Credit One Charleston Open 2025 – Media Day

Media Day takes place on the 1st day of the Main Draw, which is the 3rd day of the tournament. It’s an important opportunity for writers and video crews to get important quotes and video clips of the top seeds. As one of the tournament photographers, I get to photograph portraits of each of these top seeds, as well as behind-the-scenes coverage of Media Day!

Being a former collegiate tennis player, one of my favorite assignments to photograph each year is the Credit One Charleston Open (formerly Volvo Car Open, and Family Circle Cup before that). I don’t follow basketball, football, or baseball. I sometimes keep up with soccer, since I also had a soccer scholarship. But I DO have a subscription to Tennis Channel! So it’s always exciting to be “in the trenches” at this amazing tennis tournament, among the incredible athletes that I follow throughout the year.

Having said that, it is also by far the HARDEST assignment I photograph each year! From the start of qualifying rounds, to the final photoshoot with the champion, I work a total of 9 12-hour days in a row. For my photographer friends who shoot weddings, imagine photographing 9 12-hour weddings in a row?!? Every day is a constant hussle…bouncing back and forth between covering multiple matches, vip appearances, autograph sessions, suite visits, national anthem singers, practice sessions, media appearances, press conferences, and so much more. Plus in between all that, I’m rushing back to the media center to download, cull, and transmit selects for the media team to use in press releases and on social media. But, I’ve been one of the official tournament photographers for almost 20 years now. I wouldn’t keep doing it if I didn’t absolutely love it!!!

This year the Credit One Charleston Open celebrates 25 years of award-winning tennis on Daniel Island, where for a quarter century, the world’s best players and finest fans have gathered for nine days of tennis excellence. As the largest women’s only professional tennis tournament in North America, the tournament welcomes nearly 90,000 tennis enthusiasts to the state-of-the-art Credit One Stadium. A WTA 500 event on the Hologic WTA Tour, the tournament features a singles draw of 48 players, a qualifying draw of 24 players and a doubles draw of 16 players. Voted the WTA 500 Tournament of the Year, the Credit One Charleston Open is recognized for excellence in staff and organization, passionate fan engagement, and its commitment to tennis and its athletes. This prestigious award, voted on by WTA players, highlights the event’s impact both on and off the court.

Credit One Charleston Open 2025 – Day 3

Day 3 of the tournament marks the end of Qualifying Rounds, and the beginning of the Main Draw. The day was full of exciting tennis, fun autograph sessions, player interviews on the deck with commentator Pippa Horn, and great fan interactions!

Being a former collegiate tennis player, one of my favorite assignments to photograph each year is the Credit One Charleston Open (formerly Volvo Car Open, and Family Circle Cup before that). I don’t follow basketball, football, or baseball. I sometimes keep up with soccer, since I also had a soccer scholarship. But I DO have a subscription to Tennis Channel! So it’s always exciting to be “in the trenches” at this amazing tennis tournament, among the incredible athletes that I follow throughout the year.

Having said that, it is also by far the HARDEST assignment I photograph each year! From the start of qualifying rounds, to the final photoshoot with the champion, I work a total of 9 12-hour days in a row. For my photographer friends who shoot weddings, imagine photographing 9 12-hour weddings in a row?!? Every day is a constant hussle…bouncing back and forth between covering multiple matches, vip appearances, autograph sessions, suite visits, national anthem singers, practice sessions, media appearances, press conferences, and so much more. Plus in between all that, I’m rushing back to the media center to download, cull, and transmit selects for the media team to use in press releases and on social media. But, I’ve been one of the official tournament photographers for almost 20 years now. I wouldn’t keep doing it if I didn’t absolutely love it!!!

This year the Credit One Charleston Open celebrates 25 years of award-winning tennis on Daniel Island, where for a quarter century, the world’s best players and finest fans have gathered for nine days of tennis excellence. As the largest women’s only professional tennis tournament in North America, the tournament welcomes nearly 90,000 tennis enthusiasts to the state-of-the-art Credit One Stadium. A WTA 500 event on the Hologic WTA Tour, the tournament features a singles draw of 48 players, a qualifying draw of 24 players and a doubles draw of 16 players. Voted the WTA 500 Tournament of the Year, the Credit One Charleston Open is recognized for excellence in staff and organization, passionate fan engagement, and its commitment to tennis and its athletes. This prestigious award, voted on by WTA players, highlights the event’s impact both on and off the court.

Credit One Charleston Open 2025 – Player Party

At the end of Qualifying Rounds, all the players are invited to a fun Player Party! It’s the tournement’s way of saying welcome back to Charleston!!! This year, I had the honor of photographing the official “Purple Carpet” photos as players and VIP’s arrived. Purple being the tournament’s color, we use a purple carpet instead of a red one. 🙂 This year’s Player Party was held at The Peacock.

Being a former collegiate tennis player, one of my favorite assignments to photograph each year is the Credit One Charleston Open (formerly Volvo Car Open, and Family Circle Cup before that). I don’t follow basketball, football, or baseball. I sometimes keep up with soccer, since I also had a soccer scholarship. But I DO have a subscription to Tennis Channel! So it’s always exciting to be “in the trenches” at this amazing tennis tournament, among the incredible athletes that I follow throughout the year.

Having said that, it is also by far the HARDEST assignment I photograph each year! From the start of qualifying rounds, to the final photoshoot with the champion, I work a total of 9 12-hour days in a row. For my photographer friends who shoot weddings, imagine photographing 9 12-hour weddings in a row?!? Every day is a constant hussle…bouncing back and forth between covering multiple matches, vip appearances, autograph sessions, suite visits, national anthem singers, practice sessions, media appearances, press conferences, and so much more. Plus in between all that, I’m rushing back to the media center to download, cull, and transmit selects for the media team to use in press releases and on social media. But, I’ve been one of the official tournament photographers for almost 20 years now. I wouldn’t keep doing it if I didn’t absolutely love it!!!

This year the Credit One Charleston Open celebrates 25 years of award-winning tennis on Daniel Island, where for a quarter century, the world’s best players and finest fans have gathered for nine days of tennis excellence. As the largest women’s only professional tennis tournament in North America, the tournament welcomes nearly 90,000 tennis enthusiasts to the state-of-the-art Credit One Stadium. A WTA 500 event on the Hologic WTA Tour, the tournament features a singles draw of 48 players, a qualifying draw of 24 players and a doubles draw of 16 players. Voted the WTA 500 Tournament of the Year, the Credit One Charleston Open is recognized for excellence in staff and organization, passionate fan engagement, and its commitment to tennis and its athletes. This prestigious award, voted on by WTA players, highlights the event’s impact both on and off the court.

Credit One Charleston Open 2025 – Day 2

There are 2 days of Qualifying Rounds at the Credit One Charleston Open. Those who qualify, join the other higher-ranked players who are already eligible for the Main Draw. What’s fun about these first two days is that while the competition among the qualifiers is intense, the overall atmosphere is more relaxed. Higher ranked players are just arriving into town, getting their first practice sessions on the green clay, and catching up with their friends on tour. Plus it’s Family Weekend, with tons of fun activities for kids of all ages!

Being a former collegiate tennis player, one of my favorite assignments to photograph each year is the Credit One Charleston Open (formerly Volvo Car Open, and Family Circle Cup before that). I don’t follow basketball, football, or baseball. I sometimes keep up with soccer, since I also had a soccer scholarship. But I DO have a subscription to Tennis Channel! So it’s always exciting to be “in the trenches” at this amazing tennis tournament, among the incredible athletes that I follow throughout the year.

Having said that, it is also by far the HARDEST assignment I photograph each year! From the start of qualifying rounds, to the final photoshoot with the champion, I work a total of 9 12-hour days in a row. For my photographer friends who shoot weddings, imagine photographing 9 12-hour weddings in a row?!? Every day is a constant hussle…bouncing back and forth between covering multiple matches, vip appearances, autograph sessions, suite visits, national anthem singers, practice sessions, media appearances, press conferences, and so much more. Plus in between all that, I’m rushing back to the media center to download, cull, and transmit selects for the media team to use in press releases and on social media. But, I’ve been one of the official tournament photographers for almost 20 years now. I wouldn’t keep doing it if I didn’t absolutely love it!!!

This year the Credit One Charleston Open celebrates 25 years of award-winning tennis on Daniel Island, where for a quarter century, the world’s best players and finest fans have gathered for nine days of tennis excellence. As the largest women’s only professional tennis tournament in North America, the tournament welcomes nearly 90,000 tennis enthusiasts to the state-of-the-art Credit One Stadium. A WTA 500 event on the Hologic WTA Tour, the tournament features a singles draw of 48 players, a qualifying draw of 24 players and a doubles draw of 16 players. Voted the WTA 500 Tournament of the Year, the Credit One Charleston Open is recognized for excellence in staff and organization, passionate fan engagement, and its commitment to tennis and its athletes. This prestigious award, voted on by WTA players, highlights the event’s impact both on and off the court.

Credit One Charleston Open 2025 – Day 1

There are 2 days of Qualifying Rounds at the Credit One Charleston Open. Those who qualify, join the other higher-ranked players who are already eligible for the Main Draw. What’s fun about these first two days is that while the competition among the qualifiers is intense, the overall atmosphere is more relaxed. Higher ranked players are just arriving into town, getting their first practice sessions on the green clay, and catching up with their friends on tour. Plus it’s Family Weekend, with tons of fun activities for kids of all ages!

Being a former collegiate tennis player, one of my favorite assignments to photograph each year is the Credit One Charleston Open (formerly Volvo Car Open, and Family Circle Cup before that). I don’t follow basketball, football, or baseball. I sometimes keep up with soccer, since I also had a soccer scholarship. But I DO have a subscription to Tennis Channel! So it’s always exciting to be “in the trenches” at this amazing tennis tournament, among the incredible athletes that I follow throughout the year.

Having said that, it is also by far the HARDEST assignment I photograph each year! From the start of qualifying rounds, to the final photoshoot with the champion, I work a total of 9 12-hour days in a row. For my photographer friends who shoot weddings, imagine photographing 9 12-hour weddings in a row?!? Every day is a constant hussle…bouncing back and forth between covering multiple matches, vip appearances, autograph sessions, suite visits, national anthem singers, practice sessions, media appearances, press conferences, and so much more. Plus in between all that, I’m rushing back to the media center to download, cull, and transmit selects for the media team to use in press releases and on social media. But, I’ve been one of the official tournament photographers for almost 20 years now. I wouldn’t keep doing it if I didn’t absolutely love it!!!

This year the Credit One Charleston Open celebrates 25 years of award-winning tennis on Daniel Island, where for a quarter century, the world’s best players and finest fans have gathered for nine days of tennis excellence. As the largest women’s only professional tennis tournament in North America, the tournament welcomes nearly 90,000 tennis enthusiasts to the state-of-the-art Credit One Stadium. A WTA 500 event on the Hologic WTA Tour, the tournament features a singles draw of 48 players, a qualifying draw of 24 players and a doubles draw of 16 players. Voted the WTA 500 Tournament of the Year, the Credit One Charleston Open is recognized for excellence in staff and organization, passionate fan engagement, and its commitment to tennis and its athletes. This prestigious award, voted on by WTA players, highlights the event’s impact both on and off the court.

Credit One Charleston Open 2025 – Iconic Photo Shoot

At the start of this year’s Credit One Charlesto Open, I had the pleasure of photographing the annual Iconic Photo Shoot. This year, the team selected several downtown locations, featuring a beautiful blooming Wisteria bush, a cool historic corner off Water Street, and of course The Battery. Our featured players were Charleston’s own Emma Navarro and new “mom” Belinda Bencic!

Being a former collegiate tennis player, one of my favorite assignments to photograph each year is the Credit One Charleston Open (formerly Volvo Car Open, and Family Circle Cup before that). I don’t follow basketball, football, or baseball. I sometimes keep up with soccer, since I also had a soccer scholarship. But I DO have a subscription to Tennis Channel! So it’s always exciting to be “in the trenches” at this amazing tennis tournament, among the incredible athletes that I follow throughout the year.

Having said that, it is also by far the HARDEST assignment I photograph each year! From the start of qualifying rounds, to the final photoshoot with the champion, I work a total of 9 12-hour days in a row. For my photographer friends who shoot weddings, imagine photographing 9 12-hour weddings in a row?!? Every day is a constant hussle…bouncing back and forth between covering multiple matches, vip appearances, autograph sessions, suite visits, national anthem singers, practice sessions, media appearances, press conferences, and so much more. Plus in between all that, I’m rushing back to the media center to download, cull, and transmit selects for the media team to use in press releases and on social media. But, I’ve been one of the official tournament photographers for almost 20 years now. I wouldn’t keep doing it if I didn’t absolutely love it!!!

This year the Credit One Charleston Open celebrates 25 years of award-winning tennis on Daniel Island, where for a quarter century, the world’s best players and finest fans have gathered for nine days of tennis excellence. As the largest women’s only professional tennis tournament in North America, the tournament welcomes nearly 90,000 tennis enthusiasts to the state-of-the-art Credit One Stadium. A WTA 500 event on the Hologic WTA Tour, the tournament features a singles draw of 48 players, a qualifying draw of 24 players and a doubles draw of 16 players. Voted the WTA 500 Tournament of the Year, the Credit One Charleston Open is recognized for excellence in staff and organization, passionate fan engagement, and its commitment to tennis and its athletes. This prestigious award, voted on by WTA players, highlights the event’s impact both on and off the court.

Destination Event at the Mohegan Sun Resort

When my friend and amazing photographer, Gary Coleman, asked me to join him in covering a big event he had to shoot for Comcast at the Mohegan Sun Resort in Uncasville, CT, I jumped at the chance!!!

For those of you who don’t know, Gary and I have been great friends for several decades…even moving to Charleston together when the company we worked for at the time was expanding into the southeast. We always have a BLAST working together! And this event was no different.

Thanks for letting me tag along and play “second-shooter”, Gary!!!

Monday After the Masters with Hootie & the Blowfish

What started out as a small get together to raise money for charity in 1994, has evolved into one of the top Celebrity Pro-Ams in the country. Thanks to the commitment of Hootie & the Blowfish, the MAM has generated millions of dollars for children’s educational programs and the South Carolina junior golf program. Darius, Dean, Mark and Soni remain true to their philanthropic roots in hosting this one-of-a-kind event.

It was an absolute pleasure being invited to be part of the photography team covering Monday After the Masters this year!

Credit One Charleston Open – Champion’s Portraits

Every spring, it’s an absolute honor to be invited back as the official photographer of the Credit One Charleston Open!

Since 1973, the Charleston Open has been a pioneer in women’s professional sports, creating milestones that have directly influenced the popularity of women’s professional tennis. It was the first women’s tennis event to offer $100,000 in prize money. The tournament was the first women’s event to be broadcast on network television. More recently, the Credit One Charleston Open was named WTA 500 Tournament of the Year. Kicking off the clay season, it’s grown to be the largest women’s professional tennis tournament in North America.

As the official photographer of the tournament, it’s always a great honor to capture some private portraits of each year’s champion with their trophy! This year’s champion, Danielle Collins, was sweet, kind, and wonderful to work with. Unfortunately the daylight got away from us. So some of our plans to shoot along the historic downtown backdrops got squashed. But we were able to catch the final rays of sunset overlooking the Ashley River at The Battery! Plus we got a few shots of Danielle undernieth her marquis banner at The Riviera Theater. And finally we photographed her in front of the grand staircase at Charleston Place before she headed off to celebrate with her family and friends!!!

Credit One Charleston Open – Day 9

Every spring, it’s an absolute honor to be invited back as the official photographer of the Credit One Charleston Open!

Since 1973, the Charleston Open has been a pioneer in women’s professional sports, creating milestones that have directly influenced the popularity of women’s professional tennis. It was the first women’s tennis event to offer $100,000 in prize money. The tournament was the first women’s event to be broadcast on network television. More recently, the Credit One Charleston Open was named WTA 500 Tournament of the Year. Kicking off the clay season, it’s grown to be the largest women’s professional tennis tournament in North America.

Day 9 is finally hear!!! After 9 grueling 12+ hour days of constant shooting, editing, and uploading photos for the tournament, we have completed Finals Sunday. When I arrived that morning, I could feel the excitement in the air. All the staff and volunteers were exhausted, in a good way, and ready to see who the new champion would be. Caroline Collins fought hard to triumph over Daria Kasatkina. It was the first time a player had won back-to-back Miami Open and Charleston Open titles since Serena Williams. Collins, who is retiring at the end of this year said: “I’ve been so happy to be playing at the level that I’ve been playing [and] to be able to back it up two weeks in a row has just been fantastic.”.

Credit One Charleston Open – Day 8

Every spring, it’s an absolute honor to be invited back as the official photographer of the Credit One Charleston Open!

Since 1973, the Charleston Open has been a pioneer in women’s professional sports, creating milestones that have directly influenced the popularity of women’s professional tennis. It was the first women’s tennis event to offer $100,000 in prize money. The tournament was the first women’s event to be broadcast on network television. More recently, the Credit One Charleston Open was named WTA 500 Tournament of the Year. Kicking off the clay season, it’s grown to be the largest women’s professional tennis tournament in North America.

Day 8 was Semi-final Saturday!!! At this stage, the players are turning up their games and leaving it all out on the court. Plus the stadium was packed! So everyone who attended the semi-finals was treated to quite a spectacle. If that wasn’t enough, I got to photograph a VIP Q&A session with Tournament Ambassadors Tracy Austin, John Isner, and Alison Riske-Amritraj. Tomorrow we’ll see who will be crowned our new Champion!!!

Credit One Charleston Open – Day 7

Every spring, it’s an absolute honor to be invited back as the official photographer of the Credit One Charleston Open!

Since 1973, the Charleston Open has been a pioneer in women’s professional sports, creating milestones that have directly influenced the popularity of women’s professional tennis. It was the first women’s tennis event to offer $100,000 in prize money. The tournament was the first women’s event to be broadcast on network television. More recently, the Credit One Charleston Open was named WTA 500 Tournament of the Year. Kicking off the clay season, it’s grown to be the largest women’s professional tennis tournament in North America.

Day 7 found us getting down to the final stages of this amazing tournament! As a photographer, I enjoy this part of the week because I have fewer matches to cover, which means I can spend more time focusing on each player, and getting a wider variety of shots. One of these athletes will become our champion! Stay tuned to find out who it will be…