The first time I met Ben and Kara was at a bird release at a friend’s house in March 2018. I was asked to bring my fancy camera to capture the event, even though I am not an expert in wildlife photography. Especially when you only have one chance to do it right… Pressure!!! That day, the very first people I saw when I left my car were Ben and Cara… AND their equipment!

The only thing I thought – they must be Pros! I was intimidated right away. Why did I even bother to bring my stuff?Of course we started talking and after we chatted for a while it appeared that both of them were hobby photographers, hadn’t lived in Charleston for too long and, the thing I liked most about them, they LOVE to travel. So I figured we had more things in common that I thought and after a few “dates”, we decided to do a couple session.

 

 

I knew of this beautiful plantation on James Island –

– and thought it would be the perfect place to have a romantic photoshoot. Too bad that at this point I had no Idea that you needed a photography permit. You can guess what happened next. Ten minutes in and we were kicked out. Worst case scenario!! I was shocked and so embarrassed… And on top, I felt so unprofessional. Now, what? I had to come up with an idea immediately to avoid making the situation even worse. I already felt so bad because of Ben and Kara standing there, all dressed up and hoping for beautiful pictures. The last thing I wanted was them feeling uncomfortable.

 

I had never shot in Downtown Charleston before –

– and I had never thought about it as an option (why should you shoot in a city when there are beautiful beaches and plantations all around you, right?). But back then it seemed to be the closest and only option we had. Back in the car and another ten minutes later we started our second try.I was so nervous because of what just happened and of course I wasn’t prepared at all for this new location. But you know what? It was the best thing that could have happened to me. On that day I lost my fear of shooting in the city. Actually, I didn’t just lose the fear but it became my favorite spot instantly.

 

I’m so thankful –

– that it was Ben and Kara I photographed that day. Not only did they make me feel so comfortable in a situation I had never dealt with before, but they made our session so easy and so much fun. During our time together, you could literally feel how much in love they were. Take a look at the pictures and you’ll know what I am talking about. They were smiling the entire session and I hardly had to give them any instructions. They naturally knew what to do!! I have to thank you, Ben, and Kara for being so supportive that day, for being the perfect couple and for helping me grow a little more!