QPSC Takes Charleston!

March 14, 2016

qpsc takes charleston

QPSC Takes Charleston!

Charleston, SC is a city that I love to visit. Not only is it beautiful and filled with lots of culture and history, but the food is amazing! Half the reason for visiting is to get some good, authentic seafood. So when I heard there was a photography meetup happening in the holy city I wanted to be a part of it. The ladies of QPSC (The Queen Photographers of South Carolina) teamed up with Sirena White of Aneris Photography to put together a weekend filled with workshops, styled shoots and fellowship. To say this weekend was magical was an understatement!

We kicked things off with a styled elopement shoot at the Folly Beach Lighthouse Inlet. We had a chance to fellowship over breakfast and get to know one another while the models were getting beautified by Addie J of Addie J MUA. Once moving to our shoot location we broke off into teams of two and began to create beautiful works of art. A breeze was going, the sun was shining and the day could not have been more perfect.

qpsc takes charleston

We followed up our session with lunch and a workshop at Launchpad Charleston. This space was absolutely amazing! If you’ve never heard of Launchpad it’s an office space that creatives share. You can rent out actual offices, boardrooms or a co-working unit. And because it’s shared by creatives the artwork is so inspiring! Walking the halls there was always something new to discover. My favorite discovery was probably the wine on tap courtesy of Boxxle.

qpsc takes charleston

During our workshop we heard from speakers like Michiel Perry of Black Southern Belle who gave us tips on how to get published, Somaya Murphy of LivLane Events who created gorgeous customized stemless wine glasses for each of us and I even got a chance to talk about blogging and how to do it well.

Once the workshop ended we began to prepare for our evening of fellowship, food and wine! We had a wonderful meal at Muse Restaurant + Wine Bar located in the heart of downtown Charleston. We networked, talked about the adventures of the day, upcoming projects and so much more. After taking a moment to visit Mother Emanuel Church and reflect on the tragic events that occurred there not even one year ago, we finally headed to bed to get some much needed rest.

Sunday morning found us back at Launchpad for breakfast (I probably shouldn’t mention that my breakfast consisted of a Cupcrazed cupcake early that morning before setting out for the day), a few quick tips by Sirena on how to be the best entrepreneur we can be followed by a styled elopement shoot at The Battery.

We shot throughout the park and then finally made our way into the narrow streets for a photo walk with one of our models (and fellow photograpHER), Sierra.

This entire trip was more than any of us could’ve even thought to imagine. I’m so grateful to Latoya Dixon and Sierra Collins (who created this great behind the scenes video of our weekend together) for creating QPSC which allowed all of us to come together in the first place. And to Sirena White for putting together this entire workshop from beginning to end! She truly outdid herself. Stay tuned for the next couple of blog posts featuring the styled shoots. I promise you the photos are worth the wait!

Nyrissa C. | The Peach Stand

March 7, 2016

Nyrissa C. | The Peach Stand

Last week I had the pleasure of working with a client who is as beautiful inside as she is out. Nyrissa contacted me just a couple of weeks prior to our session. She was getting ready to celebrate her birthday and wanted to capture this moment in her life on camera. The original theme to match her birthday party (cowgirl and horses) unfortunately did not work out, but I think we made something even more special.

The week of her session it was cold and rainy. I worried that maybe the session wouldn’t take place, but held out hope that my weather app was correct in telling me we had bright, sunny skies for the day of our shoot. And sure enough it was right! We met on a clear late Saturday afternoon. The sun was just beginning to descend and it made for the most beautiful golden hour I’ve seen in a while. The sun setting against bright blue skies also made for a bit of warmer weather which is also nice (and unexpected) in February.

Nyrissa pulled out all the stops for her session. We had briefly discussed wardrobe options the week of her session, but I was only aware of vague descriptions of what exactly it would be that she was wearing. To say I was stunned in the best way possible is an understatement. Her gorgeous flowing sundress was ethereal and I was giddy at the chance to capture her in such a beautiful setting. Sometimes you know when you make magic with a client right off the bat and we certainly did that. I love laughing and having fun with my clients and along with the help of Nyrissa’s husband (who was an excellent assistant by the way!) we pulled off a successful session among the barren peach trees.

Her second outfit was a bit more casual and laid back so we opted to move to the large field just outside of the orchard and that proved to be a great idea! A bit of different scenery allowed us showcase Nyrissa’s beauty with minimal background decor. Sometimes in photography less is more. This session was a wonderful way to kickstart my 2016 season and I look forward to all of the other wonderful session to come!

One Word: Fruitful

February 29, 2016

One Word: Fruitful

Every year during the year end sermon series at Elevation Church our Pastor, Steven Furtick, encourages us to come up with one word that will that will set the tone for the coming year. A word that we want to use to propel us forward, to give us clarity and a purpose for the new year.

I didn’t take too much stock in at first but kind of thought of different words here and there and let them play out in my mind. Some days asking for God to show me a word that I could use for 2016, other days praying and meditating over it. And sure enough it worked!

The word fruitful kept coming back to me for some reason. And because it was something I was thinking about and praying over I knew there had to be a reason this word continually came back to me. I decided to look up the definition of fruitful which is “producing good or helpful results; productive.” Now I like to consider myself to be a productive person, but maybe I’m more busy than productive. And trust me, there is a difference. Sure, some days I get a lot accomplished and it feels good to get those things taken care of, but am I being intentional with my productivity? Do I have a clear purpose in mind for what I do and why I do it. And am I producing helpful results for myself as well as those around me?

So as I go through this year I will continue to meditate and pray that God allows this year to be one of fruitfulness. To show me when I’m just being busy and if so to steer me into the direction of producing good, helpful fruit instead.

I encourage you to do the same. If you’re looking for clear direction this year my advice would be to think about your word. If you’re a believer pray and ask for God to reveal your word to you. There is a great reading plan on the Bible app called One Word That Will Change Your Life that can aid you in this discovery. If you’re not a believer then meditate and ask the universe to give you guidance. If the word is meant for you I promise it will find you. You just have to seek it out. And then once you discover it, remind yourself of it daily. Make it your phone screensaver, post it on a sticky note on your bathroom mirror, whatever it takes so that you don’t forget it’s place in your life. And then watch the word work in your life. I’m hopeful for an amazing rest of the year and pray the same for you.

Wedding Wednesday

February 22, 2016

Wedding Wednesday

If you’re a bride and are on any number of social media platforms I’m sure you have heard of Wedding Wednesday. And if you haven’t let me share with you exactly what it is and why it’s so popular. Wedding Wednesday is the one day of the week where wedding professionals share stories, photos and information for those looking to celebrate their upcoming nuptials. Whether you are a bride looking for dress inspiration, a groom in search of the perfect honeymoon destination or a maid of honor looking to plan a beautiful shower there is something out there for you.

Searching for the hashtag #WeddingWednesday on places like Instagram, Facebook and more will give you a plethora of information on whatever topic you’re in need of in regards to your big day. And now that I am a part of the wedding industry, focusing on elopement and intimate ceremonies, I wanted to be a part of Wedding Wednesday. Each Wednesday you can look to my Facebook, Twitter or Instagram accounts to give you small tidbits on how to prepare for your upcoming wedding. Whether it’s advice on making sure to drink lots of water to keep those blemishes away, tips to create the perfect checklist to keep things organized, or creating a budget that works for you, I’ve got you covered across the board. Make sure to follow my social media accounts so you’re never out of the loop on my weekly tips. They are short and to the point; just enough to help get you started on the right foot. I hope you find my information useful and if you’re a former bride and have wonderful tips that worked for you I’d love for you to share them with my readers!

If you are recently engaged and planning a small ceremony I would love to hear from you! We can chat on the phone or meet in person (maybe over macarons and coffee!) to discuss your wedding day details. You can contact me here so we can start the planning process. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Love Notes

February 8, 2016

February is the time for love. It’s a time to give love and to receive it. Remember the days when you would receive a handwritten love note from that special guy or girl in school and how wonderful it made you feel? Or when your beau has roses delivered to your job unexpectedly? Every time a client gives me a glowing review I have that feeling. I’m thankful each and every day for the wonderful clients I have had the opportunity to work with since starting my business and I’m so grateful that they enjoyed the time they spent with me during their sessions. For this project titled ‘Love Notes’ I reached back out to a few of my 2015 clients to ask them about their experience working with me. Here is what they said…

If you would like to see what the Denise Benson Photography experience is all about I’d love for you to reach out to me via email so that we can discuss my plans to make your session one of a kind!

QPSC Takes Charleston!

Nyrissa C. | The Peach Stand

One Word: Fruitful

Wedding Wednesday

Love Notes

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