Bull City Engagement

Lisa and Joe love downtown Durham. And I can't say I blame them. In the past few years, the city has undergone some dramatic changes. They boast an impressive roster of restaurants, potential haunts and lots of character. Durham is a little bit of a hard luck story, which is why I can identify.

Here are some pics:
























And the slideshow is here.

A town named Oriental

Leah and J. really have great taste. They found a little (and little-known) town outside of New Bern, North Carolina, to throw their party of a lifetime. Oriental is a town wedged between the Neuse river and the intercoastal waterway. With this much opportunity for boating, it's no wonder that beautiful developments like River Dunes are starting to pop up in the sleepy town. Beautiful Charleston-style homes, a dollhouse of a church, and a reception venue that backed right up to a dock for quick escape all provided a beautiful backdrop for this wedding.

Leah had the most pleasant disposition and it was really awesome to work for her. She never stopped smiling.

Enjoy some pictures:





























We also had a lot of fun the next day with a day-after session, which is available as an add-on for select dates.













And a couple from Leah's bridal session... (This is what full-service is all about).







The slideshow is here.

Second in the world? I'm just floored.

I got home last night after a delicious dinner in Chapel Hill at the famous Crook's Corner restaurant. Already content that the evening was going pretty well, it was quite a shock to get an email from my great friend Christobal Perez. He was congratulating me on my performance in the latest Wedding Photojournalist Association contest. Another email came soon after, from Matt McGraw, another buddy and WPJA member. Christobal and Matt have been slaying the contest in recent years.

I mention these two in particular because they have served as incredible mentors over the last couple of years. They certainly didn't have to waste their time with my dumb questions and offer advice, but they did.

In any case, these are the winning pictures. They are all from a wedding I shot in Virginia at the beautiful Berry Hill Estate.