The American Dream

Sharon & Tony have climbed the mountain of owning a small business and are living The American Dream! I had the pleasure of photographing them this morning at their young but thriving company - Tosha, LLC. They are a recycling facility specializing in Catalytic Converters. They have exceeded expectations by bringing integrity and customer service back to the industry. Tony is from Costa Rica, which is a country Cami and I fell in love with last year when we vacationed there. So we had a lot to talk about. Sharon, a fluent Spanish speaker, is Tony's inspiration and the love of his life. I wish you guys all the joys life can bring! Pura Vida!!!

Blackbaud

I had a really neat assignment this morning for Blackbaud. They are a fantastic computer software company here in town. They were designing a new flash CD to go out in a mailer. So I got to do the photography for the project, which will be integrated into the flash presentation. April Parker did an AWESOME job of orchestrating it all. Chad, who will be programming the flash, is also a fellow photographer. So it was fun to collaborate with him. Tui (seen here), Josh, and Cynthia did a wonderful job modeling.

Old Friends

Today I was on an assignment for the Charleston Regional Business Journal photographing Dr. David Albenberg & Dr. Jennifer Pullano of Access Healthcare. They were AWESOME to work with...so pleasant, energetic, and professional.

After I was done and was packing my gear in the back of my vehicle, I heard someone call "Chris???" from across the parking lot. When I turned around, it was Wayne, one of my favorite grooms from 2006. Apparently, his beautiful bride Courtney works in an office across from Dr. David and Dr. Jennifer. Wayne had just pulled up to give her a ride home. With a mischievous grin I said, "lets go in and surprise her"! So he let me walk in first...the look on her face was priceless. We hung out for a few minutes catching up. Although Courtney is healing from foot surgery, they haven't changed a bit and are both doing GREAT! One thing I LOVE about my profession is the relationships I get to be a part of. Some photographers get hung up on the "business" side of things. But to me, it's ALL about the relationships. When I bumped into Wayne & Courtney, it was like we were old friends!

Candice & Frank

WOW - What a great way to kick off the new year! Candice & Franks wedding was such a wonderful celebration!!! I've been photographing Candice and her sister, Heather, ever since back in my old days of managing a local Olan Mills studio when they were just kids. Since we go to the same church, it's been my privilege to see Candice grow from a cute little girl into a beautiful young woman! Plus, I couldn't ask for a nicer guy than Frank for her to marry. I'm SO HAPPY for you guys!

Their wedding was held at Epworth United Methodist, which is his Mom's church. It's a gorgeous little church, made even more so by the Christmas decorations that still adorned the sanctuary. The weather was awesome...not too hat, not too cold, and the perfect quality of light for creative photography...I was lovin' it! Everyone was excited and having a great time. After the ceremony, we all headed to Edisto Hall at James Island County Park for a fun reception. Howie Bagwell was their videographer and Sinclair Ray was their DJ.

Candice & Frank, THANK YOU for letting me be a part of this special day!

In Loving Memory

This video is in loving memory of Cami's best friend, Sharon...and dedicated to her husband, my best friend, Nick.

Sharon was the kindest, gentlest, most loving person you could ever meet. She was born with a heart defect that she's had to deal with all her life. Doctors didn't expect her to make it out of her teens. So in a way, she was a living miracle. And I believe THAT knowledge made her value the GIFT OF LIFE even more than most of us could ever understand. Maybe that's why she had the ability to make you smile with one look, make you laugh with a single word, and make you warm inside with a single hug. Sharon was the greatest Ambassador for love. She not only expressed her compassion towards others, but also extended it towards animals. She loved "all creatures great and small".

When God called Sharon to be with Him on Sunday, January 13th, it left all of us with an emptiness for our loss. Even though her heart was physically weak, we know it was spiritually strong. And we are comforted in knowing that, as Matthew so eloquently proclaims, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."

*Please take a moment to leave an uplifting scripture, a favorite memory, or an encouraging word for Nick by clicking on the Comments button below.

New AVP Article

My good friend Mike Saia just shared with me this link to a new article on the AVP Tour website with one of my images. This was a shot of Mark Williams I had taken last year while the tour was in Charleston playing at the Family Circle Cup Stadium on Daniel Island. It's always nice to have the validation of seeing your work being used by your clients long after the event is over!

Imaging USA

I've just flew down to Tampa for my annual pilgrimage to the Imaging USA national photography conference. Although the weather was beautiful, I hardly got a chance to enjoy it. My daily routine included getting up at 5:00AM, soaking up new techniques, ideas, and inspiration at lectures from the GREATEST PHOTOGRAPHERS in the world, visiting booth after booth of the 600+ vendors in the Trade Show, and attending private functions with manufacturers that we currently partner with. I'd usually make it back to the hotel by about 9:00pm in time to get some rest and do it all over again the next day. As usual, it was an AMAZING experience and such a pleasure to gain new insights from the most influential people in my profession. I CAN'T WAIT to apply everything I've learned to make this year the best one EVER!

Here's a shot of Joe McNally, one of Nikon's Legends Behind the Lens, answering question for a group of us Nikon Professional Services members.

Jennifer & Bret

Last wedding of the year...and what an AWESOME one it was! Jennifer & Bret met while working at Dixon Hughes, PLLC - one of my favorite corporate clients in town. Jennifer has the sweetest, most bubbly personality...Bret is a true "man's man" and very serious cyclist. After Jennifer's three beautiful sisters helped her get ready, she and Bret shared a private "First Glance" together in the sanctuary. It was a time to hold each other tight, express their love for each other, and just enjoy the calm before the mayhem began. The ceremony was held at the always-photogenic Summerville Presbyterian Church. Many thanks to Pastor Mike and Cathy Ward, their wonderful wedding planer. I love that spontaneous burst of laughter during the vows. And isn't the flower girl asleep on the pew just the most adorable thing you've ever seen?!? The celebration continued at Medicine Wind Farms, a fantastic little horse farm with a rustic reception hall that provided the warm ambiance for the party. When I arrived and saw the wonderful rich green paint on the outside of the hall, I waited for the newlyweds to arrive so I could get this next image. At the end of the evening, as the party wound down and the guests lined up outside to blow bubbles, I peaked inside just in time to grab this shot of Bret's quiet strength as he waits for Jennifer to share a loving hug with her Dad. Click here to see the rest of the photos in their Online Gallery...

Jennifer & Bret, I couldn't have ended the year on a better note than spending it with you! THANK YOU for being such a beautiful, fun, loving couple...your energy is CONTAGIOUS!!!