Jessica & Dan’s Surprise Proposal at The Ocean Course

Dan contacted me almost 2 months ago about photographing his Secret Proposal to his girlfriend, Jessica. They are both from Madison, WI, and have been dating for a year and a half now. Dan knew she was the girl of his dreams…and knew that it was time to pop the question!

Dan told me that The Ocean Course on Kiawah Island was a special place for Jessica. So we hashed out the perfect plan for him to surprise her there during an upcoming vacation they had to Charleston. However, when the big day arrived, a huge storm blew through the area, almost derailing our entire plan! With Dan keeping Jessica occupied, his sister-in-law, Brielle, frantically called to try and work out a “Plan B” with me. I was already driving out to Kiawah when the storm hit. It was INTENSE!!! But soon after I arrived at The Ocean Course Clubhouse, it began to subside. And Dan was still game for giving it a try!

I am SO GLAD he persevered…because the skies parted, and the storm moved off-shore just as they pulled into the parking lot. Dan NAILED his part of the deal…leading Jessica to the “X”, which marked the spot, then turning to her to ask if she would be his bride! Brielle and his brother then ran out to congratulate them. And we spent the rest of the evening on a super fun, authentic engagement session. The best part was, the skies opened up beautifully for a gorgeous sunset! WOW!!!

As the sun slipped behind the horizon, everyone headed into The Atlantic Room for a celebratory dinner. CONGRATULATIONS Dan & Jessica! We wish you all the happiness in the world!!!

Coastal Carolina University for DWG Consulting Engineers

On the evening of July 23, 1954, a group of citizens met in the Horry County Memorial Library to discuss a daring proposal – the creation of a new local college. Later that year, 53 students are enrolled, taught by a handful of part-time faculty, with classes meeting after hours in Conway High School. Today, a diverse population of more than 10,800 students from across the country and around the world engages with a world-class faculty, enjoy an inspiring cultural calendar, and share in a community of 112 student clubs, organizations, and honor societies. The University now offers 72 undergraduate programs and 21 graduate programs. The University campus comprises 115 main buildings on 621 acres in Conway, SC, just minutes from the resort area of Myrtle Beach.

As the university grows to meet modern demands, DWG Consulting has been instrumental in upgrading and expanding the buildings and infrastructure of the campus. It was an honor and a pleasure to photograph some of theese projects for DWG’s protfolio.

Joe Daning Amphitheater for Trident Construction

Located behind Goose Creek’s City Hall, the new Joseph S. Daning Amphitheater opens on Sept. 6, 2024. With exciting amenities including a food truck court, pavilion, concert stage, dance floor, public restrooms, and lakeside views, the new amphitheater will encourage people to gather as a community and enjoy a variety of public performances. Its open-air design provides for a unique and memorable experience whether you’re performing or soaking up the atmosphere as a spectator. For more invormation and a calendar of events, check out: https://www.cityofgoosecreek.com/joseph-s-daning-amphitheater.

With the Danigh Amphitheater in its final stages of construction, Trident Construction arranged for me to go out and photograph the project for their portfolio. I lucked out with a beautiful day, with warm afternoon light, blue skies and puffy white clouds. All images were photographed with the DJI Mavic 3 Pro, plus the Nikon Z9 with either the 14-30 f4 or 24-120 f4 Z lenses.

Many thanks to Anna for coordinating schedules and organizing everything for this assignment!

International African American Museum for Seamon Whiteside

Being that I was born and raised in the Congo, where the majority of slaves sent to North America came from, and that I now live in Charleston, where the majority of slaves were sold, I am acutely aware of the damages caused by the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. So it was a great honor to be selected to photograph the International African American Museum for Seamon Whiteside!

The IAAM is a museum of African-American history in Charleston, South Carolina, located at a former shipping wharf where approximately 40% of the nation’s enslaved persons disembarked. The museum opened June 27, 2023, after 20 years of planning. The concept of the museum was initiated by former Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. The construction budget of the museum is $75 million. Riley raised much of the money for the project as a private citizen. The museum sits on the Cooper River, with a view facing Fort Sumter and out into the Atlantic Ocean, across which the slaves made their arduous journey.

Many thanks to Lia at Seamon Whiteside for coordinating all the details of the shoot!

Credit One Stadium – The Oaks Deck and Front Plaza Landscaping

Phase 2 of the Credit One Stadium is now complete!

As the official photographer of the Credit One Charleston Open, it was an honor to be asked to photograph a few shots of these new features for Seamon Whiteside, the engineering firm behind their design. The Front Plaza landscaping has really filled in nicely. And The Oaks Deck is beautifully situated in the grove of live oaks just outside the stadium. This raised outdoor deck event space is used throughout the tournament. Accomodating up to 100 people, it can also be booked for private events throughout the year. It features outdoor lounge furniture, power for a DJ or band, on-site parking, and much more: https://creditonestadium.com/venue-rentals/the-oaks/.

Many thanks to Lia at Seamon Whiteside for coordinating this photo shoot!

Riverside Apartments for Seamon Whiteside

I picked up another project to photograph for Seamon Whiteside in Greenville this week…which was great since it was still overcast and “gloomy” in Charleston!

Riverside is an 8.3-acre site in the Water Tower District of Greenville, SC, along the Swamp Rabbit Trail. The development includes 200 multifamily units. Operated by Woodfield Development, the first tenants took occupancy in the 3rd quarter of 2021. What I love the most is all the amenities Seamon Whiteside put into the plans…dog park, pickleball court, fire pit, pool, frizbee golf, workout room, yoga studio, bocce ball, bicycle garage, and so much more!

Many thanks to Jennifer for helping organize everything for this assignment!

Greenville County Square for Seamon Whiteside

I hadn’t seen blue skies and puffy white clouds in DAYS!!! So I was super happy to be photographing in Greenville this week! I was there to photograph the new Greenville County Square, with its stately Veterans Memorial Plaza out front, and gorgeous landscaping out back.

A city ordinance that was passed in February 2020 approved the conceptual plans for a new Greenville County administrative building, which would be located at the northwest corner of University Ridge and South Church Street. The administrative building and adjoining parking deck have been completed. But there’s still a lot to go! Ultimately, the 40-acre site will be redeveloped into an urban environment designed to complement downtown with a mix of commercial, residential, public/institutional and service/industrial uses. It will also feature two central plazas and three dog parks and include multi-use trail connectivity on the east, north and west boundaries to better integrate the development with the surrounding areas and provide convenient access for residents in nearby neighborhoods.

Many thanks to Jennifer for helping me coordinate this photo shoot…and getting me out in the sunshine for a few hours! 🙂

Swamp Rabbit Trail for Seamon Whiteside

With all the doom and gloom that descended upon Charleston during Hurricane Debby’s visit, I was very glad to have a photo shoot in Greenville this week. I hadn’t seen blue skies and puffy white clouds in DAYS!!!

I was there to photograph promotional photos of the new Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail extension for Seamon Whiteside, the engineering group that did the site surveys and project developement. It extends the original Swamp Rabbit Trail even further north of Greenville, from Unity Park all the way up to Trevelers Rest. Since opening in 2009, this 28 mile (and growing) network of paved trails offers fun, fitness and community transportation throughout Greenville County. To read more about this awesome hike/bike/run/rollerblade trail, and plan your visit, check out: https://greenvillerec.com/swamprabbit/.

Many thanks to Jennifer for helping me coordinate this photo shoot…and getting me out in the sunshine for a few hours! 🙂

US Grains Council Salt Lake City Board of Directors Meeting – Reception at Hogle Zoo

It’s been a real pleasure photographing the USGC’s annual Board of Directors Meeting each summer. This is their 64th annual meeting!!!

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 a full-time presence in 28 locations, the Council operates programs in over 50 countries, as well as the European Union. The Council’s work is vital to global economic development, and to the profitability and sustainability of American farmers.

This year’s conference was held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Salt Lake City, UT. Cami and I flew out a few days early to explore Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. But we also enjoyed the sights and sounds of Salt Lake City, including the Utah State Capitol, Temple Square, the Tabernacle at The Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints, the Conference Center, and Hogle Zoo.

But the main event was of course the USGC conference! With a welcome address by Mike Mower from the Utah Governor’s office, a motivational speech by Matt Booth, a CEO outlook by USGC President and CEO Ryan LeGrand and keynote presentations by the likes of Carlos Suarez (USGC Director of Global Sustainability), Lloyd Day (Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture), and Keneth Smith Ramos (ARGON), the schedule was absolutely packed! In addition to the conference speakers, there were a variety of panel discussions, tons of Advisory Team meetings, Sector meetings, and of course the Board of Delegates Meeting. Needless to say, I was kept quite busy capturing all the action!

Many thanks to the team at the US Grains Council for inviting me back and trusting me to capture all the key moments of this important conference!!!

US Grains Council Salt Lake City Board of Directors Meeting – Day 3

It’s been a real pleasure photographing the USGC’s annual Board of Directors Meeting each summer. This is their 64th annual meeting!!!

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 a full-time presence in 28 locations, the Council operates programs in over 50 countries, as well as the European Union. The Council’s work is vital to global economic development, and to the profitability and sustainability of American farmers.

This year’s conference was held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Salt Lake City, UT. Cami and I flew out a few days early to explore Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. But we also enjoyed the sights and sounds of Salt Lake City, including the Utah State Capitol, Temple Square, the Tabernacle at The Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints, the Conference Center, and Hogle Zoo.

But the main event was of course the USGC conference! With a welcome address by Mike Mower from the Utah Governor’s office, a motivational speech by Matt Booth, a CEO outlook by USGC President and CEO Ryan LeGrand and keynote presentations by the likes of Carlos Suarez (USGC Director of Global Sustainability), Lloyd Day (Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture), and Keneth Smith Ramos (ARGON), the schedule was absolutely packed! In addition to the conference speakers, there were a variety of panel discussions, tons of Advisory Team meetings, Sector meetings, and of course the Board of Delegates Meeting. Needless to say, I was kept quite busy capturing all the action!

Many thanks to the team at the US Grains Council for inviting me back and trusting me to capture all the key moments of this important conference!!!

US Grains Council Salt Lake City Board of Directors Meeting – Day 2

It’s been a real pleasure photographing the USGC’s annual Board of Directors Meeting each summer. This is their 64th annual meeting!!!

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 a full-time presence in 28 locations, the Council operates programs in over 50 countries, as well as the European Union. The Council’s work is vital to global economic development, and to the profitability and sustainability of American farmers.

This year’s conference was held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Salt Lake City, UT. Cami and I flew out a few days early to explore Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. But we also enjoyed the sights and sounds of Salt Lake City, including the Utah State Capitol, Temple Square, the Tabernacle at The Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints, the Conference Center, and Hogle Zoo.

But the main event was of course the USGC conference! With a welcome address by Mike Mower from the Utah Governor’s office, a motivational speech by Matt Booth, a CEO outlook by USGC President and CEO Ryan LeGrand and keynote presentations by the likes of Carlos Suarez (USGC Director of Global Sustainability), Lloyd Day (Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture), and Keneth Smith Ramos (ARGON), the schedule was absolutely packed! In addition to the conference speakers, there were a variety of panel discussions, tons of Advisory Team meetings, Sector meetings, and of course the Board of Delegates Meeting. Needless to say, I was kept quite busy capturing all the action!

Many thanks to the team at the US Grains Council for inviting me back and trusting me to capture all the key moments of this important conference!!!

US Grains Council Salt Lake City Board of Directors Meeting – Day 1

It’s been a real pleasure photographing the USGC’s annual Board of Directors Meeting each summer. This is their 64th annual meeting!!!

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 a full-time presence in 28 locations, the Council operates programs in over 50 countries, as well as the European Union. The Council’s work is vital to global economic development, and to the profitability and sustainability of American farmers.

This year’s conference was held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Salt Lake City, UT. Cami and I flew out a few days early to explore Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. But we also enjoyed the sights and sounds of Salt Lake City, including the Utah State Capitol, Temple Square, the Tabernacle at The Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints, the Conference Center, and Hogle Zoo.

But the main event was of course the USGC conference! With a welcome address by Mike Mower from the Utah Governor’s office, a motivational speech by Matt Booth, a CEO outlook by USGC President and CEO Ryan LeGrand and keynote presentations by the likes of Carlos Suarez (USGC Director of Global Sustainability), Lloyd Day (Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture), and Keneth Smith Ramos (ARGON), the schedule was absolutely packed! In addition to the conference speakers, there were a variety of panel discussions, tons of Advisory Team meetings, Sector meetings, and of course the Board of Delegates Meeting. Needless to say, I was kept quite busy capturing all the action!

Many thanks to the team at the US Grains Council for inviting me back and trusting me to capture all the key moments of this important conference!!!