Clarity Conference at The Mills House Hotel – Day 1

What a fabulous group!!!

I had the absolute pleasure of photographing the annual 3-day Clarity Conference for Solutions Group Services at The Mills House Hotel. On Day 1, their high-energy program begain with a fabulous Welcome Reception on the hotel’s second-story pool deck, overlooking Meeting Street, in downtown Charleston. Pamela Evette, the Lt. Govorner of SC, was the guest of honor!

Using a powerful combination of experience and expertise, Solutions Group Services helps organizations work through significant reimbursement challenges. They pioneered a better way for providers to collect their charges from payers – not the patient. This is accomplished through technology and consulting solutions. Everyday the growing SGS team advances this reality through innovative solutions as well as through offering a continuously growing library of informational resources. Solutions Group Services is more than just a company, they are the solution.

Sarah & Andrew’s Wedding at Meadow Wood Acres

I am SO OBSESSED!!!

Photographing & Sarah & Andrew’s magical wedding day at Meadow Wood Acres in central Michigan was an absolute delight! These two are a match made in heaven!!! But of course I knew that when I had the honor of photographing their Surprise Proposal in Charleston! Check out that story here: https://chrisandcami.com/andrews-surprise-proposal-to-sarah-at-waterfront-park/.

The whole flight home I was madly going through all the photos and picking out some of my favorites to share. It was so much fun getting “glances” from other travelers when they would see a particularly cool shot pop up while I was editing in the waiting area for my flight to board. My favorite was when an outgoing young lady, probably in her early twenties, looked over and said “Did YOU take that?!?” 🙂

CONGRATULATIONS Sarah & Andrew!!! We wish you all the best as you begin your new journey together as husband and wife…

Sarah & Andrew’s Wedding Rehearsal at Meadow Wood Acres

As a full-time professional wedding photographer for over 30 years, I’ve covered a LOT of weddings!!! However, every single one of them is still unique and different. For this reason, I like to attend the Wedding Rehearsal whenever possible. It’s not something we charge for. It’s just part of the customer service we provide.

The Wedding Rehearsal usually takes place at the wedding venue the day before the main event. So if it’s a location I haven’t been to in a while, I get to scout the area for pretty backgrounds and good locations I can use for photos. I also get to introduce myself to the venue staff and the wedding planner, which helps put them at ease. But most importantly, I get to meet the families and get to know the wedding party! I’ll make notes about who is who in the wedding party, what the parent’s names are, how old the ring bearer or flower girl is, and any unique events that will take place during the ceremony. All of this information allows me to anticipate key moments better, position myself in the right places at the right times, and just be better prepared to tell the story of their day. Plus just being present and introducing myself to key individuals helps them think of me as part of their “inner circle”, making them more comfortable with me on the wedding day. I’m always seeking genuine moments and natural emotions. Breaking the ice at the rehearsal allows that to happen more fluidly on the wedding day. Last but not least, it’s helpful to the bride and her wedding planner to have me there in case they have questions about the photo schedule.

The best part about attending the Wedding Rehearsal is that often times…like with Sarah & Andrew’s fabulous rehearsal at Meadow Wood Acres outside Lansing, Michigan…the couple will invite me to join them for the Rehearsal Dinner! YUMMM!!! 🙂

Kristin & Phil’s Wedding at The Estate at Sunset Farm

Photographing every wedding is ALWAYS special to me. But they are TRULY meaningful when it’s for family!!! This weekend I had the incredible honor of photographing my beautiful niece, Kristin, as she married her best friend, Phil, in a gorgeous ceremony at The Estate at Sunset Farm! Here are a few of my favorites from their amazing day. CONGRATULATIONS Kristin & Phil! We wish you all the happiness in the world as you begin your new journey together…

Sophia’s Senior Portraits

I had a lovely conversation with Sophia’s mom, who was looking for some fun family photos, as well as senior portratis of her oldest daughter before she headed off to college. We decided to meet at Waterfront Park downtown, exploring the surrounding French Quarter and nearby Rainbow Row. The previous day’s rain had cooled things off nicely. So we ended up with a PERFECT day!!!

Sophia was absolutely stunning! Plus she was on the cheer team. So she was adventurous enough to handle all kinds of fun poses with ease. My favorite is the one from the drone, with her laying down on the cobblestone surface of Middle Atlantic Wharf. Her three sisters were a ton of fun as well. And I could tell Jen and Nick were incredibly proud of all their girls!

CONGRATULATIONS Sophia!!! We wish you all the best as you embark on this new chapter in your life…

MAM 2025 with Hootie & The Blowfish – Golf Tournament

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.

After the Welcome Reception the previous evening, everyone was out in full force for the celebrity golf tournament! Matthew covered the front 9. I covered the back 9. While Gary and Marie photographed and printed the official team photos at the 4th tee. It was a beautiful day. And everyone had a great time!!!

National Ethanol Conference in Nashville – Day 3

What an honor it was for me to be invited back to photograph another National Ethanol Conference!!! This year’s NEC was held in Nashville, TN. As a destination event photographer, it’s always fun to explore new cities!

Day 3 was a half-day. But it had no breaks in the schedule. From the networking breakfast right through to the final presentation in the Grand Hall, it was a very full day! After wrapping up the final panel discussion, I backed up all the remaining images, packed up my gear, and headed to the airport. Once I was safely at my gate, I had time to edit the final batch of images and get them safely uploaded to the cloud. It was a long but rewarding three days of shooting!

The National Ethanol Conference (NEC) is the most widely attended executive-level conference for the ethanol industry. Past events have welcomed industry leaders from across the United States and 20 countries. Since 1996, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has built this annual event into the premier ethanol conference to attend for the latest, timely information on marketing, legislative and regulatory issues facing the industry. The RFA is the leading national trade association for America’s ethanol industry, driving growth in sustainable renewable fuels and bioproducts for a better future.

National Ethanol Conference in Nashville – Day 2

What an honor it was for me to be invited back to photograph another National Ethanol Conference!!! This year’s NEC was held in Nashville, TN. As a destination event photographer, it’s always fun to explore new cities!

Day 2 was jam packed with keynote presentations, panel discussions, scholarship winners, and networking! It was a long 12-hour day of non-stop shooting, injesting, culling, editing, and uploading images. My Nikon Z9 cameras just kept on ticking…and I did my best to keep up. Eventually, we wound the day down with live music, delicious food, and fun fellowship at the Nash Bash Reception!

The National Ethanol Conference (NEC) is the most widely attended executive-level conference for the ethanol industry. Past events have welcomed industry leaders from across the United States and 20 countries. Since 1996, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has built this annual event into the premier ethanol conference to attend for the latest, timely information on marketing, legislative and regulatory issues facing the industry. The RFA is the leading national trade association for America’s ethanol industry, driving growth in sustainable renewable fuels and bioproducts for a better future.

National Ethanol Conference in Nashville – Day 1

What an honor it was for me to be invited back to photograph another National Ethanol Conference!!! This year’s NEC was held in Nashville, TN.  As a destination event photographer, it’s always fun to explore new cities!

Day 1 was all about the covering the various receptions. First I had a sponsor’s reception with live music at the famous Ole Red on Broadway. Then it was on to the Women’s Leadership Reception at the beautiful (and supposedly haunted) Union Station. The reception for the PAC Auction in the Grand Hyatt had some great fundraising action. And finally, the main Welcome Reception was also held at the Grand Hyatt, with three talented violinists filling the hall with beautiful music.

The National Ethanol Conference (NEC) is the most widely attended executive-level conference for the ethanol industry. Past events have welcomed industry leaders from across the United States and 20 countries. Since 1996, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has built this annual event into the premier ethanol conference to attend for the latest, timely information on marketing, legislative and regulatory issues facing the industry. The RFA is the leading national trade association for America’s ethanol industry, driving growth in sustainable renewable fuels and bioproducts for a better future.

USGC International Marketing Conference in Austin – Day 3

It was such a pleasure to be back again this year, photographing the US Grains Council’s annual International Marketing Conference! This year’s event took place in Austin, TX.

Day 3 was was brimming with excitement and energy. President and CEO, Ryan LeGrand, had a big announcement about the future of the USGC. Major awards were handed out in recognition of service to the council. A-Team and Sector leaders presented their recommendations to the board. Other speakers and panels rounded out the day. The meeting concluded with high hopes for a bright future ahead!

The U.S. Grains Council develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and ethanol. With full-time presence in 28 locations, the Council operates programs in more than 50 countries and the European Union. The Council believes exports are vital to global economic development and to U.S. agriculture’s profitability.

USGC International Marketing Conference in Austin – Day 2

It was such a pleasure to be back again this year, photographing the US Grains Council’s annual International Marketing Conference!  This year’s event was held in Austin, TX.

Day 2 was a long 12-hour day of constantly shooting, editing, and uploading. I bounced around from Sector Meetings to Advisory Team Meetings, and from Headshots to networking shots.  Plus since all the international staff members were all here, we did a big group shot! Every few hours I would run to my workstation, download a batch of photos, cull, edit, and export a few selects to upload for the team to use in newsletters and social media posts. The day ended in grand fashion with an off-site event at the famous Banger’s Sausage House and Beer Garden on historic Rainey Street!

The U.S. Grains Council develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and ethanol. With full-time presence in 28 locations, the Council operates programs in more than 50 countries and the European Union. The Council believes exports are vital to global economic development and to U.S. agriculture’s profitability.

USGC International Marketing Conference in Austin – Day 1

It was such a pleasure to be back again this year, photographing the US Grains Council’s annual International Marketing Conference!  This year’s event was held in Austin, TX.

After several “working” breakfast meetings, the conference kicked off with keynote presentations during the general session. The afternoon was filled with Advisory Team meetings. A warm Welcome Reception wrapped up the first day.

The U.S. Grains Council develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and ethanol. With full-time presence in 28 locations, the Council operates programs in more than 50 countries and the European Union. The Council believes exports are vital to global economic development and to U.S. agriculture’s profitability.