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.

North Charleston Senior Center for Glick Boem Architects

It was a pleasure photographing the new North Charleston Senior Center on Carner Avenue this week!

The North Charleston Senior Centers have an onsite state of the art fitness center, water aerobics pool, group fitness exercise room and plenty of programs for all levels during operating hours. The fitness centers are equipped with commercial quality cardio and weight training equipment. There are ongoing daily activities at each site to help encourage social interaction and support ongoing educational opportunities.

Many thanks to Shawn at GBA for coordinating everything to make this shoot possible!

Seamon Whiteside Oyster Roast

I always enjoy working with the friendly folks at Seamon Whiteside!

From covering their employee’s headshots, to documenting their various projects, to capturing their company Christmas Party…every assignment for them is always well organized and a pleasure to photograph.

This week I had the honor of photographing their spring Oyster Roast! It had originally been planned in the fall. But Hurricane Helene had other plans!!! The new date turned out to be this beautiful spring day. It was absolutely perfect! And everyone had so much fun!!!

Many thanks to Denise for all her hard work organizing everything…twice! 🙂

Nester Family on Seabrook Island

I’ve had the pleasure of photographing the Nester family for the last 18 years!!! I first met this beautiful family when I photographed Jeff & Suzanna’s amazing wedding. It’s been an honor and a privilege to watch their family grow over the years, capturing beautiful memories for them during their family vacations on Seabrook Island!!!

Kruse Family on Kiawah Island

When Jen contacted me, she was originally interested in having her son’s Senior Portraits taken while they were here vacationing on Kiawah Island. But as we chatted, the plan morphed into a full-on Family Portrait Session!

Originally from Ohio, it was so much fun to get to know this family, and catch up on all the old haunts we have in common up north. We had a beautiful day and came away with a ton of great photos to commemorate their time together here in the Lowcountry!!!

CTAR Leadership Celebration at The Harbour Club

By promoting the highest standards of Professionalism, Ethics, Education, and Technology, the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors® (CTAR) ensures that the Realtor® members are the primary source for real estate services in the South Carolina Lowcountry. CTAR is dedicated to embracing and enhancing a culture where all Charleston Realtors® feel like they have a seat at the table, a voice in the conversation, and confidence that their voice will be heard. The organization prides itself in having a membership culture where everyone feels safe and respected as both a professional and an individual.

Each year I have the privilege of photographing the CTAR Leadership Celebration. It’s always a fantastic evening, with a festive Christmas atmosphere. Some of the key events throughout the night include the Installation Ceremony of the 2025 CTAR Boards of Directors, the 2024 Realtor of the Year Award, the CTAR Distinguished Service Society Awards, and the official handing of the gavel over to the new incoming president.

Congratulations to all the award winners and inductees. And many thanks to Claire, Autumn, and the entire staff for all their hard work and dedication in making this year’s event another resounding success!!!

B.W. Mitchum Trucking Co.

For almost 70 years, B.W. Mitchum continues to be a leader in customized intermodal and domestic transportation, while still maintaining the core principles you’d expect from a 3rd generation family business. Ronnie, who has steared the ship since 1990, takes great pride in the reliable and personalized customer service they are known for. The company provides exceptional logistical support, transportation, warehousing, transloading, and brokerage services to their industry. They now operate multiple terminals with over 200 trucks!

I’ve known Ronnie & Jan for many years. I mentored Jan, who is an excellent photographer in her own right. I photograph family portraits for them. And I even photographed their daughter’s wedding! So when their daughter, Brooke, reached out to ask if I would help capture some new and updated headshots and team photos for them to use in a new website they were building, I was absolutely delighted!!!

The Citadel Foundation Holiday Gala

The Citadel Foundation knows how to party!!!

This year’s Holiday Gala was held inside the Johnson Hagood Memorial Stadium event hall. Everyone arrived all decked out in their finest Christmas sweaters and festive holiday outfits. Upon entering the double-glass doors, they were greeted with my portrait station. Everyone got into it and had so much fun capturing nice formal portraits in front of the Christmas scene that the staff had set up. After each portrait, we printed out a beautiful 5×7 and placed it in an elegant folder for them to take home as a party favor. Everyone also received digital copies that they could text, email, and share on social media.

Many thanks to Riviere and her team for organizing such an awesome event!!!

Seamon Whiteside New Greenville Office

One of my favorite parts about being a professional photographer for so many years is the long-term relationships I’ve built with my clients. One of my favorites is the engineering firm of Seamon Whiteside!!!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of photographing some marketing photos in their brand new Greenville office! Seamon Whiteside has offices all over the state. And they’ve had one in Greenville for years. But they just moved into a spacious new facility that they helped design from the ground up. While I was there, I also photographed headshots for several new team members.

We all had a BLAST and came away with a ton of fun photographs!!!

Darren’s Senior Portraits

I had so much fun photographing Darren’s senior portraits yesterday!

He’s the youngest of three, and a big football star. Between photographing his older sister, Natalie (6 years ago), and his older brother, Daniel (3 years ago), it’s been a real pleasure getting to know this amazing family! Unfortunately, Daniel had to work. But Sheri, Scott, and Natalie joined in the fun, keeping Darren engaged, distracted, and having fun! We started out at White Point Garden for some “Charleston Charm”. Then we headed out to their condo on Isle of Palms for some beach shots and sunset photos.

CONGRATULATIONS Darren!!!