About a month ago, I was contacted by Diamond, the owner of a local all natural pet food and dog toy company. Diamond was looking for a photographer to take some photographs of the two cutest puppies in the world, Fuji and Gobi. Needless to say, I was super happy to hang out with these two cute furballs! We met up at Hagood Mill in Pickens, SC for some fun shots.
Meet Trevor, a senior at Pickens High School. I first met his family when we had some trees trimmed at our place a few months back. (Shameless plug...hit up Southern Roots if you have any tree needs - excellent work at a fair price!) Trevor, his mom, and I had a short but sweet senior session at Hagood Mill where we caught some casual senior pictures and some action soccer and Spike Ball shots. Below are just a few of my favorite shots.
I am so excited to offer a new session this summer! Introducing "Farm Charm" Sessions - photography sessions held on our small horse farm right outside of Pickens, SC. Farm Charm sessions are available to all clients: families, children, seniors, dancers, maternity, and engagement couples.
Clients can use any part of our farm for their portraits that they'd like including our horses, pastures and fields, barns, spring fed pond, or 1948 Ford tractor. When you book your Farm Charm session, we will discuss what your vision for your session is. Do you want pictures on the horses? With the horses grazing in the background? Picking fresh blackberries in our berry patch? Fishing with an old cane fishing pole in the spring fed pond? On or around the tractor in the pasture? The possibilities are endless.
Sessions include:
Farm Charm sessions are available during the months of July and August for an introductory rate of only $100. The price will increase in September.
Come on! What are you waiting for? Grab this opportunity to update your family's and children's photos for only $100. Class of 2018, knock out those senior portraits for only $100! This is the perfect opportunity! Contact us today to book at necessary824@yahoo.com or (843) 424-1652
Meet Cortni. Flute player, Pickens County native, future pediatric nurse, big sister, SC Marching Band State Champion, Pickens High School Class of 2017, and an absolute knock out. We met at Hagood Mill in Pickens, SC for Cortni's session and spent some time taking advantage of this amazing location. Below, I've included some of my favorite images from Cortni's senior portrait session.
A few years ago, I ordered some colored smoke bombs to use for a styled angel shoot. I used the white and red ones, and stuck the rest in my "prop closet." When I was planning Cortni's shoot, I dug through the closet and happened upon the remaining purple, blue, and teal smoke bombs. I had no clue if they would even still work after so many years, but brought them along just in case. I'm so glad I did because they definitely worked and they were a fun way to wrap up Cortni's senior session!
I had the pleasure of seeing some really talented thespians at Pickens High School perform their rendition of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe this past Friday. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the theatre. Before I settled on an English degree, I was a drama major in college and performed in many college and small town productions. I adore being transported to other worlds and escaping reality for a few short hours - and I am always blown away at how much talent young people today have, and the students of Pickens High School were no exception!
Chloe Dalton (White Witch) and Anthony Owens (Aslan)
I hope you enjoy several of my favorites from the evening - all cast, crew, and families can grab their free digital copies of these images at the bottom of this post!
Dr. Ashley Butler (Misses Macready)
Dalton Collins (Mr. Tumnus) and Izzy Wallace (Lucy)
Brook Fincannon (Troll), Dalton Collins (Mr. Tumnus), and Jacob Crenshaw (Maugrum)
Chloe Dalton (The White Witch) and Isaac Farsht (Edmund)
Brook Fincannon (Troll)
Izzy Wallace (Lucy), Thomas Hooper (Peter), Claire Hudson (Susan), and Isaac Farsht (Edmund)
Cassidy Lewis (Mrs. Beaver), Izzy Wallace (Lucy), Zion Howell (Mr. Beaver), Claire Hudson (Susan), Thomas Hooper (Peter), and Isaac Farst (Edmund).
Chloe Dalton (The White Witch), Isaac Farst (Edmund), and Brook Fincannon (The Troll)
Zion Howell (Mr. Beaver) and Cassidy Lewis (Mrs. Beaver)
Hannah Suarez (Squirrel)
Zion Howell (Mr. Beaver), Zane Sickels (Centaur), Anthony Owens (Aslan), Thomas Hooper (Peter), Woodland Animals: Tonia Ford, Makenzie McConnell, and Peyton Nimmons
Entire Cast
Chloe Dalton (The White Witch) and Jacob Crenshaw (Maugrum)
Chloe Dalton (The White Witch)
Brook Fincannon (The Troll) and Anthony Owens (Aslan)
Entire Cast
Thomas Hooper (Peter), Claire Hudson (Susan), Anthony Owens (Aslan), Isaac Farst (Edmund), and Izzy Wallace (Lucy)
The hardest part about doing a production like this is figuring out what to do with yourself when it's all over. The amount of hours, sweat, and tears that are poured into these productions is unreal. It changes you forever. I'm so thankful that Pickens High School has a wonderful arts programs. Arts are so important to education. I wouldn't want to imagine a world without art in it. Period.
Cast, crew, and families, to grab your free copies of the images from the production, click here to go to the gallery. From the gallery, you can download the images to any smart device or computer.
If you, or someone you know, is looking for a senior portrait photographer in the Pickens, SC area, give me a call!
First, you must know that Hannah is a RIOT. I laughed so hard through our shoot that, by the end, my cheeks were sore. It's been a long time since my face hurt like that - and I must admit it was good for the soul.
Hannah wouldn't dream of limiting herself to being funny though - she's also a varsity cheerleader, chamber orchestra member, die hard Clemson fan, and future psychologist.
We had a wonderful time exploring some of the nooks and crannies of the South Carolina Botanical Gardens in Clemson, SC. Even though there had been a freeze the week before, the flowers were blooming and spring was definitely in full force. For those who aren't familiar with the botanical gardens, they are located in downtown Clemson, right near Clemson University and just over the border between Pickens county and Oconee county. The gardens are gorgeous and feature a really neat earthen bridge, an old hunting cabin, some historical homes, and a ton of trails, ponds and flowers. If you haven't visited, I would highly recommend it!
I hope you enjoy some of my favorites from this Seneca High School, Class of 2017, senior's session.
Are you looking for a senior portrait photographer in Pickens, Oconee, or Greenville county? If so, give us a call today!
I had such a great time with Sara and her mom, Becky, this past weekend. It's always fun for me to shoot in a new location and shooting at the South Carolina Botanical Gardens was no exception!
Sara is a hilariously sarcastic and super talented young lady. After spending the weekend at the All State Chorus Clinic, she still managed to have enough energy to hike all over this gorgeous garden located in downtown Clemson.
We questioned whether or not it was a little bit wrong to shoot this soon-to-be USC freshman's senior portraits on Clemson's territory....but, hey...... she rocked it.
Here are a few of my favorites from this Seneca High School Class of 2017's shoot:
If you, or someone you know, is looking for a senior portrait photographer in Oconee or Pickens counties, I would love to chat with you!
First, WOW! I was not anticipating such a hard decision. Pickens, SC is truly blessed with such amazing young people!
With that said, I could not pick just one senior. I am sincerely sorry that I couldn't gift all who were nominated a free session. I truly feel my heart was led towards these specific nominees. The following three girls from Pickens High School will receive a free senior session:
Girls, I will be in contact with in the week, but feel free to contact me directly in the meantime.
I can't wait to meet you all!
-Stephanie Necessary
After taking a good few months off to relocate to the gorgeous mountains of the South Carolina upstate, I am so excited be in the swing of things again. A few months back, Courtney and I took some time to explore Chau Ram County Park in Oconee County, SC - just a few miles outside of the quaint little town of Westminster, SC.
The gorgeous fall colors, falling leaves, and soft light were a photographer's dream! Don't get me wrong, I loved living at the beach for all those years - but there is just something about the mountains in fall. There's no doubt that you're in God's country.
Courtney has been dancing at Foothills Dance Conservatory in Seneca, SC since she was a wee little girl. She is such an amazing dancer and has such a quiet spirit about her. Her laugh in infectious!
Here are a few of my favorites from our session together:
If you're looking for a dance, family, or senior photographer - don't hesitate to contact us. Necessary Photography serve Pickens, SC and surrounding areas - including Oconee and Greenville Counties.
At least one Pickens County senior (class of 2017) will receive a free custom senior portrait session with Necessary Photography. Session will include consultation, an hour session, editing/retouching, and digital copies of the final 30 images.
Selection of senior will be based on the student's involvement in his or her school and/or community, academic achievement, and financial need.
To nominate a senior today, all you need to do is fill out a short Google form that you can access through the button below. All nominations are due by midnight Friday, February 24, 2017.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to give back.
Student(s) who have been chosen will be announced on Necessary Photography's Instagram, Facebook, and blog on Monday, February 27, 2017.
One of my very favorite places in the world is the upstate of South Carolina. I adore artsy hustle and bustle of Greenville and the simple beauty of the surrounding mountains. We travel to the upstate several times a year to relax and enjoy the other side of South Carolina. Sometimes, we wind up in a hotel near Falls Park in downtown Greenville, but more often we prefer the seclusion the mountains and trails have to offer. Hands down, our favorite place to camp is Burrells Ford.
Burrells Ford is a gorgeous, primitive campground nestled along the South Carolina/Georgia state lines. The campsites are large, private and like no other. From the parking lot, you have to hike down a steep trail road to reach the sites dotting the Chattooga River.
One of our favorite hikes while camping at Burrells Ford is the trek to King Creek Falls. King Creek Falls is a gorgeous 70 foot falls. It's a pretty easy and fun hike.
This year, we decided to do a mini shoot of my husband at the falls. He had recently earned his black belt in Goju Ryu karate and we felt the peacefulness of the falls was the perfect place for a karate shoot. It rained throughout the day, but the skies cleared just long enough to grab a few shots in the icy Chattooga waters.
Aspen definitely approves :)
If you're into camping and the outdoors. I would highly recommend that you check out this gem in Oconee County, SC.
When I first began to think I might be interested in trying dance photography, Madison graciously allowed me to take some photographs of her to see if it was indeed something I was interested in learning more about. Since that initial session, I've fallen in love with dance photography and learned a great deal. I was blessed to have the opportunity to work with her again and apply all the knowledge I've gained over the past two years.
Madison dances at Coastal Dance Center in Market Common, so it was only fitting that we began our shoot in Market Common. One of my favorite spots at Market Common is the columns at Valor Park. The columns create great depth, and the light hits them perfectly in the evening.
After Market Common, we headed over to Myrtle Beach State Park to grab some dance shots on the sand.
I wanted to try some pointe shots on the beach as well, but sand is not exactly the most stable surface to dance en pointe. I devised a plan......and for less that $5, we were able to rig it where Madison could dance en pointe on the sand! Hooray!
I had such a great time with this gorgeous family. I absolutely adore it when extended families like this get together to vacation together. It's so important to reconnect and make new memories.
We decided that Surfside Beach Pier would be perfect for their family beach photography session. Surfside Pier has easy access to the beach and gives you a little variety for a beach session because you have the pier to shoot around as well.
Necessary Photography is a Myrtle Beach, SC based photographer that specializes in fine art dance photography, senior portraits and other portrait photography like this family beach session. If you are looking for a photographer to capture your family while you're on vacation in Surfside Beach, SC or the surrounding area (Garden City, Murrells Inlet, Pawleys Island, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach or Cherry Grove), please give us a call!
I have been so blessed to be able to watch these beautiful girls grow up in front of my camera lens. The grandma and I used to work together (she's in the wonderful world of retirement now) - and I have always looked forward to photographing her son, Courtland's, beautiful family when they come into town. This time they came with a new, gorgeous bundle of joy and it was such a pleasure to meet her!
The gorgeous, serene pointe of Pawley's Island was the perfect backdrop for these family photos. I absolutely adore Pawley's because the beaches are absolutely stunning, the dunes are tall and the sea oats plenty. You will often find a flock of pelicans like we saw that night. It's just a gorgeous stretch. Plus, it offers the best sunset on the Grand Strand!
Necessary Photography is a Myrtle Beach based photographer that specializes in fine art dance photography, senior portraits and other portrait photography. If you're looking to book a family beach photography session in Pawley's Island or the surrounding area, please give up a call!
I just adore this young lady! I guess you could say she's been my photography muse over the years. Many years ago, when I was a young new photographer - one with a lot of want but not a lot of creative know how - I ran across a photo where she was dressed up in this awesome anime costume. I reached out to her for a photo shoot and the rest is history. She's been Beatrice, the Black Butler, the Mad Hatter, a Dark Angel, donned a mask and ball gown, and tromped through a forest of mosquitoes and broken toilets (another story for another day). It's been an honor to watch her grow into this gorgeous young lady over the years. I'm so thankful she trusted me many years ago and continues to trust in my artistic vision. I had a great time (as always) capturing her head shots for her sophomore year in college. I'm warning you now, you will see her name in lights.
What an amazingly fun, large family! When Pam contacted me and told me about her family's plans of coming down to Garden City Beach, SC to give the extended family time to spend with one another and reconnect, and she wanted to get some family portraits done, I was super excited! They rented a few beach houses from the great folks at Garden City Realty so we planned to meet up at the beach right near one of the houses.
We had a fabulous time getting some family photos of individual family groups as well as the while group of over 40! They were funny, sweet and sarcastic - my favorite combination!
Necessary Photography is a Myrtle Beach based photographer that specializes in fine art dance photography, senior portraits and family beach photography. If you're planning a vacation in the Myrtle Beach area (including Garden City, Murrells Inlet, Pawleys Island, Litchfield, Surfside, North Myrtle Beach or Cherry Grove) and you're looking for a photographer to capture your memories at the beach, give us a call!
I had such a wonderful time up in Cherry Grove with the Price family for their family beach portraits. If you haven't been to the Cherry Grove Pointe yet, I highly recommend that you add it to your 'to do' list. Cherry Grove Pointe is a gorgeous, mostly undeveloped stretch of beach just north of the Cherry Grove Pier. The waterway and ocean intersect creating a wide, gorgeous stretch of beach that is unmatched on the Grand Strand.
The Price family was visiting North Myrtle Beach/Cherry Grove from Kentucky and wanted to document their family vacation with some gorgeous family beach photos. The Cherry Grove Pointe was just perfect for this. Unlike other areas of Myrtle Beach, we were not fighting the beach crowds, but almost had the beach to ourselves.
Two of my favorite things about the beaches at Cherry Grove are the incredible dunes and the wild island across from the pointe. Because the island is undeveloped, shooting against it gives the photos such a unique look.
Necessary Photography is a Myrtle Beach based photographer that specializes in fine art dance photography, senior portraits and family beach photography. Are you on vacation and looking for fabulous portraits that capture your family's love and personalities? Give us a call!
When Ramona, another Myrtle Beach photographer, contacted me about doing some underwater maternity portraits of her, I was ecstatic! Back in February, I had purchased an underwater housing for my camera to use for the underwater portion of my mermaid styled session and I was itching to put that housing to good use again. She was able to secure the pool at Waterford Plantation in Myrtle Beach, SC for sunrise and we spent a few hours in the pool making sure we got everything we needed. As for the rest of the story, I'll just let the images do the talking.
Necessary Photography is a Myrtle Beach, SC based photographer that specializes in dance, family and senior portrait photography. She serves the Grand Strand area including: Cherry Grove, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Garden City, Murrells Inlet, Litchfield, Pawley's Island, Georgetown and Conway.
I love, love, love my clients! When I hopped out of my Wrangler at Caledonia to meet the Jan family, I was tickled pink. Not only are they a gorgeous family, but the mother, Huma, styled them perfectly!
You can't beat the gorgeous live oak and Spanish moss lined driveway that leads into Caledonia. It is as old world southern as you can get.
After we wrapped up at Caledonia, we headed down to the pointe on Pawley's Island. I absolutely adore that beach. It's one of the few beaches on the Grand Strand that aren't over developed. It has such great dunes and the jetties are amazing!
I was so thrilled when Danielle contacted me about scheduling a family beach session for her and her extended family while they were on vacation. She was super sweet and booked this session as a Mother's Day present for her mother, Susan. What a wonderful surprise! Danielle's little girls were the cutest little girls - complete with gorgeous curls!
We took some time to do some posed portraits, but then the family just enjoyed the beach and I was able to capture some great playful moments. It was easy to see that this family really loves each other.
While we were playing around on the beach, a local fisherman who was surf fishing caught a baby black tip shark. He was kind enough to let the girls touch it before he released it back into the ocean.
What Danielle had to say about her family's session:
Stephanie took family beach portraits for us while we were on vacation. I cannot say enough wonderful things about her. She was easy to communicate with before the session. She was open to discussing locations close to our hotel and gave details about the pros and cons of different spots. The day of the session, Stephanie was amazing to work with. She took beautiful pictures of our family. My 3 yo can be a little difficult to manipulate into posed pictures. Stephanie allowed her to be herself and got shots when she saw them instead of trying to pose her. Because of this, the true personality of my kids shined! We are thrilled with all the images and cannot wait to have them hanging in my house!
If you're looking for family beach portraits in the North Myrtle Beach, Cherry Grove, Myrtle Beach or Pawley's Island area, please give us a call. (843) 424-1652