Honda True on Kiawah Island

It was a pleasure working with Lee  at Experience Holy City on Kiawah Island this week!

I was photographing all the beautiful details and decor she had created for Honda True, who was holding their annual sales meeting here on Kiawah Island. The first night was for their Welcome Reception in the Terrace Ballroom at The Sanctuary. The second night was at Mingo Point.

Honda True also had me photograph and print couple’s portraits at the Mingo Point Oyster Roast. Since it’s been raining all week, we had to get creative! I had the couples standing just underneath the covered patio area, with the marsh trees draped in Spanish Moss as the backdrop. Since it was a pitch black night, I placed 4 Flashpoint speedlights under the trees (covered in ziploc bags to protect them from the rain), with amber gels on them to give the lights an orange glow. The couples were lit with a Flashpoint eVolv 200 in an octabox. While I photographed the couples, my good friend Gary was making the prints on his DNP DS40 printer. Everyone loved the instant gratification of receiving their portrait that night!

Many thanks to Lee and Amber for making everything run so smoothly!!!

Glenn Family on Kiawah Island

It was such a pleasure photographing the Glenn Family at The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island last evening. We had beautiful weather and came away with some wonderful images to commemorate their time together!!!

Cyrus Family at the Ocean Course

It’s hard to believe how time flies!!!

I feel like it was just yesterday that I was photographing the Cyrus family for the first time. Back then, Mason was only a year old! Fast forward to this year’s 5th annual family beach session with this amazing family…where Emma has joined the family, and the kids are growing like crazy!!! 🙂

I had so much fun catching up with everyone at The Ocean Course. It’s become a family tradition. And I can’t wait to carry our annual get-together onto next year…

Guin Family at The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island

It’s been a couple years since I’ve had the pleasure of photographing the Guin Family. But they made such an impression on me last time.  So I was super excited when Catherine reached out to let me know they were coming back to Kiawah Island this summer! 🙂

We met up at The Sanctuary Hotel on a GORGEOUS summer evening. Everyone looked amazing in their complimenting blue outfits. I was so bummed that their oldest son and his family couldn’t make it this year. But the rest of us had a BLAST and captured some fun family memories to commemorate this year’s family vacation!

The best part was, this was the 10-year anniversary of when Joe proposed to Catherine right on the same boardwalk in front of the hotel.  CONGRATULATIONS you two!!!

Estuary Beans & Barley

Charleston has so many cool venues…yet I keep discovering new ones ever day! Here are a few photos from a fun “Sip & See” event I photographed for my good friend and amazing photographer, Gary Colemen. I met up with the group at the Estuary Beans & Barley and the adjoining Charleston Distillery on Johns Island. Afterwards, we all stopped and admired the iconic Angel Oak. Exploring this beautiful 500-year old tree never gets old (pun intended)!

Ally’s Senior Portraits

I had so much fun photographing Ally’s high-school senior portraits yesterday!

Ally is an adorable young lady, with a beautiful smile, a bubbly personality, and tons of energy!!! Not only is she beautiful, she’s also brilliant, hoping to study Marine Biology at the University of Georgia. And to top it all off, she’s an athlete…hoping to make the college baton twirling team!

CONGRATULATIONS Ally! We wish you all the best for a bright future ahead…

Awards Ceremony at The Ocean Course

Kiawah Island is such an amazing paradise! Whenever I have an assignment out there, I can feel my blood pressure dropping as I drive the scenic road out to the island. Then once I’m on the island, I love slowing down and looking for alligators, egrets, and osprey, which hang out in the many ponds and marshes.

A few weeks ago I had a fantastic time photographing a very special awards banquet at The Ocean Course. Cocktails took place on the back porch, overlooking the historic 18th hole where so many Ryder Cup and PGA moments have taken place. As the beautiful sunset faded into blue hour, everyone moved inside for dinner. Heartfelt speeches were made about each incredibly deserving award recipient. The room was truly filled with warmth and appreciation for their dedication and service!

For smaller events like this, I choose to wield my Nikon D5 + 24-70 f2.8, Nikon D500 + 105 f2.8, and Nikon SB-5000 Speedlights.  Of course the DJI Mavic Pro 2 comes in handy for those hard-to-reach angles!

Allyson & Ron’s Kiawah Island Maternity Session

Last July, I had the incredible honor of photographing Ron’s surprise proposal to his beautiful girlfriend, Allyson!

Fast forward one year, and THIS July I was overjoyed when Ron & Allyson told me they were expecting their first child! We had so much fun photographing their maternity shoot at The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island, where it all started. Ron was so proud and couldn’t stop smiling. Allyson was beautiful in her elegant maternity gown with that radiant “new mom” glow about her. We had so much fun capturing this special moment in their lives!!!

Due to the pandemic, Allyson & Ron couldn’t have a big wedding this year. Hopefully next year when things settle down in their lives (I think getting married, having a baby, and building a house all in one year is enough), they’ll be able to plan a fun 1-year anniversary celebration. But in the meantime, help me shower these two amazing people with love and lots of CONTRATULATIONS!!! 🙂

Holmes Family at Timbers Kiawah

It’s been a whole year since I saw the Holmes Family. I’m always AMAZED at how fast kids grow up!!!  🙂

It was so much fun catching up with them at their home-away-from home. The Timbers on Kiawah Island is an absolutely breathtaking location. It has so many great backdrops and photo opportunities. Plus when you add three adorable kids, two proud parents, and two doting grandparents…it’s a recipe for beautiful family portraits!!!

Join me in wishing this wonderful family a Happy Thanksgiving as they spend this special time together…

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Kelsey and Alex are Engaged!!!

I’ve had so much fun over the last few weeks getting to know Alex via emails and phone calls.

We were working out the final plans for his surprise proposal at The Ocean Course on Kiawah Island to his beautiful girlfriend, Kelsey. I loved how every detail was so important to him. He truly wanted this to be a special moment for Kelsey.

The funny thing is, that truly magical and spontaneous moment hit him when he and Kelsey were putting up Christmas decorations in their new house. With holiday music in the background, fond childhood memories flowing through their heads, a that feeling of being “in the moment” surrounding them…he knew the timing was right! So just a few days before their trip to Kiawah, Alex asked Kelsey to be his bride…and she said “YES”!!! 🙂

The best part was, they still wanted to have their engagement photos with me on the beautiful sandy beach in front of The Ocean Course, just like Alex had originally planned. So it worked out PERFECTLY! We had so much fun together, and came away with some beautiful memories of this special time in their lives.  They are such an amazing couple!!!

Help me in saying CONGRATULATIONS to Alex & Kelsey…

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Alex’ Secret Proposal to Bumi at The Ocean Course

I have a confession to make! Alex and I have been secretly going behind his girlfriend’s back to plan his surprise proposal at The Ocean Course on Kiawah Island. 🙂

Alex loves tennis. And he’s really good at it! He plays in some amazing USTA open tournaments around the country. When he found out he’d be playing in one on Kiawah Island this weekend, he asked his girlfriend to come with him and make a fun vacation out of it. In fact, he thought it would be the perfect place to ask Bumi to marry him!!!

I was absolutely delighted that he called me to ask if I would do the honors of photographing this special occasion for them. It was an absolutely GORGEOUS fall day. Alex and Bumi couldn’t have been more amazing to work with. And getting to know them during our time together, I can tell they are absolutely PERFECT for each other!!!

CONGRATULATIONS Alex & Bumi! We wish you all the happiness in the world as you begin your new journey together…

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