Kelsey & Evan’s Wedding at Alhambra Hall

Last weekend, I had the incredible pleasure of photographing Kelsey and Evan’s stunning wedding at Alhambra Hall in picturesque Mt. Pleasant, SC. It was a day filled with love, laughter, and unforgettable moments against the backdrop of Charleston’s cityscape across the harbor.

Kelsey was absolutely gorgeous in her exquisite gown. If you haven’t already, check out the beautiful portraits from her Bridal Shoot here: https://chrisandcami.com/kelseys-bridal-portraits-at-waterfront-park/. After her mom and maid of honor helped get her ready, Kelsey had a private First Look with her dad, and her step-dad…followed by a fun “reveal” to the rest of her bridesmaids. Evan looked quite dashing in his suit classic navy suit as well.

Their love and excitement were palpable throughout the day, from the tender moments during the ceremony to the lively celebration with family and friends during the reception.  As a wedding photographer, my goal is always to not only document the events of the day but to also capture the emotions and atmosphere that make each wedding unique. Kelsey and Evan’s wedding was a photographer’s dream, with plenty of candid moments and genuine expressions that truly reflected their love story.

One of the highlights was photographing the couple during sunset. Hidden behind low-hanging clouds for much of the afternoon, the fiery sun revealed itself for a brief moment through a sliver in the sky just as it hit the horizon near the famous Arthur Ravenel Bridge. This creating a dramatic backdrop for their final portraits before the party kicked into top gear.

The reception was an absolute BLAST!!!  From their grand entrance to the heartfelt toasts, from the anniversary dance to the bouquet toss, from the cake cutting to the final sparkler exit…it was an absolute joy to witness Kelsey & Evan’s excitement as they danced and celebrated this milestone surrounded by their loved ones.

I’m grateful to have been a part of Kelsey and Evan’s special day. It’s weddings like theirs that remind me why I love what I do—capturing true love, eternal joy, and new beginnings.

Congratulations Kelsey & Evan! We wish you all the happiness in the world as you begin your new journey together as husband and wife!!!

National Ethanol Conference – San Diego (Day 3)

The National Ethanol Conference (NEC) is the most widely attended executive-level conference for the ethanol industry. With numerous networking opportunities, more business meetings are conducted and contacts made at this conference than at any other ethanol event in the world. Past events have welcomed industry leaders from across the United States and 20 other countries. Since 1996, the Renewable Fuels Association’s NEC has been recognized as the ethanol conference for the latest trends, most timely information, as well as all the legislative and regulatory issues facing the industry.

This year’s meeting was held at the beautiful Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel. Day one had me covering a pump promotion with Pearson Fuesls, staff headshots, a women’s leadership reception, the PAC Auction, and a welcome reception. Day two found me photographing more headshots, the general session, keynote presentation by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, a state of the industry report by President and CEO Geoff Cooper, and a networking reception. Day three included final staff headshots, various panel discussions, and a keynote address from Chief Agricultural Negotiator Ambassador Doug McKalip.

It has been my pleasure to work with the RFA over the last few years, capturing all the important highlights, marketing promotions, keynote speakers, staff headshots, team photos and every detail of this important annual event!

National Ethanol Conference – San Diego (Day 2)

The National Ethanol Conference (NEC) is the most widely attended executive-level conference for the ethanol industry. With numerous networking opportunities, more business meetings are conducted and contacts made at this conference than at any other ethanol event in the world. Past events have welcomed industry leaders from across the United States and 20 other countries. Since 1996, the Renewable Fuels Association’s NEC has been recognized as the ethanol conference for the latest trends, most timely information, as well as all the legislative and regulatory issues facing the industry.

This year’s meeting was held at the beautiful Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel. Day one had me covering a pump promotion with Pearson Fuesls, staff headshots, a women’s leadership reception, the PAC Auction, and a welcome reception. Day two found me photographing more headshots, the general session, keynote presentation by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, a state of the industry report by President and CEO Geoff Cooper, and a networking reception. Day three included final staff headshots, various panel discussions, and a keynote address from Chief Agricultural Negotiator Ambassador Doug McKalip.

It has been my pleasure to work with the RFA over the last few years, capturing all the important highlights, marketing promotions, keynote speakers, staff headshots, team photos and every detail of this important annual event!

National Ethanol Conference – San Diego (Day 1)

The National Ethanol Conference (NEC) is the most widely attended executive-level conference for the ethanol industry. With numerous networking opportunities, more business meetings are conducted and contacts made at this conference than at any other ethanol event in the world. Past events have welcomed industry leaders from across the United States and 20 other countries. Since 1996, the Renewable Fuels Association’s NEC has been recognized as the ethanol conference for the latest trends, most timely information, as well as all the legislative and regulatory issues facing the industry.

This year’s meeting was held at the beautiful Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel. Day one had me covering a pump promotion with Pearson Fuesls, staff headshots, a women’s leadership reception, the PAC Auction, and a welcome reception. Day two found me photographing more headshots, the general session, keynote presentation by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, a state of the industry report by President and CEO Geoff Cooper, and a networking reception. Day three included final staff headshots, various panel discussions, and a keynote address from Chief Agricultural Negotiator Ambassador Doug McKalip.

It has been my pleasure to work with the RFA over the last few years, capturing all the important highlights, marketing promotions, keynote speakers, staff headshots, team photos and every detail of this important annual event!

Iowa Corn Director Alumni Banquet

Before leaving Des Moines, I had one more fantastic event to cover!

It was an absolute pleasure to photograph the Iowa Corn Director Alumni Banquet at the Hilton Garden Inn. I’ve come to know a lot of the attendees through my coverage of various events involving the farming community…many of them I consider friends. It was wonderful to catch up with some of those friends like Julius, Maurice, Pam, Mark, and many others I haven’t seen in several years! But more importantly, it was such a joy to be there to capture Julie Kirby’s retirement roast at the end of the banquet. She has been with Iowa Corn for 39 years!!! Congratulations on an amazing career, Julie!

After a day of photographing the NASCAR Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol, a second day of photographing promotional photos at Paige & Joe’s corn farm, and this third day of photographing the Director Alumni Event, I have to say that Iowa Corn farmers are some of the nicest people on the planet!!! I was happy to be heading home, but sad to be saying goodbye to so many friends, new and old.

NASCAR Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol

Last weekend I had the honor and privilege of photographing the inaugural NASCAR Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol at the Iowa Speedway on behalf of the title sponsor, Iowa Corn!!!

The Iowa Corn 350 (currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol) is a NASCAR Cup Series stock car race held at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa. It was NASCAR Cup Series’ first race at Iowa Speedway and first race in the state of Iowa. The Iowa Speedway is a 7⁄8-mile (1.4 km) oval short track featuring 10 degrees of banking in the frontstretch, four degrees in the backstretch, and a progressive banking system utilized from 12 to 14 degrees in the turns. It’s known as “The fastest short-track on the planet.”

After struggling earlier this year, Ryan Blaney in car #12 took home the trophy!!! Grabbing the lead on crew chief Jonathan Hassler’s two-tire call under the final caution of Sunday night’s Iowa Corn 350, Blaney led the final 88 laps of the inaugural Cup race at the 0.875-mile Iowa Speedway. In front of a large contingent of family and friends, the reigning series champion crossed the finish line 0.716 seconds ahead of runner-up William Byron, who was racing on four new tires after a pit stop under caution for Chris Buescher’s accident on Lap 260. The victory was Blaney’s first of the season and the 11th of his career. Blaney now has won at Iowa Speedway in all three NASCAR national series, having also triumphed in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2012 and the Xfinity Series in 2015.

Not only was this the first NASCAR Cup race at the Iowa Speedway, and Iowa Corn’s first year as title sponsor…it was also my first time photographing a NASCAR motorsport. I did my research, and was happy with the results. Yes, there were areas I could have been more efficient or come away with a better shot or two. But I’m pretty pleased with what I was able to capture, having never even been to a race like this!

It was a grueling day. I woke up in Charleston at 4:00 am to catch my 5:50 am flight to Des Moines. I landed at 10:30 am, picked up my rental car, and drove directly to the speedway. I started shooting at 12:00 noon and didn’t stup until 9:30 pm (minus a 30-minute break in the media center where I managed to grab a quick bite to eat and get re-hydrated. By the time I had packed up and fought the traffic back to my hotel, it was 11:30 pm. But it was 12:30 am before I had gotten all the images imported, backed up, and my head hit the pillow!

5 hours of sleep the night before
9 hours of non-stop shooting
30 pounds of camera gear carried
3,284 photos captured
20,665 steps walked

* All images captured with Nikon Z9 (x2), Nikkor 14-30Z f4, Nikkor 24-120 Z f4, Nikkor 70-200 Z f2.8 (frequently with TC1.4Z attached for a 100-300 f4 effective focal length), Nikkor 400 Z f4.5, DJI Mini 3 Pro, Sony XQD cards, and ThinkTank Speedbelt.

MUSC Doctor of Surgery Graduation Gala

It was an absolute pleasure photographing the annual Graduation Gala for the esteemed Medical Universary of South Carolina newest surgeons! This was my second year covering this amazing event.  And I’m so glad I got to be a part of it!

Many thanks to Diana for hiring me, and for sharing these kind words with me after she received the photos:
“Thank you so much!! You were great and everyone raved about you from the event. I couldn’t be more pleased with your services and the beautiful photos.”

PNC Bank Elite Awards Banquet – Westin Savannah Harbor Resort

It was an absolute pleasure photographing the PNC Elite Awards Banquet at the Westin Savannah Harbor Resort earlier this week!

Because all the Elite Awards Winners were going to be receiving complimentary headshots during cocktail hour, my good friend and amazing photographer, Jason, joined me so we could double the pace. We set up two identical shooting stations on either side of a Savage Studio Gray backdrop. This allowed us two have two shooting stations going full tilt so we could get everyone photographed before the awards banquet began.

Once everyone had gotten their portraits made, Jason and I quickly repurposed several of the off-camera speedlights to use as spot-lights on the stage. As each award winner was called up, I photographed the formal shot of them receiving the award, while Jason coverd the podium and candids of the crowd cheering and clapping for their friends. It was a fun and exciting night!

Many thanks to Laura at KLH Group, as well as Margeaux & Danielle at PNC Bank, for trusting us with this assignment and keeping everything organized.

Monday After the Masters with Hootie & the Blowfish

What started out as a small get together to raise money for charity in 1994, has evolved into one of the top Celebrity Pro-Ams in the country. Thanks to the commitment of Hootie & the Blowfish, the MAM has generated millions of dollars for children’s educational programs and the South Carolina junior golf program. Darius, Dean, Mark and Soni remain true to their philanthropic roots in hosting this one-of-a-kind event.

It was an absolute pleasure being invited to be part of the photography team covering Monday After the Masters this year!

TASOK Reunion Tampa – Hosted by Class of ’84 & ’85

The TASOK Reunion in Tampa, hosted by class of ’84 and ’85, was an absolute BLAST!!!! We had so much fun hanging out, catching up on old times, and creating new memories together. Many thanks to Jennifer Ross, Alicia Neely, Liat Zohar, Christine Onyango, Grace Xavier and everyone who helped make this weekend possible. Also, a special shout-out to the spouses who attended…we know it’s not easy! The food was AMAZING…chicken mwamba, fufu, sakasaka, samosas, and so much more! The live music was fabulous! The Zairian cloth was so cool! The zoom call with those who couldn’t attend in person was really neat! The accomodations were perfect! It truly was special weekend, reconnecting with “our tribe”.

Here are a few photos to commemorate the occasion. I tried tagging as many folks as I could. I’m going to apologize in advance because I’m SURE I tagged the beautiful Bleske twins backwards in a lot of them…HA! If the organizing committee could please tag whoever I forgot (and correct any errors), that would be great.

Until the next one…TASOK OYE!!!!

Chelsea & Trey’s Wedding at Pametto Dunes Resort

As a photographer, every wedding tells a unique story, and Chelsea and Trey’s special day at Palmetto Dunes Resort on Hilton Head Island was no exception. Despite unexpected rain showers challenging their plans for a beach ceremony, their love shone brighter than the sun, creating unforgettable memories against the stunning backdrop of this coastal paradise.

The day began with an air of anticipation as Chelsea prepared for her big moment at the Windsor Place condos. The excitement in the air was palpable, with laughter and joy filling the room. Meanwhile, Trey, no doubt equally eager and nervous, awaited the moment he would see his bride. The beautiful couple met in the private garden for their First Look, exchanging some personal vows they had written for one another. Just as they finished this touching moment, family began to arrive for some fun group portraits!

Although they had hoped for a beach wedding with sand under their feet, and blue skies above…Mother Nature had other plans. As raindrops fell, the dream of exchanging vows on the sandy shores seemed to drift away. But Chelsea and Trey weren’t about to let a little rain dampen their spirits. With grace and flexibility, they embraced the change, moving their ceremony to the exquisite Centre Court Pavilion, a setting just as enchanting as the beach itself. Against the backdrop of an elegant arbor, draped in white linens and palmetto greens, Chelsea and Trey exchanged heartfelt vows, surrounded by their closest friends and family. The love and warmth that filled the air were a testament to the deep bond shared between the couple and their loved ones.

Following the ceremony, dinner, and a warm toast by the father of the bride…the skies cleared and the sun made a triumphant appearance! I had the privilege of capturing some breathtaking portraits of Chelsea and Trey in the surrounding woodlands and trails. The golden hour bathed them in a warm, ethereal glow, lending an extra touch of magic to their already radiant smiles.

The magic didn’t stop there. As evening descended, the celebration kicked into high gear, marking the beginning of a joyous evening ahead. After their First Dance, and parent dances, just when we thought the day couldn’t get any more enchanting, Chelsea’s family from Jordan took center stage, leading everyone in lively Middle Eastern dances that brought the house down. It was a beautiful fusion of cultures and traditions, a testament to the power of love to unite people from all walks of life. As I watched Chelsea and Trey twirl and laugh, surrounded by their loved ones, I couldn’t help but feel grateful to be a part of such a special moment.

In the end, Chelsea and Trey’s wedding at Palmetto Dunes Resort was a reminder that love is not just about perfect moments, but about embracing the unexpected twists and turns that life throws our way. As their photographer, I was honored to capture each and every precious moment, preserving their love story for generations to come.

Please help me send a huge CONGRATULATIONS to Chelse & Trey as they begin this new journey together!!!

Realtors of Distinction

It was an absolute honor photographing the Realtors of Distinction Awards Banquet for the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors!

The Realtors of Distinction award recognizes the top 10% of producing Charleston Realtors with 1 or more transactions who apply for the award, complete additional education requirements in the award year, and adhere to the REALTOR®️ Code of Ethics & LLR regulations.

CONGRATULATIONS to all the winners!!! And many thanks to Claire and Gary for inviting me to capture this amazing event!