Slideshow: Robert J. Pavuchak photographed celebrities and politicians, pro athletes and children. His favorite subjects were everyday people, especially in the lesser known corners of Washington County, which he photographed for many years. No matter whether he was photographing the governor or a kid with a balloon, he worked equally hard to bring their stories into the newspaper. This multimedia presentation is a tribute Mr. Pavuchak's years of prize-winning work in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Click photo to view slideshow.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette photographer Robert J. Pavuchak always got terrific photos. But often, he got more than expected.

Sometimes he got dirty, sweaty and tired. And on at least one occasion, he almost got killed.

Mr. Pavuchak, 67, of West Mifflin, retired Friday after a 40-year career with Pittsburgh newspapers, including 13 with the Post-Gazette.

His memorable career included notable photographs, including one in 1980 of Steeler Joe Greene wearing his four Super Bowl rings with his thumb sticking out in hopes of getting "one for the thumb," a line that became Steelers fans' mantra for a generation.

He captured Pirates third baseman Bill Madlock shoving his glove into an umpire's face, a photo that drew national attention and a suspension for Mr. Madlock.

In the 1970s, he took a photograph of a squad carrying a live bomb out of Gimbels department store in Pittsburgh, only to learn after returning to the newsroom that the bomb exploded about 10 minutes later. Lucky it was late. It had been scheduled to go off about the time Mr. Pavuchak was snapping the photograph.

Assigned to cover Washington County for 20 years, he walked its streams, explored its woods and searched high and low for everything from abandoned railroad tunnels to elusive wildlife.

Photographer Robert J. Pavuchak retired Friday. Photo journal View more of Mr. Pavuchak's pictures in his photo journal.

He tramped across coal refuse piles and hazardous waste dumps. He went up in planes and helicopters for aerial shots and into caves and coal mines for underground shots. He photographed the area's covered bridges, festivals and changes of seasons, including storm clouds, hay fields and rainbows.

"I love the rural people there," he said of Washington and Greene counties. "They always were so easy-going and nice to deal with. I always appreciated that."

A native of Duquesne, Mr. Pavuchak took up photography as a hobby and landed a job in 1958 at the Brady Stewart Studio Inc. in Pittsburgh. There, he developed his skills before taking a job with The Pittsburgh Press in 1966. When the Press closed in 1992, he was hired by the Post-Gazette.

His friendliness, coupled with machine-gun approach to shooting photos, were his forte in taking award-winning photographs. He often entered a room with camera clicking to get shots of people before they could pose or hide.

A favorite episode occurred in February 1998 when Mr. Pavuchak visited a Chartiers farm to photograph dairyman Marko Brigich, who was busy milking cows in a concrete pit where it was easier to attach milking machines to the cows above.

Let's just say Mr. Pavuchak got royally splattered by what came out the south end of northbound Holsteins. Bob being Bob, he kept his eye focused through the camera lens to get the necessary shots. This time, he was unable to avoid the explosion.

	Robert J. Pavuchak, Post-Gazette Pittsburgh Steeler Joe Greene sports his four Super Bowl rings on his fingers in this original "one for the thumb" photo taken by Mr. Pavuchak at Steelers training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe in 1980. Click photo for larger image.

Assigned to take a picture of a flock of turkeys, he returned in a matter of hours with a photo of turkeys strolling across a country highway. The same occurred when assigned to get a photo of a deer. Having a knack for finding ideal locations to take difficult photographs, he traveled ridge tops, walked through forests and went into streams to find the best angle.

Over his 40-year career, Mr. Pavuchak did routine shots with extraordinary skill, be it elected officials, breaking news stories, suspects walking to or from courtrooms, fires and highway accidents.

Washington County Commissioner J. Bracken Burns turned the tables on him in August, when Mr. Burns took a photograph of Mr. Pavuchak, who was busy taking photographs of senior Olympians in Peters. Mr. Burns said he liked taking photos of photographers because they're always on the other side of the camera and never in the picture.

Mr. Burns said he always found Mr. Pavuchak "to be a gentleman."

"I've known Bob for years, and he always comes up to introduce himself and make a point of saying who he is," Mr. Burns said. "When we chat, he's always a human first and professional second."

What Mr. Pavuchak reveled in most was documenting everyday life in Washington County. He enjoyed snapping photographs of people working and playing, being happy and sad, experiencing success and failure. He captured unusual moments in usual lives.

Photographing the American flag and religious experiences were favorite topics. But he was expert in photographing cows and even took to mooing to attract their attention.

Mr. Pavuchak's gift was timing. But he always credited "the photo angel" for creating the magical moments he enjoyed capturing for readers.

With that, let's celebrate his career with a photo finish.