Seeing Southern | The year in photos
Our stories were abundant in 2025, and our travel did not disappoint. As always, our cameras were our constant companion in order to document moments in real time. Words aren’t always needed or sometimes, can’t be articulated, and the images fill-in-the-blanks to tell the remainder of the story.
Many photos in our library are billboard worthy, utilizing concepts of light, composition and exposure. We use these rules to guide you, the viewer, into the most important elements of the story. Other times, we’re in the heat of moment, like weddings or concerts, when we only get one second. Those times, we allow instinct to take over when our minds are overwhelmed with capturing the story and only have seconds to click the shutter. There are core rules, but there are also times when those go out the window. However, knowing how to break those rules is as necessary as knowing how and when to use them. Decades have behind the lens has taught us the how and why and when to fly by the seat of our pants.
Some images are spectacular; others, like the cat, are ordinary. Some capture the sweeping view of a UNESCO vineyard in Switzerland, leaving you speechless; others, like the thru-hiker on the AT who touched his mother’s pin on his backpack everyday for inspiration is only meaningful to those who know the story. We consider ourself very lucky to be that storyteller.
In Our Bag
Although camera gear does not determine the photo, it does significantly add to what a photographer can do. Prepare to shell out big bucks, especially for the mirrorless options, but do your research and make an investment that works best for you and a system that will stand the test of time. And, in addition to the camera body, your lens choice is the cherry on top. If I could only have ONE lens in my repertoire, my favorite and the one that produces the most beautiful final product, the Canon EF 70-200mm, f/2.8L IS. My go-to for everything!
We have listed what is in our bag (as well as our bag and harnesses) for you. We use this gear everyday, and actually, have two of each since we are both photographers. When you find the best, there’s no going back.
Canon Mark 5D Mark IV Body
Canon EF 70-200mm, f/2.8L IS
Canon 50 mm f/1.2 USM
Canon 35 mm f/1.4L II USM
Canon EF 24-70 mm f/2.8L II USM
Canon 100 mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
BAGS
Think Tank FocusPoint 30L Rolltop Travel Backpack
Think Tank Airport International V3.0
HARNESS
Money Maker Camera Harness
Every images tells a story. Never underestimate the power of photography to punctuate a moment in time.
What will you capture in 2026?
We are honored to share our 2025 here.
The boss at McCaskill’s Farm in Rambert, South Carolina. (January)
Candle workshop at The Mercantile in the Olde English District, South Carolina. (February)
Restoring the past to the present with Saving Time Design’s home restoration. (February)
A thru-hiker on the Appalachian Trail in Hiawassee, Georgia, walking with his mother’s pin. (March)
Filling the bottle with the master (distiller), Jeff Arnett at Company Distilling in Tennessee. (April)
Ferrying across the Nolichucky River in Erwin, Tennessee on the Appalachian Trail. (April)
Floating on the Erie Canal, in Upstate New York. (May)
Lavaux Vineyards in Switzerland, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (June)
The Normandy American Cemetery in Normandy, France. (July)
In Wibrin, Belgium, with his father’s Silver Star, WWII. (July)
A master tailor at Genesee Country Village in Rochester, NY. (August)
The blistering Georgia heat with Randall Bramlett on stage at Blind Willie McTell Music Festival in Thomson, Georgia. (September)
Front porch worthy CHEERS at the Inns of Aurora, Aurora, NY. (October)
Muscle Shoals makes it to Nashville at the Country Music Hall of Fame. (November)
The Star Flyer at the Edinburgh Christmas Market in Edinburgh, Scotland. (December)
