Guin Family at The Sanctuary

I had so much fun photographing the Guin Family at The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island again this year. They have easily become one of my favorite repeat-families to work with!!! Everyone’s enthusiasm, encouragement, and positive energy is so refreshing! 🙂

Charleston Children Photographer, Charleston Family Photographer, Charleston Photographer, Charleston Portrait Photographer, Chris & Cami Photography, D5, Kiawah Children Photographer, Kiawah Family Photographer, Kiawah Island, Kiawah Photographer, Kiawah Portrait Photographer, Nikkor, Nikon, Nikon Pro, Nikon USA, Off-Camera Flash, SB-5000, Speedlight, The Sanctuary

Firefly Distillery for Trident Construction

What a fun coincidence!!! Cami joined some friends for a fun night of music during the Safe Sounds Concert Series at the Firefly Distillery Saturday night. They enjoyed “20 Ride: A Tribute to Zac Brown Band and Natty Grass”. Check it out at www.fireflydistillery.com.

I was bummed that I had a photo shoot and couldn’t join them that evening. But then on Monday morning, I got to photograph the very same new Firefly Distillery for Trident Construction! How cool is that?!? For more information on this awesome team, visit www.tridentconstruction.com.

Many thanks to Elizabeth for all her hard work organizing everything!

Charleston Aerial Photographer, Charleston Architecture Photographer, Charleston Business Photographer, Charleston Commercial Photographer, Charleston Corporate Photographer, Charleston Drone Photographer, Charleston Interior Photographer, Charleston Real Estate Photographer, Chris & Cami Photography, D850, DJI, Firefly, Firefly Distillery, Mavic Pro, Moonshine, Nikkor, Nikon, Nikon Pro, Nikon USA, Sweet Tea, Trident Construction, Vodka

Hill Family on Folly Beach

I had so much fun photographing the Hill Family yesterday!

Coming in from Lancaster, SC, everyone had settled into the “Sea Palm” house on Folly Beach for the week. I met up with them there on a beautiful summer evening. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day…a gentle breeze off the ocean and a dramatic sky at sunset made it even better!

Many thanks to Dave for organizing this crazy crew. Everyone was so much fun to work with!!! And Happy Birthday to Graham for turning 8 on the day of our photo shoot! 🙂

Charleston Beach Portraits, Charleston Children Photographer, Charleston Family Photographer, Charleston Portrait Photographer, Chris & Cami Photography, D5, Folly Beach, Folly Beach Children Photographer, Folly Beach County Park, Folly Beach Family Photographer, Folly Beach Photographer, Folly Beach Portrait Photographer, Nikkor, Nikon, Nikon Pro, Nikon USA, Off-Camera Flash, SB-5000, Speedlight

Allyson & Ron’s Surprise Proposal on Kiawah Island

I was struck by the strength and sincerity in Ron’s voice when he called a few weeks ago to ask if I could photograph his secret proposal to Allyson. I could tell he was a good guy.  And he clearly wanted to make sure everything was absolutely PERFECT for his beautiful girlfriend!

We had a great scheming together and hashing out a plan for this special moment. But when Friday arrived, afternoon storms threatened our chances. Things just didn’t seem to be falling into place as planned. We quickly pivoted to the following day. And I’m so glad we did. It was an absolutely SPECTACULAR evening for Ron’s proposal!

Arriving early, I set everything up on the beach in front of The Ocean Course Clubhouse on Kiawah Island. Ron had told her they were going to the Ryder Cub Bar for drinks, but wanted to go out and take a few “selfies” on the beach before going in.  Allyson was stunning in her colorful summer dress.  She had her phone out and was ready to go. What a COMPLETE surprised when instead of getting in the “selfie” with her, he dropped to one knee, and asked her to be his wife!!!  It was an absolutely magical moment.  🙂

CONGRATULATIONS Allyson & Ron! You two are so perfect for each other. We wish you all the best as you begin your new journey together…

Charleston Aerial Photographer, Charleston Couples Photographer, Charleston Drone Photographer, Charleston Engagement Photographer, Charleston Portrait Photographer, Charleston Proposal Photographer, Charleston Secret Proposal Photographer, Charleston Surprise Proposal Photographer, Chris & Cami Photography, D500, D850, DJI, Kiawah Aerial Photographer, Kiawah Drone Photographer, Kiawah Engagement Photographer, Kiawah Island, Kiawah Portrait Photographer, Kiawah Proposal Photographer, Kiawah Secret Proposal, Kiawah Surprise Proposal, Mavic Pro, Nikkor, Nikon, Nikon Pro, Nikon USA, Off-Camera Flash, Ryder Cup Bar, SB-5000, She Said Yes, Speedlight, The Atlantic Room, The Ocean Course

Aerial & Architectural Shoot for Seamon Whiteside

It’s been an absolute pleasure working with Seamon Whiteside over the years. They are an amazing organizations with some of the most brilliant engineers on the planet! Here are a few of their most recent projects I had the pleasure of photographing this week…

Charleston Aerial Photographer, Charleston Architecture Photographer, Charleston Business Photographer, Charleston Construction Photographer, Charleston Corporate Photographer, Charleston Drone Photographer, Chris & Cami Photography, D5, D850, DJI, Mavic Pro, Mt. Pleasant Aerial Photographer, Mt. Pleasant Architecture Photographer, Mt. Pleasant Business Photographer, Mt. Pleasant Construction Photographer, Mt. Pleasant Corporate Photographer, Mt. Pleasant Drone Photographer, Nikkor, Nikon, Nikon Pro, Nikon USA, Seamon Whiteside

The Glahn Family at The Sanctuary

With only a few more weeks before school starts back, I’ve been having so much fun photographing all our repeat family beach sessions this summer. Yesterday I had the pleasure of photographing a brand new family…and they turned out to be such a delight to work with!!!
 
I met up with the Glahn Family at The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island, where they were enjoying a fun family get-away before their girls go back to school. With McKenna involved in dance, and Ryleigh into gymnastics, you can imagine how hectic this family’s life is back home! It was wonderful to see them decompressing from daily life, and truly enjoying their time together.
 
I couldn’t have asked for a prettier day. And I couldn’t have asked for a more wonderful family to spend the evening with! Many thanks to Jimmy & Jen for selecting me to be their photographer. I hope they become one of our many fabulous “boomerangs” as they return each year to create new memories together!!!
 
P.S.  As an added bonus, I got to stop and photograph Comet Neowise again on my way home.  🙂

Charleston Children Photographer, Charleston Family Photographer, Charleston Photographer, Charleston Portrait Photographer, Chris & Cami Photography, Comet Neowise, D5, Kiawah Children Photographer, Kiawah Family Photographer, Kiawah Island, Kiawah Photographer, Kiawah Portrait Photographer, Nikkor, Nikon, Nikon Pro, Nikon USA, Off-Camera Flash, SB-5000, Speedlight, The Sanctuary, Neowise Comet

The Humble Speedlight

I’m often asked what kind of studio lights I use for all the beautiful head-shots and creative corporate work I shoot. Although I own plenty of powerful strobes designed by the legendary Paul C. Buff, the honest answer is that 99% of the time I use the humble Speedlight!

Yes I carry a plethora of them. Yes I often gang up multiples of them on a single light-stand to act as a more powerful flash. But the beauty in using them is their extreme versatility! If I need to band 3 together and shoot in high-speed sync mode to overpower the sun on a beach shoot, it’s not a problem. But if I just need a single unit through a portable softbox to photograph a senior portrait session in a park, that’s just as easy. It’s clean. It’s simple. It’s light. It’s compact. And it works!

To photograph headshots of the new attorneys at Weeks & Irvine Law this morning, I was able to carry everything I needed into their office in a single trip…camera, laptop, light-stands, tripod, background, umbrellas, and 4 little Nikon SB-5000 Speedlights. Within a few minutes their lobby was transformed into a professional portrait studio, where everyone was laughing, having fun, and capturing great head-shots for the firm’s website!  🙂

Charleston Attorney Photographer, Charleston Corporate Photographer, Charleston Headshot Photographer, Charleston Head-shot Photographer, Charleston Law Firm, Charleston Portrait Photographer, Chris & Cami Photography, D5, Mt. Pleasant Attorney Photographer, Mt. Pleasant Corporate Photographer, Mt. Pleasant Headshot Photographer, Mt. Pleasant Head-shot Photographer, Mt. Pleasant Law Firm, Mt. Pleasant Portrait Photographer, Nikkor, Nikon, Nikon Pro, Nikon USA, Off-Camera Flash, SB-5000, Speedlight, Weeks & Irvine

Riley & Tommy’s Surprise Proposal at The Ocean Course

Being a part of some of the most special moments in a family’s life always makes me feel so humbled and so blessed!!!

This weekend I had the honor of photographing Tommy’s surprise wedding proposal to his beautiful girlfriend, Riley! He had made special arrangements for cocktails and dinner in The Atlantic Room at The Ocean Course on Kiawah Island. After Riley got settled and had a drink in hand, Tommy excused himself for a minute. He had stashed a gorgeous bouquet of flowers with a note inside. Returning with the bouquet, he have Riley a kiss and told her to read the note, which instructed her to meet him outside by the famous Rolex clock-tower in 5 minutes.

Tommy had picked the iconic clock-tower as the backdrop for this special moment. For many golfers, a photograph with the famous clock tower is a “bucket-list” item. It’s one of the most photographed landmarks on Kiawah Island! Who can forget that iconic 1991 Ryder Cup battle when The United States team won the competition by 14½ to 13½ points, with a last-minute clincher on the 18th hole of the final match?!? With the nation glued to their televisions, it was the first win for the U.S. since 1983!!!

But more importantly to Tommy, it would serve as a reminder for Riley of the exact minute when he took to his knee and asked her to be his wife. 🙂 After Riley said “YES”, Tommy had another surprise for her. Turning around, she saw her parents and his parents coming around the corner to congratulate them. Running over to exchange hugs with everyone, the excitement and energy of the moment was truly palpable!

I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect day for Tommy & Riley. It was an absolutely gorgeous summer evening. But the icing on the cake came when I was driving home and saw the amazing Neowise Comet descending on the horizon!!! Major comets, like Haley’s Comet in 1986, don’t come around but once every 25-40 years. This particular one has such a huge trajectory that it won’t be back in earth’s atmosphere for some 6,800 years!

CONGRATULATIONS to Riley & Tommy! How special is that to know your engagement took place during a celestial show that won’t happen again for thousands of years?!? We wish you all the best as you begin your own journey around the earth together.

Charleston Aerial Photographer, Charleston Couples Photographer, Charleston Drone Photographer, Charleston Engagement Photographer, Charleston Portrait Photographer, Charleston Proposal Photographer, Charleston Secret Proposal Photographer, Charleston Surprise Proposal Photographer, Chris & Cami Photography, D500, D850, DJI, Kiawah Aerial Photographer, Kiawah Drone Photographer, Kiawah Engagement Photographer, Kiawah Island, Kiawah Portrait Photographer, Kiawah Proposal Photographer, Kiawah Secret Proposal, Kiawah Surprise Proposal, Mavic Pro, Nikkor, Nikon, Nikon Pro, Nikon USA, Off-Camera Flash, Ryder Cup Bar, SB-5000, She Said Yes, Speedlight, The Atlantic Room, The Ocean Course, Neowise Comet

Izzy & Chance’s Senior Portrait Sessions

I love photographing Senior Portrait Sessions. But what’s even more fun is when I get to photograph a double-session for an AMAZING couple like Izzy & Chance!!!

I was so excited when Tena and Tammy (Izzy & Chance’s parents) called to set up a double photo shoot for these two. They are all from Thomson, GA, and had planned a family get-away this weekend. They thought it would be really cool to get some amazing photos of their kids that would be unique and different from the ones Izzy & Chance’s friends were getting back home. What a cool idea!

After driving into Charleston Friday afternoon, I met up with both families at Folly Beach for Part 1 of their photo shoot. We had decided to do some beach portraits. I love Folly Beach County Park for its perfect views of the sunset. We lucked out with a gorgeous evening and a fantastic sunset!

The next morning we all met at White Point Garden for Part 2. This was a great location from which to explore the heart of old historic downtown Charleston. We had a fun walk-about as we discovered great avenues of trees, black iron gates, and old brick walls to use for backdrops. As a grand-finale, we also zipped over to Rainbow Row to mix in some of those cotton-candy colored houses.

Izzy was so beautiful and had such a delightful smile. Chance was quite dashing and so much fun. We all had a BLAST and came away with some wonderful images to preserve this special time in their lives.  CONGRATULATIONS Izzy & Chance!!!

Charleston Beach Portraits, Charleston Family Photographer, Charleston Model Photographer, Charleston Portrait Photographer, Charleston Senior Photographer, Charleston Senior Portrait, Chris & Cami Photography, D5, Folly Beach, Folly Beach County Park, Folly Beach Family Photographer, Folly Beach Model Photographer, Folly Beach Photographer, Folly Beach Portrait Photographer, Nikkor, Nikon, Nikon Pro, Nikon USA, Off-Camera Flash, SB-5000, Speedlight, The Battery Park, White Point Garden, Rainbow Row

Madeleine & McLane’s Surprise Proposal at The Belmond

I have a confession. I’ve been privy to some fun family secrets!!!

Several weeks ago, Madeleine’s father, Jim, contacted me about photographing a really special surprise for his daughter. Madeleine’s boyfriend, McLane, had asked for Jim’s blessing to marry his daughter. The two of them immediately began devising an elaborate plan for McLane’s surprise proposal! 🙂

Jim and his family had a trip to Charleston coming up.  One evening they were going to go out for cocktails at The Belmond Hotel, have a fun family portrait session, then head over to Halls Chophouse for a nice dinner. Unannounced to Madeleine, McLane had secretly flown in to Charleston as well. He had arranged for a horse and carriage to carry him into the courtyard behind The Belmond Hotel where we would be taking family photos.

As the carraige rounded the corner, the girls all commented on how cool it was to see an old-fashioned carriage pull up. Then all of a sudden, Madeleine exclaims “Wait. What?!? Is that McLane in the carraige???” Immediately the girls all started cracking up in disbelief!

McLain pulled in like a knight in shining armor, stepped off the carriage, and walked over to take Madeleine’s hand. I think she was still in shock as he then led her over to the carraige, dropped to one knee, and asked her to marry him. Suddenly the expression on Madeleine’s face completely transformed as it finally sunk in! McLane was proposing to her!!! Of all the proposals I’ve ever photographed, her expressions of absolute excitement were some of the best I’ve ever seen. 🙂

But the surprise doesn’t stop there! After some congratulatory hugs from her family, McLane turned around in utter disbelief as HIS parents walked up!!! Going behind his back, Jim had secretly invited McLane’s parents to fly in and be there to surprise and support their son during this special time. McLane thought he was pulling a total surprise on Madeleine. But he had a surprise of his own in store! 😉

After more hugs and high-fives, McLane & Madeleine took off on a fun carriage ride around the historic downtown Charleston.  Plus they captured a few authentic engagement photos together.

Let’s say CONGRATULATIONS to this amazing couple as they embark on their new journey together…

Belmond Hotel, Charleston Couples Photographer, Charleston Engagement Photographer, Charleston Place, Charleston Portrait Photographer, Charleston Proposal Photographer, Charleston Secret Proposal Photographer, Charleston Surprise Proposal Photographer, Chris & Cami Photography, Nikkor, Nikon, Nikon Pro, Nikon USA, Off-Camera Flash, SB-5000, Speedlight

Ben & Kyle’s Secret Garden Proposal

Ben was referred to me by my good friend and amazing photographer, Roxy. He was planning a fun get-away to Charleston, and was so excited about proposing to his boyfriend, Kyle!

Ben & Kyle love historic Charleston, they love the beach, and they love all the secret gardens and hidden alleys around downtown. Ben particularly enjoys the Gateway Walk, a walking trail through some of the most iconic gardens and graveyards which was designed by The Garden Club of Charleston back in 1930:  https://discoversouthcarolina.com/articles/the-gateway-walk-an-other-worldly-journey-through-the-heart-of-charleston.  So we picked a particularly fitting location in the beautiful Unitarian Church garden. This place is so striking because the garden is allowed to flow and blossom in and around the ancient gravestones.

Arriving at our designated spot that morning, it was fun to meet some of the Garden Club members who were there doing some light pruning. The ones I talked to were so excited about the upcoming proposal in their garden, and were kind enough to keep our preferred spot clear for us. They even offered to unlock some of the gates for us to use in our photo shoot afterwards.

Upon entering the garden, Ben led the unsuspecting Kyle to a beautiful cross-section in the very center, surrounded by a rustic old black-iron railing, underneath a giant crape-myrtle tree that was draped from head to toe in Spanish moss.  After sharing what was on his heart, Ben dropped to one knee and asked Kyle to marry him.  It was such a touching and emotional moment!

After the surprise proposal, I had so much fun getting to know Ben & Kyle on a fun Engagement Shoot. We enjoyed exploring the garden and surrounding streets, finding beautiful backdrops and creative ways to showcase their love for one another and preserve this special moment for them!

CONGRATULATIONS Ben & Kyle!!! We wish you all the best as you begin your new journey together…

Cemetary, Charleston Couples Photographer, Charleston Engagement Photographer, Charleston Portrait Photographer, Charleston Proposal Photographer, Charleston Secret Proposal Photographer, Charleston Surprise Proposal Photographer, Chris & Cami Photography, Garden, Garden Walk, Nikkor, Nikon, Nikon Pro, Nikon USA, Off-Camera Flash, SB-5000, Speedlight, Unitarian Church

Grace’s Senior Portraits on Kiawah Island

When she called, Marianne sounded a bit flustered. She had nothing to wear.

Vacationing on Kiawah Island for the week, Marianne and her family hadn’t planned for family portraits. They realized what a great opportunity this was to get some beautiful and unique Senior Portraits for their daughter Grace. And I had suggested we throw in a few fun family portraits while we were at it!  So suddenly Marianne was scrambling to find outfits for everyone.

Fortunately this gave her a good excuse to do a little shopping. And everything worked out PERFECT!!! 🙂 In spite of an afternoon thunderstorm, the weather was beautiful. Selecting three outfits for her session, Grace was absolutely stunning in each one. And the family outfits Marianne had selected were awesome.  We all had a fantastic time together…even their 11-year old golden doodle, Bella.

CONGRATULATIONS Grace! You rocked it!!!

Beach Family Portrait, Beach Portraits, Charleston Beach Photographer, Charleston Beach Portraits, Charleston Children Photographer, Charleston Family Photographer, Charleston Photographer, Charleston Portrait Photographer, Chris & Cami Photography, D5, Kiawah Beach Photographer, Kiawah Beach Portraits, Kiawah Children Photographer, Kiawah Family Photographer, Kiawah Island, Kiawah Photographer, Kiawah Portrait Photographer, Nikkor, Nikon, Nikon Pro, Nikon USA, Off-Camera Flash, SB-5000, Speedlight