Charleston Animal Society Applause for Paws

The Charleston Animal Society held their annual Applause for Pause fundraiser last night at the elegantly decorated Gaillard Center! With over 550 attendees, this year’s event was called the Emerald City Gala…paying homage to Doroty and the Wizard of Oz. It was an AMAZING evening of entertainment and excitement, celebrating the organization’s 150th anniversary, and raising a record amount of donations for such a worthy cause.

In 1874, Charleston Animal Society was formed as the first animal protection organization in South Carolina and one of the first in the nation. Its purpose was then, and has always been, to prevent cruelty to animals. Almost 20,000 animals will turn to Charleston Animal Society for caring, compassion and hope this year alone. More than just an animal shelter, the Charleston Animal Society is a thought leader in the welfare and well-being of animals. In addition to caring for homeless animals, from hamsters to horses, adopting pets into new homes, and reuniting lost pets with their families, the organization responds to animals in crisis as a result of both man-made and natural disasters.

Many thanks to Sydney for bringing me along to capture this wonderful evening of celebration, compassion, and hope!!!

Madeline & Logan’s Casstown Wedding

What an absolute pleasure it was to photograph Madeline & Logan’s gorgeous wedding on a beautiful farm in Casstown, OH!!!

Madeline’s mother is Cami’s best friend from high-school. When Noelle told Cami about Madeline’s engagement to Logan, we JUMPED at the chance to photograph it. And I’m so glad we did!!!

The wedding was held on a friend’s farm in Casstown, Ohio…not too far from where Madeline grew up on her parent’s horse farm in Troy. The farm was absolutely perfect…fully decked out and decorated for the Big Day!

After getting ready, Madeline and Logan had a private No-Look ceremony under the giant oak in the front yard, where they exchanged private vows that they had written to one another. Then Madeline had a fun Dress Reveal with all her bridesmaids, and a touching First Look with her dad and her brother.

Madeline’s family includes 3 giant Great Danes. Just because they have 4 legs instead of 2, doesn’t mean they are any less important. So of course Oscar, Oakley, and Winston were made official groomsmen, complete with bowties, and escorted to their places by 3 of the bridesmaids. Being a competitive horse rider, it was so perfect that Madeline and her parents arrived at the main ceremony in a classic horse-drawn carraige. Tears welled up in Logan’s eyes as he saw his bride for the first time, stepping off the carraige, beaming with joy as she walked down the aisle in her elegant gown.

The reception was held in a giant tent on the property. With touching toasts, an auctioneer letting the highest bidding table be first to go to the buffet line, a fun cake cutting, and an awesome band keeping the party going all night long…everyone had an amazing time!!!

CONGRATULATIONS Madeline & Logan! We wish you all the best as you begin your new journey together…

NASCAR 350, Powered by Ethanol

Sometimes I have to pinch myself. It truly is hard to believe I get picked to photograph some of the cool assignments I get!!!

Earlier this summer, I had the pleasure of photographing the NASCAR Iowa Corn 350, Powered by Ethanol, at the Iowa Speedway on Rusty Wallace Drive outside Des Moines. I was shooting for the Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA), which is the title sponser of the race. The best part about that is I get carte blanch to go just about anywhere I want and photograph every aspects of the day. I bounce around from the VIP tent to the Club suite, from Midway with all the vendor trucks to the infield with all the team garages, and of course the race itself from inside and outside the track. I cover the pre-race festivities like VIP presentations, pace-car rides, pre-race concert, behind-the-scenes appearances, driver introductions, and more. I’m one of only 2 photographers that gets to cover the most famous words in the racing world…”Gentlemena, start your engines”. Then we literally RUN off the track and out of harm’s way. Once the race starts, I’m constantly moving around, looking for unique angles and interesting subjects. And of course after the race is over, I get to cover all the celebrations at the end!

The Iowa Speedway where the race is held is a 7/8-mile oval motor racing track in Newton, Iowa…approximately 30 miles (48 km) east of Des Moines. The track was designed with influence by Rusty Wallace, who patterned it after Richmond Raceway, a short track where Wallace saw a lot of success during his racing days. It has over 25,000 permanent seats as well as a unique multi-tiered Recreational Vehicle viewing area along the backstretch. The track hosts the NTT IndyCar Series and NASCAR events.

This year’s Iowa Corn 350 was held on August 3, 2025, at Iowa Speedway, contesting over 350 laps around the D-shaped oval. It was the 23rd race of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. William Byron won the race. Chase Briscoe finished 2nd, and Brad Keselowski finished 3rd. Ryan Blaney and Ryan Preece rounded out the top five, and Bubba Wallace, Alex Bowman, Carson Hocevar, Joey Logano, and Austin Dillon rounded out the top ten.

Many thanks to the amazing team at ICGA for all their hard work planning and organizing this incredible event. It was such an honor capturing all the energy and excitement of the day for them!!!

Eva’s Bat Mizvah Reception at the Segra Club at Riley Park

After Eva’s heartfelt Bat Mitzvah ceremony at KKBE Synagogue, we all reconnected at the Segra Club at Riley Park, which is a really cool event venue at The Joe baseball stadium. Perched above Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park, enclosed by glass walls with unparalleled views of the Ashley River marsh and the home field of the Charleston RiverDogs, this was the perfect location to celebrate such a special day for Eva and her family!

Arriving early to capture some detail and drone shots, I then met up with Eva and her family for a few family portraits before guests arrived. Victoria, the event manager at Segra Club, gave us exclusive access to the field and the dugout for some really cool shots! Returning to the event space, beautifully decorated by Sha Sha at Loluma, it was so much fun to see the excitement on everyone’s faces as they began arriving. Soon the place was packed with an air of excitement, love, and friendship!

After a warm introduction and welcome by Eva’s parents, the Segra Club’s kitchen opened up some incredibly tasty food stations. Betsey from Pop the Bubbly Events did an awesome job keeping everyone organized and on-schedule. And Josh from Charleston Event Pros cranked the tunes and kept the party rockin’ all night long! My favorite part came when he turned up “Hava Nagilah”, kicking off the traditional circle dance, before Eva and her family were hoisted up into the air one by one on a chair. The Hora is a symbolic tradition that celebrates the Bat Mitzvah, expressing everyone’s joy and support for Eva!!!

CONGRATULATIONS Eva!!! This evening truly was an amazing celebration of your life, and the beautiful young woman you have become…

Eva’s Bat Mizvah at KKBE Synagogue

I had the absolute pleasure of capturing Eva’s bat mitzvah at the beautiful KKBE Synagogue in downtown Charleston this weekend. From the moment I arrived, the vibrant energy and joyful spirit of the celebration were contagious.

I met up with Eva and her family early that morning to capture a few family portraits and individual shots of Eva. She was beautifully dressed in a lovely blue floral pattern. Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim Synagogue has a gorgeous old historic campus with great backdrops for photography. KKBE is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue located on Hassel Street. Having founded the congregation in 1749, it is known as the first Reform synagogue located in the United States.

After family portraits, everyone went inside to prepare for the ceremony. Eva was radiant, and her smile lit up the entire sanctuary as she read from the Torah, marking an important milestone in her spiritual journey. The synagogue’s stunning architecture provided a gorgeous backdrop for heartfelt photos of this special day, capturing both intimate moments and lively celebrations. It was clear that Eva and Rabbi Alexander had a close connection. Several touching moments between student and rabbi, as well as between Eva and her parents, brought me close to tears. But when Eva and her little sister embraced after Nora helped her big sis cover the Torah, I lost it! There is nothing so touching as the love between two sisters.

Following the ceremony, we headed to the fellowship hall for a Kiddush lunch, where the atmosphere was full of love, laughter, and excitement. Guests gathered around tables laden with delicious traditional foods, sharing stories and creating memories. I loved documenting the candid interactions and joyful expressions that truly showcased the significance of this occasion for Eva and her family. It’s always a privilege to be part of such meaningful events.  And I’m grateful to have been able to preserve these precious memories for this wonderful family. Moments like these remind me why I love my job—celebrating faith, family, and community through my lens.

Later that evening, we all met for a fun reception at the Segra Club above The Joe! But that’s a story for another post…

South Carolina Convenience & Petroleum Marketers Association at Sweetgrass Inn

Every summer I look forward to photographing this fun event at the Sweetgrass Inn on Wild Dunes Resort for the South Carolina Convenience & Petroleum Marketers Association.

SC-CPMA is the voice of the petroleum & convenience store industry in South Carolina. They serve their members by lobbying the General Assembly, multiple state agencies and the Congressional delegation on issues that impact the industry. Among the top issues they address are: underground and above-ground tank regulations, the SUPERB Fund, tobacco, alcohol, lottery sales, fuel taxes and much more.

The photography for this program is sponsored by Coca Cola Consolidated. What I do is bring out two photographers with two separate Portrait Stations for guests to choose from…one location is outdoors with an environmental background, the other is indoors with a studio background. My good friend and amazing photographer, Robbin, always photographs the indoors setup…while I sweat to death photographing the outdoors setup! 🙂 After we’ve photographed each couple or family, we print out beautiful 5×7 portraits of each, and place them in an elegant black folio. The prints are placed on a table for guests to take home as a keepsake at the end of the evening. Everyone loves the instant gratification!

Clarity Conference at The Mills House – Day 3

What a fabulous group!!!

I had the absolute pleasure of photographing the annual 3-day Clarity Conference for Solutions Group Services at The Mills House Hotel. On Day 3, program was packed with more fantastic presentations, a networking break, and a wrap-up Q&A session. The event concluded with some final staff headshots before everyone headed their separate ways.

Using a powerful combination of experience and expertise, Solutions Group Services helps organizations work through significant reimbursement challenges. They pioneered a better way for providers to collect their charges from payers – not the patient. This is accomplished through technology and consulting solutions. Everyday the growing SGS team advances this reality through innovative solutions as well as through offering a continuously growing library of informational resources. Solutions Group Services is more than just a company, they are the solution.

Clarity Conference at The Mills House Hotel – Day 2

What a fabulous group!!!

I had the absolute pleasure of photographing the annual 3-day Clarity Conference for Solutions Group Services at The Mills House Hotel. On Day 2, the day kicked off with a fun welcome, followed by a variety of informative presentations, then several headshots and team photos, and wrapping up with a fun cocktail reception in the courtyard.

Using a powerful combination of experience and expertise, Solutions Group Services helps organizations work through significant reimbursement challenges. They pioneered a better way for providers to collect their charges from payers – not the patient. This is accomplished through technology and consulting solutions. Everyday the growing SGS team advances this reality through innovative solutions as well as through offering a continuously growing library of informational resources. Solutions Group Services is more than just a company, they are the solution.

Clarity Conference at The Mills House Hotel – Day 1

What a fabulous group!!!

I had the absolute pleasure of photographing the annual 3-day Clarity Conference for Solutions Group Services at The Mills House Hotel. On Day 1, their high-energy program begain with a fabulous Welcome Reception on the hotel’s second-story pool deck, overlooking Meeting Street, in downtown Charleston. Pamela Evette, the Lt. Govorner of SC, was the guest of honor!

Using a powerful combination of experience and expertise, Solutions Group Services helps organizations work through significant reimbursement challenges. They pioneered a better way for providers to collect their charges from payers – not the patient. This is accomplished through technology and consulting solutions. Everyday the growing SGS team advances this reality through innovative solutions as well as through offering a continuously growing library of informational resources. Solutions Group Services is more than just a company, they are the solution.

Sarah & Andrew’s Wedding at Meadow Wood Acres

I am SO OBSESSED!!!

Photographing & Sarah & Andrew’s magical wedding day at Meadow Wood Acres in central Michigan was an absolute delight! These two are a match made in heaven!!! But of course I knew that when I had the honor of photographing their Surprise Proposal in Charleston! Check out that story here: https://chrisandcami.com/andrews-surprise-proposal-to-sarah-at-waterfront-park/.

The whole flight home I was madly going through all the photos and picking out some of my favorites to share. It was so much fun getting “glances” from other travelers when they would see a particularly cool shot pop up while I was editing in the waiting area for my flight to board. My favorite was when an outgoing young lady, probably in her early twenties, looked over and said “Did YOU take that?!?” 🙂

CONGRATULATIONS Sarah & Andrew!!! We wish you all the best as you begin your new journey together as husband and wife…

Sarah & Andrew’s Wedding Rehearsal at Meadow Wood Acres

As a full-time professional wedding photographer for over 30 years, I’ve covered a LOT of weddings!!! However, every single one of them is still unique and different. For this reason, I like to attend the Wedding Rehearsal whenever possible. It’s not something we charge for. It’s just part of the customer service we provide.

The Wedding Rehearsal usually takes place at the wedding venue the day before the main event. So if it’s a location I haven’t been to in a while, I get to scout the area for pretty backgrounds and good locations I can use for photos. I also get to introduce myself to the venue staff and the wedding planner, which helps put them at ease. But most importantly, I get to meet the families and get to know the wedding party! I’ll make notes about who is who in the wedding party, what the parent’s names are, how old the ring bearer or flower girl is, and any unique events that will take place during the ceremony. All of this information allows me to anticipate key moments better, position myself in the right places at the right times, and just be better prepared to tell the story of their day. Plus just being present and introducing myself to key individuals helps them think of me as part of their “inner circle”, making them more comfortable with me on the wedding day. I’m always seeking genuine moments and natural emotions. Breaking the ice at the rehearsal allows that to happen more fluidly on the wedding day. Last but not least, it’s helpful to the bride and her wedding planner to have me there in case they have questions about the photo schedule.

The best part about attending the Wedding Rehearsal is that often times…like with Sarah & Andrew’s fabulous rehearsal at Meadow Wood Acres outside Lansing, Michigan…the couple will invite me to join them for the Rehearsal Dinner! YUMMM!!! 🙂

Retirement Ceremony Honoring Major Alexandrea Richards, United States Air Force

It was an absolute honor to be the official photographer at Major Alexandrea Richards’ Retirement Ceremony.

With countless awards and commendations to her name, Major Richards has dedicated her life in service to her country! A beautiful ceremony, honoring her accomplishments, was held at The Charleston Club on Joint Base Charleston. She was surrounded by close colleagues, family, and friends. She will certainly be missed. But it’s time for her to begin a NEW chapter in her life!

CONGRATULATIONS Major Richards! And thank you for your service!!!