Headshots for Siemon Whiteside

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of photographing more head-shot for one of my favorite clients! As Siemon Whiteside continues to grow and expand, they bring me in to photograph the newest members of their awesome team of professionals.

Setting up my portable studio in their conference room included the following: Savage seamless black background, Nikon D5, Sony XQD Card, Nikkor 70-200, Nikon SB-5000 (Master) flash, Westcott Apollo 50″ softbox with 3 SB-800 flashes (main light), two Westcott Apollo Strip Lights with 1 SB-800 each (rim lights), RadioPoppers (to sync all flashes), and Lenovo Yoga Laptop (tethered to camera).

I always enjoy working with this awesome team of wonderful human beings!

Comcast Executive Portraits

I had an amazing time meeting and photographing Doug Ward, who is Vice President of Customer Care at Comcast. I absolutely loved his energy and enthusiasm!

I also had the pleasure of working with Erika Paolo, who is a fantastic make-up artist. She’s originally from Equador, but now calls Charleston “home”.

The client requested a high-key style of portrait. So I brought a white backdrop, which I lit from behind the subject with an SB-5000 flash. For a main light, I used a Westcott 50″ Apollo softbox containing 3 SB-800 flashes. And for fill, I used a smaller Westcott Apollo softbox containing 2 SB-800 flashes. All images were captured on a Nikon D5 with a Nikkor 70-200 f2.8 VRII.

Many thanks to Erika Lanier (my fellow Buckeye), and Jen Hollaway, for coordinating everything for the shoot.  It was an honor and a pleasure!!!

Elliott Davis

I owe Liz a HUGE “Thank You” for inviting me to photograph updated head-shots and marketing photos at her new firm of Elliott Davis. Liz used to work for another large accounting firm in Charleston. When she accepted a position with Elliott Davis, she knew they needed to update their images.

I am so grateful that Liz thought of us for this assignment! It was a lot of fun. Everyone was so pleasant and easy to work with. We captured a ton of great images together! Here are just a few of the 500+ we captured that day.

CONGRATULATIONS Liz on finding your new home at Elliott Davis!!!

In-home Executive Portrait

It was a pleasure photographing an updated head-shot for Mr. Renshaw as he embarks on his new career path!

I met up with him at his beautiful home on Johns Island. We looked through various samples of portrait styles he liked, and chose a background that was in line with the requirements from his new company. I then set up my wireless portrait station, using the appropriate light modifiers and light placement to achieve the style we were after. The whole process was quick and painless. Even his daughter , who was home visiting from college, joined in the fun and helped pick out the best shot to use!

Congratulations to Mr. Renshaw on his continued success!

Headshots for Exaqueo

Founded in 2011, Exaqueo is an employer brand experience firm on a mission to transform how organizations find and keep best-fit talent through employer branding. Their vision is for every organization to have a fully-realized, best-fit workplace.

It’s been our pleasure to be there photographer for a few years now. This morning I had the privilege of photographing headshots for a few new members to their team!

CrossFit Charleston

Last weekend I had an awesome invitation to photograph the popular CrossFit Charleston box in Mt. Pleasant. New owners, Holly and Clint, have done an INCREDIBLE job with the place!

The workouts are tough, but scalable to anyone’s level of fitness. They have every bit of technology and equipment one needs for peak performance. But the best part is the comradery among all the participants. Everyone was so encouraging of one another…helping to motivate each other…and partnering together for extra teamwork on certain exercises.

CONGRATULATIONS Holly & Clint! You are changing lives and making Mt. Pleasant a healthier place to live!!!

South Atlantic Bank Marketing Campaign

I had another FANTASTIC photo shoot with South Atlantic Bank this week. These guys are always so much fun to work with!!!

I set up a complete high-key studio right in the lobby of the bank. Fortunately it was off-peak hours. So we didn’t have too many interruptions. But it was fun to see the look on people’s faces when they did come in…and see the bank manager and a bunch of employees having fun in front of the camera! 🙂

Shots were made with a Nikon D5 with a Nikkor 70-200. Lighting was provided by 6 SB-800 flashes. Background was a Savage Super White seamless paper. Stands and tripods were all Bogen Manfrotto.

The Trifecta

Being a full-time professional photographer often requires wearing many hats. Usually those hats don’t come into play at the same shoot!

One day might find you photographing professional head-shots for a client’s website. The next day, you might be creating product photography for a retail storefront. Then on your day off, maybe you capture some amazing wildlife encounter.

This week at the Center for Birds of Prey, I had the pleasure of photographing all three in one day!!!

Charleston Trident Association of Realtors

As a full-time professional photographer event photographer in Charleston, I work in a LOT of different venues. Harborside East has a really interesting blend of a modern exterior with lots of glass and metal, and a rustic interior with its beautiful wood finish and eclectic chandeliers. Plus it as one of the best views of the Arthur Ravenel Bridge, the Charleston Harbor, and the setting sun over the city skyline!

Last week I had the pleasure of photographing the annual Oyster Roast for the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors. Congratulations to Ann Whalen, voted Charleston Realtor of the Year, and to David Grubbs, voted Charleston Commercial Realtor of the Year! Also, many thanks to Weeks & Irvine, South Carolina Federal Credit Union, and all the other great sponsors.

For more information on CTAR, visit http://www.charlestonrealtors.com/.

Wild at Wingswood Gala

Photographing the annual Wild at Wingswood gala for the Charleston Center for Birds of Prey is one of my most anticipated events of the year!

It’s a very unique fundraiser, where live raptors, owls, and other beautiful birds soar through the air, gliding silently over guests and attendees under the big tent!
The Avian Conservation Center and the Center for Birds of Prey are doing AMAZING things for our natural world. If you’ve never been, they are open to the public on most Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. You’ve GOT to check this cool place out and see for yourself why nature lovers from all over the country speak so highly of this gem, located just a few miles outside of Charleston!

Check them out at http://www.thecenterforbirdsofprey.org/.

South Atlantic Bank Corporate Shoot

Just to prove that our photo shoots don’t hurt a bit…here are a few “outtakes” from a recent corporate assignment for South Atlantic Bank!

Yes we get the job done. Yes we get professional results. Yes we deliver a quality product. Yes we have a fast turn-around time. Yes our customer service is top-notch. But most importantly, YES we know how to have fun!!! 🙂

All images were shot in the bank lobby with our portable wireless photo studio, which included:  Nikon D5, Nikkor 70-200 f2.8, tethered to Lenovo Yoga 900, lit by 6 SB-800 flashes, held by Manfrotto light stands, triggered by an SB-5000 using the RadioPopper Px system, modified with Westcott shoot-through umbrellas, staged on a Savage seamless white backdrop.

Professional Selfie

Each week I find myself setting up for corporate head-shots at various businesses around the lowcountry. This requires a lot of flexibility, a lot of ingenuity, and a lot of problem-solving!

Every office has different physical characteristics. From the amount of window light streaming in, to the color temperature of the bulbs they use…from the size of the room they’ve given me, to the height of the ceiling…from the color of the walls to the angle of the mirror on one wall…every little detail affects the outcome of the photo. As a professional, I have to bring all these variables in line, and create a controlled “studio” with whatever I’m given.

The best part is, I get to shoot a LOT of professional “Selfies” to make sure everything is perfect before my clients arrive for their session!  🙂