Category: Uncategorized

I used to HATE going to the dentist. Now I don’t mind it so much! 🙂 Since switching to Hilton Dental, I’ve been treated with the utmost respect by Dr. Hilton, given top notch care by his staff, and experienced a quality of service that far exceeds any other health care I’ve ever received. As we’ve gotten to know each other over the years, I now look at my dentist as a friend rather than a tyrant (HA!) He uses modern technology and refined techniques to do a thorough job WITHOUT leaving me bleeding. I LIKE THAT! My teeth have never looked healthier. It’s nice to have friends in strategic places! This was a staff portrait I did for their office this week. Thanks for the great service, guys!

Last night Christopher Teves (respected local guitarist) & Tacy Edwards (acclaimed local flutist) invited me to attend the Release Party of their new CD! Last year they had seen the cover I photographed for country music star Paul Parr’s “Family Tree” album, and had hired me to photograph some images for THEIR new album. Chris & Tacy are true artists and ambassador’s of their craft. So it was an honor to be invited and to be recognized for my tiny contribution to their new CD. Check out their website at http://www.classicallycharleston.com/ and order your copy of the “The Water is Wide” while you’re at it!

You would not BELIEVE the background checks and security clearance I had to go through to get this job. But I had the privilege of covering the National Governor’s Association this week. It was very interesting and I got to meet a lot of powerful people. (I was secretly hoping Arnold Schwarzenegger would be there, but he couldn’t make it.) This is a shot of Governor Mark Sanford with his son, enjoying the huge fish tank at the South Carolina Aquarium. I don’t know why as a society we single out celebrities and put them on such a high pedestal? Deep down, they’re just people too. They deserve all the same courtesy, privacy, and respect that you and I take for granted every day. Instead of mobbing him like the rest of the paparazzi, I just quietly approached him like a regular guy. The Governor was kind, friendly, approachable…and had a great time showing his son all the wonders of the aquatic world while I clicked away!

I had a GREAT TIME at Anna & Jared’s wedding this weekend. They both have so much enthusiasm and charisma! I remember sitting down with them last year and talking about all their plans for the “big day”. Anna mentioned that she really liked the unique perspective of a special lens she had seen another photographer use…The Fisheye. I did not own a Fisheye at the time. I guess I just sort of thought it wasn’t a “real” lens, just a gimmick. And at $650, an EXPENSIVE gimmick at that! But we truly aim to please – so after they left I immediately ordered Nikon’s famous 10.5mm Fisheye. Over the next year as I started practicing with this new lens, I realized it was the KEY to a whole NEW way of looking at the world. Now it’s one of my favorite lenses for fun candid shots like this one! Thanks, Anna!!! 🙂

I know it seems like I’ve been shooting a lot of editorial work recently. It’s a challenge I thoroughly enjoy. This was another Charleston Magazine shoot about remodeled carriage houses. This particular shot is from the historic Edmonston-Alston House at 21 East Battery. Mindy Crawford, the caretaker, was very helpful and told me all kinds of amazing details about the property. This carriage house has been fully remodeled into a beautiful B&B.; Another one I shot had been converted to an indoor swimming pool. It simply BLEW ME AWAY how much money had been invested in these old carriage houses! I guess if you have it you might as well spend it. How does that song go? “If I had a million dollars…I’d be rich!”

After winning our State Championships last month, the local tennis team I play on competed against the best teams from all the other states in our section. The prize included bragging rights…and a chance to compete in the National Championships being held in Hawaii later this year! That’s me on the right and my doubles partner, Dan, in the red hat. Many thanks to Dan’s friend, George Ellin (an excellent photographer as well) for taking a few shots of our match. Our team did fairly well until the 100+ degree heat got to us on the 3rd day. One of our teammates got so dehydrated he had to be taken to the hospital after his match for an IV injection! Needless to say, we didn’t win the tournament. Still, we had a great time competing and playing the game we love.

Elizabeth & Andy’s wedding this weekend was SUCH A BLAST! They are such a fun couple and just wonderful to be around. Several weeks before the wedding, Elizabeth & I went down to Waterfront Park to photograph her Bridal Portrait. I always encourage brides to make these portraits unique and meaningful to them. Since she’s such a perfect “southern lady”, I thought it was fitting that she selected this beautiful park with it’s historic views of the harbor. I always like to work during MAGIC HOUR…that last hour of light before sunset. I had already created over a hundred images in different corners of the park, and was about to wrap it up as the day turned to dusk. But when we turned to leave, THERE in front of us was this GORGEOUS scene with the moon rising over Charleston Bay in the waining light of day. Immediately, we re-grouped, re-posed, and created a handful of TRULY unique images before the twilight slipped away! Now THAT’S what I call serendipity!!!

Jan Clouse, owner of Carolina Lanterns, has been one of my favorite clients over the years. I get to photograph their company Christmas Card each year, periodic shots of Jan for press releases, and of course images of their unique products. Although they offer a wide range of items for the home, the company is MOST known for their famous gas lanterns. They come in all shapes and sizes. But as we drove to a home for a shoot one summer evening, Jan told me she can ALWAYS spot one of THEIR lanterns out of all the “copycats” by the unique shape of the FLAME! Isn’t that cool?!? Check out more of my images on their website. And stop in their showroom to see posters of my images on their walls. When you do, give Jan a hug and tell the gang I said “Hello”.

While on a recent shoot for Charleston Magazine covering a story about a Seabrook Garden and it’s Gardner, I happened upon this dragonfly. I barely had time to squeeze off a couple frames before it flew away. So I didn’t really appreciate it at the time. But later, while editing the images, I was BLOWN AWAY at the delicate beauty of this creature. Check out those wings – they are fully transparent! Did you know each one of its four wings operates independently? Dragonflies have been around for some 200 Million years. The larvae is actually an aquatic creature, which emerges from the water at the end of this cycle. After splitting it’s last larval skin, it emerges as the insect we are familiar with. The wings expand and must cure for several hours before the dragonfly takes off on it’s maiden flight. Pretty amazing, huh?!?

OK, I never kissed the Blarney Stone, and I didn’t inherit the gift of eloquence from my mother…so this isn’t a true “ode”. However, my youngest brother, Eric, and his wife, Martha, left this week for a new job in Uganda. (Yes, this is their Halloween photo – he doesn’t really smoke and she isn’t really related to Joan Baez.) Anyway, they’ll be working for the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee on a two year renewable contract toward the relief, development, and education of the people in and around Arua, Uganda. So I wanted to wish them well and let everyone know about their new blog. I understand Internet service is sketchy in that part of Africa. But they’ll be doing their best to journal about their journey. So check it out at www.ericnmarthasmith.blogspot.com.

One of the BEST parts about living in Charleston is all it’s historic charm! I was hired to photograph a recognition banquet for Verizon Wireless where they were honoring all their top sales people from across the country! It was an all-expense paid trip for them, culminating in this fantastic banquet at the end of their stay. The banquet was held at The Old Exchange Building, considered to be one of the three most historically significant Colonial buildings in the United States! The attendees were all in awe of our great city, it’s hospitality, and it’s history. This is a shot of their event coordinator with one of the hostesses all dressed in period attire. What a privilege it was to capture all the details and to preserve this moment of recognition for each of them!

Often referred to as “The Beautiful Game”, soccer (or football, if you’re from anywhere other than the US) is the world’s most popular sport. It’s no wonder since all you need to strike up a game is a ball and two poles to form a goal. You don’t need all the football pads, lacrosse sticks, or leather mitts that other sports require. So even in underdeveloped countries, like the Congo where I grew up playing, the local schools can afford to field a team. We used to play barefoot. In fact, in a pinch we didn’t even need a ball…we just wrapped a bunch of plastic bags with string and made our own ball. I went on to play college soccer. But too many injuries forced me to move tennis (a less than full-contact sport) up on my priority list. Now, with the World Cup starting later this month, my attention drifts back to this great sport. I’ve photographed world class players like Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain, and Julie Foudy. This is a shot taken for the Charleston Sports Insider from a recent game where our hometown team, the Charleston Battery, took on the Rochester Rhinos.