Rice Family on Daniel Island

It’s been about 5 years since the Rice Family had an updated family portrait. I had so much fun photographing them back then…and every bit as much photographing them again last evening! 🙂

This year’s family reunion was held at the Daniel Island Club, which is a beautiful venue on Daniel Island. The Rice’s were staying at the cottages near the clubhouse. So it was super convenient for them to walk across to the croquet lawn for a shot in front of the big white gazebo. We also found some beautiful trees and a nice view down the fairway for several shots. The grand finale took place behind the property on their beautiful wooden pathway over the marsh. Then it was off to dinner at the fabulous Harry’s restaurant inside the clubhouse!

Many thanks to Matt for organizing everyone! I’m already looking forward to seeing them all again in another 5 years!!!  🙂

Dorchester County Promotional Photos

Did you know that Dorchester County is named for its first settlement area, which was established by Congregationalists in 1696? These settlers applied the name “Dorchester” to the area, in honor of their last residence in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Officially, Dorchester was not established as a separate county of South Carolina until 1897.

I’ve had the pleasure of working on some new promotional photos this year with the amazing Michelle Mills from the Dorchester County Government. Here are a few shots from the most recent shoot, featuring the EMS Headquarters, Sheriff’s Office, Dorchester County Detention Center, Davis-Bailey Park, and Texas Community Park.

(Nikon Z9, Nikkor 24-120 f4 S, Nikon SB-5000 Speedlights, DJI Mini 3 Pro)

US Grains Council Conference in Sacramento – Day 1

The US Grains Council’s 62nd Annual Board of Delegates Meeting at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento is in the books! It was another fantastic event. I am humbled and honored to be the official photographer for this amazing group.  Their destination conferences are always so informative and inspirational!!! Here are a few shots from Day 1…

Dorchester County Marketing Photos

This was a fun day!

While creating marketing photos for the Dorchester County Government, I got to photograph a huge variety of images. From staff photos at the Public Works Group, to first-responders at the fire station, to members of the EMS team, to scenic shots of Rosebrock and Ashley River Parks…it was a pretty intense day.  Portraits, group shots, aerial drone photos, nature, architecture, and scenery…I covered a wide gamut.

Two things I love about my job…I get to meet the most interesting people, and I never get bored!  🙂

I’On Neighborhood for Seamon Whiteside

This morning I had the pleasure of photographing some scenic images of the I’On Neighborhood in Mt. Pleasant for one of my engineering clients, Seamon Whiteside.

I was excited about this project, not only because I’m familiar with the area and know how picturesque it is, but also because I was working with the new Nikon Z9 and the brand new DJI Mavic 3 Mini! I’ve had the Z9 for several months. So I knew it would produce stellar results. But after heavy testing, this was my first “official” project with DJI’s most recently released drone. And it did not disappoint!!!

At 1/2 the size and nearly 1/3 the weight, the Mini 3 Pro yields the same high-quality images I’ve come to expect from my Mavic 2 Pro. It’s absolutely ASTOUNDING how far drones have come!

Dorchester County Marketing Photos

I always enjoy getting out and meeting people. It’s one of the best parts about my job!!!
 
Last week I had an assignment to photograph a variety of faces and different departs for the Dorchester County Government. Michelle was so organized, and so fun to work with! We traveled all over the county, getting to know interesting individuals, and creating a variety of images for their newsletter, website, social media outlets, and marketing material. Plus I got to have a glimpse behind the scenes of some unique places like the 911 dispatch center! It was SO COOL!!!
 
(Nikon Z9, 14-30 f4 S, 24-70 f2.8 S, SB-5000 Speedlights, DJI Mavic 2 Pro Drone)

Civil Engineering by Seamon Whiteside

Seamon Whiteside is one of my favorite clients! They specialize in Civil Engineering and Landscape Architecture…making commercial and living spaces functional, ergonomic, and safe.

Here are a few photos from 3 projects I photographed for SW this week. All images were captured with DJI Mavic 2 Pro, Nikkor Z9, Nikkor 14-30 S, and Nikkor 24-120 S.

Retirement Reception at William Aiken House

Sweeping ballrooms, lush private grounds, and open-air piazzas make this historic 1807 mansion one of Charleston’s most sought-after venues for weddings and events. Tucked behind it’s ornate black iron gates on King Street, the William Aiken House is a peaceful retreat that carries guests back in time to the 19th century. The formal dining rooms, museum caliber artwork, and giant 200 year old magnolia tree are highlights of the many wonders of this beautiful property!

I always enjoy working events and weddings at this venue. And this recent corporate event in honor of the retirement of one of it’s esteemed members was no exception! The evening actually started down the block with cocktails on the rooftop bar at Stars. As dusk fell, we enjoyed a leisurely stroll down King Street to enter those beautiful gates for the main event. Everyone paused on the lawn for a few shots of the whole group which I captured from the 2nd floor piazza. Drinks and hors-d’oeuvres continued as historians shared interesting anecdotes about Charleston and details about the William Aiken House. Dinner was upstairs in the main dining hall. Finally wonderful words were shared, and a fine gift was unveiled for the guest of honor!

It was a beautiful evening and a delightful celebration I was delighted to be a part of.

First Event with the Nikon Z9

Prior to the deliver of my Z9 from NPS, I had a chance to borrow my friend Gary’s for an event. It was a chilly evening, with extremely low-light conditions. So I figured it would be the PERFECT test for this new flagship camera from Nikon!

The event was held at the beautiful yet rustic Hart Meadows Ranch on John’s Island. I arrived early to get a couple shots with the drone as the sun set over the horizon. I had about 30 minutes of twilight after that to get some establishing shots during “blue hour” before guests arrived. It was a new moon. So after that it was completely dark except for the string lights, up-lighting, and bonfires dotted around the property.

I slung my tried-and-true D5 on one hip, and Gary’s Z9 on the other. That way I could do a real-world comparison between the two models, switching back and forth as needed. I carried the 14-24 f2.8, 24-70 f2.8, and 105 f2.8 Micro.  These were all Nikkor F-mount lenses to keep things consistent, using the FTZ adapter to mount them on the Z9.

It was a fantastic evening! The Z9 was AMAZING. For example, the shots of Tiera Kennedy, who is an incredibly talented up-and-coming country artist from Nashville, were shot at ISO 8000!!!  Yet the files look incredibly sharp and noise-free.  When there was enough light, the new Eye-detect Auto Focus was pretty awesome.  However, it did struggle to acquire focus in pitch black conditions where I had to use flash. I don’t know why mirrorless cameras don’t “see” the Infrared Auto Focus Assist beam from our flashes! Can anyone answer this? That is my ONLY wish for the Z9 is that it could see that AF Assist beam when things are pitch black.  Maybe I needed to switch to a different auto-focus mode.  But I usually ended up just pulling out the trusty D5 for those conditions.

Other than that, the Z9 performed flawlessly! I didn’t want to give it back to Gary that night on my way home. HA!!! And I’m excited to finally have received mine from NPS last week. 🙂

Awards Ceremony at The Ocean Course

Kiawah Island is such an amazing paradise! Whenever I have an assignment out there, I can feel my blood pressure dropping as I drive the scenic road out to the island. Then once I’m on the island, I love slowing down and looking for alligators, egrets, and osprey, which hang out in the many ponds and marshes.

A few weeks ago I had a fantastic time photographing a very special awards banquet at The Ocean Course. Cocktails took place on the back porch, overlooking the historic 18th hole where so many Ryder Cup and PGA moments have taken place. As the beautiful sunset faded into blue hour, everyone moved inside for dinner. Heartfelt speeches were made about each incredibly deserving award recipient. The room was truly filled with warmth and appreciation for their dedication and service!

For smaller events like this, I choose to wield my Nikon D5 + 24-70 f2.8, Nikon D500 + 105 f2.8, and Nikon SB-5000 Speedlights.  Of course the DJI Mavic Pro 2 comes in handy for those hard-to-reach angles!

Kempton Senior Living Facility for Trident Construction

It was a pleasure photographing the Kempton Senior Living Facility for Trident Construction last week!

This was a massive project, right in the middle of a very busy intersection along the cross-town. So I was VERY impressed with how they were able to accomplish the task and make it such a beautiful oasis in the heart of downtown Charleston.

Many thanks to Elizabeth and Nic for all their hard work coordinating schedules and organizing everything for the shoot!