Children 
Engaged
Families 
Weddings
Posted on March 28, 2013
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The weather’s been a bit flaky lately. (Wimps, the lot of us. We Lowcountry dwellers really prefer daytime temps that don’t dip below 70, or 60, at least.)
I’ve had a few beach photography sessions this month that haven’t really turned out as warm as we anticipated back when we scheduled them.
But my clients are troopers, I’m telling you.
Nicki and her fun, sweet family were visiting from Arkansas, and we had a wonderful time, despite the chilly wind.
Doesn’t Collin have the sweetest little face? Such an adorable boy. His grandfather definitely won the “get natural smiles out of him” contest.
Posted on January 22, 2013
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Last year was a good year.
I laughed, I cried, it was better than Cats!
At a 2012 wedding, I was walking past a groom who was waiting in an alcove for his wedding ceremony to start, in mere minutes. He was a little verklempt, and I raised my camera, then paused, looked at him, and said,
“Is this OK? Or would you prefer privacy?”
And he said, “No, stay. I want the truth. Well… I want the truth, maybe just a little bit more beautiful.”
Yep. That’s why I do this.
The truth, maybe just a little bit more beautiful.
With that philosophy in mind, here’s a look back at some of the sessions and weddings I shot over the year– a good mixture of both candid and posed and/or planned shots.
My goal for 2013 is to shoot candid moments with more intention and purpose, so that I produce single images that can stand alone and tell stories.
Here’s what we did in 2012:
Hung 0ut in the good light
Kissed a little
Got up offa that thang
Held hands
Primped
Showcased the Lowcountry
Walked around
Modelled for Mom
Goofed off
And called it a wrap!
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Posted on March 22, 2012
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I met up with sweet Sloan over Christmas break and took a few portraits of her at her mother’s childhood home. Absolutely adorable child, blessed to be born to a Mom who dresses her in perfect style!
Poor baby was a bit sick and not really in the mood for portraits. This was the signal to take her inside. I love it though. I love a good occasional frown-y picture-I think they’re adorable.
Posted on March 5, 2012
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Happy Monday!
I am cross-posting today, so I just put a new set of images (my middle child posing for me) onto my Facebook page. Check it out!
http://www.facebook.com/sallywattsphoto
I am so pleased with how my work schedule is coming along for 2012.
I have some wonderful weddings lined up and room for only a few more on the calendar.
Totally looking forward to the Charleston beach portrait season.
Definitely want to shoot more film.
I’ve taken a workshop and watched a few free three-day online classes and I am so excited to implement all that I’ve learned.
And even after all that good news, I still want more.
So why not just put it out there?
1) I want a family to hire me to do a completely candid lifestyle session. A fly on the wall, on a random Tuesday. I want dogs whining to come in and dinner coming out of the oven (or out of a pizza box-it’s all good!), and a meltdown because we can’t find the blue sippie cup and clean little freshly bathed toes and bedtime stories and night lights.
All of it.
(I keep talking about wanting to capture real life, but, duh, I’d still shoot in the most attractive direction and make sure I don’t capture clutter in the background of the images.) :)
2) I want to do a John Hughes movies themed couple or engagement session. Sitting on a table, kissing over a cake, or slouching outside a high school gym, cavorting in a library or walking across a football field with raised fist. Fedora and a clarinet. Sunglasses in the back of a cab. Laying around in the front seat of a convertible Rolls. (Yea, I’m sure I’ll have no problem finding one of those.) Not an absolute re-creation, because Lord, couldn’t that end up cheesy? But inspired by, let’s say.
3) I want a back yard wedding. Your parents’ back yard, yours, a friend’s…wherever. I want to shoot a wedding with a truly homemade feel, not necessarily only in terms of the details (although homemade decor is great too!), but with regards to the space and vibe.
4) I want to shoot someone in the water. I love those dreamy, lovely, atmospheric shots where a compelling woman in a flowy dress wades around in a lake or ocean. (I’m thinking it would have to be a woman. Dude hair is not nearly as pretty/floaty.)
5) I’d love to do some more boudoir. I don’t advertise it on my site, but I do shoot it from time to time, and I do it in a really nice, tasteful, flattering way, if I do say so myself. If you are interested in a boudoir shoot, email me and I’ll send along some (pre-approved by past clients, of course) samples of my work.
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So there you have it.
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Posted on February 20, 2012
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Good afternoon!
First things first, I am so pleased to announce that Karmen and Nazar’s wonderful wedding was featured on The Wedding Row Friday!
Here’s the link: http://theweddingrow.com/karmen-nazar-the-wentworth-mansion/
I loved their wedding so much. Not only because they were really fun and awesome, and got married at the Wentworth Mansion, which is one of my favorite venues, but because Karmen was a DIY bride who really personalized her wedding and a lot of the details. I feel like her wedding had such an individual flair.
And secondly, it was my son’s birthday yesterday! He’s 9.
This kid is so funny and articulate and smart and quirky and BIG! He was born 9 weeks early, and we thought he might be small, but no. He’s tall. Long. Lanky. Solid. We can wear the same shoes. Last summer we bought him a new pair of Rainbow flip flops and I co-opted them.
He likes that messy, skater-y, floppity, Lowcountry hair. Me, I’m more a fan of tidy, preppy, suburban hair. But I try to meet him in the middle.
C.R. has overcome several health issues over his 9 years, and I really admire his ability to own who he is and keep on keepin’ on.
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Posted on November 29, 2011
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Have I mentioned how much I love Freshfields Village?
And have I mentioned how much I love the Millers?
Good combo.
We love to be able to capture a nice family photo.
But this is often more realistic (and funnier to look back on!)
Then we strolled over to Vincent’s for ice cream and a change of scenery.
Sharing is good.
Chee
Cherry heist!
Nap time
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Posted on September 9, 2011
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So first, a quick bit of housekeeping. I finally broke down and made a Facebook page! If you’re so inclined, head on over and “Like” it. The link is right up there ^ .
My husband informs me that I’ve been remiss lately with the blogging. You know, when I first started this gig, I’d see other photographers talking about how they were too busy to blog, and I’d enviously think, “Oh sure. You just have soooooooo many clients, so much going on, that you can’t find time to slap a few images onto your blog?”
And now I get it. They were right. I was wrong. Not only does a lot of admin and thought go into a blog post, but the busier you are corresponding and running expenses spreadsheets and editing and shooting, the easier it is to let the blogging slide.
Plus, school’s back in, and being the Homework Nazi is killing me, and laundry threatens to take over my life, and I have some sort of weird cut, bruise and swelling on my left ankle, with absolutely no recollection of how it got there. (Back in college, we used to call that sort of thing a UPI-unidentified party injury-but I can’t use that excuse anymore.)
And, and…no more and. Excuses are boring, and lame. Enough!
So, onward. While I get some session images resized and selected, I’m going to go back to my attempted Friday tradition of posting personal photos.
The kids’ first day back to school. They switched from a private to a public school this year, and I was nervous, but it’s gone swimmingly. And new worlds have opened up to Miss Thang, since she no longer has to wear plaid jumpers to school and can explore all sorts of sartorial silliness. This was a tame day, white t-shirt style.
The children have lost his clothes, so they’ve taken to calling him “Nude Dude.” I feel like maybe that’s not quite OK, but I’m sort of at a loss as to how to address the topic. The AAP books don’t have a nude dude chapter; I’ve checked.
Time out for pulling the cat’s tail. (“We don’t gnaw on our ki-tty.”) She’s so adorable to me.
The playroom. The children are theoretically responsible for keeping this space clean.
This is my friend’s sweet son. If I babysit your child, I photograph them. I can’t resist new portrait subjects. Luckily, everyone loves the swing.
My sweet girlies
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Posted on July 7, 2011
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This is Jane. She’s my sweet newly 6 year old daughter, and she’s outstanding in the field. (Sorry, can’t resist occasional bad puns.)
She’s been my main muse for so long that she really knows how to work the camera, if she’s in the mood to listen, that is, so we wrapped this session in less than 15 minutes.
Rock on, baby girl!
<a href=”http://www.iheartfaces.com/”><img title=”I Heart Faces Photo Challenge Submission” src=”http://www.iheartfaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/I-Heart-Faces-button.jpg” alt=”Photo Challenge Submission” /></a>
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Posted on July 4, 2011
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Happy Fourth!
I don’t have any particularly patriotic-themed imagery to celebrate the day. Heck, I may not even bring my camera to the party tonight.
But I thought this session was a perfect slice of millenium Americana.
When Millie’s Mom said she wanted some portraits done by the blooming hydrangeas out by Kiawah, I knew we had to finish off the portrait session at Freshfields Village. Not only is it one of my very favorite Charleston spots (we love taking the kids out to the concerts on the green on Friday nights in the summertime), but it’s got a lot of visual diversity within walking distance, which is ideal for getting varied looks and lighting during a shoot.
Leapster break
These were her “thinking fingers”. So cute!
Ice cream break! The staff at Vincent’s was so great, and I knew it would be the perfect spot for our session.
Somersault break!
Millie’s proud parents ordered a giant gallery-wrapped canvas of this image. I thought it was a wonderful choice. The picture of childhood, content and innocent.
Posted on June 20, 2011
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Three healthy, (generally) happy children and a good long Sunday afternoon nap with one of them = a fantastic Dad’s day!
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