Blue Angels – Images by Drew Selman

St. Louis (June 1, 2011) – Three years ago I started as the Photojournalism chair at the St Louis Camera Club. I set out to change the way we look at photojournalism in the club and I think we have done so. We have gone from 3 events per year to 4 and entries have gone from a dozen to almost 80 per event. We have seen some amazing things from our judges and we have been taught how to tell a story better.

One of my favorite visitors has been David Carson, a talented PJ from the Post Dispatch came to present and judge at the St. Louis Camera Club.  The first time he came in 2009, he came with JB Forbes and Emily Rasinski. Both of them gave me bios to use before hand, but not David. He handed one to me and got me to say something pro-Boston Red Sox. So naturally I felt compelled to put a little something together when he came back himself a year later. That is the video. I consider David a professional friend and an incredibly talented photographer. This video was created cause we love.

Also visiting us was Jeff Roberson from the Associated Press and based here in St. Louis who showed us what a properly out fitted photographer looks like. He was kind enough to answer questions and let people handle his gear ever so lovingly. Jeff is also very, very talented and I am thrilled we had him.

Another popular visitor has been Louise Ann Noethe, who basically found us. Louis is also know as “Land Speed Louise” and has been with the Americans as the made their attempt to break the land speed record. She has been a delight, funny, witty and honest with her critique. It has been a great pleasure getting to know her and I hope she continues with her visits and participation in the club.

Land Speed Montage from Louis Anne Nothe

Finally, I got to present and judge on a variety of different topics but all focused on teaching and doing our best to make photojournalism better at STLCC. To all the members and presenters – Thanks for making my three years as the STLCC PJ Chair easy. I look forward to actually entering some PJ contests now.

Drew

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All of our profits from the shoot will be donated back to MS. I mean, if you don’t pay it forward every now and again, what is the point?

Bike MS 2010 – Through Sturgeon and passed my fave turn – Images by Drew Selman and Sarah Flagg

With me for the shoot was my daughter Jamie.  Jamie is a pretty good shooter in her own right and is considering J School for college.  I am just gonna have to teach her how to read a weather report before she goes out…mittens, hat and not a t-shirt are probably good considerations ahead of time.

She is credited for the pictures she took and obviously she took all the ones of me.  The day was full of characters and for the hour we spent on that frozen road, we had a lot of fun.  I mean, how often do you get to walk in the middle of a highway?  It was a blast to be there and I hope you enjoy this glimpse of a newly open highway.

If you are wondering why this is such a big deal and you aren’t from St. Louis, you should know that tomorrow ‘s opening marks the first time in 2 years that this major east-west artery through St. Louis will be open completely.  To everyone but my New York and LA friends and colleagues, who are exempt from my enthusiasm because their traffic will suck no matter what you do to the highways in those cities, I note that my commute downtown from my home has been an hour for two years with all the detours.  Tomorrow it will be 20 minutes.

Enjoy the gallery.

I64 Opening – Sunday Preview Day – Images by Drew & Jamie Selman

Here’s some background on this wonderful city.

Charleston is a city in Charleston County, South Carolina in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is the largest city and county seat of Charleston County. The city was founded as Charlestown or Charles Towne, Carolina in 1670, and moved to its present location (Oyster Point) from a location on the west bank of the Ashley River in 1680; it adopted its present name in 1783. In 1690, Charleston was the fifth largest city in North America,  and remained among the ten largest cities in the United States through the 1840 census.^.  Charleston is known as The Holy City due to the prominence of churches on the low-rise cityscape, particularly the numerous steeples which dot the city’s skyline, and for the fact that it was one of the few cities in the original thirteen colonies to provide religious tolerance to the French Huguenot Church. In fact, it is still the only city in the U.S. with such a church. Charleston was also one of the first colonial cities to allow Jews to practice their faith without restriction. Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim, founded in 1749, is the fourth oldest Jewish congregation in the continental United States. Brith Sholom Beth Israel is the oldest Orthodox synagogue in the South, founded by Ashkenazi (German and central European) Jews in the mid 19th century.  Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim is  the synagogue where my young cousin was being Bat Mitzvah’d and the main reason for my trip to Charleston.    An amazing job by an amazing young lady.  I am very proud of you Emily. 

Downtown Charleston, SC – Images by Drew Selman

The population was estimated to be 118,492 in 2007, making it the second most populous city in South Carolina, closely behind the state capital Columbia. Current trends put Charleston as the fastest-growing municipality in South Carolina.

The city of Charleston is located just south of the mid-point of South Carolina‘s coastline, at the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers. Charleston’s name is derived from Charles Towne, named after King Charles II of England.

America’s most-published etiquette expert, Marjabelle Young Stewart, recognized Charleston 1995 as the “best-mannered” city in the U.S, a claim lent credibility by the fact that it has the first established Livability Court in the country.

Thanks to Wikipedia for this information.  If you ever have a chance to work or simply visit this city you must.  Between the beaches, the history and the food (another story for another time), its the perfect place to take your time, explore and simply breathe in and out slowly and relax.