Park Bend at Carolina Park for Grove Property Fund

Last week I had the pleasure of photographing Park Bend and several surrounding properties. This multi-building retail/office/flex project is strategically located across from Costco Wholesale within the Carolina Park Master-Planned community. It was designed by LFK Architects, built by Harbor Contracting, and is managed by the Grove Property Fund.

Grove Property Fund is a diversified private real estate company. Ed Navarro, the fund’s manager, has over 30 years of experience in real estate investment. The Fund’s property portfolio includes retail, mixed use, flex, industrial, office and land. I’ve included shots of the cleared land where the next phase of the Carolina Park expansion will take place.

Many thanks to Jenny at Gritty Gal Marketing for all her help coordinating this assignment!!!

Attorney Headshots for HSB Law

It was a pleasure welcoming Attorney Ashley to the team at HSB Law today! She was on her 3rd day of orientation. And part of the process was getting her official headshot taken for the company website!

I set up a high-key backdrop lit with a single speedlight. I added a 60″ Westcott umbrella with 2 speedlights as my main light. And I balanced that with a 60″ Westcott umbrella with 1 speedlight on the other side of the camera as fill. Last but not least, I added a strip reflector under her chin to lift the shadows and help the eyes pop. I shot with a Nikon Z9 and Nikkor Z 70-200 f2.8 II.

Ashley was wonderful to work with, and the images came out great!!!

New Construction for Harbor Contracting

This was a fun project!!!

I recently started working with Harbor Contracting. I mean, I’ve known their marketing agent, Jenny at Gritty Gal Marketing for a loooong time. I photographed her beautiful wedding to Nate 13 years ago!!!  It has been so much fun re-connecting with her, and teaming up together on these projects.

This most recent assignment was to cover 3 new commercial buildings they just completed along Slack Tide Drive on Johns Island. I know what you’re thining…Johns Island is getting over developed already. But this little patch is just off Maybank Highway and didn’t have much of an impact on the native flora and fauna, which is nice. Harbor Contracting did an amazing job! Each building is similar, but unique…with courtyards and walkways tying all of them together. The attention to detail and careful aesthetics was top notch!

I photographed the project with a Nikon Z9, Nikkor Z 14-30 f4, Nikkor Z 24-120 f4, and DJI Mavic 3 Pro.  This versatile kit allows me to cover every angle for a variety of different shots!

Key Risk Insurance Presidents Club

I had the pleasure of photographing the Presidents Club Awards Banquet for Key Risk Insurance, held at the beautiful Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island. Set along the coast, the resort provided a relaxed yet upscale atmosphere that was perfect for celebrating the company’s top performers.

The evening brought together an outstanding group of professionals for a well-deserved celebration of excellence and achievement. From the moment guests arrived, there was a sense of excitement and appreciation in the air. Events like this are always a joy to photograph, as they strike a great balance between polished presentations and genuine, candid moments shared among colleagues.

Throughout the night, I focused on documenting a variety of moments. During cocktail hour, I set up a Portrait Station where each couple could get beautiful portraits in their elegant gowns and snappy suits! From there, we all moved into the ballroom, which looked fabulous! From candids during dinner, to the award presentations and speeches, to the in-between interactions that truly tell the story of the event…I had such a great time! Capturing those authentic connections is always one of my favorite parts of photographing corporate gatherings like this.

A big part of what made the evening run so smoothly was the incredible planning by Experience Holy City. Lee and her team are always fantastic to work with, and their attention to detail ensured that every aspect of the event came together seamlessly.

It’s always an honor to be trusted to document such meaningful celebrations, and I truly enjoyed working with the Key Risk Insurance team. The Presidents Club banquet was a wonderful evening from start to finish, and I look forward to the opportunity to work together again in the future.

Shot with Nikon Z9 (x2), Nikkor Z 24-70 f2.8 II, Nikkor Z 70-200 f2.8 II, Godox V480 (x2), Godox AD200 (x2), Godox V860II (4), Manfrotto stands and supports.

Seamon Whiteside – Summerville Office 10 Year Anniversary Celebration

“At SW+ we view ourselves as a partner in site design; working by our Clients’ side, with their goals in mind. This means we strive to fully understand their vision, approach their project with passion, continuously collaborate, produce quality plans, and engage in the construction process to help see the vision through.”

It was an absolute pleasure to photograph last night’s celebration, commemorating the 10-year milestond of the Summerville office! The reception was held at the beautiful pavilion in Ashley River Park. This was a project that SW+ worked hard on. So it was fitting that this reception was held under the gorgeous architectural designs of one of their projects.

CONGRATULATIONS to the Summerville office, and to the entire Seamon Whiteside team! SW+ celebrated their 40th Anniversary as a company last year!!!

To cover the event, I used a Nikon Z9 (x2), Nikkor Z 24-70 f2.8, Nikkor Z 70-180 f2.8, DJI Mavic 3 Pro. This setup allows me to work quickly, producing an incredible variety of extemely high quality images from such intimate events.

North Charleston Police Evidence Building

It never ceases to amaze me what cool and interesting places my camera gets me into!

Yesterday afternoon I had the pleasure of photographing a very non-descript building in a back lot off a remote cul-de-sac in North Charleston. Turns out this will be the new North Charleston Police Evidence Building!!! Yup…try getting into this facility in a few months once it is up and operational. I bet security will be like entering Fort Knox! Things were still very much under construction on the inside. But it was really cool to see all the movable shelving displays they were installing. There were separate secure rooms for things like firearms, drugs, DNA, and fingerprints. Just imagine what stories these four walls will be able to tell in 50 years!

Many thanks to Trident Construction for trusting me with another important assignment. Everything was shot with Nikon Z9, Nikkor Z 14-30 f4, and Nikkor 24-120 f4.

American Gardens for Seamon Whiteside

Have you visited the new American Gardens in the heart of downtown Charleston yet? If you haven’t, I highly recommend it. Check out their website for upcoming events, and plan your visit accordingly: https://americangardenschs.com/

American Gardens was created as a living reflection of Charleston’s role in shaping the American story. Honoring the city’s past and embracing its evolving spirit, the gardens offer an urban retreat where all are welcome. Here, residents and visitors can pause, gather, and connect in a space designed to celebrate shared humanity.

American Gardens is a 1-acre, publicly accessible park, adjacent to the Gibbs Museum, that opened in November 2025. It completely transforming a former asphalt parking lot into a curated green space. Developed by Ben Navarro’s Beemok Hospitality Collection, it is designed as a community gathering space honoring the American Dream, featuring fountains, live oaks, colorful perennials, and beautiful magnolias.

I had the pleasure of photographing the gardens for the engineering team of Seamon Whiteside, using a Nikon Z9, Nikkor Z 24-120 f4, and DJI Mavic 3 Pro.

The Citadel – Academy of Engineers Awards Banquet

I had the pleasure of photographing the Academy of Engineers Awards Banquet held at The Citadel, one of Charleston’s most iconic and historic campuses. The event took place at the beautiful Holliday Alumni Center, providing an elegant setting that perfectly matched the prestige of the occasion.

The evening brought together an impressive group of engineers, leaders, and distinguished guests to celebrate outstanding achievements within the field. From the moment guests arrived, there was a strong sense of pride and camaraderie in the room. It’s always rewarding to document events like this, where meaningful recognition and genuine connections are at the forefront.

Throughout the banquet, I focused on capturing a mix of candid interactions, formal group photos, award presentations, and the overall atmosphere of the evening. The formal setting, combined with the energy of the attendees, created a great balance of polished moments and authentic expressions.

For this event, I worked with a dual-camera setup to ensure complete coverage. I used a Nikon Z9 paired with the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 II for versatility, while a Nikon Zf with the Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 II allowed me to capture tighter, more intimate moments from a distance. This combination gave me the flexibility to move seamlessly between wide scene-setting shots and close-up storytelling images.

Lighting was key in bringing the room to life. I used six Godox off-camera flashes strategically placed around the space to create consistent, flattering light on the stage and throughout the venue. These remote flashes were controlled from the Godox V480 flashes on each camera, and helped give the images more depth and dimension than would otherwise be possible with only using on-camera flash.

It was an honor to document such a meaningful evening, and I always enjoy working in a setting as timeless as The Citadel.

Credit One Charleston Open 2026 – Champions Photos

After defending her title, I had the honor of photographing a few portraits of the champion with her new trophy! We met up with Jessica Pegula at The Charleston Place Hotel. It was starting to rain. So our options were limited, and our grand plans were severely curtailed. But we worked quickly and captured a variety of nice shots to commemorate this special occasion for her!!!

The 2026 Credit One Charleston Open (March 28 – April 5) featured top-tier women’s tennis on the iconic green clay at Daniel Island’s upgraded stadium. Jessica Pegula defeated Yuliia Starodubtseva to defend her title as champion, making her the first repeat winner since 2013.  Other notable champions have included names like Chris Evert, Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, Serena Williams, Gabriela Sabatini, Justine Henin, Martina Hingis, Tracy Austin, and Venus Williams.  This year’s top seeds included tour veterans like Belinda Bencic, Madison Keys, Anna Kalinskaya, and Maria Sakkari…along with noteable young phenoms like Iva Jovic, Diana Shnaider, and Leylah Fernandez.

The Credit One Charleston Open, formerly known as the Volvo Car Open and the Family Circle Cup before that, is the largest women’s-only professional tennis tournament in North America. The tournament has held many historic 1sts since it was established in Hilton Head Island in 1973. It was the first women’s event to offer $100,000 in prize money. It was the first women’s tennis tournament to be broadcast on network television. After 28 years on Hilton Head Island, the tournament moved to Charleston in 2001. The Partnership between the city of Charleston and title sponsor, Family Circle Magazine, was the first of its kind in women’s sports. The new state of the art stadium built through that partnership was the first of its kind in women’s tennis.  This year the tournament made history again by offering a record $2.5M in prize money, achieving equal pay for men and women, well in advance of the WTA’s target of 2033.

After relocating to Charleston, the tournament director put out a search for a new tournament photographer. I had been photographing the tournament in Hilton Head for various publications in the late 2000s. So I presented my portfolio and submitted my application for the position. Robin Reynolds was the tournament director at the time. She recognized that the contract with Getty Images wasn’t as beneficial to the tournament because each image they used from the freelance Getty photographers had to be licensed individually. Robin realized the power of photography in promoting the tournament, and the advantage of owning their own images from an in-house photographer. It was an absolute honor to be selected as the first ever Official Tournament Photographer. And I’ve reprised my role every year since!!!

A lot has changed over the last 25 years! From a small media operation being run out of a temporary tent, with me as the solo photographer, working in conjunction with a single media manager…to now working in a state-of-the-art media room, on a team with 4 photographers, 4 videographers, and 4 media managers…there have been a lot of adjustments. The demands for coverage of not just on-court action, but player appearances, autograph sessions, television interviews, off-site VIP events, tournament ambassadors, live musicians, entertainment, fan experiences, and so much more, has increased our image output exponentially. Plus the way images are consumed has totally changed as well. The once predominant staff photographers sent by magazines and newspapers from around the country have been replaced by podcasters, videographers, and social media influencers.

It has truly been interesting to experience this changing industry from the inside out. Constantly shooting, editing, and delivering images for rapid turn-around over the course of nine 12+ hour days in a row is hard work. But I still love what I do. And I wouldn’t miss it for the world! Mark your calendars for next year, March 27 – April 4, 2027!!!

Nikon Z9 (x2), Nikon Zf, Nikkor Z 14-30 f4, Nikkor Z 24-70 f2.8 II, Nikkor Z 70-200 f2.8 II, Nikkor Z 400 f4.5, Nikkor AF-S 180-400 f4e, DJI Mavic 3 Pro

Credit One Charleston Open 2026 – Day 9 (The Finals)

The 2026 Credit One Charleston Open (March 28 – April 5) featured top-tier women’s tennis on the iconic green clay at Daniel Island’s upgraded stadium. Jessica Pegula defeated Yuliia Starodubtseva to defend her title as champion, making her the first repeat winner since 2013.  Other notable champions have included names like Chris Evert, Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, Serena Williams, Gabriela Sabatini, Justine Henin, Martina Hingis, Tracy Austin, and Venus Williams.  This year’s top seeds included tour veterans like Belinda Bencic, Madison Keys, Anna Kalinskaya, and Maria Sakkari…along with noteable young phenoms like Iva Jovic, Diana Shnaider, and Leylah Fernandez.

The Credit One Charleston Open, formerly known as the Volvo Car Open and the Family Circle Cup before that, is the largest women’s-only professional tennis tournament in North America. The tournament has held many historic 1sts since it was established in Hilton Head Island in 1973. It was the first women’s event to offer $100,000 in prize money. It was the first women’s tennis tournament to be broadcast on network television. After 28 years on Hilton Head Island, the tournament moved to Charleston in 2001. The Partnership between the city of Charleston and title sponsor, Family Circle Magazine, was the first of its kind in women’s sports. The new state of the art stadium built through that partnership was the first of its kind in women’s tennis.  This year the tournament made history again by offering a record $2.5M in prize money, achieving equal pay for men and women, well in advance of the WTA’s target of 2033.

After relocating to Charleston, the tournament director put out a search for a new tournament photographer. I had been photographing the tournament in Hilton Head for various publications in the late 2000s. So I presented my portfolio and submitted my application for the position. Robin Reynolds was the tournament director at the time. She recognized that the contract with Getty Images wasn’t as beneficial to the tournament because each image they used from the freelance Getty photographers had to be licensed individually. Robin realized the power of photography in promoting the tournament, and the advantage of owning their own images from an in-house photographer. It was an absolute honor to be selected as the first ever Official Tournament Photographer. And I’ve reprised my role every year since!!!

A lot has changed over the last 25 years! From a small media operation being run out of a temporary tent, with me as the solo photographer, working in conjunction with a single media manager…to now working in a state-of-the-art media room, on a team with 4 photographers, 4 videographers, and 4 media managers…there have been a lot of adjustments. The demands for coverage of not just on-court action, but player appearances, autograph sessions, television interviews, off-site VIP events, tournament ambassadors, live musicians, entertainment, fan experiences, and so much more, has increased our image output exponentially. Plus the way images are consumed has totally changed as well. The once predominant staff photographers sent by magazines and newspapers from around the country have been replaced by podcasters, videographers, and social media influencers.

It has truly been interesting to experience this changing industry from the inside out. Constantly shooting, editing, and delivering images for rapid turn-around over the course of nine 12+ hour days in a row is hard work. But I still love what I do. And I wouldn’t miss it for the world! Mark your calendars for next year, March 27 – April 4, 2027!!!

Nikon Z9 (x2), Nikon Zf, Nikkor Z 14-30 f4, Nikkor Z 24-70 f2.8 II, Nikkor Z 70-200 f2.8 II, Nikkor Z 400 f4.5, Nikkor AF-S 180-400 f4e, DJI Mavic 3 Pro

Credit One Charleston Open 2026 – Day 8

The 2026 Credit One Charleston Open (March 28 – April 5) featured top-tier women’s tennis on the iconic green clay at Daniel Island’s upgraded stadium. Jessica Pegula defeated Yuliia Starodubtseva to defend her title as champion, making her the first repeat winner since 2013.  Other notable champions have included names like Chris Evert, Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, Serena Williams, Gabriela Sabatini, Justine Henin, Martina Hingis, Tracy Austin, and Venus Williams.  This year’s top seeds included tour veterans like Belinda Bencic, Madison Keys, Anna Kalinskaya, and Maria Sakkari…along with noteable young phenoms like Iva Jovic, Diana Shnaider, and Leylah Fernandez.

The Credit One Charleston Open, formerly known as the Volvo Car Open and the Family Circle Cup before that, is the largest women’s-only professional tennis tournament in North America. The tournament has held many historic 1sts since it was established in Hilton Head Island in 1973. It was the first women’s event to offer $100,000 in prize money. It was the first women’s tennis tournament to be broadcast on network television. After 28 years on Hilton Head Island, the tournament moved to Charleston in 2001. The Partnership between the city of Charleston and title sponsor, Family Circle Magazine, was the first of its kind in women’s sports. The new state of the art stadium built through that partnership was the first of its kind in women’s tennis.  This year the tournament made history again by offering a record $2.5M in prize money, achieving equal pay for men and women, well in advance of the WTA’s target of 2033.

After relocating to Charleston, the tournament director put out a search for a new tournament photographer. I had been photographing the tournament in Hilton Head for various publications in the late 2000s. So I presented my portfolio and submitted my application for the position. Robin Reynolds was the tournament director at the time. She recognized that the contract with Getty Images wasn’t as beneficial to the tournament because each image they used from the freelance Getty photographers had to be licensed individually. Robin realized the power of photography in promoting the tournament, and the advantage of owning their own images from an in-house photographer. It was an absolute honor to be selected as the first ever Official Tournament Photographer. And I’ve reprised my role every year since!!!

A lot has changed over the last 25 years! From a small media operation being run out of a temporary tent, with me as the solo photographer, working in conjunction with a single media manager…to now working in a state-of-the-art media room, on a team with 4 photographers, 4 videographers, and 4 media managers…there have been a lot of adjustments. The demands for coverage of not just on-court action, but player appearances, autograph sessions, television interviews, off-site VIP events, tournament ambassadors, live musicians, entertainment, fan experiences, and so much more, has increased our image output exponentially. Plus the way images are consumed has totally changed as well. The once predominant staff photographers sent by magazines and newspapers from around the country have been replaced by podcasters, videographers, and social media influencers.

It has truly been interesting to experience this changing industry from the inside out. Constantly shooting, editing, and delivering images for rapid turn-around over the course of nine 12+ hour days in a row is hard work. But I still love what I do. And I wouldn’t miss it for the world! Mark your calendars for next year, March 27 – April 4, 2027!!!

Nikon Z9 (x2), Nikon Zf, Nikkor Z 14-30 f4, Nikkor Z 24-70 f2.8 II, Nikkor Z 70-200 f2.8 II, Nikkor Z 400 f4.5, Nikkor AF-S 180-400 f4e, DJI Mavic 3 Pro

Credit One Charleston Open 2026 – Day 7

The 2026 Credit One Charleston Open (March 28 – April 5) featured top-tier women’s tennis on the iconic green clay at Daniel Island’s upgraded stadium. Jessica Pegula defeated Yuliia Starodubtseva to defend her title as champion, making her the first repeat winner since 2013.  Other notable champions have included names like Chris Evert, Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, Serena Williams, Gabriela Sabatini, Justine Henin, Martina Hingis, Tracy Austin, and Venus Williams.  This year’s top seeds included tour veterans like Belinda Bencic, Madison Keys, Anna Kalinskaya, and Maria Sakkari…along with noteable young phenoms like Iva Jovic, Diana Shnaider, and Leylah Fernandez.

The Credit One Charleston Open, formerly known as the Volvo Car Open and the Family Circle Cup before that, is the largest women’s-only professional tennis tournament in North America. The tournament has held many historic 1sts since it was established in Hilton Head Island in 1973. It was the first women’s event to offer $100,000 in prize money. It was the first women’s tennis tournament to be broadcast on network television. After 28 years on Hilton Head Island, the tournament moved to Charleston in 2001. The Partnership between the city of Charleston and title sponsor, Family Circle Magazine, was the first of its kind in women’s sports. The new state of the art stadium built through that partnership was the first of its kind in women’s tennis.  This year the tournament made history again by offering a record $2.5M in prize money, achieving equal pay for men and women, well in advance of the WTA’s target of 2033.

After relocating to Charleston, the tournament director put out a search for a new tournament photographer. I had been photographing the tournament in Hilton Head for various publications in the late 2000s. So I presented my portfolio and submitted my application for the position. Robin Reynolds was the tournament director at the time. She recognized that the contract with Getty Images wasn’t as beneficial to the tournament because each image they used from the freelance Getty photographers had to be licensed individually. Robin realized the power of photography in promoting the tournament, and the advantage of owning their own images from an in-house photographer. It was an absolute honor to be selected as the first ever Official Tournament Photographer. And I’ve reprised my role every year since!!!

A lot has changed over the last 25 years! From a small media operation being run out of a temporary tent, with me as the solo photographer, working in conjunction with a single media manager…to now working in a state-of-the-art media room, on a team with 4 photographers, 4 videographers, and 4 media managers…there have been a lot of adjustments. The demands for coverage of not just on-court action, but player appearances, autograph sessions, television interviews, off-site VIP events, tournament ambassadors, live musicians, entertainment, fan experiences, and so much more, has increased our image output exponentially. Plus the way images are consumed has totally changed as well. The once predominant staff photographers sent by magazines and newspapers from around the country have been replaced by podcasters, videographers, and social media influencers.

It has truly been interesting to experience this changing industry from the inside out. Constantly shooting, editing, and delivering images for rapid turn-around over the course of nine 12+ hour days in a row is hard work. But I still love what I do. And I wouldn’t miss it for the world! Mark your calendars for next year, March 27 – April 4, 2027!!!

Nikon Z9 (x2), Nikon Zf, Nikkor Z 14-30 f4, Nikkor Z 24-70 f2.8 II, Nikkor Z 70-200 f2.8 II, Nikkor Z 400 f4.5, Nikkor AF-S 180-400 f4e, DJI Mavic 3 Pro