Everyone sing Happy Birthday to Damien…

 Ladies, meet Damien. He’s 5′ 11” and enjoys long walks on the beach and good Italian food………just kidding. (But only sort of!)

Aaaaaaanyway, Sunday was my good friend Damien’s birthday,  and of all things, I was able to talk  him into letting me take his goodlookin self out for a photo shoot!

We had lots of fun and took pictures all over the downtown area! We had WAY too many good ones to choose from by the end of the evening, but I guess that’s nothing to complain about! Damien was so much fun to photograph…he’s easygoing and relaxed…and c’mon girls you gotta admit he’s also easy on the eyes!

So now I need your help picking the overall favorite!  (There is a poll at the end of this post so go vote!)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7. 
I can’t decide if I like it better in color or black & white!
What do you think?

   

 

If you are viewing this post on Facebook, you can click on the poll here: http://richardbellphotography.wordpress.com/2009/01/29/everyone-sing-happy-birthday-to-damien/

Frankies Fun Park Slideshow

I made a slideshow of our favorites from the Frankies Staff Shoot. Take a look!

Celebration!

So 2008 was a phenomenal year.  We will probably look back at 2008 as the year that it all came together, that we hit our stride and really took off.  2009 is looking to be even better.  It has been a blast.  It’s been a lot of work, but it’s been a blast.  Things have quieted down a bit now that January is here, and amidst all the preparation for the year, we were able to block off a day for celebration.

We wen’t to Frankies Fun Park.    Heres a gallery of some of the best shots:

Gil & Nicole’s Engagement Book! Check it out!

I’m always so excited when I post new book designs! Here I am on a rainy Monday afternoon, and I can’t think of much I’d rather do than enjoy being all warm & cozy indoors playing with photoshop and our other design programs. (Yes, I realize how geeky that makes me and I’m cool with it, haha!)

I might say this a lot, but I truly had such a fun time on Gil & Nicole’s engagement shoot! I couldn’t be more thrilled to share more of their photos with you! (And can you blame me…my camera loves them!)

Check it out:http://charlestonwedding.com/#/smirlisengage/

I also posted a few of these for Gil & Nicole’s Facebook-sharing in our 2008 Engagements album!

January 2009 Updates

Check out the studio’s first wedding album design of 2009:

Click here to view:

Photographed by Valerie Schooling in Greenville, SC

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Also, it’s the last week of the caption contest, so please keep ‘em coming!

You can submit your caption by commenting on the below image on our studio Facebook page. (We know it’s in profile pics as well as the “staff” photo album and either place is fine!)

Here’s the photo to refresh your creative juices:

Winner to be announced February 2nd!

There will be prizes, people!

                          :0)

{a sneak peek of Emily & Eric’s e-session!}

Earlier today, I (Valerie) had the sheer joy of doing an afternoon engagement session with Emily and Eric. 

I had SO much fun that I had to put up a “sneak peak” for you all to see….and yes, a sneak peak is just a teaser…so hold your horses, people….you will see more in a later blog post! (I promise!)

Being a former newswriter, I could attempt to describe to you in words just how sickeningly cute and head-over-heels-in-LOVE this couple is….

…or I could just show you a picture or three…

They were also game for all my fun and creative, artsy ideas….

And for every serious moment, there were LOTS of fun and silly ones!
(This couple could teach the class on “how to have fun on a photo shoot” – haha!)

Hey now…..calm down, there are LOTS more to share!

So stay tuned!

Leah and Justin’s Waterfront Park engagement session!

I (Valerie) had a really fun engagement photo session downtown with Leah and Justin! Their wedding isn’t until July 18th, but since neither of them live in Charleston, we were lucky to squeeze in their session!

We met up in Waterfront Park, but the majority of our session was spent walking around downtown! We walked over to the train tracks, then to the steps of the Customs House, up East Bay Street a bit (where we shot in one of my favorite alleyways!) and ended back in Waterfront Park.

Here are a few favorites from their session:

For the love of DOGS

As the proud owner of two SPCA rescues, I (Mell) love to spend time with my pooches and capture their personalities naturally. Canon, my hound dog (pictured first),  chose me as his person in 2007. He is a ball of energy, loves other dogs & children, but is scared of large men with beards. Peanut is my lazy beagle who loves people, cuddling at any cost, and is a little scared of other dogs. He decidely chose Nathan as his master when we brought him home in April 2008.

Today is Canon’s 2 year birthday. So Happy Birthday Canon, and here’s a post dedicated to dogs!

Nathan’s mom has two Cocker Spaniels who stay with us sometimes. 4 dogs make for some crazy times, but I love it! Majik (pictured first) is the more serious of the two, and Cosmo is the crazy/nosey one as seen below. Majik is known for carrying his food dish or stuffed toys around the house, while Cosmo feels his presence is best felt with his nose in your face.

 

 

Elizabeth and Skip’s wedding in Greenville, SC at Mary’s at Falls Cottage on the Reedy River

Last Saturday, I (Valerie) had the privilege of traveling to Greenville, SC for Elizabeth and Skip’s wedding at Mary’s at Falls Cottage (by Falls Park on the Reedy River). Just let me say…what a BEAUTIFUL place for me to enjoy my first wedding of 2009! I met Elizabeth and Skip at Renee & Derek’s wedding that I shot back in the beginning of October.

Elizabeth is an absolutely gorgeous bride. She was so much fun to photograph! I told her when I was a little girl, I played with Barbie dolls…now as an adult, I play with brides. (Joking. Sort of.)  There were SO many fun shots from this wedding, it made choosing my favorites for this blog really tough!

I love the challenge shooting at new locations, especially places as beautiful as Falls Park. Just wow.

I love this shot of Elizabeth! That is Mary’s Restaurant in the background.

And here’s Skip, the handsome groom!

I loved the lighting of the fountains and was excited to get a reflection shot of Skip and his groomsmen:

The harpist, Erin Knight (www.musicbyerin.com) was so sweet to let me sneak in this shot right after the ceremony! She is a really talented harpist (and she travels all over the Carolinas for weddings if you’re looking for good harp music, hint-hint!)

My second photographer was so much fun to shoot with that day….. Everyone, let me introduce my mom, Thoma Schooling!
This was her first time shooting a wedding with me, and she really and truly did a great job!
I am so blessed to have her as my mom and close friend (and that day, 8 hours in the car traveling buddy = AMEN!)

Inside Mary’s, on the stairs…

Right outside Mary’s, overlooking Falls Park on the Reedy River….under a really perfectly placed spotlight:

The ambient lighting of the  park at night was nearly ideal…I had so much fun taking night portraits of  the newlyweds!

One last kiss after the sparkler leave, with Mary’s in the background:

I am currently working on their album and will post it in the next week, so stay tuned!

- Valerie

5 Year Anniversary Pictures!

Kaitlin and Robert got married 5 years ago on January 3rd, 2004 at Summerall Chapel.  Their wedding was one of the first weddings I shot after taking over the Studio from my dad, and their album was the first flushmount storybook ablum that we produced by special request for Kaitlin.  That storybook was the forerunner for our entire present album product line.  So Kaitlin and Robert are a big deal for us around here (I still have a picture of her haning in the studio!).

Robert is finally back from serving our country in the Middle East, and they came to downtown Charleston to stay at the French Quarter Inn, where they stayed their honeymoon night. 

AND THEY BROUGHT COLLIN, their 10 month-old little boy.

So of course we did a family portrait shoot right there at the Inn.  It was great to see them again, especially on such a special day.  Here are a few of the shots: