Photos: SC year in review (Pt. 2/2)

When the basketball leagues halted their seasons in the spring, I bought an easel and a new set of paintbrushes. Expecting additional free time and without my typical creative outlet, I would need to adapt. I began with a clean canvas that had been waiting years for this moment. Brushing the entire rectangle in a beige color I thought, “It’s a good start,” and stepped away to let it dry.

Fast forward to August and I found myself in Charleston covering a protest against mask ordinances. Along the waterfront, a colleague privately expressed frustration with the public’s embrace of conspiracy theories, questioning the effectiveness of our roles as photojournalists in society. I could sense a deep feeling of frustration. But when I reminded them (and myself) of one of our primary roles — documenting a first draft of history, I like to think that quelled some of that bad feeling. It appeared to.

But with the modern breakneck news cycle, sometimes we can forget about that role — and for many outside of the field, it may never cross their minds. As a wire photographer this thought is never too far from my brain. It’s why I pitch certain assignments. Not because it’s newsworthy, but because it’s history-worthy.

As I type this on the final morning of 2020, the canvas and easel sit two rooms away — the easel folded against the wall and the canvas, that same single shade of beige.

Photos and words by Sean Rayford