Photo of the Month | Joseph Sanders - Palmetto Bella Magazine

Photo of the Month: Joseph Sanders

My journey in portrait photography came in stages that were out of order from what one would typically think. Most of the time, someone will start with taking photos of family and friends, slowly learn the mechanics of the camera, and eventually master the editing techniques needed to produce professional looking headshots. For me, it was quite the opposite.

Starting my freshman year at Williston-Elko High School, I began to explore the world of Adobe Photoshop in my computer graphics class. I liked it so much that I took that same class twice over my four years there just for fun. Once I moved to my new home at the University of South Carolina, I took a photography class on a whim and quickly became enthralled in the mechanics of DSLR photography. After many times of going out and taking pictures of bugs, leaves, water, and other natural environments, I realized what was missing for me was human interaction. I began seeking out friends, family, and models to take pictures of, and I instantly fell in love with the art of portraits.

Fast forward to last fall. I had come home to visit my family one weekend and heard that my little brother, Tre’ Sanders, had missed his 4th grade school pictures. Obviously he was upset, so in order to cheer him up, I took him out to Lemon Park in Barnwell, South Carolina to make sure his growth that year was well documented. Little did I know he was such a photogenic young man!

Photo of the Month | Joseph Sanders | Palmetto Bella

Creativity and Business: Candace Cotterman Thibeault

Artist Spotlight: Candace Cotterman Thibeault Balance between creativity and business is a rare quality in an artist, but Candace Cotterman Thibeault makes it appear natural and fun — just like her paintings. Intrigued by art since childhood, Thibeault’s talent was recognized by teachers and peers throughout her formative years in Gilbert, South Carolina. After completing high school, she left the small town to attend Capital University in Ohio, where she obtained a Fine Arts Degree plus degrees in Public Relations and Art Therapy. After college, she moved to Boston, Massachusetts, and purchased an art gallery and frame shop. Thibeault became a small business owner and operator while simultaneously pursuing a

Artist Spotlight | Go Figure – Artist Cheryl Elmo

The artwork of Cheryl Elmo captures the human experience through the simplicity of everyday moments. Go Figure is a collection of Cheryl’s artwork that focuses on human connections, capturing something special in an otherwise ordinary moment in time. These everyday moments made special will be featured in the main gallery of the Aiken Center for the Arts through November 30. Come and immerse yourself in the different perspectives awaiting you in this thoughtful exhibition. Cheryl first picked up a paintbrush when she was 6 or 7 years old, and she has been painting ever since. She tried many other mediums but always came back to watercolors. She loves to see

Journalism in the Classroom | Traditions

Traditions By Kyleigh Huse and Samantha Tran What traditions does your family have? My family has many traditions but Christmas has the most for sure. My personal favorite tradition is when we get to eat Christmas dinner with the whole family and open Christmas presents. I would imagine this being a common holiday tradition, as I share this with many people. Personally this tradition is my favorite too. My plans wouldn’t change for Christmas would not change. Where I come from my grandma usually prepares Christmas dinner we all go to her house, drink hot chocolate, and open Christmas presents. Another tradition we have is baking cakes, cookies, pumpkin roll,

The Nutcracker | An Iconic Christmas Tradition

For many, Peter Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker is a holiday tradition that kicks off the holiday season. When the music starts, you can close your eyes and allow visions of sugarplums, snowflakes, flowers, and an enchanted place enter your imagination. The Nutcracker is based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s popular 1816 story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.” The idea to use the story as the basis for a ballet came from the impresario and director of the Russian Imperial Theaters, Ivan Vsevolozhsky, who had conceived of The Sleeping Beauty. Vsevolozhsky and the ballet master Marius Petipa, who had choreographed The Sleeping Beauty, wrote the libretto, or story line, for The Nutcracker and