2023 photos of the year

Erin Woodiel says farewell as she passes the baton

The community of Sioux Falls and the entire state of South Dakota have a special place in my heart. This is the fifth Year in Photos collection from the Argus Leader to which my work has contributed, and I’m forever grateful South Dakotans let me into their lives for so long.

Since 2019, readers watched me grow exponentially as a photographer and as a storyteller. It’s overwhelming to look back on the sheer number of moments I witnessed in my time on staff, and it’s pretty cool to see my own visual language emerge and develop with each Year in Photos roundup. I gained confidence and experience by the end of my tenure, but most importantly I cultivated a deeper connection to the community. That made my work all the better.

Thank you, South Dakota, for making it hard to leave.

This year, as you take in the 2023 end-of-year gallery, you will see a new evolution in the visuals department. After leaving in April, I have passed the baton to my successor, Samantha Laurey. Her dedication to making beautiful, meaningful images will carry on the legacy of highquality, impactful photojournalism that started with those decades before my time. I am excited to watch as she adds her own unique vision to the South Dakota news landscape.

− Erin Woodiel, former Argus Leader photojournalist 2019 -2023

Bringing in a new Argus Leader photographer

Before formally introducing myself, I want to express my gratitude to Erin. The first time I met Erin was virtually, on Twitter, asking if the visual journalist position was still open at the Argus Leader. I was lucky she decided to respond back to me. She vouched for my portfolio and I was brought into the team after going through a thorough interview process.

From my point of view, it was hard to fill the shoes of such a beloved photographer who made her strides while working at the Argus Leader. But it has also been exciting to bring in my skillset to a news outlet that has so much to offer the communities of Sioux Falls and the entire state of South Dakota.

Thank you, Erin, for passing on the camera to me.

Now, I have been the Argus Leader’s sole visual journalist behind all

Continued from Page 1C

the images you may have seen in the past five months.

Formally, I was a freelance photographer from the San Francisco Bay Area. I attended community college at Diablo Valley College for journalism and San Francisco State for photojournalism. Though I was born and raised in the Bay Area, I wanted to have experiences that even those larger cities could not give me.

And of course, I found out quickly that there’s actual snow that falls from the sky here in Sioux Falls.

With all of that, I present to you the 2023 photos of the year, a year of transition for a team I am proud I work with day in and day out. It’s their effort that keeps this platform moving and I am happy to share it with those who continue to show their support for the Argus Leader.

January

Some of the biggest news Erin said she was proud of documenting between January and March included the downtown burger battle, weiner dog races, Wings of Valor retreat and being a part of one of the heaviest snow seasons.

April - July

And as I compiled this year’s images, I wanted to note there was no staff photographer from April to July. Still, reporters went out not only to write their own stories but photograph them, too, because visually telling the story is as important as writing it.

August

By this time, I was into my first full month at the Argus Leader and the team did not disappoint to keep me busy. I went to my first solo assignment at the Empire Fair. I started my first season of high school football with no experience of photographing the sport. Then, I spent hours traveling to help a partner project with South Dakota Searchlight, looking into the overrepresentation of Native American children in the state’s foster care system.

September

It is crazy to think that I would meet Gov. Kristi Noem within two months of being in my role. To add to that, it was during a one-hour interview with the Argus Leader and South Dakota Searchlight for the project I mentioned earlier, one of only a few exclusive interviews she gave with local media this year.

Lincoln High School’s marching band also made it to the BOA Regionals and was invited to march for the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade. Then, I pitched my first story and photo gallery about the state’s ballet company performing in their fourth year.

October

But it was difficult to narrow down what to display for October, and I couldn’t be happier to say that. The communities I photographed kept me on my toes, which I wasn’t sure would happen after moving from a much larger city.

Sioux Falls has been the most decorative town I’ve ever seen. I witnessed high school students practice their freedom of speech to speak up about missing and murdered Indigenous women. I saw neighbors come together to help a family harvest their cornfield after a terrible house explosion. Lastly, I captured some of the most intense moments in sports, speaking mostly to the impressive state cross country championship and the battle against USD and SDSU.

November

November was definitely another month to remember. Lincoln High won the 11AAA Championship at the DakotaDome. The holidays were in full swing, no matter how cold it was outside. And residents come together to protest the war between Israel and Palestine. Then, the month let out with everyone’s favorite hairy contest, Novemburn.

December

As we come into the last few days of December, I spent time traveling to Pierre for the Governor’s budget address and getting the chance to see all the Christmas decorations at the Capitol beforehand. Additionally, I went to Brookings to see South Dakota State make its way to Frisco for a chance at a second championship. Though I am still working through the holidays, these were definitely the images that stood out most to me.

Thank you South Dakota, and Sioux Falls, for welcoming me into your lives.

I am grateful to pick up the camera everyday and go out to do what I love by being apart of something bigger than myself.

I look forward to capturing new stories for 2024 and making a full year’s worth of images for you to look again this time next year.

Until then, happy holidays and new year to you all. −Samantha Laurey, visual journalist, 2023-present

LEFT: South Dakota Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden breaks the gavel at the start of the budget address on Dec. 5 at the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre. This is the second year that the Lieutenant governor has broken the gavel during the budget address. CENTER: Community members and friends of the Goehring family help harvest their 40 acre cornfield on Oct. 20 northwest of 261 Street and 455 Ave in Humboldt. RIGHT: Governor Kristi Noem interviews with Argus Leader and South Dakota Searchlight reporters about the indigenous child welfare laws on Sept. 26 at South Dakota State Capital in Pierre.

PHOTOS BY SAMANTHA LAUREY/SIOUX FALLS ARGUS LEADER LEFT: Harrisburg Tigers run back out to the football field after halftime in Harrisburg on Aug. 25. CENTER: Maliyah Cartier, an indigenous student from Washington High poses for a photo after a student protest for missing indigenous women and violence towards the community on Oct. 5 at Linwood Park in Sioux Falls. RIGHT: Sioux Falls City Light and Power worker Andy Gerovac dressed up as Santa to help decorate downtown with garland and wreaths Nov. 17.

The AA Boys race runs around the corner of the course during the Cross Country State Championship on Oct. 21 at Yankton Trail Park in Sioux Falls.

Demonstrators chant, “Free, free Palestine,” during a march through downtown on Nov. 19 in Sioux Falls.

ERIN WOODIEL/SIOUX FALLS ARGUS LEADER Reigning champion Kuzco, right, narrowly beats Luther to once again win the 16th Annual Wiener Dog Race on Feb. 4 at a Sioux Falls Stampede hockey game at the Denny Sanford Premier Center.

Halloween decorations in the front yard of a home on 1700 West 9th St. on Oct. 25.

PHOTOS BY SAMANTHA LAUREY/SIOUX FALLS ARGUS LEADER A state capitol officer stands near the decorated balcony to listen to the carolers on Dec. 5 at the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre.

ERIN WOODIEL/SIOUX FALLS ARGUS LEADER David Dailey uses a snowblower as falling snow blusters around him on Feb. 22.

Christine Banley sits in front of her Aberdeen home on Aug. 23. Banley’s parental rights for two daughters were terminated earlier in the summer.

ERIN WOODIEL/SIOUX FALLS ARGUS LEADER Langston Newton eats his final burger to try all 32 from the Downtown Burger Battle on Jan. 21 at Swamp Daddy’s in Sioux Falls.