What do you get when you cross CDP with stylist Jess James, a colorful roller rink and a ’70s inspired wardrobe? Answer: Disco Dazed! I had just attended a birthday party for my daughter’s friend at Scooters, a local skate rink, when the editor for Focus on the Coast called and said she wanted a retro theme for their spring fashion spread. My reply: “I’ve got a place you’ve gotta see, complete with neon and a disco ball.” Gretchen, Rachel, Oliver and I had a blast, or should I say, “groovy time, man!”

For the April issue of Focus on the Coast, I was asked to photograph the cover and an inside spread. The subject: a young lady in some gorgeous gowns. The location: Wilmington’s landmark Bellamy Mansion. I suggested we capture the cover shot from across the street so we could get both Rachel (our model) and the Bellamy (a very large house) in the picture. Client Isabella Grape was thrilled with the images. Another good day on location in sunny Wilmington! Special thanks to Al Clyburn for location access and to FOTC designer Garry Graham.

After shooting some TV spots for Kitchen & Bath Galleries last year, they asked me to capture some stills of one of their latest interior designs. This particular one was a bit challenging due to the inherent contrast between the white counter tops and dark cabinets. So I decided to let Mother Nature make my job a little easier by scheduling this shoot on an overcast day. This allowed me to supplement the soft daylight with my lighting. The client was very pleased. She recently entered these images into a competition and will now be featured on an international supplier’s website in April. I love working with business owners who take as much pride in their work as I do.

Spring is right around the corner. Early signs are already popping up in February, as they do sometimes in the South. But I couldn’t leave winter without sharing a few pics of Lucy enjoying a rare snowfall in Wilmington. We don’t get a lot of snow around here, but when we do you can better believe the kids are all over it. The flakes don’t last very long, but these images of flurry fever will last forever.

I love making the most out of the mundane. Honestly, I think that’s why professional photography has survived – to turn the ordinary into extraordinary. This assignment was to visually convey the hard-working  and approachable folks at a local financial advisor group. I admire the faith in the agency (who had yet to work with me). “Go shoot what you see,” they said. “We trust you.” Those magical words tickle my heart. We didn’t have a lot of time at their offices, but I was very pleased with the edit. And so was my new client! Can’t wait to see these images on their brand new site. Looks like 2011 is off to a pretty good start.

Every year my wife asks me about 20 or 30 times what we’re gonna do for our Christmas card. And every year, I put it off. Like most folks I guess. Well one warm afternoon I decided to stop procrastinating and headed east with my favorite elf. Lucy loves the beach, just like her daddy. Even though the water was too cold for a swim, we had fun running around barefoot in December. She is by far the best gift that we have ever received. Hope you all have some amazing holiday time with your little elves! Peace and joy to all!

These are three of my favorite images from our fashion spread for the Nov/Dec issue of Focus on the Coast. Local fashion expert Jess James and I had a blast shooting all day at an amazing private residence. She loves to craft a story around the shoot—in this case a holiday party with a little drama! Thanks to all who made this assignment so fun!

When a long-time friend called for some updated pics of her boys, she told me they were really into planes. So we took a ride over to the local airport where they got to explore and even climb inside a small plane’s cockpit. They were in heaven. And it created the opportunity for some pretty cool pictures. Up, up and away!