Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Center for Photography

Posted by Nick Smith on Wed, Sep 12, 2007 at 11:08 AM

Jack Alterman's Second Monday series is one of those things that I've always wanted to go to. Other stuff has constantly got in the way (deadlines, meetings, cable reruns... you know the kind of thing).

Every second Monday of the month at 7 p.m., Alterman invites a guest photographer (or two, or three) to his studio on King St. The guests bring along some of their photos and talk about their work.  I finally made it along to one of these presentations this week, my fidgety 7-year-old son in tow. I was glad I went.

The studio was packed with pro and amateur photographers and appreciators of fine visual images. There were three guests - Jeremy Lock, Military Photographer of the Year in 2002, 2005, and 2006; Stacey Pearsall, Military Photographer of the Year in 2003; and her husband Andy Dunaway, Rummy's personal photographer. They're all Bronze Star recipients and members of the 1st Combat Camera Squadron, stationed at the Charleston Air Force Base.

These guys are in the thick of the action in Iraq, armed with a gun and a camera (or two). Lock showed a slideshow complete with incidental music, using shots from the recent earthquake in Peru and a training exercise in Australia. Pearsall had photos from Africa, portraits of female combatants in various situations, and stills from Iraq. Dunaway's work centered on Iraq.

Aside from the presentations, I got to see Alterman's photographic portraits displayed on the walls of his studio. They're an inspiration for all aspiring snappers (including me).

Topics: Speakers + Lectures, Visual Arts

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Fundies love on Sharpton (for a night)

Posted by Patrick Sharbaugh on Tue, May 8, 2007 at 6:53 AM

Over at the New York Times blog The Empire Zone, there’s a fascinating play-by-play of last night’s debate at the New York Public Library regarding the existence of God between rapier-tongued author Christopher Hitchens and, of all people, the Rev. Al Sharpton.

The question under debate (“Is God great?”) and the speakers — two men who are often depicted in harsh caricatures by their critics — might have caused some to expect something like a circus. Perhaps surprisingly, it turned out to be the public intellectual event of the evening, a bit like Bertrand Russell vs. C. S. Lewis. Taking the atheist position was Christopher Hitchens, the journalist and author of a new book arguing that “religion poisons everything.” In defense of God was none other than the Rev. Al Sharpton, a man of the cloth who is perhaps even better known for his political and civil rights activism than for his training as a preacher.

Al Sharpton as C.S. Lewis? I can see the right-wing hair standing on end from here.

Update: sharp-eyed CP news writer Greg Hambrick just reminded me that  tomorrow actor Kirk Cameron (TV’vs Growing Pains) and author Ray Comfort (God Doesn’t Believe in Atheists) will square off with two atheists — the creators of last year’s famous Blasphemy Challenge — with moderation by Martin Bashir. The debate, for which Comfort asserted he can prove the existence of God without using the Bible or any reference to faith, took place last Saturday, but will air in its entirety on ABC.com on Wednesday, May 9 at 2 p.m. EST. A shortened version will air on Nightline at 11:35 p.m.

Topics: Speakers + Lectures, Books
Older Entries »
Classified Listings
{ more } Recent Comments
{ more } Reader Reviews

Powered by Foundation   © Copyright 2012, Charleston City Paper   RSS