One of the most rewarding parts of being a family portrait photographer in Charleston, SC, is getting to watch families grow over the years. Every once in a while, I get to photograph a family whose story I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of for decades, and that’s exactly what made my recent session with the Webster Family so special!

I first met Julie and Chad a couple of decades ago when I had the pleasure of photographing their wedding. About five years later, I met up with them again for a Boone Hall Plantation family portrait session with their beautiful little boy, Caleb. What none of us knew at the time was that Julie was pregnant with their adorable daughter, Adalyn! Fast forward to this year, and that little boy I photographed all those years ago is now graduating from high school. Where does the time go?!?

Julie reached out to see if I could photograph Caleb’s high-school senior portraits while incorporating a few family photos and some fun shots of Adalyn. Of course, I was delighted to hear from her and immediately said “YES”!!!

We all met at Waterfront Park in downtown Charleston and enjoyed a wonderful stroll through the historic French Quarter before making our way over to the iconic Rainbow Row. Along the way, we took advantage of Charleston’s incredible scenery, including beautiful black iron gates, tree-lined avenues, charming cobblestone streets, historic brick walls, and the colorful architecture that makes Charleston such a fantastic location for family photography and senior portraits.

For this session, I used my Nikon Z9 paired with the Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 lens, giving me the image quality and versatility to capture everything from beautiful environmental portraits to tighter, more intimate photographs. I also incorporated off-camera flash using a Godox V860 II mounted on a Manfrotto light stand to help augment the natural lighting, or to add a colorful accent light.

It was so much fun catching up with Julie and Chad, reminiscing about their wedding, and spending time with their two amazing children. Photographing Caleb’s senior portraits while also documenting the entire family was a wonderful reminder of why I love what I do.

If you’re looking for a Charleston family portrait photographer, planning a downtown Charleston family photo session, or need high-school senior portraits with beautiful Lowcountry backdrops, I’d love to help tell your family’s story too…