Evans Family on Kiawah Island

A milestone I look forward to at the end of every summer, is the annual SUNRISE PHOTO SHOOT with the delightful Evans Family!!!

We always get together at the end of summer break for a fun family portrait session before they head back north for the kids to start the new school year. They are one of the handful of families we work with who are brave enough to get up before dawn for their portraits.

I know it’s tough for Geraldine & Steve to get their teens out of bed that early. But it’s always such a rewarding experience, and a fun bonding time as we make new memories together!!! 🙂

Paul’s Secret Proposal to Amber at White Point Garden

When Amber & Paul were trying to figure out if they wanted to move to Charleston, one of the places they fell in love with was the picturesque Waterfront Park.

It was the PERFECT spot for Paul to ask Amber to be his wife!!! So he and I hatched a sneaky plan to entice Amber to the dock at the southern tip of the park, where he would pop the big question, and I would capture the amazing moment! 🙂

Arriving at the spot early, I was delighted that the dock was empty, and the lighting was perfect! Spotting Paul as he and Amber walked hand-in-hand down the path towards me, my palms got sweaty and my heart quickened. Would she follow him to our planned spot? Would she spot me sitting there, pretending to read a map? Would a stray tourist walk in front of me and block “the shot”?

All my fears for for naught. Paul expertly guided her to our designated location. Everything worked out beautifully. And Amber said “YES”!!! 🙂

CONGRATULATIONS Amber & Paul! You two are such an AMAZING couple! It was such an honor for me to be a part of this special day with you!!!

To see more of their images, visit:  https://chrisandcami.zenfolio.com/amberandpaul

P.S. Funny side story…my friends and amazing photographers, Valerie & Ed, showed up shortly after the proposal. They had just photographed another couple getting engaged on the other end of the park. Love is in the air! CONGRATULATIONS to their couple as well!!!

Southern Current Solar Panels

The other day I had the pleasure of photographing aerial drone photos of a solar panel installation at a beautiful home on John’s Island. They were installed by our awesome clients, Southern Current, who we love!  🙂  If you haven’t seen much of our aerial drone photography, please check it out at:  https://chrisandcami.com/gallery/aerial/.  We’d love to help.

Lauren & Dan’s Wedding at Tanglewood Plantation

Dan & Lauren’s wedding was extra special to me because of the shared African Connection!

I was born and raised in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Cami and I have also traveled to Tanzania a couple of times. So when Lauren contacted us about photographing her wedding to Dan, a wonderful man she met and fell in love with while working in Kenya, I was absolutely THRILLED!!!

“That’s awesome that you were born in the Congo and have been back to visit Africa!! It’s a beautiful continent. I work with the Presbyterian Church of East Africa, specifically with programs that empower women and girls from marginalized communities. I also teach some theology classes at the Presbyterian University in Nairobi to folks who are preparing to enter pastoral ministry. I love it!! I lived in Kenya for the first time the year I graduated from college, and I have loved it ever since. Dan is Kenyan – we met back in 2009 when I was serving as a student minister in Nairobi during my last year of seminary. We spent a lot of time in (really) long distance while I served a church in New Jersey, and he worked in Nairobi. Then I moved back to Kenya last year – and now we’re getting married in June! We couldn’t be more excited!!!”

Dan & Lauren were married at the picturesque Tanglewood Plantation. Their celebration was a bland of African culture and American tradition. It was so cool to not only capture the joining of these two beautiful people in love, but also witness the coming together of two families from different continents.

Many thanks to my good friend and amazing photographer Steve Roos for the kind referral, to Bailey Stone of By Invitations Only for keeping everything running smoothly, Southern Way Catering for the delicious food, Emerald Empire Band for the awesome music, Brian Urbish at Tanglewood Plantation, and all the other wonderful people who had a hand in making this magical day come true.

To see the complete collection of Lauren & Dan’s photos, head over to: http://chrisandcami.zenfolio.com/laurenanddan2.

CONGRATULATIONS Lauren & Dan! An African wedding blessing we used to say is “Where there is love there is no darkness.” May your hearts always be full of light as you begin your new journey together!

New Orleans Aerials

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of photographing an EXCITING assignment in New Orleans! For security reasons, I can’t share those photos. But I did manage to get a few fantastic aerial views of the city during some down time.

The Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France, also called St. Louis Cathedral, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans and is the oldest cathedral in what would become the United States. The first church on the site was built in 1718; the third, built in 1789, was raised to cathedral rank in 1793. The cathedral was expanded and largely rebuilt in 1850, with little of the 1789 structure remaining.

The second is a view of the Mississippi River and downtown New Orleans over Woldenberg Park. Woldenberg Park was created in the late 1980s/early 1990s on land that had been occupied by old wharves and warehouses along the Mississippi Riverfront, in the upper French Quarter. It is named after philanthropist Malcolm Woldenberg (1896–1982) who helped fund the building of it.

Both images captured with a DJI Mavic Pro.

Corporate Shoot for SCRA

Chartered by the state of South Carolina in 1983, South Carolina Research Authority, SCRA, is a public, non-profit corporation that fosters and enriches South Carolina’s innovation economy.

Last week I had the pleasure of photographing the organization’s team photo, as well as head-shots for all their hard-working team members.  I appreciated their creativity when they asked if they could do the team photo from above with the drone…something fun and unique!  🙂

Jenna & Christopher’s Sunrise Engagement on Folly Beach

Christopher is the most AMAZING guitarist I know! Plus he’s a kind spirit and a gentle old soul. I love hanging out with this guy:  www.christopherteves.com.

I was SO EXCITED a few weeks ago when Christopher told me he and Jenna were engaged! Even more so, I was absolutely honored when he asked if I would photograph their wedding!!!

Yesterday the three of us met down by the Folly Beach Pier, which is where he proposed to Jenna. Jenna is absolutely stunning, vibrant, and full of life!  She’s super creative, and a joy to be around. I loved getting to know her.  And I can’t wait to photograph their beautiful wedding!

To see more of their engagement photos, visit:  http://chrisandcami.zenfolio.com/jennaandchristopher

We had a BLAST photographing their sunrise engagement session. We even captured a couple re-enactments of Christopher’s proposal in the very spot where he asked Jenna to become his wife! 🙂

Carowinds Theme Park

Carowinds is a 400-acre amusement park located on the border of North and South Carolina. The park opened on March 31, 1973, at a cost of $70 million. This was the result of a four-year planning period spearheaded by Charlotte businessman Earl Patterson Hall, who was inspired to build the park by a 1956 trip to Disneyland.

The hero of Carowinds is Fury 325. This giant “giga coaster” is loosely themed around Charlotte’s nickname, The Hornet’s Nest. It has a height of 325 ft, making it the tallest giga coaster. It’s the fastest non-launched roller coaster in the world! With a top speed of 95 mph, it’s also the sixth fastest in the world overall. Fury 325 is the single largest investment in the park’s history.

Using the DJI Mavic Pro, I had the pleasure of creating this aerial drone image of the park before their crazy summer season begins!

Aerial Drone Photography for Knight’s Companies

Earlier this week my good friend and AMAZING photographer, Mic Smith, sub-contracted me to photograph aerial drone images for one of his clients. He was hired by Knight’s Companies to provide a fresh updated series of photographs to go with their revamped new website. As part of his team, it was my job to get beautiful aerial photos of their property and the activity there in.

Originally founded in 1969 by CEO, Michael “Bud” Knight, Knight’s Companies encompases a series of operations, all of which strive to provide quality products and service to the Charleston construction industry.

Aerial Drone Photography for Select Health

As a leading aerial drone photographer in Charleston, we often get requests for commercial assignments. We are FAA Part 107 Certified, licensed, and insured. I’ve been working with Select Health as a client for many years. Here is one of the projects I photographed for them recently.

“At Select Health, we’re true to our mission…to help members get care, stay well, and build healthy communities…and we always will be.  First Choice is the only plan in the state with a five-star rating for overall consumer satisfaction from CAHPS, and we maintain the highest levels of enrollment, transfer, and retention in South Carolina. We are proud to be the market share leader in the state and the preferred plan for South Carolinians.”

Many thanks to Reid and her amazing team for organizing this project!