CTAR Leadership Celebration at The Harbour Club

By promoting the highest standards of Professionalism, Ethics, Education, and Technology, the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors® (CTAR) ensures that the Realtor® members are the primary source for real estate services in the South Carolina Lowcountry. CTAR is dedicated to embracing and enhancing a culture where all Charleston Realtors® feel like they have a seat at the table, a voice in the conversation, and confidence that their voice will be heard. The organization prides itself in having a membership culture where everyone feels safe and respected as both a professional and an individual.

Each year I have the privilege of photographing the CTAR Leadership Celebration. It’s always a fantastic evening, with a festive Christmas atmosphere. Some of the key events throughout the night include the Installation Ceremony of the 2025 CTAR Boards of Directors, the 2024 Realtor of the Year Award, the CTAR Distinguished Service Society Awards, and the official handing of the gavel over to the new incoming president.

Congratulations to all the award winners and inductees. And many thanks to Claire, Autumn, and the entire staff for all their hard work and dedication in making this year’s event another resounding success!!!

Windwood Family Services Annual Fundraiser

It was an absolute pleasure to photograph the Annual Fundraising Gala for Windwood Family Services this week! Not only was it a great event…it was for a fantastic cause!!!

Windwood Family Services provides help, hope, and healing to children and families affected by abuse, neglect, or trauma through residential programs and community services. Windwood Farm serves boys ages 6-16 who have either experienced prior abuse or neglect and are in the custody of SC Department of Social Services…or are experiencing behavioral issues without abuse or neglect in their background and are in their parents custody.

The event was held at beautiful Hotel Emeline in downtown Charleston. Guests were greeted with a fun cocktail hour in the open courtyard, where Silent Auction items were available for browsing and bidding. Everyone was then invited into the gorgeous ballroom for a lovely dinner. Then the program kicked into high gear with guest speakers and a lively Live Auction. It was so heartwarming to see the amount of money that was raised to help fund this wonderful organization.

Many thanks to Mia for trusting me to cover this important event for Windwood Family Services!

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.”

Amerisure Champions Circle

As a full time professional photographer in Charleston, it’s good to have a great network of trusted colleagues in the industry. Often we get multiple requests for assignments on the same day, or requests for assignments that are so big that they require multiple photographers all shooting at once.

My friend Gary at Coleman Photography is one of those trusted shooters that I can always count on when needed. Earlier this week, I had the honor of returning the favor when he asked me to cover an awards banquet for Amerisure while he was on another assignment.

The Amerisure Champions Circle was an awards gala in honor of their top performers. It was held at the beautiful old historic William Aiken House. And it was planned and orchestrated by the amazing team at Destination South. CONGRATULATIONS to all the winners!!!

Incentive Event in Hawaii

Last week I had the opportunity to join an all-star team of amazing photographers to document all the action and adventures of a really neat corporate incentive trip on the island of Maui. While there, we took the opportunity to spend a few extra days driving the famed Road to Hana, hiking in Haleakala National Park, relaxing with Hawaiian green sea turtles on Ho-okipa Beach, and photographing the amazing sunset from the dormant volcano’s picturesque summit.

100th Anniversary of the Edward C Levy Co

Last weekend I had the pleasure of photograhing a milestone celebration. The Edward C Levy Co is 100 years old!!!

“Inspiration and commitment were the driving forces that gave Levy its start in 1918. It’s the technology that we discover, explore, and apply that has earned Levy the reputation as a true innovator in industries around the globe.”

Many thanks to Judi and her team at The Anniversary Company for organizing this fun company picnic to commemorate the occasion.

Trident Medical Center Service Awards

One of my absolute favorite events to photograph each year is the Trident Health Service Awards, rewarding top employees for outstanding service!!!

“One of the greatest assets we have at Trident Health is our talented team of people who carry out our daily mission of creating a caring environment where healing occurs,” said Trident Health Chief Executive Officer Todd Gallati. “Our patients are at the center of everything we do, and outstanding individuals like these are the reason Trident Health continues to rank among the nation’s top performing hospitals.”

I photographed the program with a Nikon D5, a Nikon D850, the “Holy Trinity” of Nikkor lenses, and 10 Nikon Speedlights!

Quest 2018

QUEST is Trident Technical College’s annual academic competition. It is open to Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester public school students in grades 6-12. The competition was developed by TTC to promote academic excellence, provide an academic challenge to students, and recognize top students, teachers and schools.

Approximately 1,100 students participated in this year’s Quest. It was an honor and a pleasure photographing this outstanding event for them. I’d like to say a big Thank You to my friend and colleague, Mic Smith, for kindly recommending me!

Student Transportation Inc at Francis Marion Hotel

I had the pleasure of photographing this AMAZING event at the Francis Marion Hotel for a wonderful organization named Student Transportation Inc.

Unlike some of the other school bus services around the country, these guys really care about the safety of their kids! One of the ways I know that, is by the mere fact that they have this fantastic Awards Banquet to honor their top drivers! These folks are true heroes!!! We’re talking records like “driving for 30 years without a single preventable accident” or “never ever ever having missed a day of work to drive their appointed route”.

It was a humbling experience being a part of this incredible occasion. I salute all the award recipients! And I want to send a HUGE shout out to the amazing folks at Student Transportation Inc. Keep up the great work!!!

Aleris at Palmetto Bluff for Zielenbach Photography

It was an honor and a pleasure to help cover the Aleris event at Palmetto Bluff a few days ago for my good friend Tim Zeilenbach!  It was an AMAZING evening, filled with good food, good laughter, and good friends.

Export Exchange Conference in Detroit

Nearly 200 international buyers and end-users came together in Detroit last week, eager to meet and build relationships with more than 300 domestic suppliers in attendance over three days of educational sessions and networking opportunities.

Held every two years by USGC and RFA, Export Exchange is the nation’s premier international trade conference focused on the export of U.S. coarse grains and co-products. This record-breaking event in 2014 attracted buying teams from 33 countries, including all of the top U.S. international grain markets.

As voices for U.S. farmers and agribusinesses – and trusted ambassadors for free and fair trade with customers around the world – the U.S. Grains Council and the Renewable Fuels Association were excited to host this event to help expand established export markets and establish new markets.

It was my pleasure to be the official photographer again for this amazing event!!!