For Sarah Sugg, a picture she snapped of her grandfather and his storm-damaged Hilton Head Island home proved to be worth far more than the cliche about 1,000 words.
Sugg credits the photo, taken in the immediate aftermath of last year’s Hurricane Matthew, with helping her gain acceptance to a prestigious college to study photography.
Speaking by phone between classes at the Art Institute of Chicago, Sugg, an 18-year-old Hilton Head High School graduate, said she had “always been into photography.” But Hurricane Matthew sharpened her focus on photojournalism.
“There’s something special about it being a real life situation and telling a real life story with images,” she said.
While she took dozens of photos in the Matthew’s wake, one stood out both to her and to some folks at National Geographic.
The photo, called “Paul Meets Matthew,” captures a moment where Sugg’s grandfather, Paul Gerhart, surrounded by fallen trees, stares up with what appears to be a look of disbelief at further destruction just outside of the image’s frame.
“I just saw his face — I was like, ‘Dang, he just looks so sad,’” she recalled. “It was a powerful image, probably one of the most powerful I’ve ever taken.”
Gerhart, who had about 20 downed trees on his Port Royal Plantation property, said of the scene after the storm, “Surreal is a word that is sometimes overused, but in that case, I think it applies.”
Sugg uploaded the photo to Instagram, and just a couple of days later it was recognized by National Geographic as one of the magazine’s Daily Dozen, an online roundup of outstanding photos curated by the magazine’s editors.
National Geographic associate photo editor Matt Adams wrote of Sugg’s photo, “I believe this image captures the reality of damages done by hurricanes and storms.”
“The emotion (Sugg) captured here on (Gerhart’s) face as he surveys the scene is powerful,” he also noted.
Sugg, an admirer of National Geographic her entire life, said she was “kind of fan-girling and freaking out” when her photo caught the attention of the magazine.
She said despite her elation, she wasn’t shocked at the recognition. In fact, she half-jokingly predicted it.
When she saw the photograph initially, she recalled saying to her grandfather, “Just watch, this is going to be in National Geographic.”
After National Geographic published her photo, Sugg said she had to walk her grandparents step-by-step through the process of locating it on the magazine’s website.
“When they finally found it, it was was like, ‘Oh my God!’” she said. “It was just really random that I said that (prediction) to my grandpa, and it actually happened.”
An example of a portrait taken by Sarah Sugg during her photography studies at the Art Institute of Chicago. [Submitted photo]
Gerhart said he and other members of the family were “really impressed (and) quite proud.”
As soon as Sugg saw the attention her photo garnered from National Geographic, she knew she would use it as part of her portfolio in applying to colleges. That was probably a smart call, given that she got into the Art Institute of Chicago.
She said the “Paul Meets Matthew” shot also probably helped her with “some of the scholarships” she has received. She has not returned to Hilton Head since leaving this summer for college in the Windy City.
“A little part of me kind of wanted to be there for (Tropical Storm) Irma to take pictures,” she said.
Although college life in Chicago has taken some getting used to, Sugg said she is adjusting well.
“I love living here a lot,” she said. “My first couple days I was really freaked out, but after awhile you start feeling more comfortable exploring the city.”
While exploring, she said she often brings her camera, looking for that next National Geographic-worthy moment.
Lucas High: 843-706-8128, @IPBG_Lucas
