Pushing Pixels

9/27/07 - Columbia, S.C., Local alternative rock band Closer, rehearses for their upcoming performance at the Five Points End of Construction Celebration on Friday, October 5, 2007. The group which has been together off and on for almost eight years consists of David Reed, (vocals, guitar), David Baker, (bass), and Nathan Reed, (drums). © 2008 Brett Flashnick/All Rights Reserved

After reading the story The Day the Music Died in The State today, about how Richaland County just shut down all of the bands that practice at the Sumter Street Storage sheds, I really can’t help but wonder what can be done to help make this area more friendly to the creative community.  The Sumter Street Storage facility was not only a safe haven for up and coming musicians to practice over the past 20 years, but it was a source of creativity for my own visual art as well.  I made the above image of the alt. rock band Closer as the practiced inside of their rented shed in late 2007.  I cringe to think of all the tax money that the Columbia Talent Management project just spent on a survey about how to attract the creative class to the area, when the answer is simple.  Prove that you are there to support them!  Most creatives didn’t get into their respective fields to get rich, or famous, they probably didn’t even choose it at all, it chose them.  We create because there isn’t anything else we could envision doing, or because creating fills a deeper part of our souls and fulfills our lives, and the lives of those who are inspired by what we create, be it music, art, poetry, etc…  The easiest thing you can do to help out is show them that they have your support.  I know this was a ruling made by the county fire marshall, but what now?  Now is the time for Columbia to step up and provide, or just even allow a place like Sumter Street Storage to operate.

Tags: alternative, arts, band, blue, Columbia, creative, facility, music, ordinance, photograph, photography, photojournalism, practice, rock, SC, south carolina.

As featured in the Oct. 30 - Nov. 6 MSNBC TWiP: As tears stream down his cheek, Quentin Patrick, center, clad in a red prison jumpsuit, signs paperwork during his bond hearing at the Sumter-Lee County Detention center, Monday, Nov. 3, 2008, in Sumter, S.C. (AP Photo/Brett Flashnick)

As I checked my Facebook page before heading out for a 12 hour photo day on Saturday, I was a bit perplexed when I saw that friend and fellow shooter Chris Keane had left me a note for me to check out MSNBC’s The Week in Pictures for Oct. 30 – Nov. 6, 2008.  Much to my surprise one of my images from the bond hearing of Quentin Patrick, who is accused of killing 12-year-old, trick-or-treater, T.J. Darrisaw, when he fired 29 rounds from his AK-47 through the front door of his house in Sumter, S.C., upon seeing the 3 masked figures, outside of his home on Halloween night, and thinking he was about to be robbed.  This image came from my second day of covering this extremely emotional tragedy for the Associated Press, and can be found in Oct. 30 – Nov. 6, TWiP at the following link http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27578284/displaymode/1107/framenumber/7/s/2/

Tags: ap, assignment, associated press, award, death, MSNBC, photography, photojournalism, SC, shooting, south carolina, sumter, TWIP.

It seems fitting that such a long campaign resulted in such a long election day.  All total, mine was about 22 hours, and many many miles, of non-stop action.  I finally managed to get a few hours of shut eye between 3:30am and 8:30am this morning (Wednesday).  Now that I have had a chance to get some much needed rest, I just wanted to post a few of my final images from the day, that showed the somber mood that surrounded me and those I was with, as Sen. John McCain, R-Az., gave his concession speech.  More behind the scenes information to come

Sen. John McCain, R-Az., consession speech is shown to a nearly empty room at Republican Party Headquarters © 2008 Brett Flashnick/All Rights Reserved

Shell and Katie watch and listen, as Sen. John McCain, R-Az., gives his consession speech in Phoenix, Az., Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008. © 2008 Brett Flashnick/All Rights Reserved

Young Republicans, president, Jason Bailey, talks about the future of the Republican party following Sen. John McCain's concession speech in the 2008 Presidential Election. © Brett Flashnick/All Rights Reserved

Tags: ballroom, Behind the Scenes, candidate, concession, election, hotel, McCain, screen, shilouette, somber, speech.

Campaigning atop the Greystone Blvd. Bridge © 2008 Brett Flashnick

I went out this afternoon to photograph last minute campaigners under the grey skies of election day, and ran into friends Katie and Megan from the Lindsey Graham for Senate campaign, who were cheering on  motorists as they made the daily mass exodus out of downtown on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008.  Even Lt. Governor Andre Bauer showed up before the afternoon was over, to waive on behalf of Sen. John McCain, and I even waved a sign for the Grahamster myself for a little while.  As we were all standing atop the bridge, we chatted about those who chose to make vulgar gestures, and yell slurs out their windows as they drove by at 45mph.  Too bad they didn’t want to stop, and waive a sign for their candidate, perhaps we could have shared some ideas, found some common ground, and had a good time together.  After 20 months of campaigning I’m sad to see everything beginning to come to a close.  Off to Republican HQ to watch the results come in.  More later.

Megan campaigning atop the Greystone Blvd. bridge for Sen. Lindsey Graham © 2008 Brett Flashnick

Tags: bridge, campaign, cheer, Columbia, day, election, graham, greystone, lindsey, SC, senate, sign, south caorlina, us, vote, waive.

All Images in this post: AP Photo/Brett Flashnick

Walter Anderson, a retired veteran, spent 30 years in service to his country.  Every morning of those 30 years, Anderson, got himself up, and to his duties, as an enlisted member of the United States Army.  On the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008, it took Walter Anderson’s wife, a recreational therapist, a volunteer coordinator, and a handicap accessable van, and two gracious poll workers, to get the 74-year-old from his residence in the nursing ward of the Dorn VA Medical Center, in Columbia, S.C., to the polls at Burnside Elementery, a mere two miles away, but they did it, and at 10:40am Walter Anderson cast his ballot in the 2008 Presidential Election.  It is my belief that if Walter Anderson can go to work in service of his country every day for 30 years as a member of the United States Army, so that all of us could have the ability to vote, and still make it to the polls no matter what the effort involved, there should be no excuse for anyone else.  Go VOTE!

AP Photo/Brett Flashnick

Tags: anderson, army, booth, Columbia, disabled, Dorn, election, medical, SC, south carolina, transport, va, van, veteran, vote, voting.