Trident Healthcare Holiday Party

It’s been our pleasure to photograph the Trident Healthcare Christmas Party for the last several years. They are such a great group. And the couples really seem to appreciate having a nice portrait of themselves, all dressed up in their festive attire!

Aside from setup shots of the banquet hall, and candids of the party, for most of the guests the highlight is our print-on-site Portrait Station! I’ve included a few behind-the-scenes shots of my setup. But basically, I create a mini-portrait studio, using wireless Nikon SB-800 flashes, Manfrotto light-stands, and Westcott umbrellas. I photograph each couple with a Nikon D5 and a Nikkor 24-70, while it’s tethered to my Lenovo Yoga laptop via Adobe Lightroom. After shooting a few test shots before guests arrive, I create a custom preset in Lightroom (including parameters such as white balance, exposure, and contrast) so that every shot comes out perfect and consistent. After capturing two or three quick shots of each couple, I bring them over to the laptop, where they get to immediately see the images and pick out their favorite. I then print out a beautiful 5×7 portrait of that image using the high-speed DNP DS-40 Dye Sublimation Printer, slip it into an elegant black folio, and hand it to them. Couples LOVE the instant gratification of being able to walk away with their portrait in hand!!!

We always enjoy working with the amazing team at Trident. I can’t wait to do it again next year!!!

CTAR Market Forecast Conference

Last week I was honored to be invited back to photograph the annual conference for the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors. Their Market Forecast Report was held at the beautifully renovated Charleston Marriott.  With an excellent panel of speakers, delightful live music, and lots of networking opportunities, the evening was a huge success.  Many thanks to Claire and her team for including me in another amazing CTAR corporate event!!!

Center for Birds of Prey Annual Gala

Last week I was thrilled to photograph a fundraising gala for an important cause! Aloft at the Cedar Room was this year’s annual celebration of the Center for Birds of Prey, the amazing team that works there, and the incredible work they do for our planet and the wonderful creatures we share it with!

Kara Bale from the Center for Birds of Prey writes: “What a wonderful night! Aloft at the Cedar Room was a fantastic event. The Cedar Room is a beautiful space which allowed guests to enjoy and celebrate the beauty, mystery, and wonder of wild birds while contributing to their conservation and our own future. The energy in the room was amazing! Here’s a quick snapshot of our evening for those of you who could not attend. We would like to extend another special thanks to our top sponsors including Coastal Expeditions, Benefitfirst, and The Boeing Company and to the many others that made this event possible. More photos to come from the very fabulous Chris Smith!!!”

It was an honor and a pleasure to be a part of this great evening again. I can’t wait for next year!!!

US Grains Council at the Denver Zoo

Last week I had the pleasure of photographing the 58th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting for the US Grains Council in Denver. To celebrate a successful and productive meeting, we had a wonderful and entertaining gala at the Denver Zoo!!!

DHG Leadership Conference – Dinner at the Aquarium

I always enjoy photographing the Dixon Hughes Goodman Leadership Conference. They are such a great organization, and truly care about their people!

At the conclusion of the second day’s meetings and presentations, everyone was treated to an AMAZING dinner party at the South Carolina Aquarium!

DHG Leadership Conference – Day 2

I always enjoy photographing the Dixon Hughes Goodman Leadership Conference. They are such a great organization, and truly care about their people!

Day 2 of the program included fantastic keynote speaker Sarah Turner, as well as an awesome Q&A session with CEO Matt Snow and CPO Effin Logue.

DHG Leadership Conference

I always enjoy photographing the Dixon Hughes Goodman Leadership Conference. They are such a great organization, and truly care about their people!

Here are a few shots from the first day of the conference. The day started with attendees arriving at the impressive Charleston Marriott, learning from fabulous keynote speaker Camille Yameen, and ended with a fun carraige tour through historic downtown.

Trident Medical Center Service Awards

One of my absolute favorite events to photograph each year is the Trident Health Service Awards, rewarding top employees for outstanding service!!!

“One of the greatest assets we have at Trident Health is our talented team of people who carry out our daily mission of creating a caring environment where healing occurs,” said Trident Health Chief Executive Officer Todd Gallati. “Our patients are at the center of everything we do, and outstanding individuals like these are the reason Trident Health continues to rank among the nation’s top performing hospitals.”

I photographed the program with a Nikon D5, a Nikon D850, the “Holy Trinity” of Nikkor lenses, and 10 Nikon Speedlights!

Charleston Trident Association of Realtors

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.

For more information on CTAR, visit http://www.charlestonrealtors.com/.

Wild at Wingswood Gala

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!

Check them out at http://www.thecenterforbirdsofprey.org/.

Photo Wall

At Chris & Cami Photography, we’ve offered our crazy, creative, and zany Photo Wall since before PhotoBooths became popular again.  Many thanks to Colliers International for using our Photo Wall at the Company Christmas Party this year!

The excitement attendees experience when they see their photos pop up on the screen is a huge hit. The instant gratification of receiving and walking away with a fabulous print of it is PRICELESS!  Instead of a tiny little photo strip, our guests receive a big, beautiful, full size 5×7 print. It’s even mounted in an elegant 8×10 folio to properly protect and showcase the image.

Our Photo Wall is NOT like those tiny, dark, cramped little booths that only hold 3 or 4 people. It’s a big, open, and inviting space that can easily fit a happy couple…or the entire sales team. Plus it’s manned and operated by a professional photographer who actually interacts, makes suggestions for fun poses, pumps up the energy, and helps people have a BLAST with the Photo Wall!

So whether you’ve already booked us to photograph your event and want us to bring the Photo Wall as an ad-on, or you just want to book us for the exciting Photo Wall itself, give us a shout! We’d be delighted to work with you…and your guests will thank you for it.

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!!!