“The best compliment you can give a photographer is to keep inviting them back to document their life.”
I first photographed these two back in 2020, when they'd only been dating a few months! We've done a few sessions in between, and now a few weeks ago they invited me back to shoot their maternity photos! Knowing that Haven loves the moody style of darker photos, I specifically edited these to her preferred style, but also in the style I love. What a lot of people don't realize is that while photographers generally have their own preferred editing style, most are more than happy to be flexible if you tell them about a style or look that you prefer! We shot these out at the end of Folly Beach, and while the weather can be all over the place normally in the spring we were lucky to get a mildly warm sunset. Thank you Dylan and Haven for letting me (continuously) document these special moments in your life! *+*+*+*Click each image to see it uncropped*+*+*+*+
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Is it that time of year already? As an avid planner, I personally love being able to get photos done early, pick my holiday card design and hand write my holiday messages. Even if it takes me all December! Below is more information about my holiday mini offerings, including dates and photos of each location! Want to book? You can message me through the form above (Contact Me) or email me at [email protected]. What's included with your Holiday Mini Session?
Saturday, Nov. 11 | Indoor & dock, Pinopolis South Carolina Indoor - you have the options of a white couch with stair backdrop, white backdrop with stool, and shooting "through the wreath" with a white or blue backdrop behind you. Dock - We'll walk down the wooden dock with Lake Moultrie as our backdrop. Holiday signs available for your use. Furry friends welcome (dock only). See below photos for examples. 4:00 PM - Indoor - Mixon 4:30 PM - Indoor - 5:00 PM - Dock - Christie 5:20 PM - Dock - Williams Monday, Nov. 13 | Indoor & dock, Pinopolis South Carolina Dock - We'll walk down the wooden dock with Lake Moultrie as our backdrop. Holiday signs available for your use. Furry friends welcome (dock only). See below photos for examples. 4:00PM - Dock - 4:30 PM - Dock - Gleaton 5:00 PM - Dock - Maree 5:20 PM - Dock - Moss Sunday, Nov. 19 | Biggins Creek Park, Moncks Corner, South Carolina Tall grass and some pine trees make this spot a great, classic family photo spot with beautiful light. Holiday signs available for your use. Furry friends welcome. See below photos for examples. 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM - 5:00 PM - Christie 5:15 PM - Saturday, Nov. 25 | Biggins Creek Park, Moncks Corner, South Carolina Tall grass and some pine trees make this spot a great, classic family photo spot with beautiful light. Holiday signs available for your use. Furry friends welcome. See below photos for examples. 11:00 PM - Milford 11:30 PM - Sexton 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM - Guerry Saturday, Dec. 2 | Decorated dock, Pinopolis South Carolina Dock - We'll walk down the wooden dock decorated with Christmas tree trimmings and with Lake Moultrie as our backdrop. Holiday signs available for your use. Furry friends welcome (dock only). See below photos for examples. 3:30 PM - 4:00 PM - Decorated Dock - Adrienne 4:30 PM - Decorated Dock - 5:00 PM - Decorated Dock - Sunday, Dec. 3 | Decorated dock, Pinopolis South Carolina Dock - We'll walk down the wooden dock decorated with Christmas tree trimmings and with Lake Moultrie as our backdrop. Holiday signs available for your use. Furry friends welcome (dock only). See below photos for examples. 3:30 PM - 4:00 PM - Steverson 4:30 PM - Ready 5:00 PM - Hormel PORTRAIT EXAMPLES - Biggins Creek Click each image to see it uncropped PORTRAIT EXAMPLES - Decorated Dock Click each image to see it uncropped Amazing results can come from sticking to it. Just because it doesn't work the first (or the second) time doesn't mean you give up on it.
This shoot, for example, had been rescheduled THREE TIMES because of weather (we don't want anyone in a pool during thunderstorms). But after 3 months and one very last minute personnel swap, this was worth it! And Kiana was the perfect person for this shoot! She was so kind, and flexible when it came to the quickly changing weather (sprinkling, raining, BRIGHT sun, partial sun), and willing to try lots of underwater ideas when it came to the underwater portion of this shoot! These photos came out so well, they were accepted to be on display at Ophelia's Wines and Bites in Moncks Corner this month. If you're in the area, feel free to stop by and see it. Thank you again, Kiana, for your flexibility and adaptability! Hope you love these photos as much as I do!!! And let me know if you want to do an underwater shoot yourself! ^*^*^*^*^*Click to see each image uncropped^*^*^*^* All because two marines fell in love...
This maternity session was SO GOOD. First off, Sophia is stunning. But on top of that, she's also laid back, friendly, and has a great sense of humor! She's also my soon-to-be daughter-in-law, so I'm happy to brag on her. Stephen (my stepson), met Sophia in Sergeant school at Camp Lejeune. They're both Marines, and both tough as nails, but in a lot of ways they couldn't be more different. He was raised in the South, with a strong, quiet demeanor. She's from New York, and is probably one of the few people I've met (aside from my sister) who could make friends pretty much anyone she talks to. For as private and reserved as Stephen is, Sophia just glances his way and can easily coax a smile out of Stephen. So the last time Stephen and Sophia were visiting, we decided to take some maternity photos! Thanks to a friend of hers, Amazon, and my closet, we pulled together 3 different looks for this shoot - each one a slightly different style but man, Sophia just GLOWED in all of them! And just two days after we took these photos, Stephen and Sophia's son Westley made his debut. We took photos on Saturday, they drove back home to North Carolina Sunday and Sophia delivered Westley on Monday evening! All in the family (including Westley's big brother, the Golden Retriever Gus who's almost as photogenic as Sophia) are doing well and healthy. And as a grandma and a photographer, let's just say I'm a tad excited to head up and meet my new grandson and take some family photos! Thank you Sophia & Stephen for trusting me to photograph this special time in your relationship, it fills my heart to see the love between you. *^*^*^*^*Click each image to see it uncropped*^*^*^*^*^*^* Ophelia's Wines & Bites is located in 'downtown' Moncks Corner. And in small town fashion, downtown is pretty much one road with maybe 20 businesses total on either side. I've been to Ophelia's probably 30 times since they opened, for all sorts of reasons: date nights (their date night menus are INCREDIBLE), macrame workshop, listening to music, taking my laptop and working in the afternoon, lunch, dinner, belly dancing, art viewing, and just because I have cabin fever and need to get out of the house. Unlike many other (often overpriced) wine bars, owners Jen and Nina (pictured top left) are kind, funny, down to earth, and authentic. With Hell's Kitchen chef experience, Nina brings a fantastic, creative and delicious menu at hometown prices while Jen keeps the operations moving and makes sure all the customers are satisfied.
My personal favorites include the crostinis (the brie, pistachio and honey are a favorite), the MoCo melt (add bacon and thank me later), and also their salads are to die for. And of course, wine and local beer. They also show local art and crafts on their walls, which as an artist myself I absolutely love! It's incredible to see the talent of different artists around the Moncks Corner area, without any of the fuss or pomp of Charleston galleries. (Don't get me wrong, I love Charleston galleries but it's usually not relaxed :). A few months ago, I took some branding photos at Ophelia's for an upcoming article that was written in the Post & Courier (article is gated but you can find the text here). They also won the Best of Berkeley County best bar, best bartender (Amber, pictured top right), best bar trivia, best local craft beer, and best bar service. Basically, if you're in Moncks Corner between 11AM and 10PM, stop by Ophelia's. And tell them Melissa sent you. ^*^*^*^Click on each image to see it uncropped...then go get yourself a glass of rose and an order of crostinis*^*^*^*^*^*^ Family beach photos always come out so timeless! And generally, with lighter pastel colors, whites and off-white colors, they never look dated.
The Smallwood family contacted me as they were visiting the Charleston area, and some of their extended family had done a photoshoot with me years before. Vacation photos are a great way to remember your vacation, but also to take advantage of a new location that's not in your typical geography. Also, beach photos have another great advantage - you don't have to worry about wearing shoes! One less thing to coordinate for everyone, one less thing to buy for the little ones, and it looks so relaxed. Literally, people can be their "shoes off self" at the beach. Thank you, Smallwood family, for trusting me to take these family portraits for you! I loved meeting y'all and hope to see you again on your next visit to Charleston! *^*^*^*Click each photo to see in uncropped*^*^*^*^ 2 moms open Moncks Corner wine bar, bringing a new concept to Berkeley County community
By Parker Milner [email protected] Published Thu Apr 27, 2023 9:00 AM EDT MONCKS CORNER — A smooth two-lane highway intercepted by a handful of railroad crossings separates Goose Creek and Moncks Corner. Driving toward the latter, construction, new apartments and a pristine brick Waffle House appear within the town limits. Making a sharp left turn off Highway 52, I drove through a quiet neighborhood, past a sign for the Berkeley County Airport and into the parking lot of The Rustic Muffin, a five-year-old coffee house with another location in Summerville. The small iced coffee I ordered came in a 20-ounce cup, meaning I was well-caffeinated by the time I made my way to Ophelia’s Wines & Bites, a welcoming spot in the town of just over 13,000. Ophelia's Wines & Bites (https://www.instagram.com/opheliaswinesandbites/), 328 East Main St., is owned by Jennifer Molnar and Nina Wolowitz, two friends and single moms with a combined four kids who moved from the New York City metropolitan area to South Carolina together in 2021. They found a home in Moncks Corner after first looking in other parts of the Charleston area. “We decided we were going to live together because it was going to make life easier, and we needed enough space,” Wolowitz said. “We started looking in Charleston and Mount Pleasant, and for those prices we should have just stayed in New York.” The sight-unseen move to Moncks Corner came first, and Ophelia’s came later, after the food and beverage industry veterans saved every dime they made from work at Poogan’s Hospitality Group and a stint delivering food through DoorDash and UberEats. With the opening of Ophelia's, Molnar and Wolowitz became the owners of the only dedicated wine bar in Moncks Corner's main business district. Like Charleston, Mount Pleasant and Summerville, Moncks Corner is growing — by 2030, it’s expected to have more than 15,000 residents, almost tripling in size since the turn of the 21st century — but at a much slower rate. With nearby neighborhoods in North Charleston and Summerville already attracting new businesses, Moncks Corner is looking to carve out its own niche in the market. Revitalizing a downtown shopping area is one of the top priorities. The mile-long stretch on East Main Street and Railroad Avenue features a dozen boutique shops and restaurants, with more coming every year. Ophelia’s, which opened in August 2021, is one of them. Moncks Corner's 10-year plan comes at pivotal growth point for the town (https://www.postandcourier.com/.../article_6ed58348-0452...) The wine bar has evolved into a full-service eatery with appetizers, sandwiches, salads and monthly date-night dinners, when Wolowitz whips up a curated coursed meal in the modest Ophelia’s kitchen, equipped with two burners, an air fryer, convection oven and panini press. “Originally we were just thinking meats and cheeses, but it turned into more,” Wolowitz said. With hardwood floors and comfortable vintage furniture, Ophelia’s is a charming departure from some establishments that can make wine feel less approachable. Not at Ophelia’s, where generous pours of Sancerre, Cabernet Franc and other wines from across the country and globe are served by the glass for $7-$14. The wine bar is also liberal with its food portions. My caprese sandwich, served with pesto, balsamic, arugula and red onions, arrived with thick slices of mozzarella spilling beyond the sides of a soft baguette. Those who stop by during weekday lunch can order half-portions of two food items for just $10. The sandwiches, soups, salads and crostinis are relatively straightforward out of necessity, making Ophelia’s a reliable lunch or dinner option, whether you’re drinking alcohol or not. All four kids help out when they can, Wolowitz said, though the youngest ( usually provides moral support. Molnar’s daughter Julie, 12, has developed some serious culinary chops. According to Wolowitz, she has added a secret ingredient to their Caesar salad dressing that takes it to another level. See if you can pick it out when you visit Ophelia’s, open 11 a.m.-11 p.m. daily. © 2023, The Post and Courier, Evening Post Publishing Newspaper Group. All Rights Reserved. With newborn portrait sessions, there are really two types of sessions:
The first involves a lot of props, costumes, sets, and creates a whimsical, almost unreal effect of a bundled baby in a small fairy bed, or a bird's nest. I'm always in awe of those types of shoots, and they really are a special talent. But for me and my clients, the in-home newborn session is where I think these photos really shine. Because a baby is a part of a family, and everything in that family changes once a new baby comes along. Relationships shift, hearts expand, homes make room. These are the types of photos I try to capture - the interactions, the moments between baby and mother, baby and father, and in this case, baby and big brother! I've been lucky enough to photograph this family for a few years now, and I've gotten the pleasure to watch Max grow and change. And getting to see him now become a big brother is such a treat! Also, Max's parents are just so loving, so patient, and I felt lucky to get to observe these parenting interactions, the whole time thinking, "yep, they're doing it right." A great quote I came across recently said, "the biggest compliment you can give your photographer is inviting them back to document your life." Thank you Kate and Grayson for giving me the biggest compliment, and allowing me to be part of this exciting time! *^*^**^*^*^*^*Click each image to see it uncropped*^*^*^*^*^**^*^ I don't know about you, but I'm REALLY excited about the new Little Mermaid movie coming out. And even though I'm not a big Avatar fan, I saw it in theaters specifically for the underwater scenes. You can probably guess the common thread here. I love spending time near bodies of water, be it oceans or rivers and lakes. Something about it just replenishes my energy and feeds my soul.
So when I found out that a recent photoshoot was going to include a jewelry company inspired by the sea, I was ecstatic! And this company did NOT disappoint. Sea Flower Jewelry is handmade here in Charleston, SC, and they have a range of beautiful necklaces, earrings and jewelry that ranges in mermaid-ness from a simple gold chain with shark tooth to beautifully-decadent mermaid goddess earrings with turbo shells, freshwater pearls and glistening 14k gold chains. Also, I was lucky enough to meet (and photograph) the owner and creator of Sea Flower Jewelry, Cassandra (top right photo). When I first saw her and her jewelry, I'll admit I was expecting a bit of posh attitude, but there was none of that! Cassandra was incredibly sweet and told me all about starting this jewelry line during COVID, her inspiration and her love of the ocean. She also told me she was a little nervous in front of the camera, which surprised me because I'd mistaken her for one of the models. If you're intrigued by the photos below, definitely check out Sea Flower jewelry. Or check them out on Instagram @sea_flower_jewelry and give Cassandra and her awesome small business a like and a follow. Also thank you to Adam for bringing together Sea Flower Jewelry, the other models pictured here Alex and Louisa, and coordinating this shoot at Folly Beach! More photos to come - stay tuned! ^*^*^*^*^*Click each image to see it uncropped*^*^*^*^**^ This blog is way overdue, but I'm still playing catch up and even though it's a little late - I still wanted to share these photos!
Ashley and Marshall's family live in the same neighborhood I do. So when I put out the call that I was looking to take more maternity photo sessions, they replied with excitement! It was December, so a little cooler, but Ashley came dressed in the cutest form-fitting sweater dress and boots, and they even brought their fur baby! We were able to shoot right before sunset, and were treated to soft light, golden light, a flight of birds in the background during one of the shots and then a beautiful cotton-candy-colored sky after the sun went down. Thanks Ashley and Marshall for trusting me to take these photos, and I hope you love them as much as I do! ^*^*^**^*^Click each image to see it uncropped*^*^*^*^* |
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