Family Portrait Season

It's been my privilege and pleasure for the past few years to photograph this gang.  Last year there was Mum and Dad and five kids, this year we added two, new born twin boys.  To add a little more action to the mix, Mum home-schools them all (not the twins yet!)  They are seriously a great family and they said it was okay to post a couple of the photos, converted to black and white, that I had been working on.

More Secluded Edisto Byways

I enjoyed my visit so much last weekend, that I decided to spend some more time poking around the more "tucked away" lanes on Edisto Island.  I was disappointed earlier this year when I completely missed the timing of fall color in the Blue Ridge Mountains, so this has been somewhat of an unexpected bonus.  More subtle, but very lovely, as the low country displays its fall splendor.

Edisto Charm

Spent some time with friends on Edisto Island this weekend.  This was one country lane less traveled.

Exploring our County Parks

Our County parks are a wonderful asset to the residents of Charleston, and after many years of visiting the James Island County Park, I am still discovering trails that are new to me.  There's something magical about leaving the paved, more traveled paths and padding through a soft carpet of pine needles and freshly fallen leaves.  I took these with my phone this evening, and it goes to show that beauty needs no fancy equipment.  It just is.

Johns Island Cottage for sale!

Had fun last evening shooting a most beautiful Gift Plantation property that is about to hit the real estate market.  A cottage of course it is not, but someone with means will be the fortunate recipient of these gorgeous sunset views across the marshes and creeks! 

Charleston Twilight from the Air

A few days ago I promised a couple more images from my recent twilight aerial shoot.  These were taken later in the evening as it began to get dark.  Challenging for a photographer and especially if you're not using specialized equipment such as stabilizing gyros!  Next on my list, please Santa!!  No matter, just dancing through the warm air over beautiful Charleston with the sun going down and the full moon rising in the east was an experience that will stay with me for a long time.  Thanks Kyle!  You're the bomb.

Full Moon over the Daniel Ravenel Bridge

Patriot's Point

The Hospital District, Crosstown, and the Ashley River

Kapstone Paper Mill and the Don Holt Bridge

Joe Engel

Back in August, we shot some portraits of Joe at Synagogue Emanu-El, his place of worship.  We needed a couple more for the back of the DVD cover of a production currently being finalized, covering his life including his experiences and escape from an open cattle car transporting him from one German concentration camp to another.  Drayton Hall kindly allowed us the use of their property and here are a couple of those photographs.

The Old Garco Mill

As part of a project that I am associated with, I got to photograph the interior of the Old Garco Mill in Park Circle, North Charleston today.  Just love the proportions of these old buildings and the quality of the light inside, even though the windows are mostly boarded up and they are a mess inside.  Fortunately this one is being cleaned up and will be re-purposed.

New Aerial Images: Charleston Evening

I have been trying to determine a fresh new take on my aerial photography, since I've pretty much exhausted the subject matter in all the areas in and around Charleston.  I came up with the idea to shoot the same subject matter but in different light.  I love evening, the softness it brings to everything it touches, and particularly during the fleeting "blue hour", not quite light and not quite dark.  It is challenging to keep images sharp and clear in low light for all kinds of technical reasons but I figured I wouldn't know if my equipment would be up for the task if I didn't try.  These are from early evening, before it got "blue".  Those will follow soon.

My favorite kids in Halloween costumes

With great excitement and much anticipation of loads of candy, my favorite kids (and a couple of adults) set off to conquer their neighborhood.  Beautiful evening, not too cold, perfect October day.  Boo Y'all!!

New Baby Family Photos

Nothing like having a new baby in the house to throw things into turmoil, but nobody minds because they are all so caught up in warm fuzzies.  These little girls think their new brother is just the bomb so we took the opportunity to take some family photos to capture the season.

Oh, when them cotton bolls get rotten ...

... you can't pick very much cotton, In them old cotton fields back home.  Well these aren't rotten; they are prolific and healthy, which is a whole lot better then the crop was last year.  Last year we had so much rain that most of the South Carolina cotton rotted in the water-logged fields because the machinery was unable to harvest them.  This year looks like a great harvest and here are a couple of close-ups, just because I think it is such a cool looking plant 🌝

Scenes from the Backroads of South Carolina

I never travel the Interstates unless I am in a big hurry to get somewhere, and of course that happens quite a bit, but the roads less traveled are so much more interesting.  Here are a couple of stops I made this weekend, one is Gilreath's Mill in Greer, and the other is a field of cotton ready for the harvest in Wells, South Carolina.

Connestee's Waterfalls and Cascades

I'm up in North Carolina getting my annual "Fall Fix".  This time, instead of staying at a motel, I rented a cabin in the woods at Connestee Falls, a longstanding favorite haunt.  It's large, 3,900 acres, but it doesn't look over-developed at all.  Most homes are hidden in the woods and rather than do fancy, they seem to have focused on nature; lakes, hiking trails, etc.  Not that much color around this year - it's been too warm, say the locals.  Anyway I walked a lot today, mostly along the stream trails, and feel like I've hardly scratched the surface. Here are a couple of their waterfalls.

High Fashion & Style on a Shoestring

Enterprising young ladies and friends of mine have started a venture that advises women how to dress like a million dollars using clothing treasures picked up at thrift stores.  They always look awesome, and pretty much all of their clothing is sourced this way, so they decided to share their ideas and fashion sense.  It was fun to photograph them in their launch outfits the other day.  They also make wonderful jewelry.  Follow Ellie and Lau on Instagram at  @linogsisters

The Fairest Cape in all the World

Thus pronounced Sir Francis Drake, the famous English explorer upon rounding the Cape in July of 1580.  "This cape is a most stately thing", he wrote, "and the fairest cape we saw in the whole circumference of the earth."  Of course I am somewhat biased, having been born in South Africa, but seriously, I have traveled quite a bit, and I challenge anyone to deny that this is indeed a most beautiful part of the world.  These are images of the "Mother City", Cape Town, and Hermanus, whale-watching capital of the world and a popular spot for vacationing and enjoying a laid back life.  When I retire, I would like to be able to spend a couple months every year in this town.