Charlotte Branding Photographer

BSB Charlotte Tastemaker Summit

September 5, 2016

charlotte tastemaker summit

Black Southern Belle Charlotte Tastemaker Summit

A couple of months ago I had the extreme pleasure of not only attending the Black Southern Belle Collective Charlotte Tastemaker Summit, but also partnering with them as one of the event photographers. It was an all day event taking place in the heart of Charlotte inside of an eclectic furniture space known as Tuft.

The day included panel discussions by some wonderful creative entrepreneurs including Cheryl Luckett of Dwell by Cheryl Interiors, Ariene Bethea, owner of Dressing Room Interiors, LaVonndra Johnson, founder of Elle VJ and Dainty Dames Lingerie, Nicole Clayton of The Cloth Mill, Mary Guerry of the Charleston Visitors Bureau, Leah Knepper VP of French West Vaughan and panel moderators Lashawnda Becoats, Editor-in-Chief of Pride Magazine and Danielle McKim, owner of Tuft.

charlotte tastemaker summit

Throughout the day we feasted on an array of southern cuisine provided by Gravy Waltz and then to top things off we were surprised with equally beautiful and delicious desserts by Sugar Euphoria. I can honestly say when heading home that evening I was thoroughly satisfied.

In between panel discussions and mingling we were treated to two wonderful workshops. The first was led by Stephanie Gibbs of Stephanie Gibbs Events who showed us how to make the perfect floral arrangement with in season flowers and through foraging, something which was new to me. The second workshop, which was led by Jill McKenzie of steve mckenzie’s, was all about table top arrangements showcased beautiful china and how to make your table look great throughout the year.

This event had so much great information and it was remarkable to be in a room filled with other female entrepreneurs. If you get the chance to attend this event in the future I highly recommend that you go. Being in the presence of greatness only makes you greater.

Landon Jace | Newborn Photography

August 29, 2016

A few weeks ago my nephew Landon Jace was born. June 27, 2016 9:13 am to be exact. As with any child born into a small family they enter into a world filled with excitement. We all eagerly awaited his arrival and as his due date came and went, along with each subsequent day, we grew more and more impatient. Or at least I did. There hadn’t been a newborn baby in my family since my niece Alycia was born 7 years ago. She was the first in our family and I remembered the feeling of anxiousness as she made her debut and I couldn’t wait for Landon to do the same.

I am by no means a newborn photographer. It was an idea I toyed with at the very beginning of my photography career and as I watched videos of this specialized craft I knew that I wanted no parts of it. Tiny babies make me a bit nervous and I just knew that it takes a special someone to capture these beautiful beings in the best way possible. My sister had no plans to have newborn photos taken of Landon and I felt like this would be something she would regret later on so I offered to do the session for her. I figured if it turned out horrible it wouldn’t be the end of the world since this wasn’t a paid session and she knew from the get go that I had no idea what I was doing.

Two days prior to the session I began cramming as much information into my head as humanely possible. I studied Youtube videos on how to properly position, swaddle, and shoot a newborn. I went on Pinterest for different pose ideas. I gathered all of the items I would need to make this a success (many, many blankets were involved). And just 6 days after he was born he was ready for his photography debut!

Even though I still have zero desire to get into newborn photography I really had a great time working with my sister on this project. Landon did amazingly well and it was so much fun! I ended up editing his photos the same day as the shoot because I couldn’t wait to see the results. And even though it’s tacky to pat yourself on the back, I’m pretty proud of my first attempt. It’s always scary trying something new, but there’s nothing quite like a challenge.

Avis R: 130 Celebration Session | Charleston, SC

August 22, 2016

130 Celebration Session | Charleston, SC

A few weeks ago I took a little trip to Charleston, SC for a portrait session. Now this wasn’t just any portrait session. My friend and cousin Avis recently went through a transformation and the best way to capture it, and of course celebrate it, was on camera. Avis recently lost 130 lbs. Not only did she go through a physical transformation, but one of the mind and spirit as well. So when she reached out to me about capturing this milestone in her life in none other than the holy city I was more than excited to go along on this journey with her.

Day one of her two day session took place in historic downtown Charleston. Along with the help of friend and photography assistant for the weekend, Tanisha, we were off! It was a very hot and humid weekend in July but Avis glowed in her pale pink evening gown. She shimmered as she walked through The Battery and into the streets lined with horse drawn carriages and tourists all wondering what we were up to. We even managed to get a few snapshots with a couple of adorable pooches before wrapping up the first half of our session.

Day two took us to Folly Beach. We trekked through the sand dunes to arrive at the lighthouse inlet, one of the most beautiful views in the area in my opinion. Definitely worth the hike if you’re ever in the area. Avis dawned a red gown that was out of her comfort zone, but made her look ever so elegant and refined as she let the breeze hit her as the waves crashed against the stones.

The second half of her beach vision was a throwback to 50’s era swimsuit models. A bit of glam and whimsy all rolled into one. A black and white striped umbrella and pops of pink played so well against the blue sky and water! By the end of our session we were all in the water trying our best to cool off before heading back home with wonderful memories to last us a lifetime.

I can’t thank Avis enough for allowing me to be a part of such a wonderful time in her life. I love what I get to do. These images will be something she’s able to look back on fondly and realize just how far she’s come in her life journey. I hope they serve as motivation to keep pushing forward and to live her life vibrantly and to the fullest.

Meet Jailyn: DBP 2016 Senior Rep!

August 15, 2016

Meet Jailyn: DBP 2016 Senior Rep

This upcoming school year will be the second for the DBP Senior Rep program. When I begin my search I look for rising high school seniors that are enthusiastic, outgoing, full of life and energy and that want to make their last year count. After receiving several entries from interested parents and students I narrowed my finalists down to two wonderful candidates, the first being Jailyn.

She attends Hopewell High School located in Huntersville, NC and felt like she would be a great representation of DBP due to her outgoing personality, her balance of social and family life and her involvement in extracurricular activities which includes working with special needs children.

She describes herself as someone who is motivated by a challenge and our session definitely made her prove that! I know most teens love to get their sleep on the weekends, especially during summer break, but Jailyn started her day at roughly 5 am where she along with her mother, Ingrid, made the drive to Rock Hill, SC for her MUA appointment with the talented Melissa Wilmore. We then ventured to the gorgeous sunflower field to begin her session. Although it was only 8 am the sun was shining brightly and with no trees to hide behind for shade we just endured the heat. Thankfully a slight breeze along with a stray cloud would give us refuge from the heat if only for a few brief moments. Hundreds, if not thousands, of bees were buzzing throughout the field, but Jailyn didn’t let that stop her. She did whatever was asked of her with a smile on her face.

We moved from the sunflower field to the corn field and finally made our way to the windy dirt road where we finished our session. It was a magical two hours and the smiles on all of our faces at the end of it all made it apparent that the day was a hit! I know Jailyn will do an amazing job representing DBP for the upcoming school year and I look forward to seeing what she does in the future. The sky is the limit for this vivacious young lady! Stay tuned to see who my second 2017 Senior Rep is going to be…

Zandra + Wise | Rock Hill, SC Engagement Session

August 8, 2016

Let me start by saying this session was a photographer’s dream! Everything about it gave me so much life, but before going into the extravagant details let me start from the beginning. I met Zandra through a mutual friend that had recommended me for her upcoming nuptials. We met one morning at Panera in Charlotte, NC and immediately hit it off! We discussed her wedding day as well as her engagement session and from that point forward I knew this was going to be a session like no other I’ve shot. Over the next few weeks she sent me wardrobe ideas as well as props she wanted to incorporate into her session and with each detail she emailed I became more and more excited. These are the type of dream clients photographers get giddy about!

The day of her and Wise’s engagement session finally arrived and it rained. And rained. And rained. So we made adjustments and while I don’t typically shoot during the weekday we chose to meet on a Wednesday evening. Boy am I glad we did! For a June day in the South the weather was mild, only reaching a high of 84 with relatively no humidity. We were approaching the golden hour and I knew the lighting in our location would be perfection!

Wise warned me before our session even began that he wasn’t into taking photos and I assured him I was used to hearing that from about 90% of the men I worked with, but that we would make this as painless, laid-back and as fun as possible for both him and Zandra.

During their session they danced to Outkast’s Prototype, they shared lots of laughs and smiles and had a genuinely good time. I love getting to know my couples and hearing the story of how they met (at a Christian singles function!) and watching their faces light up as they tell the story. Of course Wise kept us both laughing as he told us his version of their meeting. I am so excited to share this stunning session with the world and I look forward to capturing their big day next month! To see more from their session as well as reading about their love story check out their feature on Munaluchi Bridal Magazine!

BSB Charlotte Tastemaker Summit

Landon Jace | Newborn Photography

Avis R: 130 Celebration Session | Charleston, SC

Meet Jailyn: DBP 2016 Senior Rep!

Zandra + Wise | Rock Hill, SC Engagement Session

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