Evans Family on Kiawah Island

A milestone I look forward to at the end of every summer, is the annual SUNRISE PHOTO SHOOT with the delightful Evans Family!!!

We always get together at the end of summer break for a fun family portrait session before they head back north for the kids to start the new school year. They are one of the handful of families we work with who are brave enough to get up before dawn for their portraits.

I know it’s tough for Geraldine & Steve to get their teens out of bed that early. But it’s always such a rewarding experience, and a fun bonding time as we make new memories together!!! 🙂

Paul’s Secret Proposal to Amber at White Point Garden

When Amber & Paul were trying to figure out if they wanted to move to Charleston, one of the places they fell in love with was the picturesque Waterfront Park.

It was the PERFECT spot for Paul to ask Amber to be his wife!!! So he and I hatched a sneaky plan to entice Amber to the dock at the southern tip of the park, where he would pop the big question, and I would capture the amazing moment! 🙂

Arriving at the spot early, I was delighted that the dock was empty, and the lighting was perfect! Spotting Paul as he and Amber walked hand-in-hand down the path towards me, my palms got sweaty and my heart quickened. Would she follow him to our planned spot? Would she spot me sitting there, pretending to read a map? Would a stray tourist walk in front of me and block “the shot”?

All my fears for for naught. Paul expertly guided her to our designated location. Everything worked out beautifully. And Amber said “YES”!!! 🙂

CONGRATULATIONS Amber & Paul! You two are such an AMAZING couple! It was such an honor for me to be a part of this special day with you!!!

To see more of their images, visit:  https://chrisandcami.zenfolio.com/amberandpaul

P.S. Funny side story…my friends and amazing photographers, Valerie & Ed, showed up shortly after the proposal. They had just photographed another couple getting engaged on the other end of the park. Love is in the air! CONGRATULATIONS to their couple as well!!!

Sanders Family on Kiawah Island

In spite of breaking her foot the first day of vacation, Barbara was a real trooper when it came time for their family photos! I met them at The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island where they were vacationing for the week. We had a GORGEOUS evening with beautiful light, mild temperatures, and calm winds. I truly enjoyed getting to know this wonderful family, and capturing these delightful memories for them!!!

Marketing Photos for South Atlantic Bank

This morning I drove to Hilton Head Island, where I set up our wireless portrait studio in the lobby of the South Atlantic Bank. We were shooting marketing material for the new branch down there.

The setup included a 9-ft white seamless Savage Background, 6 SB-800 flashes, 1 SB-5000 flash, 1 Nikkor 70-200 f2.8 VRII, and a Nikon D5. Two SB-800 flashes were placed on either side of the background about 3 feet out to illuminate it and give it that crisp clean high-key look. They were the background lights in Group C. My subjects were positioned about 4 feet from the background. To camera left, about 5 feet in front of them, and several feet off to the side, was a Manfrotto stand holding 2 SB-800 flashes, firing through a 60″ Westcott umbrella. These were the main lights in Group A. Immediately to my right was another stand with 2 SB-800 flashes, also firing through a 60″ Westcott umbrella. These were the fill lights in Group B. Last but not least, the SB-5000 on my camera was controlling all the lights. RadioPoppers were used on each flash to ensure consistent transmission.

We had a great time and came away with a wide variety of fun photos for the marketing team to work with!

Impromptu Modeling Session at Circle M Farm

Last weekend, my good friends Kim and Randy invited a few of their photography friends up to their farm in Manning for a cookout and a night of shooting the Milky Way.

Always looking for an excuse to combine my profession with my passion for motorcycle adventures, I elected to ride my Honda CB500X and camp there for the night.

The ride up there was absolutely beautiful. But nearing night-fall, the skies opened up and we were trapped in the barn under a deluge of POURING rain! As we waited with crossed fingers for the dark clouds to pass, I explored the barn, admiring all the old equipment and aging tools.

Some of the guests had brought their spouses and kids.  Not wanting to waste time, or waste these awesome backdrops, I asked if anyone wanted to pose for an impromptu modeling session!  Luckily I had pulled my bike into the barn, giving me access to all my gear.

Tori and some of the other kids had been running around in the rain, because that’s what you do for entertainment on a farm when you’re a teenager and have nothing else to do!  🙂  She had done some modeling when she was younger, and was delighted to be our muse. I placed a Nikon SB-5000 behind her with a full CTO gel and the diffusion dome in place. It was hanging from a dangling piece of equipment, aimed directly at her back. With the WR-R10 transmitter attached to my Nikon D850, I selected a power output of 1/16. The camera was set to ISO 1000, f2.8, and 1/40th of a second. Mounted on my tripod to prevent camera shake, the slow shutter speed and high ISO was selected to allow the dingy overhead sodium-vapor unit to be my main light. The flash acted as a dramatic background/rim light, making her “pop” off the backdrop. One click confirmed my settings and we were off to the races, waltzing through a variety of poses. Many thanks to Kim for snapping the photo of my excited response when I confirmed that the settings were spot on!

Eventually the rain dissipated and we all headed back out to the lake to set up for a fun evening of night-photography. I headed home the following day…but not before grabbing a drone shot of my AWESOME camp site! Thanks for a great weekend, Kim & Randy!!!

The Riccardi & Canonica Families on Kiawah Island

I was so honored when Tracey contacted us to photograph an updated family portrait for them before the kids went back to school. This year, her cousin Doreen and her family decided to join in on all the fun!

I met up with them at their beautiful home on Kiawah Island. With a storm brewing in the distance, the temperatures were nice and cool. Plus it provided for a really dramatic backdrop with interesting colors and cloud formations out over the ocean.

We had an awesome time and came away with some wonderful family memories!

Reconnecting with Commonwealth Financial Group

It’s hard to believe, but TEN YEARS ago, I was commissioned to photograph a series of lifestyle photos for an ad campaign by a young financial services group called Commonwealth Financial. Check it out here: https://chrisandcami.com/lifestyle-series-2/.

Fast forward to today. I had the distinct honor of photographing updated head-shots for Britt Gilbert, the CEO who hired me for that first shoot 10 years ago, as well as the rest of the team!

It was AMAZING to re-connect after all these years. They are a great group of human beings. I’m so proud of their accomplishments. If you’re in need of any financial services, I highly recommend contacting them!

Attorney Headshots

Crystal has been an attorney for almost as long as I’ve been a photographer! She recently joined the fabulous team at Clawson & Staubes. This morning I had the pleasure of meeting her and photographing her portraits for the website! 🙂

US Grains Council at the Denver Zoo

Last week I had the pleasure of photographing the 58th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting for the US Grains Council in Denver. To celebrate a successful and productive meeting, we had a wonderful and entertaining gala at the Denver Zoo!!!

ABC of the Carolinas

It was out pleasure to welcome and photograph the Associated Builders & Contractors of the Carolinas in Charleston this week!

ABC of the Carolinas held their annual convention and marketing conference here under sunny skies and gorgeous weather. On the first day, my friend and amazing photographer, Gary Coleman, helped me cover the fishing tournament, Redfin Charters. Meanwhile, I covered the golf tournament at the Wild Dunes Harbor Course. On the second day, I photographed the conference, keynote speakers, and convention at the beautiful and picturesque Francis Marion Hotel.

Many thanks to Meredith for the kind referral, and to Pamela for all her hard work organizing the event. It was a pleasure serving this wonderful community of talented and hard-working men and women!

South Atlantic Bank Marketing Campaign

I had another FANTASTIC photo shoot with South Atlantic Bank this week. These guys are always so much fun to work with!!!

I set up a complete high-key studio right in the lobby of the bank. Fortunately it was off-peak hours. So we didn’t have too many interruptions. But it was fun to see the look on people’s faces when they did come in…and see the bank manager and a bunch of employees having fun in front of the camera! 🙂

Shots were made with a Nikon D5 with a Nikkor 70-200. Lighting was provided by 6 SB-800 flashes. Background was a Savage Super White seamless paper. Stands and tripods were all Bogen Manfrotto.