2014 Best in Photos: Gazette Photographers share their favorites

The retirement of Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) was one of the biggest political stories of 2014 in the state. I flew out to Washington D.C. with political reporter James Lynch to spend a few days with the senator for an inside glimpse at the senator's life and work as his 40-year career on Capitol Hill wound down. At one point Harkin mentioned how on occasion he sat down for Manhattans with Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), the ranking Republican on the HELP Committee which Harkin chaired from 2009. Later, in his Capitol Office or 'Hideaway', Harkin showed us his choice of whiskey for their bipartisan confabs - Templeton Rye. Photo taken on July 23, 2014 in the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)

Margaret Huling and Alec Roth of Ballet Quad Cities dance as Music director Timothy Hankewich conducts Orchestra Iowa during a dress rehearsal 'Rite of Spring', at Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids on Friday, April 4, 2014. This was my favorite image (and favorite story) of the year because I was granted to two greatest luxuries in journalism: a generous amount of time to shoot and good access to the subjects. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette-KCRG TV9)

'I was assigned to illustrate a story about the district's bond issue earlier this school year. Teachers have a difficult job engaging students. ' continued Slosiarek. 'I like the enthusiasm that Springville Elementary School physical education teacher Tyler Husak (left) displayed,' said Gazette photojournalist Jim Slosiarek as Husak played rock, paper scissors with third grader Bryce Ripple (right), 8, while Emily Deeney (second from right) looks on in the gym during a game of Olympic rock, paper scissors at the school in Springville, Iowa, on Wednesday, August. 27, 2014. The community voted down the proposed a $7.22 million bond to fix and expand the elementary school. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

This quiet moment between mother Quincy Grittman and her son Braedy, 3, comes to mind whenever there is discussion on Iowa's medical marijuana law. Braedy has intractable epilepsy, and the Grittman's were preparing for their move to Colorado when I spent the afternoon with them on Tuesday, March 11, 2014, at Quincy's grandmother's house on the Meskwaki settlement in Tama. Braedy's family moved this spring to seek cannabis oil treatment for him, which is currently unavailable in Iowa. (Liz Martin/The Gazette-KCRG)

This year I was asked to be the photographer as the Constitution of the State of Iowa was scanned for the first time. This process required moving the Constitution from the Secretary of State's office in the Capitol Building across the street to the State Library of Iowa. Each page of the Constitution is now available for people to view on the website of the State Library of Iowa. Original caption: Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz (from left) talks with Iowa State Patrol Sgt. J.R. Pearson as he carries the Constitution of the State of Iowa down the steps of the Capitol building in Des Moines on Wednesday, August 13, 2014. (Stephen Mally/The Gazette-KCRG TV9)