Ellie Spinosa
Staff Writer

 Anyone attending an R.J. Reynolds High School sporting event has seen Robert Hill on the sidelines or his astounding pictures on the RJR athletics Instagram page. Famously known among the student body for sniping photos in action, he has been a significant aspect of RJR for several years. 

“There is no agreement,” Athletic Director Bradley Fisher said. “He is a volunteer and does it because he loves it. He is invaluable to us, though. We don’t ever want to lose him; his impact is huge for our kids. It allows them to get action photos, and parents love it as they can focus on their child’s game and not have to have their phone out for pictures.” 

Along with having an impact, he also has fun doing it and enjoys his time doing it. 

“I just like taking pictures,” Hill said.

His passion helps our school tremendously while he does what he enjoys doing.

“We, as the athletic department, would be totally dependent on the pine whispers and yearbook staff to come take photos and share them with us so we could use our social media to the extent that we do,” Fisher said.

Through his photography, Hill has let the game go on forever by capturing years and years of athletic performance.

“If you go into a museum and look at a piece of art, you study it; that’s what you do to pictures,” Hill said. “It tells stories.”

From post-game scoring photos to mid-play action shots, he captures it all. 

 “I think that they really capture the moment well,” sophomore baseball player Vance Craps said. “They help me reflect back on my games, good or bad.”

Hill started in 2008 with girl’s field hockey to capture his stepdaughter, then moved on to lacrosse and football. As time went on, he started going to all different sports games and photographing them.

“Soon after I retired in 2016, I felt it was time to improve my sports photography skills, so I enrolled at Randolph Community College in their photography program,” Hill said.

For many years, Hill was balancing a full-time job with a hobby in photography. In the program, they were required to photograph soccer, baseball, and football, which is when he started broadening his horizons. Hill has had a lasting impact on the athletes’ games and the memories they hold and is greatly appreciated for all he does.