Trident Construction’s Women in Construction

I recently had the absolute pleasure of photographing promotional and marketing images for the incredible team at Trident Construction right here in Charleston, South Carolina. This shoot was especially meaningful because it centered around their “Women in Construction” campaign—a powerful celebration of the talented women who help drive Trident’s success every single day.

We spent the day on an active construction site in downtown Charleston, capturing bold, confident portraits and candid moments that showcased both professionalism and pride. Photographing these women in their element—hard hats on, boots on the ground, surrounded by steel, concrete, and Charleston skyline—was genuinely inspiring. The energy on site was fantastic, and the team’s camaraderie made it easy to create images that feel authentic and empowering rather than staged.

Trident Construction is an outstanding commercial construction company, and it shows not only in their projects, but in their people and company culture. They were fully invested in telling a story that highlights diversity, leadership, and opportunity within the construction industry, and I loved helping bring that vision to life. You can learn more about their work at www.tridentconstruction.com.

From a technical standpoint, I photographed the shoot using my trusty Nikon Zf paired with the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 II, along with a Nikon Z9 and Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 for tighter, dynamic perspectives. To top it off, I captured a few aerial images using the DJI Mavic 3 Pro, adding dramatic context and scale to the final collection.

This was one of those shoots that reminds me why I love marketing photography—great people, a great message, and visuals that truly matter.

St. Andrews Fire Department Station No. 3 for Trident Construction

Photographing the new St. Andrews Fire Department Station No. 3 was a rewarding assignment. Trident Construction commissioned me to capture the building for their portfolio, and I focused on showcasing the clean lines, material textures, and purposeful civic presence of the station. Shooting with my Nikon Z9 and pairing the Nikkor 14–30mm f/4 and 24–120mm f/4 lenses allowed me to move between expansive wide-angle exteriors and tight, detailed interiors with speed and precision. The clarity and resolution of the Z9’s sensor made it easy to render crisp architectural details while retaining highlight and shadow nuance.

I complemented ground images with aerial perspectives from my DJI Mavic 3 Pro, which delivered context, roof geometry, and the site’s relationship to surrounding neighborhoods. I paid careful attention to the direction of the lighting, using leading lines and symmetry to emphasize the station’s function and form. Deliverables included high-resolution images optimized for Trident Construction’s portfolio and print materials. This project reaffirmed that the right tools, thoughtful timing, and a focus on detail produce photographs that honor both design intent and construction craft. Clients appreciated the visual storytelling and technical accuracy, which will support future marketing, bids, and community outreach efforts.

The Wild Pet Nutrition for Harbor Contracting

I recently had the exciting opportunity to photograph The Wild Pet Nutrition store, collaborating with Harbor Contracting to showcase their latest project. Located in the rapidly expanding Carolina Park neighborhood of Mt. Pleasant, The Wild Pet Nutrition is dedicated to providing high-quality, natural pet foods and supplies, ensuring that our furry friends receive the best nutrition possible.

The shoot aimed to capture the store’s inviting atmosphere and vibrant displays. I focused on highlighting the well-organized product sections, the friendly staff, and the overall charm of the store, which perfectly aligns with the brand’s commitment to pet care. Working with Harbor Contracting, we documented their impressive work in transforming this space, recognizing the thoughtful design and layout that enhance the shopping experience for pet owners.

Utilizing my trusty Nikon Z9, the Nikkor Z 14-30 and a DJI Mavic 3 Pro, I was able to capture a variety of images that reflect the essence of The Wild Pet Nutrition store. Many thanks to Jenny with www.grittygalmarketing.com, www.harborcontracting.net, and Caroline with www.thewildpetstores.com for all their help! It was an honor to collaborate with everyone, and I look forward to seeing how the photos will enhance their marketing efforts!

Baker Motor Company Tower Sales Office for Glick Boehm Architects

This was a fun assignment! I’ve seen the new Tower Sales Office display near Nexton while driving up and down I-26. So it was really cool to be able to photograph it for Glick Boehm Architects!!!

Seabrook Wastewater Treatment Plant for Harper General Contractors

After I sent the photos from the Walterboro Wastewater Treatment Plant to Harper General Contractors, they responded that they loved them. And they asked if I would photograph new images of the Seabrook Island Treatment Plant for them as well.

So I popped out there one morning to meet up with Caroline and Freddy. It was a beautiful blue-sky day.  I captured a variety of images featuring Seabrook Island wastewater treatment plant.  It was proof that Harper General Contractors really knows how to handle the “business”…turning sewage into something folks actually want to see!  The project is a flush-worthy feat of engineering…transforming what we’d rather ignore into a clean, flowing success. Who knew that engineering a wastewater plant could be so waste-fully impressive? Next time you hear “waste management,” think of Harper—they really know how to get things flowing smoothly, ensuring we all stay happily ignorant of what goes on behind the scenes. Flush with pride!

(Nikon Z9, Nikkor Z 14-30, Nikkor Z 24-120, DJI Mavic 3 Pro)

Stokes Kia of Goose Creek for Glick Boehm Architects

It was a beautiful fall day to be out photographing. And I was lucky enough to be covering the architectural design of Deena Hamdan of Glick Boehm Architects!

Arriving at Stokes Kia of Goose Creek, I began with some drone shots to establish the location. The blue sky and puffy white clouds really helped make for some beautiful aerial images! By the time I landed, Deena had arrived. She had already cleared with the owners and staff that we would be there to photograph GBA’s uplift of the building. Everyone was so helpful, and happy to help keep folks out of our shots while we worked. It was neat to have Deena there, the architect behind the project, as she pointed out unique and interesting facets of their design to me.

Many thanks to Deena and everyone at GBA for trusting me to preserve all their beautiful work on this amazing re-design!!!

ECCO for Harbor Contracting with Gritty Gal Marketing

This week I had the pleasure of photographing a beautiful new project for Habror Contracting. Alex was the lead on this build for East Cooper Community Outreach (ECCO). He did an amazing job!

Founded as an emergency relief effort in 1989 after Hurricane Hugo’s devastation, ECCO has since grown into a permanent resource for the community with three main service areas: Assistance (essential services ECCO provides to local neighbors facing financial hardship), Guidance (the system of support provided to clients along their path to opportunity), and Resources (connecting clients to a network of community partners who can help on their journey towards achieving personal goals).

But the best part of photographing this assignment was that I got to reconnect with Jenny, who’s beautiful wedding I photographed a dozen years ago (YIKES…am I getting old?!?). Jenny and Nate were absolutely fantastic to work with back then. Fast forward to today, and Jenny runs a hugely successful firm called Gritty Gal Marketing. If you need any kind of marketing, contact Jenny at www.grittygalmarketing.com. She was such a pleasure to collaborate with. And she even showed up on the job site so we could catch up. Going above and beyond like that for her clients is part of what makes Jenny so amazing!!!

The Cape on Kiawah Island for Trident Construction

Today was a beautiful fall day to be outside in the sunshine, photographing landscapes on Kiawah Island. But it wasn’t THAT kind of landscape photography!

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of photographing The Cape, a beautiful new condo complex on Kiawah Island, for Trident Construction. At the time, building was still under way. I was there primarily to photograph the interiors and amenities that had been completed in building 600. But there was still a ton of construction debris everywhere. And the landscaping hadn’t had a chance to fill in yet. So on this trip, the client asked me to focus on getting some exterior “beauty shots” now that construction is complete and the landscaping is looking lush. Fall flowers were in bloom, birds and butterflies were everywhere, and the sweetgrass was on full display!

Many thanks to Gracie and the team at Trident Construction for all their help on this project!!!

High-Key Headshots for Bridge Commercial

I photograph high-key headshots for a lot of firms in Charleston. That clean, modern, all-white background just seems to be a popular choice for many companies. Plus it’s also an easy background to knock out in Photoshop if your marketing team wants to change the background to something else. I know the Rosen Hagood law firm does that with all the high-key portraits I shoot for them.

Periodically, companies will switch up their marketing or change their web-design, and ask me for a different background to go with their new “look”. But I’ve been working with Bridge Commercial for probably over a decade and they just continue to love the simple and elegant look of the high-key background. What’s not to like?!?

The key to lighting a high-key portrait is the background light. If you don’t light the background separately from the subject, even the whitest background will still come out looking dull. That’s because of the inverse square law of light. As you can see in my setup, I’ve got two speedlights on the left-side stand as my main light, which is Group A. I’ve got one speedlight on the right-side stand as my fill light, which is Group B. The power ratios in both groups are about the same. But having one speedlight instead of two naturally gives me half the amount of light, providing a pleasing ratio between the highlights and the shadows on my subject. Finally, I’ve got one speedlight on the stand behind the subject, aimed at the center of the background. The ratio on this light is double the others because I want the background to be nice and bright.

(Nikon Z9, Nikkor Z 70-200 f2.8, Godox/Flashpoint transmitter and speedlights, Manfrotto supports, Westcott 60″ umbrellas, and a twist-flex white background)

Spartanburg Trails and other Commercial Development Projects

After photographing headshots and marketing photos for the Seamon Whiteside team in Spartanburg, I had the pleasure of capturing a number of their engineering projects for them around town. From all the new trails they’ve added to the city’s vast rails-to-trails Daniel Morgan Trail System, to multifamily apartment complexes, from healthcare centers to municipal buildings, from commercial restoration projects to multi-use facilities…it was really neat to see all the rejuvination they are bringing to Spartanburg. Plus it was a great way to get to know this beautiful South Carolina City that, which up until this point I had known very little about!

Seamon Whiteside – Spartanburg Team

It’s been my pleasure to work with the Seamon Whiteside engineering firm over many years. Last week I had the pleasure of photographing their team at the Spartanburg office!!!  I really enjoyed exploring this beautiful South Carolina town.

Industrial Construction Projects for Seamon Whiteside

Seamon Whiteside has been the engineering firm behind a number of large-scale industrial and commercial projects around the Summerville, Ladson, and Goose Creek areas in recent months. It was a pleasure spending the day visiting these locations to get shots of several of them in various stages of completion!
(Nikon Z9, Nikkor Z 14-24, Nikkor Z 24-120, DJI Mavic 3 Pro)