Afternoon at Boone Hall {Family}
Posted on February 28, 2011
My friend Julia gives new meaning to the term Supermom. Honestly, I think most of my friends with more than two kids could fit that description, but Julia handles daily challenges with grace and the grin that her adorable daughter has inherited. Julia and Larry’s eldest son attends Pattison’s Academy, a new charter school that caters to the unique needs of children with multiple disabilities. The school opened its doors in August and relies heavily on fundraisers to operate smoothly and serve more than 30 kids from Charleston’s tri-county area.
I was just about to sign up for the school’s second Catch the Leprechaun 5K when I was reminded that I had not yet shared images from this session. Will is such a happy, full-of-love boy! His smile lights up a room — and a dance floor! His younger siblings are pretty spunky, too — the three of them seem to have such a good time together. And Supermom? Well she recently hosted a sleepover for a dozen girls while hobbling about with a broken foot.
Okay, so I’m off to register for this little jog. I am the furthest thing from a runner, but I know several people involved with Pattison’s Academy, and it is a worthy cause. Most of the kids who attend have limited mobility and spend hours soaking up their environment from their wheelchairs. Even if I finish the run 15 minutes after my friends and Will’s dad Larry (who coordinates the race, too), I am grateful that I have the ability to jog unassisted in the great outdoors. Won’t you join me? Save five bucks if you register today (before March 1).
Faceless Friday #8 | Ring Bearer Antics
Posted on February 25, 2011
I’ve always had a little soft spot for this photo of the bride’s nephew. He was surely one of the cutest ring bearers around, but the poor fella was bored to tears while hanging out in a room full of women before the ceremony. It seems every guy — regardless of his age — needs a man cave.
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Faceless Friday #7 | Farmer in the Sea
Posted on February 18, 2011
Today’s Faceless Friday feature is neither a lovely bride nor a children’s portrait. Hope you won’t hold that against me. (You can see those here.) But it’s SEWE weekend here in Charleston, so I thought this would be fitting. The Southeastern Wildlife Expo is the largest event of its kind. Now in its 29th year, more than 40,000 outdoor lovers convene in Charleston to take advantage of art exhibitions, chef demonstrations and close encounters with birds of prey and incredibly athletic water-loving canines.
Some of Charleston’s best chefs will be hosting “Wild in the Kitchen” demos featuring game and seafood. Oyster roasts are huge this time of year, and you can bet clams are on many menus, too. I took this image of clam farmer Bob Baldwin when I wrote a story for “Edible Lowcountry.” (The Edible Communities magazines are chock full of locavore yumminess. Sadly, Charleston’s magazine was only published for a short time.)
This image was part of a day-in-the-life pictorial when I tagged along with Baldwin winding through McClellanville’s creeks to learn the process. He starts with tiny seed clams from Maine, relocates them a couple of times as they grow larger, and harvests them once they are large enough to sell to restaurants. The screen he holds here is one of several sizes he uses to lay atop the clams once they’re entrenched in the mud. The mesh keeps predators — mostly crabs — from feasting on his baby clams. Happy Friday!
Jennifer H. Smith is a Charleston photographer specializing in weddings and on-location child and family portraiture. Contact Jen for more information and to book your session.
Love | First Grade Perspectives
Posted on February 14, 2011
I spent a good bit of the day hopping between my kids’ schools for carpools and their Valentine’s Day festivities. As usual, I was awestruck by the mild manner of their teachers in the midst of the action, calmly providing direction in classrooms that are brimming with Stuff-with-a-Capital-S. Books, art, toys, cubbies, shelves, worksheets, chalkboards, tables, chairs, backpacks, germ juice (or “hanitizer” as my son says) — the sheer volume of it is dizzying. My daughter, still six, was dressed in red and white, and I was reminded of Where’s Waldo as she bopped around the room delivering her valentines.
As I stood on the perimeter of the room chatting with a few other moms, I took a closer look at some of the art surrounding me. You just can’t make this stuff up. It’s the beauty of kids’ minds, with their developing penmanship and lacing abilities proudly displayed like hearts on their sleeves. Kids just call ‘em as they see ‘em. I love that.
The firework one just happened to be my daughter’s. I should have known since she told me the pink and orange manicure she scored at a sleepover “was awesome and like Dunkin Donuts.” Hope your Valentine’s Day had you “bursting with cheer” too!
Faceless Friday #6 | Shiny Happy People
Posted on February 11, 2011
I don’t know how your weather has been, but I could do for a dose of sun today! Ben & Colleen’s wedding is just two months away, and I’m particularly excited since their reception will be at the site where I wed my husband — Lowndes Grove Plantation on the Ashley River.
My Faceless Friday posts feature portraits that ooze personality without even sharing a person’s expression or the sparkle in their eyes. For my first-ever engagement session, I picked up a couple of fun balloons on a whim. Thankfully, this couple had no qualms about obliging my silliness. I love the playful nature of this shot, the weathered Charleston brick and their flip flops. Life is good!
