A Great Year!

Today marks the anniversary of the beginning of a journey.
It was one year ago that I left the friendly confines of the newspaper industry to move out on my own as a freelance photographer.
What a year it has been!
I've enjoyed working with my wife Betsy as we opened a studio in Davidson, NC, and worked to adjust to a new lifestyle. We are lucky to have a talented associate in our company photographer Laura Mueller.
After more than 20 years working at three newspapers, it's been great not having to report to someone else's office each day.
It also made me think back to the start of this endeavor. As wedding photojournalism or a more documentary approach became popular, I became interested in doing weddings about six years ago. I started doing them on the side as I continued my full-time photography job at The Charlotte Observer.
I got excellent advice and guidance from fellow journalists who had switched to wedding photography. People like Matt Mendelsohn and Gary Allen, two great photojournalists who were gracious with their ideas and experience. Also Mike Colon, an amazing wedding photographer who didn't know me from anyone when I called looking for suggestions. He spoke to me at length offering more advice.
I've also been lucky to be involved with the Wedding Photojournalist Association from its beginnings. I've watched David Roberts build the group into an amazing resource for photographers who utilize a similar documentary approach.
Along the way I've seen other former newspaper shooters like Christobal and Kathleen Perez (Azul Photography), Andrew Niesen and Rachel LaCour Niesen and Mark and Erin Adams (LaCour) and Roger Winstead make a big impact with their wedding photography. Former Sports Illustrated photographer and my good golfing buddy Jim Gund and his fellow Charleston photographer Mic Smith (Lowcountry Photojournalism) have joined the fray.
Asheville is a hotbed of wedding talent with people like my friend, one-time client and now Rockstar photographer Corey McNabb, the amazing Parker J., James and Jenny Tarpley (Visio Photography), and Regina Holder to name a few.
It's a great time to be a wedding photographer with so much excellent work being done by so many creative people.
We have been blessed with fantastic clients and we are looking forward to some incredible events this year.
It's been a great year - Cheers!
The journey continues...

We're in the news

Check out the latest copy of the WEDPIX online magazine published by the Wedding Photojournalist Association. Writer Lorna Gentry asked me to comment on one of my photos that had won an award in a WPJA contest. The article is about intimate moments between brides and their parents.
The WPJA is a highly selective organization made up of the top wedding photojournalists in the world. I've been a member for four years and I've had the good fortune of winning 17 awards against some incredible competition. I have the distinction of being a WPJA Gold Medallion award winner. WEDPIX had also featured me in two previous articles.
I appreciate the WPJA's high standards and I'm honored to have the opportunity to be in their magazine.