Thankful for family, traditions, togetherness and those who came before us.

Welcome to Woodford

If Walls Could Talk

Leaves, Legacy, Light

Weathered

Wavy Glass, Cedar Shakes, Stately Columns

SmithShadow

Monogram

While Sis was practicing her Nutcracker routine, I took my fave little guy to the end of the street for a walk and a test of my new lens. The overcast afternoon was perfect for meandering along a sliver of lawn and remains of a bridge that once took beachgoers via trolley to Sullivans Island.

The Toddler Name Game

Pensive

Run, Forrest, Run!

I Heart My Tubble

Speed Racer

Wonderful. As in full of wonder

Mesmerized by Hairplane!

End of the Line

Wendi’s chomping at the bit to see some shots from Saturday’s session, and who am I to disappoint?! We had a big time in the tiny town of Meggett, one-time top-producer of cabbages. What a glorious day to drive to the country. My trusty sunroof was wide open for taking in Lowcountry aromas of creek mud and horse farms en route to a perfect playground and charming main street. Their gal has grown so much since May and was accompanied by her handsome cousin.

Joggling Cousins

All the Whos in Whoville Can't Stop This Gal

Special Delivery!

Tandem Sliding

A Nook for a One-Year-Old

Incoming!

Play Action

Hangin' Out

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.

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.