What is today? Oh yeah, it’s Wednesday…er…Thursday…nope definitely Wednesday! J Being one of the official photographers of the Family Circle Cup means loooong hours of non-stop “go-go-go” shooting. Before you know it, one day just runs into the next. But it sure is gratifying and is an amazing way to see the INSIDE life of some of the world’s greatest tennis players! Here are a few shots from today…both on and off the court.
Day one at the Family Circle Cup has come and gone! With lots of off-court player appearances by the top 8 seeds, I didn’t see a ton of action. But here are a few shots from all over campus and throughout the first day…
By Sunday most of the players competing in the Family Circle Cup had swooped into Charleston. Saturday and Sunday had seen plenty of great tennis in the pre-tournament qualifying rounds. But the MAIN event kicks off on Monday. In celebrating all these elite women’s tennis players, the tournament puts on a great Player Party. Held at Sacs Fifth Avenue downtown, it’s a chance for players, coaches, sponsors, and other VIP guests to just hang out, have dinner, and enjoy a good time! Being an exclusive tournament event, it’s nice to be the ONLY media photographer there. I don’t have to jostle for a position or vie for a player’s attention. Plus everyone is relaxed, quick to smile, and primed for photo ops. J Here are a few from the party…
Several years ago I photographed Jody’s sister’s wedding. So I was truly honored when Jody and her Mom decided to hire us to photograph HER wedding too! If you’ve been following the blog, you’ve already seen Jody’s beautiful Bridal Shoot and Jody & Gerald’s fun Engagement Shoot. So I knew before their wedding day arrived that THIS was going to be an awesome wedding!!! J Enjoy the slideshow below and then head over to www.chrisandcami.zenfolio.com to see the rest of their images.
Jody & Gerald have been together for about 3 years. They actually met at a NASCAR race…how cool is that?!? They were married at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church. Debbie at Country and Lace did a great job on the bouquets and flower arrangements. Their reception was held at the picturesque Charleston Yacht Club where Claire did a wonderful job keeping everything organized. Believe it or not, Jody’s dad actually handed Gerald the keys to his new red Dodge Charger so they could drive to the reception in STYLE! Dale must like his new son-in-law an awful lot! The reception was full of energy and excitement. Eddie “L” from Pro Wedding Entertainment did an amazing job as always. And the folks at Beyond Expectations kept the food stations fresh and tasty.
Some of my favorite images came at dusk when Jody & Gerald joined me for a little walk out on the docks to create some dramatic images with the sunset and the sailboat masts in the background. After the sun went down and we turned to head back in, a gorgeous moon was rising in the east! Serendipity is a beautiful thing! CONGRATULATIONS Jody & Gerald. You guys are THE BEST!!!
Lizzie & Charlotte are the unwitting masterminds behind “THE PERFECT COUPLE” that is Lisa & Clay! J They are the ones that invited Lisa to St. Michael’s when she moved here and introduced them. When he proposed, Clay planned this huge, fun, elaborate deal. He got permission to get the key to the bell-tower at the church, took Lisa to the top right at sunset, and proposed up there overlooking all of Charleston! She was very surprised. They went out to dinner afterwards and Lisa says he acted like a nut, telling everyone he passed “SHE SAID YES!!!”. Believe it or not, Clay actually picked out her ring on his own. I love that! And I LOVE the ring too. It’s so classy yet unique…just like Lisa. These two are absolutely perfect for each other and I am so honored that they have asked me to be a part of this special time in their lives.
Last August I received this wonderful email from a beautiful young lady named Brittainy:
“I am very interested in using you as a photographer. I know two people that have referred you to me. I was at the Whitney and Ryan Kalinsky wedding on Seabrook and I know Amy and Seth Zeigler. They both say you are great and I was very impressed with you at Whitney’s wedding, working all alone yet you were there for every shot! I did photography in high school and have done some friends weddings myself so photography is a big deal for me on my wedding day!!!”
There is NOTHING that gets an artist more energized than hearing something like this. Needless to say, I was truly excited when they hired me and was REALLY looking forward to Brittainy & Nate’s Engagement Shoot last week. I loved the location they picked for their shoot…loved getting to know them, laugh with them, listen to them…and loved how their images came out. These two have something very special…a connection with each other that is hard to find these days! I can’t WAIT to be there for them on their wedding day…
Karina & her “entourage” met me over at Boone Hall Plantation earlier this week. I’m not actually photographing her wedding, but was SO HONORED when she asked if I would do her Bridal Shoot. Karina is a beautiful, spirit-filled young lady…so full of life and love! It was a joy just being with her and sharing this special time in her life with her. I love how elegant she looks, even when she’s leaning on her fiance’s guitar!!! J
Jennifer & Robert were a BLAST to work with! J They really opened up to me. And we had a great time together on our “walk-about” downtown. We came away with some fantastic images that I think capture their personalities to a “T”!
Brittany & Mitch are two of my favorite clients-turned-friends! J I’ve photographed their family, ther wedding, their maternity, their daughter…and now Brittany’s new Modeling Portfolio! That’s right, this beautiful young lady is a newlywed AND a new Mom, AND she’s decided to go back into modeling!!! I just think that is so cool. I can’t wait for her to turn up on the big screen so I can say “I knew Brittany when…”
Lisa & Justin had an UNBELIEVABLE wedding last weekend at The Marina Inn At Grande Dunes in Myrtle Beach. Check out the crazy slideshow at www.chrisandcami.com/blog. Then head over to www.chrisandcami.zenfolio.com to see the rest of their photos!!! J
Most folks know I’m one of the Official Photographers of the Family Circle Cup. I’m also an avid tennis player with a USTA 4.5 ranking. So naturally I subscribe to Tennis Magazine. Last night I was about half-way through the new April issue…turn the page…and staring at me as a full-page add is one of my favorite shots of Caroline Wozniacki from last year’s cup!!! With this year’s tournament only a few weeks away, excitement is building. I think we’re going to have a FANTASTIC event this year!
As last year’s runner up puts it: “The 2010 Family Circle Cup is my time to shine. I came close to the title last year and now I’ve got my eye on the prize.”
