2010: The Year for Photography

Stacy Pearsall is tough.

That pretty much goes without saying for a combat photographer who did three tours in Iraq and received the Bronze Star Medal and Commendation with Valor for heroic actions under fire.

And as for talent, hey: she is one of only two women to be named NPAA Military Photographer of the Year and the only woman to do so twice. Her photography has seen print in the who’s who of major publications, from Time Magazine to Sports Illustrated. She’s appeared on Oprah and shared her story in Newsweek and Popular Photography.

Any of the above makes her a welcome asset to Charleston’s arts community. But it is her generosity of spirit that really has us cheering as we welcome in 2010.

Pearsall became director of the Charleston Center for Photography following her medical retirement from service, due to injuries she received in combat, and, when Jack Alterman retired, she bought the facility from him.

Since that time, she has been hard at work retooling the classes and workshops at CCforP, using her connections to bring A-list speakers to Charleston, and striving to create an atmosphere of camaraderie and cooperation among local photographers.

It hasn’t been easy. CCforP navigated extremely rough terrain, financially speaking, in the latter half of 2009 and it’s not out of the woods yet. Pearsall is pressing on (combat photojournalists tend not to be the kind of people who quit at the first sign of trouble) and her plan for raising the bar for photography education and appreciation in Charleston is savvy indeed.

Small and intimate with plenty of one on one time with the instructors: that’s the proven recipe for success that CCforP plans to continue following in its 6-week classes, workshops, and certification programs.

For established photographers, professional membership offers enticing incentives, including office spaces for meeting with clients and a fully furnished studio.

CCforP has been working hand in hand with local arts organizations, such as Aster Hall and Redux, to promote photography as an art form through fundraisers, art auctions, and gallery openings. Pearsall is actively establishing outreach and mentoring programs as well as donating her time and talent to worthy causes.

Here’s the really exciting stuff: six to eight times a year, CCforP plans on recruiting top guns from the world of photography for special workshops, lectures, and exhibits. Joe McNally, a veritable legend in magazine work, hosted a small strobe workshop here last year and will be back again in December 2010. Mark Edward Harris, Clay Patrick McBride, and Dane Sanders are just a few of the luminaries slated to appear in the coming months.

Pearsall is also hoping to bring red hot talents such as Joey Lawrence (no, not that Joey Lawrence, this one is the 19 year old wunderkind behind the Twilight Saga movie posters), and legendary wildlife photographer Moose Peterson to Charleston.

The list goes on and on. Suffice to say that 2010 is looking to be a fantastic brand new year for photography in Charleston. Our resolution: embrace and enjoy it, because this stuff’s getting good.

Charleston Center for Photography
654 King St, Ste. D
720-3105
ccforp.org

Story and photos by: Jason A. Zwiker