UCBC Beer Mile Run

Did you know that St. Louis has a vibrant, tight-knit, stupendously fun running community?

A few weeks back I caught that UCBC was hosting an inaugural Beer Mile North American Classic, right in the Grove. My MO is to spot these things, sometimes the day-of, and then show up, shoot my heart out, and go home. On average curiosity alone generates maybe a half dozen conversations, typically where folks will come up and ask who I’m shooting for, but usually not with event staff. I never ask for permission to be there or to shoot—I just insert myself, trusting my intentions and that if anything I’ll be helping whatever the event is, and then I vamoose. In other words I’ve seen myself as an independent volunteer photographer who is already on your staff whether you like it or not. Not that I would be rude or continue shooting if I was asked to stop.

In this case both UCBC staff and the event staff approached me, presumably because I had several large cameras hanging off me. They were grateful and enthusiastic and made sure I had whatever I might need (which for my purposes was mostly just free beer).

With street photography access is determined by persistence, patience, and a subtle and fragile trust between strangers in the best cases. At events, access is formalized. I’m mostly forced into shooting events and have done a poor job of taking access into account. MATI (Music at the Intersection) is a good example of an event where a photographer surely benefits from access, but it’s also not necessary owing to layout. I also could have shot the Beer Mile with no access—just shot from the sidelines. But being able to get up into their business, especially in the drinking area, paid dividends. More importantly, feeling welcomed put me at ease from the jump and I just notice that in events where I can go where my eye calls me are just plain more fun.

It proved to be a pivotal experience for me. You’ll now see a “Services” page pinned to Twelve Pavilion’s navigation bar. I wouldn’t frame what change as fundamentally about monetization of a hobby, although that is one part of it. I more see this change as accepting that I see myself a professional photographer.

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