Katherine

This afternoon I thought I'd share with you this ADORABLE shot of Katherine from a couple days ago. She's a total HAM, isn't she?!? These are her six-month portraits. We had a GREAT time together. I can't wait to see her at one year when she goes "mobile" on her parents - HA!

Margaret & Warren at St. Stephen's Lutheran

Margaret & Warren are absolutely PERFECT for each other! Their wedding last weekend was a joy for me to be a part of. Margaret's grandmother knows Brittany & Jamie's grandmother, which is how they heard about us. Many thanks to the Kyzer's for the referral!!! Their wedding was held at the majestic St. Stephen's Lutheran Church in Lexington, SC...where Margaret's parents were married. When I arrived, Margaret's sister and "Maid of Honor Extraordinaire", Liz, was helping the beautiful bride get ready. Can't you just see the sisterly love reflected in that mirror?!? ;-) I already knew how beautiful Margaret was from her Bridal Session...but that portrait with the sanctuary behind her is a stunner! When I met up with Warren, his groomsmen were all picking on him. So I knew right away I was going to have a BLAST with the gentleman! I really like the black-and-white shot of them with the stone texture of the church in the background. The Spirit-filled ceremony was beautifully led by Pastor Pat. Don't you LOVE the excitement in Margaret & Warren's faces as they exit the sanctuary and then embrace each other in the courtyard outside? The last image of Margaret is one of my favorites. It was taken a few minutes after the ceremony, right after they signed their license to make it all official. You can STILL see the elation in her face! Click Here to see the rest of their photos. CONGRATULATIONS Margaret & Warren...you guys are an AMAZING couple!!!

Sullivan's Island Lighthouse

After the beach shoot with Chris & Marley, I hung out for a while enjoying the breeze, the lapping waves, and the solitude of having that stretch of sand all to myself. I noticed the sea oats swaying back and forth with the lighthouse in the distance. So I set up a time exposure of 3-seconds at f5.6 for this image of the Sullivan's Island Lighthouse.

I'd like to dedicate this shot to my Dad who loves the beach more than any man I know. Mom & Dad just celebrated their 46th Anniversary. I love you both so much...you're a beacon of hope and truth in my life!

Sullivan's Island Sunset

It's been almost three years since I photographed Marley & Chris' wedding on a day when another hurricane was bearing down on Charleston. Yesterday I found myself photographing their new family portraits (isn't their daughter ADORABLE?!?) with Hurricane Fay heading our way. But that's OK because the sky was absolutely AWESOME...the most dramatic sky and sunset I've seen on Sullivan's Island all summer! Chris is a C-17 Pilot and they are being re-assigned to a base in Seattle. These portraits will be a WONDERFUL memory of their time here in Charleston!

Julia Santen Gallery

Yesterday I had the honor of photographing the young, beautiful, and successful entrepreneur...Julia Santen. Her charisma and strong camera presence made my job SO EASY!!! :-) Julia Santen Gallery is the Southeast's preeminent poster dealer, specializing in original poster art dating from 1890 through the 1960's. These are not reprints or duplicates...we're talking ORIGINALS here...some worth more than my car! You've GOT to stop in and check out her Clint Eastwood poster...it's MY FAVORITE.

Carolina Lanterns

One of my favorite corporate clients over the years has been Jan Clouse and her WONDERFUL team at Carolina Lanterns. Since as a photographer I'm a "student of light", I think the magic and mystery their beautiful gas lanterns and unique lighting products was the initial draw for working with them. But their fun attitudes and warm personalities are what keep me coming back!

Moonrise on Kiawah Island

Here's a few images from a wonderful family session I had on Kiawah this week. Don & Emily were down here vacationing with their family and celebrating their 65th and 60th birthdays, respectively. Since I have three brothers, I fit right in with their three boys and we had a great time together. As the sun set behind the horizon, I created this neat image of Don & Emily, thinking that was the concluding "iconic image" of the day. But NO! When I turned around the other direction the full moon was rising to take its place in the sky. So I made this really cool shot of everyone watching the moonrise!!!

Innovator Award Ceremony

Earlier this month I photographed the winners of the Innovator of the Year award given out by the Charleston Regional Business Journal. Tonight was the actual Award Ceremony. My images were used in these really cool combination video/slideshow presentations put together by PDA, who also did all the lighting and displays for the show. The first photo is a shot I took with my D3 and 10.5mm fisheye showcasing their amazing displays. The second shot is one my great friend and fellow photographer, Gary Coleman, took of me talking to a couple wonderful young ladies from Agfa during the reception. And the third is a shot of Gary and I that Kim McManus of rising SCBiz fame took of us goofing off...as usual. ;-) Needless to say, the Award Ceremony and Reception were a lot of fun and a huge success!

Britni & Doug @ Old Santee Canal State Park

Britni & Doug had an AWESOME PARTY last weekend! I call it a "party" because their entire wedding day was so much FUN!!! Everyone was laid back, fun to be with, and ready to just let down their hair and have a good time. The ceremony and reception were held at Stony Landing Plantation House, a historic home on a hillside at Old Santee Canal State Park. It's beautiful lawn, majestic trees, and wonderful view overlooking the Cooper River were such a scenic location for their wedding. Plantation Florist did a beautiful job with the floral arrangements. As usual, Lady Fingers created a beautiful wedding cake...and shall we say a "unique" groom's cake. Britni's Uncle Jay sang a beautiful solo during their first dance. And Chameleon Music kept the tunes rollin' and the party rockin'! At the end of the evening, friends and family cheered and waved sparklers in the air as Britni & Doug disappeared into the summer night. Click Here to check out th rest of their photos. CONGRATULATIONS you two!!!

FIRST International Rugby Match in South Carolina

Last weekend I got to cover the Michelin Challenge Rugby Match for the Charleston Metro Sports Council. Held at Blackbaud Stadium between the USA Eagles (white jerseys) and France's ASM Clermont Auvergne (yellow jerseys), this was the FIRST International Rugby competition ever held in the state of South Carolina!!! The young Eagles started out strong and took an early 7-0 lead. But the more experienced French team took charge in the end, winning with a final score of 37-14. The exciting match didn't disappoint the over 4,000 passionate fans!!! “It was a tough match and that’s exactly what we wanted,” said U.S. Captain Todd Clever after the match. “The crowd was fantastic and they’ve been really supportive. Obviously we would’ve liked a win, but overall this match was everything we could’ve hoped for.” Proceeds from ticket sales helped raise valuable resources to benefit autism research at MUSC.

Friends at the Beach

I had a wonderful time photographing the Haverstraw Family and their friends while they were all vacationing on Kiawah Island together this summer. I LOVE that shot of Jay & Elaine racing piggy-back down the surf! Last time I'd photographed them Jay had a bum knee. So it was nice to see him recovered and having fun. :-)

Meaghan & Chris @ St. Mary's

Meaghan & Chris made it official last weekend at the beautiful St. Mary's Catholic Church. I met up with them at Charleston Place Hotel where they shared their "First Glance" together and joined with family and friends for portraits. Meaghan was absolutely FABULOUS in her gown. And Chris couldn't stop smiling after he saw her. ;-) As the time approached, everyone walked to St. Mary's Catholic Church for the service. It's such a GORGEOUS sanctuary. And the ceremony was beautifully done. After the service, Meaghan & Chris' parents had arranged for a drum leader to escort them back to the Charleston Place Gazebo where they joined the cocktail hour. It was such a cool procession! Everybody stopped and stared as we went by. I think they were all trying to figure out which famous actors or celebrities Meaghan & Chris were!!! :-) After the cocktail hour, dinner was served in one of the spacious ballrooms. I LOVE that shot of the newlyweds silhouetted in the window with the evening sun bursting through, just before the reception. Inside, the table settings, decorations and floral arrangements were all STUNNING! As usual, the staff was so pleasant and professional. As the evening progressed, the band took over and a huge party ensued. I had warned Chris earlier in the day that Maya, their flower girl, was going to steal the show if he wasn't careful. She did indeed receive a thundering round of applause after a particularly energetic dance performance. But the truth is, the day was ALL about Meaghan & Chris. They were just AWESOME to work with, such a handsome couple, and supported by so many wonderful family and friends. I am REALLY EXCITED about how amazing their images turned out. Click Here to check out the rest of them...