Columbia SC Photographer: Blog

Angry Whale finds new home at SodaCitizen.com

Sun, 20 Oct 2019 13:19:10 GMT

I’ve relaunched The Angry Whale at SodaCitizen.com - Thanks for the good times.

Want to level up your own photography? Sean offers one-on-one photography coaching and photo workshops.

Daniel Hare: A Photography Exhibit

Fri, 22 Feb 2019 00:38:01 GMT

by Sean Rayford

As we sit down to talk about his photography exhibition, opening tonight in Five Points, I ask Daniel Hare if I may have photographed him "sledding" down University Hill half a decade ago. He tells me we talked about lenses and upon further inspection of the archives, yes, our paths crossed on the same day my roommate bloodied his face "sledding" down that hill on an office chair.

As we try to recall that snowy day, Daniel hears a skateboarders’ wheels rolling on the sidewalk of Main St. blocks before I do. He jokingly refers to it as “Skatedar.” Not surprisingly, Hare’s photography has consistent themes around skateboarding, along with humans and their personalities.

"But this isn't that. There are two people displayed in the show but their faces are not visible,” says Hare about his exhibition, adding that there are also only two skateboarding photos. Instead, Hale was sparked by an image of a street scene he made in Chicago in 2017, a construction site with smoke and windows that reminded Hare of fun house,

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I put things together contextually, “Hare says about his approach to selecting the images, “I had an organizational process looking through hard drives. Just really, really, really looking through. The dirt bike led to the three wheeler, led to the Lincoln Continental. I don't believe it's random. The first photo might have been random but then it just compounded.” He says a big part of it was finding photographs that he had overlooked.

The opening reception for Hare’s exhibition is Thursday night at Bluetile Skateboards in Columbia, SC. According to the artist “The 20+ framed prints all reflect fleeting moments in time pulled from being on the move, traveling, and pursuing storytelling through photography. However, the selected images are not those stories. These photos serve to be keepsakes from the "big picture" and for whatever rhyme or reason, drew considerable interest for being special in their own right.” Accompanying the photos are 24x36 posters designed by Hale and printed with The Half and Half.

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Fake National Emergency Protest: Columbia, SC

Mon, 18 Feb 2019 20:47:12 GMT

Tootsie Holland (above) says that president Trump’s recent declaration of a national emergency is only part of the reason she came out to protest on Monday afternoon at the SC Statehouse. “I am out here because I think that our government is under great duress. We need to have our democracy back in action - it is being taken away,” says Holland, “I met a young German journalist a few days ago and I asked him what he thought of our government and our president. He said, 'Haven't you people ever heard of Hitler? This is how he started. We don't allow this kind of thing to go on now,” she explains, “And I think that he is absolutely right. This is a grab for power and greed for money.”

Holland, a resident of Columbia, SC for 50 years, joined about 50 other demonstrators on Monday at the state capital in response to the president’s recent declaration of what they are calling a “Fake National Emergency.” The nationwide protests were scheduled in more than 240 cities and 47 states.

Photos by Sean Rayford

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Photos: New Year's Eve at New Brookland Tavern

Wed, 02 Jan 2019 16:34:19 GMT

At the stroke of midnight on New Years at New Brookland Tavern, after shifting through different roles in Fleetwood Mac on stage, Adam Corbett was looking out for bandmate Marshall Brown (below) when Brown swooped in to steal a kiss from his woman, Bekah Corbett, who often filled the role of Steve Nicks. “Can’t blame him, she is v(ery) hot. But I’m really glad I was there to protect him, Bekah has a involuntary violent flailing sort of reaction to things like that.”

The New Year’s Eve celebration also featured Barnwell as The Strokes, Dear Blanca as Black Sabbath, members of Real Work, Rejectioneers, and The Lovely Few as Jimmy Eat World, and members of Real Work, Rejectioneers, and Lights For Nero as Rage Against The Machine.

Photos and words by Sean Rayford

Related South Carolina photo stories : Papa Jazz Celebrates 40 Years

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Flashpoint Dominoes - Complexities of the Central American Caravan

Tue, 27 Nov 2018 16:16:38 GMT

Near midday on Sunday in Tijuana, a large group of Central American refugees and migrants peacefully marched to the southern entrance of the ‘Puente El Chapparal,’ a half mile long bridge that provides access to the port of entry to San Ysidro, CA. It was here that they were blocked by the Mexican Federal Police and where Sunday’s first major domino fell. Met with a wall of law enforcement, the group multiplied and tensions rose. Instead of funneling the group onto a contained bridge, the authorities forced the marchers in other directions, which is when folks started running, seeking an alternative route to the port and border area.

On Thanksgiving night, a smaller group had participated in a peaceful march over the same bridge to the port where they held a demonstration. Many stayed the night, sleeping on the street and sidewalks nearby.

But on Sunday afternoon, the bridge was blocked and the most physically capable of the group, led them east along the edge of the city where they could gain access to the Tijuana River, which is basically a giant concrete open sewer. Instead of the group being contained on the bridge, where they could have been easily halted near the port side with limited resources, they were spread across a concrete arena greater than the size off ten football fields.

As the vast majority of the caravan marchers crossed back to the southern bank of the concrete slab covered in fecal matter, it was here that a smaller group, made up of a diverse array of people, including what appeared to be handfuls of American anarchists, women and children, even a resident of the riverbed/sewer, reminiscent of a character from Mad Max, gathered at a razor wire fence where some engaged with U.S. Border Patrol, as others sat and watched the events unfold.

I’m not sure what would have happened had they been allowed to continue what was a peaceful march across the bridge, but from my perspective and knowledge of crowd logistics, it appears that leaders had once again failed the people who had travelled some 3,000 miles - because of a long and complicated history of leaders failing them. All I really know is that the caravan is an exponentially complex scenario, created by failures within leadership from the entire world, exasperated by false statements and/or lies from the president of the United States, that has led to Sunday's chain of events with many other flashpoint dominoes along the way.

Note: The title of this post has been edited from Complexities of the Central American Refugee Caravan" to "Complexities of the Central American Caravan" to better describe makeup of the group.

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Photos: Central American Caravan Halted at U.S. Border

Mon, 26 Nov 2018 19:56:54 GMT

Yesterday, in Tijuana, more than a thousand of members of the Central American caravan marched to a bridge that leads to the San Ysidro International Border Crossing. There, they were stopped by Mexican Federal Police, where tensions grew, and the caravan scattered along the edge of the border, crossing the Tijuana River where they were repelled by tear gas launched by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. This is a small selection of images from yesterday’s news event made by Columbia, SC photojournalists Sean Rayford and Thomas Hammond. When Sean returns from Tijuana, the photographers will host a presentation and panel discussion in Columbia, S.C. Details coming soon.

Members of the Central American caravan run up the north embankment of the Tijuana River as they approach the U.S. border Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 in Tijuana, Mexico. Photo by Sean Rayford

Members of the Central American caravan flee the United States Mexico border fence after U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers fired tear gas to disperse the growing crowd Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 in Tijuana, Mexico. Photo by Thomas Hammond

Members of the Central American caravan run up the north embankment of the Tijuana River as they approach the U.S. border Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 in Tijuana, Mexico. Photo by Sean Rayford

United States Department of Homeland Security Police observe members of the Central American caravan as they are halted by the steel fence that separates the U.S. and Mexico at the San Ysidro International Border Crossing Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 in Tijuana, Mexico. Photo by Thomas Hammond

A demonstrator holds an American flag above the crowd as members of the Central American caravan gather on the northern embankment of the Tijuana River where it meets a steel fence separating the United States and Mexico on Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 in Tijuana, Mexico. Photo by Thomas Hammond

A law enforcement officer with the Mexican Federal Police puts his arm around a member of the Central American caravan after U.S. Customs and Border Patrol repelled the group by launching tear gas at the international border Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 in Tijuana, Mexico. Photo by Sean Rayford

CORRECTION: This post originally reported that "thousands of members of the Central American caravan marched to a bridge that leads to the San Ysidro International Border Crossing." It has been edited to, "more than a thousand members" in order to more accurately represent the size of the group.

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Photos: Central American Caravan Thanksgiving in Tijuana

Sat, 24 Nov 2018 18:19:35 GMT

For the Central American refugees and migrants who have traveled a near three thousand mile journey to Tijuana, Mexico, Thursday’s dinner held no special significance, outside of providing tired and hungry humans some much needed sustenance. No turkey. No dressing. No gelatinous cranberry goop from a can. No yearly family traditions watching the Detroit Lions lose. No stuffing. No yams. No lumps in the gravy and no pumpkin pie. No food comas.

For most of the folks, it was a bowl of broth and noodles. And yet I’ve never seen such wide smiles on folks at dinner.

Photos by Sean Rayford - Thanksgiving Day - 2018

Correction: The title of this post was edited from "Photos: Refugee Thanksgiving in Tijuana" to "Photos: Central American Caravan Thanksgiving in Tijuana" to more accurately reflect the makeup of the group.

What is photojournalism?

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Photos: Central American Caravan continues gathering in Tijuana

Thu, 22 Nov 2018 07:37:02 GMT

I was sitting in the dirt near third base on Tuesday afternoon at Little Padres Park in Tijuana when Alfonso Mejia Castillo (below) struck up a conversation with me about the children playing in the infield. I took Spanish for five years in school, but that was before the turn of the century, so we didn’t get really far on that topic. But I was able to find out that he left his home in Honduras two months ago, so I ask him why he left.

“We are fleeing the violence in our country. We are fleeing the corruption. We are fleeing the "maras" [MS-13] and gangs. We are fleeing our government because if we make a single report, they don’t do anything,” explains Alfonso, later transcribed by a translator.

“What the police want is for them to keep killing us. In Mexico too. Even in Mexico we can’t be here. We are hoping that we can touch the heart of the government and that they will help us because we need help. We need everyone’s help. We need [President Trump’s] help. We know that the United States is very powerful. We are hoping that God will let us touch the heart of the United States government and that they will help us.”

Photos by Sean Rayford made Nov. 20-21 at Campo Unidad Bento Juarez in Zona Norte and Playas de Tijuana.

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Photos: No one is above the law protest - Columbia, SC

Fri, 09 Nov 2018 18:23:51 GMT

Yesterday’s firing of U.S. Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III, and the appointment of Matt Whitaker as acting attorney general and head of the “Mueller investigation” led to nationwide rapid response protests organized by MoveOn.org, who claimed events in over 100 cities. About 175 demonstrators gathered at the SC Statehouse after President Trump removed Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein from his oversight position of Mueller’s Russia probe and replaced him with Whittaker, crossing what organizers called “a red line.”

Photos by Sean Rayford

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Queef headlines "Bohemian Rhapsody" celebration

Tue, 06 Nov 2018 13:06:18 GMT

In the upstairs Pastor’s Study at Lula Drake on Sunday night, Queef headlined a live musical celebration of the new film, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” where mutant versions of Confederate Fagg, Debbie and the Skanks, and the Reggie Sullivan Band were joined by Catherine Hunsinger, John Vail, and Mark Rapp’s band, who began the evening with a jazz version of “The Show Must Go On.”

More of this stuff please.

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Eighty 5 @ Eff 1.four @ the SC State Fair

Wed, 17 Oct 2018 16:13:22 GMT

I added a Nikon 85mm f/1.4 D lens to my kit last year for portrait work. It’s the older version that was in production from 1995-2010 and I picked it up off of eBay for $650. It’s not a versatile lens by any means, and most of the time it sits in a drawer with my backup lenses and flashes.

For the non photo nerds, one of its main features is the ability to produce images with a really shallow depth of field.

But that also means there’s no room for error in your execution of proper focusing. It’s what those nerds might call fast glass. And since I spent most of my day waiting in the Kia service lounge yesterday, escaping only when the they gave up, I needed a stress relief. Which meant picking up my camera and going to the fair with with one lens. The one I use the least.

All the images here were shot with that 85mm at f1.4, in aperture priority mode while using exposure compensation. Photos and words by Sean Rayford

Lessons in Photojournalism

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Photos: State Fair Traditions with Cameron

Tue, 16 Oct 2018 14:56:27 GMT

Standing next to the Matterhorn, my friend Cameron asks, “Sean, when will the fair be back?”

And so begins, and ends most every conversation I have with Cameron. Consequently, when I woke him up yesterday from a nap at College Grounds Coffee and asked, “Are you ready to go to the fair?” - it was pretty awesome.

Cameron normally hangs out at Cool Beans and College Grounds Coffee, so if you want to make his day, swing by on the way to the fair, he gets in free with his cane. He doesn’t like any rides that resemble roller coasters or anything that goes in the air. He likes the Matterhorn style rides, bumper cars and performances of any kind. He was really into the Extreme Illusions and Escapes show, which we missed most of, so I’m sure he’d love to catch that. Cameron’s foot hurts and he is walking pretty slow, so he’d probably be perfectly happy if you dropped him off at the performance tents with some food and drink, did your thing, and scooped him up on the way out.

If you don’t know Cameron, who has been homeless much of his adult life, I vouch for him being an excellent dude.

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Photos and words by Sean Rayford

Photos: "Reign in Mud" - Bogging in The South

Tue, 09 Oct 2018 14:53:20 GMT

Before Colby Hensley came into this world, his father raced a 1974 Dodge Power Wagon through pits of mud in a tractor pull, drag race, monster truck mutant style of auto racing. When Colby turned 16, he brought that same truck back to life at the mud bogs.

At the end of the summer I met Colby, now 18, who won his class on an August Saturday night during the “Flag Wars” mud bog at the State Line Complex in Gaffney, SC. “It’s about the adrenaline rush,” says the teenager from Forest City, NC. His accent is thick enough that I have to ask twice where he is from.

I spent the summer traveling to Yemassee, Ulmer, Gaston, Gaffney, SC and Carnesville, GA for a tour of mud bogging in the Southeast.

So what does is take to reign in mud?

Different classes of vehicles, determined by modifications and tire types, make timed runs through straight or U-shaped mud tracks, some with berms and jumps but all featuring a section with a deeper mud pit. Some trucks don’t make it through and officials measure how far drivers get and then they'll pull them out with a cable and some heavy machinery. When the modified trucks speed by, it’s raining mud.

Tips for first time spectators:
Purchase track side parking and go with a group.
Bring a tailgating canopy, umbrellas, a stocked cooler, bug spray, and a pair of boots.
Find a mud bog in South Carolina

Photos and words by Sean Rayford

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Photos: Devastating floods continue in SC weeks after Hurricane Florence

Thu, 27 Sep 2018 18:54:35 GMT

On Sunday morning as I prepared my kayak for a photo mission into a neighborhood flooded by the Waccamaw River, just a few miles from Coastal Carolina, a neighbor reminded me to mind my wake. Some homes where inches from taking in water.

Mind your wake. A photojournalists’ mantra, especially when walking or kayaking through neighborhoods inundated with flat water river flooding. If you shift your weight, even a little, you’ll create ripples, obliterating your mirror image. Patience is key.

For the past two weeks, I’ve been covering the impacts of Hurricane Florence in the state of South Carolina with the Associated Press and Getty Images. By boat, over land, and in air, here is a sampling of what I saw.

For my complete coverage with Getty Images: 9/12-9/18
For my complete coverage with the Associated Press: 9/18-9/27

A guide to helping victims of Hurricane Florence in SC and NC

Words and photos by Sean Rayford

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Above: Trinity United Methodist Church in Conway, SC after flash flooding on Sept. 17

Below: Trinity United Methodist Church in Conway, SC during a second wave of floods, from the Waccamaw River on Sept. 26

Adam Cullum: 1981-2018

Thu, 06 Sep 2018 17:44:58 GMT

Having worked at New Brookland Tavern for over a decade, Adam Cullum has been a consistent reminder of the amazing cogs in the creative scene in Columbia, SC. On Tuesday, the city lost one of its most beloved musicians and all-around best humans. Like many of Adam's friends, I've spent the past few days reading about others' amazing experiences they've shared with Adam. Below you'll find some photos I've made of him over the years along with many of those memories and tributes to Adam and links to his music. I'm sure I've missed many links, so if you desire to add them in the comment section, I'll update the page.

Funeral services for Adam will be held at 4:00 PM Thursday, September 6, 2018 at Suber-Marshall Memorial United Methodist Church, 3900 Live Oak Street, Columbia, SC.

"Once we were rehearsing just he and I at his house on Oliver St., about a year and a half ago, and when I got there I walked into the kitchen and noticed he had made a lot of pumpkin bread. We played and hung out for hours working on melodies for numbtongue that needed special attention, and it was the first time we’d really hung out just the two of us before. It’s the night I think we became friends. As it got dark I wanted to get home to see my kids before the went to sleep. We had already said goodbye, and it was starting rain, I had already gotten in my car at started it when I see this silhouette running up behind on the rear view. Once I realized it was him I thought I had forgotten something. He ran up right as I rolled down the window and he said, or really rather exclaimed “here! Take some pumpkin bread home to your family!” With this grin as sweet as the gift on his face. I’ll never forget that. That was the first time I took a moment as I drove away and said to myself “wow this guy really is one of the kindest people I’ve ever known.”

-Bobby Hatfield

"[Adam] was the most creative player and songwriter in Columbia and I defy anyone to name a sweeter man. It was as if he operated on a different plane than the rest of us. I remember the first time I met Adam. I was with my friend Ashley and we had taken a rather potent hit of LSD and we walked down to the Five Points Fountain to look at the water. And there we found this strange but sweet man playing an accordion. And we weren't sure if he was real or not -- how could he be? After meeting him again, in a more level-headed frame of mind, I still wasn't sure if he was real or not. The mind reels when you think of how many people he must have influenced over the years in this town. I'm not sure if he realized how truly loved he was by so fucking many people. Damn. Tell your people you love them."

-Chris Bickel

"I don’t know why, but when I heard the news, the first thing that came to mind was that ridiculous tie you wore to our wedding. Then I started thinking about the effect your playing had on me during our wedding ceremony. I was so scared and stressed and confused and excited and happy and nervous. I remember you sneaking one of my melodies into one of the songs we asked you to play. And then you snuck in one of Erich’s melodies, and then one of David’s. Before I knew it I wasn't thinking about anything but the music you were playing. Maybe I should have been more aware of my emotions in light of the way I reacted when the music stopped and Jeanette walked in.
I don't think you ever wrote your music to get a response. It was just in you. And it just came out. And responses were inevitable because you were so so so very talented and earnest and alive. You taught me a lot.
I complained to one of our friends last night. I was mad that everyone was sharing their favorite Adam pictures and stories. Then I realized that I wasn't mad at them. I was mad at you! And then I laughed because I was always mad at you, but could never stay mad at you because you smiled even when I was angry. I love you and I'm sorry."

-Ben Walker

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"We lost a friend and a bandmate and the sweetest most gentle man I have ever had the privilege to be around. I hope all the people he touched in our town can draw peace and strength from his music that abounds and how he led his life ,always patiently giving and always listening intently, to every word you said or every note you played, smiling all the way. Innocent- pure-childlike- sad- beautiful, he was the best of all of us."

-Tom Hall

"I can distinctively remember the first time we met, Sarah and I had just moved to Columbia and we were exploring our new church. You walked right up with that infectious goofy grin and introduced yourself. Then you asked me if I preferred to be called Jessica or Jessie. I was a shy 10 year old who couldn’t believe an older boy was talking to me , so I panicked and stuttered “um, I don’t know, both”.
You didn’t skip a beat, “ok, Both it is then!”
From that moment on I answered to the name “Both”, I honestly don’t think you ever called me by my real name after that day.
Thank you for being the closest thing to the big brother I never had growing up! You will be missed, but I know you are somewhere sitting at a piano, playing “Brick” and sounding exactly like Ben Folds."

-Jessie Rosebrock

"I’m not really sure what to say to those who knew Adam that you wouldn’t already know about Adam. We all experienced him the same. The unforgettable creative little light was within him- we all saw it and tried so hard to illuminate it brighter. The same big hugs, the same Counting Crows on CD listing party/craft time on the back porch at Shredquarters. It Was my home away from home where I could be me. So many times I’ll never forget. Thankful that he will live on through his incredible music but so, so very sad. I am so thankful that I got the opportunity to make music with him. I will miss him very much."

-Rachel Kate

"Hi Adam, when I got to the internet today, I expected it to be a little darker because of your passing. Instead, I found the bright light of friendship burning very hot with the love you gave to each person.

I remember one morning after I'd forgotten to go to sleep, you invited me in for a coffee and an egg. From the back porch, you showed me which plants were winning in the battle for your back yard. You told me you've been working on an egg experiment, and invited me to stay for a second, wilder egg.

It was a good egg. You're a good egg.

Thanks for doing the things you didn't have to do. It means more than you know."

-Shigerahu Kobayashi

"Not quite sure what to say Adam Cullum. It has been at least 15 years since we spent several nights a week playing open mic nights across Columbia. So many great memories and songs which led to the last time I remember seeing you before I moved to Charleston. It was a songwriter’s night at Delany’s that we were both playing and we chatted about a song lyric that you had written at least a decade before but you never finished the song. I asked you why you never finished it to which you remarked “you seemed to like it so much back then that I figured you would finish it. So how is it coming?” You were so talented, so selfless and so kind. Truly one of a kind.
This world was a better place for having you in it and is a little darker now that you are gone."

-Justin Register

"Many years ago, as a impressionable (very) young musician in Columbia, Adam had a huge impact on me. His love of music, songwriting, and collaborating with friends changed the way I thought about local musicians. He inspired me to create in a way few others have done. I’ve watched for years as he did this very same thing for many many others. I’ve listened to his songs, watched his bands, seen him care for others and observed him make Columbia’s music scene a better place.

I could go on... but for now, Goodbye Adam. Thank you for caring about a young, naive musician. There is a hole that wasn’t there a coupe days ago. Much love old friend. I’m so sorry."

-Kenny McWilliams

"I met Adam freshman year at Carolina in the Maxcy Residence Hall, now 18 years ago. We became quick compatriots through our musicianship and our love of Radiohead.
I was immediately struck by Adam’s quiet intensity. As others have mentioned, when he looked at you, he LOOKED at you. Working with him through Radiohead covers in the stairwell, I was immediately impressed by his command of not just the songs but how in touch he was with the musicality of them. This guy was on another level. I was just a crackerjack guitarist; this guy had music coming out of every pore. Frankly, his musical wizardry, easy confidence, and exceedingly calm demeanor made him a bit intimidating at the time. He listed off bands that I’d never heard of and I looked them all up eagerly.
When I played with Adam, I wanted to be a better musician than I was. I wanted to try to be on his level. That was his impact. I specifically recall singing harmonies with Adam on ‘Black Star’ in the stairwell and how easily he put his voice where it needed to be. I can't not think of that when I hear the third verse of that song.
I had the pleasure of playing some Radiohead covers with Adam for a talent show at Russell House that same year. I kind of just showed up and plugged in whereas Adam had a band, was switching between piano and guitar, and even knew a guy that played theremin. Of course he did. The guy was friggin’ magnetic.
In the coming years Adam continued to flourish as a songwriter. He became a Columbia Standard. I don’t know anyone in that beautiful town's magical tight-knit community of musicians and fans that doesn’t have something good to say about Adam and his music. May he rest in Peace."

-Jeff Crews

"One time me and Adam Cullum were at some show party and all night we kept saying weird shit to each other like ‘but the script was written before the script began’ and when someone spoke we’d look at each other ‘that was part of the script.’ And we’d giggle and it was like we were in our own world.
I didn’t hang out with Adam much but every time I did, it was like I was outside of time. He was such a unique, beautiful, thoughtful individual, so much himself which is such a complement, such a strength in a world that tries to make everyone the same. I really really really really loved his singing voice, you could hear all that uniqueness, beauty, thoughtfulness when he sang.

I love you Adam, whereever you are, I know it is your world."

-Justin Blackburn

"Adam Cullum: such a kind, gentle and loving soul, the very embodiment of compassion, intelligence, and wit.
And talent, of course.
Adam could effortlessly entertain a room, equally and intimidatingly adroit as he was on guitar, bass, keyboard — or in the absence of those on one beautiful and unforgettable occasion — a steering wheel, the dashboard, and his voice were the only tools he needed for a chill-inducing performance from the driver’s seat of his car.
Rest easy, buddy. You earned it. Our love goes with you forever."

-Michael Jones

"I wish everyone in the world could’ve spent an hour with Adam Cullum. That they could’ve known the joy of receiving a big, from-the-elbow wave or one of his back-breaking hugs. In a conversation, years ago, he told me he thought of his friends as arrows he kept in his quiver. He’s an arrow I’ll always keep in mine."

-Marti Hause Tordjman

"I just ran into you Friday at a dumb restaurant and we stood beside a gum ball machine and made small talk. As I was leaving you said, 'you taught me how to write songs, Erich and I thank you for that," but YOU TAUGHT ME how to write songs. You taught me how to love music. I don't know how he got it mixed up, but he always had a way to brighten up your day by saying something nice as you walked away with this big smile on his face. He was quirky and we didn't keep in touch enough. We were roommates when we were 20 and then again at 23 and fought about stupid stuff. I didn't know you were in pain and I'm sorry for that. I hope they have a nice piano wherever you are tonight, Adam Cullum @ Columbia, South Carolina

-Erich Skelton

"It was about this time yesterday when the crying finally slowed down. Up with my daughter, just she and I like always right now. Every time I stand at the coffee maker on the kitchen counter, with her voice behind me in her high chair eating Cheerios, the way the sun’s light is coming through the window as a white haze ... it will all just be that yesterday that won’t stop happening now. Every bit of the mundane window sill where the succulents you loved so much, some I bought my wife for her birthday, the stare of the groggy morning just warming up ... it will all keep happening to remind me of the moment I heard you’re gone. How it drowned my heart and overtook my whole self; that raw arresting sorrow whose maw wants to swallow me up. Crying so long until my eyes hurt all day. And still today. I shouted the oh Adam, the no we all did when I read the words ... I wanted reach and tell you I’m so sorry.
I wanted to be there and tell you that, as if somehow I could make it untrue and stop it.
I wish I’d been able to give that time I had before having family. The aimless endless hours of younger days. The way you still could and did give, for so many people always. Because I would have given it. I have heard and seen story upon story of those moments made infinite with you, from literally every single person I know. Stretching back what feels like centuries. How did you find all that time for so many?
I was late to the party of you. I just couldn’t bring myself to go last night. We toasted your name at the Whig last night, those who found our way there. It was a good clink.
I want you back in the band again. I want you to walk into practice Thursday and say “sup dorks” and give me one of those back straightening hugs. The kind that helped us stand a little taller in ourselves after. I want to go back and find a way to get you back in the music again, make the time that we couldn’t for all the reasons both in and and out of our control. You were a crucial part of helping me find my musical footing again. You encouraged me that I wasn’t crazy and made me feel like what I was doing meant something. I hate that I cropped you out of a picture for a show announcement the other day just because you weren’t playing with us regular these days and I didn’t want to confuse anyone. Those who wanted to see you playing always. I was so grateful and humbled that you wanted to participate so ardently in my foolish and overwrought endeavor of self expression. I asked you to play trombone, guitar, piano, tambourine, high hats, the drums ... anything to have you be there.
And I wish it didn’t have to fade to black like this.
I want to hear your voice sing harmony again with me, in that one precious moment in the set. I want to tell all the stories of you that I’ve got.
My heart is sore, my soul has a hangover, my whole body feels like whiplash.
I feel like I’m betraying his better longer friendships among so many of you to feel like I did and now still do. I didn’t expect to know him. And then I did. And it was good and warm and kind and loving and hopeful in others and mindful of hurt and yearning and inviting and whimsy and joy and reckless and brave ...
I’m stricken with the deep ache of this..
If all I had was me, what would I be? If all I had was me, could I believe anything? All our plans they fall in love. And I’m thinking if you Even when you’re gone.
If your love is all about you I’m ever gonna know I only feel it in the afterglow...
Your heart is living in my head.
I loved you Adam."

-Bobby Hatfield

"I first met Adam Cullum when, I guess, I was 20 and he was 19. I couldn’t mash down more than four chords on a guitar, but he played along through my screw ups and we yelled Counting Crows songs through the windows of DeSassure 301. We woke up the ghosts of that building that Sherman didn’t burn because it was a hospital during the Civil War.
Adam taught me Nashville Numbers and talked to me about music and writing like I was his equal. Truth was, Adam was always a few planes above me. That’s how I always felt, anyway.
When I was in law school and hated myself, hated where I was, and hated where I was going, I’d see Adam in the bagel shop at Cornell Arms, usually doing prep work at the far end of the counter. He’d often show one of those wild-man grins of his and invariably do or say something to make me feel better. That’s what he did for a lot of people. Adam picked people up.
All through my 20s, my circle of friends and I drove around a lot. I think that’s how we dealt with anxiety. I think that’s how we dealt with being overcome by dreams. We’d burn off to Charleston in the middle of the night just to listen to the ocean. We’d roll out to Dixiana or St. Matthews or someplace, looking for a all-night Gas Station that sold Blenheim. We’d maze around the University, through Shandon and Rosewood, way out to the Lake Murray Dam and back, looking for something we were never going to find.
I remember one of those drives with Adam, up to Johnson City to see a band he’d wanted to see. We set out after we got out of work for the night and got back just in time to go back to work in the morning. It snowed dishrags on the way home.
On the way back to Columbia, we sang Garth Brooks songs like “Cold Shoulder” and “Wolves” because they were songs about snow. We both loved the lyrics and the stories. Whoever wasn’t driving was playing the chords on a guitar, with the seat reclined and the neck turned weird so the driver wouldn’t get poked in the head. We recited our common liturgy about being in Tony Arata’s shoes at a place like the Bluebird, singing a song we’d written like “The Dance,” and having someone like Garth Brooks sitting back at the bar with an ear on it. Adam was a lot closer to those kind of dreams than I was, but he hashed them out with me like we were equals.
I remember seeing him play the Art Bar, sitting behind the kit, singing a song that he’d played for me in Joey Opermann’s apartment sometime before, while he was still writing it.
Funny that Adam’s not really known as a drummer, but my favorite memory of him, he’s on the throne, throwing the sticks around wild, as if he were up on some sacred mount, rolling rocks down, throwing down words, and shooting down fire in a manner so Sagittariesque. I wish I had a copy of that song, because I only remember the hook:
“You’ve got a lot to answer for. You’ve got a lot to answer for.”
I never did ask him who he was examining in that song. I didn’t know what to do, other than drive him around our familiar side of Columbia, on one night he had something really heavy on his heart and a country radio bleeder from our high school years—a goodbye song—stuck in his head. He sang that song word for word, with the car radio off and the whirring of the car engine muted, three or four times over. Slow and painful in a way that made me mad I couldn’t help him with whatever he was carrying.
I didn’t know how to respond on that drive to Johnson City when he talked about a moment in a song I didn’t know (Adam knew so many damn songs) and said “God. That part right there. I could just kill myself.” He repeated what he said two or three times.
It wasn’t cavalier. There was gravity in his voice. I never forgot that. Now, in a very selfish manner, I’m trying to figure out how I could have better responded. As if it was connected across all those years. As if I could have done anything at all, distance of time and space notwithstanding.
Adam and I were not the closest of friends. But he wove through certain stitches of my life in a way that made him a very significant presence across a significant part of the life I’ve lived so far.
The last time I saw him and spoke to him was at my wedding. But when I found out he died, he was sitting right next to me in that candlebox car cabin again, singing songs we loved and talking about people we loved.
Adam Cullum was a wild, wild wind of a man. He was a beautiful human being, and he was my dear friend.
There are people-for the most part in Columbia but thrown out across a whole continent- today who are crying because he’s gone. We are searching through picture piles and looking down fretboards; trying to write bridges to unfinished songs and looking for people to bear hug. Anything to try and break the impenetrable plane, to let Adam know that we loved him. We all lost big when he left.
Rest easy, bud."

-Travis Nagy

MUSIC LINKS

"Friends of Adam Cullum, in our grief and emotion following his tragic passing many tributes have been posted and recordings come from out of the blue. Our old bandmate, John Bolten recorded adam when he showed up needing a place to crash - please Listen to this unscripted version of Townes van Zandt "Pancho and Lefty-" straight off the cuff, one of the most copied songs but I never ever heard it this original and this heartfelt/- his music will always be with us -- its the only cover i can remember him recording and it captures everything about him.. All this music has to be preserved-
from John-
In 2007 I told Adam that if he wanted to crash at my place again, he needed to learn a Townes song... He showed up and pulled out this breathtaking version of Pancho and Lefty. No lyric sheet. nothing... what a loss. I loved that guy.

-Tom Hall

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SGBihSMO6PSTlkmDXWk-PoJb55ORui-y/view

https://magneticflowers.bandcamp.com/
https://fallingoffabuilding.bandcamp.com/music
https://cantkids.bandcamp.com/music
https://soundcloud.com/hopeclaytoncullum
https://www.dropbox.com/s/yydkmqh8toyas42/140826%20falling%20off%20a%20building%20%40%20cmh.mp3?dl=0http://myideaoffun.org/adamcullum/index.html
https://soundcloud.com/jeff-reddekopp/bb-1
https://scenesc.bandcamp.com/track/pop-music
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jvadaRs2Puon6nBhaUUQpu2TUCX43mrH/view
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y0EbH2aUps
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jvadaRs2Puon6nBhaUUQpu2TUCX43mrH/view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qCM-oNsN3ljk7lQ_LoiwO3nhRXHzw-OB/view

Photos: "Get Out of the Road" - Chapin Labor Day Parade

Tue, 04 Sep 2018 14:07:53 GMT

After the first few hundred yards of the annual Chapin Labor Day Parade, Rep. Joe Wilson found himself holding on to a .50 cal machine gun mounted on a vintage military jeep with an engine that refused to cooperate.

Insert metaphor here.

Members of his campaign team pushed the vehicle up the hill on Chapin Rd. as the congressman waved to the spectators until a reinforcement Jeep arrived with a tow. Along with other parade traffic, Wilson's adopted son, SC Attorney General, Alan Wilson, passed the disabled vehicle, making sure they didn't need any help.

Above: Sean Carrigan, Wilson's opponent in South Carolina's 2nd Congressional District.

Below: Democratic nominee for governor, James Smith, trades thumbs up with Rep. Joe Wilson, after a brief encounter with SC treasurer, Curtis Loftis, who joked with Smith about "getting out of the road."

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Photos: Prehistoric FT Best Of Party - SC State Museum

Thu, 23 Aug 2018 19:20:38 GMT

Last night I dressed up as jelly fish and went to a prehistoric themed party at the museum. Here are some photos.

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Photos: BrickUniverse wows Lego fans in Columbia

Sun, 12 Aug 2018 12:57:51 GMT

“I started putting some stands together with the north end zone seats and when I put in the walkway - you start to get a feel of how big things are gonna be - I had no idea it was going to get to the size it was," says Charleston’s David Robinson about the Lego replica of Williams Brice Stadium that he built with his son.

Their latest project, a replica of Founders Park, along with dozens of other stunning builds using the colorful blocks, are on display this weekend at the Columbia Metro Convention Center, during the Brick Universe Convention. The convention continues Sunday with two sessions, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

So what’s next for the Gamecock fans? Robinson says a plastic version of USC’s Horseshoe is the leading candidate.

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Soda Citizen: Sean Thomson loves satanic crabs

Tue, 07 Aug 2018 17:54:26 GMT

Sean Rayford: If you participated in organized crime, what would your role and nickname be?
Sean Thomson: Something boring, like accounting, even though I'm bad with numbers. I'd be the worst person for the job.

And your nickname?
"The Laundromat" I guess.

What do you think of seafood?
I like it. I love deviled crabs.

What are deviled crabs?
It's like a crab cake stuffed in the shell of a crab and fried. It's very much just a harder way to eat crab cakes but it makes it worth it. When you see a bunch of shells lined up, you feel like you've accomplished something.

Tell me about a bad movie that you've seen recently.
Actually, Shana and I have started trying to watch a whole series of bad movies. So we went through all the Police Academies. Every single one. And that last one where they go to Moscow... it's... I need to re-watch it because I was having a few drinks at the time. Just to make sure it really was that bad. But it was so awful. We also watched all the Ernest movies. Which the first few are good, but then it just kinda gets worse. Like "Ernest Goes to Africa" is a rough one.

Do you do Kung Fu?
I would like to one day I guess.

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What's your opinion on South of the Border?
I thought it was this big thing growing up but I'm kinda disappointed.

So, one time in eighth grade I had a substitute math teacher who pronounced our name, "Semen," during roll call. Have people ever royally fucked up your name?
I always get the "Scene." Also, my last name is weird and people will write it "Thompson," with a "P," even if they look at it in an email they just assume I forgot to put the "P" in there.

What's your favorite instrument to play right now?
I always love playing bass because that's what I started with. But it depends on what I haven't been playing. Like if I haven't played guitar in a while, I love playing guitar.

Have you ever toilet papered someone's house?
I have not. I was too wimpy of a kid. Too afraid I'd get caught.

You went to Myrtle Beach recently, tell me about something that you did there.
We went to the Ripley's Aquarium place and had a bunch of tequila beforehand and it was fun. We figured out if you go to Sonic and get frozen limeade they are really good with tequila in it. There is a Sonic in West Columbia across from the Bi-Lo and there is a liquor store next to it, so it's almost like they know. Location is everything.

What occupation would you be interested in doing one hundred and fifty years ago?
I think I'd like to deliver ice. I just think that would be a cool job. I like cold things. I could just hang around ice all day. I usually sweat like a fat old whore.

Do you think those guys were paid decently?
I wonder if hey got free ice too?

Can you smell asparagus pee?
Yea. It's bad when it's your own but it's even worse when it's somebody else's. You go to the bathroom and you're like "aaaaagggghhhhh - NO - why?"

How would you describe a palmetto bug to someone who has never encountered one?
Imagine, a compressed Satan. But that's if you don't have shoes on. If you have shoes on it's just a little bug. If I don't have shoes on, I'll jump up in a man's arms in skinny minute.

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Soda Citizen: Josh Latham is Moist

Sat, 21 Jul 2018 00:30:36 GMT

Sean: Do you talk to animals?

Josh: Yes. It's not really a full on conversation. It's more or less derivations of my dogs' names into songs.

Do you sing at them?

Not really sing. It's just more like murmur. I murmur songs about my dogs: Dennis and Colt.

What is your official job title?

Geo technical engineer. Which is kind of like a civil engineering but mainly soil.

How many bands have you played drums in?

Real bands, probably like six. This is not counting all the random attempts to get up and practice, and then it fizzles.

How many times has that happened?

A lot. I think a lot of people can say the same.

More than the number of real bands?

Yes, absolutely.

If you were a football team, what would your mascot be?

Moist. We would be moist.

Would you be the moisties?

I don't know. It would just be a moist dude. Some guy that is awkwardly sweating.

If you could curse people, what would your curse involve?

Sharting.

Did you have an imaginary friend? Or do you have one now?

I'm going to decline to answer.

Do you subscribe tho the five second rule.

Yes, maybe more.

Favorite smell?

Mint.

Does that mean you like mint chocolate chip?

Yep, that's actually my favorite ice cream.

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If you could have access to some science fiction technology, what would you like to get your hands on?

A Time Machine.

If you were a farmer what would you grow or raise?

Sheep would be pretty cool.

Pet peeves?

People who say, "guy." Like 'hey guy' or "what's up guy?'"That and smacking when you're eating. Any mouth noise while you are eating. That's the official answer, mouth noises while eating.

What were the first words that the aliens said to you when you were taken?

Oh shit. Waddup!

If you passed away and returned to earth as a bird, what type of bird would you like be?

A pelican.

What attracts you to the pelican way of life?

That's honestly just the first bird that I thought of.

Interview edited for brevity, clarity, and your entertainmnet with 2016 photo by Sean Rayford

Soda Citizen: Josh Bumgarner vs. the Giant Duck

Photos: Brookland Beach Bash - West Columbia, SC

Sun, 08 Jul 2018 16:46:55 GMT

Like a dog wiping it’s ass across the carpet, the back end of a tandem kayak slowly took on water Saturday afternoon when a young couple launched from the shore of the Congaree River during the inaugural Brookland Beach Bash in West Columbia, SC. “That pretty much sums up our relationship,” said the young woman in the front, laughing uncontrollably, as they struggled to return the defective vessel to the shore.

The Bash, organized by Soda City and Palmetto Outdoor Center the event featured free kayaking and tubing, live music, food trucks, beer, guided walks, badminton, volleyball, a showing of The Sandlot… and a wedding at Stone River.

Learn about photojournalism and documentary photography

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Photos: Hasher battles Congaree River to fetch beer for friend

Mon, 02 Jul 2018 18:51:29 GMT

“Shit happens mate,” explained Dan Cooper when asked about the last stretch of his journey yesterday on the rivers in Columbia, SC. As part of a Hash House Harriers flotilla, one of Cooper’s friends found himself with an empty beer as they approached the Gervais St. bridge. Sandwiched between a flattop and a string of tubes, Cooper was thrust in an epic struggle through the small rapids.

"I was coming on down the river with all my mates. And a friend of mine, he needed a beer. And so I had to go back and get a beer for him off the other float. So I jumped off and I was trying to get a beer and then we hit some rocks and I got a few scratches on my back.”

As described by Cooper, the Hashers are “a drinking club with a running problem. We drink some beers and we run quite a bit of distance. Sometimes we float."

Photos by Sean Rayford

If you are interested in having fun on river, check out Saturday's Brookland Beach Bash.

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About the author: Sean Rayford is a South Carolina photographer, working mainly in journalism for the last twenty five years. He is a 2001 graduate of the University of South Carolina

"DTF: Down To break kids out of detainment Facilities"

Sun, 01 Jul 2018 15:36:26 GMT

In unison with nationwide “Families Belong Together” marches and rallies, planned in over 600 cities, several hundred demonstrators gathered in front of the South Carolina Statehouse on Saturday to voice concerns about current U.S. immigration policy.

"I'm out here to protest the separation of families based on the zero tolerance policy,” explained Gabbi Westbrook (below), “I don't believe that it's okay to separate families and deport humans. I don't think that humans are illegal and I think that people should be allowed to come here for refuge.”

Photos by Sean Rayford

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Photos: Summer grilling with Kristian Niemi

Fri, 08 Jun 2018 21:48:58 GMT

“We are here to grill steaks today,” explained local restaurateur Kristian Niemi last night at City Roots Farm, “The reason we are having this class and the reason I started teaching this class: I’ve gone over to too many people's houses and had shitty steaks.”

Niemi, known previously for his roles at Mr. Friendly’s and Rosso Trattoria, currently with Bourbon and the Great American Whiskey Fair and in the future with Black Rooster, a “Frenchish” West Columbia restaurant with a rooftop bar overlooking the river and city, continued, “I had to stand there quietly, 'you know, hey, they invited me over, I think I should keep my mouth shut and watch them kill their steaks.”

Along with other culinary experts, Niemi offers a series of summer grilling classes, including chicken, vegetables, fish and seafood. Chicken is on deck next on July 19. Here is the complete class schedule.

For those interested in meat and fire, City Roots will be hosting Bonivoche on Saturday. Niemi is a fan. “Bovinoche is the most exciting outdoor cooking event in the state. It’s similar to the asados of Brazil and Argentina, with whole animals cooked over open fires. In addition to being a feast, it’s a visual feast. It’s also a blast to work with Jeff “Rhino” Bannister and the gaggle of local chefs who join in."

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Photos: Sanitized in Myrtle Beach

Mon, 28 May 2018 21:28:44 GMT

Standing on a corner of N. Ocean Blvd. in Myrtle Beach on Friday afternoon of Black Bike Week I wondered where all the motorcycles were. Car after car, after car, crept by like molasses through the miles of the barricaded beach road, part of the city mandated 23 mile long nighttime traffic loop. I thought of it as the "Loop of Death."

“This is ass,” a local told me later in the night, referring to the NAACP challenged traffic patterns and it’s effects on the crowds and atmosphere. He got stuck in the loop for hours last year on his way home from work. And that the cars in front of us have another three hours before they get out.

Breaking my train of thought, wondering where all the bikes were, another car drives by, this one with tags from Tennessee. “Hey! you wanna free piece of chocolate?” a young woman shouts at me from the driver’s seat, gesturing to a friend next to her, “She’s double stuffed!” Eventually she flashes me.

Despite the brief moment of excitement, to address my upcoming assignments I abandoned Myrtle Beach on Saturday and Sunday for Atlantic Beach, about 15 miles north, where everyone went to escape barricades and traffic loops, and where the event first began in 1980. You can see photos from Sunday here: Motorcycle Enthusiasts Attend Black Bike Week In Myrtle Beach. My assignment for The Sun (UK), shot on Saturday, the most lively night was published here: Black Bike Week sees thousands gather to party at annual motorcycle rally in South Carolina

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Photos: Black Bike Week Warms up for Weekend in Myrtle Beach, SC

Fri, 25 May 2018 15:59:58 GMT

I've got Saturday and Sunday assignments photographing Memorial Day weekend in Myrtle Beach, SC - so I decided to get an early start yesterday for some reconnaissance. Today, thousands of bikers and revelers will converge on the beach town for the annual event and I've got the whole day and night to shoot for myself. Come back here tomorrow for that story.

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Photos: Kinetic Derby Day - West Columbia, SC

Sun, 22 Apr 2018 15:22:31 GMT

"Earlier today, we had kind of a breakdown just off the start line with the "Savage Lung." We learned that Kent Sutcliffe is going to be absolutely just fine," says an announcer at the first Kinetic Derby Day in West Columbia Saturday afternoon on Meeting St., “It's the only spectacular wreck we had a little bit earlier today.” It happened when Sutcliffe ate some asphalt on a face plant in front of the Brookland United Methodist Church just after his pushers were letting go at the starting chicken.

“Fantastic. Awesome,” says thirteen year-old Keewan Lopez (above) from Branchville, SC, “celebrating Kinetic energy by pushing these derby cars down the hill and to see which one is going to be faster than others. Mostly, the ones that are like low rider and wheels spread out. The missile ones.”

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SEE VIDEO OF CRASH

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About Last Night: Flogging Molly at Music Farm

Fri, 02 Mar 2018 16:49:56 GMT

Getting an early start on St. Patrick's Day celebrations, Celtic punk rockers Flogging Molly kicked off their "Life is Good" 2018 spring tour last night at the Music Farm in Columbia, SC. The 18 day stint will take the Los Angeles band to stops in Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Nevada, Oklahoma, California and Oregon, promoting their sixth and latest full length during their 20+ year career.

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About the author: Sean Rayford is a South Carolina photojournalist and 2001 graduate of the University of South Carolina.

Photos: Moms demand closing the loop

Wed, 28 Feb 2018 15:54:57 GMT

After morning meetings with state lawmakers concerning gun legislation for the upcoming session, representatives from Moms Demand Action gathered yesterday on the statehouse steps with community leaders and elected officials in support of SC Senate Bill 516. Aimed at closing "The Charleston Loophole," the bill was introduced last March and created in response to the 2015 massacre at Mother Emanuel AME church in Charleston, SC.

A highlight of the event included Rev. Thomas Dixon leading the crowd in a chant shouting "WE CALL B.S.!"

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More Info:

SC students call for gun reforms after Florida

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/politics-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article202364084.html#storylink=c

Photos: Spirit of America Rally! Fake News?

Photos: Junior Astronomers at New Brookland Tavern

Sun, 25 Feb 2018 23:14:15 GMT

Junior Astronomers at New Brookland Tavern in West Columbia, SC. 2/23/18

Learn about photojournalism and documentary photography blog-angry-whale-sc-nov2017sid nancy

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Onesie bar crawl stumbles through the Vista

Sun, 25 Feb 2018 17:32:44 GMT

As three elderly women waited the in the lobby of Carolina Ale House last night, the front door swung open and a boisterous group of onesie-wearing twenty-somethings paraded past them. Confusion washed over their faces as one woman looked up at me perplexed, "They're wearing costumes?"

And basically, yes. Organized by Bar Crawl USA, the event led participants on a trek to five bars in the Vista with exclusive drink and food specials, and most importantly, an excuse to party in public, wearing something ridiculous.

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Two a.m. mandatory bar closing hearing stretches into afternoon

Tue, 20 Feb 2018 20:44:29 GMT

Some residents near Five Points say that drunk college students have urinated in their gardens, passed out naked on their front porch and been beaten with brass knuckles - and they feel a mandatory bar closing at two a.m. is the solution. Other residents, business owners and service industry workers disagree on that solution.

At one moment during today's public safety committee hearing about the mandatory bar closing, lasting three and a half hours, someone brought up that we can't stop young people from eating Tide Pods, and at another, car windshield penis dust artists entered the conversation. Five Points neighborhood resident David Axe suggested that if folks are concerned about sexual assault, they shouldn't be looking at a mandatory bar closing time, but rather, looking at wealthy white men. The committee, comprised of Daniel Rickemann, Ed McDowell and Sam Davis, will make a recommendation to the full City Council for a future vote.

Pictured above: Third shift worker Sean McManus shows the committee members photos from a recent night at Bar None in Five Points. He is not in favor of a 2 a.m. mandatory bar closing. Below: Bar None owner Marty Dreesen speaks with the committee members about how he started the business aimed specifically at service industry workers.

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More info from the Free Times:

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More photo South Carolina photo stories available at SodaCitizen.com

About Last Night: Confederate Fagg at Art Bar

Tue, 20 Feb 2018 01:31:49 GMT

Celebrating his retirement from the U.S Army, Confederate Fagg drummer, Packer, and bandmates Teabag Balzac, Spanky Swatnasty, and Lady Miss Mango Chutney united last night for a performance at the Art Bar in Columbia, SC. It was the second night in a row I was at a show with a barbeque spread. Thank you Joe.

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About Last Night: Bask, Abacus, Vacation State, Galaxy Chief

Sun, 18 Feb 2018 16:26:12 GMT

"Sean, can you do me a favor?" asked my friend Ryan, a former co-worker at New Brookland Tavern. "Sure," I responded. I waited in anticipation of my task as he reached over the bar and handed me an empty plastic cup. "Can you put some barbeque in this?"

I filled the cup halfway with delicious pork, as he signaled and explained, "I've already had a sandwich."

How to become a photojournalist?

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Photos: Mardi Gras Festival Columbia, SC

Sun, 11 Feb 2018 15:49:29 GMT

A show at the Elbow Room was my alibi on two occasions in 1998. The first instance occurred when my neighbors in Preston dormitory saved up their pee for a week, storing it in to-go cups from the Grand Marketplace. One of the perps was an individual from abroad who had already served in the military and they built a contraption that allowed the conspirators to hang the pee cups on their neighbor’s door, and when someone opened the door from the inside, the cups would tip over and send the payload into the dorm room. One of them knocked on the door and snuck out their window across the hall. I happened to have walked in the door right after this. I had nothing to do with that and have not seen that culprit in more than 15 years.

The other time that the Elbow Room became my alibi that year was when one of my suite mates discarded computer components out the third floor study room window, as an "art installment" that included the results of baby powder a giant stencil that read “FUCK,” used repeatedly the length of the hallway. It was finals week. I had nothing to do with that either, but yesterday I ran into the culprit for the first time in many years, while he and his wife navigated a stroller with a hellion through a mud pit at City Roots. They’ve recently moved to Columbia after time in the Low Country.

“I’m teaching him to be a terrorist too,” said the stencil man before we returned to our vehicles.

Photos and words by Sean Rayford

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Mardi Gras in the Soda City - 2013

Mardi Gras Kills Camera - 2015

Photos: Mardi Gras Parade Columbia, SC - 2018

Sat, 10 Feb 2018 20:32:27 GMT

Like Bourbon St. on steroids, revelers flocked to the Rosewood neighborhood this morning for the annual Mardi Gras parade in Columbia, SC. Queen Kassy Alia and King Bentz Kirby were honored in the procession, led by Tom Hall, who throttled a whistle and banged on a tractor pulling a boat. Bakari Sellers served as grand marshal.

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Photos: Mardi Gras Fest - 2018

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Photos: Accident scene of fatal Amtrak crash in Cayce, SC

Sun, 04 Feb 2018 18:35:16 GMT

This morning in Cayce, SC, not too far from the state farmers market on Charleston Highway, an Amtrak passenger train crashed into a freight train, leaving at least two dead and more than one hundred injured. Train engineer Michael Kempf, 54, from Savannah, Ga., and conductor Michael Cella, 36, Orange Park, Fla, both employees of Amtrak, were killed in the accident. Gov. Henry McMaster and state officials said that the Amtrak was on the wrong track, possibly the result of a switching mishap.

Guide: Fall Foliage in the North Carolina Mountains

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What is photojournalism?

Want to level up your own photography? Sean offers one-on-one photography coaching and photo workshops.

Pass the #DreamActNow Rally at SC Statehouse

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 00:03:35 GMT

As the sun went down yesterday in Columbia, SC about 75 people gathered at the South Carolina Statehouse to rally in support of the Dream Act, seeking legal protections for 800,000 young undocumented Americans who received protection under the DACA program.

Soda Citizen: Alex Strickland of Abacus/Bathe

Wed, 31 Jan 2018 17:12:30 GMT

Sean: Do you believe in aliens?
Alex: No. I want to, but I just don't.

Do you believe that they don't exist or just haven't visited us?
If there is alien life, it's going to be super insignificant. It'll be like, "we found some cell," you know what I mean? We expect green googly eyes... but...

...You don't expect it to be advanced?
I don't know man. I'm scared of space. Space is fucking frightening to me. Space and the bottom of the ocean, it's essentially the same thing to me except one is way closer. I feel like once we go down there, or up there, and explore all we can explore, we're going to find something we're not going to like. Like Space AIDS.

More humans.
Exactly, it's just a whole planet of people from Jersey.

Of the things we already know about in the ocean, what would you least want to encounter?
Giant squid, fucking terrifying.

If you could bring back one extinct animal, which one would it be?
I would love to live in a world where raptors exist. It sounds terrifying and I bet it would be.

But you wouldn't be at the bottom of the ocean.
Space raptors...?

I want raptors to be a thing. I feel like there would be stupid people that would go wander into the fields like in Jurassic Park. And in a bunch of tall grass the raptors are going to be hanging out and it's just to be advanced Darwinism. They'll take out all the stupid people.

How would you protect yourself from the raptors?
I would like to think I’d never go where they’d go and avoid tall grass and wherever they might congregate, but if I happened upon one all of sudden, I would try and kick it in the knee cap and run like hell. Or learn gymnastics. See Jurassic Park 2: Lost World.

If you could live in one movie, what movie would it be?
My initial instinct is 'Apocalypse Now' because it's my favorite movie. But, I also don't really feel like I'd really cut it in Vietnam. I don't know, that Camdodian village with the colonel's weird cult worshiping him. And there's heads everywhere. That would be dope. Colonel Kurtz' weird, in the middle of nowhere Vietnam, fucking cult village. I would like to live there.

Alex Strickland performs vocals in Columbia's Abacus and Bathe, books metal shows and and is the new head chef at Hunter Gatherer on Main. Abacus plays a free show with Bask, Vacation State and Galaxy Chief on Feb. 17 at New Brookland Tavern in West Columbia.

Soda Citizen: Krajewski Defects to Union Side

Photos: Charleston, SC Women's March - 2018

Sun, 21 Jan 2018 15:17:27 GMT

MISGIVINGS OF A PHOTOGRAPHER: I had planned to photograph the Women's March anniversary event yesterday in Charlotte but it started at 10 a.m., in comparison to Charleston's sister event, which didn't kick off til noon, when it would be twenty degrees warmer. I fouled up and went to Charleston instead. No offense to anyone, my analysis is strictly based on picture making. I should have gotten up earlier to take advantage of a walking march traveling through morning light, bouncing off of city buildings in the downtown streets, instead of a stationary rally in a large flat open field at noon. Luckily, there was a sweet dance party, I brought my step stool and camera technology in 2018 is amazing.

Photos and words by Sean Rayford

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Counter Protestors

Photos: King Day at the Dome - Columbia, SC

Mon, 15 Jan 2018 19:36:47 GMT

The South Carolina NAACP hosted the annual King Day at the Dome this morning in Columbia, SC. Following the statewide prayer service at Zion Baptist Church on Washington St., the march traveled down Main St. where about 750 people rallied at the South Carolina Statehouse.

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If you’re looking for photo workshops in South Carolina or Florida, I offer hands-on, personalized photo workshops built around your goals. It starts with a short conversation so I can design the training with you.

Photos: New Year's Eve at New Brookland

Mon, 01 Jan 2018 21:56:28 GMT

Over the last decade, the annual New Year's Eve Covers Show at New Brookland Tavern in West Columbia has grown to be one of the capital city's finest cultural traditions, featuring members of the local scene playing make believe for one night while ringing in the new year.. Last night's installment included: Invoking The Abstract as Minus The Bear, the super-group, Damn The Taquitos as Tom Petty, Dead Swells As MGMT, and Daddy Lion as Modest Mouse.

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Photos: Soda Citizens Celebrate Famously Hot New Year (2016)

Gamecock fan booed out of NYE street dance off in Orlando

Photos: Charlotte Groups Rally Against White Supremacy

Fri, 29 Dec 2017 17:44:07 GMT

White supremacists had planned to hold a rally and torch march last night at Marshall Park in Charlotte, N.C. — but instead of tiki torches parading through Uptown Queen City, a diverse array of groups, including Indivisible Charlotte, city council members, a congressional candidate, and local Antifascists rallied in opposition to white supremacy.

During an open mic style forum on Thursday night, Charlotte City Councilwoman Lawana Mayfield defended local law enforcement while the antifascist group responded with chants, “FUCK THE POLICE!!! FUCK THE POLICE!!!” When she urged members of the group to use their votes to battle injustice, a young man dressed in black with a red scarf and equipped with a bullhorn countered, “You can’t vote white supremacy away. It must be destroyed!!!”

During the fall, the Charlotte Observer reported that the white supremacist group, known as Anticom, encouraged its members through social media channels to take their “torches, guns, armor, gear and flags” to Charlotte. Anticom reconsidered on September 28 and cancelled their event, citing safety concerns.

Rally goers on Thursday night suspected the group would assemble for a surprise march.

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Photos: Protests against Richard Spencer - Gainesville, FL

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Photo of the Night - Mikey Collins

Sun, 24 Dec 2017 02:02:29 GMT

Photo of the Night - December 22, 2017

Mikey Collins, performing with Kid Trails and Hunter Park, pays tribute to Tom Petty last night at the New Brookland Tavern in West Columbia, SC.

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Photo of the Night - Josh Roberts

Sat, 23 Dec 2017 00:21:40 GMT

Photo of the Night - December 21, 2017

Formed in 2005, Charleston's Josh Roberts and the Hinges, played at the New Brookland Tavern last night in West Columbia, SC. Kid Trails headlines tonight at the club.

Learn about photojournalism and documentary photography

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Photos: Birmingham's push for Doug Jones

Sat, 16 Dec 2017 16:55:37 GMT

The Gadsden Mall security had Lee Bains III and the Glory Fires surrounded. Their orange lights bounced off the water of the nearby wildlife park and the exterior walls of the shopping complex.

With a PA in the bed of a Toyota Tacoma, decorated with posters for U.S. Senate candidate Doug Jones, Birmingham’s southern punk rockers were halted somewhere between the food court and Sears, where two former female employees described unwanted advances by Jones’ opponent Roy Moore in the fall of 1977. Getting kicked off of mall property seemed fitting.

Without resistance and with hours until polls opened, the band shut down their show and ended their day long tour campaigning for what would be the first Alabama democrat elected to the senate in 25 years.

In anticipation of working on a Portrait of AIabama Voters, I arrived a few days early in Birmingham a week ago today to take in the atmosphere. And for me, that involves being a photojournalist - without any assignments or deadlines. Here’s a look at Birmingham during the days leading up to last week’s election

IMG_2423.TRIM IMG_2423.TRIM

Portrait: These Alabama voters elected Democrat Doug Jones to the U.S. Senate

Wed, 13 Dec 2017 20:31:05 GMT

Quenetta Gunn, a 33 year-old African American mother of two, was in high school when Doug Jones successfully prosecuted members of the Ku Klux Klan who bombed the 16th Street Baptist Church in 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama. It had been nearly 40 years since a group of white supremacists detonated dynamite sticks at the church, killing four young black girls, injuring 22, and described by Martin Luther King Jr., as "one of the most vicious and tragic crimes ever perpetrated against humanity.” For four decades, two of the four klansmen had escaped justice.

PHOTOS AND WORDS BY SEAN RAYFORD

BARRY BELL - GADSDEN, AL

So when it came time to vote for a new U.S. Senator yesterday, Quenetta Gunn remembered that Jones had led that charge for justice. Gunn wasn’t caught up in the hoopla surrounding Jones’ opponent, Ray Moore, who had been accused by multiple women of sexual predation. “I don’t know of everything that they say to be true,” she said after casting a vote as her boys played on the playground at Avondale Park in the Southside neighborhood of Birmingham, “I was leaning more towards him anyway.”

In September at a campaign rally in Florence, AL, when Jones’ opponent was asked about when America was last great, Moore explained, “I think it was great at the time when families were united — even though we had slavery. They cared for one another. People were strong in the families. Our families were strong. Our country had a direction.”

DAVEY WILLIAMS - BIRMINGHAM, AL

Yesterday, for the first time in 25 years, the people of Alabama elected a democrat to represent them in the U.S. Senate. Leading that charge, 96 percent of African American voters cast ballots for Jones.

“Given that this state is red completely but it's not far fetched for a democrat to have some say in the southern states as well. I think it will be the dawn of a new era. It's like the tides are turning again,” said Gunn, hours before polls closed on Tuesday.

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ROBERT CARROLL - BIRMINGHAM, AL

JORDAN LAWRENCE - BIRMINGHAM, AL

MICHAEL HAGGARD JONES - ATTALA, AL

THOMAS WILBANKS - BIRMINGHAM, AL

NEKO LINDA WILLIAMS - BIRMINGHAM, AL

KAI FORTUNE - BIRMINGHAM, AL

LAUREN CRANDALL - BIRMINGHAM, AL

ANDRE AMISON - BIRMINGHAM, AL

(Andre did not disclose who he voted for)

Photos: '68, Whores at New Brookland Tavern

Fri, 08 Dec 2017 01:59:57 GMT

'68, Whores, Alistair Hennessey (not pictured) performed at New Brookland Tavern last night in West Columbia, SC.

The tour continues:

DEC 08 - Philadelphia, PA
DEC 09 - Amityville, NY
DEC 10 - Cambridge, MA
DEC 12 - Canton, OH
DEC 13 - Indianapolis, IN
DEC 14 - Springfield, MO
DEC 15 - Memphis, TN
DEC 16 - New Orleans, LA
DEC 17 - Atlanta, GA

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13 Practical and Affordable Holiday Gifts for Photographers [$10-$250]

Thu, 23 Nov 2017 19:56:01 GMT

One of the best things about photography - and most creative endeavors - is the unending process of learning. In celebration of such, here’s my list of practical gifts for photographers exploring the craft. No lens shaped coffee mugs or ties with cameras on them here. And the only gimmick is one that I'm selling. This list is aimed at beginner or novice photographers and outside of the book recommendations and the Canon version of the f1.8, I have used all of the items listed. Happy Holidays.

1. Micro fiber cloths: $13.99 - This is an item that I am regularly purchasing. If a photographer already has some, they’ll want more down the road. Perfect stocking stuffer.

2. Light reflector: $20-$40 - If the photographer has an interest in portraiture, this is a must. If they don’t, they might after learning how to use one. It will also give them a basic skill set for being an assistant to a working photographer. The bigger ones are much easier to learn how to use.

3. 50mm f1.8 lens: $125-$175 - It’s a great lens to learn about composition and depth of field, and it’s one of the least expensive styles of lenses for any SLR. You’ll need to know the camera model, but just ask your salesperson. You’ll want to get them an autofocus model. Great portrait lens.

Nikon 50mm Canon 50mm

4. Field Notes Notebooks and accessories: $10-$90 - These are good gifts for any type of creative. Encourage the brainstorms.

5. Rode shotgun microphone: $260 - Most cameras these days are also brilliant video cameras. If your loved one has an interest in video THEY NEED a decent microphone. Rode is the leader in that department and this is probably their most relied upon model.

6. Extra camera battery: $35-$50 - Once again, you’ll have to do a little research to find the camera model but any salesperson will be happy to help. DO NOT buy off-brand camera batteries. If it’s a Nikon Camera, get em a Nikon made battery.

7. External hard drive $75-125 - If they are making photos with today’s technology, they’ll need space to save em. I use Western Digital My Passport Portable Hard Drive for my general use. All sizes for different budgets.

8. Private lessons with a professional photographer: $150+ - This holiday season I am making available a limited number of private lessons redeemable through the end of 2018. I’ve been working with fourth graders this fall semester and can help any age or skill level. For every hour of private lesson someone gifts this holiday, I’ll donate an hour of my time to a local school. DETAILS ON PRICING - Photo Tutor: Columbia, SC

9. Gift certificate to Borrow Lenses: $10+ - Borrow lenses is a gear rental service that lets you rent equipment out. Great for trying things out before purchases or special trips and projects.

10. Everybody Street: $5 - This is a brilliant documentary about some of the best street photographers in the grandest city in the world, New York City. (Some adult content)

11. The Americans by Robert Frank $33 - (book) “The book that changed photography.” -NPR

12. Sleeping by the Mississippi by Alec Soth $50 - (book) “Sleeping by the Mississippi has been ranked with the great representations of the United States, including Walker Evans’ pictures of the depression, Robert Frank’s harsh vision of the 1950s and, more recently, the colour work of Soth’s former teacher, Joel Sternfeld.” -British Journal of Photography

13. Vivian Maier: Street Photographer: $28 - (book) "An unassuming Chicago baby sitter named Vivian Maier was one of the pioneers of street photography. But for 60 years, nobody knew it." -The New York Times Style Magazine

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Photos: Susto at The Music Farm Columbia - South Carolina

Mon, 20 Nov 2017 18:46:54 GMT

Charleston's Susto performed at the Music Farm Columbia and will be heading back out on the road during the month of December as follows. Photos by Sean Rayford.

Nov 30 - New Orleans, LA
Dec 1 - Houston, TX
Dec 2 - Austin, TX
Dec 3 - Dallas, TX
Dec 5 - Phoenix, AZ
Dec 7 - San Diego, CA
Dec 8 - West Hollywood, CA
Dec 9 - The Catalyst Atrium
Dec 10 - San Francisco, CA
Dec 12 - Portland, OR
Dec 13 - Seattle, WA
Dec 14 - Boise, ID
Dec 15 - Salt Lake City, UT
Dec 16 - Denver, CO
Dec 17 - Denver, CO
Dec 20 - Daphne, AL
Dec 21 - Mobile, AL
Dec 22 - Atlanta, GA
Dec 31 - Todos Santos, Mexico
Apr 21 - Charleston, SC

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That time I threw 50 cheddar cheese cubes into the crowd

Photos: First Week at Catitude Cat Cafe

Fri, 17 Nov 2017 04:05:23 GMT

PHOTOS AND WORDS BY SEAN RAYFORD

University of South Carolina grad Andres Ortega had a nice job in corporate America. That is, until he and his girlfriend Maria Garcia took a trip in the drive-thru of the Sonic on Assembly St.

“When we were ordering we saw homeless kitties there. It was on of those cold, wet, rainy days in Columbia and we felt heartbroken that there was very little that we could do.” says Ortega.

The next day he drove into his work headquarters, turned in his ID card and his keys to the company car and told his employer that he was opening a cat cafe. “They had a look of shock on their face. I kinda just ran out the door, hopped in the car and left.”

Last Friday morning when Ortega pulled out his keys to unlock the front door of Catitude Cat Cafe there were about twenty folks waiting for the business to open for the first time. He fumbled them and knelt down in front of Garcia on the West Columbia sidewalk and proposed. She said yes and they had about 45 seconds before getting down to business.

“We have definitely tied our entire lives into this business so I feel it was a great way to show our customers our lives and to welcome them.” says Garcia who is also a current student at USC.

The cafe, located in the former spot of Cafe Strudel next to New Brookland, gives folks an opportunity grab some coffee and decompress with more than a dozen cats in the second story of the building. Most of the cats are available for adoption and there is an hourly fee for the kitty floor.

WHY OPEN A CAT CAFE IN WEST COLUMBIA?
“I graduated from USC and got my big boy job in corporate America and I was flying around everywhere. And it was a nice job because the company paid for all my expenses: my meals, flights, hotels, cars, etc, but the only thing I didn't have was when I was there, was [Maria]. I missed her and I missed our cat,” says Ortega, “So what I would do, was pop into cat cafes in the larger cities that I'd be traveling to for business and when I was there I would hang out there and it would make me feel better. About missing her, about missing our cat. And on the weekends I'd come back here and I saw we didn’t have one.”

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Photos: Shamelessly Hot: Burlesque on State Street

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David Bazan at New Brookland

Fri, 17 Nov 2017 01:28:04 GMT

David Bazan performed last night at New Brookland Tavern in West Columbia. Upcoming shows below:

Nov 16 : The Earl – Atlanta GA
Nov 18 : Club Cafe – Pittsburgh PA
Nov 19 : Rumba Cafe – Columbus OH

Nov 29 : Bijou Theatre – Knoxville TN
Nov 30 : Marathon Music Works – Nashville TN
Dec 01 : 1884 Lounge – Memphis TN

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Photos: Revolutionary War Field Days - Camden, SC

Sun, 05 Nov 2017 17:38:04 GMT

“In colonial America, all able bodied men from teenagers to sixty year-olds served in the militia, a local force that turned out for military service in times of emergency. Official training sessions, or musters, were held once or twice per year in peacetime. Training was often a social occasion with the men dispersing to taverns after a brief drill.

With the coming of the Revolution, militia duty became more serious. Patriot militia often took the field against the British, and after the British occupied South Carolina in 1780, they organized a Loyalist militia. The loyalist militia of Camden District guarded the town during the battles of Camden and Holbrick’s Hill and fought against the American partisans”

Since 1970 reenactors have gathered in Camden, SC for the Revolutionary War Field Days, a two day event aiming to revisit and explore America's beginnings. The preceding quote was taken from a historical marker at the edge of a creek near yesterday’s battle reenactment. More info can be found at Discover Columbia Annual Revolutionary War Field Days.

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One Hundred and Fifty Years Ago - Photos - Sherman Torched Path

One Hundred and Fifty Years Ago...

Photos: Elmwood knows how to Halloween

Wed, 01 Nov 2017 17:26:19 GMT

Children laughing in every direction. Music coming from three. A shriek from a frightened skeleton wearing a tutu and an approaching barrage of little feet on the asphalt as Superman chases a Ninja Turtle. A random crash and more distant shrieks. It’s like the soundtrack to every horror movie that has a Halloween night scene. Except more.

“Grab his hand! Take your brother with you!” A mom tells one of her offspring, whose sibling is frightened by spooky live theatre in a front yard in the Elmwood neighborhood on Halloween night in Columbia, SC. He grabs his hand and off they go.

A drunk zombie redneck stands in canoe with a severed limb hanging from a garden tool. Wearing overalls and holding a jug of shine in the other hand he rocks back and forth, the metal clanging against earth as Adam Cullum sits nearby playing seasonal bayou tunes on the accordion. Drunk zombie redneck is almost indiscernible in his vocal ramblings, but definitely creepy. Watching from the second floor balcony, a zombie bride and groom pace around. Sitting on specially made dock on their front steps, a rotation of characters hands out treats to those brave enough to wander close enough.

Apparently, the Elmwood neighborhood knows how to Halloween better than everyone else. And judging by the hordes of monsters, it’s no secret to area children and their parents.

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Related content: Halloween in Columbia, SC - Photos

Photos: Third Eye Blind last night at Music Farm

Sat, 28 Oct 2017 14:55:14 GMT

The last time I saw Third Eye Blind my friend Fred punched my not friend Larry at a stadium show in D.C. It rained during their set and it was the only time I've ever had a complete stranger on my shoulders or used a giant beachball to hide taking a leak. Among a slew of others, Green Day, The Crystal Method and The Foo Fighters played that day. It was summer of 1998, when I listened to mixed cassette tapes of songs I downloaded on Napster - mostly by New Order and Depeche Mode.

October is Fundraising month

Learn about photojournalism and documentary photography

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REMAINING TOUR:

28 Oct - HOB - Orlando - Orlando, FL

29 Oct - Iron City - Birmingham, AL

31 Oct - The Jones Assembly -Oklahoma City, OK

01 Nov - Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheatre - Austin, TX

03 Nov - El Rey Theater - Albuquerque, NM

04 Nov - Fillmore Auditorium - Denver, CO

05 Nov - The Complex - Salt Lake City, UT

07 Nov - Pub Station- Billings, MT

09 Nov - Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, Canada

10 Nov- The Knitting Factory -Spokane, WA

11 Nov - Knitting Factory Concert House - Boise, ID

12 Nov - Showbox SoDo - Seattle, WA

14 Nov - City National Civic of San Jose -San Jose, CA

15 Nov - Ace of Spades - Sacramento, CA

18 Nov - Fantasy Springs Resort Casino - Indio, CA

01 Dec - 115 Bourbon Street -Merrionette Park, IL

31 Dec - The Observatory - Santa Ana, CA

01 Jan - Observatory North Park - San Diego, CA

Photo of the Day: Is it Halloween yet?

Fri, 27 Oct 2017 01:37:29 GMT

A server waits for a drink from the bar at Grill Marks in the Vista on Thursday, October 5, 2017.

Photo by Sean Rayford

October is Fundraisng month

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Photos -The Making of The Theta Girl

Tue, 24 Oct 2017 15:17:33 GMT

NOT SUITABLE FOR WORKPLACE VIEWING - Adult content ahead

When I walked into the bathroom my friend Jaime Clark was painting a rubber wiener. He looked up, saw my camera and realized his role in the production of The Theta Girl would be identified as the wiener painter. But to clarify, only a very small part of Jamie's role involved painting a wiener and as one of two practical and visual effects supervisors, he made the gore and computer generated visual effects for the film.

The Theta Girl, a self described "psychedelic horror/action/sci-fi film," created by Columbia's Chris Bickel and David Axe, will have it's local premiere November 3 and 4 at Spotlight Cinemas on St. Andrews Rd. Created for less than $15k and filmed in the Midlands during this past winter and spring, it stars Darelle Dove, Shane Silman, Quinn Deogracias and Victoria Donofrio as Gayce, a drug dealing band leader at the center of a violent murder mystery.

During the filming, at times a few blocks from my home in West Columbia, I stopped by to see how things were going.

Photos by Sean Rayford.

(I now offer mentorships for photographers if you want more personalized guidance in your photography journey)

I also recently caught up with producer/director Chris Bickel (below, left) to talk about the film.

Sean: What type of film is The Theta Girl?

Chris: If I worked at a Blockbuster and this [movie] came in I would put it in horror even though it's not exactly a horror movie. It' a little bit of an action movie and it's a little bit of a revenge movie and it's kind of an art movie. It's a little bit of all these things so it's hard to pigeon hole it. But if I had to give an answer, it's a horror movie because it's just so violent. It's really brutal and probably nobody is going to be able to sit through it other than horror fans.

Sean: Tell me about your interest in exploitation films.

Chris: That's been one of my favorite genres all my life and I guess since the Nickelodeon [Theatre] asked me to curate the Lowbrow Series over there I think I’ve started to study the genre a little bit more, finding why these movies exist. And by and large, it's because the filmmakers had no money at all. And if you don't have any money, you can't afford name actors and you can't afford big set pieces or really good special effects.

So you have to throw in things that are gonna either shock the audience or titilate them in some way, or keep their attention. And more than anything make them talk about the movie after the fact. So basically, you have to throw in a bunch of stuff that is fucked up and crazy.

Seeing how the great exploitation filmmakers have applied that, it sort of led up to me and David [Axe] brainstorming before he wrote the script with all the things that the movie needed to have. And how often you'd have them. Every five minutes there had to be nudity or violence. Or just something really strange and bizarre. You couldn't have more than three pages of dialogue or else you're going to lose the audience.

So, just hammer it. Like one after another. And with the nudity, a familiar exploitation trait, it's always female nudity. It's always tits and ass. We wanted to make it equal opportunity, so there's a lot of dicks in this movie. Which some people really freak out about. It's fine to have boobs, but they lose their shit if there's a dick. Which great, I want those people to lose their shit.

Sean: Talk to me about the soundtrack to The Theta Girl.

Chris: I think the soundtrack is the most professional part of the entire movie. whereas with the visuals, there's a lot of things that demonstrate the naiveté of the filmmakers and the budget we were working with — in terms of poor lighting in places or some of the set pieces. But as far as the music goes, I think the music and sound design goes head to head with almost any Hollywood movie. Especially with Joe Buck Roberts and the songs he wrote. [They] ended up working so well with the main themes of the film that we brought those to the forefront and it actually takes the movie to a different place. It really, I think it puts it on a higher level than most other movies of it's genre and budget.

Sean: Were the songs created specifically for the movie?

Chris: It was just some recording that Joe had done and I'm not sure he had released them. He just put out some burned CDs out in our free box at Papa Jazz. It's like, 'here are some songs I recorded at home' kinda deal. And I got the CD and listened to it and I was blown away by it and realized that a couple of the songs in particular just fit this movie like crazy. And I asked him if I could use them and he said 'yeah.'

He just saw the movie a couple of days ago and I don't even know if I should say, but it looked like he may have teared up a little bit. I think for him the movie took the song to a place that he didn't even intend - because it all worked so well together.

Sean: Tell me about how your experience trying to make a feature film before creating a short.

Chris: I decided I wanted to make a movie and I didn't want to do a short film. I wanted to do a feature because I just thought there was no point in doing a short film. Because a short film might play a few film festivals but nobody really gives a shit about it. You can't really sell it and there is no shelf life. It's not like ten years down the road people are like, 'Man, that short film I saw ten years ago was so cool, I wanna watch that again.' It just doesn't fucking happen.

So I didn't want to do it but I had several filmmaker friends who were like, "Man, if you've never made a movie you have to do a short first because you don't know how to make a movie. It's such a difficult endeavor, you're just going to be in over your head and you're going to fail if you just try to jump right in." But I was like, "No. I wanna make a feature. I don't want to waste my time doing a short." But the more I thought about it and the more persistent my filmmaker friends were about that, once we decided we were going to do a crowdfunding campaign it made sense to do a short, because you can't ask people for money for a crowdfunding campaign if you don't have any work to show. Why would I give money to somebody if they don't know what they are doing?

So, the idea came up to make a fake trailer for a fake movie just to demonstrate that we could make a movie. And we'd be able to use all of the actors that we'd hired and our crew and that allowed us to sort of test them out and make sure that they were capable of doing the work. And that we could work with them on a personal level. The end result was that we made Teenage Caligula. Which did really well online and helped us raise a bunch of money. And more importantly, it gave me the experience to be able to make some mistakes on that - that I didn't make on the feature.

If I hadn't had that experience I would have fucked up a lot more things on the feature than I did. Which, I did fuck up lots of things, but not bad enough to where it derailed the movie. But if I hadn't had that experience, it could have been devastating.

Tickets for the Nov. 3-4 screenings are available at Spotlight Cinemas box office.

Photos: Protests against Richard Spencer - Gainesville, FL

Fri, 20 Oct 2017 19:14:22 GMT

Three Texas men with extremist ties have been charged with attempted homicide after firing at a group of protestors yesterday in Gainesville, Florida. According to the Gainesville Police Department, the men threatened protestors, “offering Nazi salutes and shouting chants about Hitler,” before firing at the group from a silver Jeep after a speaking event with Richard Spencer. The suspects, Tyler Tenbrick, Colton Fears, and William Fears (below -white shirt), are being held at the Alachua County Jail and bond for the shooter, Tenbrick is $3 million.

Here are 27 photos that preceded the incident at the University of Florida.

October is Fundraising month

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Photos: Bizarro World: Columbia, South Carolina - July 5, 2015

Photos: Anti-Trump Rally in Greenville, South Carolina

Wed, 18 Oct 2017 13:47:39 GMT

Dressed as Lady Liberty, black tape sealing her lips, Miranda Anderson stood next to Brent Hutcheson on Monday night in Falls Park in Greenville, SC to rally against President Donald Trump and his appearance at a nearby fundraising event. Anderson, a local resident who works in occupational therapy cites the president’s “disregard for humanity in general,” as the biggest motivating factor for her demonstration.

“If people don't keep standing up for what's right — I feel like people are getting really fatigued by it and I'm concerned where that is leading us,” says Anderson.

What is photojournalism?

“

I'm not against Republicans,” says Hutcheson, a nursing student from Clemson who dressed in a clown suit with a flashing nose, “I'm just against Donald Trump. I think that there are rational people out there but I don't understand how he has taken over and not in my wildest dreams did I think I would have to be here protesting him as president. So it's just kind of a crazy situation that we find ourselves in right now.”

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How to become a photojournalist?

Photos: Jam Room Fest with Guided by Voices

Sun, 15 Oct 2017 15:54:34 GMT

You know something’s afoot when a dude walks past you on Main Street in Columbia wearing a Merge Records t-shirt and you don’t recognize him. Couple that with the largest gathering of college radio alumni since college, and it can mean only one thing: Jam Room Fest. Now in it’s sixth installment and created by the iconic recording studio on Rosewood Dr., the annual free music festival yesterday featured Guided by Voices, Elf Power, Hiss Golden Messenger, Valley Maker, Bask, Bombadil, FatRat Da Czar, Hearts on Fire, Numbtongue, The Lovely Few, King Vulture, and Barnwell.

October is Fundraising month

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About the author: Sean Rayford is a South Carolina photojournalist, living in the state capital since 1997.

Photos: Opening Night at the SC State Fair

Thu, 12 Oct 2017 16:16:32 GMT

Cameron’s favorite amusement ride at the SC State Fair is the Musik Express, a Matterhorn/Flying Bob style ride with the added bonus of blasting pop/dance hits. He likes the Haunted Mansion and bumper cars. He is not interested in the doughnut burger because it is too small. Cameron isn't a fan of the ferris wheel, or anything else that leaves the ground.

Turkey legs? Yes.

Ron Diamond’s Hypnosis Magic Show? Hell yes.

Buttered popcorn and Fiske French Fries? Yes.

Beloved by the local music and the service industry communities, Cameron is a member of Columbia’s homeless population and every time I see him he asks me when The Fair is coming back and if we can go. Yesterday and finally, the answer to his favorite question was “today" and "yes."

After more than four hours of fair time and the addition of a small stuffed dolphin, we walked back to the car around 10 p.m. when Cameron pointed over towards Williams Brice and asked, “You ever been to a game in there?”

October is Fundraising month

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Thanks to everyone on social media who helped me find Cameron yesterday, especially Stephen and Mel. And thanks much to Heather for her help. You have until October 22 to visit the fair with your friends.

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South Carolina State Fair Gracefully Kicks off 2014 Season

Photos: Last night with Manchester Orchestra & Tigers Jaw

Sat, 07 Oct 2017 14:44:43 GMT

Atlanta's Manchester Orchestra booked their first out of town gig in Columbia, SC and singer Andy Hull, along with his bandmates, Tigers Jaw (below) and Foxing (not pictured) were greeted early with a packed house last night at the Music Farm. It was the biggest crowd I'd seen at the venue, but I probably need to go to more shows there. Manchester Orchestra plays a sold out show tonight in Atlanta and then will embark on a three week tour of Europe. Tigers Jaw will spend that time on a short trek through South America.

October is Fundraising month

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Photo of the Day: "Brookland" Takes Shape in West Columbia

Fri, 06 Oct 2017 02:05:03 GMT

Construction workers build the $40 million mixed use "Brookland" project in West Columbia on Thursday, October 5, 2017. Apartments, shops, offices and restaurants, including a high end steak house, will fill the once empty dirt lot between State Street and the Congaree River. Photo by Sean Rayford

What is photojournalism?

GUIDE: Fall Foliage in the North Carolina Mountains

Photos: Columbia responds to need in Puerto Rico

Sat, 30 Sep 2017 18:58:06 GMT

“One is running out of food and the other is running out of water,” says Yanira Rivera about family members who are battling conditions in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria, “My in-laws are running out of birthday cake that they found in the grocery store because that was it. So that's what they are eating.”

Along with dozens of volunteers, Rivera and a team of organizers gathered Saturday at La Isla Bonita to set up a drop off point for food and supplies to be sent to the storm ravaged island. They'll be collecting items until 4 p.m. and several large trucks will leave Columbia tomorrow.

“My husband has had one communication with his mom and with his brother. I've only spoken to my mom twice and it was less than ten seconds. It was basically, "I'm fine.,” says Rivera, “And the second time, ‘I just want you to know I'm good. I'm running out of food. There's no food but I am OK.”

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Yanira Rivera (Above)

Overnight shooting in Columbia's Vista at closing time

Sat, 16 Sep 2017 11:37:05 GMT

After talking with law enforcement outside of The Empire Supper Club on Lady St. in the Vista early Saturday morning, a man walked under crime scene tape and over to the car that had just pulled into the nearby bank parking lot. A woman got out and they embraced as police officers aimed flashlights at yellow a-frame evidence markers around the corner on Park St. near The Art Bar. On the other side of Gervais St., near The Oyster Bar, another crime scene was taped off.

“I was out at Social after 2 [a.m.] at this point because I was djing on the back patio and I heard shots ringing out in quick succession and it sounded like anywhere between 10 and 15," says DJ Siji Ade, who then exchanged looks with club staff, "We were all leaning out the back patio because that was the closest view to the street and the direction the sound came from.”

“There were people running from that street and down back into the parking lot, and a girl tripped and had fallen and no one was really helping her up. But when she got back up she was walking back toward the street and then more pops started to go off and it was another 10-15 shots fired. I went to go help her and pushed her behind cover.” says Ade, "Then people kept saying, 'someone got shot in the face, Oh my God, a woman got shot in the face."

This is a developing story. For more info:

'Multiple victims' injured in shooting in downtown Columbia

Multiple People Shot in Columbia's Vista Overnight

Police: Multiple people wounded in Vista shooting

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How to become a photojournalist?

Photos: North Florida's fight with Hurricane Irma

Thu, 14 Sep 2017 20:01:13 GMT

Yesterday in Middleburg, Florida, covered in strands of Spanish Moss and various pieces of foliage, I paddled up to the residence of James Wade. Thirty six hours before, floodwaters from the Black Creek occupied the second level of his home. The Black Creek feeds into the St. Johns and two days before, the St. Johns reach all time record marks. There was nowhere for waters in the creek to empty, especially during high tide. The high water mark in Middleburg was about seven feet above the previous records, recorded by a seventy year-old lifelong resident, who used spray paint on a telephone pole at the height of previous storms.

A group of men were throwing Wade’s water logged belongings onto a dock tied up in the back yard. No one was sure where the dock came from, but since the home was surrounded by water it was the only place to put items destroyed by Hurricane Irma’s flooding. They had tied it up to the house and underneath, there was an jon boat powered by a rope tied to the new shoreline and a few kayaks.

At one point, one of Wade’s neighbors walked by asking about a book of baseball cards while another neighbor ripped out crumbling pieces of drywall. Powdery smoke attempted to fill the room. Outside, there was little to no visual indications where the back yard ended and the creek began.

What is photojournalism?

Irma's Aftermath : 47 photos from northeast Florida days after landfall of Hurricane Irma

Photos by Sean Rayford for Getty Images September 12-13 in Vilano Beach, Hastings, Middleburg and surround areas in Florida.

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Surfing Santas take over Cocoa Beach, FL

Photos: Irma causes record flooding in Jacksonville, FL

Tue, 12 Sep 2017 14:08:56 GMT

Yesterday, after weathering Hurricane Irma in Daytona Beach, FL, I started driving towards the Tampa Bay area to see the the storm's effects closer to where it made landfall. Fifteen minutes later I changed my mind after learning of the severity of the record setting flooding in downtown Jacksonville along the St. Johns River. Fifteen minutes later and I get a call from one of my editors at Getty Images inquiring whether I was still in Florida. I was.

View 29 photos of severe flooding in Jacksonville, FL

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Lessons in Photojournalism

Photos: Blow-up doll "Judy" welcomes Hurricane Irma to Daytona Beach

Mon, 11 Sep 2017 14:29:26 GMT

Just before curfew was enacted due to Hurricane Irma yesterday in Daytona Beach, a blow-up doll named Judy, attached to dozens of balloons, came barreling down the beach in the 40 mph winds. Rebecca Didion and a friend were trying to tie down the contraption on a pole but they lost grip. I had flashbacks of playing second base in Babe Ruth League baseball as a kid. “You got this,” I said to myself as it picked up speed over a 50 year span. I couldn’t believe it was coming right at me, except for the two steps I took to the right. I put my arms and legs out like and X and hoped for the best.

Game winning catch., Roberto Alomar.

I saved Judy.

"The hurricane stuff is so serious all the time, but it's not dangerous right here at this moment right now,” says Rebecca Didion, “It's just a little windy and rainy like a tropical storm. And so, lighten the mood a little bit. You stress out for a whole week because you don't know if it's going to hit you at a four or whether it's going to hit you at a one.”

After 45 minutes attempting to get Judy up in the air like a kite, they lost control again, but this time second baseman was a palm tree.

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Photos: Hurricane Irma and Doyle at the Daytona Beach Pier

Mon, 11 Sep 2017 00:35:29 GMT

As Hurricane Irma migrated north, throwing bands of wind and rain across the sunshine state on Sunday, I encountered a local named Doyle at the pier in Daytona Beach. "I can't tell you my last name because my last name is a first name. People hyphenate it and get it mixed up," explained Doyle, "So, I only go by Doyle. It's not because I don't want you to know who I am."

Last year he spent Hurricane Matthew walking in the woods by Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, where they teach kids to fly no better than he can. I believe him when he tells me the walking part, as opposed to the flying part. When I ask him where he'll go tonight he responded, "North, South, East... West..." he says, "That way no one know which way I'm headed."

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"You know what that tells me?" said Doyle pointing at the waves crashing into the pier, "That tells me that every single human being cannot ever tell me what to do. THAT'S WHY I LOOOOVE THAT!!! There is nobody in control. This planet is in control."

Photos: Hurricane Irma approaches Daytona Beach

Sun, 10 Sep 2017 14:15:50 GMT

My folks have been living in Flagler County, Florida off and on for twenty years now. I spent a couple summers during college break living 30 minutes north of Daytona Beach and their place was a great jump off for two spring breaks at the turn of the century. Club Razzles appears to still be operational but the Desert Inn is long gone. That reminds me, I’ve still got eight rolls of undeveloped film from one of those weeks.

Either way, I’m back at one of the world’s most famous beaches to take in Hurricane Irma. Photos made yesterday in between Marineland and Daytona, where I’ll be staying tonight.

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Photos: DACA Prayer Vigil - Columbia, SC

Wed, 06 Sep 2017 15:17:21 GMT

"God of love and justice, you are the god of all peoples of every nation and yet no nation. For you do not recognize our ways of marking and partitioning, ours and theirs, yours and mine, your mercy knows no boundaries,” said Rev. Tom Wall yesterday evening on the steps of the South Carolina Statehouse during a prayer vigil for those affected by the ending of the DACA immigration policy, “Your rule of law, oh god, is that of compassion and justice written on the human heart. We whose families were all at one time aliens and immigrants in this land lift up these petitions to you. We pray for all dreamers who live in fear of losing their dream. We lift up those so intimately affected by the ending of the DACA program and to live with the possibility of separation from the families that love them and from the country that they have grown to love. We lift up the president and congress who have the power to transform a desert of hostility into a garden of hospitality.”

“We especially pray for wisdom and compassion for our South Carolina congressional delegation. That they would do what is morally right and not politically expedient. So we remember senators Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott and representatives Mark Sanford, Joe Wilson, Jeff Duncan, Trey Gowdy, Ralph Norman, Jim Clyburn and Tom Rice. Give us all hope in this time of uncertainty. May we who stand in the sun this afternoon be willing to stand in the shadows with those who hide in fear. And when discouragement haunts and our energy wains, keep our feet moving toward that promised land of liberty and justice for all. Amen.”

“DACA is not perfect but it was something. It's better than nothing and so today we are supporting the dream act which is a lot better than DACA and we are supporting those who have DACA and telling them that we also believe in their dreams,” explained Ana Garcia of the South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center, an organizing partner for Tuesday’s event.

“I personally became called to immigration issues when I started learning about where my food comes from because I started learning about farm workers and many farm workers are immigrants and learning the need for immigration reform directly affects our agricultural system,” said Appleseed Immigration Policy Community Organizer Christine Burke, "I care so deeply about DACA because it's people who are my age. I'm 26 and DACA recipients are 15-30 and they are young adults and all they want to do is contribute to the community that they love and care for their families. And care for their friends. And they are my friends and they deserve to stay here.”

Photos: March for Science in Columbia, SC

Protestors, pirates, politicians, giant weiner highlight Chapin parade

Mon, 04 Sep 2017 20:29:55 GMT

Chapin Labor Day Parade Julie Edwards shouts into a megaphone during the Chapin Labor Day Parade Monday, Sept. 4, 2017 in Chapin, SC. - Photo by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford

As republican senator Lindsey Graham rolled by a group of demonstrators from the back seat of a white convertible in Chapin on Monday morning, they shouted at him, but not like protestors have done earlier this year at one of his raucous town hall meetings. It was a different this time.

“LINDSEY!!! LINDSEY!!! LINDSEY!!!” they cheered, “THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!”

“Most of the time I disagree with Lindsey. I've been to his town halls. I've been up in my chair shouting at him,” explained Julie Edwards (above left), a co-chair at Indivisible Midlands, “So when he saw the indivisible shirt I'm sure he thought that he was going to get a wave of backlash but really we were here to say thank you for taking such a brave stand that a lot of republicans aren't making yet.”

[Learn about photojournalism ]

“Us and a couple of immigration rights groups organized people coming out here to support DACA youth and to tell [SC Attorney Genral] Alan Wilson that the lawsuit that he is threatening, that it's basically forcing the president's hand to make this announcement tomorrow. We want him to drop it. He is using South Carolina attorney general resources on a lawsuit that will tear people away from the country that they've known since they were children. And take them to a country that they've never been apart of," explained Edwards.

“I think [Sen. Graham] was shocked to see us there,” says Emily Sutton (below), a refugee and immigrant coordinator in Rock Hill for the SC Conference of the United Methodist Church, “But more than anything I think he was grateful for our support of the dream act, something that he has been working on. I was working with him in 2010. And this has been a twenty year process for me. At one point he stuck a thumbs up at me and I thumbs upped back at him and it was like we are on the same page -- we're gonna get this done.”

Chapin Labor Day Parade Emily Sutton, refugee and immigrant coordinator for the SC Conference of the United Methodist Church hold a sign during the Chapin Labor Day Parade September 4, 2017 in Chapin, SC. - Photo by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford Chapin Labor Day Parade DACA protest Photos 126553-3U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) gives a thumbs up during the Chapin Labor Day Parade Monday, Sept. 4, 2017 in Chapin, SC. - Photo by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford

SC State Rep. James "Smith running for SC governor? Chapin parade appearance stokes speculation" (above)

Chapin Labor Day Parade DACA protest Photos 127230Chapin Labor Day Parade DACA protestPhotos - Photo by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford blog-angry-whale-sc-0557sid nancy Chapin Labor Day Parade DACA protest Photos 126396South Carolina Attorney General ALan Wilson shares five during the Chapin Labor Day Parade Monday, Sept. 4, 2017 in Chapin, SC. - Photo by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford

Photos: Friday night at Hoechella - Columbia, SC

Sun, 27 Aug 2017 22:04:10 GMT

So far this weekend, I’ve made photos at an Apache helicopter team’s deployment to Afghanistan, a youth golf skills tournament, a sixtieth Golden Girls themed birthday party and the first of three nights of Hoechella. Surprisingly, there was a lot of ass shaking at the birthday party. Here are photos from the Hoechella event, which concludes tonight at the Capital Club.

Photos by Sean Rayford - Do not use without permission

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"Disgruntled" worker shoots and kills one in Charleston

Fri, 25 Aug 2017 00:26:52 GMT

The Charleston Post and Courier reports that a 'disgruntled' worker entered Virginia's on King in Charleston, SC during lunchtime today, locked the door, and announced, "I am the new king of Charleston!" The man would shoot and kill one man, taking at least one hostage before being critically wounded during an encounter with law enforcement.

'Disgruntled' worker kills man at busy Charleston restaurant, takes hostages before being shot by police

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Photos: Sneak attack finishing move on the dance floor

Thu, 24 Aug 2017 16:32:48 GMT

It was a sneak attack from behind. Energized by the crowd’s appreciation for his jive, sporting a black fanny pack and a pair of white hightops, the unsuspecting reveler was distracted by the lights and sounds of a dance floor from 1987. And then boom! Snatched up like hawk on a mouse, he lifted off the floor, legs kicking, completely powerless as some type of strange dance floor dry hump finishing move was being unleashed. And after falling backwards in the attempt, it was at least as entertaining as ripping someone’s head off with their spine still intact.

Photos of the 1987 themed 2017 Free Times Best of Party by Sean Rayford

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Photos: Total Solar Eclipse - Columbia Fireflies vs. Rome Braves

Tue, 22 Aug 2017 17:10:12 GMT

Yesterday I got to pick where I went to cover the the great American eclipse of 2017.

I chose minor league baseball.

Just before totality, there was a controversial call against the hometown Fireflies and the crowd didn't like it. Neither did manager Jose Leger, who took to the field for a discussion with umpires. The stadium launched a chorus of boos as one man in the crowd vigorously took exception to the call and offered him his eclipse glasses. Five minutes later, the players were laying on the field and everyone had forgotten the call. When it went dark they forgot what planet they were on.

Photos: Total Solar Eclipse with the Columbia Fireflies by Sean Rayford for Getty Images

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Photos: Soda City preps for eclipse

Mon, 21 Aug 2017 14:31:22 GMT

I hear something weird is going on this afternoon in Columbia, SC. Here's how folks prepared.

Photos: Tourists Flock To South Carolina To See Monday's Eclipse In Full

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Photos: Billboard battles lasers on banks of the Congaree

Sun, 20 Aug 2017 14:41:37 GMT

Last night hundreds gathered on the eastern banks of the Congaree to take in a laser light installation that will cris cross the river on a nightly basis come 2018. As night fell, the back deck at Edventure swarmed with crowds as the mayor spoke at an official ceremony of sorts. Sightseers explored the area, pointing fingers and regularly asking “Is that it?” wondering aloud if there were technical issues. When I passed local Tim Bedford on the bridge he pointed out a structure that was in the way.

Locals Jason and Mandy Reynolds came with her cousin Kelly and her daughter Ainsley who is excited to tell me about a time she found the big dipper, but that the little one had been elusive.

“We came down to visit the museum to see all the stuff in the planetarium and got to stay for the live concert from the Lovely Few. That was awesome,” says Jason Reynolds, “Really cool.”

“We happened to see what was going on out here and kinda stumbled upon it and said, we're going to come down and check it out. I heard they were doing a laser show out near the bridges but that was about it.” The Reynolds plan to watch Monday’s eclipse from the comforts of their own yard.

Photos and words by Sean Rayford

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Photos: Unite the Right Rally Turns Deadly - Charlottesville, VA

Sun, 13 Aug 2017 16:02:00 GMT

“GET IN THERE AND FIGHT!!!” yelled a white supremacist as I ducked behind a front line of alt-right “infantryman,” clutching homemade shields, wearing body armor, baseball helmets, and wielding wooden clubs at the main entrance into Emancipation Park yesterday in Charlottesville, Virginia. A volley of water bottles careened through the air while eggs and purple paint bombs exploded nearby. As waves of America’s most notorious hate groups arrived yesterday morning at the park, for a rally in opposition to the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, they were met with hundreds of counter protestors blocking the street in front of steps giving entrance to the park at the corner of Second and E. Market Streets.

Shortly afterward, a white supremacist drove a car into a crowd of counter protestors, injuring many and killing 32 year-old Heather Heyer, leaving Charlottesville and all of America wondering what brought us to that point.

One giant man, with long dirty blonde hair and a greying goat tee, causally parted crowds on intimidation factor alone, leading groups of “infantrymen” who pushed forward from inside the park and in the intersection, meeting up with their arriving brothers to escort them back into the safety of the park. Protected by a small hill, a line of heavily armed militia men including Three-Percenters, connected via radio, lightweight barricades and a moderate police presence, the crowds gathered for the noon time lineup of speakers. Another man, with a fresh haircut, dressed in all black and wearing a Traditionalist Worker Party armband, commanded the white supremacists at the corner of the park when to charge forward.

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Clashes often became bloody and opposing sides met in the intersection using chemical spray as a regular weapon and defense. About twenty police officers observed from Second Street while other law enforcement were placed in nearby areas. During the height of the chaos a woman holding a video camera next to me turned and said. “I think we’re on the wrong side."

But I was there because I was occupying high ground. After another wave of arriving racists collapsed back into the park, a counter protestor walked up the steps and was met by two punches from a man wearing a GoPro strapped around a backyards red hat, holding an anti-semitic sign. He took both punches and dared him to hit him again.

The same counter protestor would later attempt to commandeer a Vanguard America-Texas flag, a symbol incorporating authority in fascist Italy, from one of the day’s most visible characters. He would end up bloody during his scuffle with the alt-righter, dressed in blue dress clothes, terrorizing the opposing side with the flag pole and unbridled chaos, at times, using it as a lance and extra long baton.

Before the rally could officially start, law enforcement declared an unlawful gathering and slowly and methodically pushed the racists out of the park and back through hordes of counter protestors. Scattering in multiple directions past more clashes with counter protesters, one group retreated west down E. Market where they made one last bloody counter before disappearing into or out of the city, where one encounter proved deadly.

Photos and words by Sean Rayford

https://www.sodacitizen.com/photography-lessons-south-carolina

Soda Citizen: Mike Busbee

Thu, 27 Jul 2017 23:33:40 GMT

Mike Busbee and I made this photo for an interview as part of a regular series with Columbia artists. We never got around to doing it. Instead, here are some words about Mike from friends and members of the South Carolina music community as shared on social media. Feel free to add your own in the comments.

R.I.P. Michael "Mike" Jay Busbee (October 9, 1989 - July 23, 2017 )

"Nobody I know of has done more to make the local heavy scene so welcoming and so vital. I can't fathom the pain you must have been going through. But I know you'll be missed. Rest in power, friend."

-Jordan Lawrence

“Mike Busbee was an amazing/invaluable/integral part of our music scene. He was a friend and client that I ALWAYS loved being around. He cared so so much for so so many people. He is absolutely irreplaceable in our lives and will be sorely missed. R.I.P. my friend.”

-Kenny McWilliams

“There's a family of folks centered around New Brookland Tavern that's currently part of one of the strongest, most supportive scenes that I've seen in my twenty-four years of covering music here in Columbia, and y'all are proving that today. Hugs all around for those hurting and greiving the loss of a friend and fellow music community member.”

-Kevin Oliver

“I feel like I just got kicked as I was slowly crawling myself upright.
A few months ago, Can't Kids played the only show we were going to play this year in Columbia. Practicing for this, we quickly came up with a new song. We played it at that show.
After we were done, Mike approached me enthusiastically about this new song. It was heavier than usual for us.
He got me so excited about it that I convinced everyone to record it. We finally matched up schedules to do it and that day was today.
It ended up perfect.
I really wish he could hear it.”

-Henry Thomas

“Knowing Mike Busbee is worth every bit of pain I am going through. I am a better person for sharing life with him, and the world is darker in his absence. Being a part of his life is an honor I will carry with me forever along with the memory of his passionate love and affection for us, for New Brookland Tavern, and for the Columbia music scene.”

-Daniel Scott McWilliams

Mike Busbee ...he was always so kind and supportive to us when we played in Columbia. He really cared so much about music without bias or judgement of genre, and he wasn't afraid to show you that. I didn't know him well, but his presence will be sorely missed in all of our future NBT shows.

Thanks for the years of encouragement man. Go rest high on that mountain.

Prayers and peace to all those who were close to him.

-Amber Grayce Joyner

What do you think the percentage would be, of people you have had interactions with in your life that have literally changed who you are or inspired you to get to the point you're at right now? Personally, I think about 1% if rounded up. Sure, probably every person you encounter gives you some kind of new experience to learn from. But how many really become part of your lives to the point where it wouldn't be the same without them? For me, Mike Busbee was one of those people. Since I started playing music and going to NBT, he has been there. Not just that, but has always gone out of his way to make it clear me and my friends were welcome. After the loss of my younger brother two years ago, Mike put it on himself to throw a benefit show for my family. I hope he knows how much that helped us, and me personally. The amount of people in this world that have that kind of supportive, driven, positive but honest, and dedicated spirit are far too few. If you have people like this that have impacted you in your life path, make sure they know it. You never know what even the people you have looked up to since you were a kid are going through. Sometimes they need you as much as you need them. You'll never know until you talk about it. I don't know how life in Columbia or at NBT especially will be from now on, I just know we're all going miss you every day Mike. RIP Busbee, I love you man.

-Grant Tyler

You came up to me at New Brookland Tavern several years ago. You saw that I was having a bad day. I could not begin to remember why. It's so insignificant now. We had only spoken in passing up to this point. You didn't know me, I didn't know you. You told me you were having some people over to your house for food and beer pong, and that I should come over if I wanted to clear my head. You even stopped at the store and bought a six pack of Killian's because you knew it was my favorite beer. You shared your Jameson with me while we sat on the front porch and talked bands, motorcycles, and just shot the shit in general. You didn't have to do any of that. You were just being a genuine friend. I wish I could have done the same for you, Brother. I wish I would have been able to sit and shoot the shit with you when you were having a bad day. I wish I would have known instead of waking up from a nap to find out it was too late. I'm really sorry, Brother. I'm going to miss you. HAIL MIKE BUSBEE!

-Gareth Jarvis

“I first met you when I started working the door at NBT sometime around 2010. You and Topher would walk through the door for some metalcore show and I'd think "Oh great, here comes trouble."

What I quickly came to learn is that trouble only seemed to follow you around because you were always in the middle of any issue, trying to resolve it. You were the one picking people up in the pit. Grabbing waters for kids that had passed out or ice for anyone unlucky enough to get kicked or punched at an especially brutal show. Diffusing potentially violent situations.

You showed so much love and respect for NBT and its staff long before becoming such an indespensible member of that team. That family. OUR FAMILY.

And you always had a way of telling when I was hurting. You'd make a point of pulling me aside to make sure I was okay. And when I wasn't you'd grab a round of whiskeys and actually take the time to talk to me about it. To reassure me everything was gonna work out just fine. You lifted me out of dark places time and time again and I hate that I wasn't there to do the same for you when you needed it most.

Y'all,

I really regret not being with everyone on sunday. I felt so guilty for running away but I was utterly staggered waking up to such tragic news and had no idea how to begin processing any of this myself, let alone help anyone else navigate this gamut of grief.

So I went to talk to the ocean. That magical place where the sky meets the water meets the earth has always been a place of spiritual power for me. It's where I go to commune with the Cosmos. To talk to "god", if you will. It's my "church".

But while the Cosmos is a great listener, its silent indifference offers little solace.

It was then that I understood the impotence of a church without a congregation. Without y'all. So I came home to NBT. To my family. I knew you'd all be there. And I thought I was ready for it. I wanted to be strong for all of you. Within seconds of walking through the door, I saw Jenn. We hugged and I lost it. I wasn't ready. I kept expecting to see him walk through the door at any moment. I cried the entire time I was there.

Mike, I gotta say, I looked around that place and I saw these people that love you so much, hurting so much, and I was immediately fucking furious with you. I wanted to scream in your beautiful fucking face until I realized I'll never know the intense amount of pain you must've been in. I wish I had tried harder to understand what you were feeling. I felt ashamed for being so angry.

But once I pushed that rage from my mind, I looked around again at our friends and noticed that, while there still wasn't a dry eye in the house, everyone had a smile on their face. Almost everyone was locked in loving embrace. It was beautiful. We all love you so much. But now I have to focus on what you left behind:

EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU IS PRECIOUS TO ME. I know I'm usually self-centered and caught up in my own bullshit but know that I LOVE YOU ALL. Please, do not hesitate to ask if you ever need anything. I know we're all hurting, but we will get through this together and be stronger for it.

I'll see ya on the other side, Buzz. Wherever that may be. And I know you'll find all the homies that've gone before us and keep the party going till we all get there. I hope that one day, when I finally find myself trying to sneak into Heaven's back gate, you're there scowling that beautiful scowl telling me "Sorry, brother, but I gotta ask you to go 'round to the front."

Mike Busbee and I worked together at New Brookland Tavern for three or four years but I never even began to comprehend the positive impact have had on

Rest in Power Mike Busbee

-Matt Thompson

SUV knocked off corner of Gervais St. Bridge, flash floods strand motorists

Mon, 24 Jul 2017 17:32:29 GMT

Isis Davis was working her shift at Palmetto Outdoor yesterday evening waiting for customers to return tubes after a trip down the river when a man’s attempt to drive across the Gervias St. Bridge came up short.

"We heard some metal crashing together so we knew a car had been hit and I didn't know if someone had hit someone in the parking lot or on the bridge,” she recalled, “And then we just see this Jeep - I'm pretty sure it flipped and then it just sort of landed on all four wheels. And it was all busted up. Everyone who was in the parking lot at that moment rushed over to the Jeep to make sure that everyone was OK.”

Surprisingly, witnesses said the driver walked from the wreck on his own power. Almost immediately afterwards, the sky opened up and flooded parts of town, leaving multiple stranded motorists in need of emergency assistance.

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Sipping on Capri Sun backstage at Girls Rock (Photos)

Sun, 23 Jul 2017 16:04:19 GMT

While I overheard one comment that the green room wasn’t even green, I saw no other dissatisfaction from anyone backstage at yesterday’s Girls Rock showcase. But maybe it was the bowl of Jelly Beans filled with what appeared to be all the flavors and ten packs of Capri Sun that made the band members quickly forget. Whatever the reasoning, they were getting ready to go on stage in the same green room at Columbia’s Music Farm, as used by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Jason Isbell and Ani DiFranco. Vanilla Ice, Sevendust and Riff Raff.

Celebrating their fifth year in Columbia, organizers marked the conclusion of the five day mentoring program with 71 campers in 14 bands performing 14 songs. Sixteen if you count the group encore, highlighted with some words from Mollie Williamson, the departing executive director and founding organizer who walked off the stage with hundreds in attenance chanting, "MOLLIE!!! MOLLIE!!! MOLLIE!!!

"I really wanna say thank you to all of you for believing in us and trusting us. You know, it's such an honor and such a privilege to have the trust of our community and all of you parents. And most of all the youth here, to teach them how to rock. Thank you so much for giving me this transformative experience and changing my life.”

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First Week: Duck Donuts [photos]

Sat, 15 Jul 2017 15:30:23 GMT

Some of my earliest memories from childhood involve eating donuts in the Australian Outback. My family had moved from Maryland to Alice Springs - a small town in the middle of the continent. At that time the world was concerned about dingoes eating little people like me and Midnight Oil and Men at Work were creating relevant music. My dad worked third shift at the NSA base and often picked up donuts on the way home from work. Outside of Captain Crunch and that time I found an ant biting my wiener in the back yard, it's one of few memories I have from mornings in Australia.

But it seemed as though every day started with donuts - outside of that morning with the ant. And it was magic.

And for many donut fans, yesterday in Columbia, SC was magical. Krispy Kreme offered their 80 cent dozen special that snarled traffic around the donut factories with a fetish for glaze and the line was out the door at the recently opened Duck Donuts, located across from Whole Foods Market. A crowd of more than 40 mingled and explored the process behind made to order donuts hailing from the Outer Banks.

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Photos: Activists Raise Confederate Flag At SC Statehouse 2 Years After Its Removal

Tue, 11 Jul 2017 15:51:24 GMT

“LOOK AT THOSE SNOWFLAKES WITH THEIR PARTICIPATION TROPHY! BOOOOOO!!!!!!” shouts a protestor with a bull horn as a man dressed in Civil War era military garb unfolds a Confederate battle flag yesterday at the South Carolina Statehouse in Columbia, SC.

Marking two years since the removal of the controversial flag, the S.C. Secessionist Party flies it again, if only for few hours, in the sweltering heat from the same spot just behind the Confederate soldiers monument. For some, like me, it’s a reunion of sorts, seeing the same faces from the summer of 2015, chasing shade and water and people throwing up because it’s damn hot.

“GO HOME WHITEY!” shouts the protester, a man who goes by Mr. Catfysh, and a staple in the Columbia civil resistance scene. Like most Monday mornings in July, it’s quiet at the end of Main St. and Mr. Catfysh’s megaphoned voice bounces off the downtown buildings as flag activists attempt to have a solemn moment. He continues on with jokes about Vladimir Putin and then launches into fart sounds as the flag continues up the temporary pole with a PVC base.

“GO HOME CONFEDERATES! YOU’RE NOT WANTED HERE, YOU LOST AND YOU WILL LOSE AGAIN. GO HOME CONFEDERATES!”

As the flag reaches it’s apex, the flag supporters, numbering about 75, shout a collective rebel yell of sorts, “WOOOOOO!”

28 PHOTOS: Activists Raise Confederate Flag At SC Statehouse 2 Years After Its Removal

Photos by Sean Rayford for Getty Images
Words by Sean Rayford

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Photo of the Day: Debbie and the Skanks at NBT

Sun, 09 Jul 2017 16:50:15 GMT

Deborah Adedokun and Joe Buck Roberts perform at New Brookland Tavern Saturday night in West Columbia, SC on July 8, 2017. Other bands on the bill included Gringo Star, Dumb Doctors and National Television. Photo by Sean Rayford for The Angry Whale

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Emo Night Columbia: #SelfiesWithStrangersMakingOut

Sat, 08 Jul 2017 16:12:40 GMT

In 2015, a New Brookland Tavern staffer took a photo of himself standing near a couple sucking face, posted it on Instagram and tagged it #selfieswithstrangersmakingout. Over the the last two years it’s been a pastime for both staffers and regulars at the dive bar slash live music venue and last night at Emo Night Columbia, the game was in full effect, or “in fucking full effect,” as the drunk guy at the Get Up Kids show would say.

“Is it weird for you?” asks my friend David Adedokun, a former co-worker at a record store in town during the early aughts. We we stand next to a stage filled with twenty-somethings singing along to 'late wave' emo hits. It's a stage that bands like Taking Back Sunday, Hawthorne Heights, Paramore and Yellow Card all played.

“Yea, it’s kinda like back when we would have 80’s parties here and people would show up who grew up in the 80’s,” I respond, “and we were like, “What the fuck are they doing here?”

David, also a local musician, tells me he's coming back for the next Emo Night and ordering shots every time a song comes on the stereo by a band he's shared a stage with. Be warned.

Photos and words by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford

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Grown Up Kids Slip-n-Slide, Bang Snaps to the Face

Wed, 05 Jul 2017 16:24:07 GMT

“We’re from Sumter!” yells Leia Richardson while holding a garden hose from the top of her front yard yesterday afternoon near Rosewood Dr.

Sporting a red, white and blue two piece and a neon hat that reads, “Let’s get fucking weird,” her sister Katie backs up into S. Bull St. before diving down a front lawn covered in painters plastic sheeting. A shallow pool of 6-8 inches awaits celebrators of freedom and a Drake song projects from the garage. It’s the Fourth of July.

Across town and five hours later Jeremy Burt enlists me to demonstrate how one can explode bang snaps on the human face without noticeable injury. He wears sunglasses. Impressed, I remind myself that I’ve still got a pack of of Saturn Missiles on the bleachers of the football field at the B Avenue Park. Later on the porch he demonstrates a between the teeth method of explosion.

Leia has been building a Grown Kids Slip-n-Slide in her front yard for the last six Fourth of Julys. “The first year, we got regular Slip-n-Slides and they are like five feet tall. So I bought eight Slip-n-Slides and they kept falling apart and there was this pool at the bottom that you had to flop into. You'd rip you're fucking stomach up on these things we were using to hold the Slip-n-Slides down with.”

The following year she made a trip to Wal-Mart and picked up several large sheets of plastic sheeting.

“Last year we figured out it would pool down there so we've got an 18 x 25 and down there is a 20 x 25 plastic sheet and it just pools so well. Last year I had an engineer guy out here and so it was really nice down there. It was like eight to ten inches. I know he is stalking my Facebook page and is like, "You suck.”

Other materials used for Grown Kids Slip-n-Slide:
Four cinder blocks, ten pool noodles, two garden hoses, one brick, lots of duct tape, dish soap and water.

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Photos: American Dream Car & Bike Show with Plies, Jeezy and Rick Ross

Mon, 03 Jul 2017 15:21:37 GMT

Before yesterday I hadn’t been to a car and bike show concert combination since I was the de facto “manager” of a rap group in Columbia at the turn of the century. It was in the parking lot of an abandoned strip mall in Sumter and I had taken on that role as a way to fulfill my internship requirements for my media arts degree at USC. My responsibilities were probably a small percentage of an actual manager, but I introduced them to riders and got to drink cognac in limos.

It was definitely an unpaid internship.

Since my days at the record store my knowledge of the genre has evaporated and Jeezy, Plies and Rick Ross are near foreign entities. I’d heard of a guy named Young Jeezy. Was that the same guy? All I know about Rick Ross is that he has a beard and snagged his name from the famous drug kingpin. And I’m not even sure how to pronounce “Plies.”

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Photos: Lake Murray Fourth of July Boat Parade

Sun, 02 Jul 2017 17:59:06 GMT

Adorned with a few American flags and some streamers, a single boat passed by a few families who had gathered yesterday on the Irmo side of the Lake Murray Dam for a Fourth of July boat parade. The captain sounded a steam whistle and a few white puffs escaped to join the clouds above.

“I hope that’s not the only boat,” said one woman sitting in a folding chair.

And unfortunately for her and those who gathered on the Irmo side the renegade vessel would be the only boat they saw celebrating the holiday parade. Launched from Bomb Island, the route strutted past the Lexington side of the dam, turned left at the beach and continued along the dam towards Irmo for another left at the towers and back to Bomb Island. A website insinuated that both parks were good locations for spectators and park staff was not equipped with information.

Dressed in particularly patriotic attire, Dwayne Schumpert walked several times across the dam and then scrambled to watch the parade make their turn back to the island. Despite being a veteran of most midlands celebrations, it was his first experience with the parade.

“I started at the Irmo side of the dam, over to the Lexington side of the dam and back over to the Irmo side and then when I realized the parade wasn't coming all the way over to this side [I went] back halfway across again,” he said, “Not a short walk by any means. I was definitely a person of interest for the buzzards that were flying over there. Betting that [I] wouldn't make it.”

Learn about photojournalism from South Carolina photojournalist Sean Rayford / Photo Workshops

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Photos: Party at the Library - Columbia, SC

Sat, 01 Jul 2017 15:11:15 GMT

“Sarah created this amazing sea monster that was grabbing a boat and it was delivering it from the sky. Our monsters… mine sat in a building and another one was holding onto a plane,” explains Amanda Mickey after walking out of puppet workshop with Lyon Hill last night at the Richland County Library in downtown Columbia.

“...And crushing a police car. So basically we're just destroying somebody's world. Saving the kids from school,” adds Sarah Hunter as her friends explore the second floor during the second installment of RCPL’s “Overdue” parties. Originally inspired by an effort to showoff the newly renovated facilities in September, the librarians invited their neighbors for another go-around at unique nightlife experience fusing arts and technology. There were at least two bars.

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Photo of the Day - Woodwright’s Shop Host Roy Underhill

Tue, 27 Jun 2017 19:26:20 GMT

Roy Underhill talks with a crowd at the Columbia Museum of Art as a guest of the museum's ArtBreak program this morning in Columbia, SC. Underhill has hosted the PBS series The Woodwright's Shop since 1979 and visited the museum in coordination with the current ReTooled exhibition.

Photo by Sean Rayford - June 27, 2017

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"Feels like 100" - Photos: Charleston Summer Shindig

Sun, 25 Jun 2017 16:47:47 GMT

Outside of a recent trip to the Apple store — because even though Augusta has one, Columbia doesn’t — yesterday was my first voyage to Charleston in two years where I wasn’t on assignment for a presidential campaign, something related to Donald Trump, a natural disaster, or a horrific mass murder in a church. No 5 a.m. alarms, Muslim bans, secret service dogs, IPTC data, or deadlines fulfilled at Waffle House.

The fourth annual event, originally launched by Hearts and Plugs Records, featured 12 bands primarily on two outdoor stages. Nearing the end of the Artisanals’ set it rained cats and dogs, power was cut on the stages and Zack Mexico performed a percussion only set and the Futurebirds moved their set inside. Ben Bridwell was in attendance.

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Photos: Make Music Day in Columbia SC

Thu, 22 Jun 2017 22:25:09 GMT

If you passed through Five Points in Columbia yesterday you may have seen Joe Robinson celebrating Make Music Day walking around on stilts with a guitar amp strapped to his back. But due to it's short performance, you probably missed Adam Cullum using a handful of rocks and the fountain as an instrument to perform Dean Rosenthal's Stones/Water/Time/Breath.

“It’s kind of an experimental music-theater piece. The national organizers reached out to us about having someone perform it last year but we didn't have anyone who was interested. I believe Adam actually stumbled upon the information on his own and decided to perform the piece.” explains local event organizer Ashleigh Lancaster.

“I didn't know what to expect but it was weird and fun and awesome. I won't lie, it's slightly above my head, but you can read more about the piece here: http://www.stonespiece.com/

Last year over 750 cities worldwide participated in the all day summer solstice musical celebration that dates back to 1982 and some Parisian dude who wanted to bring folks out into the streets. It brought ukulele player Jessica Skinner (below) to a park on Main with families interested in learning how to play different instruments. "Tim Hall invited me to lead the ukulele portion of the day," the local musician explains, "The idea was that people around the city/world would be making music at the same exact time. I taught the group a few basic chords and led them in a few songs."

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Soda Citizen: Tyler Morris Listens to Phish

Fri, 16 Jun 2017 19:33:07 GMT

Sean: If you are eating peanut butter, how or with what are you putting it in your mouth?
Tyler: With a spoon. Or in a Reeses Cup. I actually have three things of peanut butter left in my cabinet that are past their time. Summer of 2015.

Sean: Do you go creamy or crunchy?
Tyler: Creamy. Definitely not crunchy. I don't like crunchy. Sometimes I wish it wasn't as thick as it is.

Sean: What is a guilty listening pleasure that you have right now?
Tyler: I've been listening to Phish. So that is interesting. I think I liked it because I hated it. But [Michael] Crawford actually showed me the song. It's off of the album Junta. I put it on at Papa Jazz and Tim and everybody else was like, "What the hell is going on with Tyler?" The song is called "You Enjoy Myself." Which is a genius title. Just listen to that one song over and over. I love it. Out of no where it cuts to this one part, and the only words are "shiiiiiit" and "daaaammnnnn." (emphasis on stoner annunciation).

Sean: Tell me about one of your favorite customers [working at Papa Jazz]?
Tyler: Her name's Meg and she... well... we get a lot of wild people that call into there all the time. And she apparently was in a mental hospital. She was ordering CDs from us and having somebody else come by for her. And she finally got out and she had just the greatest laugh. She just drove everybody crazy and I love the customers that people hate. I love em all. Except for this one guy.

Sean: What did Meg listen to?
Tyler: Everything. She'd buy Father John Misty and then Alanis Morrisette and then it would taper off into some old weird jazz stuff. It seems like she was just reading off [lists of] names. And apparently she said that she knows Janis Joplin and that she's alive in a rural town in South Carolina and sells paintings. And this other guy that's been coming in. Huge, tall guy. Wears Trump shirts and what not. And he thinks that he is dating Leslie Van Houten, one of the Manson family girls, and he's coming in the another day and is telling us his dad is trying to ruin his marriage and is plotting to kill him.
I'm like, "Yeah man I'm sorry and trying to get out unscathed." Scared the shit out of me. Customers just looked around and were just trying to keep their composure. Dude, if you go there for a day and you'll find the wildest people.

Sean: If I could if I could make you like a life-size cutout of a human right now who would it be
Tyler: Dr. Phil.

Sean: Where would it end up?
Tyler: Probably on the back of Papa Jazz by all the dust.

Sean: Tell me what you think or something about Columbia during the summer without mentioning the weather.
Tyler: I can tell you not to wear pants because I always do.

Photos and interview by South Carolina photojournalist Sean Rayford

Photos: Confederate Memorial Day - Columbia, SC

Wed, 10 May 2017 23:16:34 GMT

A small group of men and women stand around the Confederate Monument at the South Carolina Statehouse in Columbia, SC. With their hands not occupied with flag poles, they point to the sky and their heads swivel with excitement. “It’s beautiful,” says one woman as a plane passes behind the statehouse dome towing a giant Confederate battle flag and the words, “No Compromise!”

Dressed in a frock coat and holding a 1820 double barrel shotgun acquired in an estate sale, Marion Hudson tells me about Miss Hiers, his fourth grade teacher when he lived in Charleston. “She said you're a Charlestonian first, a South Carolinian second and an American last. And that the Ashley and Cooper Rivers made the Atlantic Ocean. And I believed it,” he says, “I'm out here to honor my Confederate ancestry and honor all the soldiers that fought for The South. Black, white, Hispanic, Indian. I've been doing this since 1986 and I've only missed about three years.”

Meanwhile out in front of the monument a young woman named Georgia stands alone holding a piece of cardboard. It reads, “Black Lives Matters.” She has acquired two bottles of water and a bottle of Gatorade at her feet and she’s starting to wonder how long the pro flag folks might be out here. She mentions one of those bottles came from the folks behind her. I tell her they might be out here all day.

"Well, I drove past,” she says, “And I think they were here earlier this week too and this was the first chance I had a free day. It just kinda made me mad and I wanted to come out and do something. I'm not an activist. All I did was write a phrase on a piece of cardboard. I guess I'm out here to remind them that their days are numbered. From one descendent of Confederates to another, just because it's your heritage and your history it doesn't mean that it's right. And it doesn't mean it's not harmful.”

“You can be proud of being southern. You can acknowledge your history. You don't have to wallow in guilt, but you have to acknowledge what happened. And if you don't, it tells me that you're willing to let it happen again.”

South Carolina is one of six states that celebrate Confederate Memorial Day as a public holiday and in this one, it’s observed every May 10, unless it falls on Saturday or Sunday, and then it’s observed on May 9 or May 11.

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Photos: March for Science - Columbia, SC

Mon, 24 Apr 2017 19:51:51 GMT

In coordination with Earth Day celebrations on Saturday hundreds of cities across the globe participated in pro-science demonstrations. Organizers say more than 600. In Los Angeles, California and in Chicago, Illinois people gathered in support of science. In Mobile, Alabama and in Eugene, Oregon people gathered in support of science. In Paris, France; Sydney, Australia; Zagreb, Croatia and in Cape Town, South Africa people gathered in support of science. And in Columbia, South Carolina people gathered in support of science — all satellite versions of a protest in the nation’s capital titled “March for Science.”

On the steps of the South Carolina Statehouse a wetlands ecologist wearing a t-shirt with a portrait of Charles Darwin held a sign. On one side it read, “Make America Think Again,” and on the other, “Don’t Tread on Science.” Surrounded by more than two hundred others armed with sticks and poster board the group slowly retreated up the steps as the hot sun climbed upwards and speakers rotated below.

“I am a scientist- a biologist- and I think that the current political climate is very anti-science and anti-intellectual. And it really pisses me off. I think policy and laws should be based on science but that's not happening right now and it's important to have our voices heard,” the wetlands ecologist said later during the rally as he stood on the Confederate Monument.

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Photos: Antiwar Protestors Piss Off Old Man

Thu, 13 Apr 2017 16:16:45 GMT

I wasn't out in front of the South Carolina Statehouse again for a another protest.

The antiwar protestors just happened to be nearby the confederate monument at the same time that I was set to meet up with former Governor Jim Hodges for a portrait shoot. The only shade in the area was directly on the east side of the monument, so I sat on the steps and joined a group of three kids escaping the sun. They had been dragged along and without their technology by one of their parents, who held a sign as cars drove by on Gervais St.

I sat down next to the youngest and he told me he liked robins. He liked humming birds too but the squirrels kept messing up the humming bird feeders at his house. He was not a bird enthusiast but he liked birds. One humming bird he saw had eggs the size of peas and a nest the size of a walnut. He didn't like peas but he liked green beans and he wa a HUGE enthusiast of Pokémon. When he proclaimed his love for Pokémon, his kid sister bursted out, "Do you even know the original 150!!!!?" He starts naming them and gets to 2 before she cut him off.

I don't know anything about Pokémon so the next five minutes they gave me some insights on the games until a man walked up the sidewalk and shouted at the protestors. "LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR!!!?" he screamed "THEY'RE CHOPPING OFF THE HEADS OF JOURNALISTS!!!" Every ten to fifteen feet he stopped pushing his walker, partially weighed down by shopping bags from Dollar General, and shouted some more.

"DANG! That was something?" I say as I look at the kids after the pissed off old man launched his final assault.

"That man needs to calm the fuck down," says one of the older kids. "And also, that's ISIS."

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Photos: Town Hall meeting with Sen. Lindsey Graham - Columbia, SC

Sun, 26 Mar 2017 16:30:27 GMT

Some hide -- U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-SC.

Some plant supporters in the front rows and have donut holes and coffee -- Tom Rice, another GOP member of the house from the Palmetto State.

And some fully embrace standing on a stage in front of a thousand screaming liberals -- Lindsey Graham, the Republican senator from South Carolina.

Yesterday I attended my sixth congressional town hall meeting of 2017 and for the first time it took place in the town I live. No long drive to Hilton Head or Clemson. When I saw some of the first TV news reports from a town hall early in the year I immediately placed it on my bucket list.

I've often told my friends that I'm a fan of the absurd.

And this is absurd. But I guess it really isn't -- considering the divisive political climate in the nation. Last week, my friend and former roommate, Wes Wolfe, a writer at the Brunswick News (GA), reminded us about journalism's role producing the first drafts of history. Rest assured, I'm truly appreciative to serve this function and the opportunity to witness the educational theater.

As I waited for Rep. Graham to exit the restroom, so that I could photograph him as he walked to his car, I talked to a security guard about the upcoming Garnet and Black Spring football game. But before we could get to far along, the congressman exited and walked up to me. "Did you like that?" He said enthusiastically.

In hindsight, my reply should have been. "Not as much as you did." But nope, I failed.

"Good to see you again," I replied.

Make no mistake, Lindsey Graham had a good time. And for me, let's just say I'm happy not to be forced in a pen with thousands of southern Republicans screaming at me. No Secret Service ready to choke slam.

To see all 26 photos from my assignment for Getty Images: Photos: Town Hall meeting with Sen. Lindsey Graham - Columbia, SC

Words and images by Sean Rayford. Photos for Getty Images.

Photos: New Millwood Ave. Mural Connects Artists with Neighborhood

Wed, 22 Mar 2017 12:27:00 GMT

Watching four street artists as they painted a new mural on Millwood Ave., a 59 year-old neighborhood man sat across the street drinking a 16 oz. can of Icehouse on Wednesday night. He had been shouting at the group for ten minutes when Knoxville’s Brandon Donahue’s scarab themed section pushed him over the edge. He stood up and threw down his beer as he marched across the four lane artery connecting Devine and Gervais Streets. The can bounced on the asphalt and careened back on the sidewalk as beer flew through the air.

“EIY!!!……….EIY!……EIY!” he had been yelling in an endless loop trying to get their attention. The shouts grew in frequency and loudness until it climaxed with the man wasting part of his evening brew.

He had first been by earlier in the week.

“We saw him Monday. And he may have been a little bit inebriated. He was like, what ya doin’? says Columbia’s Cedric Umoja, who spearheaded the project with a Gofundme fundraiser and some help from OneColumbia. Umoja explained their project and the man was really receptive. “He was giving us the big ups — ‘I'm glad someone is looking at it with this perspective.”

“So then on Wednesday, he came up the block later on in the evening. We crossed the street to look at the wall to talk about what we were gonna to do next,” says Umoja, “He gave me the handshake and was saying thanks and he sat down not too far from us and started drinking his beer.”

“He kept drinking his beer and looking at what we were doing. And he kinda focused in on Brandon and made that his point of aggression."

“WE AINT NO BUGS!” he shouted from an empty parking space behind Donahue as he worked on the wall. “YOU CALLING US BUGS!?”

"I'm turing 60 this week and I can't believe in all my years. I've never been called an insect,” Umoja recalls the man saying, “Brandon extended an olive branch and said, you know, we're trying to give something back and were doing it out of love. And he was just being really belligerent.”

“He was like, 'I don't care about love right now.”

“Then on Thursday he came, they had an exchange and he said, 'I see. I'm starting to get it now,” says Umoja, “By Friday morning, he's coming up the block and giving us sodas. They were cold too.”

Umoja was blown away. “I was like wow, to see him change over those couple days. He reminded me of the wall — just the whole idea of the wall being transformed.'

“There was a halfway house around the corner so those guys would get off work and they'd come down the block -- I guess they'd maybe go to the corner store, the Orange Party Shop and they'd have conversations with us. I spoke to one guy, his name was Skylar. That's what he told me to call him and we had several conversations about the community, about his life and the state of affairs,” explains Umoja.

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"I'm a little saddened I'm no longer gonna be painting down there cuz I kinda felt like we became part of the community. One of the guys the came through that was sorta like a street minister,” says Umoja, “He gave Karl a nickname. He called him "WB" -- "white boy." It was like, "WB, what's up man?" It was hilarious. And they really embraced us at the end of it all.

“They were suspicions. Truthfully speaking, we’re naturally suspicious as human beings. But as black folks we are very — very naturally suspicious of all people, especially people we don't see everyday in our community. They're looking at us and saying, "Who are these guys?”

As the mural started to take shape neighbors regularly stopped on their walks to thank the artists. Parents and grandparents brought their kids by. One man summed it up as he walked by without stopping, “That’s some new shit right there! That’s good.” Folks honked as they drove past. Every fifteen minutes someone would stop to take photos or just say hello while checking out the progress.

A woman with orange hair, bug eye sunglasses, and a giant green phone celebrated her birthday by taking selfies in front of the new artwork. “Take my picture! YEAH!!! It’s my birthday!” she exclaimed.

Millwood Mural by Cedric Umoja and Ariel Flowers (Columbia,SC), Karl Zurfluh (Charleston, SC), and Brandon Donahue (Nashville, TN).

Words and photos by Sean Rayford

Photos: Town Hall with Sen. Lindsey Graham

Sun, 05 Mar 2017 17:14:52 GMT

"No. No. Don't give him the microphone. No. No. No," pleaded one of Sen. Lindsey Graham's staffers from the side of the stage yesterday as the lawmaker attempted to wrap up a town hall meeting in Clemson, SC. The "him" the staffer referred to was a man in a baseball cap and maroon sweatshirt standing in the center of the front row. He had been heckling the senator and Graham had threatened to have the him kicked out earlier after multiple vocal outbursts. His go-to attack was, "HE'S A TRAITOR!"

It was kinda tense but there seemed to a be a comical element to it. Maybe I'm just immature though, but I think Sen. Graham, although annoyed, found some humor in the moment. I appreciate his sense of humor.

So what did the guy ask? I don't even remember. He lost me after thanking the senator for simply showing up followed by some pretext for his inquiry. What I do remember was that much of the 900 person crowd yesterday had the biggest gripes with Graham's vote on Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, and Donald Trump in his position of "leader of the free world."

When he addressed the outcome of the general election he told the crowd, ""I didn't vote for Trump either. I voted for Evan McMullen."

Click the image or the following link to see 27 photos from the event: Photos - Sen. Lindsey Graham Town Hall Meeting

Photos and words by Sean Rayford

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Photos: Spirit of America Rally! Fake News?

Mon, 27 Feb 2017 23:19:09 GMT

Trump Rally Columbia SC Photos 01885

Shawn Herzog (below) helped to organize a pro-Trump rally on President's Day a week ago in Red Bank, SC. On Monday, he joined about 100 fellow Trump supporters as a speaker at the statehouse in Columbia, SC "To show him the appreciation and love for what he [has been] doing over the last 30 days," he says. Herzog served 23 years in the United States Army and voted for the New York businessman and reality television star because of his positions on borders and national security. But mainly he says, because he was a republican. Monica Schmitz was with Herzog last week in Red Bank and they both share common thoughts regarding national unity, "My biggest concern is getting us as a country back together. Everybody helping each other, doing what we can for our next door neighbors," she says.

"There is too much hatred, division, and everything else going on around the nation right now and we're trying to build the nation back together," says Herzog.

Trump Rally Columbia SC Photos 01872

Before parting ways Herzog (above, center) and Schmidtz (above, left) spoke with me about one of the president's favorite punching bags, the media and how to define fake news. The Spirit of America Rally in Columbia was one of many held nationwide today in support of the president.

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Photos: Donut Holes and Drama at Florence Town Hall Meeting

Fri, 24 Feb 2017 18:58:49 GMT

Last night’s town hall meeting with Rep. Tom Rice in Florence, SC was a bit more boisterous than than last week’s dual town hall with Rep. Mark Sanford and Sen. Tim Scott in North Charleston. Rice arrived about 45 minutes before they opened the doors for the event at the Florence County Library and went backwards through the line, having short conversations with most everyone outside. When they finally opened the doors, one of first people in line told me she was surprised to see that there was already several handfuls of folks seated in the first two rows. In front of them were printed signs, the red ones read, “Freedom, Jobs, Security” and the blue ones, “Americans for Trump.”

Several times during the meeting the two groups went back and forth. At one point a man shouted at another man who didn’t have to wait in line, “Why don’t you pick on someone your size?” About halfway through, a chanting crowd outside of those turned away was ordered back to a “free speech zone” — marked by a few orange cones about 25 feet from the building. A man who told me he was the mayor’s father then got into an argument with local law enforcement about free speech. After the meeting I went to grab a donut hole where a woman told me those seats occupied before doors opened should have been for the constituents that waited had waited in line.

To view all the photos from the assignment: Town Hall Meeting with Rep. Tom Rice or click the collage

Photos and words by Sean Rayford for Getty Images.

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Photos: The People's March on Columbia, SC

Tue, 21 Feb 2017 23:00:11 GMT

In January of last year, Henry McMaster, then lieutenant governor of the state of South Carolina, introduced then candidate Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Gilbert, SC. There were throngs of excited supporters under a festival size tent at Harmon’s Tree Farm that evening and an overflow crowd filled the area behind the media risers. At one point, a woman near the front fainted during Trump’s address.

Since then, the Donald became the 45th president of the United States and plucked then Governor Nikki Haley for the role of ambassador to the United Nations. Henry McMaster was subsequently appointed governor of South Carolina.

Millions of Americans now find themselves waking each morning to the latest damage reports about an alternate reality that they now find themselves inhabiting. And with each new shot to the hull, a new public gathering is planned and executed.

“Donald Trump is a fool and I hate to think the chief executive officer of our state backs such a human being who is panning out to be a disastrous leader,” explains Arik Bjorn, an event speaker who recently ran against congressman Joe Wilson in the House of Representatives, “Across the nation there were a lot of anti-President days but that was not particularly what this was.”

“It was specifically aimed at governor McMaster. Sending a strong message to him on areas of healthcare, education, mass incarceration, gun legislation, a $15 minimum wage, planned parenthood, LGBTQ rights, Muslims rights, native Americans rights and all of the different things that where we stand on,” says Pastor Tomas Dixon (pictured above), an event organizer of yesterday’s “People’s March on Columbia” at the South Carolina Statehouse. “A lot of what's going on in Washington DC is something that we really can't reach out and touch. But seing as we have a new governor in the state who was an early supporter of Donald Trump and is subsequently now a supporter of his administration,” he says, “we made it perfectly clear to our Gov. McMaster what we expect of him during his time in office because we are his employer and he is our employee.”

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“It's to our detriment as people that we many times choose to work in their own ethnicity, in their own religious communities, own political parties. But the reason why we experience a lot of the woes of society is we allow those differences within us to create division. We should be able to work together - all of us as human beings and not necessarily just as Americans,” says Dixon.

Photos: One detained by police at Wells Fargo during NoDAPL protest in Columbia, SC

Sat, 04 Feb 2017 16:37:28 GMT

Holding a pink protest sign that read, "I Stand with Standing Rock," and some paperwork from the bank, Stephanie Godbolt was met with cheers yesterday as she walked out of the downtown Wells Fargo branch in Columbia, SC. She had just closed her checking and savings accounts at the bank with which she had a fifteen year relationship, citing their involvement financing the Dakota Access Pipeline. "It felt great but I feel like it's not enough. I wish I could pull anybody off the street that had any dealing with Wells Fargo and make them come inside with me," explained Godbolt.

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W hat is photojournalism?

After marching from the state capital, 75 to 100 demonstrators, including many families, gathered outside the bank chanting messages of divestment. As demonstrators pressed up on the lobby windows, security and local police, employees and customers attempted to gauge the scenario. Eventually, a small group entered the lobby before police halted further attempts from those not holding accounts. One man, toting a "Resist" banner and wearing a University of South Carolina jacket, took a seat in the lobby as the crowd revved up their protest chants. He refused to leave and without confrontation he was placed in handcuffs and escorted away. The banner was returned to the group of protestors.

A Facebook statement from the organizers of the demonstration, 350 Columbia, professed, "We need to STAND UP to Donald Trump's recent anti-environment, anti-community executive orders, which reopened the construction of both pipelines and attacked the EPA and the Park Service (and many others). We stand in solidarity with the rights of the Native Americans, women, immigrants, Muslim Americans, Latino Americans, scientists, and many others that Donald Trump has so openly attacked in the recent days."

Soda Citizen: Lindsey Vidal, back from church retreat with pink hair

Sat, 07 Jan 2017 14:59:50 GMT

Sean: Everybody is talking about snow on Saturday. What are you gonna do if it snows?
Lindsay Vidal: I hope all my appointments cancel so I can sit at my house with [my roommate’s dog] and my two cats and eat snacks all day.

SR: Tell me a bout a record from the 1990s. Maybe a story about how it related to your personal life.
LV: The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of the nineties - it’s so stereotypical. I went through a phase when I was about 12 where I was obsessed with Gwen Stefani and No Doubt. That was the first time I ever colored my hair and so it opened the door to many things. I wanted to do make-up and I was obsessed with Gwen Stefani. So, I went on a church retreat and I come from this super conservative religious household. My dad was a youth pastor. At the time I was living in a small town in Pennsylvania called Effort and about twenty minutes from Effort there is college town called East Stroudsburg and at the college campus they were having an annual youth Christian retreat. I remember we had a free break time in the afternoon and I walked to Sally Beauty Supply and I bought bleach and Manic Panic and in the middle of the night when I everyone was sleeping I bleached my hair and died my hair pink and when I came home from the weekend I had bright pink hair and I thought my parents were going to lose their minds. And then my mom was like, “Oh, it looks cool!” And that was it. I just remember that being my real first rebellion with my hair.

SR: So what album was that?
LV: That would have been Tragic Kingdom.

SR: Take two different band names with a common word phrase, like they do on that NPR show, and created a new band name. For example, “The Grateful Dead Milkmen.”
LV: Judas Priestess

SR: If you could swap the playing surfaces between two sports what would they be. Who would you you make play on what?
LV: I don’t know much about sports but If I could switch - I would make soccer teams play on a hockey rink and see how that goes. I think that would be really entertaining.

SR: What’s the worst pizza topping?
LV: People love pineapple but I’m not big on it as a pizza topping. I love pineapple. I love pizza. But I don't love them together.

SR: What is your dream vehicle.
LV: I would love to have a big RV where I could travel around the country and soup it up I could do hair in it. Maybe have a little boutique. I found one for sale recently, but I’m not at that time in my life. One day.

SR: Tell me about something good going on in Columbia.
LV: I love everything going on at Tapps. My friend Ahomari was doing on project called Cyberbae for a while and they played there a few times. That was really, really good. Now they are playing in band called Loamers and they’ve played there a few times as well. I just like how they are putting together these mixed genre shows. It seems like they’re open and excited.
We played there back in the spring and it was a really great experience all around. We brought in a band from Australia and it was a really good reception and people were excited to see a touring band that’s traveling around the world. I don’t know, it’s just an energy that they have. Energy and positivity. All the art there that I’ve seen has been pretty cool. They do all kinds of stuff there now. The last time the was [an exhibit with] garments made out of trash. And before that there was a nature exhibit that was really nice. There have been some shows that stand out in my mind. There’s a band called Lull and they did a show there and it was really good. There’s just been a lot of shows there that have stood out in my mind over the last year.

SR: What was your dream job when you were in elementary school?
LV: Doing hair and makeup has always been a dream job, but also when I was a kid I said I wanted to be a starving artist and never work and I just wanted to do art.

SR: If a horse with wings is called a Pegasus, what is a cow with wings called?
LV: I feel like it should be something with bovine. Like a “Devine Bovine,” a flying cow.

SR: What was your favorite board game when you were a kid?
LV: I used to love playing Life with my dad because he was such a jerk but in a hilarious way. He would always cheat.

SR: How do you cheat at Life?
LV: I know, right? Exactly. He would figure out a way to cheat. I feel like he was teaching me life lesson.

SR: It’s not going to be fair, someone is going to cheat and you’re going to lose?
LV: Yes. I remember everyone would fight over the $100,000 salary card. I think he marked that card so he knew when to pull it.

Photos: New Year's Eve at New Brookland Tavern

Mon, 02 Jan 2017 00:28:45 GMT

Three hundred and sixty-four days to do something this year.

Year in Review: 2016 - Photos by Sean Rayford

Sat, 31 Dec 2016 23:22:40 GMT

In 2016 I learned about tear gas, the superpowers of fishing waders and my need for a chainsaw. Here are 55 photos that I made in 2016.

January 15: Columbia, SC - Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, waits for an introduction at the USC Alumni Center in Columbia January 15, 2016 in Columbia, SC. Photo by Sean Rayford for AP Images

JANUARY 27 - GILBERT, SC - Eleven year-old J.D. Roberts kills time waiting in line at a Donald Trump campaign rally at Harmon Tree Farm January 27, 2016 in Gilbert, South Carolina. Trump is leading in the polls among the GOP presidential candidates leading up to the Iowa Caucus. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

JANUARY 27: GILBERT, SC - GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump throws an issue of Time Magazine into the crowd at a campaign rally January 27, 2016 in Gilbert, South Carolina. Trump is leading in the polls among the GOP presidential candidates leading up to the Iowa Caucus. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

January 28: Columbia, SC - Mississippi guard Erika Sisk (5) and teammate Bretta Hart (24) battle for a rebound against South Carolina forward Sarah Imovbioh, center, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016, in Columbia, S.C. Gamecocks are 20-0. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford)

January 30: Columbia, SC - South Carolina fans celebrate a missed free throw by Alabama during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016, in Columbia, S.C. South Carolina defeated Alabama 78-64. Photo by Sean Rayford for AP Images

February 9: Bishopville, SC - Decoda musicians Sarah Elizabeth Charles, right, and Brad Balliett, center, work with inmates during a music workshop at the Lee Correctional Institution Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2016, in Bishopville, S.C. Several dozen inmates will perform original music in a concert on February 14, 2016 for the larger incarcerated community, staff, officers, and local and state officials. The concert is a result of a weeklong workshop with the Decoda chamber ensemble. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford)

FEBRUARY 26: COLUMBIA, SC - Rapper Killer Mike, left, talks about the upcoming South Carolina Democratic presidential primary with Jeremiah Whitley, center, and Laquatta Brown, right, at Phlayva Cuts Barber and Beauty Shop Friday, February 26, 2016 in Columbia, South Carolina. Michael Render, aka Killer Mike, campaigned for Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders in the state capital the day before voters participate in the state's primary election. (Photo by Sean Rayford/@gettyimages)

March 4 - Columbia, SC South Carolina second baseman Marcus Mooney (8) celebrates a double play against Eli White and the Clemson Tigers Friday night at Founders Field in Columbia, S.C. South Carolina defeated Clemson 8-1. Photo by Sean Rayford for the State Newspaper

MARCH 7: CONCORD, NC - Donald Trump supporters cheer on the Republican presidential candidate before a campaign rally March 7, 2016 in Concord, North Carolina. The North Carolina Republican presidential primary will be held March 15. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

MARCH 14: HICKORY, NC - Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump addresses the crowd during a campaign rally at Lenoir-Rhyne University March 14, 2016 in Hickory, North Carolina. The North Carolina Republican primary will be held March 15. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

March 19: Columbia, SC - Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst of Shovels and Rope perform at St. Pat's in Five Points in Columbia, SC.

March 19: Columbia, SC - Young folk enjoy the silent dance floor at St. Pat's in Five Points in Columbia, SC.

March 27: New York, NY - A young girl stands by a street vendor on Fifth Avenue during the annual Easter parade in New York, NY.

April 16: Columbia, SC - Big Freedia headlines the Indie Grits Festival along the Congaree River in Columbia, SC. Photo by Sean Rayford for The Indie Grits Film Festival

April 25: Columbia, SC - Former South Carolina running back and current Goon Squad infielder Marcus Lattimore poses for a photo following a recreation league kickball game Monday night at Earlewood Park. 4/25/16 Photo by Sean Rayford for The State Newspaper

May 3: Columbia, SC - Henry Thomas and Adam Cullum stand out back of the Shredquarters to take evening to take a break from moving out. Home of the Crystal Pepsi Concert Series near Five Points in Columbia, SC, the house venue will see its final days at the end of the month.

May 16: Newberry, SC- Jimmie Lee Shaw of Overbridge Farms in Newberry, SC stands in a cotton field yesterday afternoon just before Governor Nikki Haley vetoed a bill that would provide $40 million to farmers whose crops were devastated during the flood last year. Today, House members voted 112-2 to override the veto and the Senate is expected to vote against the veto tomorrow. Photo by Sean Rayford for The State Newspaper

May 31: Columbia, SC - Alex Strickland performs with Bathe at the Tapp's Art Center on Main St. in Columbia, SC.

June 4: Blythewood, SC - Rowdy Rice, left, and Sam Moore socialize between competition Saturday evening at the Blythewood Doko Rodeo in Blythewood, S.C. The IPRA Championship Rodeo featured eight events where world class cowboys and cowgirls competed for cash prizes, trophy buckles and qualifying points for the International Finals Rodeo held in Oklahoma. Photo by Sean Rayford for The State Newspaper

July 2: Columbia, SC - Members of the United States Army react during a Fourth of July concert at Fort Jackson. The base is celebrating the preparation of soldiers for 100 years. Photo by Sean Rayford for The State Newspaper

July 10: Columbia, SC - Inaya Bastian sits in in the road where Huger St. turns into interstate 126 during a United We Stand march last night in Columbia, S.C. Several hundred protestors marched from the statehouse to the interstate where they were turned around by law enforcement. 7/10/16 photo by Sean Rayford for The State Newspaper

July 19: Cleveland, Ohio - Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams clears a path for Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones as he is chased out of a public square in downtown Cleveland during the first day of the Republican National Convention.

July 20: Cleveland Ohio - Police officers from Columbus, OH watch over the crowd last night at the public square in downtown Cleveland during the Republican National Convention.

July 20: Cleveland, OH - Cleveland Police officers detain a protestor during the final day of the Republican National Convention July 20, 2016 in Cleveland, OH.

July 20: Cleveland, OH - A young boy plays in a public fountain during the final day of the Republican National Convention July 20, 2016 in Cleveland, OH.

August 12: Lexington, SC - A Lexington cheerleader reacts to a friend in the crowd during the Lexington Jamboree August 12, 2016 in Lexington, SC.

August 16: Columbia, SC - Patrick Kindlon performs with Drug Church at the New Brookland Tavern in West Columbia, SC on August 16, 2016.

August 21: Columbia, SC -South Carolina defensive lineman Ulric Jones, right, and defensive back Javon Charleston pose for a photo during the annual USC football media day Sunday afternoon at Williams-Brice Stadium. Photo by Sean Rayford for The State Newspaper

: August 26: West Columbia, SC - Young folks apply glitter to one another during Hoechella at New Brookland Tavern August 26, 2016 in West Columbia, SC.

August 28: Columbia, SC - Private Quinton Wright of D Company, 2nd Battalion, 193rd Infantry, tries on his graduation uniform during downtime at Fort Jackson Sunday, August 28, 2016 in Columbia, S.C. Photo by Sean Rayford for The State Newspaper

: September 4: Darlington, SC -NASCAR fans watch Paul Menard and Ross Chasten lead a restart following a caution flag Sunday evening during the Southern 500 in Darlington, S.C. Photo by Sean Rayford for the State Newspaper

CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 21: Protestors put cargo from tractor trailers onto a fire on I-85 (Interstate 85) during protests following the death of a man shot by a police officer September 21, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The protests began last night, following the fatal shooting of 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott at an apartment complex near UNC Charlotte. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 21: Police officers face off with protestors on I-85 during demonstrations against an officer-involved fatal shooting September 21, 2016 in Charlotte, NC. The protests began the previous night following the fatal shooting of 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott at an apartment complex near UNC Charlotte. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 21: A man looks at blood on the sidewalk in front of the Omni Hotel September 21, 2016 in Charlotte, NC. Protests in Charlotte began on Tuesday in response to the fatal shooting of 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott at an apartment complex near UNC Charlotte. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 21: With blood covering her hand and arm, a woman points at a police officer on September 21, 2016 in Charlotte, NC. The North Carolina governor has declared a state of emergency in the city of Charlotte after clashes during protests in the city in response to the fatal shooting by police officers of 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott at an apartment complex near UNC Charlotte. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 21: A woman smears blood on a police riot shield September 21, 2016 in downtown Charlotte, NC. Protests in Charlotte began on Tuesday in response to the fatal shooting of 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott at an apartment complex near UNC Charlotte. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

October 5: Charleston, SC: Bruce D'Arcy boards up windows at a building on East Bay St. during preparations for the expected arrival of Hurricane Matthew in Charleston, South Carolina, USA, 05 October 2016. Matthew has crossed over parts of Haiti and Cuba and is expected to move up the east coast of the United States.

October 7: Charleston, SC: As Hurricane Matthew tracks toward the state of South Carolina, a group of people walk past Nick's BBQ on King St. October 7, 2015 in Charleston, SC. The worst of the storm effects are expected to strike the South Carolina coast on Saturday. Photo by Sean Rayford for The New York Times

October 8: Charleston, SC: A residential building is inundated with floodwaters as Hurricane Matthew hits the South Carolina coast October 8, 2016 in Charleston, SC. The hurricane has claimed four lives in the United States. Photo by Sean Rayford for The New York Times

October 8: Charleston, SC - Caroline Wright checks her smartphone on Huger St. after visiting her property for the first time following Hurricane Matthew's brush of Charleston, SC. Photo by Sean Rayford for The New York Times

October 8: Charleston, SC - Matthew Mitchell rides a bicycle along the Battery after Hurricane Matthew hit the South Carolina coast October 8, 2016 in Charleston, SC. The hurricane has claimed four lives in the United States. Photo by Sean Rayford for The New York Times

lumberton under water LUMBERTON, NC - OCTOBER 12: Chris Moore walks down Martin Luther King Blvd. on October 12, 2016 in Lumberton, North Carolina. Hurricane Matthew's heavy rains ended over the weekend, but flooding is still expected for days in North Carolina. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

FAIR BLUFF, NC - OCTOBER 11: Vance Barden, left, and Wayne Edwards carry personal items through a flooded street caused by remnants of Hurricane Matthew on October 11, 2016 in Fair Bluff, North Carolina. Thousands of homes have been damaged in North Carolina as a result of the storm and many are still under threat of flooding. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

FAIR BLUFF, NC - OCTOBER 11: A cat is stranded on a fence due to floodwaters from the Lumber River on October 11, 2016 in Fair Bluff, North Carolina. Thousands of homes have been damaged in North Carolina as a result of Hurricane Matthew and many are still under threat of flooding. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

LUMBERTON, NC - OCTOBER 12: Used as a pedestrian bridge to help residents escape flooding, flea market tables are arranged on W. Fifth St. on October 12, 2016 in Lumberton, North Carolina. Hurricane Matthew's heavy rains ended over the weekend, but flooding is still expected for days in North Carolina. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

October 22: Columbia, SC - South Carolina starting quarterback Jake Bentley (4) and South Carolina running back David Williams (33) celebrate a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford)

October 28 - Columbia, SC - Deborah Adedokun perfoms with Debbie and the Skanks at the Music Farm during the Sid and Nancy Hollaween Explosion on Saturday, October 28, 2016.

October 29: Columbia, SC - "I'm proud of our players, and I told them after the game to continue to invest and have some belief. Some good things are going to happen, and I told them to continue to do the things we're asking them to do. They continue to do that, and our guys played their guts out tonight. We have to enjoy tonight and put this one behind us and get ready for a game against Missouri. I'm very pleased with our guys' efforts, and they have continued to fight." - South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp

October 29: Columbia, SC - After the Volunteers failed to connect on a 58 yard field goal attempt in the game's final seconds, the Gamecocks landed their first big win under coach Will Muschamp against No. 18 ranked Tennessee. South Carolina defeated UT last night 24-21. Photo by Sean Rayford for AP Images.

November 5: Columbia, SC - South Carolina freshman running back Rico Dowdle carries the ball against Missouri. He had twenty seven carries for 149 yards and one TD with 3 receptions for 20 yards and another TD. Photo by Sean Rayford for AP Images.

November 7: Raleigh, NC - Donald Trump makes two tiny fists at a campaign rally in Raleigh, NC the day before the general election on November 7, 2016.

November 12: Columbia, SC - Scottie Tempo performs with Boo Hag during the annual Jam Room Music Festival November 12, 2016 in Columbia, SC.

November 23: Columbia, SC - South Carolina guard Sindarius Thornwell (0) blocks a shot attempt by Michigan forward Moritz Wagner (13) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016, in Columbia, S.C. South Carolina defeated Michigan 61-46. Photo by Sean Rayford for AP Images

December 1: Columbia, SC - Dr. Marlena Smalls & The Hallelujah Singers out of Beaufort, SC. sing during the reception for the Governor's Carolighting at the statehouse December 1, 2016 in Columbia, SC.

December 24 - Cocoa Beach, FL - Children wait in line to compete in a the youth costume contest at the Surfing Santas beach party on Christmas Eve in Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Photos: Surfing Santas take over Cocoa Beach, Florida

Sun, 25 Dec 2016 16:00:11 GMT

In 2009 George Trosset, joined by his son and wife, dressed up as Santas on Christmas Eve to surf the waves at Cocoa Beach in Florida. "The next year about 20 of us showed up and it really was just a fun day and something to do on Christmas Eve," explains Danny Cruden who dressed up as a Nutcracker yesterday to enjoy the Atlantic at the famous East Coast surfing spot. "It's the first time we've had a Nutcracker out here."

In it's eighth year, the "Surfing Santas" holiday event attracted over 800 costumed surfers along with thousands of spectators crowding the beach for a very Florida Christmas party. Last year they had twenty skydiving Santas. This year, pro surfers Corey Howell and Nathan Adams jumped out of a helicopter. "Its the only event that you can go to with thousands of people and everyone has a smile on their face," says Cruden, who hails from the North Pole and stays with family in nearby Vero Beach during the holidays.

Dave Chamberlain begins 19,000 mile Forrest Gump Run with trip to Waffle House

Tue, 20 Dec 2016 00:37:00 GMT

Dave Chamberlain is running across the world. Two weeks ago he began the latest leg of his journey, a 19,000 mile "Forrest Gump Run." The forty year-old South African, whose accent has the staff stumped at the Waffle House in Yemassee, South Carolina - has already logged 40,000 miles during the last six years of an anticipated nine year "running project." So what's another three years pushing a running stroller down country roads while fending off feral dogs with bear spray?

"I’m just exploring a country, but on foot. The running is the means to get me where I need to get to. It’s not a running project. Because I’m pushing a stroller around it’s a really intimate way to explore the country. It’s not ultra running, it’s just traveling."

Since the summer, Dave has been running south along the United States eastern seaboard and two weeks ago, our paths purposely crossed at Forest Gump's South Carolina low country driveway so we could make some photos for day one of his new journey. Now, every time some bozo leans out his Ford window and shouts shouts "RUN! FORREST! RUN!, Dave will have the perplexing satisfaction of knowing something they don't. And since he'll cross the nation four times on this three year trek, he'll have plenty of opportunities to hear a few Americans offering their encouragement.

After making photos at the plantation driveway and finding that Dave had never been to a Waffle House, I described the establishment as an essential experience in the American South. On the way, he explains a newfound love for the region, describing his journey also as a culinary tour. "With this running, my body does crave protein. And brisket… my gosh, just the nicest meat I’ve ever had. The meat in the south, midway through North Carolina has been absolutely divine." He is looking forward to what he'll find in Louisiana and Texas.

His Waffle House experience: a sausage breakfast bowl and a pecan waffle. Then it's off towards Varnville, SC and a few trips across the continent. Dave plans to be done by the 25th anniversary of the release of the film. To follow along on the journey, you can connect on Instagram at @run_our_world.

Photos by Sean Rayford for The Hug Run

Soda Citizen: Jessica Bornick - Accomplice in high school paddle theft

Wed, 14 Dec 2016 17:34:02 GMT

Sean: Have you ever had an imaginary friend?
Jessica Bornick: No.

If you had an imaginary friend, we’d need a name and maybe what you guys do together?
If I had an imaginary friend it would probably be a shark. And the first thing that comes to my head would be Sharky. So a shark named Sharky and we would swim in the ocean together.

What do you think of carrots?
Oh, I like them. Very much.

How do you like them?
I like to eat them raw, by themselves. And with hummus.

Can you remember any of your recent dreams?
My last dream was about my grandma. And my grandma has been really sick and I’ve been thinking about her a lot. Someone called me and told me that she had passed away. I think that was two nights ago. But then I woke up and she was fine. She’s actually doing better.

Aaron Graves: I had a weird dream the other night that we woke up and watched a Monty Python movie in bed on the laptop. And then I woke up for real and hadn’t done that.

Did you ever get into trouble as a kid?
Yes. I was arrested when I was 15 for breaking into a school with some boys and my friend in the middle of the night… The silent alarm went off. We went and found the school paddle. And one of the guys stole the school paddle.

What was the motivation for this?
We had just all snuck out of our houses at like two in the morning. Just to be stupid. Just to be 15 year-olds. Dumb asses.

If your house catches fire and all the living things are safe, what do you take with you?
My sewing machine and probably drum parts. Those are my two favorite things if everyone is safe.

I realized for the fire one, that I picked two things that I could replace. Which isn’t really that great. So, I want to change my answer. I have a quilt that my grandma gave me - that somebody in our family made. I don’t know about the second one, I think still probably grab my sewing machine. Sewing machine and a quilt.

Do you have a physical creative space in your home?
It’s in our bedroom. It’s like half of our bedroom. I’ve taken over most of the bedroom. It’s my studio space so I have all my fabric on shelves and I sew there and make stuff.

What motivates you?
I guess just the idea of creating something. It in itself is really nice and sewing usually relaxes me and playing drums relaxes me.

Aaron: Sprinkled in with some Law & Order SVU.

Jessica Sometimes I watch TV. I’ve been watching Bones lately. But that doesn’t motivate me. I kinda feel like it slows me down a little bit. I usually do that when I don’t have to think about anything — when I’m in like production mode.

If you were on a reality television show, which one would it be?
Maybe I could go for a tattoo show and get some free tattoos.

So, you’d just go on there to be the canvas?
Yeah, that’d be cool.

Soda Citizen: Josh Bumgarner vs. the Giant Duck

Tue, 13 Dec 2016 15:57:57 GMT

Sean: Would you rather fight one donkey-sized duck or 100 duck sized donkeys?

Josh Bumgarner: I’d probably go with the one donkey-sized duck. Yep. I would fight a four or five foot duck. I feel like I would trip over all those tiny donkeys. And once I trip over them and they are attacking me, that’s a lot and they’re all kicking and shit.

What are three “don’ts” that you can advise bar customers to adhere to?

Don’t throw a drink at a bartender. That’s definitely in there. And don’t touch a bartender. That always freaks me out. If I don’t know you and I’m not looking and you touch me. I’m like, woah. One time I got backhanded in the mouth across the bar. That’s definitely a big no-no. And don’t argue when you are drunk. The bar will always win. It’s always gonna be right. That’s why I could never work at a corporate bar.

If you could take one friend to help you in the fight against the giant duck, who would it be?

I feel like it’s a no-brainer. Eric Johnstone, he’s an old friend. He knows jujitsu. Why wouldn’t you take someone that knows how to fight? Sam (Hoy) might be good too. Because he can wrestle.

What have been some memorable Christmas gifts that you've received?

Nintendo was the first one that changed the game. It was the regular Nintendo with Super Mario. That’s the first present I remember freaking out and then playing it all the time. I got a trampoline one year but I don't think that was a Christmas. Might have been a Birthday thing. The trampoline was awesome.

I need you to give me the name of a big dumb animal.

I’m gonna go with cow.

I need a clothing accessory.

A broach. No, A bolo tie.

Ok. If a cow wearing a bolo walked into the door right there, what would he say?

I would hope “moo.” But he is probably here to rob us. He’d probably say something like, “Give me all your money. This is a heist. This is a hostage situation. I don’t know what the motive is though. His name is probably Cleveland.

How do you make a tuna sandwich?

I make the tuna salad and then almost always melt swiss cheese on it. And hot mustard. I toast the bread on a cast iron on one side and then put the tuna on both sides. And I put cheese on both sides. I forgot the mustard. Put it in the toaster oven and let it melt. And some lettuce on there. That’s more like a tuna melt.

What did you think of The Blair Witch Project?

It scared the shit out of me. That was one of the first movies that I was totally scared of. And the line going in, it was like the longest line I’d ever seen to get it a movie. It scared the hell out of me.

Soda Citizen: Aaron Graves on What Makes a Good Donut

Mon, 12 Dec 2016 22:10:29 GMT

Sean: What makes a good donut?
Aaron Graves: A good yeast donut or a cake donut, you can dunk it. The cake or the yeast part isn’t too sweet so that the glaze or whatever you get on top of it can sweeten it. I feel if the actual donut part is sweet and then you put sweet stuff on top of it that’s just too much. I don’t like creme and frosting. I like custard, like a Boston Creme donut or an eclair.

When it comes to fancier donuts — I feel like there is a trend of paying a lot of money for a fancy donut and it will be the same donut with a bunch different flavored frostings on it. Or the same donut with a bunch of different powdered sugars. Like “Lavendar Sugar” and “Spicy Cinnamon Sugar” — and that’s a rip-off.
If you actually have different donuts and the cake is different or the ingredients are different and the glaze is different and it tastes good — then that’s what’s up. And it’s worth being an expensive donut. But a lot of times you can just go to a cheap donut place and those are the best donuts.

Do you think, that in a previous life you ham have been a cop?
I don’t think so. But I guess anything’s possible. (laughter)
Yes. or sure. I was a really fat cop. I was always on the roof of Krispy Kreme.

What’s the last furry thing that you touched?
A cat last night. Actually, a stuffed animal in Elvie’s room today.

If you could force three bands to change their genres, who would they be and genre would they take on?
Cannibal Corpse into a J-Pop band. Because that would be hilarious. Washed Out as a hip-hop project. He’d make good beats but he’d have to to do the rhyming as well. Godspeed You! Black Emperor as an acoustic folk band. With lyrics.

If I gave you all the sandwich ingredients in the world, what would you build?
I made a really good sandwich the other day. It had a veggie patty, but one of those really good veggie patties with vegetables actually chopped up and in it. Not like a black bean or nondescript patty. Something like that. I like mayonnaise. A good sprouted grain bread. I’d put kimchi on it, which is pretty amazing. I’d throw some spinach or kale — some kind of green like that. Some mustard, but dijon mustard. Let’s put pickles on there — No, just regular cucumbers because it’s already got the kimchi. Tomatoes. And the mustard on the other side of the bread. That’d be a pretty killer sandwich there. I’d cut it in half like a triangle.

What was the best thing before sliced bread?
My first thought was root vegetables.

Did you have field day in elementary school?
I remember it was called “Mayday Playday.” And I remember doing the three-legged race I think. And the potato sack races. I remember being outside on field and there was a water balloon toss.

Photos: Anti-Trump Protest in Columbia, SC

Sat, 12 Nov 2016 18:48:39 GMT

Just before I left Friday night's Anti-Trump protest in downtown Columbia, a couple hundred demonstrators held hands on the statehouse grounds near the intersection of Main and Rt. #1. After what seemed like moments of deliberation, the crowd broke out singing the Barney "I Love You" song. The one about every day being special when you spend it with people that you love. That one. For the 90 minutes that I was in attendance the group congregated at that spot near where the Confederate battle flag once flew and at times split off into a smaller group that marched on the sidewalks of the Vista and Main St.

"I was protesting the hate, racism, xenophobia, sexism, religious persecution, and assaults on LGBT rights that defined the rhetoric of a president who does not represent an enormous number of marginalized groups," says Rachel Barringer, a 23 year-old from Columbia who works for realty company and could be heard shouting, "MY BODY! MY CHOICE! outside of the Marble Slab on Gervais St.

"I was motivated to attend because it's important for us to come together and say that we still stand with each other and for the idea that love is greater than hate. We have to show that we still have a voice, and that we'll continue to use it to represent the marginalized, mobilize to affect change, and influence policies as much as possible. This protest was just the beginning."

Lessons in Photojournalism

Tyler Carrowan, a 30 year-old mechanical engineer from Lexington attended the gathering with his wife. "[We] came out to protest because we believe Donald Trump is the most dangerous political figure in modern times. He encourages violence, he's admitted sexually assaulting women, he admires dictators around the world, he's suggested altering libel laws to take legal action against journalists or newspapers who write what he feels are unfair articles on him. It's madness."

"The thought of banning Muslims and refugees flys in the face of everything our country stands for. We're here to stand in solidarity with all Americans who disagree with this rhetoric. We know people who are legitimately scared about the outcome of this election. We feel like we need to do whatever we can. When the KKK is celebrating and our gay and lesbian friends and POC we love like family are crying this doesn't feel like America."

For 90 minutes or so, I followed the group(s) as they navigated the sidewalks on a Friday night in the city's entertainment district. I saw a lot of grins on folks out enjoying the nightlife scene. People honked as they drove by, some yelled encouragement and others pro Trump sentiments. People laughed outside of the ice cream shop when one protestor chanted, "I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUVE BEEN TOLD, BUT DONALD TRUMP IS AN ASSHOLE!" There was one fairly comical, brief moment when a young male jumped in front of a news camera wearing a camo USC baseball cap and Hillary for Prison shirt and flexed his muscles. He did a dance and quickly shifted out of the crowd. It got some smiles and odd looks.

I arrived late and left early.

Photos: Gunpowder Residue on Last Day of the Trump Campaign

Tue, 08 Nov 2016 20:31:11 GMT

"Do you photograph fireworks or some other substance with gunpowder?" asks a friendly secret service agent named John in the lobby of the Dorton Arena in Raleigh, NC.

They'd already brought the K-9 by who sniffed my gear and moved on - I thought I was good and just waiting for confirmation to carry on. In all, I'd been waiting on the outside of the metal detectors for 30 minutes after trying to enter the campaign rally as a just dude with a camera.

I was in no rush. No assignments or laptop races with wire photographers today. And no constraints of a media pen in the alternate reality of a Trump campaign rally. I could walk among the madness.

"No sir," I respond.

"Well, let me take a look at what you got here, he says as he looks over the individual components of my gear. "Are you sure you're not around gunpowder?" I shake my head and take off a camera lens and hand it to John. He looks through it. "Well, I'm O.K. with what you've got here, you can head on through."

He suggests I take my gear by a local K-9 team and see I'm if I've got some residue - to avoid future snafus. I can't think of anything that it could be and make my way through the two forms of metal detectors. When I'm getting wanded, I turn around as requested and am face to face with the next man in line. We both smile awkwardly. It's a weird moment.

Trump isn't expected for another 90 minutes or so I do some wandering and stake out some locations to shoot from.

"Would you have ever though there'd be a day when you you'd be proud to be called deplorable?" says a man to my right as I post up on the floor of the venue. I can't tell if he is asking me or somebody else so I pretend like I didn't hear him. The echo chamber fails. Maybe he is testing me. Maybe I need to get better at talking to people in these scenarios.

For the next hour, the campaign parades out a cast of supporters: David Clarke, Sheriff of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, daughter-in-law and NC State graduate Lara Trump, Governor Pat McCrory, Mike Huckabee, and two African American women going by the names Diamond and Silk. The crowd seems to be entertained the most by the latter pair, outside of Trump himself.

Thirty minutes before Trump is scheduled to arrive a campaign representative tells me it's time to go in the pen. I explain that I'm not credentialed working media and there is some confusion. "Well, we don't normally let big lenses in...Where will you be then?" he asks.

"I figure I'll start on the floor and eventually retreat up into the stands." Still confused as to what to do, I tell him I'll wait where I'm where standing if he needs to confirm what to do. Whatever the case, I'm not going in the pen again.

I'm still standing in the same spot when they cue up the candidate's intro music and I scoot off to an place I'd staked a shot out earlier. The crowd roars as the Republican nominee walks out, soaking up the attention. He does this weird thing where he raises both fists, but not above his head.

“There are thousands of people outside waiting to get in, but we should start. Do you agree?” Trump says as he takes the podium.

Ken Fine, a writer with Indy Week, the area's alt-weekly paper went outside to check on the crowd. He reported there was less than a hundred people.

Without fail, the Donald rails on the media - as some of the most dishonest people in the world. As he points to the pen, a chorus of jeers and boos echoes through the venue, bouncing off the glass windows in the venue of alternate reality. I was happy to not be in the pen.

Before the end of the event, as my mind wandered through the stump speech, I remembered spending ten weeks this summer following a class of soldiers through basic training at Fort Jackson.

Gunpowder. Duh.

Photos: All-American Halloween in the Soda City

Tue, 01 Nov 2016 17:25:00 GMT

I went to Autozone last night around 8:30 p.m. and picked up a camouflage hat with a black and white American flag patch. I added that to a few items I already possessed: A "Make America Great Again" t-shirt that I acquired at no cost when I covered Donald Trump's stump at the Koger Center, my Fox News staff credentials from the debate in Charleston and an American flag cape. A mat board was a better substitute for poster board and I took a sharpie to it. I went with "Bomb the Shit out of ISIS" and "Lock Her Up." I should have written "Build the Wall" instead of the prison talk.

Out on the streets in Five Points it got real confusing for folks. Trump supporters thought I was a fan and plenty of his haters did some hating. There was a spattering of "Fuck Hillarys" and "Fuck Trumps" mistakenly lobbed in the wrong direction. There was about the same number of folks who got a real kick out of it. Thanks to Daniel Adedokun, who took me to a bunch of bars in Five Points last night that I never would have walked into alone. And for getting us past all those lines.

Photos were made at the Sid and Nancy Hollaween Party at The Music Farm on Friday night, in Five Points on Saturday night, Tapp's on Main on Monday night, and back again in Five Points for the majority of Halloween night. Until next year.

"Inundated" - A visual journey through historic flooding in 2015

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 18:37:02 GMT

Not long after light broke on the morning of October 5 of last year, I pulled a u-turn at Harden and Gervais streets. On assignment for Getty Images, I followed a rescue boat figuring that there’s only one place a boat is headed during 20 inches of rain. It led me to the parking lot of Bojangles on Fort Jackson Blvd. - near the Gamecock BiLo where a man and his two kids had been stranded in floodwaters from Gills Creek.

Another boat was bringing them to safety when I took cover from the rain under an awning of an insurance business. When I arrived there were two other folks who had the same idea: a first responder and the mother of the two children being saved, Charlene Stennis. She looked at me and said, “Take a picture of my babies!” in a concerned but social manner. I followed her into the rain as she bolted to greet her children.

Afterwards, we’d all end up inside the Bojangles. Our respite from the storm was better than most. The first responders made sure the family was alright and someone brought them breakfast as they dried off and I edited the images on my laptop at a nearby table. The power went on and off and the windows of neighboring businesses exploded as employees and customers attempted to take in the moment.

Our windows fogged up and eventually it became difficult to see outside.

When the family finished up their food I walked over, collected their names and filed my images. That scene on Fort Jackson Blvd. would be the way much of the world would first see what 20 inches of rain was doing to Columbia, SC. The images would run on the front pages of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today.

For the next seven days I’d pull doubles while embracing my personal curiosities to find and show what happened as the water receded in the midlands and made it’s way to the coast. I learned that the National Guard will not physically stop you from driving past a roadblock during a flood disaster. I learned that all the snakes and bugs come out when it rains that much.

Culled from thousands of images made during the flood and in an effort to present an organized visual narrative based on the experiences of the human who made them, I present, “Inundated,” a 50 page image wrap hardcover book of photography.

I will be holding a book release party in coordination with my first gallery exhibit October 6 at Anastasia’s during First Thursday on Main Street. It’s called Document(s) and features images from the book along with a second narrative, which I’ll touch on in due time.

All of my proceeds from the projects benefit the South Beltline/Gills Creek Community Relief Foundation.

Here's the Facebook Event Page

Photos: Fifth night of Charlotte protests draws large youth crowd, families, remains peaceful

Sun, 25 Sep 2016 13:39:55 GMT

At two a.m. this morning outside of the Omni Hotel in uptown Charlotte, NC, the fifth straight day of protests ended with a solemn gesture of unity and a promise to return the next morning. The Carolina Panthers will take on Minnesota Vikings at 1 p.m. Demonstrators had been marching since 8 p.m. and many since Tuesday night. They plan to meet outside the stadium two hours before kickoff. In the photo above, protestors, hold a moment of silence in the street for Keith Lamont Scott.

Photos: Pride in the City - Columbia, SC

Sun, 04 Sep 2016 17:25:28 GMT

Yesterday morning I got up at four a.m. to drive over to Gate 2 at Fort Jackson. Another in many recent newspaper assignments following a handful of recruits through their basic training experience and referred to now by their drill sergeants as "South Carolina's Finest." In a demeaning manner. I'm about to jump in my car and head over to Darlington for the 67th running of the Southern 500. Somewhere in between I made it over to Main St. in the capital city for the 2016 Pride in the City festival. Here are some photos. I gotta go. Race starts in less than six hours.

Photos: Hoechella showers West Columbia in Glitter

Sun, 28 Aug 2016 23:30:30 GMT

If you attended the second day of Hoechella on Saturday at New Brookland in West Columbia you'll probably remember it as that time the power went off during Can't Kids' set and the magic of the people brought the lights back on. And you'll probably remember it as that weekend that you were covered in glitter - whether you wanted to be or not.

“The power shut off everybody got bummed," recalls organizer Kari Lebby, "but Can’t Kids kept playing the song and the audience sang along. And then they started another song with drums and cello with Adam and Hank singing along with the entire room. We were gonna call the show and have people leave and then literally as people started leaving the power came back and people came back and everybody got unbelievably wild. They got real crazy and were like, I guess I gotta get really drunk now.”

Hoechella was a two day music festival, August 26 and 27 promoting diversity in the music scene, reaching out to women, folks who identify as queer and people of color. The event was able to raise over $3400 for Girls Rock Columbia and Girls Rock Charleston.

Photos: Football means that Halloween is coming

Mon, 22 Aug 2016 22:05:09 GMT

There was a high of ninety one today in Columbia, SC and my roommate remarked how nice it was when he walked out of the house around one o’clock this afternoon. Folks on social media chatted about the cool temperatures being signs of the forthcoming change of the seasons. That's right people, Halloween is coming. Bring out your Freddy sweatshirts.

How do I know you ask?

Because football season tells me so. And Halloween Express. It’s still a week and a half out from the Gamecocks season opener against Vandy and only the first week of high school play but it feels like football has already attached it’s death grip upon me. For photojournalists that cover sports, the seasons can revolve around what types of balls you are shooting, the size of the field, and the weather that may challenge you.

Here are some photos of football I've made this season for The State Newspaper, Lexington Life Magazine and for The Angry Whale. It's only August 22.

Are you ready for some pumpkinball?

Capitalist at house show convinces photojournalist to change career goals

Mon, 08 Aug 2016 16:52:00 GMT

When I ran into Summer Ruisseaux on Friday night at New Brookland Tavern she was a bit apprehensive about hosting a house show on Saturday with Say Brother and the New Orleans based choose your own adventure classical metal band, Cauche Mar. The local alt-weekly had published her street address and the thought of a large crowd of randoms in her home raised the ceiling of unexpectancy. "Are you coming?" she asked.

The dude on the left let me keep my beer in his cooler and gave me a spiel about how I needed to adapt a new business plan where I manage a group of photographers to shoot weddings. Super, I'd be involved in weddings and I wouldn't be using a camera.

This will be my last post.

Adios.

Donald Trump pig effigy confiscated on final night of RNC

Sun, 24 Jul 2016 17:54:59 GMT

Just before sundown during the final day the 2016 Republican National Convention a young boy wandered up and down a section of Euclid Street dishing out fives high and low to a group of police officers from Austin, Texas. There was a sense of relief regarding the mostly peaceful week when all the ingredients seemed apparent for otherwise. Well, except for a large number of protestors. During the first three days, three out of five officially permitted protests never materialized. During that final night one of the bigger storylines concerning protestors and police was the confiscation of a paper-mache pig effigy of Donald Trump.

For a host of reasons, the people simply didn't show up.

And in a scenario where 3,500 members of law enforcement patrolled downtown Cleveland with the aid of a temporary metal wall system, authorities held the area on lock down. In all, there were 24 arrests, most coming from flag burning incidents on Wednesday afternoon.

Here’s a photo tour of Cleveland during the final two days of the RNC.

The official parade route went across a bridge and around the back of an empty stadium, described by some as a "desolate industrial wasteland." For more photo coverage from the streets at the Republican National Convention you can follow the following links:

Photos: A dissident, cameraman, po-po shit sandwich - On the streets at the RNC

Photos: Welcome to Cleveland. Welcome to the RNC

Photos: A dissident, cameraman, po-po shit sandwich - On the streets at the RNC

Wed, 20 Jul 2016 14:03:06 GMT

"NAZI SCUM! ...OFF OUR STREETS! NAZI SCUM! ...OFF OUR STREETS! NAZI SCUM! ...OFF OUR STREETS!

I can hear protestors in the Cleveland public square as their voices bounce off the downtown buildings, reaching me on the other side of an epic soldier's monument. I've got earbuds in and I'm tuned into the local police scanner and things get chatty - real fast. As I rush around the memorial I see a packed square. On one end, Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams is rescuing Alex Jones from an altercation with RNC protestors. On the left, a wall of media - on the right, a shit ton of police and mobs of protestors. It's the fringe. And they are all here. Right now. It's a dissident, photographer, po-po shit sandwich.

The Chief Williams led team of law enforcement parted the crowd, and extracted Jones to the closest intersection where an SUV snagged him up and sped off north of the square.

Following the Jones incident, law enforcement dispersed the crowd which splintered off into different directions in downtown Cleveland. It got intense when the bicycle calvary cut a small group of "anarchist" protestors off from one another. The bicycles function as transportation, and both defensive and offensive weapons. I suspect we may have future problems as protestors react to the use of the bicycle in the offensive manner. Here are some photos on the streets from the first two days of the 2016 Republican National Convention.

Photos: Welcome to Cleveland. Welcome to the RNC

Mon, 18 Jul 2016 13:21:39 GMT

"Bicycle! Bicycle! Bicycle! I want to ride my bicycle! Bicycle. Bicycle! I want to ride my bicycle. I want to ride my bike!" Partially surrounded by a cavalry of armored bicycle cops and makeshift walls in downtown Cleveland, Vermin Supreme sings the chorus from Queen's 1978 hit. The boot on head Supreme is an icon of absurdity. Part performance artist, part political activist. Welcome to Cleveland. Welcome to the RNC.

What is photojournalism?

Photos: Take-Aways from last night's march in Columbia

Mon, 11 Jul 2016 17:34:40 GMT

I started my Sunday morning covering a Confederate flag rally on the statehouse grounds for The Post & Courier. I went to Repticon at the Jamil Temple and then came back to the statehouse to check out an event in which the only information I had was that it was a #UnitedWeStand march. I was not on assignment so I was just kind of winging it and didn’t pay attention to the use of the word “march” in the event information. By 9:30 I was sitting across from a young woman named Anaya Bastian (holding a confusing sign) in the middle of the road where I-126 becomes Huger St. Behind me, there was also a wall of police officers who formed the initial line holding back protestors from entering the interstate.

Here are my take-aways: Law enforcement did a great job helping to keep things peaceful by staying calm, being thick-skinned and bending when needed but not breaking. It appears as though they allowed the group to march wherever they desired as long as they kept off the interstate -- that's the only time I saw police draw a line. The marchers seemed OK with that (in terms of testing that in a physical sense) and turned around and headed back to the statehouse. The march itself seemed like a big game of cat and mouse at times, protestors not wanting the police to dictate their route -- moving at a rapid pace and making abrupt turns in effort to throw them off. Law enforcement's goal seemed to be simply to occupy intersections to stop traffic and avoid accidents between the marchers and vehicles. I saw no violence from protestors or excessive use of force from the police.

I ran into the photo editor from The State Newspaper at the end of the night back at the statehouse and we brokered a deal for the images. You can see the rest of the photos by clicking the above photo or here: PHOTOS: Black Lives Matter protest

Charleston Couple Embarks on Epic Road Trip

Fri, 01 Jul 2016 12:09:16 GMT

“I think living in Charleston you get caught up — being 'house poor ' — I think they call it. We have always been concerned about where we are living in Charleston. It got to the point where we were spending all of our money on our house — where we were renting. And I think we both got really sick of that — where it all went to the rent,” explains 25 year-old Charleston resident Lunden Herron.

If Lunden and her boyfriend, Dorian Warneck, were finding themselves house poor, they’ve responded in the most sensible way possible, trading that home this morning for a 2000 Honda Odyssey and embarking on a four plus month road trip across the country. First stop, Virginia Beach.

“We both happened to get good high responsibility jobs when we were like 19 or 20 and we've been working hard for six or seven years now. The longer that we just keep doing the career path, the harder it’s going be to do this kind of thing,” says Warneck, a 25 year-old Charleston filmmaker and photographer, “So we gotta do it now. And for me, I don’t really see it as a break from career path because I’m hoping to be creative while I’m out there. It seems like the right time to do it.”

The couple has been tossing around the idea of an extended road trip since the early part of their four and half year relationship. About a year ago they began planning their adventure. “Charleston has seen a crazy increase in rent prices over the last five years that we've lived there. We definitely wanted to move but we've also worked at the same jobs since we were 19 or 20 years old. We didn't want to jump back into something so serious until we gave ourselves a chance to breathe a little bit from the daily grind of life. We want to do something big before we settle down,” says Lunden.

They’ll take their time, crashing wherever they can. In the van if necessary. And they haven’t ruled out the occasional freelance gig or a brussel sprout harvest. "If we see a sign that says ‘HIRING FARMERS FOR A DAY,’ we’ll probably pull over,” says Dorian, “When I was on the West Coast last year I saw a bunch of signs for stuff like that. Pay us what you can and let us camp on your property and we’ll put in a day’s work. Good exercise. I've been sitting at a computer the last few years and it would probably do me some good to do some manual labor.”

The road warriors hope that their different interests will provide them with a balanced experience as they attempt to chew up the country. “I'm all about the outside and want to see all the national parks, state parks and do all the outdoor things we can do and Dorian wants to see all the big cities and take pictures of all the people,” says Lunden.

“I’m also excited to do a lot of skateboarding," adds Dorian, “I’ll force Lunden to stop and I’ll spend three hours getting frustrated trying a trick.”

For the most part their itinerary is wide open with the exception of having to be in Seattle on September 1 to catch a flight back to the East Coast so Warneck can perform with his band, Secret Guest, at the Hopscotch Music Festival in Raleigh, NC. “Once we fly back out there we have no time limit.”

If you’re interested in living vicariously through the Charleston couple as they explore the vast spoils of America, you can check out Dorian’s Instagram account and also at Misadventures Magazine where Lunden will be writing a column in coordination with the centennial anniversary of the National Parks Service.

That time I threw 50 cheddar cheese cubes into the crowd

Fri, 24 Jun 2016 19:19:11 GMT

Back when Susto's Justin Osborne fronted Charleston's Sequoyah Prep School I used to tend bar at New Brookland Tavern where the band regularly appeared on the West Columbia stage. As a bartender, seeing your name on the schedule for a Sequoyah show typically meant you had to deal with a club full of primarily females not old enough to drink. There'd be 200+ people in the building and not a single person sitting at the bar. You'd spend the majority of your time slinging water and Red Bull and avoiding thinking about how you weren't paying any bills that evening - unless the guys from the Whig came by after work. You'd be drawing the short straw that week.

About five or six years ago I encountered a scenario where I acquired several hundred cheddar cheese cubes and I brought them to the bar to snack on and share with my coworkers. I left one of the bags out one night and when Sequoyah played the next day I spent the set disposing the cheddar into the crowd.

So, basically, I'm finally apologizing to any of 50-100 people that I may have hit with cheese that night. Sorry.

Today, Justin's latest musical endeavor, Susto, releases a music video for their new song "Chillin' On The Beach with My Best Friend Jesus Christ." Yesterday, they performed at the Five Points After Five concert series and once again I forgot to tell Justin that story. Instead we shared stories about the Carolina Cup, sunburn and ending up on a couch in Bishopville.

About Last Night: How I Shot It - Say Brother at New Brookland

Mon, 23 May 2016 22:18:17 GMT

I've been shooting shows at New Brookland Tavern in West Columbia since 1998. That's ridiculous and I don't know how I feel about that math. On my first visit with a camera the stage was where the soundboard is now and on my second visit Modern English was the headlining act.

Among other sources of creative inspiration, The Angry Whale has always motivated me to explore the different ways I can shoot a show and I'm going to fall on this here. Here's the first of a series of an unknown length where I just give y'all the details. I use an assortment of techniques but here are a few things I do on the regular. All photos from last night are shot on a Nikon D810 and a 70-200 VRII at F2.8. I've got two SB700 flash units in either corner of the stage near the ceiling secured with Manfrotto Justin Clamps. Flash units are fired with the built-in transmitter and set on manual output mode with outputs ranging from 1/64-1/128. The built-in pop-up commander flash is set to the -- mode. I don't know the name of that mode but it looks like "--" on the display. Exciting.

Above: (Say Brother) ISO: 800 - 1/200 sec. - stage right flash firing only

Below: (BASK) ISO: 1000 - 1/200 sec. - both flashes firing + random flash from person in crowd stage right - This doesn't happen all that often but the results can be interesting.

Above: (Carolyn) ISO: 800 - 1/250 sec. - both flashes firing

Below: (Say Brother) ISO: 800 - 1/200 sec. - both flashes firing

Above: (Culture Vulture) ISO: 6400 - 1/125 sec. - existing stage light only

Below: (Culture Vulture) ISO: 4000 - 1/250 sec. - existing stage light only

Above: (BASK) ISO:800 - 1/160 sec. - existing stage light only

Trees on Mars played too but I got there too late for them.

What I learned about street photography last weekend in New York City

Sat, 09 Apr 2016 00:27:14 GMT

Last weekend I stopped back through New York City on my return trip south during a 2,588 mile road tour on the East Coast. My my only agenda being the avoidance of pollen in Columbia, SC and to play with my camera. I had a full day to wander through Soho, Chinatown, and Little Italy. I wrote this post shoirtly after the experience and it has fostered some conversation and it's encouraged me to reevaluate my approach in general. That being said, I'll leave the text as follows, while concluding that what I really learned was that I need to adjust my approach and come back after about 1,000 hours of practice.

I’m primarily a photojournalist and it took me by surprise how challenging this could be. I’m thinking it comes from not having the ability to work a specific subject/person like on assignment. Or maybe you follow the absurd down the street. I should have done that with the kids with pillow bellies, they would have probably enjoyed it. I should have introduced myself when the light changed.

I typically know where my shots are going to come when on assignment. Then I work over like a rented mule. Well, maybe more like my own mule. And a lot of that is observing without making images. You can work the corner but the chaos at a street crosswalk, is just that. You never know what's lurking behind the next human. Regardless, here are some things I learned or was reminded about street photography last week. I'm sure it's all been said before, but here's for my own reinforcement.

Work the busy corners in the way that you’d work the subject of an assignment and let the people come to you. When the traffic light changes the humans will spill across the street like a floodgate has opened. Then watch the cars try to make right turns without running over the pedestrians. If you wanna have lots of fun, stand in the crosswalk salmoning upstream.

Use an obstacle, like a lightpost, a trashcan, or a vehicle barrier to post up against when the foot traffic is really heavy. You’re less likely to get caught up in the flood. But then again maybe that’s exactly how you make the best photos in these circumstances.

If you’ve got sunshine find a good corner with some interesting light. Be on the lookout for light shafts bouncing off of building windows and be aware that they are going to move with the big ball of fire in the sky.

Find a food vendor that’s selling something that might look interesting when consumed while walking down the street. Things like cotton candy, corndogs, and ice cream.

If it’s raining keep an eye out for those clear umbrellas because they don’t block light and you can shoot through them. And they look ridiculous.

If it's raining or if it rained look for puddles and the gymnastics that humans attempt to avoid those hazards.

When working the corners, be fully prepared for the folks trying to run across the street when it’s not really all that safe. I was typically too late here.

"Tour Brain" with Slingshot Dakota - THURSDAY night at New Brookland

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 00:27:16 GMT

One of my favorite memories during my days as a bartender at New Brookland Tavern was a Slingshot Dakota show. So when I saw the band would be playing in Brooklyn last Friday night, it solidified a stop back in New York amid my 2588 mile road trip through the northeast. When I run into Carly Commando at a DIY space in Brooklyn called The Aviv, we have a bit of trouble with our days of the week. Or maybe it's just me.

"Tour Brain," explains the Emmy award winning composer and singer/keyborardist of the Pennsylvania based duo, "is when you totally lose track of what day of the week and date it is. Especially for us, we currently book everything ourselves and manage our schedules while on tour, so we have to make sure to set alerts on our phones to remind ourselves what we have to do that day. We lose track of time from all of the traveling that sometimes it's hard to remember where we were a week before. We do the best we can, but as a tour goes on, we definitely get a little more "fuzzy" on details. It's a part of this lifestyle and we just have to make sure we keep all of the appointments/interviews/pre-show sessions that get set up before we leave for tour."

I hit up Commando via email a few days ago and asked her some questions about life on the road, New York and the band's realtionship with Columbia, SC.

Slingshot Dakota will be at New Brookland on Thursday night with support from MyBrother MySister, Allright, Oneforall and Quinn Cicala. Tickets are $8 and doors open at 7 p.m. The band has a new record that came out last month on Topshelf Records. It's called Break.

Besides the essentials like toothpaste and clothes, what are some things that you bring with you on tour that make it more manageable and or enjoyable?

We bring huge soft fleece blankets from home. I think it's a way to keep us grounded when we're really far away. I can curl up in the van and pretend I'm on my couch, or if the house/hotel heat doesn't work, I can go grab my blanket and not worry about a thing. We also rely on podcasts to get us through our drives, so an Ipod loaded up with those is a must. We see and hear so much music on a daily basis that we need podcasts as a nice palate cleanser :) Other than that, having a phone is a nice way to keep in touch with friends and family. It's hard to feel super homesick (at least in the US) when you can get everyone to video chat with you at almost any time.

What are your previous ties to New York?

I was born and raised on Long Island. I grew up in the LI DIY punk scene and it was a home that nurtured me and helped me grow. I wasn't necessarily into all of the music that was a part of it, but I loved the community aspect so much. I lived in the Bronx, Manhattan and Brooklyn for a combined 12 years, so part of my heart will always be in NYC. I will forever love the breaded goods that are made with NYC water, but my bank thanks me for moving to PA where I can get a lot more bang for my buck. I also lost the huge chip on my shoulder that is necessary to have when you live in NYC. I'm a much happier person out of the city, but I love it for helping shape me as a person.

Describe the Aviv and your experience preforming there?

Aviv is awesome and specifically, our record release show was amazing because it was not as smokey as it normally is (and I heard that's changing, YAY!). Aviv is an amazing all ages, chill space and Tyler and Olivia that work there are the kindest people ever. It's hard for DIY spots to stick around for a long time, and in Brooklyn, they're always coming and going. Aviv has existed for more than a year and I hope they can stick around for a long time. Aviv feels like home to me.

You guys have played Columbia a number of times over the years and have built some relationships with folks in town like Dwayne and Beth. How typical is that and what are the perks of such?

We've been a band for over 10 years, so we've played all kinds of shows. Good shows, bad shows, shows with a few people at them that end up being friends for life. Dwayne and Beth have been in our lives from the first time we ever played Columbia and they're an example of why we do this. We create and play music because we absolutely love it, but to meet people all over the world and create long-lasting relationships with people who you wouldn't meet in your hometown is the most special thing ever. We love connecting with people not only on a musical level but an emotional level, and there's no better tour than when you return home with a ton of genuine new friends. Columbia has always welcomed us with open arms, to the point where it feels like a third home. It's also the city where Tom and I hooked up for the first time, so we always get super nostalgic and mushy when we play there.

You talked about being really pleased with the new record. What are/is your favorite song to play live from it?

I honestly love playing all of the songs because they're still "new" to everyone. But, "Doreen" and "Monocacy" are a blast to play each in their own way. "Monocacy" has really fun vocal parts that I have to push out, and Doreen is just a heavy crusher that encapsulates our entire journey. Doreen is about quitting your job and doing your thing, whatever that is. Doesn't necessarily mean "following your heart" in that empty cliche way.. It's just about ending a chapter of your life that no longer serves you and choosing to start a new, positive path. I love singing that song because it reminds me of a drunken conversation with my best friend about our dreams, and I get to revisit that feeling every night.

....

Getting Trail Legs in the Appalachian Mountains - #AvoidPollen 2016

Tue, 05 Apr 2016 22:43:59 GMT

"Patch," a farmer from Indiana and thru-hiker on the Appalachian Trail, looks out towards the Peaks of Otter from the Blue Ridge Parkway in the mountains of Virginia - devouring a few bagels slathered with peanut butter. “Dinners are ramen and instant potatoes - mix them together. Or mac and cheese and throw in some pepperoni,” explaining his typical sustenance on the trail, “Lots of Clif Bars, dried fruits and Pop Tarts for breakfast. I just snack constantly."

Yesterday, Patch was 41 days and 740 miles into a 2,190 mile adventure on the Appalachian Trail, the longest hiking-only footpath in the world, ranging from Maine to Georgia. He’s lost 12 pounds since February 23 and is ahead of schedule, now hoping to finish in early June. He is happy to be in Virginia. “You get your trail legs,” he explains, “And Virginia is the state you can do the most miles. I’m doing about 30 a day now. The terrain is not as rough - there are mountains obviously but they’re not as steep. The trails are nicer. In North Carolina they send you straight up and down, over and over."

On my final day of my return leg on the 2016 #AvoidPollen tour of the East Coast, totaling 2588 miles, I ran into Patch just north of Roanoke, VA. The midday sun had warmed the ridge to the low 70's and I had to remove my hoodie, jacket and cap that I began the day with. And even though it looks like the pollen levels would still be atrocious in Columbia, I've got two photo gigs tomorrow - a corporate event and a corporate portrait session. Back to the grind. Photos from this collection were captured in or near the Appalachians from Waynesboro, VA to northern North Carolina. There was little traffic and the driving was amazing.

Sea Farming in Rhode Island - #AvoidPollen in the Ocean State

Fri, 01 Apr 2016 16:11:50 GMT

"This dog's name is Clamcake, you don't get more Rhode Island than that," explains Steve Medgyesy, who handles marketing and quality control for Walrus and Carpenter Oysters at Point Judith on the Rhode Island coast. It's the biggest fishing port in the state and is home to the Block Island Ferry. Surrounded by blue collar sea hands in the number one squid port in the nation, the seven year-old sustainable sea farm feels at times a little out of place. When I walk up to their operation I'm surprised to hear Weezer's "Say it Aint So" cranking away on the shop speakers. "We're the kooks here," says Medgyesy "This place, Rhode Island engine is pretty fucking crazy," he says of their next door neighbors, ”Wicked blue collar dudes who smoke a ton of cigs and fix massive engines."

"We just forayed into kelp farming to add diversity to our portfolio." A move that separates them even more from the traditions of the port in Galillee, RI.

The company operates a six acre lease in Ninigret, the largest salt pond in the south of the state and distributes to 40 restaurants in the Rhode Island, Manhattan and and Brooklyn. "A lot of the time, you're in God's country, we even do a farm dinner series. We partner with the best restaurants in the state," explains Medgyesy, "We actually have Blue Hill, which is a really famous restaurant in New York. They'll come out and have dinner for 36 on a sand bar."

After hitting the most northern stop on my 2016 #AvoidPollen tour, I spent Wednesday night in Newport, "America's Society Capital" and home to the renowned jazz festival. Mansions overlook the rocky coastline around the typically pricey destination, but hotels are cheap this time of year and it made for a nice spot to make the turnaround. Thursday morning I packed up my stuff for the return trip south, venturing through the island of Jamestown and down to the Connecticut border.

My stop at Walrus and Carpenter office concludes with sampling of "Shuckolate," a chocolate-oyster stout from Foolproof Brewing Company, who has partnered with the unlikely farmers to create a surprisingly excellent beverage. After educating me on the in and outs of their lives in the New England state, I return the favor with insights about the Confederate flag, covering a KKK rally this summer and life in South Carolina.

"They got an enemy. The eagle... and hawk." #AvoidPollen in Hartford, CT

Thu, 31 Mar 2016 14:54:25 GMT

Armando feeds the pigeons just outside of the "Ancient Buriual Ground" at The First Church of Christ in downtown Hartford, CT everyday. "I can't miss a day," he says with an accent that is often times unintelligible for me. A jovial immigrant from Lima, Peru he has lived in Hartford for 40 years. "They got an enemy. The eagle.. and hawk. They kill, but you can't stop what is natural... breaking my heart." He tells me that for lunch, the birds have him here and another person at Constitution Plaza feeding them. Here, he seems to have a neverending grocery bag of smashed up potato chips and loaves of bread.

Yesterday morning, after my second breakfast in a row at Maddie's on Main Street in East Hartford, I continued northeast on my inaugural #AvoidPollen tour. It's been over a week since I left Columbia, SC in search of breathable weather. Circumstances aligned and Tuesday night I caught a familiar face from my days bartending at New Brookland and got to catch Josh Scogin and the '68 at the Webster Underground. Touring with San Diego's Idlehands, the two bands had made a 12 hour drive from their previous tour stop in Dayton, Ohio.

Meet Becky and Veronica at Maddie's, a breakfast and lunch spot where the atmosphere and food brought me back for seconds. Most customers are greeted by first name and by the time they've sat down, their coffee, tea or seltzer - depending on habits - is in front of them. If you're ever in Hartford, go give them a visit.

Across the street from Armando's daily lunch with the birds is the oldest public art museum in the United States, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. Currently at the museum is a featured exhibition, Gothic to Goth: Romantic Era Fashion and its Legacy (March 5 - July 10) so I wandered over to check it out as I humorously hummed Depeche Mode's "Black Celebration." That exhibit was the only area there was no photography allowed. Boo.

Idlehands (San Diego, CA)

#AvoidPollen in New York City

Tue, 29 Mar 2016 15:30:45 GMT

"Those select few through time who are willing to go out into chaos, with some high hopes of interacting with a moment where life will become clarified for them. They can welcome ambiguity and the surreal aspects of this kind of chaos and they will have a moment of clarification." -Joel Meyerowitz from Everybody Street.

Last Wednesday, I left Columbia, SC in an effort to escape the rainstorm of pollen that happens every year around this time. I wasn't sure where I was going, but I knew it would be somewhere north. On Saturday evening I ended up in New York City where I had the opportunity to partake in some exploring with my camera. I spent most of Sunday at the Easter parade but also managed some time to officially introduce myself to New York City street photography, a kind of holy grail for a guy like me. Monday morning it rained, but that's OK.

On Saturday night I rode some trains over to the Palisades in Brooklyn and took in a show from The Downtown Boys (pictured below) and Guerilla Toss.

Photos: The 2016 New York City Easter Parade

Mon, 28 Mar 2016 14:57:49 GMT

I wouldn't call it a parade, definitely more like a meandering. But what do I know, I’m just another asshole with a camera wandering around Fifth Avenue on Easter Sunday. And I’m visiting from South Carolina.

Jesus, I’ve never seen so many God damn cameras.

Around noon, I got a reminder of what it's like existing in a big city when there is a rampant fear of terrorism. Standing outside of St. Patrick's, I was yoyeuring when people unexpectantly started to scatter. Some folks ran. The more seasoned folks stopped what they were doing and looked around. I quickly moved to a front entrance of the church against a wave of humans when this security guard dashed outside to take a look. It was weird but at least I went in the right direction.

Photo Talk: Mountaintop conversation with a multi-millioniare Israeli Mechanic

Sat, 26 Mar 2016 16:02:48 GMT

“I can buy any car. I'm a multi-millionaire," explains Nesse Cohen from a lookout point on the Skyline Drive in Virginia's Shenandoah National Park. "My mother left me a building. That's the only cars I like." With a thick accent that I'd expect from an Israeli who has lived almost forty years in New York City, Nesse shows me around his 1987 Westfalia van. It’s his sixth one. It has “two stories” and he sleeps and cooks in it most nights when on the road. He converted the fridge to more cabinet space because a cooler with ice will keep things cold for three days. He starts showing me some of his camera gear. “You know B&H Photo, I live right next door.” He hands me a Sony A7. Sitting next to the cooler is Canon’s top of the line DSLR, an EOS 1-D.

Cohen is a mechanic by trade and races BMW motorcycles, “Over the world, since I was a baby,” he says as we look out towards the Massanutten Mountain. He’s been shooting thousands of images a week for the past twenty years and knows my camera gear better than I do. Often times, dropping f-bombs to praise things like sensors and lens multipliers.

“I’m tired living in a big city. When I was young, your age, it was good. I think I want to move out to Tennessee, but I don’t know I might get bored. New York is a very busy place.”

Day #2 of the 2016 #AvoidPollen tour is complete as I explored the Shendoah between Steeles Tavern, VA and Harper's Ferry, WV. Next Stop: New York.

Avoid Pollen: Escape to the Blue Ridge Parkway

Fri, 25 Mar 2016 15:00:20 GMT

Yesterday in Laurel Springs, VA and in the heart of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Wild Woody's opened their doors for the first day of the 2016 Spring season. Woody's, a trailer campground complete with outdoor bar, has been welcoming bikers exploring the scenic range since the 1950's. They've been closed since Carl Stovall's birthday during the first week of November last year but Carl is back to greet them. And me apparently. "Come on in," he says, "I've got to figure out where all these lights are. It's been a while." He shows me around the inside of the main building, calling to my attention their large record collection. It's like 9 a.m. and it looks like I'm the first visitor of the year.

It costs about $45 a night to stay in one of the mountain castles. I forgot to ask about internet. Maybe on the way back.

So begins the first full day of my #AvoidPollen Tour, a journey that will take me from a tree sperm covered Columbia, SC to..... ummmmm... somewhere north and for an undetermined length of time. Photos from today's post were made between Boone, NC and Meadows of Dan, VA.

[I now offer mentorships for photographers if you want more personalized guidance in your photography journey.]

People watching like it's my job: Five Points on St. Pat's - Photos

Sun, 20 Mar 2016 20:19:27 GMT

2016 St. Patrick's Day Festival in Columbia, SCSt Pats Columbia SC: March 19, 2016

Photos by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford

I imagine The Drive by Truckers have seen some interesting things in their days. Despite that, Saturday evening they thanked the thousands who gathered at the intersection of Greene and Harden Streets in Columbia, SC for one of their best people watching days ever. I spent ten years bartending at a music venue and I need two hands to count the number of times I've been to a Donald Trump rally and I agree. Good job Columbia, thank you for providing voyeurs with a lubed sea of humanity.

Shamelessly Hot - Burlesque on State Street

Sat, 13 Feb 2016 23:21:56 GMT

"The word deflowered sounds like this pretty word but it's like this horrible thing. Some bad thing that somebody does to you. They take that thing away from you and ruin you," Athens based burlesque performer Dee Flowered remarked last light during a question and answer session at Frame of Mind in West Columbia. "I actually think of it as, Dee - as in me - flowering. I loved having a name that could be seen as negative at first - for stupid archaic reasons - and taking it and making it something positive that sounds weird and bubbly."

With the Shamelessy Hot Sh series, Mark Plessinger and Frame of Mind continue bringing burlesque to West Columbia and Valentines weekend presents opportune timing. Last night's event featured a theme of "Love" while tonight's 8pm event will make the transition to "Lust." Mark says there are "a scant few" tickets remaining at the door.

CLICK FOR SHOW INFO

"American Hero" makes appearance at Columbia Mardi Gras parade

Sun, 07 Feb 2016 15:37:13 GMT

Mardi Gras - Columbia SCMatt Buck, right, and John Albrecht make some noise in the annual Mardi Gras parade Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016, in Columbia, SC. Founded by the Krewe de ColumbiaYaYa in 2010 the parade concluded at City Roots Farm where a festival continued until sundown.
Photo by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford

You may remember Matt Buck as the sousaphone player who trolled members of Ku Klux Klan during their July rally at the South Carolina statehouse. His bumbling, fart like version of Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” attracted the attention of Time, The New York Daily News, The Daily Mail (UK), and The Huffington Post labeled Buck as an "American Hero." On Saturday, Buck joined up with fellow Music Farm engineer John Albrecht to participate in the annual Mardi Gras parade through the streets of the Rosewood neighborhood. At the parade's conclusion, the duo packed up their gear and headed over to the Farm for an early load in. Turns out, they were just warming up for their night with Project Pat.

Tuesday Night at the The Nick : "Everybody Street"

Mon, 01 Feb 2016 16:32:42 GMT

One of the first photographers we meet in Cheryl Dunn's Everybody Street is a gentleman with a thick accent named Boogie. Born Vladimir Milivojevich in 1969, the photographer got his start documenting civil war in his hometown of Belgrade, Serbia during the 1990s. He still shoots on film and shares stories from his projects photographing junkies and gangsters in Bushwick.

“There are lines that shouldn’t be crossed. But what are those lines? The deeper you go, the better pictures you take. And then it becomes the most important thing in your life and it can ultimately fuck you up - you know? Destroy your life.”

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In Everybody Street, we’re afforded a rare journey through the human experience in the most populated city in America. Through a series of images and conversations with some of the world’s most heralded photographers, we're graciously allowed to follow along as these legendary image makers explore the streets of their own town. “Some people want to pretend it’s a movie and others walk into the world and say, ‘Show me,” explains photographer Joel Meyerowitz.

And as much as Cheryl Dunn’s film is about photography, it’s also about the city of New York and how the humans exist within the giant melting pot. Art historian Max Kozloff says it well, “In a cluster of variables that defy imagination, it was no wonder that a number of photographers grew up taking advantage of what I like to call this ‘volatile proximity of citizens to each other.”

There’s the always quirky Jeff Mermelstein and his wonderful story about the day he came across a burning shoe. And then there’s the polarizing Bruce Gildan. “I don't expect everyone to be me like me - Thank god. If you had 42 Bruce Gildans running around - Jesus Christ - There’d probably be a ban on photography,” says Gildan, “If you look in my eyes, you know, you’ll see that I’m not a normal guy sometimes. I’ve done some pretty wild things out there.”

We follow Jill Freedman as she takes us through the occupy movement, talking shit to law enforcement juxtaposed with her experience as she breaks down outside a memorial for firefighters lost on 911. Freedman may be best known for her books from ’79 and ’81 about New York City firemen and cops where she spent her nights chasing first responders through underbelly of New York. “The kid was shot in the stomach with a shotgun. The true color of violence: it’s not red like ketchup but grey like dead. This is not a movie this is not TV.”

And just when it gets a little too serious, hip hop enthusiast Ricky Powell walks in with stories about hanging with the Beastie Boys, Run DMC and his view on his part of the city. “My neighborhood has been infested by new jack cornballs.” He offers his story about how he got into photography, "Spring of '85 she dissed me for some fucking scrub who wore tie dye yoga pants. I was [like], 'I'm gonna make this bitch sorry she played me like a soggy cannoli. I'm going to take this camera and I'm going to become something where she's gonna be mad sorry she dissed me like this. Spring of '85, early like March, I declared I'm going to take pictures."

Bringing a varied assortment of backgrounds, personalities and a personal masteries of the craft, thirteen photographers: Bruce Davidson, Elliott Erwitt, Jill Freedman, Bruce Gildan, Rebecca Lepkoff, Mary Ellen Mark, Jeff Mermelstein, Joel Meyerowitz, Martha Cooper, Jamel Shabaz, Clayton Patterson, Ricky Powell and Boogie guide the viewer on a trip through New York like none other.

Everbody Street appears at the Nickelodeon Theatre on Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 6:30 p.m. You can watch the trailer and a series of interviews with filmmaker Cheryl Dunn in the videos below. A short documentary from The Nick’s filmmaker-in-residence Josh Yates about SC photographer Dorian Warneck will accompany this screening.

World News: King Day at the Dome - Columbia, SC

Tue, 19 Jan 2016 15:02:43 GMT

On Martin Luther King Day and just in front of the Confederate monument at the South Carolina State House, members of the media attempted to find space on an inadequately sized riser as they prepared to cover the appearance of three Democratic presidential candidates. It was my first experience covering King Day at the Dome, a rally first organized in 2000 to protest the flying of the Confederate battle flag on the capitol grounds. I'm not sure where organizers set up a media riser in previous years, but this year, with the absence of a flag pole surrounded by a fence, it was placed in a area previously accessible only Santa Claus, Bree Newsome and State House police.

Here are some stories in the national news using photos I made yesterday for Getty Images. in Columbia, SC.

King Day at the DomeCOLUMBIA, SC - JANUARY 18, 2016: A woman holds a portrait of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King during the King Day at the Dome rally at the S.C. State House Monday, January 18, 2016 in Columbia, South Carolina. The event drew appearances from Democratic presidential candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and Hillary Clinton. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

South Carolina honours MLK day without shadow of Confederate flag

from The Toronto Star

Democratic presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley all attended the South Carolina rally honouring Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday.

King Day at the DomeCOLUMBIA, SC - JANUARY 18, 2016: Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, listens to a speaker during the King Day at the Dome rally at the S.C. State House Monday, January 18, 2016 in Columbia, South Carolina. The event drew appearances from Democratic presidential candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and Hillary Clinton. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

Not much unites Democrats and Republicans. Anger at Wall Street does.

from The Washington Post

“If we go someplace and order dinner for $15, and we don’t pay, we get a criminal record,” said Sarah Pawlikowski, a tea party activist from Columbia. “Why is Wall Street treated any different?”

Does Bernie Sanders Actually Want to Be President?

From NBC News

But at the NBC News/YouTube debate here Sunday night, Bernie Sanders won by sounding more revolutionary than presidential. That's no surprise for Sanders, who has adopted the posture of an outsider insurgent for his entire career and made "political revolution" a slogan of his 2016 presidential campaign.

King Day at the DomeCOLUMBIA, SC - JANUARY 18, 2016: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks to the crowd during the King Day at the Dome rally at the S.C. State House Monday, January 18, 2016 in Columbia, South Carolina. The event drew appearances from Democratic presidential candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and Hillary Clinton. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

Clinton hopes to shore up black voters' support in face of Sanders surge

from The Guardian

Hillary Clinton addressed a Martin Luther King Day rally at the South Carolina state house in Columbia in an attempt to shore up her support among African American voters in the south as a firewall against the surging tide of Democratic rival Bernie Sanders.

King Day at the DomeCOLUMBIA, SC - JANUARY 18, 2016: Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, speaks to the crowd during the King Day at the Dome rally at the S.C. State House Monday, January 18, 2016 in Columbia, South Carolina. The event drew appearances from Democratic presidential candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and Hillary Clinton. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders Court Black Voters in South Carolina

from The Washington Post

COLUMBIA, S.C.—Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders spent Martin Luther King Jr. Day courting African-American voters in South Carolina, laying the groundwork for next month’s consequential primary in the tightening Democratic presidential campaign.

King Day at the DomeCOLUMBIA, SC - JANUARY 18, 2016: Democratic presidential candidate, former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley marches in the King Day at the Dome parade at the S.C. State House Monday, January 18, 2016 in Columbia, South Carolina. The event drew appearances from Democratic presidential candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and Hillary Clinton. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

Too view the rest of my photos from yesterday's rally, you can check them out here: King Day at the Dome - Sean Rayford Photos - Getty Images

The Year in Photos / by South Carolina photojournalist Sean Rayford

Thu, 07 Jan 2016 19:15:20 GMT

South Carolina FloodingANDREWS, SC: OCTOBER 9 - Davey Morris stands in front of his next door neighbors' house in Andrews, South Carolina. The state of South Carolina experienced record rainfall amounts over the weekend but floodwaters continue to affect communities as they move out to sea. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

In Andrews, South Carolina on October 9, 2015 Davey Morris showed me around his neighborhood where floodwaters from the Black River were slowly eating up the homes on his street. At 8339 Gapway Ln., where the street had become a boat ramp, residents kept tabs on the slowly rising water with orange spray paint on the asphalt. It was still rising.

Twenty fifteen was a trying time for the state of South Carolina. A murder-suicide at the USC, the shooting of Walter Scott, a church massacre in downtown Charleston, debate and protest concerning the Confederate battle flag, a KKK rally and then twenty inches of rain. Here's what twenty fifteen looked like through my lens.

I'm freelance photojournalist in Columbia, SC working with the New York Times, Getty Images, The Associated Press and The State Newspaper. Thanks for the opportunity to do my thing.

January 2015

World Beer Festival PhotosWorld Beer Festival in Columbia, SC. January 17, 2015

Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford Pit Photos at For TodayIn the pit with For Today at New Brookland Tavern Columbia, SC.

Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford

February 2015

March 2015

April 2015

May 2015

June 2015

July 2015

August 2015

September 2015

October 2015

November 2015

December 2015

cgdytfhjv5625361AIKEN, SC - DECEMBER 12, 2015: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks to the crowd at a town hall meeting Friday, December 12, 2015, in Aiken, South Carolina. The South Carolina Republican primary is scheduled for February 20, 2016. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images) 595247853srAIKEN, SC - DECEMBER 12, 2015: Jim Yates, a Donald Trump supporter from Laurens, South Carolina cheers for the candidate before a town hall meeting Saturday, December 12, 2015 in Aiken, South Carolina. The South Carolina Republican primary is scheduled for February 20, 2016. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images) South Carolina FootballNew South Carolina head football coach Will Muschamp stands in the tunnel at Williams Brice Stadium Monday, December 7, 2015, in Columbia, S.C. Muschamp was officially introduced today as the new coach of the Gamecocks. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford) 595247853SR001_MT. PLEASANT, SC - DECEMBER 7, 2015: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks to the crowd at a Pearl Harbor Day Rally at the U.S.S. Yorktown Monday, December 7, 2015 in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. The South Carolina Republican primary is scheduled for February 20, 2016. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images) Lexington vs. Northwestern Football State Championship GameLexington fans react after a first half interception against Northwestern in Saturday night's Class 4A, Division II championship game at Williams Brice Stadium. 12/12/15 Graduation RatesBrandon Whitener listens to Berea High School teacher Chris Looper during a twelfth grade U.S. government class Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015 in Greenville, S.C. In Greenville, S.C. graduation rates have recently seen a dramatic increase over the last three years, leaping to 84 percent from 72 percent. Confederate FaggArt Bar Christmas Party in Columbia, South Carolina. Photo by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford Famously Hot New Years in Columbia, SC PhotosFamously Hot New Years in Columbia, SC - Photo by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford Famously Hot New Years in Columbia, SC PhotosFamously Hot New Years in Columbia, SC - Photo by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford

In Photos: Soda Citizens Celebrate Famously Hot New Year

Sat, 02 Jan 2016 00:58:00 GMT

I felt for the folks last night celebrating New Year's Eve when I watched a girl finish a Bud Light at the front of the stage. It had been 30 minutes since the main support act finished playing and it would at least be another 30 before Lauryn Hill and her team of musicians would take the stage. I had to pee. I'm sure lots of those people did. But I was going to be leaving after three songs and I didn't have to wait for however long it took to get those spots.

This blog post sponsored by Depends. Happy New Year.

A Photographer's Guide to Christmas Vacation in North Florida

Mon, 28 Dec 2015 17:00:26 GMT

St. Augustine - Castillo de San MarcosSt. Augustine - Castillo de San Marcos

What did Santa bring you this year?

He brought me fog. And I think I like fog more than Spanish moss. And I love Spanish moss. Not as much as snow in South Carolina, but probably more than Spanish moss. And on Christmas morning, that fog crept around a seventeenth century Spanish fort in the nation's oldest city, where Ponce de Leon landed in 1513 in search of the legendary Fountain of Youth. Most of the humans had yet to emerge and I had it mostly to myself. Too bad there wasn't Spanish moss on the fort.

I spent a few days down in Flagler county with my mom, dad and brother and the weather was pretty nice. It was what I would consider hot at some times and I live in a city with an unfortunate nickname of "Famously Hot." There's a map below to show you the places I explored, including a hike to another old ass fort on Rattlesnake Island. Jacksonville is there just for reference.

Matanzas InletMatanzas Inlet

Jam Room Celebrates Christmas with Confederate Fagg

Mon, 21 Dec 2015 18:36:41 GMT

Last night at the Art Bar, in a somewhat surprise appearance, Teabag Balzac, Spanky Swatnasty, Packer and Lady Miss Mango Chutney reunited once again to get down with the boys. It got me thinking about about the holidays, Christmas parties and how one celebrates the season. And more specifically, how much more fun it is when the folks throwing the celebration also run Columbia's most influential recording studio.

Happy Holidays. Drink Zima.

Learn about photojournalism and documentary photography

Photos in the News: Nov. 29 - Dec. 5, 2015

Mon, 07 Dec 2015 14:51:45 GMT

It was day three of my flood coverage when the sun came back out. I woke up early and photographed the attempts to repair the breach in the Columbia Canal and then headed out of town. The day before, I had split my time between South Beltline and Lake Katherine and was really interested to see what things looked like out in the country. After looking at the rainfall totals and the direction that the water would move toward the Atlantic, I decided to head out towards Eastover. The tiny South Carolina town is just north of the Congaree National Forest, affectionately referred to as "The Swamp" by Columbia locals. It's gorgeous out there.

Trey McMillian was out exploring the roads he typically drives near Eastover on October 6 when we met where the road ended. We shared stories from the previous two days and talked about where we'd seen more roads that had been washed out in the area. Eventually I walked away to make some photos of Trey surveying the damage. A rather large fish (or some other animal) made a big splash and to my surprise he tried to get a really good look. Last week, that photo has appeared in two year in review collections that feature a lot of really amazing photojournalism from 2015. Check them out.

Getty Images best of 2015

from The Denver Post

Getty Images selected 100 of their best photos from 2015.

L'annee 2015 en images

from MSN France

A collection of the year's best photos from MSN France.

Photos: "A Starry Night" holiday celebration

from The State Newspaper

"Two year-old Oliver McLean gives Santa a high five during "A Starry Night" holiday celebration Thursday, December 3, 2015 in Five Points. The Columbia entertainment and retail district hosted an evening of festive fun that included free hot chocolate, photos with Santa, complimentary carriage rides, and shopping deals from local shops. The neighborhood is also celebrating it's 100th birthday.

From Jordan to Hummus, Looking Back at Ben Carson’s Tough Week

from The New York Times

"At the Republican Jewish Coalition presidential forum in Washington, Mr. Carson read a history of the Israeli-Arab conflict from a script. His meandering remarks failed to impress the group, but were most notable for his mispronunciation of the name Hamas, the militant Palestinian movement. Although he eventually corrected himself, five of his references to the group sounded more like the word hummus."

Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders opening two more SC field offices

from The State Newspaper

Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders is opening two more field offices in South Carolina on Thursday. The new offices in Anderson and Rock Hill will add to four other field offices the campaign opened earlier this year in Charleston, Columbia, Florence and Greenville, Sanders’ campaign said.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/politics-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article47562870.html#storylink=cpy

Newberry QB Yafari Werts keeps everybody guessing

from The State Newspaper

“You never know what he is going to do, if he is going to run or throw,” Newberry Shrine Bowl offensive lineman Demarcus Gillmore said. “Sometimes, we got to block a little longer or sometimes he just takes off. When he takes off, we just run with him.”

Ben Carson Sinks on Doubts About His Foreign Policy

from The New York Times

FORT MILL, S.C. — Ben Carson was riding high in the race for the Republican presidential nomination a month ago, a soft-spoken candidate with an uplifting biography and the outsider credibility that is in fashion this year. His calm demeanor seemed to be a soothing alternative for conservative voters who were not enamored with the idea of Donald J. Trump in the White House.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article47894895.html#storylink=cpy

Ted Cruz Has the Mainstream in His Sights

from BloombergView

"Want to know how optimistic Senator Ted Cruz is feeling right now? He's pivoting away from the primary to the general election two months before the first Republican caucuses. For a guy who not long ago seemed to be angling for table scraps from Donald Trump, that's an impressive display of confidence."

The Planned Parenthood shooter and the myth of the dangerous trans person

from Fusion

“The media promptly wants to blame [the Planned Parenthood shooter] on the pro-life movement when at this point there’s very little evidence to indicate that,” Senator Cruz told reporters in Iowa Sunday. “It’s also been reported that he was registered as an independent and a woman and a transgendered leftist activist. If that’s what he is, I don’t think it’s fair to blame on the rhetoric on the left.”

Rand Paul Is Running For President AND Kentucky Senator At The Same Time

from Bustle

"Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul just made a move that may signal a slowing down and eventual stop to his run for the presidency. The senator officially announced on Monday that he would be seeking reelection for his state's Senate seat in 2016. But how has Paul the senator compared to Paul the potential president ? Has his campaign held true to the policies he supported and opposed while working in the Senate?"

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/sports/high-school/prep-football/article47664770.html#storylink=cpy

Photos in the News: Nov. 22-28, 2015

Sun, 29 Nov 2015 14:18:04 GMT

All the lights were off in the room where I saw Prince and Sugar Ray in 1997. Not in the same evening though. For the next few minutes I thought I could summon some former navigation skills and find that stairwell where I gave directions to Mark McGrath my freshmen year at USC.

On Thanksgiving morning I had entered the Carolina Coliseum near the Elephant Room on Park Street. In the late 90's I had often navigated the depths of the building while covering basketball for the student paper. I passed two goals labeled, "Frank McGuire Arena" and the area where the Coach Eddie Fogler used to give his post game press conferences. The gears in my head cranked away as I tried to remember the bowels of the venue that also housed my media arts classes. I followed the sign for the locker room knowing it would take me out to the main room where I assumed they would be feeding up to 2,000 people. No such luck. Eventually I gave up trying to find my way around the basement of the coliseum and walked outside to enter through the main concourse.

25th annual Interfaith dinner offers fellowship, and a feast, on Thanksgiving

from The State Newspaper

"Thursday, a line stretched outside the Assembly Street entrance as guests waited for the traditional Thanksgiving feast. The meal included turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, cranberry sauce, salad and bread. The dessert list was just as long, ranging from pumpkin and sweet potato pie to pound cake and Rice Krispie treats."

Pharoh Cooper playing final college game Saturday

from The State Newspaper

"Cooper, a junior, will forego his final year of eligibility and enter the 2016 NFL Draft, his father told The State on Tuesday. A native of Havelock, N.C., who signed with South Carolina in 2013, Cooper has been South Carolina’s most dynamic offensive weapon the last two years."

A slice of winter at Main Street ICE + VIDEO

from The State Newspaper

Sometimes I have the opportunity to shoot and edit video stories. Most of the time it depends on deadlines and still photo workloads. This one is about kids trying to ice skate outside of The Columbia Museum of Art on Thanksgiving day.

Lack of Enthusiasm From Supporters May Undermine Clinton’s Lead

from The New York Times

"There’s cause for concern in Hillaryland, the constellation of Democratic advisers, supporters and politicians counting on the former secretary of state to lead the party to a sweeping victory next November."

Many Midlands Black Friday shoppers opt for small, local businesses

from The State Newspaper

"There were no snaking lines for Thanksgiving-night doorbusters at small businesses in Forest Acres, no crack-of-dawn chaos on Black Friday. But there were crowds of loyal locals who spent at least a part of the traditional post-Thanksgiving shopping holiday away from the big-box stores supporting their small neighborhood retailers."

Syrian refugees in Louisiana swept up in fierce political debate

from Aljazeera America

"At night, the quiet among the organized blocks of modest houses and close-cropped lawns in this comfortable, middle-class community is punctuated only by the sounds of the occasional frog or passing car. The chaos of the French Quarter and rowdier urban sections of New Orleans, as well as the brutal war in Syria, feel like a world away."

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article46755275.html#storylink=cpy

More changes in works for Irmo Okra Strut

from The State Newspaper

"More changes could be coming to the Okra Strut, Irmo’s signature festival. Mayor Hardy King is crafting a plan that he says will end confusion on who is in charge by making clear that the seven-member panel overseeing the event is an advisory instead of independent group."

Rep. James Clyburn donates congressional papers to USC

from The UK Daily Mail

"Clyburn said he hopes the center will be a catalyst for study on incidents such as the so-called "Orangeburg Massacre," in which three black students were killed by highway patrolmen during a student protest at South Carolina State University in 1968. He also mentioned the so-called "Friendship Nine," the nine black men who refused to pay bail money after being jailed for trespassing and breaching the peace during a sit-in in Rock Hill, sparking more civil disobedience protests."

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article46631415.html#storylink=cpy

Donald Trump Offends Nearly Everyone With Mockery Of Disabled Reporter

from The Inquisitr

"Donald Trump is no stranger to controversy. Just days ago, he caused a furor following the violent assault of a “Black Lives Matter” protester at his Birmingham campaign rally. While a half dozen or so white Trump supporters hit, kicked and shouted racial slurs at the black protester, The Donald replied by calling security to “get him [the Black Lives Matter protester] the hell out of here.” When the media criticized how Donald Trump reacted to the violence, he responded by saying that maybe the protester “should have been roughed up,” CNN reported."

Hillary Clinton Looks Past Primaries, and to Republicans, in Strategy to Beat Sanders

from The New York Times

"At rallies these days, Mrs. Clinton criticizes the Republican presidential candidates for their economic policies (“Our economy does better with a Democrat in the White House”); she knocks their foreign policy approaches and says their positions on immigration and women’s issues would set the country “backwards instead of forwards.” What she does not do is mention her main Democratic primary opponent, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

SC Flood was 1 in 9,000 Year Event

from WLTX CBS Columbia

"South Carolina is still scarred and recovering from the October flood. The rainfall that the state experienced on October 2-5, 2015 was historic by any measure. In Columbia the rainfall for October 3rd through the 5th broke 1, 2, and 3-day records. The same records were broken in Charleston, but for the period of October 2-4. An analysis of all of the rainfall data has been done by the National Weather Service and shows that all of South Carolina saw substantial rain with the heaviest from the coast into the Columbia area."

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/usc-football/josh-kendall-blog/article46251310.html#storylink=cpy

Photos in the News: November 15-21, 2015

Mon, 23 Nov 2015 16:00:00 GMT

A week ago this morning, I was preparing to cover a student organized walkout and protest at the University of South Carolina. At the time that I write this, I'm about to return to the same block of campus to photograph congressman James Clyburn as he presents his congressional papers to USC. It's a related story but one yet to be told. I'll be shooting for the Associated Press, so tune in next week to see where those photos find homes.

Black students at USC stage a mass walkout, issue a list of 12 demands

from Fusion

"At the top is a demand that the university acknowledge the role of slaves in its history , followed by expanded minority recruitment efforts. Other demands include better mental health care and gender-neutral housing and bathrooms."

Hammond continues dominance with another state title

from The State Newspaper

"The Hammond dynasty continues. For the eighth time in the past 10 years, the Skyhawks sit atop SCISA Class 3A after a 29-13 victory over Pinewood Prep Saturday at Benedict’s Charlie W. Johnson Stadium."

Trump Says He Would ‘Absolutely’ Implement Muslim Database

from CBS Miami

“I would certainly implement that. Absolutely,” Trump told an NBC News reporter between campaign events in Newton, Iowa, according to video posted on MSNBC.com.He said Muslims would be signed up at “different places,” adding: “It’s all about management.”

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/news/local/artic

Big names rock for flood relief in Cayce

from Myrtle Beach Online

Some well-known names in music appeared at a concert Sunday to help raise money for flood relief in South Carolina, but Stevie Wonder, who was expected to be the headliner couldn’t make the event.

Read more here: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/state/south-carolina/article45058107.html#storylink=cpy

Rand Paul: Marco Rubio Opposed Extra Scrutiny on Foreign Visas that Will ‘Keep the Country Safe’

from Breitbart

"I think it’s been a mistake to arm the allies of al Queda. And really, President Obama and Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton have all agreed they wanted to arm the allies of ISIS, arm the allies of al Queda. I think that was a mistake and I think that allowed there to be a vacuum to form and I think it allowed them to grow."

Travel industry pushes back against calls to restrict visa waivers

from The Washington Post

The U.S. travel industry is pushing back against the growing possibility that Congress could seek to restrict a program that allows millions of travelers to enter the United States with a waiver, saying it could impede business and tourist travel.

On the Stump: Chris Christie's Presidential Campaign

from NBC News

On the Stump: Chris Christie's Presidential Campaign

ISIS In America? Ben Carson, Ann Coulter, And Marco Rubio Say Refugees From Syria Are A Terrorist Risk

from the Inquisitr

Fears of ISIS in America have become common after the Paris attacks. According to Ben Carson, Ann Coulter, and Marco Rubio, refugees from Syria pose a terrorist risk since it is possible the Islamic State could sneak its members among the tens of thousands slated to land in the United States.

Slate GraphicSlate Graphic

The GOP’s Flirtation With Ending the Surveillance State Is Over

from Slate

"Eavesdropping and reading people’s email is coming back into fashion for most Republican presidential candidates."

Chris Christie and ‘the abject failure of leadership’

from MSNBC

There’s a word for someone who reacts to seemingly scary situations by getting even more frightened. I believe that word is “wimp.” Which means that, based on his rhetoric, Christie might be a presidential contender also-ran, but he is a major league wimp.

Christie To Obama: No Syrian Refugees In NJ

from CBS Philly

"Citing what the letter calls a “broken federal monitoring system” to screen out potential ISIS supporters amongst refugees, Christie says that “opening our door to them irresponsibly exposes our fellow Americans to unacceptable peril.”

Marco Rubio Just Won the Backing of Another GOP Megadonor

from Slate

The Idaho billionaire—most recently in the news for badly losing a lengthy defamation suit against Mother Jones magazine—announced on Wednesday that he would back the newly anointed Republican establishment favorite, adding another bold-faced name to Rubio's list of top GOP donors that already included investor Paul Singer and hedge fund manager Cliff Asness.

Photos in the News: November 8-14, 2015

Mon, 16 Nov 2015 14:42:58 GMT

After more than a decade doggy paddling through the world of freelance photojournalism and a news filled year in South Carolina I've come to find myself working with some respected players in the national media.Following my dismissal at my bartending gig a year and a half ago for insubordination, I now find myself with freelance agreements with Getty Images, The New York Times, Times, The Associated Press and our local daily, The State Newspaper. As a result, the internet has become much more fun for me as I try to track down where my photos find homes.

I'll be meeting a freelance writer at Cool Beans in just a moment and we'll try to figure out this upcoming walkout from University of South Carolina students. Tune in next week to see where those photos find homes.

Ben Carson Moves Into a Tie With Donald Trump in South Carolina Poll

from The New York Times

"The survey finds that Mr. Carson has support of 28 percent of people who are likely to vote in South Carolina’s primary next year, while 27 percent back Mr. Trump. The poll, which had a margin of error of five percentage points, had Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida rounding out the top five."

'Precious in the sight of God'

from The Hilton Head Island Packet/The State Newspaper

“It’s not right, in my opinion, to just dig a hole or leave them on a shelf,” said Richland County Coroner Gary Watts, whose office handles about 60 to 100 unclaimed cases each year. “Morally, it’s the right thing to do.”

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article43703655.html#storylink=cpy

Gamecocks squash Allen in exhibition

from The State Newspaper

"South Carolina rolled over Allen 71-43 in its last warmup before Saturday’s season opener, debuting its five-man freshman class and redshirt freshman TeMarcus Blanton, who sat out last season with a hip injury. The old guard led the team – junior Sindarius Thornwell scored 17, while Laimonas Chatkevicius had a double-double – and the Gamecocks won comfortably."

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/usc-mens-basketball/article43691574.html#storylink=cpy

Patience, prayer pay off for USC's TeMarcus Blanton

from The State Newspaper

“One of the scariest moments of my life,” TeMarcus Blanton said. “Soon as I got out there, I was shaking.”

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/david-cloninger-blog/article43704987.html#storylink=cpy

Ted Cruz's Southern strategy: Emphasis on religious liberty

from The State Newspaper

"From the moment that he announced he was running for president in March at the conservative Christian Liberty University, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has seen evangelical Christians as his path to the nomination."

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/article44814678.html#storylink=cpy

Nikki Haley Bottles Up How So Many Conservatives Feel About the Establishment in One Paragraph

from The Independent Journal

“You have a lot of people who were told that if we got a majority in the House and a majority in the Senate, then life was gonna be great… What you’re seeing is that people are angry. Where’s the change? Why aren’t there bills on the president’s desk every day for him to veto? They’re saying, ‘Look, what you said would happen didn’t happen, so we’re going to go with anyone who hasn’t been elected.’ ”

Fiorina praises Walker for trying to create 'meritocracy'

from MTNJ TV - NBC Milwaukee

"Fiorina said after the debate that she wasn't intended to flatter Walker, she just liked the idea he supports of doing away with having seniority protections for state employees."

Ben Carson Just Backtracked on His Radical Minimum Wage Idea

from Fortune

"On stage at the second debate, Carson said that he was ”probably” or “possibly” in favor of raising the federal rate, which has been stuck at $7.25 since 2009. “I think we need to get both sides of this issue to sit down and talk … and negotiate a reasonable minimum wage.”

Marco Rubio Tells Hannity: I Still Support Green Cards For Illegal Immigrants

from Breitbart

In an interview with Sean Hannity last night, Rubio explained that he was “trying to make a difference” by participating in the 2013 process with liberal Democratic Senators like Chuck Schumer to create the “most conservative bill possible” in a Democratic led Senate.

“What we underestimated is how much people distrust the federal government,” he said, pointing out that Americans demanded border security first before addressing the problem of illegal immigrants living in the country.

Ted Cruz’s Wingnut Wingmen

from The Daily Beast

"The Texas presidential candidate—coming off a stand-out performance in the most recent Republican primary debate—just won a bracing assessment from Heritage Action, the activist wing of the conservative Heritage Foundation."

Seriously Mysterious: Tuesday Night in New Orleans

Tue, 03 Nov 2015 15:05:40 GMT

Last Tuesday night I spent my evening wandering on the eastern edge of the French Quarter in New Orleans. My first stop was a theme party at The Dragon's Den across from the old U.S. Mint. It was dubbed "Night of 1,000 Frans." As in, Fran Drescher. Party organizers suggested that attendees "CHANNEL UR INNER FLASHY GIRL FROM FLUSHING AND LET THAT FRAN FLAG FLY."

Just around the corner the scene changed a bit at the local crust punk watering hole. In between bands, tourists would take to the other side of Decatur Street to avoid the horde of sidewalk dwellers. I was not dressed appropriately for either social gathering but decided to bounce between the two the rest of the Tuesday evening. Met some people on the way. Got in my car the next morning and drove back to Columbia, SC. Dallas wedding road-trip complete. Until next time Crescent City.

Say Brother guitarist delivers baby at Halloween Party

Mon, 02 Nov 2015 00:51:25 GMT

"I didn't even know I was preggers," said Say Brother guitarist Zach Morrison out back of New Brookland on Halloween night in West Columbia. "I was jus' 'scuzin myself around all the freaks and that thing just popped right out at the bar. Thank God Jesse was there. He saved my baby from falling on the New Brookland floor."

When asked on the identity of the father, Zach shrugged and responded, "It's a 70/40 split between Tripp and Josh."

Invisible Man sneaks into party - accused of being a "Booty Bandit"

Fri, 30 Oct 2015 22:47:20 GMT

"Welcome to the place where all the creatures meet
The last building to your left on a dead-end street
Youll find skeleton bones outside on the pavement
And torture chambers down in the basement
Cobwebs hangin' over your head
And music bein' played by the Grateful Dead"

Pauper 110810/29/15 halloween photos10/29/15 Columbia Sc photographer10/29/15 Pauper 110810/29/15

Avoid Highways: Dallas to New Orleans - Photos

Tue, 27 Oct 2015 19:59:11 GMT

Avoid HighwaysRaceland, Louisiana
Photos by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford

After dropping my tuxedo off with the concierge at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas, Texas I jumped back in the vehicle and headed east on Sunday. Eventual destination: Columbia, South Carolina with an undetermined time frame to reach the Soda City.

Overwhelming storms had just ravaged parts of Texas and I had no intention of traveling in the storm so I slow rolled onto Texas farm roads towards New Orleans. By the time I reached Beaumont, Texas I figured I'd stop for the night to let the bad weather get ahead of me. On Monday I ignored interstates as the rains slowly moved across Louisiana. It took me about eight or nine hours to do a typical four hour drive on I-10. I was greeted with a most pleasant day of traveling but wish I would have had about 80 hours to explore the route. If you are a fan of seeing, make sure to pass through Franklin, Berwick and Raceland, LA on your next trip between Nola and Dallas.

Avoid HighwaysBerwick, Louisiana
Photos by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford

By the time I reached Beaumont, Texas I figured I'd stop for the night to let the bad weather get ahead of me. On Monday I continued the journey removed from interstates as the rains slowly moved across Louisiana. It took me about eight or nine hours to do a typical four hour drive on I-10. I was greeted with a most pleasant day of traveling but wish I would have had about 80 hours to explore the route. If you are a fan of seeing, make sure to pass through Franklin, Berwick and Raceland, LA on your next trip between Nola and Dallas.

Avoid HighwaysBerwick, Louisiana
Photos by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford Road Trip through Louisiana - PhotosRaceland, Louisiana
Photos by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford Avoid HighwaysBerwick, Louisiana
Photos by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford Road Trip through Louisiana - PhotosRaceland, Louisiana
Photos by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford Avoid HighwaysBerwick, Louisiana
Photos by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford Road Trip through Louisiana - PhotosRoad Trip through Louisiana - Photos
Photos by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford Road Trip through Louisiana - PhotosRoad Trip through Louisiana - Photos

Photos by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford Avoid HighwaysFranklin, LA

Photos by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford Avoid HighwaysBerwick, Louisiana
Photos by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford

Just gathering a mudbug lunch in the front yard.

Avoid HighwaysBerwick, Louisiana
Photos by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford Road Trip through Louisiana - PhotosRoad Trip through Louisiana - Photos
Photos by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford Avoid HighwaysBerwick, Louisiana
Photos by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford Road Trip through Louisiana - PhotosRaceland, Louisiana
Photos by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford Avoid HighwaysBerwick, Louisiana
Photos by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford Avoid HighwaysBerwick, Louisiana
Photos by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford

Texas:

Columbia to New Orleans to Shreveport to Dallas

Fri, 23 Oct 2015 16:09:02 GMT

Since Sunday, I've been meandering across the southeastern United States, spending most of my time in New Orleans. The weather has been amazing and I'm guessing I walked at least a dozen miles in the Crescent City. Decatur Street treated me well - I visited Coop's twice and also snagged a couple of the famous Irish Frozen Coffee concoctions next door at Molly's. I played a game of birthday kickball lit only by two car headlights in a former canal. Second base was a keg and game rules required possession of a beverage at all times. My team lost. I had a good time hanging out with Soda City homies Josh, Justine and Michelle in their Bywater shotgun dwelling and had a banging breakfast at Satsuma down the street.

About halfway to New Orleans I realized that if I traveled with purpose, that I could catch a second line parade. For those unfamiliar, it's kinda like a tornado/party/funeral/concert/parade. It's one of my favorite things about the Crescent City. After three nights, I continued towards Dallas and north to Shreveport where I spent the night in a hotel casino on the Red River. From the nineteenth floor on Wednesday evening I began moving images I shot in Nola to prepare for editing. Long story short, this is where I found that I lost two days of shooting due to corrupted files. It was somewhat devastating at first, but I eventually dismissed it by being thankful that at least no client would be pissed at me.

After another day of beautiful weather and a five hour drive avoiding highways through Texas, I arrived at my final destination in Dallas yesterday. Since last night's rehearsal dinner party at Sammy's Barbeque it's been raining and it's suppose to rain the rest of the weekend. Once again flood alerts are buzzing through my phone. We go bowling in a hour.

If you enjoyed this post, you can check out some photos and stories from my previous explorations of New Orleans.

Minus the Spurrier - "Someone has to take, take, take the wheel now man"

Fri, 16 Oct 2015 15:53:07 GMT

From behind the bar at New Brookland Tavern on Monday night, a War Eagle bartender tapped me on the shoulder as The Fishing Journal mastered the sounds of the turn of the century. But before I could turn to see why Joey Parker had interrupted my experience, the words came out of his mouth, "Spurrrier Retired," he said. I think I made this face. But only for a moment because I knew the unpredictable track record that Coach Spurrier had. We were all well aware.

What a run. Thanks coach.

The photos from this post are outtakes from a photo story I published for ABC News, COLLEGE FANS ARE READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL and were made during the first two games of the Gamecock's 2015 season.

Photos: Opening Night at the 2015 South Carolina State Fair

Thu, 15 Oct 2015 20:08:12 GMT

As I walk past the newly raised rocket on opening night at the South Carolina State Fair, a man with a selfie stick tries to sell me a phone - based on it's camera. I laugh and tell myself not to start making any photos yet. I've gotta make my way into the belly of the beast and avoid the early distractions.

The people, the lights, the sounds... and the smells.

A blast of Sriracha fried bacon ice cream cheese donuts assaults my senses before I can take another step. A nearby kid shouts, "MAMA! That smells wonderful!"

What a glorious place. Kind of like a zoo with rides and games and food. But you get to walk among all the animals. No glass partitions, no moats and no fences. And you won't get eaten. Next time, I'll check out the other animals.

The SC State Fair runs through Sunday, October 25, 2015.

"Studies show that riding a bicycle makes you more awesome than the general population"

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 19:57:04 GMT

Judy Braau of Demark leads a pack through the rhythm section at the UCI BMX World Cup Finals Friday evening in Rock Hill, SC. Braau placed fourth overall at the event. Over 200 pro elite and Olympic BMX hopefuls from over 25 countries competed in the final event in a global series including England, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Argentina. It was the first time the event was held on the east coast of the United States. 9/25/15
Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford

According to many of the world's best BMX riders - Rock Hill, South Carolina is home to one of the best BMX facilities in the world. As each heat ended during Friday's competition, a track side big screen featured interviews with winning riders. In varying accents, the winners gave overwhelming praise to the Novant Health BMX Supercross Track, a year old facility near the North Carolina Border.

In the final UCI BMX World Cup weekend event of the year over 200 pro elite cyclists and Olympic hopefuls from over 25 countries competed for points and championship qualifications. Maris Strombergs of Latvia and Mariana Pajon of Colombia captured first place finishes in the men's and women's divisions.

Mahieu Romain leads a pack of riders at the UCI BMX World Cup Finals Friday evening in Rock Hill, SC. Over 200 pro elite and Olympic BMX hopefuls from over 25 countries competed in the final event in a global series including England, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Argentina. It was the first time the event was held on the east coast of the United States. 9/25/15
Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford Over 200 pro elite and Olympic BMX hopefuls from over 25 countries competed in the final event in a global series including England, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Argentina. It was the first time the event was held on the east coast of the United States. 9/25/15
Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford

Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford Mathew Cameron of New Zealand takes a turn at the UCI BMX World Cup Finals Friday evening in Rock Hill, SC. Over 200 pro elite and Olympic BMX hopefuls from over 25 countries competed in the final event in a global series including England, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Argentina. It was the first time the event was held on the east coast of the United States. 9/25/15
Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford Kristen Kriggers of Latvia gets some air at the UCI BMX World Cup Finals Friday evening in Rock Hill, SC. Over 200 pro elite and Olympic BMX hopefuls from over 25 countries competed in the final event in a global series including England, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Argentina. It was the first time the event was held on the east coast of the United States. 9/25/15
Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford Over 200 pro elite and Olympic BMX hopefuls from over 25 countries competed in the final event in a global series including England, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Argentina. It was the first time the event was held on the east coast of the United States. 9/25/15
Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford

Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford BMX

Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford Trystan Kronk leads a pack of riders at the UCI BMX World Cup Finals Friday evening in Rock Hill, SC. Over 200 pro elite and Olympic BMX hopefuls from over 25 countries competed in the final event in a global series including England, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Argentina. It was the first time the event was held on the east coast of the United States. 9/25/15

Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford Judy Braau of the Netherlands rolls through a turn at the UCI BMX World Cup Finals Friday evening in Rock Hill, SC. Over 200 pro elite and Olympic BMX hopefuls from over 25 countries competed in the final event in a global series including England, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Argentina. It was the first time the event was held on the east coast of the United States. 9/25/15
Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford Over 200 pro elite and Olympic BMX hopefuls from over 25 countries competed last weekend in Rock Hill, SC.

Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford BMX

Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford Mathew Cameron of New Zealand rolls through the track at the UCI BMX World Cup Finals Friday evening in Rock Hill, SC. Over 200 pro elite and Olympic BMX hopefuls from over 25 countries competed in the final event in a global series including England, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Argentina. It was the first time the event was held on the east coast of the United States. 9/25/15
Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford

Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford Cesar Montenegro (#280) of Argentina follows Matthew Juster (#661) of Australia through a turn at the UCI BMX World Cup Finals Friday evening in Rock Hill, SC. Over 200 pro elite and Olympic BMX hopefuls from over 25 countries competed in the final event in a global series including England, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Argentina. It was the first time the event was held on the east coast of the United States. 9/25/15
Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford

Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford Mahieu Romain leads a pack of riders at the UCI BMX World Cup Finals Friday evening in Rock Hill, SC. Over 200 pro elite and Olympic BMX hopefuls from over 25 countries competed in the final event in a global series including England, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Argentina. It was the first time the event was held on the east coast of the United States. 9/25/15
Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford Judy Braau of the Netherlands rolls through the rhythm section at the UCI BMX World Cup Finals Friday evening in Rock Hill, SC. Over 200 pro elite and Olympic BMX hopefuls from over 25 countries competed in the final event in a global series including England, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Argentina. It was the first time the event was held on the east coast of the United States. 9/25/15
Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford

Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford Maris Strombergs of Latvia through the rhythm section at the UCI BMX World Cup Finals Friday evening in Rock Hill, SC. Strombergs captured the men's championship at the event featuring 200 pro elite and Olympic BMX hopefuls from over 25 countries. It was the first time the event was held on the east coast of the United States. 9/25/15
Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford

It's BO Time! The Bojangles' Southern 500 - Darlington, SC

Wed, 09 Sep 2015 19:05:54 GMT

Darlington - The Southern 500Kurt Busch slides through turn four in front of Dale Earnhardt Jr, Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson Sunday afternoon at the Southern 500 in Darlington, South Carolina. 9/6/15

By the time the Southern 500 began in Darlington, SC on Sunday I had already been at the track for nine hours and met my two deadlines on my first assignments covering a NASCAR event. Most of the day I spent exploring the infield and hanging out with race fans flying confederate flags. You can check out the video I produced and some more photos at The State Newspaper: ‘This is my tradition’: Confederate flags still fly at Darlington race.

I didn't have any assignments or deadlines for the race action photos - but I was there with a camera - and when in Rome...

It seemed like there were a billion caution flags and Carl Edwards didn't cross the finish line until near midnight. I thought about leaving a few times, but the opportunity to photograph a winner's circle kept me there. After which, I jogged back through pit row to the media building - edited and filed a photo to the paper of Edwards in the winners circle and packed up and made my way back to Columbia.

"Struck out three times. Made an error that lost the game."

Wed, 19 Aug 2015 18:57:06 GMT

"The biggest thrill a ballplayer can have is when your son takes after you. That happened when my Bobby was in his championship Little League game. He really showed me something. Struck out three times. Made an error that lost the game. Parents were throwing things at our car and swearing at us as we drove off. Gosh, I was proud." -Bob Uecker

Last week, three different age divisions with teams representing states from Florida to North Carolina to Texas, converged on Lexington, SC for the Dixie Youth World Series. A team from Hartsville, South Carolina outscored their opponents 98-8 in the Majors Division. Many of their games were cut short because of the slaughter rule.

South Carolina Photographer Sean Rayford

Robot Photographer at Museum Space Party

Fri, 14 Aug 2015 15:35:22 GMT

Recipe for Killbot 2000

Two moving boxes

One large bag full of random shit from Radio Shack including lights, an exhaust fan and a buzzer.

One can of metallic silver spray paint

One can of black spray paint

Gaffers tape

Seven AAA batteries

Hot glue gun

Five foam half spheres

Red paint

Driver crashes through trailer home, over car and on top of boat

Thu, 30 Jul 2015 14:07:39 GMT

It's a little over two hours to Newton, North Carolina and the historic Hickory Motor Speedway. As I walk through the rows of parked cars and approach “The World's Most Famous Short Track” I hear families complaining that the 13,200 capacity raceway has sold out. I pass through the track entrance and the experience reminds me of the first time I walked out on the field at William's Brice Stadium - but with more of a gladiator atmosphere - the crowd melting into one mass of flesh.

I climb up a rickety metal ladder to the box roof where one dude is smoking menthol cigarettes in a lawn chair. A car drives around the oval and through turn four - into a 75 foot long trailer - over a car and on top of a boat. The two slide across the pavement - eventually coming to stop on. The driver, Raybo exits the car and the mass of flesh erupts in approval.

It was awesome – and only the beginning. There was still a school bus race, a boat and camper trailer race, a flagpole race, a reverse demolition and more to come. You can find more information about the demolition derby series on the Knights of Destruction homepage.

"Soda Pop City, Lend Us Your Ears" - Girls Rock Museum of Art

Mon, 27 Jul 2015 15:06:26 GMT

I've photographed ten billion bands - musicians like Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, Elton John, Britney Spears, Willie Nelson, and Prince. On Saturday at the Columbia Museum of Art, I had the pleasure of adding The Rocking Aqua Panda Girls, The Diabolical Barbies, and #ashtag Pals - and a few more - to the list. Prince, who was going by that sign at the time, had his mic stand at the same height as the #ashtag Pals.

KKK rally revives 1990's "Hanging Klansman" skateboard graphic

Fri, 17 Jul 2015 20:18:01 GMT

“Oprah isn't going to get mad at ya?” jests a shop employee as Ramone, Corey and Sean from 2 Fat 2 Fly fame try on their new shirts at Bluetile Skateshop Friday afternoon in Columbia, South Carolina - where the town is preparing for a KKK rally Saturday at the state house.

In 1990 skateboard designer Jim Thiebaud released his first pro board with and after founding Real Skateboards. By the 90's the “Third Wave” of the KKK had emerged and Thiebaud wanted to use the skateboard as more than just as tool of the sport. He wanted to make a social statement of the times. With the “Hanging Klansman” he did so while adding a new chapter to the history of skateboarding – one where the skateboard itself was an artistic statement on society.

“The satire of this piece lies in its irony. Thiebaud uses a widely known weapon of the KKK against a member of their own to expose the organization's hideous nature, and his opinion of them, to a wider audience. Perhaps skateboarding patrons seldom thought of the KKK, but this board brought the subject to the foreground and encouraged conversation.” See: THE HANGING KLANSMAN: USING SKATEBOARD ART AS A POLITICAL STATEMENT

As the people of the Soda City wondered about the approaching KKK rally scheduled for Saturday at the state house, an owner of a local skateshop was throwing an idea around – printing up t-shirts with the skateboard graphic - and tagged Real Skateboards and Thiebaud on social media posts. Thiebaud's response?

“Print em up,” says Dave Toole, who has operated Bluetile Skateshop since 2001. The following day, Toole got a phone call from Thiebaud to ask if there was really a KKK rally happening in Columbia. After confirmation, Thiebaud sent the art files and instructed Toole to print, “as many as you want.”

On Friday, Bluetile began giving away a limited number of the shirts to those who stopped by the store. The majority will be reserved for distribution on Saturday at the capitol grounds. In addition to the KKK, the New Black Panthers and a church group will assemble separately on a different part of the grounds during overlapping times. Following this weekend's events Toole will determine whether the shirts will be sold and details involving sending profits to the Emanuel Nine families.

http://www.kadieyale.com/blog/2015/1/19/the-hanging-klansman-using-skateboard-art-as-political-statement-in-the-1990s

Bizarro World: Columbia, South Carolina - July 5, 2015

Mon, 06 Jul 2015 13:14:58 GMT

It's getting weird.

Nevermind, it's always been that way.

South Carolina legislature to tackle flag on Monday

Sun, 05 Jul 2015 14:44:21 GMT

Members of the South Carolina legislature have been notified that they are scheduled to return to Columbia, SC on Monday to tackle vetoes and the debate on the removal of the Confederate flag from the statehouse grounds. Reports from the Charleston Post and Courier indicate that a two thirds majority exists in support of the removal of the flag and that "a vote in the Senate could potentially occur that same day."

Yesterday, with epic timing on the Fourth of July, about one thousand people gathered at the capitol for a "Take Down the Flag" rally that was as much a celebration as a maneuver for political change. Outside of an incident involving the detainment of Muhiydin Moye D'Baha after burning a piece of paper resembling a Confederate flag following the conclusion of the rally, the event itself appeared to go on without a hitch.

"Really, it's just a piece of cloth. It's all about when the people come together from both sides and different nationalities and say, 'Let's do something. Let's do something for this country. For the world."

-Jalaludin Abdul-Hamid

Happy Fourth - Embracing Our Mistakes

Fri, 03 Jul 2015 20:08:41 GMT

I'm hovering over my "food set," balancing on a chair in my dining room with my camera in one hand. I rarely shoot food, so I'm practicing on a free evening in June and I'm still playing with the plating and the angle. I have yet to set up the tripod. I like to think that it was a balletic move as I lost my balance and my right hand went down onto the edge of a plate and catapulted a barrage of berries into the air. Uncle Sam followed in suit. Absolute fail.

Unless...

"When Jesus comes, oh the trumpet will sound loud" - Charleston, SC: June 25-26

Sun, 28 Jun 2015 15:45:15 GMT

Shortly after pallbearers had carried the body of South Carolina State Senator Rev. Clementa Pinckney back into Emanuel AME Church on Thursday evening, where he and eight others were murdered last week, the Sons of Allen - Men of Ministry filed through the crowd. They were singing: "When Jesus comes, oh the trumpet will sound loud. When my Savior comes, all the saints in Christ shall rise. Oh, I’m glad I’ve been changed since He lifted me. I want to be ready when Jesus comes."

A journalist walked by with the group, recording audio and visibly moved by the moment. Two women made room for two little girls from Atlanta at the barricade as their father explained what was happening. When I heard those singing voices approach I knew something special was happening - I grabbed my phone and mashed the record button. It's the only audio I have from the day and one of the most moving scenes I've been witness to.

A death knell for the confederate flag - Columbia, SC - June 27, 2015

Sat, 27 Jun 2015 22:37:43 GMT

Only a few hours after Bree Newsome climbed up a pole and removed the confederate flag on the South Carolina Statehouse grounds, flag supporters gathered at the capital in Columbia in a gasping effort to hold onto the divisive symbol of Southern culture. The flag in question, had been quickly returned to it's perch by grounds workers in the early morning hours. "I thought there'd be more people out here. At least three to four hundred," said one of the fifty or so supporters from atop the statehouse steps.

Despite many claims of "heritage - not hate," remarks about welfare and crime statistics might have led one to believe otherwise.

Thousands wait in blasting SC sun to honor Clementa Pinckney

Wed, 24 Jun 2015 23:25:39 GMT

Six days following the "Holy City Massacre," the body of South Carolina Senator Clementa Pinckney traveled down Main Street in Columbia, SC on a horse drawn caisson. Unsuspecting sidewalk diners found their meals interrupted by the procession and as hundreds lined the street, it traveled to the second floor of the capital building. Over four thousand mourners waited outside in line in the blasting sun for chance to view the body. Tomorrow, the state senator's body will travel to Ridgeland and then on to Charleston for a viewing at Emanuel AME Church from 6-8pm. The funeral will take place on Friday morning in Charleston.

Prisoners of our own history: A tale of two South Carolina cities

Tue, 23 Jun 2015 15:17:27 GMT

Emanuel AME Church - Charleston, SCFriday night in Charleston, SC outside of Emanuel AME Church after Wednesday's racially motivated mass shooting at the iconic black church at the heart of the city.
Photos by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford

It's been less than a week since Dylann Roof shot and killed nine parishioners at the most historic church in the Holy City. The following morning and about one hundred miles northwest of the scene of the racially motivated massacre, the South Carolina Senate gathered without one of their most beloved, Rev. Clementa Pinckney, a victim in the shooting. Outside on the statehouse grounds the Confederate flag unfurled at the intersection of Route #1 and Main Street. For the next five days the cities would grieve, rally and set examples while trying to escape from being prisoners of their own history.

Mud Bogging at the Old Salkehatchie Pit - Yemassee, SC

Thu, 18 Jun 2015 22:53:00 GMT

"What's your job?" asked one of several waif like creatures who curiously approached me at the Old Salkehatchie Mud Pit yesterday afternoon. "I make photos, what's your job?" I volley back but don't give him the opportunity to respond. "Eating potato chips and drinking soda?"

For over a year and inspired by a newspaper assignment over a decade ago, I've been trying explore the world of mud bogging and on Saturday I finally found it in Yemassee, South Carolina - just north of Coosawatchie and the Georgia border.

Another boy interrupts and informs me that he's got a real job at the Cozy Corner and it's pretty tough work - sweeping and stuff. Eventually they scurry off and the drivers' meeting is held where I learn that time doesn't start until your truck is moving, you need a helmet and a seatbelt, putting it into reverse will earn disqualification and "If you wave the cable off and that truck stops in the mud - YOU gonna get out and hook the cable yourself."

This narrative is the first in a series titled "Summer of Mud" - a collection of photo essays on mud bogging in the South by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford during 2015. Rayford is a freelance photojournalist and commercial photographer in the South Carolina capital city.

An Instagram Guide to the Soda City: Columbia SC - Vol. 2

Tue, 16 Jun 2015 15:09:44 GMT

A Columbia SC Photographer's Guide through InstagramGervais Street Bridge

If one were to judge my travels in and around Columbia, SC by this edit of Instragram photos I've made during the last three months, it would appear that my favorite haunts in the Soda City would be at the river, music venues and in parking garages. And outside of being at my house, that's a fairly accurate scenario. It's also insightful on how habits effect themes in creative endeavors and a good reason I should get a john boat. Anybody wanna give me a boat? I'll give you some ad space right here.

A Columbia SC Photographer's Guide through InstagramWest Columbia Riverwalk A Columbia SC Photographer's Guide through InstagramThe Colonial Life Arena at the University of South Carolina A Columbia SC Photographer's Guide through InstagramWest Columbia Riverwalk A Columbia SC Photographer's Guide through InstagramFort Jackson

I've alluded to it before. I'm a big fan of the Gram. Imagine (or maybe you know) what Tinder is like for the nympho. It's special to me because of how much it has taught me about photography and how it got my foot in the door to commercial photography - because of a photo I made of a leaf in a puddle. The app encourages the use of the square format and sticks you at 50mm. I normally make my images inside the app itself with it's slow and clunky operation, so it's much less reliant on a moment. I'm not shooting five frames a second here. Composition, contrast and color suddenly take center stage in this visual landscape. It has forced me to concentrate on elements of the image that had previously taken a back seat in my process. And now, when I pick up my camera that doesn't also YouTube and and do email, I get to incorporate those things I've been able to learn using Instagram.

Soda Citizen: Katie Sheridan - Glittoris

Mon, 01 Jun 2015 13:23:00 GMT

"Kind of like the Power Puff Girls but sluttier," explains Katie Sheridan as we lay the groundwork for a cartoon show featuring vagina races in the land of Cooterville.

Meet Kartie, Seesaw, Manderson and Neen - "The Nail Gloss Cunts" - four best friends who live together in a pink blueberry muffin home. "Any place that I'd wanna live is way too adorable and none of my friends would want to live there - they would just make fun of it."

So then why blueberry muffin homes? "Because fuck my friends, I wanna live in muffin town."

The ladies spend their days battling their nemesis - Father Time. "A watch monster who runs in front of you and when you look down at your nails they are already chipping off even though you just fucking painted them. Because they don't stay pretty for 24 hours," explains Kartie, "Our mission is to paint our nails as many times in row without fucking them up within an hour of them drying. Because that's a real fucking issue."

But what are the NGC's special powers you ask?

"See-Saw has a super loud voice that makes people's ears bleed because she is very blunt and outspoken. Which is a great quality - most of the time. Manderson can just melt peoples brains with her sarcasm. Neen has laser eyes because she can fucking kill people with her eyebrows. I would fucking freeze people to death with a cold shoulder," Karti continues, "We live in Cooterville and have detachable vaginas and have vagina races. I know, it's brilliant."

Kartie's band, Glittoris will be hosting a cassette tape release party Sunday night at Foxfield and will be playing with Wriggle, Bad Eric and Pure Disgust. Doors are at 8 p.m.

"Seizure-inducing pedal tornado...¿music? from Columbia, SC"

Tue, 26 May 2015 22:00:24 GMT

Alex Strickland, vocalist of Abacus (and Bathe) spent ten days on tour in March 2014 alongside Sein zum Tode to SXSW and back. “The highlight of that tour was seeing everyone in every room react to Sein zum Tode – from their first note. It was awesome. The best example of that was sitting in one of the shittiest shows that we played – Birmingham, Alabama. There was like ten people there plus the bands. No one had ever heard of either one of our bands, Sein zum Tode sets up and David's drum set is massive. So people are like, 'What the fuck is going to happen?' They're setting up this weird sampler thing and people don't really know. And then as soon as kick into their first song, everyone's jaw drops. They see David moving around and they don't understand what is going on with the guitar. Huge open eyes - dropped jaws - for like ten minutes. Half the people are like 'I don't dig that' and they leave and the other half are like, “Holy shiiiiiit. What just happened?”

Sein zum Tode will headline their EP release show on Friday night at New Brookland Tavern with support from Abacus, Invoking the Abstract and Bathe. Here are some photos we made a couple weeks back.

Sean Rayford is a Columbia, SC photographer specializing in photojournalism and commercial work. Prior to becoming a full time photographer Rayford spent more than a decade bartending at New Brookland Tavern, the city’s most influential live music venue.