THE BIG LEAGUES
“This is the not-fucking-around crew.”
I stop on The Town anytime I see it on TV. As a matter of fact, it held the title of ‘most rewatchable movie on cable’ in my apartment for well over a decade [Editor’s note: Bullet Train currently holds that title, I just can’t help myself.] The ‘not-fucking-around’ quote stands out to me as one of the most memorable along from the film, one that I sometimes think to myself when something seems more legit that I had anticipated. [Editor’s note: the others that comes to mind, “There goes college socca,” which I mutter to myself every time I bang my shin on something and “who’s car are we gonna take” when I’m asked a favor; both from the SAME SCENE.]
The line, which I learned while writing this that Bubba Sparxxx turned into a mediorce song fairly recently, is Hamm’s character letting his FBI colleagues know that whatever they’ve dealt with before was amateur hour, that the guys they’re up against now are the real deal; that this was the Big Leagues. Which is ironic, because the ‘big leagues’ is where the movie really falls apart at. The Fenway heist finale is pretty preposterous and I usually click it off before then. I didn’t say the movie was great, I just said it’s rewatchable.
For me that’s what this contest has felt like - the real deal, the Big Leagues. It’s the 2025 Images of Charleston contest by the one-and-only Charleston Magazine. When I got an e-mail from them, I couldn’t help but notice the difference from previous contests I entered around here. They let me know that I won, for example. 'Communication is key’ as they say, and all I ask is that if my photo is going to be published, please let me know so I don’t start a half-decade long, misdirected grudge in my head. And they did! I was notified ahead of time that my image was selected as a finalist, that it would be published in the August issue and that a free copy was sent to my mailbox. I was automatically entered into the online viewers choice award with fifteen or so other finalists, with a chance to win some real cash and another published spot in the next issue. Whoa. This is the not-fuckin-around-crew.
I honestly don’t love this shot. More on that below.
That’s when I did a little digging. Oh buddy. It sure was. Over 23,000 copies printed, available in TEN STATES, including in Barnes & Nobles as far as Kansas City, Chicago, and Madison. Hundreds of thousands of followers across social media. Eyeballs all over the world. This is real reach.
That’s when I couldn’t help but think… I wish it was a better photo.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s fine. It’s composed as well as that photo could be. But it’s like a professor telling you this is the best B+ paper you could possibly write. You can see the thought process between the first shot and the second above - I made an effort to re-frame the photo using the hanging flower baskets lined along King Street. And while that still didn’t make it an A+ paper, I knew I was the only one out there with a camera that day, making it a unique enough shot to submit to the contest. The only problem I have with that is that I am just SO MUCH prouder of my other Charleston stuff - namely the “Fitting In” series, that I feel almost reserved in promoting it. ‘Almost’ is of course doing some heavy lifting there - I certainly will ask for votes, and will make a post highlighting this achievement. But do I think that photo is the best of the bunch? Nope. Not among the other finalists, or even among my own entries.
So proud of this one. Oh well!
I did submit one shot from the ‘Fitting In’ series, but I don’t think a single image from that collection speaks as loudly as it does when part of a group, so I understand it not being selected. But I can’t help but feel at odds with myself, knowing that I worked SO much harder for this image (and the others in the series) than the photo that was selected. All I did for that was point my camera down King Street a couple times. As someone who enjoys the feeling of knowing that I worked for what I have, it feels a bit lazy.
BUT. I’ll take what I can get. I knew it was at least eye-catching - I did submit it after all - and it does feature some very Charleston scenery. I will take it and run with it. Momentum.
So, with all that said, PLEASE:
Vote here if you have the time. They ask for your e-mail but they don’t send you anything, and you don’t have to give them a real one anyway. You can vote once every 24 hours through August 2.
Pick up a hard copy! If you send me a photo of my shot in the magazine from any of the out-of-state locations I will not only reimburse you for the copy but I will Venmo you for lunch as well. It would be cool as shit to collect some of those from around the country. The list of locations can be found HERE.
Thank you in advance, for that specifically, but also just for you support in general. You wouldn’t be reading this if it weren’t for that, and I mean that both ways.
Thanks again, God bless.
UPDATE: 7/23/25: IT’S HERE!!
