Just assembled a few more samples of my custom card offerings! Richly textured and printed on pearl or recycled card stock. Click on thumbnail for larger view. Available in groups of 25 cards with envelopes.
It’s not too late to book! Weekend sessions are almost full, but weekday afternoons are an option.
So October is ticking away, and this cold snap puts us in the mindset of fires, cocoa, hayrides… and Christmas! I think a special one-stop-shopping special is in order. Choose Carolina Photosmith to create your card-worthy photo for 2009. I can photograph the whole family, you and your fave furry friend or just the kids. For $150, you will receive a 20-30 minute session with a few poses, 50 custom-designed cards and an 8×10 of your selected image so you can enjoy a keepsake for years to come. These cards are not photo prints with a greeting, but a mini piece of art on card stock (choose a matte recycled or a luminous pearl finish) that will liven up many a mantel this season! (And of course, if you need more than 50, I can provide pricing for additional bundles of 25 cards.)
Big Shoes to Fill! (front/back of 5x5 card)
I’ll be posting more press-printed sample cards later this week, and for those of you who have my 5×7 marketing piece in hand, that’s the pearl card stock. You can see it looks great with color or black and white images.
Two-sided 5x7 card
All in the Family
Yes, I can help you with Christmas cards! I offer press-printed cards on recycled card stock or a luminous pearl-finished art paper. Samples are in the works, so stay tuned.
For displaying your session images, there are plenty of options. Your lasting memories will be printed on Kodak Professional Endura paper with a lustre finish. Another choice is a storyboard, which includes a collage of several images from your session. Standard storyboard sizes are 10×20 or 12×12. They are printed with a linen finish and mounted to a 2mm piece of styrene for added stability (and a shelf life similar to Twinkies). You can display storyboards on a shelf or easel, or pop them into standard store-bought frames.
Surf Board
Family Foursome
Thinking big? Consider a gallery-wrapped canvas! A large canvas makes a great statement over a mantel, sofa or piece of furniture. A semi-gloss coating gives it just enough pop and protects your art from UV rays and scratches. Groupings of smaller canvases can be crafted as well. The sky’s the limit!
It's a wrap: image wraps around edges
Before we went on a family field trip to Botany Bay Plantation Saturday, I ambled down the street to photograph some sweet neighbors in their perfectly manicured backyard. He’s three, and she’s almost one, and Mom had them perfectly styled in these checked outfits. I love the red Keds!
Moment of Sweetness
Bear and Sis
At the Neighbor's Koi Pond
Doll Baby
Sailing in the Garden
Bear Hug
Cool, Green Garden Scene
This gorgeous five-year-old and her little brother had a big time as the sun set behind Sullivans Island. I first met their parents when I worked at the aquarium — their dad is a fisherman who heads way offshore on weeklong trips to bring back vermilion snapper, grouper and other deep-sea bounty to sell to Charleston’s best restaurants. In fact, we were glad to have him along as assistant child-wrangler since he was heading out to sea at 4am the next day! The cute siblings are so at ease on the sandy shore. They did a great job working with me in their portrait ensembles knowing their mama had bathing suits for them to slip into after the photo session.
Summer Breeze
Mama's Boy
Sandy Siblings
Big Sis Rules the Roost
Kids Being Kids
Dancing in a Dream
Her Mom was eager to schedule a portrait session before her daughter lost her first tooth. It was pretty loose — maybe the tooth fairy has visited already! I still have several shots I’m editing, but this one takes my breath away in both color and black-and-white, so I’m sharing two versions.
Simply Happy
Oh, and break out the Kleenex. I dug through the archives to find one I snapped in ‘06 when I took some family pics to accompany a magazine article. Not that moms need any reminder of how time flies, but I loved this shot then, and it’s pretty touching to see how she’s grown up so far!
Long Before Loose Teeth and Kindergarten
Once we completed our session and the kids were splashing around, I headed to meet friends and hubby to celebrate a birthday. But I made one last stop before the restaurant since the sunset was shaping up to be a stunner!
Hurricane Bill kicked up the surf, magnifying the danger on this point
My big brother (“oldest brother” doesn’t seem nice when we’re 40something) blew through town over the weekend with his lovely bride and their gorgeous daughter, Jade. The adults shared a small overnight bag, but the little one had a suitcase brimming with various looks and more accessories than Fancy Nancy. Our mission was to capture some model-worthy moments of the soon-to-be-three gal. We had our work cut out for us, but the agencies are loving the photos and are eager to get a composite sheet printed and share this precious face with a bigger audience.
Those lips, those eyes!
Cruisin'
In the Swim (or In the Yard)
Bare Feet, Fur and Flannel at 90 Degrees
My Cidney played along with her model cousin. Big fun for all!
As a photographer and fan of sunsets, I’m often drawn to the day’s last glow. Even my kids were talking about the gorgeous sky as the sun fell over the Wando River during our swim at Hobcaw pool Saturday night. Cidney commented on the wispy clouds and how it was “purplish” in the east and “pink and orange combo” in the west.
When I learned one of my fave writers of all things lowcountry was promoting her new book, “Last Light Over Carolina,” I reserved my spot at the shrimp ‘n’ grits lunch at Fish. Not only did I enjoy her talk about crafting this novel, I was treated to Nathalie Dupree sharing about the recipes she collected for her Shrimp and Grits cookbook. After a taste of local shrimp over cheddar grits, we walked down the street to Blue Bicycle Books for some sparkling vino, yummy confections and personalized reading before the afternoon thunderstorm consumed King Street.
I rested one of my purchases atop the store's icon for a quick shot
Charming, gracious and genuine -- like the characters she brings to life
When I worked at the aquarium, I wrote an article for “Edible Lowcountry” about the challenges shrimpers face as questionable pond-raised shrimp from across the globe flood the market at ridiculously low prices. Until then, I didn’t know that majority of the shrimp served in our state — even in waterfront cities like Charleston — comes from Cambodia and Thailand. Such info makes you want to rally for the home team even more and spread the word against imported shrimp (or “shrimports” as I like the call them). I knew Mary Alice had gotten to know some of the same folks I did in various fishing villages throughout South Carolina, so I was eager to indulge in her book, based in McClellanville.
Speaking of that quiet spot up the road, I had the pleasure of photographing my first wedding there last spring. So I’ll throw in a few semi-related shots of a shrimp boat named for my friend Georgia — at the docks, and across the creek from daughter Katie.
Shrimper Big Wood, one of many who hopes the sun doesn't set on his livelihood
Jeremy Creek and the Miss Georgia provide backdrop for Katie's bouquet toss
Takeaways from this random hodgepodge of a post: 1) Monroe has a heart for the SC coast and spins fine tales; 2) Blue Bicycle Books is a charming sliver of a shop, perfectly located across from Cupcake; 3) Always ask for local seafood – stay away from shrimports! And 4) Yes, I shoot weddings.
To celebrate our first decade of wedded bliss, Pearsall and I took a quick trip to St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Other than an overnight jaunt to a fabulous inn last October, this was our first time away from the kids together. We were grateful to have some willing kidsitters among family members in Atlanta, where we hopped on MARTA, a plane to St. Thomas, a ferry next door and Jeep to our spot in the hills.
It was so luxurious to have time to ourselves in such a beautiful place. Two-thirds of hilly St. John is U.S. National Park, so it is chock full of lush trees that resemble broccoli mountains. Turquoise waters lap quietly onto the dozens of beaches, both rocky and sandy. You might see donkeys, goats or Kenny Chesney, plucking a tune. Hiking, snorkeling, reading, lounging. Fresh fish, the occasional boat drink. Pure bliss.
Last Light Over Maho Bay
Island Wheels, Roadside Eats
Sky, Sea and a Shadow of Me
St. John Alphabet . . . azure . . . blue . . . cerulean . . .
Beauty abounds on St. John, even without color.
Atop cactus-strewn Rams Head
Cute babies abound! And this 6-month-old reveled in her time at Cherry Point. Her witty mama was a coworker of mine at the Aquarium, so it was fun to reconnect. This baby is soooo relaxed and happy — a fine product of her laid-back parents and homestead in the country. The couple chose the edge of Wadmalaw Island because they’d had engagement photos taken there (long before this babe became their pride and joy.) Kinda tough to figure out which ones to share, but I’ll start with these.
Modeling Handmade Frock (courtesy of doting grandmama)
Sizing Up the Photographer
Taking in the Blues and Greens
Serious Babe Lounges on Leaf
The Family Tree (Sports New Twig)
A Tisket, A Tasket
A two-fer. And it's not even Tuesday!
It was a gorgeous May Day afternoon when I headed to Sullivan’s Island to photograph this young family. Unfortunately, the stiff breeze coming diagonally across the beach did us no favors. Picture four weepy children rubbing their eyes despite our attempts to tuck behind a dune. Even so, we managed some keepers — what a photogenic bunch! Plus, I scored a bonus meeting to take some photos after baby K’s christening later in the weekend.
Newly Engaged? Nope! Parents of Youngsters.
Happy Mom's Day!
Boys at the Atlantic's Edge
Blond Sis, Brown Baby
A Victorian Look for Miss Plumpalicious
Christening in the Old Village
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