They wanted to do some photos to give as gifts and we headed out to Lake Murray.

Brent wasn't sure what to expect and didn't think he would enjoy the session, figured he could just kinda gut it out. I am happy to say that at the end of the session, Brett kept talking about how much fun he had. I mean, part of an afternoon walking around and kissing your sweetie, not a bad way to spend the afternoon.

Here are a few of my favorites.

Mostly it's because of the dogs.

This event, The Grand American Hunt in Orangeburg. Dogs as far as the eye can see. All hounds, Blueticks, Redbones, Mountain Cur, Plotts, Black and Tan and more than I can name.

When I was growing up, the first dog I ever owned came from the Fredericksburg Dog Mart. A similar event, but dogs of all kinds could be had.

Here are a few of my favorite photos from the event in Orangeburge this year.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/28/us/battling-anew-over-the-place-of-religion-in-public-schools.html?_r=2andscp=2andsq=erik%20eckholmandst=cse

Here are a few of the portraits the I made.

Let me just say that Drew as always was great, such a smart, funny and wonderfully polite kid and her new horse was also wonderful. But as everyone knows, ponies are sooo bad. And Drew's pony, Secret, was no exception. It is a wonder that I didn't krazy glue his ears forward. I'd like to say that he warmed up to me, but nope, luckily he really loved Drew!!!

It was a fantastic event that raised money for both PAALS an amazing organization that helps to train dogs for children and adults with physcial disabilities and social needs and the Heartworm project that provides medical care for shelter animals in need.

Here are a few of my favorites and more will be posted for download at www.poochapalooza.net.

Kershaw is a fantastic little town. I'm totally in love with the old drug store, wouldn't that be fun to restore and run and if you are looking for some great pizza you have to check out Gus's Pizza.

If you would like to read about the mine and the town, go to http://www.thedaily.com/page/2011/10/23/102311-news-gold-mine-1-5/ and you can read all about it.

If you want to see all their shirts, you can check them out at www.eatmorets.com or on Facebook. You can also visit them at their store on the corner of Assembly and Rosewood Drive, right across from the fairgrounds.

Here are a few of my favorites.

You can boat, fish, swim, kayak, canoe, well you get the idea, you can do just about anything on Lake Murray. It covers 78 square miles with 620 or so miles of shoreline. It supplies electric power and is the major source of drinking water for Columbia. It's a fun place to visit and don't forget about Dreher Island State Park, a great place to camp.

This was her third child and she wanted to do something she hadn't done before. How cool right?? So, along with her fantastic husband, Jess and her two adorable kids we got down to business and had a great time. Since it was so hot we did all the photos in her living room.

One of the newest attractions in Myrtle Beach is the SkyWheel.

It has 42 climate controlled gondolas--one boasts leather seats and a glass floor--and it's 200 feet above sea level and the only observation wheel of it's kind in the United States.

At night, the Wheel sports a fun lightshow.

I thought it might be fun to post a few of the photos that didn't run.

This is the 75th anniversary of the scholarship pageant and you can vote for your favorite contestant for the People's Choice award--just go online and "Like" your favorite contestants video on The Miss South Carolina Scholarship Organization's Facebook page.

Here are a few from Wednesday nights event. The final will be held on Saturday.

Here are a few of my favorite photos from Hurricane Farm, Live Oak Farms, Buffalo Farms and Split Creek Farm. Hope you enjoy.

Both Union and Confederate re-enactors have descended into Charleston for the anniversary firing on Ft. Sumter. Tuesday will mark the 150 year anniversary of the start of the Civil War.

Events will be held all week long at Ft. Moultrie, you can check the National Park Service website, www.nps.gov and search Ft. Moultire to see the list of events.

West Columbia's Gray Military Academy is going to provide second chances for athletes not quite ready to jump straight into college. About 70 high school football players will get a chance to extend their academic and athletic careers.

The last few weeks the school has been having football combines to gauge the quality of potential students. Coach Todd Helms said that God had put the idea in his heart after watching other athletes fade away when they didn't meet NCAA standards. He hopes this will give those players another shot.

Here are winners of the third annual South Carolina Leadership in Law award winners.

Robert T. Brockman

McNair Law Firm, P.A.

Louis T. Runge, Jr. Rita Bragg Cullum

Ellis, Lawhorn and Sims, P.A.

Howard Boyd, Jr. Robertson H.Wendt, J

Gallivan, White and Boyd, P.A.

Robertson H. Wendt, P.A.

Anne S. Ellefson Robert R. Unumb

Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A.

South Carolina Legal Services

Edward W. Mullins, Jr.

Nelson Mullins Riley andScarborough, LLP

Laurie A. Becker Marguerite S. Willis

Nexen Pruet, LLC

Carl L. Solomon David T. Pearlman

The Solomon Law Group, LLC

The Steinberg Law Firm, LLP

J. Bennett Mullinax

J. Bennett Mullinax, LLC

I highly recommend a visit to the Old Slave Mart museum, Boone Plantation and Drayton Hall. At Boone Hall, nine brick slave quarters still exist and are filled with great exhibits. It is a haunting experience to walk through the Old Slave Mart, where men, women and children were bought and sold.

It's easy to forget how beautiful South Carolina's coast can be and here are just a few of my favorites to help remind everyone.

Since the 70's, police on horseback was not an uncommon site in Charleston. Through the years the force has grown smaller and this year the horses were adopted, the officers will go back to patroling in cars and on foot and all the tack and saddles will be sold at auction.

Barn manager for ten years, Laura King, couldn't stop crying as she watched the horses leave, "This was the best job," she said. She is now working in animal control.

If you would like to learn more about IT-ology, check out their website at www.it-ology.org.

One of the teams that I photographed was the Gaston/Swansea area special needs team. This was their first big competition and they were so excited. All the team members received medals for their performance. Most of the kids on the team all go to Swansea High School and they were great.

Here are some of my favorites from the event.

The two met at the University of South Carolina, where Eric played soccer, and they have been in love ever since. They wanted to do their session at the Horseshoe with their "foster" dogs (they work to help socialize and raise dogs for Palmetto Animal Assisted Services). And of course, Eric couldn't resist throwing back on the jersey and heading over to the Graveyard, USC's soccer pitch.

We took advantage of the great weather and went to the Isle of Palms for our session.

It was a beautiful wedding. You couldn't meet nicer people with some of the most fun family and friends.

Here are a few of my favorites.

The people that they profiled all had extreme hobbies or had done some extreme things. Greta Dobe participates in ultra-marathons. Running for over 30 miles at a time. She also shaved her head for to raise money to help to combat childhood cancer. Then you have the fire dancers, spinners and eatters. They are simply amazing and part of a troupe in Columbia called, "Alternacirque" and you can find their performance schedule at www.alternacirque.com.

Gail and Frank Raymond have traveled all over the world and eatting some very exotic things including thousand year old duck eggs, kangeroo and blood soup.

When Derek Shoemake was younger he ran with the bulls in Pamplona. He says now the most adverturous thing he has done is raising children.

You can read their stories in the new issue of Columbia Metropolitan Magazine out on newstands now.

I'll say he spoke to a few folks, but he really seemed to enjoy playing the games, winning prizes--including a little trumpet, eatting some fair food and wondering why the Democrats had an empty booth at the fair. He also had his caricature done.

It was an interesting few hours.

You can read the story at www.nytimes.com.

Check back again for more!!!

It's a wonderful story, the folks who had the opportunity to adopt Gunner are amazing and you can read it by going to http://online.wsj.com and click on todays paper. You can also see a slide show of some of the images.

Think it's kinda cool that one of the photos became a Wall Street Journal woodcut.

So I met Katie and her mom at their home and began to make some pictures.

Then Katie had the great idea to visit a little field near the house and a dock not too far away. These were not public places but Katie really loved them and asked permission before we took photos. It was quite a sight when the dock owner and his family and Katie's mom all gathered to watch. Katie did great!

Here are a few of my favorites and if you have a senior and want to schedule a session just email or call!!!

Don't worry, will post some of their wedding soon--it was beautiful! But until then, here's the bride.

Kathleen was a true trooper, it was 105 degrees outside when we made these pictures at the Governor's Mansion here in Columbia.

Thought it would be fun to take a look at what that last week has looked like for me. I went to the USC vs. Ga football game and got to shoot some football and a 9ll half time show. I got to meet a man who has had a quest to get a 13th century bible at USC. I got to photograph high school football, swimming, a don't text and drive program at Hammond, a new tea shop, TEA in West Columbia--on State Street and the Fox theater. The Fox opened on July 2, 1936. IT was one of five movie theaters on Main Street. It was purchased by the Columbia Film Society and will become the home to the new Nickelodeon.

Can't wait to see what happens next. Thanks to The State for letting me share these on the blog.

The first story was on how the Army is changing the way they train soliders, more like athletes. The second story was on a local man who was killed in a park in New Jersey. No that's not my picture of the lake.