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!!!

Wild at Wingswood 25th Anniversary Silver Celebration

2016 marks 25 years of science, education and conservation at the Avian Conservation Center and Center for Birds of Prey. This weekend I had the distinct honor of photographing their Wild at Wingswood 25th Anniversary Silver Celebration!

The annual corporate event is a fundraising gala for the Center for Birds of Prey. Historically, it’s been held in downtown Charleston. But with the special significance this year, a beautiful tent was erected INSIDE the Center for Birds of Prey compound! It was an absolutely gorgeous setting for a fabulous celebration!!!  The acoustic talents of David Archer of Archer Music made it even more magical!

“Beyond the valuable contributions to avian science the Center provides, there is a more subtle outcome that is perhaps the most profound. Through this shared work, we are defining and fostering a value system, an underlying ethic that will literally determine what of the natural world we will preserve and what will be irrevocably lost. Ultimately, we will be remembered by what we leave for future generations. It is this legacy that we must preserve and share; one that will endure for the benefit of our children, our grandchildren, and all of those who follow.”

In addition to the evening’s usual activities, Jim Elliott, was awarded the Order of the Palmetto! Issued by Governor Nikki Haley, this is the highest honor our state can be bestow upon a civilian!!! Congratulations to the passionate and dedicated founder of the Center for Birds of Prey on a job well done.

Zugunruhefest at the Center for Birds of Prey

I recently had the pleasure of photographing this AMAZING event at the Center for Birds of Prey:

“Welcome to Zugunruhefest – the Southeast’s most comprehensive migration-focused birding festival. Zugunruhe (zu – gun – rue) is a German word derived from Zug (move, migration) and Unruhe (restlessness). This state of restlessness is commonly noted in migratory animals, especially birds.

As fall approaches and instincts prevail, birds are compelled by this silent call to take flight to their wintering grounds. As part of the Atlantic Flyway, the Lowcountry serves as a predictable thoroughfare for migrating raptors and shore birds during fall migration passage. Exploiting the Center’s strategic location, Zugunruhefest will afford numerous opportunities for observers, both novice and advanced, to experience fall migration from an exceptional vantage point.

In addition to onsite vendors and children’s activities, the festival will include three days filled with naturalists, ornithologists, and educators leading bird walks, flight demonstrations, informative lectures and programs, and more. The festival will culminate with a panel of avian experts in a round-table discussion and reception.
Significantly, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which provides over-arching legal protection for all migratory birds, is marking its Centennial this year, a fitting context and milestone to recognize as we celebrate the wonders of migration.”

I hope you’ll consider coming out for this incredible festival next year!!!

Head-shots at The Cedar Room

Yesterday I photographed another fun set of head-shots in The Cedar Room at The Cigar Factory! Lee & Associates is one of my favorite corporate clients. Plus I always love working in this beautiful space!

Shot with Nikon D4, Nikkor 70-200, an SB-5000, and 4 SB-800 flashes.

First Corporate Event with the Nikon D500

I’ve had the new Nikon D500 for a couple weeks now. It’s been fun putting it through its paces on a battery of personal projects to make sure it was good to go for paid assignments. (I NEVER shoot an assignment for a client with a new piece of equipment without testing it thoroughly first.) Here are a few images from my very first outing with the D500 with ISO ranges from 800 to 12,800:  https://chrisandcami.com/first-shoot-with-the-nikon-d500/.  In the end, I was very pleased with the performance and the results from this little camera!!!

Here are a few shots from this event using the D500. If you’d like to see the full spectrum of images, and compare how it stacked up against the D4, check out this post: https://chrisandcami.com/withit-professional-womens-conference/.  I doubt you’d be able to spot any difference without some serious pixel peeping at 100% enlargement.

I knew that photographing in the Gold Ballroom at the Francis Marion Hotel was going to be a great challenge for this little crop-sensor camera. It’s a very dim conference room. Most of these shots were done at ISO ranges of 1600-3200…yet were completely usable! There is definitely a stop or so difference between this camera and the legendary D4 in terms of noise at these higher ISO settings. But that’s pretty impressive considering the D4 is a 16MP FX camera, and the D500 is a 21MP DX camera!

My kit for the last decade or so has usually comprised two identical full-frame flagship cameras, and one crop-sensor camera. I like shooting with two identical cameras with different focal lengths to make sure I never miss a moment. But I also like having a third camera that has a different set of “skills”, which I often use as a remote camera or a telephoto camera. Ever since the days of the D3/D300 combo, I’ve tried mixing in the D7100, D7200, and D810 as my third camera body. But none of them truly resonated with me. Now I feel like my third camera body has that magic mojo again!!!

For this event, I started out with a D4 + 70-200 f2.8, D4 + 24-70 f2.8, and D500 + 14-24 f2.8. For corporate events, I find the 14-24 is just TOO wide. I’ve often wished Nikon had a 16-35 f2.8 like Canon does. I do have Nikon’s 16-35 f4 VR as well. But it just isn’t as sharp, or as fast as the legendary 14-24. By mounting the 14-24 on the D500 crop-sensor body, I effectively make it a 21-36mm…which is a much more useful range for general event coverage.

Since this was a relatively small event, the D4 + 70-200 combo gave me PLENTY of telephoto power. But in the larger corporate events I shoot, I’m often yearning for more reach to get a tight crop of the speaker, for example. This is where the real benefit of the D500 comes in! Switching the 70-200 to the D500 gave me an effective focal length of 105-300 f2.8!!! Plus, the 14-24 goes back on the D4, allowing me to have those super-wide shots if I want them.

I haven’t even mentioned the phenomenal new focusing system in the D500, the super clean files, the spot-on white balance, the wicked fast processing engine, the whisper quiet shutter sound, the cranking 10fps, and the speed of the XQD cards. In the end, I was VERY pleased with the Nikon D500. It is definitely here to stay! Eventually I’ll probably replace the D4 bodies with D5 bodies. I think the D5/D500 combo will be a formidable setup indeed!!!

Asplundh Mardi Gras Event

A family-owned and operated corporation headquartered near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Asplundh has grown to employ 30,000 service professionals throughout the U.S., Canada, New Zealand and Australia.  Since 1928 the Asplundh Tree Expert Co. has been performing tree pruning and removals, right-of-way clearing and maintenance, vegetation management, and emergency storm work.

I had the distinct pleasure of photographing their annual Corporate Event, held this year in Mobile, AL.  With a fun-filled Mardi Gras them, incredibly music performed by The Bandidos, amazing magic by Carl Michael, a jaw-dropping quick-change act by David & Dania of AGC fame, (not to mention all the other buskers, street-performers, cigar-rollers, and more), it truly was an unforgettable evening!

Many thanks to Gary​ from Coleman Photography for this assignment, Bobby & Jenny from Absolutely Charleston for the coordination, Craig from Event Talent Resources for all the entertainment, and Shasha from Loluma for the colorful decore.

Charlest Schwab Business Portraits

“I created this company because I believed investors deserved better. They still do.” – Chuck Schwab

Charles Schwab has a 40-year history of innovation and industry-leading change for the good of all investors. It’s an honor to have them as a client. It was a real pleasure photographing Julie, the newest member of the Mt. Pleasant team!

Metanoia and Fresh Future Farms

Fresh Future Farm is a city-based venture that leverages healthy food and grocery services to create socially just economic development. The project’s focus is on developing a socially responsible urban grocery model and farming operation that keeps costs down for customers by growing organic produce where it will be consumed, and educating customers on the social economic and environmental benefits of an urban farming operation.

It was a pleasure photographing promotional images of this project for the South Carolina Community Loan Fund, which granted the seed money through its Feeding Innovation Challenge. Germaine Jenkins (the CEO of FFF and Metanoia’s Community Garden Coordinator), and Rev. Bill Stanfield (CEO of Metanioa), and the rest of the staff, were an absolute pleasure to work with!

Dr. Schutte for Tenet Physician Resources

Dr. Schutte is the past president of both the South Carolina Orthopedic Association and the Charleston County Medical Society. He has received numerous honors, including The John A. Siegling Teaching Award from MUSC, and has been published numerous times on hip and knee joint replacement topics.

Cami’s parents have received multiple joint replacements. So it was a real honor to be able to photograph Dr. Schutte and his amazing, friendly, and delightful staff for Tenet Physician Resources!

New America Corporation

A few days ago I had the pleasure of photographing Adolphus Johnson, President & CEO of the New America Corporation, a nonprofit organization that specializes in business development, affordable housing, and education.

I had a great time photographing Adolphus, and talking to him about all the amazing projects they have going on. As he puts it: “Because of socio-economic factors, many individuals have the odds stacked against them. Our organization seeks to change the odds by being a resource to help individuals reclaim the American Dream.”

The assignment was for the SC Community Loan Fund, which is a partner with the New America Corporation. These organizations are doing amazing work with affordable housing. It’s an honor to be a part of what they are doing!

High-Key Headshots

Earlier this week I got to work with some of my favorite corporate clients at Colliers Keenan.  They’re doing some re-branding and decided to make all new headshots using a high-key white background.  I lit them with a single giant softbox and placed a reflector on the oposite side to open up the shadows.  The background was placed about 8 feet behind my subject and lit separately with an umbrella on each side.  I’ve found that when shooting high-key, it’s very important to light the background separately from the subject to really keep those whites clean and bright!