Nice Run!

Clemson running back Phil Mafah is congratulated after a touchdown run against N.C. State Saturday in Clemson. (Photo by Travis Bell) 

For more of my Clemson and South Carolina portfolio, visit my website. 

"You Are Looking Live" - SEC Network Turns 10

10 years ago today, sports broadcaster Brent Musburger walked onto the ESPN set in Charlotte to help launch the all new SEC Network. (Photo by Travis Bell/ESPN Images)

Visit my website for more of my Production Stills work.

Here's One For The Wall - Justice John W. Kittredge Swearing-In Ceremony

Gov. Henry McMaster presents new Chief Justice John W. Kittredge with a proclamation during a swearing-in ceremony at the South Carolina Supreme Court on Thursday. (Photo by Travis Bell for The S.C. Bar)

Carolina Panthers at Take Five Oil

Thanks to Take Five Oil Change or asking me to photograph their NFL event. 

Here, Nicole Gentry takes a selfie with Carolina Panthers mascot Sir Purr while getting an oil change. 

Photo by Travis Bell/For Take Five Oil Change. ©travis bell / creative, llc

That 5-Hour, 13-Inning Clemson Game

Clemson's Super Regionals game vs. Florida Sunday was the most entertaining and crazy baseball game I've ever covered. 

Tough loss for Tigers but I love the strategy that Coach Bakich took in getting ejected. 

It fired up a crowd that had deflated in extra innings, mostly because it was hotter than a swamp in August. 

Photo by Travis Bell

That's One Shell of A Turtle

Always get excited about checking out The Coca-Cola 600 race on Memorial Day weekend.

In 1997, I was photographing practice at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Dale Earnhardt Sr. asked me if I could send pictures to The Associated Press. I told him I could and he invited me out to his truck. His daughter, Taylor, had found a turtle on their farm the night before that had multiple number 3s on its shell.

Earnhardt told Taylor he would try to get it published so everyone could see it.

He pulled the turtle out of big bag in the back of his truck and I made a few pictures of it walking around in the bed of the truck. We ran the picture in The Herald the next day and papers around the country ran the photo via AP.

The next day I was walking from the garage towards Turn 4 to the tower outside the track (which was a hike). Earnhardt was leaving after practice, stopped and rolled down the window and told me thanks for getting the picture out to the media. He asked me where I was headed and gave me a ride to the tower.

We mostly talked about how he ran several races in Lancaster in the 70s and also he had eaten fried squash from The Wagon Wheel a few times over the years. NASCAR was a fun sport to cover because the drivers were much more accessible than other sports.

Close Enough For A High Five - Warbirds in Ninety Six SC

Editor of the magazine says, "Travis, you ok going up in an 80-year-old WW2 plane for us to make pictures of another WW2 plane?"

I said sure. I'm not afraid of heights and I had heard of the operation in Ninety Six, SC that flies the planes. Good people.

I get there and the pilot goes over safety guidelines, including how to open the canopy for photography during the flight and use the parachute if needed.

What no one told me is that after we took off, the other plane, at left, was going to fly up beside us and be close enough for me to toss the pilot a sausage biscuit.

I yelled out to the pilot in front me "Whoooooooa Dude! Is this supposed be happening? He's close enough to give us a high five."

He said it was perfectly normal. "We're good!" he said.

Thank God cause I though I was about to go break bread with Moses. (Photo by Travis Bell)

Interesting Note: The previous owner of the airstrip was a retired stuntman for James Bond movies. No joke. Right in little ol' Ninety Six.