Author: Chris Smith

Check out this really cool video of one of my favorite SI photographers, Bill Frakes.

Kerri & Wes met up with me at Folly Beach on a windy but GORGEOUS day for their e-Session! They brought their beautiful black lab with them and I had a lot of fun playing Frisbee with him between squeezing off frames. 🙂 Kerri is a gymnastics instructor…can you tell by her elegant posing? Wes used to play in a band…so we’re kindred artists at heart. We had this really AMAZING sky at the end of the shoot and got some dramatic images before the light faded away.

Hope with Adventures in Charleston is always so organized and fun to work with. I got to work with her on this corporate golf event for Kurtzman Carson Consultants. They were a terrific group of folks. I hope I brought them a little luck on those difficult Kiawah Island greens! 🙂

Nicole & Vince are my DREAM COUPLE!!! The day of their Engagements Session the weather was kind of rainy and overcast. But they were troopers and said “Let’s go for it”! We ended up having the BEST time and getting the coolest images. Since all the streets, brick walls and iron gates were wet from the earlier rain, the colors were super saturated and really popped! I love how everything turned out…

The Magnolia Gardens Autobahn Swamp is a hotbed of activity these days. Breeding plumage is on full display, nests are under construction, and the procreation of life is on defcon 5 for these avians. Spring is in the air!

As a husband and wife, as adopted parents, and as animal lovers…quite possibly the hardest thing Cami and I have ever had to do together was put Henry to sleep. He was laid to rest while we held him in our arms and tears streamed down our faces yesterday at 4:15 after 14 wonderful years with us…almost as long as we’ve been married! Back then I used to work for a photography company that had me traveling to other cities a lot. Shortly after moving into our new home, I got in around 2:00am from one of these assignments. As I quietly snuck in so as not to disturb Cami, I felt something soft and warm snuggle up against my leg! Cami had rescued Henry through Pet Helpers that day and wanted him to be a surprise for me. He had been abused as a puppy, but Henry soon learned that he had reached the good life! As Cami’s dad puts it, “If I believed in re-incarnation, I’d want to come back as a dog in THIS family!” 😉 Henry was well loved and had a long life. Some of his favorite memories would include running on the beach, seeing snow for the first time in Ohio, popping balloons with his teeth at birthday parties, barking at the UPS man, and long walks on the Charleston Greenway. We miss him so much…

Cami & I have heavy hearts today. Our friends Ben & Daphne have lost their youngest son…a beautiful little boy named Micah.

Our presentation “Capturing the Cup” went GREAT last night. I was so nervous that I had WAY over prepared, plus I didn’t anticipate having so many interesting questions…so the program went too long for my liking. But everyone enjoyed it and we had fun sharing what it’s like to photograph this great tournament. Many thanks to Mike Saia (Family Circle Cup Communications Manager), Douglas Cunningham (my good friend and fellow photographer), Stacy Pearsall at the Charleston Center for Photography, and all who came out to support us! Here’s one of the slideshows we shared during the presentation. Enjoy!

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Katie & Adam were married on the beautiful lawn at Bridgeside underneath the majestic shadows of the new Arthur Ravanel Jr. Bridge. What a picturesque location for such an AMAZING couple!!! And their first dance was held on the deck overlooking Charleston Harbor as the sky burst into the vibrant colors of the setting sun behind them. It was a photographer’s dream…attractive, super fun couple + scenic location + gorgeous light…I was in heaven! 🙂 CONGRATULATIONS Katie & Adam…you guys are THE BEST!!!

Recently I’ve had some really adventurous brides and gotten some GORGEOUS images from their Bridal Shoots. So I thought I’d share a few of my favorites with you. This first one is of Katie, who’s beautiful wedding to Adam I just photographed. Enjoy!

This coming Monday my good friend Douglas and I will be doing a fun photo presentation at the Charleston Center for Photography on what it’s like to cover the Family Circle Cup! There is no charge to attend. And there WILL be prizes! 🙂 We’d love to have you join us!!!

WHERE: Charleston Center for Photography
654 King Street, Suite D

Ruth Baker called me the other day to let me know Bobby & Jennifer, her daughter who’s wedding I’d photographed, were famous! 🙂 Kelly, a friend of theirs who was at the wedding LOVED their photos so much she used her contacts in Atlanta to get their photo published in Jezebel Magazine. Here’s what the issue looks like, and their photo below. Pick your copy up on the newsstand today!