Toyota Southeast Comtrollers’ Conference

I drive a Toyota Highlander. So it was quite fitting that my good friend and crazy-cool photographer, Gary Coleman, asked me to cover this really fun event for Toyota!
The 2015 Southeast Toyota Comtrollers’ Conference was held at the Charleston Marriott. But their main corporate event was held at the Cotton Dock at Boone Hall Plantation. The fine folks at Absolutely Charleston made sure everything for the event was “absolutely” perfect.  And The Bushels brought fine tunes and merriment to the occasion. 
It was a pleasure being a part of another fantastic gala at this beautiful and historic venue!

Trident Healthcare Service Awards

Trident Healthcare is celebrating 40 Years of service to the Lowcountry!!!

Each year they honor their top employees from all around the lowcountry, at the Trident Healthcare Service Awards Banquet. I’ve had the pleasure of photographing this corporate event for the last few years. This year’s gala was the best one yet!

The coolest part, was meeting and photographing the 4 ladies who have been with the hospital system since the very beginning. Putting in 40 years shows real dedication, and a love for what you do!

Congratulations to all the award winners, and thank you for your service!!!

Ashley & Kent’s Engagement Session at White Point Garden

Just over a month to go before Ashley & Kent tie the knot…YAY!!! 🙂

Ashley & Kent were referrals from the amazing Whitney & Logan (and mom, Theresa), who are all-time favorites in our book! After having so much fun with Ashley & Kent at their engagement session, I think they are diving strait into that same book. I absolutely LOVE these two…their fun energy, their quirky humor, and their fullness of life!

I can’t wait for their Big Day to get here!!!

Caroline & Matt’s Secret Wedding Proposal

“I am stationed at the Navy Nuclear Power School in Goose Creek. I will be graduating on March 20th, and I plan on proposing to my girlfriend downtown later that afternoon.”

WOW!!! Matt wrote this to me back on February 5th! I think it is SO COOL when guys make such special plans, so far in advance, to capture all the excitement of their marriage proposal. It really takes a special kind of guy to recognize the importance of the occasion, and to want to preserve it for his future fiance to be able to remember it through beautiful photographs!

Matt & I became great pen-pals over the ensueing weeks, as we discussed locations, times, and logistics…finally settling on a great game plan. After graduation, he and his family, along with Caroline, would have lunch downtown at Cru Cafe. He and Caroline would then take a nice stroll down to The Battery while his parents went on a carriage tour. Once they got to White Point Garden, we had a special spot all picked out, where he would take a knee and ask Caroline to be his wife!

I arrived early and got everything staged for their arrival. Entering the park right on cue, everything went down absolutely perfect! Oh, and as if you can’t tell by the photos, Caroline said “YES”!!!  🙂

CONGRATULATIONS Caroline & Matt! In the brief moments we shared together, I could tell you are two souls who are beautifully and wonderfully made PERFECT for each other. We wish for you all the love and happiness that you deserve!!!

Foggy Boneyard Beach

Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve & Wildlife Management Area is a state preserve I love visiting periodically on Edisto Island. It was formed in the 1930s from the merger of the Colonial-era Sea Cloud Plantation and Bleak Hall Plantation. Then in 1977, it was given to the state as a wildlife preserve. It’s only been open to the public since 2008, but it’s already extremely popular among photographers, hunters, beachcombers, & bird watchers.

Last week I had an interior/architectural shoot on Edisto Island that ended in the late afternoon. As I left the assignment, I noticed this amazing fog that had swept in off the ocean. So instead of heading home, I made an immediate detour to Bottany Bay to photograph the boneyard beach in the quiet fog and fading light.

Getting to Know your Nikon

Although I’m actually quite non-denominational, most folks know I’m a Nikon Afficionado. I love all the other brands, and have taught plenty of workshops where I had to even show Canon folks a thing or two on THEIR cameras. But I’ve been a Nikonian ever since my old film days.
Last weekend I had a wonderful group of folks take my “Getting to Know your Nikon” class, sponsored by the Charleston Center for Photography! We had a great time learning menus and technical junk. But to me, a class is no fun if you can’t have a little “play” time! 🙂
My friends, David & April, have four adorable daughters. Mary Catherine just happens to LOVE being in front of the camera…as she should since she’s an absolute natural model! “Mimi”, as we call her, has modeled for me before and is always amazing to work with. So I invited her to come be our model for a short “shout-out” at the end of the class.
For lighting, I built a hexagonal “beauty box” out of 6 remote Speedlights, all firing through umbrella diffusers. I love the catch-light in Mimi’s eyes from this light! We all had so much fun! And of course the class went way over it’s schedule ending. But we were enjoying our time together too much to stop. After all, this is what learning is all about…creating beautiful images!!!
If you missed the class and are interested in joining the next one, let me know. Maybe the next one should be about flash photography?!?
Many thanks to Robbin Knight for letting us use his studio space, to Mahmood Fazal at the Center for Photography for organizing everything, and to April Price for loaning us her beautiful daughter!

Sandra Ericksen Design

After first falling in love with of interior design while studying at the Rhode Island School of Design, Sandy and her family returned to Charleston. She opened her boutique interior design firm over a decade ago, and has been beautifying people’s homes ever since!

It’s been a distinct pleasure of mine to work with Sandy over much of that time. I get her vision, and we really seem to “click”. With some clients, it seems to take a little time for us to get into the grove. But with Sandy, it’s always off to the races as soon as we start. 🙂

Last week, Sandy & I had an awesome time photographing a couple of her beautiful projects! It’s always fun to see where her creativity goes…

Tony & Courtney’s Proposal

It was the end of a long day. I’d already had a full schedule of assignments. But when my friend Robbin asked me to help Tony out, a friend of our mutual friend, Trevor, how could I resist. After all, he was planning to propose to his girlfriend!!!

I absolutely love photographing secret wedding proposals. It’s fun to hide and play “sniper”. But more importantly, it’s such a joy to witness this beautiful once-in-a-lifetime event in a couple’s lives!

Tony & I had grand plans for his proposal at White Point Garden, also known as Battery Park. But not knowing what was in store, Courtney was not playing along! She just didn’t understand why he had to stop and see his “client” before dinner? And why did he have to park so far away, forcing them to walk through the park? But in the end, it worked out PERFECT!!!

Even though they’ve known each other for 7 years, Courtney was completely surprised! For the record, she did say “yes”. 🙂 Well done, Tony…you are THE MAN! Congratulations to you both…

Asplundh Mardi Gras Event

A family-owned and operated corporation headquartered near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Asplundh has grown to employ 30,000 service professionals throughout the U.S., Canada, New Zealand and Australia.  Since 1928 the Asplundh Tree Expert Co. has been performing tree pruning and removals, right-of-way clearing and maintenance, vegetation management, and emergency storm work.

I had the distinct pleasure of photographing their annual Corporate Event, held this year in Mobile, AL.  With a fun-filled Mardi Gras them, incredibly music performed by The Bandidos, amazing magic by Carl Michael, a jaw-dropping quick-change act by David & Dania of AGC fame, (not to mention all the other buskers, street-performers, cigar-rollers, and more), it truly was an unforgettable evening!

Many thanks to Gary​ from Coleman Photography for this assignment, Bobby & Jenny from Absolutely Charleston for the coordination, Craig from Event Talent Resources for all the entertainment, and Shasha from Loluma for the colorful decore.

Charlest Schwab Business Portraits

“I created this company because I believed investors deserved better. They still do.” – Chuck Schwab

Charles Schwab has a 40-year history of innovation and industry-leading change for the good of all investors. It’s an honor to have them as a client. It was a real pleasure photographing Julie, the newest member of the Mt. Pleasant team!