Our good friends and fellow photographers, Bill & Kelli Nixon, stayed at the “C&C; B&B;” last weekend while they were in town shooting a couple weddings. They used to live in Charleston but have gone bi-coastal on us…living in Colorado and jetting into town for assignments every month or so. We miss them!
P.S. I love how Marley is right there at our feet…he ALWAYS thinks he’s the center of attention whenever people are around. š
I had a really neat Portrait Session at The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island the other day. The Sommerville’s were such nice folks, the kids were adorable, and the light that day was simply magical!
Jenna & Amit are a rare couple! During their fun Engagement Shoot downtown, I discovered just how well they fit together, and how full of life they both are. So I know I was going to have a BLAST on their wedding day…which TOTALLY came true!!! š
I caught up with each of them at their respective beach houses. Then we headed over to The Pavilion at Patriots Point. The weather was perfect…light breeze, not too hot, just right! It’s always a pleasure to work with Amanda at Southern Chic Weddings…and today was no different.
The reception was held under the Big Tent. With an exceptional selection of music (way to go Amit), and a guest appearance by the most amazing Billy Joel tribute soloist I’ve ever heard, everyone had a great time. Click Here to check out all the photos.
My heartfelt CONGRATULATIONS to Amit & Jenna!
I FINALLY finished editing our pics from Tanzania. Here’s a new batch…more on my Facebook Page…and the entire 1,900 image gallery at http://chrisandcami.zenfolio.com/tanzania. Enjoy!
A photography club in Northern Maine, The Aroostook F-Stops, made us today’s featured photographer on their website. The really neat part is his wife went to the same school I did in the Congo (DRC) a few year’s before me! How cool is THAT!?! Anyway, we are SO EXCITED to be honored in this way. Check it out at http://www.thearoostookfstops.org/.
Adrienne & Corey are getting married December 12th. So the other day we hooked up downtown to do their Engagement Shoot! It was a FANTASTIC afternoon with the sunlight sifting through the trees and buildings with a magical glow. Adrienne & Corey were fun, easy going, and a gorgeous couple. I CAN’T WAIT to photograph their wedding!!!
Kristin & Eric had a FABULOUS wedding at The Sandcastle on Kiawah Island last week! They live in Winston-Salem, but Kristin spent many fun summers on Kiawah during her younger years. So it was only fitting that she add yet ANOTHER wonderful memory to her collection of “Happy Days at Kiawah”! š
Enjoy the slideshow then Click Here to see the rest of their Online Gallery.
CONGRATULATIONS, Kristin & Eric! You guys were AWESOME to work with!!!
For those who are planning a Wedding Reception, Rehearsal Dinner Party, or Corporate Event in Charleston…and want a more rustic venue to…I HIGHLY recommend looking into The Plantation at Bulow. I photographed the NACE Meeting there this week and captured this image at dusk. It really is a beautiful location!
Something I LOVE about my profession is that no two weeks are alike. One week I might be shooting a beautiful wedding, the next I might be shooting Serena Williams at the Family Circle Cup. This week, I was photographing the school pictures for the Child Development Center at Ashley River Baptist Church. Since I’m truly just a kid at heart anyway, I felt right at home. š
Many of you have asked me how I set up for assignments like these. So here’s a couple shots of this year’s set up. We decided to do an all-white high-key setup this year. To properly do high-key, it’s CRITICAL that you light the background separate from the subject. This allows you to over-expose the background by a stop or so to give it that angelic glow. I have two Alien Bees with umbrellas lighting the white seamless background, and one AB in a large soft box lighting the kids.
Another great tip when working with kids is to always use a remote triggering device. Children are just TOO FAST to try and jump back to the camera to get the shot. Their smiles light up their face for an instant, the next they’re digging for gold or admiring the ceiling tiles. I use a Pocket Wizard, attached to a PW Caddy, strapped to my belt. When I get the reaction I want, a quick tap to my hip transmits the signal to my receiver, which is picked up by the receiving Pocket Wizard, instantly firing the camera.
OK, so I’ve been suffering from a little bit of “Lens Lust” the last few months. I was searching for a smaller, lighter, telephoto for situations where I didn’t nead the hefty Nikon AFS VR 70-200 f2.8. The new Nikon AFS VR 105mm f2.8 Micro fit the bill EXACTLY! As an added bonus, it’s a highly regarded close-up lens. It features a non-rotating front, Internal Focus (IF), Vibration Reduction (VRII), the fast Silent Wave Focusing Motor (SWM), and focuses from infinity to an astounding life-size (1:1) ratio. Best of all, it boasts a high-resolution/high optical performance with Nano Crystal Coat and Extra-low Dispersion (ED) glass elements, which enhance overall image quality by further reducing flare and chromatic aberrations, contributing to improved color, contrast and clarity. This lens recently won the TIPA Award For Best Professional Lens. In a nut shell…this baby is fast, versatile, and sharp…just what the doctor ordered. š
I’ve been looking forward to Josette & Dante’s wedding for a long time! They are such a cool couple…truly into each other…yet so giving of each other to others. Read more about them and see their Engagement Portraits on their wedding website. They live in Charlotte now. But they absolutely LOVE the beauty and grandeur of Summerall Chapel on The Citadel campus, so they decided that’s where they wanted to tie the knot!
I met up with Josette and her entourage at the Holliday Alumni Center. She was STUNNING in her wedding gown! Once everyone was ready we headed over to the courtyard outside the chapel for photos. It was a beautiful day and the lighting was fantastic outside. After Josette left, Dante arrived with his posse. He was looking sharp and ready for some fun. After photos with the guys we all moved inside for the ceremony. I just love how regal the inside of the sanctuary looks in photos…I love shooting weddings here. Afterwards we headed back over to the Alumni Center for an UNBELIEVABLE reception!!!
I just had a great time capturing all the fun flavor of Josette & Dante’s wedding day. Click Here to check out the rest of the photos. CONGRATULATIONS you two!!!
Here’s a “before” shot while I was setting up, taken by my friend Kip Bulwinkle.
Here are a couple shots I took with my lighting setup.
I used my Nikon D2x with the WT-2a attached. This allowed the images to magically pop up on my laptop, allowing everyone to see exactly what I was getting.
Here’s a crude (HA…understatement!) diagram of my setup.
Here’s a quick grab-shot of the scene outside with some of the location shooters.
