OK, I never kissed the Blarney Stone, and I didn’t inherit the gift of eloquence from my mother…so this isn’t a true “ode”. However, my youngest brother, Eric, and his wife, Martha, left this week for a new job in Uganda. (Yes, this is their Halloween photo – he doesn’t really smoke and she isn’t really related to Joan Baez.) Anyway, they’ll be working for the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee on a two year renewable contract toward the relief, development, and education of the people in and around Arua, Uganda. So I wanted to wish them well and let everyone know about their new blog. I understand Internet service is sketchy in that part of Africa. But they’ll be doing their best to journal about their journey. So check it out at www.ericnmarthasmith.blogspot.com.

One of the BEST parts about living in Charleston is all it’s historic charm! I was hired to photograph a recognition banquet for Verizon Wireless where they were honoring all their top sales people from across the country! It was an all-expense paid trip for them, culminating in this fantastic banquet at the end of their stay. The banquet was held at The Old Exchange Building, considered to be one of the three most historically significant Colonial buildings in the United States! The attendees were all in awe of our great city, it’s hospitality, and it’s history. This is a shot of their event coordinator with one of the hostesses all dressed in period attire. What a privilege it was to capture all the details and to preserve this moment of recognition for each of them!

Often referred to as “The Beautiful Game”, soccer (or football, if you’re from anywhere other than the US) is the world’s most popular sport. It’s no wonder since all you need to strike up a game is a ball and two poles to form a goal. You don’t need all the football pads, lacrosse sticks, or leather mitts that other sports require. So even in underdeveloped countries, like the Congo where I grew up playing, the local schools can afford to field a team. We used to play barefoot. In fact, in a pinch we didn’t even need a ball…we just wrapped a bunch of plastic bags with string and made our own ball. I went on to play college soccer. But too many injuries forced me to move tennis (a less than full-contact sport) up on my priority list. Now, with the World Cup starting later this month, my attention drifts back to this great sport. I’ve photographed world class players like Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain, and Julie Foudy. This is a shot taken for the Charleston Sports Insider from a recent game where our hometown team, the Charleston Battery, took on the Rochester Rhinos.

Jim & Linda McLain are long time clients and owners of Signature Kitchens & Baths. They needed a new photo for an upcoming add. So we decided to do a shot of this corner of their beautiful showroom. They’ve won all kinds of accolades and awards from Wolfe, Sub-Zero, and other top manufacturers in the industry for their designs. I’m honored that my images have been instrumental in showcasing their talent. I’m always excited to get a call from Linda because that means they’ve completed another project and I get to go photograph it!