticed I gravitate towards photographing females on my assignments. Whether it's girls in a math or science class in a school or out in the community. Beyond that, I just like the composition with the circles from the spotlights and the color. Lighting technician Jessica Fabo tests lighting as workers and technicians construct the stage and set for the Cirque Du Soleil 'Corteo' performance at the U.S. Cellular Center in northeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Tuesday, April 30, 2019. It takes a crew of 34 technicians directing another 100 people a whole day to set up the 20 semi-trailer loads of equipment to stage, sets, rigging and lighting to put on the show. It only takes 3.5 hours to pack it all up for the move to the next venue. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)