It was exactly what I needed in the middle of a cold, rainy December. A weekend away, catching up with old friends, eating strange food, and exploring a tropical paradise. I always forget that Isle of Palms and historic downtown Charleston is only just a short drive away. Growing up in a very cold and snowy Upstate New York doesn’t let me take that for granted either.

I met up with Shijo and Judy yesterday afternoon on what was a cloudy, yet promising, Sunday afternoon on Isle of Palms, just outside of Charleston, South Carolina. It was great to meet up with Shijo and his new fiance nearly 5 years after we graduated together from RIT back up in snowy Rochester, NY. As we walked around the beautiful Wild Dunes Resort on the north end of Isle of Palms, and later the historic downtown of Charleston, I couldn’t help but be immensely grateful… not only to get to live in such a beautiful place, but to also do what I love… capturing people in one of the most exciting seasons of their lives.