A Day in the Life of Charleston County Schools

I had the pleasure of photographing a day-in-the-life of the Charleston County School District (CCSD). It was one of the most rewarding projects I’ve worked on this year! As a Charleston-based photographer with over 25 years’ experience, I’m used to capturing moments across industries. But documenting learning, curiosity, and joy in CCSD’s classrooms felt especially meaningful. CCSD — a nationally accredited district serving roughly 50,000 students across 88 schools over 1,300 coastal square miles — offers a remarkable blend of urban, suburban, and rural communities. That unique diversity came through in every frame!

My assignments included candid portraits of students engaged in hands-on science experiments, collaborative small-group work, art lessons, extracurricular activities, and teachers guiding discovery with contagious enthusiasm. I aimed to capture authentic moments that communicate the district’s commitment to equitable, high-quality education and the vibrant programs they offer. Working with the students and staff was effortless; their openness and energy made it easy to create playful, photojournalistic images, perfect for promotional use.

Beyond the technical work, I appreciated the opportunity to support CCSD’s marketing goals by producing visuals that tell their story: energetic classrooms, supportive teachers, and students thriving academically and socially. I’m grateful for the district’s trust and for the chance to shine a light on the people and programs making a real difference in our community. I look forward to sharing the final images and collaborating on future projects that celebrate Charleston’s educators. If you’re with an organization seeking authentic and engagine imagery, I’d love to connect and discuss.

Lincoln’s Bat Mitzvah

Congregation Emanu-El (and many other synagogues) restricts photos during Mitzvah ceremonies primarily to maintain focus, reverence, and sanctity of the religious service. It’s a way of preventing distractions for the family, clergy, and community…and ensuring the Bat Mizvah feels present. For these reasons, most congregagions allow dedicated photo sessions before the service for professional photos.

With Lincoln’s Mitzvah coming up this weekend, I joined her and her family on Friday evening for one of these photo sessions. We met at Emanu-El, where the beautiful campus offers tons of great spots for family portraits, as well as portraits of Lincoln in her elegant black dress. As the sun began to set, we went inside to meet up with Rabbi Ravski, who graciously gave us access to the sanctuary where I could get shots of Lincoln while she practiced her speach and read from the Torah.

It was a lot of fun getting to know Lincoln and her family! It was an honor capturing these special moments for them. And I can’t wait to finish editing and sharing the photos from her party on Saturday!!! 🙂

Stovall Family on Daniel Island

Capturing family moments is always a joy! I had the pleasure of photographing the Stovall Family this week at their stunning home overlooking the marsh on Daniel Island. It had been 8 years since they had family portraits done. But this year was special since their daughter is a rising high-school senior, and they wanted some senior portraits for her. The picturesque setting provided the perfect backdrop for this memorable session, creating a serene atmosphere that showcased the family’s love and connection.

Using my Nikon Z9 paired with the versatile Nikkor Z 24-120 f4 lens allowed me to capture the beautiful details and emotions during our time together. The natural light streaming through the trees was complemented by my Godox AD200 flashe, ensuring every shot was perfectly lit. I utilized a Glow EZ Lock Softbox to soften the light, creating a flattering and warm ambiance that highlighted their amazing smiles.

Throughout the session, we shared laughter and stories, making the experience not just about photography but about celebrating the family bonds. The Stovall Family’s warmth and enthusiasm were contagious, making it a truly enjoyable shoot for me, and making me feel like part of the family. I even kicked the soccer ball around with the boys while we waited for their daughter to change!

I’m grateful for the opportunity to create lasting memories for the Stovalls in such a breathtaking location…preserving these special moments for years to come!

Gracie’s Senior Portraits at Hampton Park

When my friend Melissa reached out to ask if I would photograph her cousin’s Senior Portraits, I said ABSOLUTELY!!! We’ve known Melissa since the early days when we first moved back to Charleston. She and Cami used to work together at Picture This One Hour Photo and Dennis Munn Photography! Who remembers where THAT was?!? Fast forward and here we are, still connected after all these years. 🙂

I met up with Melissa, Gracie, and her sister at Hampton Park on a beautiful summer evening. Gracie was an absolute joy to work with! It was fun to tap into her energy, excitement, and sense of adventure. Plus it didn’t hurt that she was absolutely gorgeous!!! We moved quickly, and managed to explore the whole park, while still switching into three different outfits. What a pleasure it was to catch up with Melissa, and photograph these beautiful memories of this special time in Gracie’s life!

Everyone say CONGRATULATIONS to Gracie!!! We wish her all the best as she embarks on this next big adventure in life…

Bales Family at The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island

I love an adventurous family!!! In spite of the afternoon thunderstorms, the radar indicated there “might” be a break in the showers just long enough for us to get our family beach session in. So I called Tammy and she said “LET’S GO FOR IT!!!” 🙂

I met up with the Bales’ clan at The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island. With ages ranging from 15-21, and potentially serious relationships blossoming, who knows when the next time everyone will be together again? Some will be heading off to college? Others might be starting their own families soon? Maybe one of them decides to travel Europe next summer? You just never know at this age. So it was particularly rewarding to be a part of this wonderful evening, with the proud grandparents surrounded by their lovely daughters, their handome sons-in-law, and all their amazing grandchildren!

The weather was touch-and-go, with dark clouds all around us, and dim lighting conditions to work with. But strategic use of higher iso settings on my Z9, combined with careful use of an off-camera Flashpoint eVolve 200 flash, brought out the gorgeous colors of their outfits, and lit up their beautiful smiles. The photos actually turned out extra dramatic as a result! The best part was, the rains stayed away long enough for us to complete our session. I’m so glad we took Tammy’s advice to go for it!!!

Garman Family Beach Portraits on Kiawah Island

What a SMALL WORLD!!!

Last evening I had the pleasure of photographing beach portraits for the Garman family while they were vacationing on Kiawah Island. The amazing part is they are from Troy, OH…which is where Cami is from!!! In fact, Cami’s family lived on Dorset Rd…which is where one of the Garman daughters and her family lives! I met Cami while she lived in Troy. We were married in Troy. And one of her brothers still lives in Troy. What a cool coincidence to meet up with this beautiful family from “back home”!

The afternoon showers swept through Kiawah earlier that afternoon, cooling things off a bit for us. Plus the beautiful clouds and nice soft light left behind from the storm made for a lovely evening to be on the beach. We could still see the distant lightning lighting up the sky across the ocean as the rain clouds drifted away.

Many thanks to Moxie and her family for bringing back fond memories of Troy for me!!!

Eva’s Bat Mitzvah Portraits

In a few short months, I’ll have the honor of photographing Eva’s bat mitzvah!!!

Bat mitzvah is Hebrew for “daughter of commandment.” When a Jewish girl turns 12, she has all the rights and obligations of a Jewish adult, including the commandments of the Torah. From that date forward, she takes her place in the Jewish community. This milestone in her life, called a bat mitzvah, is often celebrated with creative projects, meaningful gatherings, a special ceremony and of course a joyous celebration afterwards!

To help commemorate this special chapter in Eva’s life, her beautiful family joined her for a fun photo session at Hampton Park. She’ll be able to use these photos in her announcement cards for her celebration later this year. But more importantly, the whole family will have these wonderful memories preserved for all eternity, as Eva grows from this amazing girl she is today into the even more incredible woman she will become!!!

Muro Family at Wild Dunes Beach

I’ve been photographing the Muro Family at their annual vacations to Charleston for many years. But each year it seems there’s always someone missing. Whether a family member was studying abroad, traveling, or just sick…it we always seem to be missing someone. But this year, we actually had EVERYONE TOGETHER!!!

It was so much fun catching up with the Muro family. They always treat me like family. And photographing their beach portrait session is always a highlight of my summer!!!

Katie’s Senior Portraits

Katie and her family were down here on vacation from Ohio. And she wanted some senior portraits that were “different” from all her friends. So we met up downtown and walked around the French Quarter, capturing a variety of cool shots of her with some Charleston cityscapes. The following day, I met up with her and her family at Magnolia Plantation for a little more of the “plantation feel” in her photos. Katie is a big photo-buff. So it was fun capturing her with her camera, and sharing a few photography tips as we walked around the beautiful property.

CONGRATULATIONS Katie! We wish you all the best as you embark on this new chapter in your life!!!

Cyrus Family on Kiawah Island

This was the 7th Year in a row that I’ve had the pleasure of photographing the Cyrus family during their annual vacation to Kiawah Island! Back when we started, little Emma wasn’t even born…and Mason was less than a year old. My have they grown!!! 🙂

We kept to our tradition of meeting at The Ocean Course at sunset. The skies had an etherial haze…apparently from the massive forest fires enveloping Canada this summer! But with the unseasonably mild temperatures, and beautiful warm light, we didn’t complain. It was so much fun to catch up with this beautiful family! We had a BLAST and came away with tons of great shots to commemorate another year…

Sophia’s Senior Portraits

I had a lovely conversation with Sophia’s mom, who was looking for some fun family photos, as well as senior portratis of her oldest daughter before she headed off to college. We decided to meet at Waterfront Park downtown, exploring the surrounding French Quarter and nearby Rainbow Row. The previous day’s rain had cooled things off nicely. So we ended up with a PERFECT day!!!

Sophia was absolutely stunning! Plus she was on the cheer team. So she was adventurous enough to handle all kinds of fun poses with ease. My favorite is the one from the drone, with her laying down on the cobblestone surface of Middle Atlantic Wharf. Her three sisters were a ton of fun as well. And I could tell Jen and Nick were incredibly proud of all their girls!

CONGRATULATIONS Sophia!!! We wish you all the best as you embark on this new chapter in your life…

Reeves Family Triplets Bar Matzvah

Capturing a Bar Mitzvah for triplets is a truly unique experience. Photographing this big day for Charlie, Evan, and Ray was no exception!

The day began with an intimate and meaningful service at the Synagogue Emanu-El, where each of the boys took part in the traditional readings. They all did an amazing job. It was clear how proud their parents were. The synagogue also providid a great setting for a number of individual and family portraits!

Afterward, we headed to the Daniel Island Country Club, where the celebration continued in grand style. The space was transformed into a vibrant, high-energy venue, thanks to the amazing work of Sha Sha from Loluma. She truly outdid herself with the details, from the fun photo booth to the kid’s lounge, and the bright, colorful decorations that reflected the boys’ personalities. Throughout the evening, DJ Neezy kept the party rockin’ and kept the energy flowing!

As an event photographer, it’s always a pleasure to capture moments of joy, laughter, and excitement—and there was no shortage of those at the Reeves Family Bar Mitzvah! Whether it was the kids playing games, candid shots of everyone dancing, the triplets being raised up during the Hora, family and friends sharing a laugh with each other, or the beautiful family portraits…this event was full of memories that will last a lifetime. This day was a true celebration of family, tradition, and fun!

Many thanks to Amanda & Josh for trusting me with capturing all the beautiful moments of this special day. Please help me in congratulating Charlie, Evan, and Ray!!!