Playing "Tourist"

Last week Mom & Dad came to visit ALL THE WAY from Pilgrim Place, California! :-) I have the BEST parents in the world!!! And I don't get to see them often enough. So this was a real treat. Of course we had fun playing "tourist" while they were here. We visited Drayton Hall (one of the few plantations in town they hadn't seen yet). That's Dad taking a picture of it. We also visited downtown and took the tour of the Edmonston-Alston House. I photographed their carriage house for an article in Charleston Magazine last year. I was stunned that we'd never taken them to the Angel Oak. So we visited that oldest of living things east of the Mississippi. And what good is a trip to Charleston without going out to eat?!? So here's a shot of our excellent cook at Miyabi's Japanese Steakhouse.

Easter is Cancelled

My CRAZY brother-in-law, Scott, sent this to me and I laughed and laughed! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Does EVERY family have a crazy brother-in-law like this?!? :-) Of course the Easter Bunny is NOT what Easter is all about. So as we contemplate the weight of this special time of year, may the power of true love infuse your minds and hearts with unending joy!

Allison & Brett

What better way to top off my fun birthday excursion Saturday morning, then to hang out with the COOLEST BRIDE & GROOM ever! Allison & Brett tied the knot on Folly Beach amidst the drama of gale-force winds and tornadoes in the vicinity that eventually knocked out power to the whole town. But that didn't faze them ONE BIT! I arrived at the beach house they had rented to get ready in. And after getting some cool shots of each of them preparing for the Big Day, I photographed their "First Glance" from a distance while they embraced, exchanged gifts, and Brett shared with Allison the long-held secret of where they were going on their honeymoon!!! :-) Then off to Charleston on the Beach where they had a beautiful service, performed with style by Travis (Brett's brother-in-law), accompanied by Christopher Teves (who's CD Cover I had the honor of photographing last year), orchestrated by Rory Welsh (a fantastic wedding planner I must say) and cheered on by the crowd of Saint Patrick's Day partyers that had gathered on the terrace. Later, the storms had whipped up a dramatic sky that I REALLY wanted to use for some beautiful images of the two of them. I remember is was SO WINDY at this point that most brides wouldn't have been CRAZY enough to endure it for a photo! But Allison and Brett were AWESOME and I got tons of prize-winners as a result!!! Click here to see the rest of the photos. Allison & Brett, you guys were WONDERFUL to work with and it was such an honor to spend my birthday with you two and all your friends and family who came out to help you celebrate this special day in your lives!

Birds of Prey

Saturday was my birthday - YAY! So when I got invited to an advanced preview of the Center for Birds of Prey, opening to the public this May, I thought "what a GREAT way to spend my birthday!" :-) I had a wonderful time photographing these BEAUTIFUL creatures...simply MAGNIFICENT!!! If you've never seen one of these amazing hunters up close and personal, you've GOT to go out and see the center once it opens up. The staff is wonderful and very informative. I shot most of these with my favorite "long glass", the 200-400 f4.0 VR, on the D3.

Happy Birthday To Me!

For dinner Friday night Cami and I went out to Basil's, our favorite Thai restaurant in town. I thougth we were just meeting up with our friends and fellow photographers, Bill & Kelli Nixon. Well, Cami had ALTERIOR motives and had arranged for them to secretly bring a birthday cake she had ordered earlier. So after the meal was done, I was TOATLLY SURPRISED when our waitress brings out this awesome birthday cake ablaxe with candles. Bill kindly grabbed this shot of Cami and I with their new Nikon D300, lit only by the light from the candles. Thanks Guys!!!

SoCon Basketball Championships

Last weekend I had an AWESOME time photographing the Southern Conference Basketball Championships at the North Charleston Coliseum for the Charleston Metro Sports Council. Here's a few shots from the College of Charleston vs. The Citadel game. These were all taken with Nikon's new D3, which produces AMAZING quality even in dim lighting situations like this. I got to photograph next to my good friend and fantastic photographer Gary Coleman who also has a D3. We had a ton of fun!!!

Jamie & Erin

Last weekend I was THRILLED to be invited to capture the Jamie & Erin's wedding day. What an AWESOME event! Everything was held at the photogenic I'On Creek Club. And although gusty winds coming off Hobcaw Creek put a chill in the air, it didn't dampen our spirits one bit! Jamie wore a very elegant gown from Jean's Bridal. After she finished checking the mirror (isn't that an adorable image with her and her Mom), Jamie walked to where Erin was waiting to see her for the first time. Capturing their "First Glance" from across the room was a touching experience for me. You can just feel the love between these two as they embrace under the glow from the window behind! Juliet did a fantastic job with Jamie's hair, as you can see it cascading around her shoulders in this candid portrait. Then we braved the cold wind to take advantage of the GORGEOUS late afternoon light. Victoria at Frampton's Flowers did a wonderful job (as always!) with the bouquet. Later I was able to use the glow from the sun on a portrait of Erin in a corner of the open porch where this shaft of light came streaming through the trees. Jeremy, who was Erin's Best Man, is also a great friend of Jamie's. How cool is THAT!?! Here he's checking Erin's tie before the processional begins. Amanda from Southern Chic Weddings did a wonderful job of keeping everything on schedule, which was CRUCIAL to me since the sun was scheduled to set over the creek just minutes after the ceremony was over. Immediately after the ceremony where they exchanged truly unique rings from Whiteflash, we zipped over to the dock and got this dramatic silhouette of Jamie & Erin in the nick of time! :-) The reception was a TON of FUN! Michelle at Regal Catering made sure the food was tasty and plentiful. My favorite ladies of confection at Lady Fingers put together a tasty work of art for their wedding cake. And our DJ from Carolina Mobile Music kept the energy high, even ending the night with an American Idol worthy performance of Michael Jackson's Thriller, to the applause of all the guests! Check out the rest of their photos here...

Jamie & Erin, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to be a part of this special day...the beginning of the rest of your new life together!!!

Rainy Days Won't Get Me Down

Sheena & Justin drove all the way from Augusta last week to have their engagement portraits done on the beach. Well...the weather sometimes has a mind of it's own! :-) However, now that Cami & I are in our new home, with our offices and wonderful new loft-studio on the second floor, we had no worries!!! We just moved everything indoors and had a BLAST. We even squeezed a few in with their handsome son, Camerin.

This casual shot was one of my favorites. I CAN'T WAIT for their wedding...it's going to be so much fun!

Kim O'Bryant Martino Scholarship

Nikon D2x with 24-70 f2.8

It was a humbling experience last week, photographing the Kim O'Bryant Martino Scholarship Affair at MUSC's College of Health Professions. The event was in honor of the passing of Kim O'Bryant Martino, a mother, a student at the college, and a source of strength, encouragement, and friendship to everyone she knew. Famed quilt artist, Marlene O'Bryant Seabrook gave a beautiful presentation of her work, which was donated, among other artwork, to a silent auction that raised money for a scholarship in Kim's honor.

Jennifer & Michael

Jennifer is a longtime friend of ours. She's a real sweetheart and TONS of fun too! So Cami and I were SO HAPPY for her when she and Michael flew off to St. Lucia for a romantic destination wedding. Upon their return, they set about planning a big party/reception for all their family and friends to help celebrate their decision to be together. It was an honor and a privilege to be there for Jennifer and meet Michael...who's a GREAT guy and absolutely PERFECT for her! Before we headed off to the reception, I photographed their family photos at a beautiful house they'd rented on Folly Beach. I love these shots of them on the beach as the sun quietly slid below the horizon! CONGRATULATIONS you two!!!

Johnson & Wales University

Johnson & Wales University has a HUGE constituency of alumni working in the fabulous eateries, service industries, and artistic outlets here in Charleston. So when they threw a FABULOUS Alumni Appreciation dinner at the historic Wicliffe House, I jumped at the chance to photograph it. Let me tell you, the food looked SO GOOD, but I was so busy I didn't get a chance to try any of it...what a shame! :-) This first image shows Former President of Charleston Campus, Barry Gleim and current President of Charleston Campus, Arthur Gallagher, standing behind University President, Dr. John Bowen during his address. Many thanks to Jennifer Fustino for believing in QUALITY! I hope we get to work together many more times...