Developing Markets. Enabling Trade. Improving Lives. These are the core values of the U.S. Grains Council.
The council’s 15th International Marketing Conference and 58th Annual Membership Meeting took place at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Houston, TX. Chairman Deb Keller, writes: “We believe this gathering will be an excellent opportunity for you to engage directly on the most critical issues facing our Friends and Frontiers. Our A-Teams will hold their yearly in-depth sessions to help set our global strategy, and you will have the opportunity to meet directly with the Council’s international directors. The sun never sets on the efforts of these advocates to develop critical markets, dismantle trade barriers and serve our customers overseas. We hope all of our members will interact with these invaluable experts on short-term marketing opportunities and long-term demand growth for U.S. feed grains and co-products like ethanol and DDGS.”
As an international destination event photographer, it’s my pleasure to capture and document amazing conferences and meetings around the globe. The US Grains Council is one of my absolute favorites to photograph each year! With an incredibly dedicated staff, an enthusiastic membership group, and a healthy message for the world…it’s always a joy to work with this great team.
Developing Markets. Enabling Trade. Improving Lives. These are the core values of the U.S. Grains Council.
The Washington D.C. based organization develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and ethanol. With full-time presence in 13 key markets and representatives in an additional 15 locations, the Council operates programs in more than 50 countries and the European Union. The Council believes exports are vital to global economic development and to U.S. agriculture’s profitability.
Last month, I had the honor of photographing the USGC’s 58th Annual Membership Meeting in Houston, TX. After three days of hard work, keynote speakers, tough debates, and intense meetings, everyone got together for a fun event at The Stampede. The Stampede is a cavernous roadhouse event space featuring country & western concerts, a massive dance floor, pool tables, armadillo racing, and even a mechanical bull ring for the brave-of-heart!
Everyone had a great time, a well-deserved reward after an intense few days!
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!
Last weekend, Amy & Adam finally tied the knot in a BEAUTIFUL outdoor ceremony on the grand lawn at the picturesque Medicine Wind Farm! It was a chilly afternoon outside. But the palpable love between these two, and the warm comradery of good friends and great family that surrounded them, kept all of us warm inside.
CONGRATULATIONS Amy & Adam! You two are absolutely perfect for each other…a true match made in heaven. May God bless you as you begin this wonderful new journey together!!!
As a full-time professional photographer event photographer in Charleston, I work in a LOT of different venues. Harborside East has a really interesting blend of a modern exterior with lots of glass and metal, and a rustic interior with its beautiful wood finish and eclectic chandeliers. Plus it as one of the best views of the Arthur Ravenel Bridge, the Charleston Harbor, and the setting sun over the city skyline!
Last week I had the pleasure of photographing the annual Oyster Roast for the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors. Congratulations to Ann Whalen, voted Charleston Realtor of the Year, and to David Grubbs, voted Charleston Commercial Realtor of the Year! Also, many thanks to Weeks & Irvine, South Carolina Federal Credit Union, and all the other great sponsors.
Photographing the inaugural Ethanol Summit of the Americas at The Westin Oaks in Houston, TX, was a real honor for me. I owe a HUGE Thank You to the US Grains Council for this assignment!
Industry and government officials from more than 15 countries in the Western Hemisphere met a few weeks ago at the Ethanol Summit of the Americas to discuss current and future opportunities for ethanol in the region.
The event was sponsored by the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), Growth Energy, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and the Iowa Corn Promotion Board. These organizations and others in the U.S. agriculture and renewable fuels industries work together to promote the global use of ethanol and U.S. ethanol exports.
This Summit brought together recognized scientists and ethanol experts to engage with policymakers and provide information on the economic and environmental benefits of ethanol-blended fuel. The Summit also served as a launching point for expanded regional engagement markets in the Caribbean, Central America and South America.
“Increasing cooperation between ethanol industries supports economic growth for all countries involved,” said Tom Sleight, USGC president and chief executive officer. “Collaborative efforts like the meetings this week enable a greater understanding of the policy climate surrounding ethanol and help pave the way for expanded ethanol use throughout the region.”
The Summit highlighted the use of ethanol in transportation fuels to help meet a number of economic and environmental challenges, including improving air quality, extending the current fuel supply and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The U.S. ethanol industry’s efforts, including conferences like the Ethanol Summit of the Americas, are helping successfully establish the United States as a reliable and affordable source of fuel.
Here are a few of my favorite images from this fantastic 2-day conference!!!
Photographing the annual Wild at Wingswood gala for the Charleston Center for Birds of Prey is one of my most anticipated events of the year!
It’s a very unique fundraiser, where live raptors, owls, and other beautiful birds soar through the air, gliding silently over guests and attendees under the big tent!
The Avian Conservation Center and the Center for Birds of Prey are doing AMAZING things for our natural world. If you’ve never been, they are open to the public on most Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. You’ve GOT to check this cool place out and see for yourself why nature lovers from all over the country speak so highly of this gem, located just a few miles outside of Charleston!
I’m always intrigued by the challenge, suffering, and ultimate triumph humans seek out in competitive sports. Being a sports photographer has its own set of challenges!
This spring I had the pleasure of covering the Charleston Rugged Maniac Challenge at Boone Hall Plantation with this AMAZING team of sports photographers. I’ve photographed this event for the last 4 or 5 years, and always enjoy the experience! It’s tough on the gear…keeping the mud and water off the equipment isn’t easy. And it’s tough on the photographers…I shot over 4,000 images in five hours of non-stop action.
A special shout out goes to Richard Ellis for capturing the image of me “at work”! And thank you to the nice EMT staff for taking our team picture!
But being a part of the excitement these athletes experience is totally worth it!!! CONGRATULATIONS to all the participants for enduring and triumphing over this fabulous challenge!
Tani and Scot were classmates at Pelham Road Elementary back in the 70’s. Scot played football for the Mustangs, and Tani was a cheerleader. It’s the classic American sweetheart story! Scot asked Tani to wear his jersey one week and Tani happily accepted. 🙂 Scot and Tani both attended Greenville Middle School as well as Eastside High School. As they got older, the bond of the “Pelham Road Mustang Jersey” faded and, as often happens in high school, their lives took different paths. After High School Graduation, Tani went on to college at USC, and then to Furman for her Masters. Scot joining the Marine Corps, and studied at Lander University and Greenville Tech. After a deployment to Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Scot went on to a 15 year career in the golf industry. Tani got married and had two wonderful children, Brooke and Garrett, while parenting a step child as well. Years later, Tani and Scot re-ignited the flame of the “Pelham Road Mustang”, and have been inseparable ever since!
It’s been an absolute pleasure to get to know Tani & Scot as we planned, prepared and finally got to photograph their beautiful wedding last weekend! The pure joy, and beautiful energy both of them put out into the world is such a breath of fresh air. The way they laugh, cry, hug, and hold each other lets you know that they are TRULY living life to the fullest. In the worries and woes of today’s crazy world, being around these two put peace in my mind and hope in my heart. The world is a better place with these two in it…ESPECIALLY now that they have found their way back to each other!!! 🙂
I met up with Tani & Scott for their First Glance in a beautiful clearing surrounded by trees near the Ripley Point Marina. What a joyful way to start off their celebration! Family and friends joined us for a fun photo shoot soon after. Then it was on to the one and only Carolina Girl. I absolutely LOVE photographing weddings and receptions on this beautiful yacht! Ashley and the rest of the staff had prepared everything down to the last detail. Breezes swayed the sweet grass back and forth as we cruised through the low-country waterscape surrounding historic downtown Charleston. Tani & Scott exchanged their vows on the upper deck as the serene scene floated by. After a perfectly timed sunset photo-opp, the party kicked into high gear with dinner, dancing, and LOTS of celebrating!
At the end of the evening, a special surprise awaited Tani. Scott had secretly arranged for an 8-man company of marines to perform the traditional Saber Arch as the two of them dis-embarked from the Carolina Girl. It was quite a site, and quite an emotional moment! To welcome her to the Marines, Tani received the customary “sword swat” on the derriere, to everyone’s applause. Hand-in-hand, Tani & Scot then made their way down the dock, lined with excited friends and family, all blowing bubbles and high-fiving the newlyweds as they made their way off into the night!
CONGRATULATIONS Tani & Scott! May your hearts forever be full and free!!!
A professional head-shot says a lot about an individual. If you’re still using an amateur snapshot, or worse a “selfie”, for your website, business cards, LinkedIn profile, and so on…you could be loosing business!
We live in a world where images are EVERYWHERE!!! Since the invention of digital cameras and the cell phone, this is the most photographed generation in the history of the world. So how do you make YOUR images stand out in the oceans of images that your clients are bombarded with every single day?
These same clients are making split-second decisions on whether you’re a genuine, professional, knowledgeable, trustworthy, and personable individual that they would like to meet and work with. A professional head-shot conveys all of this and more! It makes a statement about you. It grabs their attention. And it opens doors to opportunities you would otherwise miss out on!
Last week I had the distinct honor of photographing head-shots for the amazing ladies at the WithIt Professional Women’s Conference. These are the business leaders, the movers, and the shakers of their respective industries!!!
Last week I had the honor of photographing a high-profile corporate event in Charleston with a wonderful group of amazing people! At the conclusion of the conference was an incredible celebration banquet, held on the flight deck of The USS Yorktown.
Last week I had the honor of photographing a high-profile corporate event in Charleston with a wonderful group of amazing people! The company conference and meetings were held at The Gaillard Auditorium.
