Bunch Family on Folly Beach

Friends of our good friends Dan & Diane Harris, it was an honor to photograph Toni & Doug’s family gathering this weekend!
With miserable weather earlier in the week, it was amazing how we ended up with one beautiful warm day for our shoot. It was like “someone” was upstairs looking out for us! 🙂
The family was gathering to honor the life of their dear departed mother, memorializing the time together with a family photo shoot, and completing the cycle by also celebrating the engagement of Adam & Karmen!
It was a pleasure being a part of this special time in this family’s life!

 

Hilton Family at Folly Beach

Before Cami & I left for Maine last week, I had a really fun shoot with the Hilton Family on Folly Beach.  Dr. Hilton is our dentist and we LOVE the great care they give our smiles!  J  (Check out www.hiltondental.net.)   

Kathy & Rusty’s family at Folly Beach

I had a really fun time photographing Shelley, Chris, and their son Logan last year.  So I was ecstatic when her Mom called to ask me to photograph the WHOLE family.  J  It was so beautiful, peaceful, and un-crowded out on my favorite stretch of Folly Beach.  One of the joys of my job is getting to know folks as we walk to and from the beach…hearing about all the interesting things they do, their amazing accomplishments, their passions, and what’s important in their lives.  I’m so blessed to be able to do what I do!

Folly Beach Family Portrait

Tasha & Joe took a little R&R last week and rented a place on Folly Beach.  They’re expecting TWINS!  J  So to celebrate, their growing family, they brought their “other” family member, Titan, out for a fun Family Portrait Session on the beach.

Robbin & Leighanne at Folly Beach

Yesterday Cami & I did a fun “Dual Photo Shoot” with our good friends Robbin & Leighanne of Robbin Knight Photography!  We went out to Folly Beach where we took turns photographing each other for our respective Christmas Card photos.  First Robbin & Leighanne would set Cami & I up with our golden retriever, Marley, and photograph us.  Then we’d do the same for their family.  It was a BLAST and we had a lot of fun trading who was shooting, who was watching “the kids”, and who was playing with the squeaky toy.  Afterwards we took the dogs, the kids, and our tired selves to a dog-friendly restaurant on the island and had a great time relaxing on the patio with the cool evening breeze and wonderful conversation.  Here’s a couple of my favorites of the Knight gang.  You’ll have to wait until Christmas to see ours!!!  J

Family Portrait at Folly Beach

The last time we tried this, it started to rain as soon as we began our walk out to the beach.  THIS TIME, Dawn & Chris pulled up on the most beautiful day you could imagine!  After having to reschedule their previous session, they deserved it!!!  J  The light was warm and beautiful, the temperature wasn’t too hot, and the beach was relatively un-crowded for a Friday evening.  I had a great time with them and their two fantastic children.  As we were walking back after the shoot was over, Chris exclaimed “This wasn’t NEARLY as painful as I thought it was going to be…you actually made it kind of fun!”  J 

 

Folly Beach Maternity Portrait

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

 

Jessica & Tevin’s Folly Beach Engagement Shoot

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

Cancelled Family Shoot turns into Fine Art

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. 

 

Laura & Kyle Do It on Folly Beach

After courting her for a while, Kyle proposed to Laura over Christmas last year.  Soon wedding plans were in full swing and through their fabulous wedding planner, Emmy at Peacock Events, I was the lucky photographer they picked to cover their special day!  J  Laura is a teacher…and you all KNOW how much I love and respect teachers!  Her and Kyle live in Greer, where they’ll be returning after their fabulous Jamaica Honeymoon.  Laura & Kyle rented a beautiful home on the marsh side of Folly beach where they could do their “I Do’s”.  As it turns out, it was the home of my good friend and fellow photographer, Charlie Thiel!!!  The late afternoon summer showers held off juuuust long enough for the ceremony and a few photos on the lawn.  And they didn’t dampen the fun atmosphere and crazy party that ensued!  I had a great time and LOVED being a part of Laura & Kyle’s beautiful wedding day.  To see their fun Music Video, head over to www.chrisandcami.com/blog and click on the first image.  To see their Engagement Portraits and the rest of their Wedding Photos, head over to www.chrisandcami.zenfolio.com.  CONGRATULATIONS to Laura & Kyle…may you have a LIFETIME OF DREAMS together!!! 



Kim & Michael’s Downtown/Folly Beach Shoot

Kim & Michael are a sweet, gentle, amazing couple from Aiken.  For their Engagement Shoot, we did a double-whammy.  As I was driving downtown to meet them for the first part of their shoot, the wind was blowing and the sky looked dark and foreboding.  I was concerned, but soldiered on.  When we met up, I found out they were concerned about the weather too.  But we decided to be adventurous and go for it.  We were rewarded a few minutes later with beautiful light.  By the time we got to Folly Beach for the second session, the sky had turned into this AMAZING backdrop.  WOW!!!  I love how the images turned out.  Many thanks to Kim & Michael for being so much fun to work with and being willing to brave the elements to humor this passionate old chaser of DRAMATIC LIGHT!  J

Last Shoot of the Year

I’ve been photographing Jean & Gerry’s extended family over the last six years. (Many thanks to their wonderful daughter, Andrea…she originally contacted me and began this longtime friendship.) It was only fitting that they were my last shoot of 2009! J I met up with them at their beach house on Folly Beach. Even though it was really cold that night, they all braved the uncomfortable temperatures and we all had a BLAST! The lighting was fantastic…everything from a really cool sunset to a really dramatic moonrise. I LOVE IT!!!