J347 Photovisual Communications — Fall 2021

Home Away from Home

Photos and Text by Maggie Gries

Sarah Steinmetz, 21, is a junior at the University of South Carolina experiencing home sickness for the first time. She has been a part of a family that was constantly moving, between Illinois, Kansas, South Carolina and now her parents have relocated to York, Pennsylvania. This is her first time not only not living with her family but also over 10 hours away. Due to this new distance from her parents, Sarah has had to deal with missing them without being able to drive an hour and a half back home to visit. Greene Crossing, her off-campus student apartment, has become her home away from home and her friends, her family away from home. Photos © 2021 Maggie Gries

Weekends in The Capital Club

Photos and Text by Madeline Alberse Jones

Capital Club is one of the first and only gay night clubs here in Columbia, South Carolina. I felt connected to this topic because I personally love the atmosphere and openness of the Capital Club. This club has helped me and many others feel comfortable and honest with oneself as well as is entertaining and enlightening overall experience. Photos © 2021 Madeline Alberse Jones

Small Businesses of Gervais Street 

Photos and Text by Cecily Batdorf

One of Columbia’s most travelled streets is Gervais Street. This road is most known for its stretch down the Vista. The Vista features exciting nightlife, fine dining, entertainment venues, and more. However, if you keep traveling east, you’ll run into a less talked about side of town. So, let’s talk about it! Here you will find small business owners Ernest Lee, a local artist known as ‘The Chicken Man’, and Chip Smith, owner of Constan Car Wash, near the Waverly and Lower Waverly communities. However, these businesses aren’t just geographically related. They are all small businesses that are either Black-owned businesses or have a predominately Black staff. I wanted to capture the passions and projects of these owners and workers. Supporting small Black businesses leads to more representation and opportunities for the staff and owners. Our support can help create sustained wealth for the community and its families. It is important to recognize and support these self-starters so that they continue to rise. The personalities of the people that I interacted with made it easy to capture their emotions about their work and everyday life.  Photos © 2021 Cecily Batdorf

Local Sonder – People of Sumter & Gervais Streets 

Photos and Text by Hudson Borawski

It is all too easy when going through the motions of one’s day-to-day life to lose oneself in the banal. Rather than the grand adventure many of us expected when we were younger, one cannot be blamed for viewing their existence as merely a string of errands and responsibilities. So often we’re told to focus on the big picture of life, taking everything as a whole. However, when a lens is placed on the small, seemingly insignificant moments of strangers’ lives, they can reveal themselves to be something very poignant and meaningful. This is the ethos behind this project. The realization that people you may pass on the street without a second thought have lives just a complex as yours is a novel feeling that has been given a name in recent years: sonder. The goal of this photo story is to manifest sonder in its purest form. Moments are shown in linear order of their location along a hypothetical walk down the two streets. Photos © 2021 Hudson Borawski

A New Family On the Move

Photos and Text by Logan Dannals

Will and Bri Stephens are some of the most genuine and hardworking people I’ve ever met. Recently having a baby named Zeppelin Rey of eight months in Hawaii, they decided it was the right time to make a move back to the states. Will is one of my cousin’s best friends, so after they drove cross country from California to Florida, I decided it would be the perfect opportunity for a photo story. My photo story is meant to show this new families daily adventures as they not only tackle, but excel through their new life as a new family in a new place. These photos will show the challenges and how Will and Bri choose to smile through the process, giving off this amazing energy to their baby boy Zeppelin Rey.  Photos © 2021 Logan Dannals

Officer in Training

Photos and Text by Maelani Groff

Sam Brown, 21, is an ROTC student at the University of South Carolina. He didn’t always dream to be in the military, it more so just fell into place his senior year of high school. His older brother who he looks up to greatly graduated a year ahead of him and was set to attend Northern Michigan University on an ROTC scholarship. When it became time to start applying to colleges, Sam’s dreams of playing D3 college lacrosse shifted a bit. The idea of paying off student loans was heavy on his mind, so he decided to begin applying for scholarships. Through that he landed a full ride ROTC scholarship to USC. Photos © 2021 Maelani Groff

DJ, Hit it!

Photos and Text by Anna Heidel

Full-time University of South Carolina student and part-time DJ Jake Kane embodies the “work hard, play hard” mentality. He discovered the art of mixing music when he was young but only began mastering it a few years ago. As a freshman, he would DJ for small house parties, and as the crowds grew bigger, so did his knowledge. During the day, he attended classes and studied finance, but at night, he mixed music that brought smiles his fellow peers’ faces. He invested in a Pioneer DJ Controller and Serato DJ Pro software, along with his iconic white headphones. During one of his gigs, he met Will Kibler, who soon became his right-hand man. The two bonded over their mutual appreciation for mixing music, and Will has been by his side ever since. As Jake reflects on his past three years in college, he is grateful for his growth and support from others and will continue to learn more. Photos © 2021 Anna Heidel

Cynthia Newman Fills Many Roles on Campus 

Photos and Text by Phoebe Howie

For this photography project I have done a few things. I started by meeting with Cynthia about two weeks ago and discussing her schedule. We discussed what days would be the best for me photograph and some of the more interesting things she does. She sent me her schedule and we planned which days I would tag along. Last Wednesday I did not have class, so I attended her university 101 class at 9:40 and got to meet her students. I sat in her class listened to her teach, then I started to photograph her. I made she that Cynthia, her peer leader (Willow), and all her students were okay with my taking pictures. She said I was no distraction, and I made the class more engaged. I took pictures of her teaching the students, the way she put them into to groups for their final group projects and showed how she is teaching them about internships. She does a great job of encouraging her students to use the on-campus resources. She showed one group how there is Money Management Lab in Columbia Hall.  Photos © 2021 Phoebe Howie

The Industry of Dinosaurs 

Photos and Text by Davis Ledbetter

Overall, I enjoyed this project. It was great to talk to staff members and learn more about them. I feel that my story is stronger than my photos. Unfortunately, I was only able to go twice, and feel I would have improved given the opportunity to go more. I feel I walked away with a good story but meh photos. I should have experimented with flash. It’s a tight space as well so a wider lens would have been advantageous. Overall, I am not ecstatic about my final story, but I have gained a much better understanding of what I need if I’m ever in a similar situation. I would experiment with shot composition as lots of mine look like snapshots, and I would attempt to force depth of field (because it is such a small space) by using elements in the foreground. Photos © 2021 Davis Ledbetter

Student Artist Paints His Legacy 

Photos and Text by Frank Martinez

Student Artist, Eli Macchi (‘24), does not want to be another one of the bunch. Ever since he got to the University of South Carolina’s campus in the whirlwind of a year that was 2020, he has wanted to be remembered through his art. One day the idea struck him like a bunch of… bricks. Nothing is more iconic that the red colored bricks that hundreds of students tread on everyday while navigating through campus but especially those bricks on UofSC’s historic horseshoe. One day last year artist Eli Macchi happened to get his hands on one of the horseshoe bricks and decided that this was going to be his legacy. In this interpretive essay Eli turns his brick into a work of art that would stay on the Horseshoe after he is gone. Photos © 2021 Frank Martinez

Days with Neighbor Nancy

Photos and Text by Elise Osteen

For my story assignment, I photographed my old neighbor from Sumter, Nancy Weinberg. My brother and I grew up with her always there next to us until her and her husband moved to Columbia in 2018 after she retired. I haven’t been able to see her much since then, so this assignment was the perfect excuse to see what her life is like now. I first photographed her as she cleaned and organized her daughter’s new house, then when she took her dog on a walk with her neighbor, and again when she helped her neighbor’s granddaughter make biscuits. Throughout these three shoots, I noticed how much she spends her time doing tasks to help others and focuses her energy on making others happy. She finds joy in seeing her grandson smile and cooking with kids on the street, and capturing these moments during the time I was able to spend with her was so rewarding. As a retired woman, I was concerned with how much content I would be able to get out of these shoots, but she has found so many exciting ways to occupy her time and bring joy to her new life here in Columbia. I really feel like I was able to capture the feeling that these moments with her gave me, and I love how they turned out. Photos © 2021 Elise Osteen

One Man, Many Roles

Photos and Text by Adelia Phillips

Carl Blackstone. A Husband, Father, Uncle, Godfather, and President of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce. He is a very busy man and juggles many roles in his life. He is my Godfather and Uncle Carl. My dad’s best friend and roommate in college, he became the brother my dad never had, since he was an only child. That is how he earned the title of Uncle Carl. He has an amazing wife, Aunt MA, and 4 beautiful girls. And if the 4 girls don’t keep him busy his job as the President of the Chamber of Commerce will. He has worked with the Chamber for years. I followed him around taking pictures of his daily life to show what he does. Many people do not understand just how busy and how much he does. I want these pictures to express all that he does and just how many different roles he fulfills. He is Carl Blackstone, but many different people see him in many lights, and I think that is something worth sharing. Photos © 2021 Adelia Phillips

A Taste of Belgium in Columbia

Photos and Text by Brianna Rudd

Chef Jean-Louis Ledent started his cooking career in Liege, Belgium where he graduated from a professional cooking school. He met his wife Yvette and they moved to the states together. They lived in Illinois for 25 years, and they later moved to South Carolina. Yvette got the special waffle recipe from her mom. She later got the idea to bring this simple authentic food to the city of Columbia. They are made from special sugar pearls that can only be found in Belgium. This sugar does not fully dissolve, leaving behind a crunchy sweetness in each bite. They must import the sugar and chocolate from Belgium because they cannot be found anywhere else! This couple has been dedicated to their food truck and customers for the past seven years. They have developed loyal customers that come by their food truck for their special “Strawbwaffle” each week. They have won awards for Best Vendors in Soda City for the past two years. Yvette loves her waffles and people so much that she has gotten the idea to start a new franchised Belgian Waffle Cart. Hopefully, their cart will become as beloved as their food truck has been over the years. Photos © 2021 Brianna Rudd

Where Taste Matters

Photos and Text by Jillian Schneider

Emilie Blanchard is a recipe developer in Columbia, SC and Greenville, SC. She owns two storefronts, where she sells many family meals and desserts. She built a brand called “Tasty as Fit.” I found her work very interesting because her business seems to be growing so fast, and especially during the holiday season, her business really stacks up. Not only is Emilie a business owner, but also a mom. At Tasty as Fit, there are many options, even for customers with dietary restrictions. For example, there are plenty of gluten snacks, desserts, and meals. There are also meal prepping items on the menu, such as Blender Bombs and overnight oats ingredients.

In a quote from the Tasty as Fit website, Blanchard explains, “I couldn’t be more excited to share a little bit about myself and my love of fresh, “real” food with you. Here you will find all the recipes for the plant-based meals featured on my Instagram feed (@tastyasfit) as well as this week’s grab-n-go & smoothie menu for all our local Columbia, SC & Greenville, SC residents. Though the recipes you discover throughout this site are plant-based, we like to win over ALL eaters.” Photos © 2021 Jillian Schneider

Renaissance Man on Campus

Photos and Text by Sam Schorr

Louis Rubino (22) of Saint James, New York is a senior at the University of South Carolina. He aspires to become an entrepreneur one day and wishes to bring sustainability and new ways of innovation to the global marketplace. To strengthen his leadership skills, Louis is the president of the Mountaineering and White-Water (MWW) rafting club, the largest student operated sporting club at the school. Louis is also the president of the Sierra Club Student Coalition. A grassroots environmental organization whose goal is to safeguard the health of communities, wildlife, and to preserve nature as much as possible. This is done through their activism, educating others, and lobbying with political groups. He greatly encourages collaboration amongst one another in anyway possible, this can be simple as just being in presence of one another. He delves into collaboration through clubs, friends, and music. Photos © 2021 Sam Schorr

Alternative Forms of Transportation 

Photos and Text by Kamryn Stewart

With the growing problem that is parking on campus at University of South Carolina, students and faculty have found unique, alternative forms of transportation. The forms of alternative transportation include but aren’t limited too, skateboards, scooters, electric longboards, and one-wheel boards. The community of people on campus are always on the move with places to be, the students and faculty who use these transportation methods don’t have to worry about the gamble of finding a good parking spot or having to walk to class. Alternative transportation saves a lot of money by not having to pay for expensive parking and rising gas prices, while also being a greener alternative to cars and busses. The alternative transportation community on campus is continuously growing and we can’t wait to see more people zooming around campus. Photos © 2021 Kamryn Stewart 

Judah On and Off the Field  

Photos and Text by Reagan Thomas

As drum major of the University of South Carolina marching band, the “Mighty Sound of the Southeast”, Judah Rendelman is one of the first faces seen by fans. They are not only in charge of keeping the band under control and in time, but also of being a model leader and individual. If you had to choose one person to be the face of your organization, this is who you would want it to be. Despite all of the other hardships of being a music education major… practicing, student teaching, ensembles… Judah continues to be an outstanding symbol of pride and hard work for the Mighty Sound of the Southeast. You will rarely find them not giving 100%, or without a smile, no matter on or off the field. Photos © 2021 Reagan Thomas

Bull Street Garage Band 

Photos and Text by Natalie Waldron

Bull Street Garage is a band made up of 5 members Parker Lubin, Jack Barrett, Zach Bilbaum, Joe DiGregario, and Doug Neubauer. For this project, I wanted to capture all the various aspects of being in the band including performing, practicing, and studio time. I captured the more glamorous part which is performing at shows while also getting the behind-the-scenes of all the work that goes into producing great songs and great performances. I feel like this project went really well for me. I was able to capture the band in multiple different settings using different light (strobe on camera, strobe off-camera, and flash on camera) and different lenses including standard Canon 80D and 50mm. I had to have a lot of patience when it came to the performance images because of how sporadic the light was but, in the end, my patience paid off. As for the images of their band practice, I used the 50mm at first so I was quite far from them allowing me to capture organic moments between the members. Overall, I’m really proud of this project and I am grateful to have had the opportunities to photograph this talented group of guys. Photos © 2021 Natalie Waldron

The Persistent Shadow 

Photos and Text by Tyler Westall

Dennis Bruce Oliver is affectionately known as Bruce, dad, and Papaw. Currently residing in Columbia, South Carolina, he has roots spread out all over. He has a rife, sister, two children, three grandchildren, and two dogs. One of his favorite activities was traveling, visiting nearly 20 countries from Europe to South America, and many places in-between.
When he wasn’t traveling and playing golf, he was teaching it. PGA pros would come to him for lessons; he was a teacher of teachers. When he was not teaching the pros and military leaders, you could find him introducing the game to kids of all ages. No matter the skill level you were on, he could make you fall in love with golf. There have been 333 PGA Master Professionals since 1969. He is one of the few golfers to earn this prestigious title.
Losing his independence was the beginning of a series of losses not only for himself, but for his loved ones around him. He has Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) which effects the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. His judgment, emotions, and common sense are progressively deteriorating along with his love for golf. Becoming apathetic towards things once loved is a hallmark of this mental ailment. Losing a loved one is already hard but watching them become a shadow of their former selves is even harder. Photos © 2021 Tyler Westall