I tell stories—sometimes through words, sometimes through images, and sometimes by critically analyzing performance under the sharp light of commentary. Polymathic by nature, I move fluidly between fiction, journalism, photography, and arts commentary, always engaging with culture, art, and the complex human experience.

As a fine art photographer based in St. Louis, my images are composed with a literary sensibility. Each frame tells its own unique story, filled with mood and subtext. My work has been recognized by the Missouri Arts Council and featured in national galleries and juried exhibitions. A standout project is True North, a 15-year and ongoing exploration of resilience, struggle, and hope in North St. Louis. This deeply personal and documentary-inspired project was awarded a solo exhibition, though it was canceled due to the recent government budget cuts. True North is a blend of artistic excavation, place, and memory.

Beyond the lens, I’m deeply committed to the written word. My fiction, published in literary journals, has been described as cinematic, where language immerses, transports, and disrupts. As a journalist and cultural critic, I write essays, reviews, and arts commentary with a keen eye for precision, a sharp sense of irony, and a commitment to respecting my audience’s intelligence. Whether breaking down the intricacies of a theatrical performance or unraveling the cultural layers of a photograph, my goal is to make the ephemeral tangible.

With more than four decades of experience in writing, photography, and storytelling, I shape narratives that clarify, provoke, and endure. My background in journalism has honed my ability to distill complex ideas, while fiction has allowed me to explore deeper truths through the bending of reality. Every story—whether it’s an article, image, or critique—is an invitation to look closer, think deeper, and engage more fully with the world around us.

Throughout my career, I’ve received accolades such as the Missouri Arts Council’s Writers’ Biennial Award and was named “St. Louis’s Most Underrated Writer” by the Riverfront Times. If storytelling is a dialogue, I’m always listening for the next line.

Stay connected by subscribing to STL Stage Snaps on YouTube and follow me on social media for video reviews of the best of St. Louis’ vibrant theatre and arts scene.

SELECTED PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITIONS

• Eighth Biannual Exhibition, Angad Arts Hotel, St. Louis, MO.

• Photo Noir: Light and shadow in black and white film photography, New Orleans Photo Alliance.

• Black & White & Eight Shades of Gray, (4 photographs), Gallery at Scenic Regional Library, Hannibal, MO.

  Art Through the Lens, Yeiser Art Center, Paducah, KY (2021)

• Plastic Camera Show, Kansas City Stockyards Gallery (August 2021)

• Missouri Art Now: A Bicentennial Celebration, traveling exhibition visiting: Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, Cape Girardeau, MO; The Center for Missouri Studies, Columbia, MO; Spiva Center for the Arts, Joplin, MO; Hannibal Arts Council, Hannibal, MO; and Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, St. Joseph, MO

• Honors Exhibition (8 photographs), Art Saint Louis (Summer 2021)

• Words, Words, Words, Praxis Gallery, Minneapolis (March 2020)

• Somerville Toy Camera Festival (2 photographs), Brickbottom Gallery, Boston (September 2019)

• Summertime, A Smith Gallery (2 photographs), Juried by Jennifer Shaw

• American Conversations (2 photographs), Art Saint Louis (August 2019)

• Architectonic (honorable mention), The Foundry Art Centre, St. Charles, MO (July 2019)

• Plastic Fantastic X, Lightbox Gallery, Astoria, OR (June 2019)

• Krappy Kamera XXI (2), Soho Photo Gallery, New York City (February 2019)

• The State of Our Shared Land (2), St. Louis Artists’ Guild, (September 2018)

• Somerville Toy Camera Festival (2), Brickbottom Gallery, Boston (September 2018)

• Joke’s On You, The Foundry Art Centre (December 2017)

• Interpretations V (s), Columbia Art League Gallery, Columbia, MO (August 2017)

• Comestibles (2), Columbia Art League (October 2017)

• Interpretations II, Columbia Art League Gallery (2) (August 2014)

• From Light to Dark, Art Saint Louis (April 2015)

• Curious Camera, ArtsEye Gallery,

• Food Glorious Food II, Art Saint Louis (1 SOLD (July 2014)

• Somerville Toy Camera Festival, Nave Gallery, Boston (July 2014)

• Under at the Influence (2), Art Saint Louis Gallery (2013)

• Urban Architecture II (first runner up) (juried by Michael Eastman) (2), Soulard Art Market, 2013

• My Backyard, Lenscratch online exhibit (curated by Aline Smithson), 2013)

• The Holga Show (4), SAANS Gallery, Salt Lake City, 2008 and featured in accompanying catalogue

• Unrefined Light: Image-Making With Plastic Cameras  (juried by Michelle Bates), 2008

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS & AWARDS

2019 - Genre: Urban Arts 7 (2 photographs), Milwaukee, WI. Selected by Nakeysha Roberts, writer, actor and producer at The Story Collider podcast.

1996  - First Place in Missouri Arts Council’s Writers Biennial (only fiction writer selected)

1996   - Named “St. Louis Most Under-Appreciated Writer” by poet/author/musician Richard Newman in St. Louis Riverfront Times.

1985 - First Place in Missouri Arts Council’s “MISSOURI WRITING!” competition

SITTINGS

I am available for a limited number of portrait (individuals, couples, or groups) assignments per year. I am located in St. Louis/St. Charles/ Chesterfield, Missouri area.  References are available on request.

Some images from my portfolio are available for sale. Contact me directly for availability and pricing.

Phone/text: 314-973-0239

Email: cbadams@qwerkyphotography.com

Links

Missouri Arts Council Featured Artists

Art Saint Louis

St. Louis Artists’ Guild

PhotoNOLA

Soho Photo Gallery

Jeffrey Sass Artist