Kai’s & Savannah’s Surprise Proposal at Magnolia Plantation

Over the last 30 years as a professional photographer, I’ve discovered that photographing surprise proposals is one of my absolute favorite things to capture. There’s something incredibly special about documenting such a genuine, life-changing moment, and Kai’s surprise proposal to his longtime girlfriend, Savannah, was a perfect example of why I love these shoots so much.

Kai and I spent several months carefully planning every detail to make sure the moment unfolded perfectly. He chose the iconic white bridge at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens as the setting, which couldn’t have been more romantic. On the big day, I hid behind a tree at the far end of the pond so Savannah wouldn’t suspect a thing. From there, I photographed the moment with a dual-camera setup using two Nikon Z9 bodies—one paired with the Nikkor Z 400mm f4.5 S lens to capture the proposal from a distance, and the other with the Nikkor Z 70-180mm f2.8 lens to showcase more of the scene.

Kai and I had created a schedule, and mapped out a route for him to lead her to the bridge. Even though she had no idea what we were up to, and he had never been there before, Kai somehow managed to get her to Magnolia Plantation right on schedule, and lead her right down the path I had told him to take. Kai had cleverly told her he was there on a work trip and had to make a presentation to his team. He asked if they could get to the plantation early so that he could practice his speach! Arriving at “the spot”, he handed her a copy of the speech so she could read along. Only instead of a work speech, it was his declaration of love and devotion to Savannah. I could see the emotions welling up as she read along. Then he got down on one knee and asked her to be his wife. She said YES!!!

After the excitement settled, we spent some time strolling around the beautiful grounds creating authentic engagement portraits. Using the versatile Nikkor Z 24-120mm f4 S lens, and occasionally adding some off-camera flash, we captured a wonderful collection of images celebrating the beginning of their next chapter together.

Please help me in saying CONGRATULATIONS to Kai and Savannah!!! We wish you all the best as you start this new journey together…

Stovall Family on Daniel Island

Capturing family moments is always a joy! I had the pleasure of photographing the Stovall Family this week at their stunning home overlooking the marsh on Daniel Island. It had been 8 years since they had family portraits done. But this year was special since their daughter is a rising high-school senior, and they wanted some senior portraits for her. The picturesque setting provided the perfect backdrop for this memorable session, creating a serene atmosphere that showcased the family’s love and connection.

Using my Nikon Z9 paired with the versatile Nikkor Z 24-120 f4 lens allowed me to capture the beautiful details and emotions during our time together. The natural light streaming through the trees was complemented by my Godox AD200 flashe, ensuring every shot was perfectly lit. I utilized a Glow EZ Lock Softbox to soften the light, creating a flattering and warm ambiance that highlighted their amazing smiles.

Throughout the session, we shared laughter and stories, making the experience not just about photography but about celebrating the family bonds. The Stovall Family’s warmth and enthusiasm were contagious, making it a truly enjoyable shoot for me, and making me feel like part of the family. I even kicked the soccer ball around with the boys while we waited for their daughter to change!

I’m grateful for the opportunity to create lasting memories for the Stovalls in such a breathtaking location…preserving these special moments for years to come!

Shannon’s Nursing School Graduation Photos

I had the wonderful opportunity to meet and photograph Shannon to celebrate her graduation from nursing school at Emory University School of Medicine. It was an exciting milestone, and I was thrilled to capture this special moment in her life. We explored the scenic backdrop of historic downtown Charleston, where we made stops at the picturesque Joe Riley Waterfront Park, the charming French Quarter, and the iconic Rainbow Row. Each location offered a unique flair that perfectly complemented Shannon’s vibrant personality.

For this session, I relied on my trusty Nikon Z9, renowned for its high resolution and stunning color rendition. The camera pulled out every detail, presenting Shannon in her best light. To enhance the natural beauty of the moment, I occasionally augmented the available light with a Godox V860II speedlight, ensuring that her radiant smile and the scenic backgrounds shone brightly in the images.

Capturing these moments for Shannon was a joy, and I am honored to be part of such a significant celebration. Congratulations, Shannon, on your remarkable achievement! I wish you all the best as you embark on your nursing career.

Kaitlin’s Bridal Portraits in Downtown Charleston

Kaitlin & Stevie were married in a lovely ceremony at Founder’s Hall this past weekend. You may recall I had the honor of photographing their awesome engagement shoot at the Lagare Waring House several months ago: https://chrisandcami.com/kaitlin-stevies-engagement-at-the-lagare-waring-house/. I am FINALLY able to share with you the fabulous bridal portraits of Kaitlin that we photographed in downtown Charleston, which have been under wraps until Stevie was able to see his beautiful bride in her gorgeous gown on their special day!!!

Gracie’s Senior Portraits at Hampton Park

When my friend Melissa reached out to ask if I would photograph her cousin’s Senior Portraits, I said ABSOLUTELY!!! We’ve known Melissa since the early days when we first moved back to Charleston. She and Cami used to work together at Picture This One Hour Photo and Dennis Munn Photography! Who remembers where THAT was?!? Fast forward and here we are, still connected after all these years. 🙂

I met up with Melissa, Gracie, and her sister at Hampton Park on a beautiful summer evening. Gracie was an absolute joy to work with! It was fun to tap into her energy, excitement, and sense of adventure. Plus it didn’t hurt that she was absolutely gorgeous!!! We moved quickly, and managed to explore the whole park, while still switching into three different outfits. What a pleasure it was to catch up with Melissa, and photograph these beautiful memories of this special time in Gracie’s life!

Everyone say CONGRATULATIONS to Gracie!!! We wish her all the best as she embarks on this next big adventure in life…

Eva’s Bat Mitzvah Portraits

In a few short months, I’ll have the honor of photographing Eva’s bat mitzvah!!!

Bat mitzvah is Hebrew for “daughter of commandment.” When a Jewish girl turns 12, she has all the rights and obligations of a Jewish adult, including the commandments of the Torah. From that date forward, she takes her place in the Jewish community. This milestone in her life, called a bat mitzvah, is often celebrated with creative projects, meaningful gatherings, a special ceremony and of course a joyous celebration afterwards!

To help commemorate this special chapter in Eva’s life, her beautiful family joined her for a fun photo session at Hampton Park. She’ll be able to use these photos in her announcement cards for her celebration later this year. But more importantly, the whole family will have these wonderful memories preserved for all eternity, as Eva grows from this amazing girl she is today into the even more incredible woman she will become!!!

Brandy & Dan’s Hampton Park Engagement Photos

WOW!!! What an amazing sight greeted me at Hampton Park when I arrived for Brandy & Dan’s engagement session. The rains had just passed through Charleston, the sun was out, and a gorgeaous rainbow stretched across the sky!

Brandy & Dan arrived shortly thereafter. And we had an AMAZING time exploring the park, getting to know each other, and creating beautiful images together. As we returned to our cars, we realized there was a great chance for a brilliant sunset. So we zipped over to Brittlebank Park to capture a few dramatic silhouettes against that colorful sky!

CONTRATULATIONS Brandy & Dan! I can’t wait to be there for you guys on your wedding day!!!

Muro Family at Wild Dunes Beach

I’ve been photographing the Muro Family at their annual vacations to Charleston for many years. But each year it seems there’s always someone missing. Whether a family member was studying abroad, traveling, or just sick…it we always seem to be missing someone. But this year, we actually had EVERYONE TOGETHER!!!

It was so much fun catching up with the Muro family. They always treat me like family. And photographing their beach portrait session is always a highlight of my summer!!!

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…

Marketing Photos for DWG Consulting Engineers

DWG Consulting Engineers is a 100% Employee-Owned full-service Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Fire Protection and Communications engineering design firm in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. The firm specializes in technical, economic, and feasibility studies; assessments of existing facilities, design of HVAC systems, plumbing, fire protection, lighting, power, fire alarm, data distribution, and project commissioning. But don’t worry, they also love beer,, street tacos, office crab-walking contests, and binging shows on Netflix!

It was a real pleasure photographing new marketing photos for this fun and friendly team of individuals. Many thanks to Cate for all her hard work organizing everything for the shoot!!!

Seamon Whiteside Headshots

What a fun morning!!! It was an absolute pleasure meeting and photographing each of the new team members at Seamon Whiteside today. They are such a great group. And they always seem to hire the nicest people! In fact, I recognized Diandre, who used to work at Carolina Landscapes. I really enjoyed working with her there and photographing some of the projects she had designed for them. So I’m really looking forward to seeing what she does with her new projects for Seamon Whiteside!!!

Seamon Whiteside Surveying Team

It was a beautiful spring day for my photo shoot with Seamon Whiteside last week!

Lia had asked me to capture some marketing photos for her of their surveying team in action at the marsh near Patriots Point with the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge in the distance. After that, she wanted shots of their construction administration team that has been working on the new Residence Inn at Patriot’s Point. We had a BLAST and came away with a variety of colorful shots for them!

Many thanks to Lia and Denise for coordinating everything for this shoot!!!