J. Jones Photography Blog

J. Jones Photography - Now on Pinterest!

2012-02-08T19:32:00.001-05:00

Where do these new verbs come from anyway! Last year if someone said they were going to pin me (or pin anything!) I would have thought they were going to do some kind of crazy voodoo. Now all of a sudden pinning is a good thing! And I'm not gonna lie, I've definitely been pinning the night away

If your a fellow pinner feel free to pin/follow me. Over the next few weeks I'll put ~~putting~~ pinning up a bunch of my favorite wedding details from some of the weddings I've shot in the past couple years. So feel free to check it out: http://pinterest.com/joshjonesphoto/

Top Ring Shots of 2011

2012-01-31T21:42:00.000-05:00

You might want to put on your sunglasses before you scroll down. Too late? Just don't look at them too long... but don't blame me if you go blind.

I've had the awesome job of photographing over $100,000 worth of shiny rocks this past year. Yes that is a lot of money. But it also represents a lot of love and A LOT of commitment. Here are my favorite ring photos of 2011!

J. Jones Photography - Now on Google+

2012-01-30T17:49:00.002-05:00

Yea yea, I know everyone uses Facebook a lot more. Ok, A LOT MORE. Still, there are a few adventurous people that are on Google+

So if you happen to be on there and bored one day, feel free to circle or +1 J. Jones Photography - cuz we are on there, even if no one else is!

Top Wedding Photos of 2011

2012-01-18T21:09:00.000-05:00

January is an awesome time. Sure its colder than all get out, and the sun sets way too early, and... Alright maybe its not my favorite time of the year. But what January does provide is a much needed break from photography. It's also a great time to reflect on the past year and kick start the new year!

Taking a look back over the amazing 27 weddings I documented over the past year is like a journey though time. Some of these weddings feel like forever ago, yet when I'm back looking at the photos it feels like I am still there. I guess that's the awesome power of photography.

Without further ado, here are my favorite wedding images from 2011:

THANK YOU to all the amazing people who gave me the honor to capture your wedding day in 2011. I am so grateful to do what I LOVE and have awesome couples to be there for it.

Featured: Southern Weddings Magazine

2012-01-12T19:17:00.002-05:00

Wow has this been an awesome week or what! First, I get word that I've won the bride's choice award for 2012. And today I get featured on Southern Weddings Magazine's Blog.

You can checkout some of the photos I took of the Bow Tie Napkins from Katie's Wedding at Table Rock Lodge that were featured here: http://iloveswmag.com/2012/01/12/southern-spotting-bow-tie-napkins/. Katie did such an awesome job putting together all the little details for her wedding that I only knew it was a matter of time before they got picked up by a magazine.

Wow what a way to kick start a year! Here's for 2012 so far!

Bride's Choice Award 2012 Winner!

2012-01-10T19:01:00.001-05:00

Woohooo! Just got word that I have been awarded the 2012 WeddingWire.com Bride's Choice Award for 2012. Even better, this makes two years in a row! This award goes out to the Top 5% of all wedding photographers for a given area.

We are excited to announce J Jones Photography has won the Bride's Choice Awards™ 2012. This prestigious award is determined by reviews from your past clients and recognizes the top 5 percent of local Wedding Professionals from the WeddingWire Network.

So excited to be in this list the 2nd year in a row! Thank you past/future brides for giving me the chance to do this!

High Cotton Greenville SC Wedding | Genny and Neil

2011-12-31T22:00:00.000-05:00

I stood in the Sanctuary for what seemed like forever. Genny and Neil were supposed to be having their first sighting. Genny was there but where was Neil. Did he take off last second? No. He couldn't have, at least I hope not. So we waited some more. Just me and Genny. Oh, and a really big present. A present that Genny told me was very, very, special to her.

Genny and Neil held their ceremony at Trinity United Methodist Church here in Greenville SC, with an absolutely beautiful reception at High Cotton downtown. It was a day filled with emotion. A beautiful ceremony with a stunning ending. Check out some of my favorites from the day:

Neil did finally show up. And what was his present? A Buffet R-13 Prestige made in 1987. This clarinet has a bit of history including multiple performances in Carnegie Hall.

I don't think anyone didn't cry during the daddy/daughter dance

Thanks again for having me Genny and Neil! What an incredible wedding to end out an amazing year! Here's to 2011!

NYC Christmas

2011-12-29T18:29:00.000-05:00

Alright I think I have a small addiction to New York City. Ever since my bachelor party (thanks Chris!) up there last month I was hooked. It was nothing like when I went as a kid. There is just so much to see and ~~waste~~ spend money on!

Naturally I was pretty pumped to head back up there for Christmas. I'm from upstate NY but my lovely fiance is from the city so I decided to take a year off from visiting upstate and hit up NYC to meet her extended family. It also happens that my wedding photographer is based out of NYC. Of course we had to take advantage. We setup some time to do some engagement photos with the city skyline. Now I can say I know what its like to be on the other side of the camera. It's definitely a lot warmer and a lot more cuddly (and kinda fun!).

Between eating some excellent Italian, Octopus, Thai, and Seafood we unrapped some pretty excllent presents. Its hard to beat that! I even did a very impromptu mini ~~pre-engagement~~ shoot with my soon to be sister her boyfriend! Here are a few shots from the trip!

Greenville in 2046

Not too bad huh?

Yup, she wins...

I see you undercover cop...

Pizza break! A MUST have!

A little impromptu shoot with Kristen and Travis

Hope everyone had an awesome Christmas!

Trinity UMC Greenville SC Wedding | Genny and Neil's Sneak Peak

2011-12-20T17:01:00.002-05:00

This past weekend I had the awesome opportunity to shoot my very last wedding of the year! What a wedding to go out on! Here are a few to hold you over until I post the full set! Oh yea, before I forget! Merry Christmas!!

Greenville SC Wedding Photographer Website Updates!

2011-12-13T21:10:00.000-05:00

Alright here it is! After spending the last week overhauling EVERY SINGLE PHOTO on my main website its time to put it up online for the world to see! The layout is pretty much the same BUT that's where it stops; There are 200+ new images on the site. Oh and those photos are almost double the size of the last images! That's right, super extra HD sized! 95% of the photos are from this year as well. See, I'm not just relying on my old award winning photos to make my site look great. Alright if your still reading its time to head over and check it out for yourself!

Greenville SC Wedding Photographer | J. Jones Photography Portfolio

Hope you guys enjoy it!

Oh yea! If your reading this on an ipad or iphone I've got a special Steve Jobs approved version right here! Just click this handy ipad!

Check it out and let me know what you think!

City View First Baptist Church Greenville Wedding | Melissa and Dru

2011-12-10T16:55:00.000-05:00

While I'm almost always excited to get to shoot a wedding, there are those few weddings where I'm really excited! I think a lot of it has to due with how excited the couple is to have me do it. Then I feed off that excitement and really enjoy it! Its an awesome cycle. Just like an amoeba. I think.

Anyways I could tell ever since I shot Melissa and Dru's engagement session that it was going to be a lot of fun to work with them. They were super excited to have me and naturally I was even more excited to photograph them!

Melissa and Dru got married at City View First Baptist Church here in Greenville, SC with their reception just a few steps away in the City View reception hall. Filled with lots of hand made details, excellent food, and awesome weather (seriously mid 60's in December!?) it was definitely a beautiful day. Thank you both for having me and for putting up with my lack of functioning vocal chords. Here are some of my favorites!

Extended Engagement Session Sneak Peek | Dan & Amanda

2011-12-07T19:51:00.001-05:00

Here is a quick sneak peak from Dan and Amanda's Extended Engagement Session this past weekend.

Whats an EXTENDED engagement session you ask? Well its new for 2012! Before you correct me, yes I know its not 2012 yet. Dan and Amanda got the first trial run of it though! Basically an extended engagement session is like a regular engagement session but kicked up a few notches, or more like many notches, or like on STEROIDS, whichever you prefer. With the ability to capture a couple locations and a couple different times of day we can create some truly unique images. Can't decide whether you want to do your photos downtown or at furman? We can do both! Want photos during sunset and on main street at night? Now you don't have to choose!

We spent several hours this past weekend traveling to some of the most kickin' locations in Greenville to capture some really awesome stuff, here's an extended sneak peek:

Lots more coming! Stay tuned!

Warehouse Theater Greenville SC Wedding | Staci and Brock

2011-12-01T22:55:00.000-05:00

I love doing weddings at places that aren't typically known for being wedding locations. As Staci and Brock told me about their wedding at the Warehouse Theater here in Greenville SC, I got more and more excited. Rockin' Band. Check. Beautiful Theater lighting. Check. Fun loving people. Double check!

I'm pretty sure the Warehouse Theater has never hosted a wedding before, and I really hope its not the last. It was one of the coolest setups I've ever seen with the main theater room serving as the dance floor and seating area, the foyer for all the food and the bar, and an awesome patio out front. Totally fitting for an actor like Brock. Of course he didn't have to be an actor to totally fall head over heals for Staci in her awesome wedding dress. They were both totally in the moment and totally in love to the core. From their ceremony at Fourth Presbyterian Church in downtown Greenville, SC to their reception at the Warehouse Theater this was an absolutely perfect day. Thank you both for having me capture such an incredible milestone in your lives!

Grace Hall Greer SC Wedding | Ari and Charity

2011-11-24T10:47:00.000-05:00

You know those people in your life that always TALK about doing something? Those people that never actually DO much at all but love just talking about it? Someday I'll get a job, someday I'll start back in school, someday we will have a big party with all our friends. Ari and Charity are NOT those people. You wouldn't believe how many people say, "oh yea we will just have a quick wedding ceremony and then have a full wedding when we have time" and they never do! Charity and Ari actually DO.

Yea, Charity and Ari got married last year but they threw an awesome celebration of their re-commitment at Grace Hall in Greer, SC. The beautiful decorations, fantastic drinks, and loving friends and family were all there and they definitely took advantage of having an awesome reason to celebrate. Check it out!

Thanks again for having me guys!

Jones Gap State Park Engagement Session | Maggie and Taylor

2011-11-23T16:24:00.000-05:00

You would think as much as I enjoy hiking and my last name is "Jones" I would have already been to Jones Gap State Park already. Nope. Thankfully Maggie and Taylor took me up there to capture their engagement photos.

They love to hike and love to explore nature. Oh, they also love each other. Very much! And they are getting married next year! Sounds like we have a LOT in common!

Thanks again for having me capture your engagement photos! So pumped for the wedding!

Furman University Bridal Portraits | Jackie's Bridal Photo Shoot

2011-11-23T09:53:00.000-05:00

Jackie is one of those awesome brides that does something different. Most people get their bridal portraits done BEFORE their wedding but Jackie is the type of girl that breaks the mold and does them after. Why do them after? Because you don't have to worry quite as much about the dress. The pressure is off. Your already married and your husband can come and watch you work your stuff. How awesome is that!

I figured since Jackie was going to try some different stuff I would return the favor and try out some new lighting equipment on her. I'm a fan. Check it out!

Thanks again!

Clemson Botanical Gardens Engagement Session | Holly and James

2011-11-21T20:10:00.000-05:00

Holly and James had been looking forward to our engagement shoot at the Clemson Botanical Gardens for a little while. How could I tell? These guys showed up with some awesome props and tons of ideas about what they wanted to do. From a little picnic, to reenacting their engagement in the same exact location where it happened a few months earlier.

These guys have an awesome story but I'm gonna make you guys wait until their wedding to tell that part. Speaking of their wedding, it will be the very last one I shoot before my own wedding. What an awesome couple to finish out my single life photographing! Here are some of my favs!

Greer First Presbyterian SC Wedding | Tabatha and Thomas

2011-11-20T14:22:00.000-05:00

Tabatha and Thomas are two of the most down to earth people I've had the awesome chance to work with. They are the type of people that go out of their way to say nice things about you. I also saw a new side of them at their wedding. These guys are VIOLENT. Never before have I seen cake smashing with such vigor. These guys definitely don't hold anything back and I love them for it!

Tabatha and Thomas got married at Greer First Presbyterian Church and held their reception in the beautiful Caberet Room at Larkins. Filled with tons of gorgeous flowers, excellent food, and one of the most creative cakes I've ever seen (seriously!) this was a day to remember. Congrats again Tabatha and Thomas! Here are a few of my favorites!

Thanks again for having me!

Greenville SC Aerial Photography

2011-11-19T14:07:00.000-05:00

Last week I had the awesome chance to photograph Greenville from a totally different perspective. My friend had offered to take me up in his little Cessna to capture Greenville from the air. I've taken pictures from airplanes before, but never around big mountains like this. It was a blast and I'm happy to report Greenville still looks awesome from the air. Here's a few of my favorites!

Sassafras Greenville SC Rehearsal | Tabatha and Thomas

2011-11-18T18:04:00.000-05:00

How I had never been to Sassafras here in downtown Greenville, SC is beyond me. I do have to say it won't be my last time though!

Tabatha and Thomas had their rehearsal dinner with close family and friends the night before their wedding. There was just one person missing, Tabatha's Mom had been in a car accident on the way to the rehearsal. I still can't believe how Tabatha was able to relax and have a good time. She wasn't critically hurt but seriously WOW! I guess that says something about the strength of this family. Don't worry, her Mom did make it to the wedding the next day and looked WAY better than she should have. She even brought her same, perky personality along.

The rest of the night was filled with delicious food, cold beverages, Thomas's birthday cake, and some homemade rum cakes! Tough to beat that!

Greenville SC Wedding Photos | Gigi and Charlie's Wedding

2011-11-17T12:49:00.000-05:00

In case you missed the first six courses of this 7 course blog post, you can check them out here. Their main course definitely didn't disappoint. With tons of beautiful white roses, lanterns, and accents this was one of the most stunning home wedding's I've ever been too. Every detail was there from the monogrammed cloth napkins to the rockin' 5 piece band. Gigi and Charlie's faces said it all, these guys were totally in love! Surrounded by lots of loving friends and family this was an event to behold!

Thanks again guys for having me along for this incredible weekend!

Gigi and Charlie's Pre-Wedding Festivites!

2011-11-16T15:50:00.000-05:00

There are weddings, and then there are WEDDINGS. Gigi and Charlie had a WEDDING I don't think I'll ever forget. If I could compare Gigi and Charlie's wedding to a dinner it would definitely be a full 7 course meal. First off we started with an appetizer of Gigi's Bridal Portraits. Then we followed up with a small soup of the Thursday night bridal dinner. Next up we savored the salad of Friday's bridal luncheon. After that, we had the sorbet cleansing of Skeet Shooting at Harris Springs for the gentlemen. Next we had the pre-main Course of Rehearsal Dinner followed by another serving of sorbet at the pre-wedding luncheon Saturday Morning. By this time I was primed and ready for the main course & dessert of their Wedding & Reception later on Saturday (but that is to come in another blog post!).

Held mostly in some of the most beautiful homes in Greenville, this was a beautiful weekend filled with lots of extravagant food and laughter. Checkout some of my favorites from the first 6 courses of the meal!

Still hungry for more? Gigi and Charlie's wedding post is coming very soon!

500th Blog Post

2011-11-12T12:24:00.001-05:00

WOW I can't believe I'm actually sitting here trying to write out my 500th post on here. Has it really been that long?

I figured since most of the people that read this blog have only been doing so for the past 1-2 years I figured I would take a litte step back and time and highlight some of my favorite posts in the 3+ years I've been writing on here.

2008:

I started off this blog on October 5th, 2008 with a simple initial blog post. For those that go WAY back I used to call this blog "Josh's Photo Vortex" mostly because I pretty much shot anything that moved back then. Be that cars, brides, seniors, families, mountains (ok those don't move very often), and the occasional water droplet.

Back then I had been shooting professionally for a little over 2 years at this point and knew that I loved photography but didn't really pick a specialty. I also wanted a place to show some of my most current work. Just for you photo gear people, back then I was using a Nikon D50, 18-55mm kit lens, 70-300mm zoom, and a 50mm f1.8 lens. Here a few of my favorite posts from back in 2008.

Anne's Wedding. This was the first wedding I posted on this blog. At that time I think this was the 8th or 9th wedding I had ever shot. I don't think I did too bad of a job but WOW I have come a long way from there!

Euro Auto Fest. I loved shooting cars back then. This was my first time at a big exotic auto show and I had a blast!

Falls Park Night Photos. This shoot combined two of my favorite types of photography. Nature and Night. Me and my friend Aaron (who's wedding I shot earlier this year in Georgia!), went out in falls park to play with some super long exposures!

Top 10 Tips for Night Photography. This was a pretty cool article I wrote on night photography. This later got published on a couple photography websites and I had the opportunity to teach it at photo school of the upstate here in Greenville, SC.

Times Square Ball Drop. This was one of the most unique moments of my life. Surrounded by millions of crazy people, not being able to go to the bathroom for 12 hours, half numb from being outside for 12 hours in NYC, nothing is like it.

2009:

This was a period of transition for both me personally and the blog. I graduated from RIT, I took a big chance and followed my dreams of living down south. No more snow, no more high taxes, no more relying on mom and dad. Sure leaving all my friends and family was painful but looking back on it I am so happy I took the leap. I also started to find my specialty in photography. I posted less about random photography expeditions and focused on some of my favorite things to photograph. I also Joined Professional Photographers of America (PPA) this year. (Here are a few highlights from the blog back in 2009:

Mt. Marcy Adventure. This was probably the most physically exhausting thing I have ever done. A full 15 mile hike up the tallest mountain in New York. The photos say it all.

Red Hot Z4. This was one of my favorite automotive shoots. Of course I was a bit bias though. I still miss this car. I can just see myself when I'm 65 talking to my grandchildren about how awesome my red convertible was.

Church of Christ Scientist, Rochester NY. This church is usually blocked off to the general public but thanks to the Architectural Photography class I was taking at RIT we got permission to go in and photograph this STUNNING church.

Featured: Cover of 2009 SC Presidents Report!. This was my first cover image, ever! I was so excited. Still am!

Candid. Simple. Timeless. This was a breakthrough for both me and my photography. I was officially a portrait and wedding photographer and came up with three words that really defined how I captured these moments. I still use these three words as a framework for my style as it continues to evolve.

Alexa & Preston's Engagement Shoot. This is when I finally started to get into my element. After shooting professionally for almost 4 years everything just started to click. One of the photos from this shoot went on to be named the top engagement photo in the state for 2009.

Free wedding photography giveaway. To round out the year I decided to hold a contest for people that wouldn't normally be able to afford to hire a professional photographer for their wedding. The contest went on to be published on the first page of the lifestyle section of the Greenville News. After interviewing lots of worthy candidates we finally awarded the grand prize to Brandi and Andre. This was an amazingly rewarding thing to do and something I will probably do sometime again in the future.

2010:

This was a year of growth. My first full year in Greenville, I went on to shoot more weddings this year than the past two years combined. I upgraded my equipment and spent lots of time learning it inside and out. I was so blessed to be able to meet so many awesome couples who would give me the opportunity to document their weddings.

Kurt and Carly's Wedding. This was one of those unique times were I found myself with lots of time to run around falls park at night with a bride and groom. It didn't matter that it was January. It didn't matter that it was slightly raining. They were in love and nothing else mattered. I still get compliments on these photos!

Featured: US Airways Magazine. I'm still not sure what I did to get this awesome opportunity but I had several of my images featured in the March Issue of U.S Airways Magazine. More importantly I helped the over 5 million people that fly U.S. Airways every year stay awake during those long flights!

Emily and Chris's Pretty Place Wedding. I had never been to Pretty Place before and wow they don't call it that for nothing. These photos still get hundreds of hits every month!

Tia's Cliffs at Glassy Bridal Portraits. There was something in the light that day. Tia was absolutely radiant and we were able to capture some of my favorite bridal portraits ever! Having to carry her down the side of the mountain was also a unique experience!

Nikon 135mm f2.0 Lens Review. This was the first truly exotic lens I bought. Finally I had arrived at the point of where I could justify spending well over a thousand dollars on a lens! Apparently others enjoy reading this review as its been read by well over 4,000 people as I write this.

Lizzie and Joe's Acanthus Wedding. This was the first wedding where I REALLY started to get to where I wanted to be. I was finally consistently making the images I always dreamed of. I even nailed this awesome image of them with the moonrise!

Vanida's Traditional Laos Wedding. By this point I was pretty comfortable & confident shooting weddings. Then all of as sudden I found myself in the middle of a traditional Laotian wedding. This was unlike anything I've ever been at before, and yet, I loved it! This really pushed me to expand myself out of just shooting traditional, Christian weddings.

Featured: At Home Magazine. I rounded out the year with the awesome opportunity to have Alexa and Preston's Wedding Photos featured in At Home magazine. This was the first time I had a full set of wedding images published in a magazine.

2011:

This was the first year I really knew what I wanted to photograph. Weddings. And thats it. Back in 2008 I pretty much shot whatever was in front of me. Now I actually turn down other shoots that aren't weddings. This allows me to shoot and gain experience in exactly the type of photography I love. Even though this sounds restrictive, I found myself doing more photography than ever! God has been very, VERY good!

I got engaged! Now that I knew I wanted to be a Wedding Photographer I figured the next step would be to get engaged so I could see what the whole process was like. Ok, ok thats not the real reason I got engaged, but it will be useful. Debra is the love of my life and I can't wait to see what life brings us as a couple. You can checkout more about how all this went down here as well as watch the engagement on youtube.

Winner: Best in Show! If there was any doubt in mind that I made the wrong decision to just focus on weddings it was instantly erased when I heard that my image had been named Best in Show in the 2011 South Carolina Association of Wedding Photographer's annual judging in Columbia. I still can't believe this happened and I'm so grateful to be appreciated so much for what I do.

Jessica and Paul's Wedding. This wedding just stands out in my mind because of all the beautiful lighting, stunning settings, and classy sword arches.

Let the Fun Begin. I still remember writing this post, looking at my schedule for the rest of the year and just thinking there is no way I could shoot a wedding every weekend until Thanksgiving. Now that I'm just about finished with my wedding marathon I'm more sure more than ever that I LOVE what I do.

Now:

So I come back to the start of the post. After 500 blog posts on here, what have I learned? I've learned that it takes a LONG time to get good at something. Looking over some of my early posts on here its totally evident how far I've come both as a writer, and as a photographer. Sure there weren't always times where I felt like blogging, or even taking out my camera and pressing that button for the 234,000th time (this is not an exaggeration!), but it really takes practice to get really good at something. As long as you have the perseverance to continue on doing what you love and always striving to get better, you can't really go wrong. Sometimes its hard to find out what the something is, but once you find it, push it to the limits.

Thank you!

I also wanted to thank the thousands of people that visit my blog every month. Thank you to all my RSS subscribers. Thank you to my parents, friends, and Fiance. Most importantly, thank you God for giving me the skills and opportunity to do what I love. Ok, I'm done with my Oscar's speech. I really do appreciate all you guys though!

I'll end this out with some crazy traffic statistics (as of 11/14/11):

~Total Unique Vistors Since 2008: 34,483
~Total Pages Viewed Since 2008: 84,961
~Total Time People Have Spent Reading this Blog: 1,080 Hours (45 Days Straight)
~Number of Countries Vistors are from: 146
~Number of RSS Subscribers: 73

This blows my mind! I can't wait to see what things are like when I'm sitting here in a few years writing my 1,000th blog post! Thanks again for reading along!

Tabatha and Thomas Sneak Peak

2011-11-12T12:21:00.001-05:00

Just a little sneak peak from Tabatha and Thomas's wedding last week. Love this shot!!

Genny and Neil's Engagement Shoot

2011-11-09T21:22:00.000-05:00

They say that people that are artistically inclined and people that are musically inclined are supposed to get along well. They say its something about the left side of our brain. Well I don't see why it took a team of researchers to prove that this is true because Genny and Neil are both music teachers and we got along very well! Genny and Neil are two of the most focused and loving people I've had the awesome opportunity to photograph.

We met up on a beautiful fall day here in Greenville to capture all of their joy and love before their wedding next month. I can't wait!

Thank you both for having me! Want to see more from this shoot? Click here!

Larkins Caberet Room Wedding Photos | Steph and Matt's Wedding

2011-11-06T19:34:00.001-05:00

I love weddings like this. Weddings filled with lots of laughter, dancing, emotion, good food, cold drinks, and beautiful weather. I mean really? How can you NOT love that!

Steph and Matt had their wedding ceremony at the beautiful St. Mary Magdalene Church with a cocktail hour in the Larkin's Courtyard and reception in Larkin's Caberet Room upstairs. It was a beautiful day and an awesome time to spend with a couple that LOVES to have a good time. Thank you both for having me and I wish you both the best in the future!

Thanks again for having me guys! Check out lots more from this Larkins Wedding here!

Kat and Paul's Engagement Session

2011-11-03T18:54:00.000-04:00

I love doing engagement sessions in the fall. If I had to guess it probably has to do with the beautiful fall leaves, golden sunlight, and the fact that I don't have to take a cold shower as soon I get home from the shoot.

I met Kat and Paul through Alexa (If you missed it you can checkout her wedding featured in At Home Magazine here!). It was a beautiful day for a shoot and it was even more awesome to get to spend it with Kat and Paul... and Alexa! Oh did I mention that I cannot wait to travel down to Flordia to shoot this wedding next year! Here's a few of my favorites!

Thanks again for having me! You can checkout lots more from this session here!

Pretty Place Chapel Sunrise Wedding Photos | Kurt and Tina

2011-10-30T19:23:00.000-04:00

The past weekend I was privileged to capture one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Pretty Place Chapel at sunrise. Not only this but a Wedding at Pretty Place Chapel at sunrise. I'm sure you have already skipped past this text and are already staring at the drop dead gorgeous view. Just in case your still reading though, I remember when I first heard about Kurt and Tina's idea to have their wedding at Pretty Place. Just their immediate family, a short ceremony with a few quick photos after. I've done weddings up at Pretty Place before and it is always stunning but nothing could prepare me for how beautiful it looks during sunrise while the leaves are changing.

We arrived at Pretty Place Chapel (technically called Symmes Chapel) early that morning to catch the sky just before the sun came up, and stayed for just an hour or so after that. With temperatures in the mid 30's and a brisk fall breeze the stage was set for a beautiful yet chilly ceremony. I still to this day don't know how Tina survived in her wedding dress out there. Probably pure adrenaline. Or pure excitement and anticipation for what was to come. All I have to say is that I was good and frozen by the end of it, and I was lucky enough to be in a wool suit! Thank you both for having me capture this special intimate ceremony. It is something I know I will never forget.

Thanks again for having me! To view more photos from Kurt and Tina's Pretty Place wedding click here!

Ari and Charity's Engagement Session

2011-10-29T14:03:00.002-04:00

I'm going to start this post off by letting you in on a little secret. Don't tell anyone but this wasn't really an engagement session. Yup thats right, Ari and Charity are already married.

Ari and Charity had a small wedding ceremony a few months ago in Virginia. Now that they have a little bit more time though they are going to do the real ceremony they have always wanted to do here in Greenville. So I guess I should call this a post marriage - pre ceremony session. That just isn't very catchy though.

I met Ari and Charity a week ago when they were down wrapping up some last minute plans for their wedding in a couple weeks. We had a blast running around falls park enjoying the beautiful fall scenery and trying to stay warm. I cannot wait for your wedding guys! Thanks again!

To view more from this session click here!

Sunrise Wedding Pretty Place Sneak Peak

2011-10-28T09:35:00.000-04:00

Kurt and Tina had one of most beautiful wedding ceremonies I've ever been to this past weekend. They decided to have their wedding up at Pretty Place Chapel during sunrise. Here is a quick sneak peak! Cannot wait to post this wedding!

Scott and Maryana's Engagement Session

2011-10-26T17:59:00.000-04:00

I always hold a special place in my heart for my BMW driving clients out there. Casey, Aaron, and now Scott. Wait, before you get all offended now, if you drive another type of vehicle doesn't mean you are any less of person. I'm just saying that I totally can relate to a lot of the things BMW stands for. Joy, Innovation, Passion.

Scott and Maryana are just these type of people. Yes, he drives a BMW but this couple is about so much more than just that. The way these guys interact and their awesome global experience allow them to have a unique and beautiful outlook on life. After shooting their engagement photos this past week I was able to experience their exciting backgrounds first hand. Check it out:

Thanks again guys! Checkout more... Here!

Furman Watkins Room Wedding Photos | Keily & Greg

2011-10-21T20:43:00.000-04:00

Keily and Greg are one of the sweetest couples I've ever had the chance to photograph. They are the type of people that end up asking me all the questions about my wedding when I'm their to talk about theirs! These guys also remind me a bit of Debra and I. Deb and Keily are both fluent in spanish, love hispanic food and culture, and can dance to some salsa like no ones business. And well, Greg and I are pretty ~~average~~ awesome white boys.

Keily and Greg got married this past weekend at the beautiful Shannon Forest Presbyterian Church and held their reception in the beautiful Watkins Room at Furman University. Filled with lots of gorgeous details and some very loving families this was a wedding to remember. Thanks again for having me guys!

To view more photos and order prints from Keily & Greg's Wedding click here!

Greenville Falls Park Engagement Shoot | Hassie & Scott

2011-10-20T19:58:00.000-04:00

Hassie and Scott have the amazing ability to predict amazing weather weeks in advance. We scheduled their engagement session in Falls Park weeks earlier with no clue how the weather was going to be. We showed up to beautiful blue skies, mid 70's, and a nice late summer breeze. Needless to say I'll be using them more in the future. The perfect weather totally fit in with their fun loving personalities. We had a blast walking all over downtown. Here are a few of my favorites!

Thanks again guys! To view more photos from this shoot & order prints click here!

Falls Park Engagement Session | Brooke & TJ

2011-10-18T17:21:00.000-04:00

Brooke and TJ are like a shot of espresso in the morning. Honestly these guys are two of the most creative & energetic couples I've ever had the privilege to shoot. These guys showed up at 8:30am full of excitement, ideas, and ready to try anything on their engagement session. After running around Falls Park in downtown Greenville for a little over an hour I was energized for the day. Maybe I should start every day like this!

Thanks again guys! I cannot wait for your wedding! To checkout more shots from this engagement shoot, or to order prints from this session: Click HERE!

Inman SC Backyard Wedding Photos | Amy & Kyle

2011-10-16T19:56:00.000-04:00

I just love backyard weddings... there is just something about them I can't put my finger on. If I had to guess though it would be all the personality that is usually put into them. It's also a great excuse to spruce up the backyard with a little landscaping!

Yup, you guessed it! Amy & Kyle had a beautiful backyard just outside of Inman, SC. With some beautiful flower arrangements, awesome night-time lighting, smores, and very nosy horses (you will see later) it was going to be an awesome day! Amy and Kyle are perfect together and really bring out the best in each other. Thank you both for having me be apart of your day!

Thanks again guys!

You can checkout & order prints from the wedding here!

Brooke & TJ Engagement Teaser | Falls Park

2011-10-11T21:04:00.001-04:00

Wow it seems like forever since I've posted anything but wedding photos! It's been an awesome wedding marathon so far and I'm only about half way there! Bring it!

Just a couple days ago I got a chance to capture Brooke & TJ's engagement photos. We had a blast running (and swimming a bit) around falls park for a good portion of the morning. Here is a quick sneak peak!

Table Rock State Park Wedding | Jackie and Carl

2011-10-09T19:24:00.003-04:00

I'll never forget the first time I met Jackie. We were sitting in my home studio talking about her wedding and going over my various wedding packages. All of a sudden we get a hail storm so intense we could barely hear each other. I looked outside and the ground was already a mix of green and white. Even better, Jackie was a good sport about her new Mini Cooper having to go through all this. Thankfully it wasn't damaged and we continued our meeting. I knew Jackie would be a special bride.

Jackie and Carl were married at the beautiful Table Rock State Park Lodge. I did a wedding there earlier this year so I knew it was going to be stunning as usual. To add to this, Jackie and Carl put a lot of effort into all the little handmade details scattered around the wedding and really made it look gorgeous. To top it all off, Jackie and Carl have such a beautiful love for each other that it was easy to capture. Here are a few of my favorites from the day!

The rustic Table Rock State Park Lodge

Stunning Jackie... stunning

Loved Carl's ring

Jackie's too...

Jackie and Carl holding hands with their backs to the door just a few minutes before their ceremony, this was INTENSE

Testing out Carl's newly made cornhole set

Thanks again for having me guys!!

To view more and order prints click here!

The Acanthus Lyman, SC Wedding | Nikki and Antonio!

2011-10-04T17:23:00.001-04:00

Nikki and Antonio got married at one of my favorite venues in the Upstate, the always stunning Acanthus in Lyman, SC. Not only is it a beautiful location, Nikki and Antonio only made it better by hiring one of the best wedding planners out there, Kim Wehunt with All in the Details! With some absolutely perfect weather, gorgeous details, and lots of fun loving people their wedding was a blast to photograph. Did I mention they had FIREWORKS!

I've known ever since Nikki and Antonio's engagement session that they are a blast to work with so knew I would be able to capture some awesome stuff on their wedding day. Thank you both so much for having me capture your day!! Enjoy!

The beautiful Acanthus in Lyman, SC

Antonio is a lucky man

Wooohoooo!

Also wanted to thank my good friends Dan & Amanda for helping me capture this day!! Can't wait until our weddings next year!

Lots more photos coming soon on my clients site!

Nikki and Antonio's Wedding Sneak Peak

2011-09-27T20:54:00.000-04:00

Nikki and Antonio got married at the gorgeous Acanthus in Lyman, SC just a few days ago. Here is a quick sneak peak from their day!

Carolina Country Club Spartanburg, SC Wedding | Meghan and Dalton

2011-09-25T15:21:00.000-04:00

Meghan and Dalton took a risk when they decided to have their wedding outside at the beautiful Carlina Country Club in Spartanburg, SC. It seems like more and more people these days are playing it safe with indoor ceremonies and its refreshing every time I get to go outside and capture a wedding! The weather was beautiful, cloudy and mid 70's with a nice breeze. Perfect weather to capture photos.

After a beautiful ceremony overlooking the golf course at Carolina Country Club we headed inside to Holly Hall for the reception. Now I've seen a lot of weddings where couple's have a lot of do-it-yourself decorations but Meghan and Dalton outdid themselves! I usually spend 5-10 minutes capturing the wedding details but that would have hardly scratched the surface on this one. Meghan and Dalton pulled off some gorgeous and uniquely rustic details that I'll never forget. These guys even built the arbor that they got married under! Awesome! These guys also convinced me that throwing bird seed at the exit is one of the most fun things I've ever photographed! Thank you both so much for having me and enjoy the photos!

I loved Dalton's Ring, its actually Meghan's finger prints!

Thanks again for having me!! Want to see more? Want to order some gorgeous prints from this wedding? Click here!

Twigs Greenville SC Wedding Photos | Teresa and Ted

2011-09-22T19:37:00.000-04:00

Just a small warning here, I might be a little bias on this next blog post. No I'm not getting paid to endorse some crazy product, Teresa and Ted got married at the very sacred Twigs Tempietto here in Greenville, SC. Why is this location so sacred you ask? Oh maybe just because I am getting MARRIED there next year!

When Deb and I were shopping around for venues earlier this year we were just blown away by the beauty of Twigs Tempietto. It was so fresh, so organic, so... beautiful. Twigs is really known for their flowers and let me tell you, I shoot a TON of weddings and their flowers stand out at every wedding they are at. Needless to say their venue here in Greenville stands out just as much. It's indoors yet its outdoors, its covered with beautiful water features, gorgeous stonework, and of course stunning flowers.

Teresa and Ted are smart people to get married there. Not only is it an awesome venue but the setting, lighting, service are incredible, and did I mention the flowers yet? I met Teresa and Ted just a couple months ago I was pumped to be able to capture their beautiful day at Twigs. I wish you both the best in your future together!

Thanks again! To view more and order prints click here!

Meghan and Dalton Extended Sneak Peak

2011-09-20T22:14:00.000-04:00

I have to admit most of my sneak peaks are one or two images... but Meghan and Dalton are special. They got married at the gorgeous Carolina Country Club in Spartanburg, SC this past weekend. From the awesome weather, to the gorgeous details I'm still amazed by all the time and effort they put into their wedding. I'm still putting the finishing touches on the photos but here are a few of my favorites so far. Can't wait to post the rest!

Dairy Barn Fort Mill, SC Wedding | Stacey and Michael

2011-09-18T17:45:00.000-04:00

True store: Stacey and Michael threw one of the most entertaining weddings I've ever been to. From their wedding at Philadelphia United Methodist Church in Fort Mill to their epic reception at the Dairy Barn, the whole day was a blast to be apart of. From the hilarious best man speech, to the gorgeous details, to a full on bridal party dance with Stacey's Mom to the song "Stacey's Mom" (you know... because Stacey's mom has got it going on...), I had one of the best times I've ever had at a wedding. Thank you both for having me be a part of your day!!

No I didn't go crazy in Photoshop, this is right out of the camera using the light from the gorgeous stained glass windows in the Philadelphia United Methodist Church

The Father of the Bride putting on his only daughter's shoes pretty much made everyone cry who saw it

Seriously one of the funniest speech's I've ever heard!

Love this shot!

Thanks again guys! To view and order prints from this wedding click here!

Nikki and Antonio's Engagement Session

2011-09-15T21:32:00.000-04:00

Nikki and Antonio are two of the most care-free people I have ever met. The way they go through life just sounds like a lot of fun. They really know and practice the art of living in the moment and it was totally visible during our engagement shoot a few days ago. Even after being together six years, they still are hugely in love. You will be seeing a lot more of these guys coming very soon as their wedding is in just a couple weeks! Checkout some of my favorites:

Want to see more from their shoot? Check it out!

Niagara Falls Country Club Wedding | Luke and Sarah's Wedding!

2011-09-11T17:19:00.001-04:00

I'm surprised I never met Luke and Sarah before they wrote me an email out of the blue asking if I was available to shoot their wedding at the Niagara Falls Country Club. Get this: Luke and I went to the same college in New York, grew up not far from each other, I even shot Jill and Charlie's Wedding at Belhurst Castle in Western NY (who Luke went to High School with). He moved down to Greenville not long after me and finally we connected. I have to say I wish I met these guys a WAY sooner. Not only are they lots of fun to hang out but they hold a special place in my heart because they know how to roll some awesome sushi.

Luke and Sarah were married at the beautiful Niagara Falls Country Club overlooking the Niagara river just miles from Niagara Falls. Although I've been to Niagara Falls probably a dozen times, I never got to see the gorgeous view that was available from the Country Club that sits right at the top of the Niagara Escarpment . I have to say that these guys definitely knocked the whole day out of the park. They planned in some simply perfect weather (love when this happens!), beautiful flowers, ice sculptures, a candy bar, some rockin' prime rib, and gorgeous uplighting at the reception! I have to say as much as I love South Carolina it was awesome to go up to New York and capture their beautiful wedding and escape the heat. I wish you both the best in the future and many more nights of sushi making over at my place!

Thanks again guys!! Check out a bunch more here!

The Loom Simpsonville, SC Wedding | Jayma and Casey

2011-09-07T11:45:00.001-04:00

Jayma and Casey had a beautiful, intimate ceremony at The Loom in Simpsonville, SC just a couple weeks ago. Not only did they have an awesome selection of Mediterranean food (among many other kinds!), they had some simply gorgeous details and flower arrangements. Ever since I shot their engagement photos a few weeks ago I knew these guys would be a blast to work with and they didn't let me down! They just compliment each other so well and really know how to have fun and go with the flow! Here are a few of my favorites from the day!

I loved all of the christmas lights strung up the old support logs of the mill

Gorgeous

Thanks again for having me Jayma and Casey! You can view all of your photos here!

Stacey and Michael Wedding Sneak Peak | Fort Mill Wedding Photographer

2011-09-06T21:06:00.001-04:00

Here is a quick sneak peak from Stacey and Michael's wedding just a few days ago in Fort Mill, SC. Believe it or not I captured this photo without the help of Photoshop. That's right, I made this image using just my trusty 50mm f1.4 lens and my Nikon flash. Yes, no fake photoshop lens flares were hurt in the capturing of this photo.

I really love the overall look to this and the emotion captured in their expressions. Can't wait to post the rest from their day!

Stacey's Bridal Portraits at the Dairy Barn in Fort Mill, SC

2011-09-04T16:46:00.000-04:00

Just yesterday Stacey said her I do's. Now that she is enjoying her honeymoon I can share some of these bridal portraits I did with her at the Dairy Barn in Fort Mill, SC. It's such a cool venue and it helps to have a gorgeous and adventurous bride. Seriously we walked close to a mile in 90+ degree heat and she apologized to ME for making me walk so far! Congrats on your wedding Stacey and Michael!!

Luke and Sarah's Wedding Sneak Peak

2011-09-01T16:55:00.000-04:00

I got back just a few days ago from photographing Luke and Sarah's wedding in Niagara Falls. Needless to say it was a phenomenal experience and an awesome break from the 90 degree weather down here! Here is a quick sneak peak from the day! Can't wait to post more!

Jayma and Casey Sneak Peak!

2011-08-22T18:10:00.000-04:00

Here's a quick teaser from Jayma and Casey's wedding at The Loom in Simpsonville. I just love the emotion in this image. It was taken just a few minutes after their ceremony yesterday and really captures the love they have for each other. Can't wait to post the rest!!

Let The Fun Begin

2011-08-17T21:23:00.000-04:00

Here I am at the beginning of the second chapter of wedding season 2011. The drought of summer weddings is over. Beautiful weather is returning. People are beginning to head back outdoors.

I stand at the top of an Olympic Ski Lift. Ready to ski my way to the bottom of a steep mountain. Ready for the applause and awards waiting at the bottom. I am nervous yet excited, rested and ready.

Today is the start of twelve beautiful weddings to photograph in just eleven short weeks. I am blessed but anxious. Ready to create some of the most beautiful work I've done to date.

Stacey's Bridal Sneak Peak

2011-08-12T17:56:00.000-04:00

Here's a quick sneak peak from Stacey's Bridal Portraits I took in Fort Mill a couple weeks ago!

Poinsett Club Wedding Photos | Libby and Jay are Married!

2011-08-06T09:28:00.000-04:00

I don't even know where to begin with the awesomeness that was Libby and Jay's wedding! I guess I'll just start in chronological order. First up, a beautiful ceremony at Christ Church in Downtown Greenville. A few quick photos afterward and we were off to the beautiful Poinsett Club, just a five minute walk down the road. Man do these guys know how to throw a killer party! Libby even took to the stage and rocked out a few songs with the rest of the band. Check it out!

The Bell Tower at Christ Church

The main sanctuary at Christ Church

Love this one!

Love this one too!

Some of the fantastic food at the Poinsett Club

Love this shot of libby and jay outside the beautiful Poinsett Club

Libby should probably join a band... ASAP

Thank you both so much for having me! A big thanks also goes out to Katie Preuss for assisting me on this wedding!

You want to see more from this wedding? Click here to see more photos from Libby and Jay's wedding at Christ Church and The Poinsett Club!

Looking for more wedding samples? There are TONS of them up here on my blog. Just click here to view only my wedding posts!

Stores Online Scam | Impressions from StoresOnline.com Internet Marketing Conference

2011-08-05T18:21:00.000-04:00

Disclaimer: This post really has nothing to do with photography. I'm just putting it up here as my personal experience so that others can learn from my experience if they are lucky enough to get invited to a "Internet Marketing Conference" put on by StoresOnline.com

A few months back I received a personalized invitation to the "2011 Internet Marketing Conference" held here in Greenville, SC. They were renting out the Hyatt Downtown, offering a free meal, free entrance to the conference, a free MP3 player, and oh, a netbook computer to the first 50 people that signed up! Sound like a scam? Oh yea! Normally I shy away from stuff like this when it comes in my mailbox but instead of instantly putting it in the recycling bin I let it sit with the other mail for a few days.

Looks like a scam huh?

After a few days I was mulling over in my mind just how companies like StoresOnline.com can afford to put on big productions like this without charging anyone for attending. I mean, I'm planning a wedding right now and I know how expensive it is to rent out a ballroom at the Hyatt, feed everyone, and give a free gift to everyone that attends. They must really think that they are going to sell something big to at least a good portion of the people that attend.

So I called the number on the card and was met with a very nice lady on the other end. She spoke understandable english and was very polite. She reminded me that the attire was business casusal and that they would begin promptly at 6:00pm. She also notified me that I would recieve a package in the mail with tickets to the event.

A few days later, sure enough, a package showed up with the customized tickets for me and a business colleague. They also sent a letter wishing me success "as you take this opportunity to begin profiting from the e-commerce explosion." Perfect! This should be a fun little event!

Just a couple weeks later I grabbed my fiance (who thought I was crazy for wanting to attend such an obvious scam conference) and we headed for the Hyatt. We met at the registration table and settled into a big ballroom with around a hundred seats in it. I noticed the demographics in the room were pretty interesting. Mostly OLDER people, a lot of women, a lot of people who looked as if they had just gotten their first computer in the past year. Interesting.

Shortly after, our speaker for the night, Bob Schneck, showed up. A middle aged man who obviously had a lot of public speaking experience. A big projector in the front of the room had "2011 Internet Marketing Conference" in big letters and at the bottom in much smaller letters, "All testimonials shared at this event are not typical." Sound like a scam yet? OH YEA! Yet I was still intrigued by why all these people showed up, and what they were going to try to sell me (or get me to "invest" in).

Bob told us that after his hour and a half presentation dinner would be served. Perfect, everyone is starving already so no one will leave! He started into his presentation, mostly some statistics about Google and some basic tips on how ordinary people (JUST LIKE YOU!) can make thousands selling things on the internet. He did a great job to make the conference seem like it was educational and not at all designed to sell you anything. One smart move he did make though. He did the unthinkable, he mentioned the elephant in the room. He mentioned that everyone in the room was probably wondering "whats the catch" he said he would get to that later. A few minutes later he mentioned that they were there to sell a solution to help people start their own online businesses. He didn't go in for the sale yet though. Instead, he took an informal poll on who had websites currently, just 3 off the roughly hundred people in the room raised their hands. Perfect! Lots of fresh meat.

After about another hour of "educating" the people in the room on the basics of running a business and how to market themselves online he had clearly gained a lot of people's trust. People were paying attention and most people were taking notes. He mentioned that there would be an exclusive follow up full day of learning for the people that were paying good attention, and not texting on their phones or day dreaming. Throughout the presentation he alluded to a test that would be given at the end of the presentation and that only a few people in the room would be selected to go to this exclusive full day of learning!

He then went into the testimonials section and talked about an ordinary woman, Diana Blair, who had used their software to start a website selling maps online. He then went live on the internet and searched for "Map Books" . The audience was clearly impressed when her website showed up first, out of over 700 million results. After clicking on her website (which is mapbooks4u.com if you want to checkout how bad of a design it is) he scrolled to the bottom of her page. The words "Powered by StoresOnline.com" showed up. By doing this he was basically taking the trust that he earned from the first hour of education, and then relating a store being hosted by stores online to being easy to find on the internet. Perfect baiting! Unfortunately, he failed to mention that wayyy back on the first slide it said, "All testimonials shared at this event are not typical."

At this point I just wanted to stand up and tell Bob how Google REALLY works and save all these people from having to go to another seminar. I was a good boy though and sat at my seat.

Soon after it was time for him to seal the deal. The EXCLUSIVE 8-hour internet marketing conference only had room for about a third of the people in the room. He mentioned that it was a small cost of just $99 and would include lunch, as well as a free pass for a guest. And the seal the deal, you would receive a free netbook just for attending! He then had his staff pass out the test that he talked about earlier. Based on what you put on the test would determine your opportunity to attend the full time conference. Here is the form that I filled out.

Now does it look like I put a lot of time, effort, or enthusiasm into filling out this form? Pretend this was a job application, would you really want to call the person back?

After all the forms were collected dinner was served. It consisted of a bland chicken sandwitch, a tiny scoop of potato salad, and a pickle. I'm not a super picky eater but honestly this barely counted as dinner. They obviously picked the cheapest food the Hyatt could offer, just so they could advertise it on their invitations (can you really blame them though!).

While we were eating Bob got back on the microphone to announce the lucky people who were accepted to ~~attend~~ pay for the follow up 8-hour session. Remember he said they only had room for about 35 people in the room to attend. I heard him call out people's names for about 5 minutes. As people's names were called they were invited to go to the back of the room in order to ~~sign up~~ pay for the all day event. How could anyone say no? They were chosen out of a large group of people due to their enthusiasm to make money on the internet!!

Bob must have called off 30 or 40 names and then paused to take a break. What he was really doing was giving the people who were already called time to sign up at the back of the room. Once most of those people were back in the front of the room he said there were a few "borderline" people that he forgot to call off. He then proceeded to call off another 20-30 names but slower this time, so that there were never too many people at the back (so it still looked special when you were called up). I would have to estimate that he called up probably 75% of the room. He then mentioned that "If your name was not called, and you want to attend, come see me after and we might be able to find a spot." So much for the EXCLUSIVE event that only could accommodate 35 or so people in the room, he basically INVITED EVERYONE! Yes, eventually they even invited me! I don't think many people picked up on this though, they were just excited about being able to attend the event.

After this he just had a few closing comments and explained that he didn't have the free MP3 players available to giveout that day. Instead on your way out you received a mail in coupon for the MP3 player. Both me and my fiance took one and left the event.

I went home and mailed in both of our coupons. Just over a month later I got this package in the mail:

Despite the fact I mailed TWO vouchers in, I only received ONE MP3 player back. I took the MP3 player out of the package. Looked pretty nice, just like an ipod shuffle ripoff. It also came with a small USB cord and a pair of headphones (with the shortest cord ever on them, seriously it won't even reach to my pocket!). Just like the "dinner" at the Hyatt, they evidently found the cheapest supplier of MP3 players in the world. I plugged in the MP3 player and loaded up a few songs on its HUGE 128MB of storage (what is this the 90's!). I let the player charge up over night, flipped it on, and tried to play a song. Nothing. I played around with it for a few more minutes. Loaded on some other song, one that I knew worked on all my other MP3 players. Still nothing. Great I got an MP3 player that can't even play a modern MP3 file on it! I guess you could use the thing as a 128mb flash drive if you really wanted.

So that's my story about the whole StoresOnline.com conference scam. But was it really a scam? I don't really think so. Was it manipulative? Oh yea. First of all they made it seem like with their software and a little bit of work you could be making thousands on the internet. They also showed some outdated statistics that made their products (web hosting, web development software) sound like a steal. They also did the classic thing every TV Paid Program does, show testimonials that are completely atypical. So why did I really go? Honestly I was interested in just how stores online can afford to put on big productions like this. I was also interested in seeing what sales techniques the speaker would try to use! So did they make money on the night? No, even if all 100 people signed up. But if half of those people sign up for their incredibly overpriced software ($3600) and hosting services ($30 a month) during the next conference that is where they will make their money. There are lots of interesting sales tactics at play here.

So if you get invited to one of these events should you go? For most people the answer is NO. But it really depends on what you are looking for. I enjoyed it because I got fed (not that well though) and enjoyed watching the sales tactics of the speaker. If you are looking to start an online business, I can't say I would recommend going though. You will be miles ahead by taking a class at a local community college, reading up on search engines, taling to friends that own their own businesses, and going to the library and checking out a book on how to start a small business.

P.S. Apparently a lot of other people think stores online is a scam as well. Just type "stores online" into the google, don't hit search yet but look at the suggestions, the first one that pops up is "stores online scam." According to Google over 3000 people search for these keywords every month! How hypocritical, a company that wants to sell you on the power of search engine marketing to drive sales can't even keep a decent reputation on the internet.

Furman University Engagement Photos | Casey and Jayma

2011-08-02T19:23:00.000-04:00

Just before I first met with Jayma and Casey I was talking to my fiance and she notified me that "Jayma's are always pretty blonde girls" and sure enough she was right. Casey, while not quite as beautiful (at least to me!), is a really awesome guy to talk about BMW's with. Together these guys make a fantastic couple and the engagement photos that we took a week ago at Furman University really reflect that. Best of all, their wedding is coming up in just a few weeks! I'm pumped!

To checkout more of their engagement photos you can click here!

Christ Church Greenville Wedding Sneak Peak | Libby and Jay

2011-08-01T19:44:00.000-04:00

Libby and Jay were married at Christ Church Episcopal in Downtown Greenville, SC just a little over a week ago. Even though the church has some very strict rules on photography (they force the photographer to stay in the balcony in the back of the church) I was able to grab this unique shot of the bride and groom leaving the church just seconds after their wedding kiss. Lots more to come!

St. Mary Magdalene Church Simpsonville Wedding | Mike and Holly are Married!

2011-07-26T17:46:00.000-04:00

Mike and Holly had a gorgeous wedding just a few weeks ago at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Simpsonville, SC with their reception at the beautiful Westin Poinsett Hotel. But what really stood out to me was all the beautiful details Mike and Holly packed into this wedding. Tons of beautiful flowers, delicious food, customized napkins and champagne glasses, even customized t-shirts for the guests to take home! The love that Mike and Holly have for each other was always present, obvious from just the way they look at each other. Thank you both so much for having me capture your day and I wish you all the best in the future!

Want to see more photos from this wedding? Click here for more photos from their St. Mary Magdalene Church Wedding!

Libby's Downtown Greenville Bridal Portraits

2011-07-25T17:34:00.001-04:00

If there is one thing I hate about shooting bridal portraits, its the fact that after I take them I can only show them to a very select group of people. No blogging, no website, no even showing them to the groom.

I have been dying to post these bridal portraits we took in downtown Greenville. Now that Libby and Jay are married I can post these guys! Libby had one of the most awesome dresses I've had the chance to photograph and totally knows how to rock it! Libby - Congrats again and I can't wait to post the wedding photos!

Thanks so much libby! To see my complete portfolio of greenville bridal portraits click here!

Jackie and Carl's Engagement Photos!

2011-07-18T17:47:00.000-04:00

I have a theory. Girls that drive stick always have a special place inside a man's heart. I'm not sure what it is. Maybe its some deep down psychological factor my artistic brain cannot comprehend.

Let me say that Carl is very lucky to have such a rare gem like Jackie. Carl isn't the only one who has a gem. Now that they are engaged, Jackie also has a very nice one of her own!

Can't wait for your wedding guys! Thanks so much for having me!!

Want to see more from Jackie and Carl's Engagement Session? Click HERE!

BMW 135i Coupe Photos | BMW's 1 Series Redefined

2011-07-17T18:37:00.000-04:00

I have to admit when I first was getting into photography one of my favorite subjects to photograph was cars. As a wedding photographer its always nice to take a step back and trying shooting something new and shiny. Seeing as God recently blessed me with the opportunity to snag a FANTASTIC deal on a silver BMW 135i Coupe, I now have a new perfect new model. The little BMW 1 Series took me out for a quick photoshoot yesterday afternoon at the i-car center here in Greenville. Check it out!

Sneak Peak: Jackie and Carl

2011-07-13T19:18:00.000-04:00

Quick sneak peak from Jackie and Carl's Engagement Session this past Sunday morning. Stay tuned!

Main Street Greenville, SC Wedding Photo | Mike and Holly Sneak Peak

2011-07-11T19:37:00.000-04:00

Mike and Holly were married just a couple days ago at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Simpsonville, SC and held their reception at the always beautiful Westin Poinsett in downtown Greenville, SC. We snuck out during the reception to not only get some photos on the roof of the Westin, but also to capture a photo of them kissing in the middle of main street. LOVE this image! Totally worth almost getting everyone killed!

Steph and Matt's Engagement Session

2011-07-07T17:54:00.000-04:00

I met Steph and Matt on a toasty Sunday morning to capture their engagement photos. With some beautiful lighting and some beautiful love we captured some really sweet photos...

And then someone let the dogs out! Photographing these guys proved to be a bit more challenging but we did get them to cooperate for a few of the shots. Just like steph they also seemed to have a love for Matt! Check em out!

And some lovin for matt...

Thanks again and we will see you this weekend at Mike and Holly's Wedding!!

Introducing Chateau Jones Website | ChateauJones.com

2011-07-05T19:12:00.000-04:00

Most of you already know wine making is one of my favorite hobbies. Well, like most of my hobbies (photography included) I usually find myself taking them to the extremes.

The all new ChateauJones.com

My fiance and I have been busy making the wine for our wedding next year and decided to create a website about all of our wines. We did it half as a joke, half serious, and half to give people an easy way to find out more about one of our favorite hobbies. No, we can't sell the wine yet, but I am known to give it away to interesting individuals that regularly read my blog.

You can checkout our website here: Chateau Jones

Here are a few images I took the Sunday night for the website. I used a couple off camera flashes to help keep the images dark to fit with the theme of the website.

New Premium Leather Wedding Albums!

2011-06-30T22:05:00.000-04:00

I think my fiancé said it best when I showed her my new addition to my album line up.

"Wow that book is sexy! I don't think I've ever seen a book that I could call sexy"

After much prodding and pleading for high end wedding albums (thanks Eungee!) I've finally ordered one to have as a sample. I have to agree with my fiancé, these new albums are definitely sexy!!

The leather on these things just blows me away. It's so soft and gorgeous that I wish they offered this stuff in my BMW.

The rounded corners also prevent the pages from getting banged up. Each album is handmade with reinforced and rounded spines which help create the least amount of stress on the individual pages. If I had to take a wedding album into battle it would definitely be one of these bad boys!

So what's it look like inside? Yup, you guessed it, GORGEOUS! The pages are coated with a special uv coating for scratch and moisture protection. And the colors! WOW! I also love how the pages lay flat and are completely panoramic. That means no having to avoid the seam in the middle!

You can see that awesome protective coating in the reflection on this shot

So whats that? You want one? You need one? I would have to agree! Just contact me and we can talk about how we can get you one of these gorgeous albums!

Tabatha and Tom's Engagement Session

2011-06-30T20:27:00.000-04:00

Tabatha and Tom are probably some of the sweetest people I've met. In the land of sweet tea, that is saying a lot. We met up during a gorgeous morning at Falls Park downtown to take their engagement photos! Check em out!

Thanks again guys!!

Cliffs at Glassy Chapel Wedding Photos | Ashley and Colin

2011-06-27T18:25:00.000-04:00

I have to admit, I'm just a little tiny bit jealous of Ashley and Colin's wedding up at the beatufiul Cliffs at Glassy Chapel. With some absolutely perfect weather, the views from the top were jaw dropping. Together with one of the best wedding coordinators in greenville and flowers from the very awesome twigs florist, this wedding was as beautiful as it was special.

After an intimate ceremony at the Cliffs at Glassy Chapel we headed off to the Cliffs Valley Clubhouse. More beautiful flowers, DELICIOUS food, and some awesome beats by Formal Affair, this was a wedding to never forget. I have to say, there was one thing that topped it all. The connection Ashley and Colin share is one of a kind. These guys fit together to create something more beautiful than even the view out the Cliffs Chapel windows. Thanks again for having me and enjoy the photos!

Thanks so much for having me!!

To checkout and buy more photos from this wedding click here!

Rockin Canvas Wraps | Extreme Home Makeover

2011-06-23T17:54:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to show off some of the awesome canvas wraps that Haley and Josh just ordered from their awesome wedding at Pickens First Baptist.

They moved into their house after the wedding and noticed a few strategic blank walls. After meeting with them and measuring their walls they picked out a couple 18x24" canvas's, a 24x32" canvas for the center, and a framed 20x30" portrait for another wall. Here are some before and after shots!

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Great job picking them out Haley and Josh!!

This makes my want to get married so I can cover some of my walls too! Oh wait... I am!

Cliffs Valley Clubhouse Wedding | Ashley and Colin Sneak Peak!

2011-06-21T22:09:00.000-04:00

Ashley and Colin got married at the very beautiful Cliffs at Glassy Chapel and had their equally awesome reception at the Cliffs Valley Clubhouse. Needless to say, these are some of THE most beautiful locations to have a wedding in the state. Here's a couple sneak peaks into their day... lots more to come!

Chelsea and Brandon's Engagement Session

2011-06-18T16:41:00.000-04:00

Scheduling engagement sessions in the middle of June is always a heated experience. Chelsea and Brandon met me on a particularly ~~warm~~ hot day to capture their engagement photos. Even though it was 95+ out these guys sweated through three different outfits. As you will see, these guys have an awesome sense of humor.

Love it!!

Thanks again guys for having me!!

Staci and Brock are Getting Married!

2011-06-14T12:14:00.000-04:00

Staci and Brock have a brilliant love for each other. It's one thing to just have it on the inside, but Staci and Brock have that kind of love that just spills over onto the outside. Makes my job easy! Check these out!

Thanks so much guys! Can't wait for the wedding!

Table Rock Lodge Wedding | Katie and Ricky

2011-06-12T12:11:00.001-04:00

I can officially name Katie the 2011 J. Jones Photography Arts & Craft Bride of the Year. No, it doesn't even matter that I have a whole lot more weddings to come later this year, there is no way anyone can top the beautiful handmade details Katie packed into her wedding at Table Rock Lodge.

I first met Katie a few weeks before her wedding. As she talked more and more about her wedding I got more and more excited to photograph it. It was going to be very different than most weddings I shoot. Small, intimate, and handcrafted. As I arrived at her wedding I was just blown away by just how much work she put into the whole thing. She must really someone to put the huge amounts of time into making that day so special. I do have to say after meeting Ricky that day that there is a TON of love between them! Just checkout some of these photos from the beautiful Table Rock State Park Lodge!

Absolutely Gorgeous!

Thanks so much for having me!

Check out more here!!

Melissa and Dru are Engaged!

2011-06-09T18:32:00.000-04:00

The first time I photograph a couple they usually need a little hand holding in terms of what to do in front of the camera. Not so much with Melissa and Dru. I'm not sure if they were professional models in their past or if they are just so head over heals in love with each other that its impossible not to show! Well I asked them about the modeling so I'm gonna go with option number 2. Check out some of my favorites!

Thanks again guys! Can't wait until your wedding!!

To view all their photos click here.

The Links at Stoney Point Wedding | Jessica and Paul are Royally Married

2011-06-07T18:04:00.000-04:00

I have to admit that even as a wedding photographer I didn't watch the royal wedding. Well I don't even feel like I missed much after photographing Jessica and Paul's Navy wedding. Royal formal wear, Antique Wedding Dresses, Sword Arches, Beautiful Red Convertibles, they were all there.

Jessica and Paul were married at the majestic Broad Street Methodist Church in downtown Clinton, SC. Completely dressed in their Navy Whites, the swordsmen escorted the bride and groom out of the church to the beautiful reception at The Links at Stoney Point Golf Community in Greenwood, SC. From cutting the cake with a navy sword, to dancing the night away to some fantastic beats, their wedding was one of the most unique experiences I've captured yet!

Love the Navy Details!

The beautiful Broad Street Methodist Church in downtown Clinton, SC

Lovin' the sword arch!!

I could shoot portraits at sunset all day long!

Cutting the cake with the Navy sword! Oh yea!!

Want to see more from this wedding? Click here!

Melissa and Dru Engagement Sneak Peak

2011-06-06T18:05:00.000-04:00

Quick sneak peak from Melissa and Dru's awesome ~~cuddle~~ engagement session at Furman last week!

Grassy Pond Baptist Church Wedding | Jenna and Matt

2011-06-02T18:28:00.000-04:00

Jenna and Matt are two of the most down to earth people I know. Their wedding at the beautiful Grassy Pond Baptist Church in Gaffney, SC was the perfect extension of this. Filled with tons of beautiful decorations, personal touches, and loving friends and family, it was the perfect way to kick off a lifelong commitment. It also proved to be an awesome day for photos. Perfect clouds, a beautiful sunset, and excitement in the air. Enjoy!

The beautiful Grassy Pond Baptist Church in Gaffney, South Carolina

This is what happened when one of the groomsmen suggested I take a shot in the cemetery across the road... Maybe I should branch out into Funeral Photography!

Ok... funny story. As Jenna and Matt were walking back down the isle someone decided it would be a great time to hand them their wedding present! Classic!

Did I mention I ~~like~~ LOVE this photo!!

Thanks again guys! Want to see more from this wedding... click here!

Broad Street Methodist Church Clinton SC | Wedding Sneak Peak!

2011-05-25T20:02:00.000-04:00

Jessica and Paul were married this past weekend at the beautiful Broad Street Methodist Church in Clinton, SC. After the ceremony we headed up into the choir loft to capture these images. I think I might have even impressed myself.

Lots more coming from their Clinton, SC wedding soon!

Jenna and Matthew Sneak Peak

2011-05-21T11:36:00.001-04:00

Alright I do have to admit that I've been waiting for this moment for a long time. I've never told anyone but I've always wanted to get a big epic shot of a bride and groom in the middle of a field at sunset. Yesterday the stars aligned.

Willing bride and groom? Check. Field near by? Check. Beautiful clouds? Check.

Word Alive Columbia Wedding | Leslie and Jonathan are Married!

2011-05-18T18:15:00.001-04:00

Leslie and Jonathan like to have fun no matter what the weather is outside. They absolutely rocked their cloudy engagement session back in February. Fast forward to May, the weather is simple beautiful, deep blue skies, mid 70's, and a slight breeze. Perfect day for a wedding. And WOW did they (and myself) have fun! Seriously these guys can dance up a STORM!

I met Leslie and Jonathan through the very awesome Brandi and Andre who, if you don't remember, won my free wedding photography giveaway contest a little over a year ago. They held their wedding at the newly built Word Alive Worship Center just outside Columbia, SC with their reception at the Holiday Inn in Columbia. Just check these guys out!

Lovin' the shoes!

Love these guys!

First Dance

The Daddy/Daughter dance had everyone in tears

Thanks again for having me guys! You can checkout all the photos here!

Leslie and Jonathan Wedding Sneak Peak

2011-05-16T17:56:00.000-04:00

Just a couple favorites from Leslie and Jonathan's wedding in Columbia! As usual, lots more to come very soon!

Featured: Southwest Airlines Magazine

2011-05-12T09:20:00.000-04:00

I love it when I get a phone call about something outside of the box, something that requires me to travel and take pictures of all sorts of things/people/objects that I normally wouldn't come in contact with. This time it was Claudia on the other end of the phone. I worked with her back when I did the photography for U.S. Airways Magazine last year. I got more and more excited the more she talked. This time the scale was much bigger, instead of capturing just some images from around Greenville, she was working on an article for Southwest Airlines Spirit Magazine about the entire Upstate of South Carolina. It was time to put the top down, grab the fiancée and head for the mountains.

Several weeks, free meals, and 400+ miles later I made the images she was looking for. It was great to see everything finally published in this month's issue! If your flying Southwest this month put down that book you brought and pickup the magazine in front of you. Give it a quick flip through, I think you will enjoy the article!

If your not going to be flying this month here is an index of all the pages on Southwest's site. It's broken into several sections so make sure to check them all out!

http://www.spiritmag.com/city_profiles/article/meet_upstate_south_carolina/

Pickens First Baptist Wedding | Haley and Josh

2011-05-09T18:39:00.000-04:00

I knew Haley was a smart girl from the start, after all she was planning on marrying a "Josh" and that really says a lot about her! Josh's have be scientifically proven to be better husbands, more caring and kind individuals, and share a love for Chick Fil-A (ok totally just made that up, but its probably true anyways).

I've had the awesome privilege of spending a lot of time with Haley and Josh recently from shooting their engagement session, haley's bridal portraits, and having them over to enjoy a little Château Jones. Needless to say I was really looking forward to their wedding! It turned out to be an absolutely perfect day with deep blue skies, warm weather, and beautiful lighting.

Haley and Josh had their wedding at the beautiful Pickens First Baptist Church in Pickens, SC and held their reception in another section of the church. Now I've seen quite a few church weddings before, and this one was definitely done right. Beautiful decorations, some awesome food, and lots of loving family and friends nearby. Thank you so much for having me capture your day Haley and Josh!

Loved the little details!

The ladies getting ready

Love it!

And here's how guys get ready for their big day...

Didn't turn out too bad though!

Gorgeous!

Thanks again for having me! All the high resolution photos will be up soon!

Haley and Josh's Wedding Sneak Peak!

2011-05-04T13:14:00.000-04:00

I'm just wrapping up Haley's Wedding photos from this past weekend. She got married at Pickens First Baptist and I'm so pumped to post the full set, in the mean time here are a few while I put on the finishing touches!

Haley's Bridal Portraits!

2011-05-02T18:15:00.000-04:00

Haley is an incredible girl. Not only does she survive 25 degree engagement sessions, but she fairs pretty well when the temperature gets hot! Somehow through all the vast temperature swings she remains sweet and (forgive me debra) incredibly gorgeous! I've been dying to post these, and now that shes finally married I can! Enjoy!!

Thanks for looking! Check out the rest here!

Ashley and Colin's Engagement Session!

2011-04-21T08:24:00.000-04:00

Ashley and Colin definitely have a certain kind of glow about them. They just have such an awesome connection that works in every way, and best of all, it shows up in the pictures. We met up a couple weeks ago at the i-car center to capture some engagement photos before their wedding in June. Here are some of my favorites!

Thanks for having me Ashley and Colin! I'm pumped for the wedding (and your bridal's Ashley!)

Check out all the photos here!

Belle House Statesboro Wedding Photos | Aaron and Alyssa are MARRIED!

2011-04-13T21:32:00.001-04:00

Aaron and I go way back. Well not WAY back, but he was one of my very first close friends when I first moved to South Carolina back in 2008. We took countless pictures throughout downtown Greenville and I watched him grow as a person and finally meet Alyssa. The rest was history.

Fast-forward to March 2011. Here I am, getting the awesome opportunity to be in Statesboro Georgia, shooting his wedding at Believer's Church and his rockin' reception at The Belle House. It was just a perfect day. Alyssa looked stunning, the weather was cooperating, and everyone was ready for the day's events. Check it out!

I told you Alyssa looked stunning

The first sighting

You have to keep a close eye on Alyssa when taking photos... she's a character!

Bride and Groom

Ok lets add in the best man and maid of honor

Whole bridal party!

I love capturing the first few seconds after the bride and groom walk down the isle, they are always incredible!

Love it!

I had to steal them outside for a quick photoshoot!

Thanks again for having me Aaron and Alyssa! Let me know next time your in Greenville and we will grill up some steaks!

Click here to view all of their statesboro wedding photos!

Ashley and Colin Engagement Sneak Peak

2011-04-11T21:08:00.000-04:00

Just a quick sneak peak into Ashley and Colin's Engagement session yesterday! Lovin' the tall grass!

Libby and Jay's Rockin' Engagement Session!

2011-04-09T10:57:00.000-04:00

A lot of times I schedule my engagement sessions a week out or more. There really is no way of knowing the the weather is gonna be and how the lighting will fall. Every once in awhile God steps in and makes the type of weather and lighting that photographers only dream of. Of course without some awesome subjects there isn't really a whole lot you can do with it. Here is where Libby and Jay come in. Check it out!

Love it! Check out some more of their engagement photos Here!

Believers Statesboro GA Church Rehearsal Dinner | Aaron and Alyssa

2011-04-06T23:04:00.000-04:00

Aaron and Alyssa had their wedding and rehearsal dinner at Believers Church in Statesboro, GA. Not only was the food awesome, but they did a great job with the decorations and speeches. I mean seriously, who can pass up smoked ribs, bbq chicken, and some fresh moist cake! The whole night was wrapped up with some great conversation and me stealing them away to go outside and sneak a few pictures of the sunset!

Believers Church in Statesboro Georgia

Snuck em' outside for a quick shot with the sunset

Love it!

Aaron and Alyssa infront of Believer's Church

Checkout all of the photos from their Believers Statesboro Rehearsal Dinner here!

Belle House Statesboro GA Wedding | Aaron Alyssa

2011-03-31T22:11:00.000-04:00

Here is a quick sneak peak from Aaron and Alyssa's wedding at the Belle House in Statesboro Georgia. Lots more to come!

Anderson University Engagement Session | Meghan and Dalton

2011-03-28T21:58:00.000-04:00

I love it when people point out cool locations for photo taking. When I was out shooting Meghan and Dalton's engagement session at Anderson University, they suggested we go out to this gas station to take a few more images.

Not that there isn't anything wrong with gas stations, but they aren't usually the first place I think of when trying to scope out places to shoot engagement sessions. I went along with their idea and WOW did it work out! They took me to this cool little abandoned gas station called Rankin's Grocery. Check out some of the images!

Thanks for having me Meghan and Dalton! To view more images from their Engagement Session click here!

Photography Meeting Room Update

2011-03-24T19:32:00.002-04:00

So ever since I got engaged last month Debra and I have been on a little painting binge. Now that she will be moving in with me sometime in the future we have decided to take the next step in our relationship: Painting.

Let me tell you, if you are in a new relationship and want to see if it is going to last, trying painting a few rooms with your partner. It involves extreme dexterity, patience, urgency, and a full diagnosis of you and your partners strengths and weaknesses.

Well, I guess I'm going to be with Debra for awhile. We successfully painted not just my home studio, but also my dining room, and the kitchen. It took a couple tries to get the rolling and edging down but I think we did a great job. Here are some of the results:

Before...

Not bad but lacking character...

Step 1) Make it looks like a mess

Check out them skillz, the color is called "cathedral grey"

Painted the dinning room "deepest" grape

I decided that since I was painting the room "cathedral gray" it might not look so good if I had all black & white photos displayed on a grey wall. I prefer my photo studio not to look like it's constantly rainy and overcast.

Just this very week Megan from Build A Sign sends me an email. She has some new products that she would love for me to try out! After debating back and forth for a few weeks about what pictures to put up in my newly painted studio I decide to get 3 18x24" poly prints and a street sign for my front door. They just arrived last week and I have to say they are fantastic looking!

The new front door signage!

The new polystyrene art prints

These things are awesome, they are really thick and I actually have them hung with some small hooks

The finished room! Not bad at all!

Winner: Best in Show | South Carolina Wedding Photographer Contest

2011-03-21T20:16:00.000-04:00

Wow! This year is off to a great start! I just got word that I have been awarded "Best in Show" at yesterday's South Carolina Association of Wedding Photographer's annual judging! What an amazing honor!

The competition involves all the top wedding photographers in the state and is judged by several nationally accredited photographers and editors. It's crazy to think that last year I entered I got one honorable mention for Alexa and Preson's engagement session photos. And this year...

Not only did I win "Best in Show" I also walked away with one 1st place finish for the couples portrait category, a 2nd place entry for the bridal portrait category, a 3rd place finish for the group portrait category, and an honorable mention for one of my "getting ready" shots! I want to congratulate everyone who entered, there were some truly outstanding images presented!

Here are the winning images!!

Elizabeth and James on the Roof of the Westin Poinsett - Winner "Best in Show" & 1st Place "Couples Portrait"

A shot of Andrea from their Great Aunt Stella Wedding in Charlotte SC - Winner 2nd Place "Bridal Portrait"

A group portrait from Tia and Andy's Cliff's at Glassy Wedding - Winner 3rd Place "Group Portrait"

A shot from Lauren and Joe's Sumter SC Wedding - Winner Honorable Mention "Getting Ready"

Thank you everyone for your support! If your interested you can view all the results here! I've got tons of awesome weddings coming up so I can't wait for next year's contest!

Anderson Engagement Session Teaser

2011-03-20T18:52:00.000-04:00

Just a quick teaser from Meghan and Dalton's awesome engagement session in Anderson, SC yesterday!

Spring has come to Greenville!

2011-03-17T19:28:00.000-04:00

Alright I know spring is officially two more days away but I really don't care. Spring is here! I guess I'm just blessed to be able to live in a climate where spring comes a little earlier than the rest of the country. And thats a great thing! I'm not sure how much more winter I could have taken. The day's are getting longer, the weather is getting warmer (its forecast to be 81° tomorrow!), and the birds are starting to wake me up in the morning.

Last spring I decided to walk around downtown Greenville to get some pictures of spring, but this year I decided to flex my new 60mm macro lens and walk around my yard to get some shots! Enjoy!

Downtown Greenville SC Night Photos

2011-03-14T18:23:00.001-04:00

Back when I was just getting into photography I used to go out all the time and try to make some awesome night photos. There was just something about night photography that really intrigued me. Maybe it was the fact that you have a TON of control over the light or maybe it was just the fact that if you leave the shutter open and a car drives by you get these cool light streaks!

Anyways I went out around downtown Greenville, SC with my good friend Dan last Monday to see if I still had it in me to do some night photos. I got a few shots that didn't turn out too bad!

The awesome view of Downtown Greenville, SC from the church street bridge

Looking across main street toward the westin

Light trails on the church street bridge in Greenville

The Chamber of Commerce Building Downtown Greenville

Leslie and Johnathan's Cloudy Engagement Shoot

2011-02-28T22:01:00.002-05:00

Here is a lesson to everyone else out there that is concerned about taking people pictures on an overcast day. Listen: Just because the sky is cloudy and gray doesn't mean your photos will turn out dull and lifeless.

True story: Leslie called me up the day of our shoot just before she took the hour and a half long trip from Columbia to Greenville to do the engagement photos. She asked if we should reschedule because it was so cloudy and dull looking out. I told her absolutely not; one because Johnathan had to head back overseas in a few days until just before the wedding, and also because I described to her how overcast skies diffuse the light and create something totally beautiful!

Well she must have trusted me because she showed up to take the photos! And WOW did they turn out awesome! Her and Johnathan have a great chemistry together and are a blast to hang out with. Just check out some of these photos!

Click here to checkout more of their photos!

Greenville Country Club Wedding | Abby and John

2011-02-17T18:45:00.000-05:00

Usually when someone picks a wedding date in January they are expecting upper 40's and cloudy skies. I'm not sure if that was what Abby and John were expecting for their wedding but thats exactly NOT what happened.

Here's what they got: A beautiful 64° day with tons of beautiful sunshine

And that pretty much set the tone for the rest of the day. With a beautiful ceremony at Westminster Presbyterian Church here in Greenville, SC, and a rockin' reception at the beautiful Greenville Country Club, the day turned out beautifully. The extremely talented music group MoTownBlue played some awesome music while everyone danced the night away. It all ended with an excellent sparkler exit! Check it out!

The beautiful sancuary at Westminster Presbyterian Church

The lovely ladies

Want to see more from Abby and John's Greenville Country Club Wedding? Click here!