The great thing about summer here in South Carolina is that, unlike most of the country, weddings slow down due to the heat, and I can focus more on doing engagement pictures. Now, I love shooting weddings, but sometimes it's great to be able to spend time with a couple and just have a good time. There is no pressure of family and friends around, and we can all just have a good time and be creative. We can pick great locations, and there are not time constraints of getting the pictures done before dinner is served and toasts start. I've been able to do a number of engagement shoots in the past few weeks in some very different locations, from the ruins of an 18th century church north of Beaufort, South Carolina to a pre-dawn shoot in downtown Savannah, Georgia. Here are just a few of the ones I like from recent shoots.

I take a lot of photographs. A lot. I take a lot of wedding photos, engagement photos, portraits, journalism, you name it. If I were to let it, my passion might turn into a job, and then it just wouldn't be fun anymore. Every once in a while, it's nice to just shoot for me. This week I was able to do that. I got to go on a short trip with my family and just shoot whatever I felt like. That's how you keep from getting stale. Shoot what you want to just because it's fun, just because it's there. Here are a few of my shots from this week on my trip to the upcountry.

Last month I had the pleasure of being able to leave Beaufort and travel down to the Bahamas to shoot a wedding. Not only was the wedding itself amazing and beautiful, but the bride and groom, Rachel and Brian, were willing to do a trash the dress session the next day. Fortunately, I'd brought the underwater housing for one of my cameras. Not only were we able to do the usual jumping into the water shots, but we were able to do some underwater ones as well in the clear turquoise waters of the Abacos. This along with a bride who looked totally comfortable underwater in her dress made for some really great shots. I even got a call shortly after from someone at the CBS morning show about doing a feature, but unfortunately the scheduling didn't work. Still, the recognition was nice. Here are a couple shots from the session.