Engagement Session At Hammonds Ferry

Hello all,

I finally got to have a photoshoot at the beautiful location of Hammonds Ferry in North Augusta with Chris and Jen.  Whenever a client books a session with me I truly want to give them a unique experience.  I always suggest a new location because not only does it provide my client with a different scenic backdrop, but it always sparks my creativity and forces me to think of new ideas.  I was very pleased that Chris and Jen wanted to capture their photos at Hammonds Ferry and I believe my creativity came out in full swing with their images.  Chris & Jen were a pleasure to be around.  They were willing to try anything I asked of them, no matter how silly it may have seemed.  They completely trusted my judgement and I believe it shows in the images.  If you're ever in Hammonds Ferry for a photoshoot go grab some dinner at Manuel's Bread Cafe or Larder, thank me later!  Without further Ado.....here are some of the images we captured that day!

Deepika & Prashanth with Baahu

I met with Deepika and Prashanth and their lovable American Bulldog Baahu on June 24th.  After going over a few locations for their family photo shoot they choose to go with Brick Pond Park for it's rustic wildlife visuals and unique bridge.  Deepika shared with me that they would be moving to a new location where American Bulldogs are outlawed.  They will have family watch over Baahu while they complete their time at the new location.  Deepika expressed her vision for these photos and what they will mean for her and her husband Prashanth.  My job that day was to create a memorable photo session that will carry them both through this hard separation from their family member Baahu.  Although my dog Tobey is not very cooperative when it comes to taking photos, Baahu was a complete trooper!  He was very cooperative, considering how hot and humid it was that day in the Georgia sun.  Here are a few of my favorite photos from their photo session!

James & Katrina's Engagement Session

A few weeks ago I had the honor of capturing the engagement session for James & Katrina featuring their daughter Serenity.  They both decided on having the session at Pendleton King Park in Augusta, GA.  I had shot an engagement session there before, but I had never notice the lovely garden there that is just perfect for taking photos!  I really love working with couples prior to their big wedding day.  It gives me an opportunity to not only get to know them better but work with them and gain their trust and confidence.

As we began conversing and walking to our first shot location I asked Katrina where her engagement ring was?  The next few moments were of utter shock as Katrina had realized she had forgotten to put on her engagement ring and had accidentally left it home.  I really care about giving the best images and care to my clients.  So I told her I would wait for her to go back home and get her engagement ring.  In the meantime, I would warm up my photo taking skills on her youngest sister (who was there to chaperon) and daughter.  When Katrina came back we were ready to go.  The rest of the engagement shoot was fun and relaxing.  James & Katrina were really fun to be around and had no objections trying out any photo ideas I might have had whether they worked out or not.

I can’t wait for September when I capture their wedding at The Red Oak Manor in Harlem, GA.  In the meantime, check out a few images from their engagement session! 

Baby Kaleb has arrived!

My last blog entry covered my experience capturing Heather’s maternity session with her beautiful family. Heather told me once the baby was born she would like for me to capture lifestyle and portraits of the baby once it came into our world. Now, I do not specialize in newborn photography. But I love challenging myself as a photographer. I don’t turn down opportunities to grow and learn. There are many people in my area who only photograph newborn photography and their work is absolutely phenomenal. I researched as much as I could so that I would be able to recognize the best conditions when working with a newborn; to make sure they are safe and comfortable……this of course is the key to success!

Baby Kaleb was amazing, he was very photogenic and ready to take photos….as long as we kept him warm. His two older brothers had me laughing throughout the session once again. I had them release all the silly energy they had to offer before we got down to serious poses and it worked like a charm. I truly appreciate Heather trusting me to capture this special time in her family’s life and that she appreciates my work. I never take for granted when a client tells me how much they love what I do behind the camera.

Here are a few photos from the day including the blooper/silly outtakes!

India Day!

Hello everyone!  Back in Mid-August I was hired to photograph the India Day event at the Augusta Maxwell Theater.  Anyone who knows me well knows that I am not only a professional photographer but also an IT professional.  I have found these fields both share a central truth; the learning never ends!  Just when you think you've mastered one area of photography, you quickly realize there is another to learn.  I think that is what keeps me going.  I am not sure I could do something that couldn't provide change or growth.  

Capturing the performances for India Day would be an event the like of which I had never done before.  I couldn't use flash and the auditorium lighting would be dim and constantly shifting for the various performances.  I planned for this event in detail: ...what will my camera settings look like the day of the event? ...how will I know which parts of the performances will be the most relevant? ...how many photos do I need to capture?  Much like shooting a wedding, it's great to have a plan but nothing can fully prepare you for a new experience.  You simply have to be focused and locked in; like a musical instrument, you must know your camera inside out.  

I made many mistakes and learned a great deal with this event.  One takeaway from India Day that will help me going forward is shot selection.  I took way too many photos (almost a movie of each performance!) and the client only needed a few of each set.  Both dance and sports photography require anticipating key moments and working for clarity in difficult shooting conditions.  Clearly communicating with clients about what outcomes they desire from the photography will provide the ability to meet their expectations.  Tying back into what I love about photography, focusing on improvement keeps what I capture fresh and responsive.  The client was extremely happy with my photos and will be hiring me again to capture another event in the coming weeks.  

Without further ado, here are some of the photos....

Trip to Philadelphia

Hello all,  I finally got around to editing the photos I captured while I was in the city of brotherly love.  During my stay, I went to the Franklin Institute of Science.  What an amazing museum, if you're ever in Philly you MUST visit this museum.  No trip to Philly is complete unless you have a cheese steak sandwich at either Genos, Pats, or Jims.  I have been to all three and I really lean toward going to Jim's Steaks near South Street Seaport.  I closed out my trip with a 4th of July fireworks display in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art with performances by Boyz-II-Men & the lovely Mary J. Blige.  My wife and I were greeted by a powerful but short thunderstorm that had us under our foldable chairs until it passed,  We weren't going to miss anything, so we hung it out and it was well worth it!  Here are some of the photos I took during my trip.....

Neighborhood Halloween Block Party!

It's truly been a unique experience owning our very first home in a completely new neighborhood.  Over the past 2 years and counting I have seen it grow and change rapidly right before my eyes.  One of the things that my HOA (Home Owners Association) has been trying to accomplish is to build a stronger community.  Sure, living in GA people are polite and say hi, good morning etc.  They'll even wave at you as you drive your car into the neighborhood.  Good luck finding that in the northeast lol.  However, only a few of us in the neighborhood have gotten to know one another.  We usually meet for the dreadful HOA meetings once in awhile; where we are there to argue for or against changes and establish rules.  So when it was announced that the subdivision would throw a Halloween block party, I knew it would be a great opportunity for all of us here to finally meet up and get to know one another and just enjoy each other's company.  It was a complete success and it can only get better from here on out.  I decided to lend my photography to capture a few photos of the event.  I am really looking forward to future events like these to get to know my neighbors better and build a strong community.

Raiya's Birthday Party

When Sukhi & Gurpreet reached out to me on capturing their daughter Raiya's 2nd birthday; I knew it would be my toughest challenge yet.  Not backing down to any challenges thrown my way, I said yes.  Sukhi & Gurpreet decorated the house like a living safari; I was floored at the attention to detail they put in to make this birthday extra special for Raiya.  Sukhi, told me she wanted my images to tell the story of Raiya's 2nd birthday so that one day when she is older she can see what they had done for her.  Here is Raiya's birthday story..........