Lindsey & Brock’s Rehearsal Dinner Party

My heart is overflowing! This weekend was filled with palpable excitement, heartfelt tears of joy, and a fairytale story of true love!

It all started with Lindsey & Brock’s Wedding Rehearsal at Forsyth Park in Savannah, GA. After rehearsing their vows for the day ahead, we strolled through the park, capturing a few beautiful portraits of this amazing couple as the sun’s final rays of golden light sifted through the trees.

The ensuing Rehearsal Dinner Party at 700 Drayton Restaurant was the perfect cap to a delightful day together. Everyone was in high spirits with anticipation of the day to come. And there was a palpable buzz of excitement in the air, as everyone enjoyed a wonderful evening of fellowship and celebration for Lindsey & Brock.

With dreams of the big day ahead, here are a few favorite images from Lindsey & Brock’’s Wedding Rehearsal.  I can’t wait to share their amazing wedding photos as soon as they are done! Stay tuned!!!  🙂

Export Exchange Conference in Minneapolis – Day 3

With 500 attendees from over 50 countries, The Export Exchange is an international conference held in Minneapolis, that provides overseas attendees the opportunity to build relationships with U.S. suppliers of distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), corn, sorghum, barley and other commodities. The speaker line-up for this year’s conference was a “who’s who” array of experts in the industry, with a variety of programs to educate and build awareness of environmental sustainability, weather patterns, the world political climate, historical data trends, and the benefits of U.S. products. Event sponsors from all over the country were also there, displaying products, answering questions, and building relationships with buyers.

In addition to hosting the conference, The U.S. Grains Council sponsored the attendance of international trade teams from more than 30 countries that will see the U.S. grain supply chain firsthand before and after the conference.

Day 3 of the conference capitalized on all the informative presentations and relationship-building from the previous two days! There were many more powerful presentations, as well as panel discussions for everyone to attend. Plus there were many new connections established during the networking breaks. The day culminated in a fun group shot of all the amazing people on the US Grains Council team that made this whole conference possible! It was an absolute pleasure photographing this year’s Export Exchange!!!

Export Exchange Conference in Minneapolis – Day 2

With 500 attendees from over 50 countries, The Export Exchange is an international conference held in Minneapolis, that provides overseas attendees the opportunity to build relationships with U.S. suppliers of distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), corn, sorghum, barley and other commodities. The speaker line-up for this year’s conference was a “who’s who” array of experts in the industry, with a variety of programs to educate and build awareness of environmental sustainability, weather patterns, the world political climate, historical data trends, and the benefits of U.S. products. Event sponsors from all over the country were also there, displaying products, answering questions, and building relationships with buyers.

In addition to hosting the conference, The U.S. Grains Council sponsored the attendance of international trade teams from more than 30 countries that will see the U.S. grain supply chain firsthand before and after the conference.

Day 2 of the conference was all about the keynote speakers in the main ballroom! There were lots of networking breaks as well. At the end of the day, once everyone’s brains were filled to capacity with new knowledge, a nice reception was held at the Minneapolis Orchestra Hall. (Stay tuned for Day 3.) It was an absolute pleasure photographing this year’s Export Exchange!

Export Exchange Conference in Minneapolis – Day 1

With over 500 attendees from over 50 countries, The Export Exchange is an international conference held in Minneapolis, that provides overseas attendees the opportunity to build relationships with U.S. suppliers of distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), corn, sorghum, barley and other commodities. The speaker line-up for this year’s conference was a “who’s who” array of experts in the industry, with a variety of programs to educate and build awareness of environmental sustainability, weather patterns, the world political climate, historical data trends, and the benefits of U.S. products. Event sponsors from all over the country were also there, displaying products, answering questions, and building relationships with buyers.

In addition to hosting the conference, The U.S. Grains Council sponsored the attendance of international trade teams from more than 30 countries that will get a chance to meet farmers and see the U.S. grain supply chain firsthand before and after the conference.

Day 1 of the conference I was busy photographing candids of everyone arriving and registering, team photos of the various delegations, as well as the welcome reception.  (Stay tuned for days 2 and 3.)  It was an absolute pleasure photographing this year’s Export Exchange!

Dannielle & Andrew at the Isle of Palms Exchange Club

I was so honored when my friend and amazing photographer, Kim, recommended me to Andrew’s parents (who are friends with her parents) when they were inquiring about a wedding photographer for their son and future daughter-in-law.

Shortly after we all connected, I felt like Dannielle, Andrew, and I were a perfect fit. Later, when Danielle wrote me this note, I KNEW we were going to have a great time working together: “My fiance, Andrew Wallace, and I have looked through your blog and website and love the photos you and your wife take. Quite impressive. We are so happy you are available on our wedding day!”

Although they were both born and raised in California, this amazing couple met each other while living and working in Washington D.C. I mean, what are the chances of THAT?!? They then relocated to Greensboro, where Dannielle is doing important research in the long term effects of tobacco use, and Andrew is specializing in infectious diseases. They spend quite a bit of time visiting Charleston, which is where Andrew’s parents live now. Luckily for me, this is how their wedding came to be held here at the picturesque Isle of Palms Exchange Club!  🙂

After getting to know them, and photographing their engagement photos, which you can find at: https://chrisandcami.com/danielle-andrew-are-engaged/, I could tell they were a match made in heaven!

Their wedding day was a beautiful affair, intimate and relaxed, surrounded by their closest friends and family! The ceremony was held on the dock, with dolphin peacefully swimming below us, seagulls floating effortlessly in the breeze above us, and Dannielle’s dad performing a heartfelt ceremony. The weather was absolutely perfect as well, culminating in a dramatic sunset, scattering vibrant colors across the sky behind the beautiful couple. A fun-filled reception followed on the deck of the Exchange Club.  A candle-light sit-down dinner was held inside, with a special menu picked by the couple to represent the meaningful places where they have lived.

Many thanks to Taylor at Experiencing Holy City for keeping everything on track and organized.  And a huge shout-out to all the other vendors for making this day so perfect!

CONGRATULATIONS Dannielle & Andrew!!! We wish you all the best as you begin your new journey together…

Angie & Andrew’s Beach Wedding on Hilton Head Island

It was an absolute pleasure photographing Angie & Andrew’s beautiful beach wedding on Hilton Head Island last week!

Ever since they started dating, Angie & Andrew have been vacationing together at Hilton Head Island. The place holds such fond memories for them! So why not get married here?!?

The couple rented a huge beach house and invited their closest family and friends to join them. The day of the wedding was gorgeous, with a nice breeze and beautiful blue skies! Angie was absolutely stunning in her antique beaded dress. Andrew was dashing in his stylish khaki & white. They were such a sweet couple to work with.  And you could just feel the love surrounding them! Indeed their entire group of friends and family were so open and welcoming, that I felt like part of the family. I ended up staying overtime, just hanging out and chatting with everyone while the young people laughed and splashed around in the pool to cool off!

CONGRATULATIONS Angie & Andrew! We wish you all the best as you begin your new journey together…

US Grains Council Conference in Sacramento – Day 3

The US Grains Council’s 62nd Annual Board of Delegates Meeting at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento is in the books! It was another fantastic event. I am humbled and honored to be the official photographer for this amazing group.  Their destination conferences are always so informative and inspirational!!! Here are a few shots from the final Day 3…

US Grains Council Conference in Sacramento – Day 2

The US Grains Council’s 62nd Annual Board of Delegates Meeting at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento is in the books! It was another fantastic event. I am humbled and honored to be the official photographer for this amazing group.  Their destination conferences are always so informative and inspirational!!! Here are a few shots from Day 2…

US Grains Council Conference in Sacramento – Day 1

The US Grains Council’s 62nd Annual Board of Delegates Meeting at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento is in the books! It was another fantastic event. I am humbled and honored to be the official photographer for this amazing group.  Their destination conferences are always so informative and inspirational!!! Here are a few shots from Day 1…

Lea & Frank on The Carolina Girl Yacht

I love photographing all weddings. But it’s always EXTRA special to photograph a close friend’s wedding. Last week I had the pleasure of capturing the amazing wedding celebration of our long-time friend and neighbor, Frank, and his beautiful fiancé, Lea!

I met Frank many years ago at a wedding where he was the videographer and I was the photographer. His background in the TV industry has made him an incredible story-teller. Our shared passion for capturing the love between two people was the start of a wonderful friendship. Finding out he lived just 4 doors down from Cami and I made it even easier for us to grab coffee, go to lunch, or just stop by for a chat. Frank is an AMAZING guy…and we couldn’t be happier for him and Lea!

Although I haven’t known Lea nearly as long, it’s been such a blessing to watch their relationship grow and blossom. Lea has a kindness and gentleness about her that speaks volumes to her character. The way she treats Frank with love and respect, and the way she “gets” his corny jokes, lets me know know they are a match made in heaven.  🙂  Lea is also an amazing mother to her son Josiah!

Lea & Frank planned an intimate celebration on a gorgeous summer evening aboard The Carolina Girl Yacht. Arriving early, they shared a very special First Look in the picturesque park near the dock. After portraits with family and friends, we boarded the yacht for a fantastic cruise around Charleston Harbor. Close family and friends witnessed a touching ceremony…with a few funny movie quotes thrown in for good humor. The couple then shared their First Dance before sunset portraits on the bow. Afterwards, Frank & Lea joined guests in the main cabin for dinner. The delightful evening continued on the top deck with dancing and mingling as we enjoyed the gentle ocean breezes until the captain brought us back to the dock.

Many thanks to Camille, Sarah Beth, and Captain Trent for going above and beyond. And a special thanks to Captain Bob for making a guest-star appearance to make sure all was ship-shape before our departure!

It was an absolute honor to photograph Lea & Frank’s surprise proposal earlier this year: https://chrisandcami.com/lea-frank-are-engaged/. And it was an even deeper honor to be there for them to capture all these special moments of their wedding day!

New Orleans Greenscreen Event

We live in interesting times!!!

Photography certainly has evolved over the 40 years since I first got “hooked” with my Dad’s Pentax K1000. I photographed all through high-school as the senior yearbook photographer with that camera and a Rikoh KR-5, switching to the Pentax Program Plus and ME Super in college. I upgraded to medium format Mamiya 645 when I turned pro after college. When auto-focus technology arrived, I converted to Nikon N8008, N90, and F100. Things got really interesting when digital hit the scene. I was an early adopter with the D100, progressing to the D2x, D3, D4, D5, and many other variations in between. Most recently, the big change has been switching to mirrorless. I’m currently working with the Z9 and loving it!

But what’s really cool is how cameras and computers have become so integrated! Last week I had a fantastic time photographing a greenscreen event in New Orleans for one of our favorite clients, the US Grains Council! Similar to how the weatherman shows you the maps on TV, I used a green background that the computer would later drop out and replace with a digital background.  With my D5 tethered to one laptop, Lightroom would instantly import the image. Then a special program from the awesome team at Photo Party Upload would watch that “hot folder” and pop the image up in an intuitive kiosk app.  If the first laptop was still being used by the previous guest in the booth, I had a second laptop set up with the same kiosk app running on it for the next person to use.  After getting their picture made, guests would go to one of the kiosks to choose which background image they wanted, and use the touchscreen to pinch and zoom their photo, placing themselves in the “scene” wherever they wanted. Finally, they could instantly share the final image on social media, or simply email it to themselves.

It was so much fun watching everyone get creative and have fun with the system! 40 years ago, if you had told me I’d be doing this king of “magic” with today’s technology, I would have told you you were crazy!!! 🙂