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American Flag

What hate burns, love rebuilds…

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As we get ready to wave our American flags this weekend, I feel extra proud of our country because of the recent human rights accomplishments we have made with the Supreme Court ruling in support of gay marriage.

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Now I want us to take our celebration of love and human rights to the black communities of America and put an end to racism, starting with rebuilding the black churches that have been attacked in the South.

daughters-2webWe can not stand back and let their churches burn to the ground as the Confederate Flag flies over their heads.

40170013I was born and raised in South Carolina, so I know how essential churches are to these communities and it breaks my heart that these acts of terrorism, committed by our own citizens, still happen and that we, as a country, are not doing more to prevent them.

belton-07-01webI want to do something to let these communities know that we will not tolerate this kind of violence in our country and that we will help them through this tragedy.

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So I looked for an organization that is raising money to help the black communities rebuild their churches and I found a website created by the Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopal) and I have made a donation.daughters-webBecause when I wave my American flag this weekend, I want to wave it with pride. Pride in the belief that we are a country that stands up for love and human rights for all of its citizens.arannmississippiIf you would like to join me in standing up for love and human rights this Fourth of July, please click here: “What hate burns, Love rebuilds.”

11261802_10153287217550020_5731177427677169330_nThank you for your support and Happy Fourth of July, from my family to yours.

What 4th of July Means to Me…

This is what celebrating Independence should be… well, really it is all for my dear friend Michelle’s Annual Wine Country Birthday Bash… but it just so happens it is the same weekend as the 4th. If ever there was someone who should have been born on the holiday known for barbecuing… it is Michelle. Happy Birthday, Michelle!


The Rollei added another light leak this time on Anne’s shoulder, so I played in photoshop again… this time I copied my favorite friend Thomas’s trick and added a lens flare filter… if he can do it, then so can I. It looks looks a little odd, but it is just a desperate attempt to save a fun photo.

Sit At Your Own Risk

After warming up at a couple of practices, taking portraits of individuals and then group portraits, I finally went to my first Roller Derby Bout…. and I am so glad I did. Although deciding to go, after 6 hours photographing the Butter and Egg Parade in the hot sun, was not an easy decision to make. The Bout started at 10 pm Saturday night and at that point, I was far beyond ready for bed, but we rallied and made the journey to Cal-Skate in Rohnert Park. By the time we got there, the parking lot was packed and there was a line out the door. And well, who is surprised, when the event promises; hot females with attitudes, fish-net stockings, flying elbows, a well stocked beer garden, and a half-time belly dancing show by Black Sheep Belly Dance.

The Butter and Egg Parade 2008… Welcome to Petaluma.

This is where I live. Petaluma, California, home of the Butter and Egg Day Parade for 27 years. This year the theme of the celebration was Petaluma’s 150th Birthday. The town celebrated in its usual style with a Cow Chip Throwing Contest, a Cutest Chick Contest and, of course, the parade, which I was assigned to photograph by the local paper, The Argus Courier. Here are my top favorites.


On more than one occasion I have said this town reminds me of Pleasantville, and in doing research for this post, I read that Petaluma has often been a favorite for movies because it has an “Americana” visual appeal. And one of the movies filmed here? Any guesses?

The Grand Reidville Finale

My last Friday in Reidville, my favorite fireman Tim Brady took me out to lunch at Joe’s Lake. And I am so glad he did because besides being a local favorite hang out, it was another good lesson.

I was feeling pretty confident after having a 99% success rate of gaining permission to photograph everyone who I wanted to photograph. So I thought I had this one in the bag, especially because I was coming in with a local, but as I was setting up to take a photo of a woman talking with Tim, she said, “no,” and then her husband, the owner, who I wanted to photograph next said, “no,” and the man at the counter said, “no”…….and all of a sudden I was back at square one…..

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So I realized that all those hours I spent talking with people before photographing, was essential. For each person I photographed this summer, I spent between 1-2 hours asking questions and listening, so when I eventually asked to take a photograph, they said, “yes”…….and now I was sauntering in assuming these people would love me like everyone else, but they didn’t know me and I didn’t know them…..so I rightfully got denied….except by this guy who is very proud to be from Sugar Tit…..the very small community next to Reidville (but Tim told me it was partly because he was in a car accident and still wasn’t quite all there.)

Then after Joe’s Lake, I was back to the nursing home one last time to re-shoot the Reidville sister-in-laws who were neighbors in Reidville and now share a room in the nursing home.

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Re-shoot because the first shoot was horrible: one of them was tired and I was too cautious to request them to move around. So instead, I saved the awkwardness for when I had to call and ask to come and try again. But this time was much better. They both had just had their hair done, and a niece was there to help. The niece was very complimentary as well, she said she was impressed with how hard I worked this summer because she had seen me all over town, and that if I needed a testimony in order to get a good grade, she would be happy to volunteer.

My lesson this time: do better to make it work the first time, but if it doesn’t work out….do it again.

more football

In case you can’t fully read their chests…..the Nixon Nuts’ message for the week is, “real southern men.”

So I was excited because I got field access to this week’s Byrnes High School football game, well it wasn’t hard I just called and asked and they said ‘sure,’ but I was excited nonetheless……but can I tell you how humorous it was…..well first of all, right before I went to obtain my permission, I decided to go to the restroom because I wasn’t sure if I would be allowed to come and go from the sidelines……and as a good photographer, I carry all my most important necessities in my back-pockets….film, light-meter etc…..and not to give too many details, but I was mindful as I was pulling down my pants because I didn’t want to loose any of my important necessities from my pockets into the toilet, but I was not as mindful when I was pulling up my pants and before I had time to remember, my light meter was at the bottom of the Byrnes High School’s football stadium toilet bowl. Luckily it was early in the night so the bathrooms were relatively clean……but unfortunately the meter did not work for the rest of the night…….

So I took my place on the sidelines with a non-functioning light meter and a camera that was made in the 50’s, and I was standing next to the sports photographers with the biggest, fastest, latest and greatest digital camera equipment.

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While they were shooting on rapid fire I was changing rolls of film and trying to pretend that I was the coolest one out there because I was different……different is right. I don’t know how many editors will want to send me out to cover the sports events when I can only take pictures of people standing very very still.

Look, there is a little bit of action in this shot…..but this is it, the rest are pretty abstract.

Remembering 9/11

The ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) at Byrnes high school remembered 9/11 by honoring the local fire departments with a flag ceremony and doughnuts.

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The Reidville Fire Department remembered 9/11 by putting up a 16ft by 12ft American flag off of the ladder on their ladder truck, well they tried to put it up…it went up, then fell down, then went up, then was brought down for adjustments, then went up again and then two hours into the attempt, it was brought down because it was just too windy.

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Go Rebels…..

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Byrnes High School’s Nixon Nuts.

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Byrnes High School Nixon Chicks.

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Byrnes High School Nixon Stadium with Byrnes High School Rebel Fans.

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And don’t forget the Byrnes High School Rebel cheerleaders….

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Combine all these ingredients with a Rebel victory and the Jones Family is going home happy. Sam’s kicks helped the Rebels beat Dr Phillip’s Panthers, from Florida, Sept 6, 2oo7. The game was televised on national TV.

Where did Byrnes High School get its name? From James F. Byrnes who was elected governor of SC in 1950. He is remembered for his attempt to improve the impoverished African American schools in order to convince the Supreme Court that the separate but equal laws were working.

The Byrnes High School mascot is the Rebel, however due to the controversy over the significance of the Rebel, they are no longer allowed to have an actual mascot at their games. Sam tells me, to him a Rebel is a football player and it has nothing to do with history.

The Town Clerk at home

“Family is everything.”

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This is Sandra Gowan’s family. Sandra is the town clerk. Her husband is the town magistrate. Her mom worked a textile mill, the old industry, and her son works at the BMW plant, the new industry.

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Daughters of Destiny 2007

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On the 25th of August at 5 pm, The Walker’s Chapel Presbyterian Church held the 1st Anniversary for the Daughter’s of Destiny.

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The Daughters of Destiny is a dance ministry made up of young women who have come together as a team and have made great efforts to become one in Christ, so that people would see them as a pathway to Jesus. Arann and I went to photograph the celebration. It was my very first time in a black church.

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To be honest I was nervous about how we would be received. I knew one person at the church and I proved that I did not know him very well, as I referred to him as Belton Wayne instead of his proper name Belton Lane.

The history of black and white relations, especially in this area of SC, is scarred from the years of injustice towards the black population. Physically we were reminded of the separation by the fact that this church is the ‘black’ presbyterian church and it sits 100 ft behind the ‘white’ presbyterian church. In conversation we were reminded of the tension by a lovely older woman who said, “If it weren’t for the Lord, my people would have been wiped out by the way we were treated.”

But despite all of our nervous, it was an incredible experience: the music, the praising, the energy, the stories, and the people who welcomed us without hesitation. I met some wonderful people, who I hope to talk with again, to hear their stories of picking cotton and peaches and growing up black in rural South Carolina.

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