As days turn into weeks…and weeks turn into months…I often catch myself thinking of the amazing people I met in Romania. It’s hard to believe that was July and we’re now moving into September! So I thought I’d post some of the images that gripped me the most from that amazing experience. Not surprisingly, they were all images of the beautiful faces I met along my journey. Enjoy!
Faith & Michael Bessinger (yup, of the famous BBQ restaurant in town), are friends from our old Sunday School class at Ashley River Baptist. When they called to let me know they were expecting their third and wanted to do a Maternity Family Shoot on the beach with me, I was THRILLED! Here are some of my fav’s. J
Last weekend, Bethany & John were married at the picturesque and peaceful I’On Creek Club in Mt. Pleasant. They had the good luck of a little rain on their wedding day. But it certainly didn’t dampen any spirits and cleared up in plenty of time for us to zip downtown for a fun photo shoot with the weddig party before the reception. Bethany & John are from Ohio. And they are major Dog Lovers. So when we first started talking back in February, we had that much in common! But then…Bethany told me how important getting great photos of her wedding day were to her…I was hooked! J We had a FANTASTIC time finding some really cool “Iconic Charleston” locations to get some great photos in. Then it was back to the Creek Club for a really fun, laid back, northern style party!
Check out the fun Music Video of their day at www.chrisandcami.com/blog. Then head over to www.chrisandcami.zenfolio.com to see the rest of their Online Gallery.
CONGRATULATIONS Bethany & John! We wish you all the best for a beautiful new journey together…
Everyone meet Daisy! J Kate from the Low Country Golden Retriever Rescue brought Daisy over to “play” with us at the studio today. She’s a real sweetheart, calm, behaved, and SUPER loving! As you know, we got our beautiful Marly from the LCGRR program and highly recommend them if you’re ready to adopt. And we couldn’t think of a more deserving dog than Daisy!!! Head over to their website and check out her bio…
Cami & I are members of C3. Last weekend Pastor Randy asked us to do a few snapshots of everyone that’s involved in a ministry position at the church. So we had a little fun with it…brought a colorful seamless background Sunday morning, set up the Creative Lighting System, and did a full-on fashion photo shoot. I shot with one of the Nikon D3’s tethered to a laptop, then transferred images to the media team to add bio info and project on the screen. As you can see, everyone let loose and really had a great time! Pastor Randy just started a new series called “Big Questions, Real Answers”. You’re welcome to join us!!!
“All I can say is WOW!!!!! It looks amazing!!!! It is above and beyond what I had expected. We are extremely pleased with what you have done.”Cami & I finished designing another beautiful Storybook the other day for Jennifer & Robert. This was Jennifer’s reaction. J I had such a wonderful time at their wedding. Jennifer & Robert are just the coolest couple in the world! Sometimes when we’re in the design stages, pages just seem to connect and the story of their day just flows together beautifully. See more from their wedding at https://chrisandcami.com/blog/2010/05/05/jennifer-robert-at-the-unitarian-church/. Here are a few pages from their book.
“Whoever said you can’t buy happiness forgot little puppies.”
– Gene Hill
Cami & I are animal lovers. She volunteers with the Charleston Animal Society. Plus we recently started donating our services to the Low Country Retriever Rescue organization by photographing Goldens that are looking for a new home. This is Mimi. She’s been abused, shot at, and found wandering the highways all alone. But you would not believe what a sweetheart she is…not a mean bone in her body even after all that! We adopted our beautiful Marley from the LCRR and encourage you to do the same. (Check out his picture at https://chrisandcami.com/blog/2009/08/28/introducing-marley-2/.)
Did you know Irish author Bram Stoker based his horror novel ‘Dracula’ on the fifteenth century Wallachian Prince, Vlad Dracul of Romania? So many photos from my trip to Romania last month…still trying to find time to edit & share them all! J Here’s a few scenes from the streets. Enjoy!
I met Jessica & Tevin at the beautiful cove by the historic Morris Island Lighthouse on Folly Beach the other to photograph their Engagement Session. It was looking a little dicy with the weather. But between my enthusiasm and their energy, we decided to go for it! About half way out I bumped into my good friends and fellow photographers, Jennifer Bearden, and Tammy & Kevin Bevins, both heading back in from their family sessions. Jennifer even gave me a hard time about the plastic ziploc baggies I had covered my remote flashes with in case they got wet! But I knew that days like these often yield magical bursts of dramatic light before the sun bids fairwell for the night. WOW did we get one of those bursts!!! ABSOLUTELY awesome skies for an absolutely wonderful couple. In fact we had so much fun towards the end that I can’t even show you some of the steamier shots from the end of the shoot…J
It’s not uncommon for Cami & I to hear of someone that’s decided to let their friend, uncle, or cousin photograph their wedding. This might be due to budgetary concerns or that the friend or relative wants to break into the photography business and needs portfolio material. While we totally understand these reasons, we encourage couples to consider all possible outcomes and be truly certain that this is what they want before making the final call.
There are definitely some wonderfully talented friends and relatives out there. Plus advancements in camera technology make it easier for part-timers to get descent shots on occasion. Just know that there IS a difference in hiring a full-time professional to cover a once-in-a-lifetime event! While both can certainly point and push a button. Only a professionally trained full-time photographer is going to create a high percentage of visually stunning images every single time. Put the most advanced camera in front of an untrained eye and you get cave drawings. Put a point-n-shoot into a master’s hands and you end up with a Rembrandt!
We are long-time members of the Professional Photographers of America. Check out this PPofA video featuring Jeff & Julia Woods. Cami & I frequently attend lectures, do workshops, and train with high-end professionals from around the country like Jeff & Julia in order to hone our craft. Simply having professional photography degrees isn’t enough. We are constantly striving for perfection and pushing to fill our pool of knowledge to overflowing.
Here are the 10 Toughest Questions to ask your photographer: http://www.ppa.com/findaphotographer/10_things.php
Friday night I met a really great family for a beach shoot we’d planned at Folly. Unfortunately, weather didn’t cooperate and we had to reschedule. That’s the FIRST TIME that’s happened to me in like six months or more! L As I was starting my drive home I saw a scene that just stopped me in my tracks. Braving the crazy winds, drizzly rain, and distant lightning, I ran out and grabbed a couple timed exposure of a rarely deserted beach.
