[Photo: Photographer Ed Clemente (Submitted Photo)]

By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer • Award-winning photographer Ed Clemente, who has served as the News-Journal’s sports photographer for the last three years, is moving on to bigger and better things.

Clemente is departing Hoke County to move to another state to take on a new responsibility with an employer, leaving behind a body of work that includes thousands of photos documenting Hoke’s young athletes’ early careers, and much more.

Besides his work for the News-Journal, Clemente was also the sports affiliate for Hoke County High School, did photography for the Fayetteville Observer and was the track photographer as Rockfish Motor Speedway. He stepped up to cover events outside of sports as well, helping document everything from local crime to major events.

Clemente said he’s enjoyed his time in Hoke County and will miss it.

“It was awesome. It’s been hard putting everything aside and not being able to do it anymore,” he said.

Clemente and his family moved to the area from Colorado in 2016. He had done wedding and sports photography there, and wasn’t expecting to have the chance to pick it up again in Hoke. When he did, “it exploded,” taking him in all sorts of directions.

“I absolutely loved it. I loved spotlighting the kids in the paper, I loved documenting their journey through high school and their sport,” Clemente said.

Last week the Hoke County Board of Education honored Clemente with a special recognition in honor of everything he’s done to promote student athletics and support the school system. Clemente also received accolades earlier this year when he won first and third place in the sports photography category of the North Carolina Press Association (NCPA) annual statewide contest.

Taking Clemente’s place is Jessica Hendrix Brown. The Hoke native will report on sports stories beginning with this week’s issue.