Caroline & Erik’s Surprise Proposal on Kiawah Island

There are few moments as electric and intimate as a surprise proposal — Erik’s for Caroline was one of them. Erik and I had been secretly planning for two months, coordinating timing, vantage points, and small details to make the moment feel effortless. He chose the Butterfly Garden at The Sanctuary Resort on Kiawah Island, where they were staying for the weekend, and golden hour wrapped the scene in a warm, honeyed glow.

My camera of choice was the Nikon Z9 — its autofocus speed and high-resolution files let me move between wide environmental shots and close emotional frames without missing a beat. Some moments that stuck with me: the quiet build of anticipation as they wandered through the garden, Erik’s nervous smile just before he knelt, Caroline’s joyful surprise, and the expression on her face after he pointed me out…snapping away from the other corner of the garden!

Afterwards, we had a fun time on an “authentic” engagement session around the property and onto the beach. Golden hour really worked its magic: soft, flattering light filtered through leaves and blooms, giving everything a cinematic, romantic quality. To keep detail in the shadows and make sure her ring and the smiles on their faces read crisply and clearly, I used a Godox AD200 off-camera flash. The flash provided subtle fill and rim light without overpowering the natural mood.

Photographing surprise proposals is about more than gear; it’s about reading people, staying invisible until the right instant, and anticipating the emotion. Two months of planning paid off in a collection of images that feel honest, tender, and timeless.

Please help me CONGRAGULATE Erik and Caroline!!! We wish them all the best as they begin their new journey together…

Bales Family at The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island

I love an adventurous family!!! In spite of the afternoon thunderstorms, the radar indicated there “might” be a break in the showers just long enough for us to get our family beach session in. So I called Tammy and she said “LET’S GO FOR IT!!!” 🙂

I met up with the Bales’ clan at The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island. With ages ranging from 15-21, and potentially serious relationships blossoming, who knows when the next time everyone will be together again? Some will be heading off to college? Others might be starting their own families soon? Maybe one of them decides to travel Europe next summer? You just never know at this age. So it was particularly rewarding to be a part of this wonderful evening, with the proud grandparents surrounded by their lovely daughters, their handome sons-in-law, and all their amazing grandchildren!

The weather was touch-and-go, with dark clouds all around us, and dim lighting conditions to work with. But strategic use of higher iso settings on my Z9, combined with careful use of an off-camera Flashpoint eVolve 200 flash, brought out the gorgeous colors of their outfits, and lit up their beautiful smiles. The photos actually turned out extra dramatic as a result! The best part was, the rains stayed away long enough for us to complete our session. I’m so glad we took Tammy’s advice to go for it!!!

Garman Family Beach Portraits on Kiawah Island

What a SMALL WORLD!!!

Last evening I had the pleasure of photographing beach portraits for the Garman family while they were vacationing on Kiawah Island. The amazing part is they are from Troy, OH…which is where Cami is from!!! In fact, Cami’s family lived on Dorset Rd…which is where one of the Garman daughters and her family lives! I met Cami while she lived in Troy. We were married in Troy. And one of her brothers still lives in Troy. What a cool coincidence to meet up with this beautiful family from “back home”!

The afternoon showers swept through Kiawah earlier that afternoon, cooling things off a bit for us. Plus the beautiful clouds and nice soft light left behind from the storm made for a lovely evening to be on the beach. We could still see the distant lightning lighting up the sky across the ocean as the rain clouds drifted away.

Many thanks to Moxie and her family for bringing back fond memories of Troy for me!!!

Muro Family at Wild Dunes Beach

I’ve been photographing the Muro Family at their annual vacations to Charleston for many years. But each year it seems there’s always someone missing. Whether a family member was studying abroad, traveling, or just sick…it we always seem to be missing someone. But this year, we actually had EVERYONE TOGETHER!!!

It was so much fun catching up with the Muro family. They always treat me like family. And photographing their beach portrait session is always a highlight of my summer!!!

Cyrus Family on Kiawah Island

This was the 7th Year in a row that I’ve had the pleasure of photographing the Cyrus family during their annual vacation to Kiawah Island! Back when we started, little Emma wasn’t even born…and Mason was less than a year old. My have they grown!!! 🙂

We kept to our tradition of meeting at The Ocean Course at sunset. The skies had an etherial haze…apparently from the massive forest fires enveloping Canada this summer! But with the unseasonably mild temperatures, and beautiful warm light, we didn’t complain. It was so much fun to catch up with this beautiful family! We had a BLAST and came away with tons of great shots to commemorate another year…

Darren’s Senior Portraits

I had so much fun photographing Darren’s senior portraits yesterday!

He’s the youngest of three, and a big football star. Between photographing his older sister, Natalie (6 years ago), and his older brother, Daniel (3 years ago), it’s been a real pleasure getting to know this amazing family! Unfortunately, Daniel had to work. But Sheri, Scott, and Natalie joined in the fun, keeping Darren engaged, distracted, and having fun! We started out at White Point Garden for some “Charleston Charm”. Then we headed out to their condo on Isle of Palms for some beach shots and sunset photos.

CONGRATULATIONS Darren!!!

Jessica & Dan’s Surprise Proposal at The Ocean Course

Dan contacted me almost 2 months ago about photographing his Secret Proposal to his girlfriend, Jessica. They are both from Madison, WI, and have been dating for a year and a half now. Dan knew she was the girl of his dreams…and knew that it was time to pop the question!

Dan told me that The Ocean Course on Kiawah Island was a special place for Jessica. So we hashed out the perfect plan for him to surprise her there during an upcoming vacation they had to Charleston. However, when the big day arrived, a huge storm blew through the area, almost derailing our entire plan! With Dan keeping Jessica occupied, his sister-in-law, Brielle, frantically called to try and work out a “Plan B” with me. I was already driving out to Kiawah when the storm hit. It was INTENSE!!! But soon after I arrived at The Ocean Course Clubhouse, it began to subside. And Dan was still game for giving it a try!

I am SO GLAD he persevered…because the skies parted, and the storm moved off-shore just as they pulled into the parking lot. Dan NAILED his part of the deal…leading Jessica to the “X”, which marked the spot, then turning to her to ask if she would be his bride! Brielle and his brother then ran out to congratulate them. And we spent the rest of the evening on a super fun, authentic engagement session. The best part was, the skies opened up beautifully for a gorgeous sunset! WOW!!!

As the sun slipped behind the horizon, everyone headed into The Atlantic Room for a celebratory dinner. CONGRATULATIONS Dan & Jessica! We wish you all the happiness in the world!!!

Hill Family on Hilton Head Island

With Tropical Storm Debby barreling down on us, we weren’t sure we’d be able to get our beach session in. But the Hill Family is an adventurous group!

I had photographed their portraits 4 years ago when they vacationed on Folly Beach. So I was super excited when Dave emailed to ask if I would consider coming to Hilton Head to photograph this year’s updates? It was so cool to see how much the kids had grown! Some of them, I hadn’t even met yet because they weren’t even born then. 🙂

We had an absolute BLAST, catching up, braving the storm (until it sent us scurrying inside), and capturing some fun family memories to commemorate this new chapter in their lives.

Mackenzie Family on Kiawah Island

The last time I photographed the Mackenzie Family was in 2020. Back then, the girls were only knee-high to a grasshopper! I was super excited when they called to let me know they were coming back to Kiawah Island this year and wanted updated family portraits!!!

We met up at The Sanctuary and captured some shots in the Butterfly Garden, which was one of their favorite locations from the last time. We also got a few fun ones in the Enchanted Forest out front of the hotel. Then it was off to the beach, following the winding wooded path. There had been some storm clounds in the area earlier in the afternoon. But our timing worked out perfectly with beautiful skies and gorgeous light from the late afternoon sun!

It was an absolute pleasure to catch up with the Mackenzie family, see how much the girls have grown, and capture these beautiful images for them…

Felder Family on Isle of Palms

Amidst a week of dodgy thunderstorms and opressive heat waves, we lucked out with a GORGEOUS evening for the Felder Family’s annual summer beach portrait session!!!

I have truly enjoyed getting to know this beautiful family. This year, we had a new addition with adorable Anna joining the ranks. She is such a sweetheart! And I loved how she had just dicovered the existance of her tongue…and was happy to show it off to everyone! 🙂 Plus it was a joy to see how much the other kids had grown and developed their own individual personalities.

We had a blast and came away with so many wonderful images to commemorate this year’s fun family reunion.

Massey Family on Kiawah Island

With 29 souls, the Massey Family was a big group. But they were all so much fun to work with!!!

Cindy and Wayne got the whole family together to celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary at The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island this week. It was an absolute honor to photograph their family portraits to commemorate this special gathering for them. We started in the “enchanted forest” area in front of the resort, then progressed to the beach as the golden light of the setting sun arrived. From the posed portraits to the candids of kids having fun…I had an absolute BLAST with the Massey Family!!!

Many thanks to Cindy for organizing everything and making sure everyone stayed in line.  🙂