Years ago, I was searching for my passion and a way to tell stories using my camera. I began cultivating visual artistry and soon accepted that I breathed easier with a camera in my hands. Cameras became my confidence and my words when I couldn’t find a voice. When I viewed a subject through my camera lens, all the pieces fell into place.
“ART is the one place we all turn to for solace”
– Carrie Mae Weems
A couple’s first dance still gives me chills. I will forever lose my mind during a second line and lose my breath before a bride walks down the aisle. I pray that my couples focus less on having the perfect wedding and more on maintaining the love that guided them here. Marriage is a continuous journey that extends far beyond your day. I’m honored to witness and capture the beginning of countless celebrations. Let the magic and memories begin!
I chose the road less traveled. Refusing to draw a distinguished line between the two, I discovered that details and portraiture are the Erik B & Rakim of photography. Alone, they each serve their intended purpose but together they become an enchanted narrative.
Like a Gordon Parks portrait frozen in time, film photography exudes a quiet confidence. With each click of the shutter, it reveals a hidden door that allows us to wander into nostalgia and surrender to the lens of a masterful storyteller. Film transports you to a world of endless creative possibilities.
Taking photography seriously is a reflection of its importance to me. Taking my clients serious is a reflection of THEIR importance to me. My clients deserve to be authentically represented despite heritage and background. My photographs honor the uniqueness of every single person. My photographs represent the beauty of every single couple.
Houston & Ade decided to tell their love story by honing in on Houston’s South Carolina heritage and Ade’s Nigerian background, and pay tribute to their ancestors through symbolism around nature, traditions, and love standing the test of time. Ade’s full name, Adetunji, translates to “return of the crown,” which soon became a theme for the impending nuptials – the couple wanted to lean into the regality of cultures that have been disempowered for hundreds of years.
A formal, traditional ceremony inside a chapel was also a must for the couple, who both grew up playing an active role in their churches. When guests arrived at Somerset Chapel they were greeted with lush, seasonal arrangements of white florals and a custom chandelier draped in greenery. The ceremony began with a wedding party processional to “The Swan” by Camille Saint-Saëns. The ceremony was officiated by South Carolina congressman and longtime friend of Houston’s family, James Clyburn. “I think what helped the most was that we shared our vows privately before the ceremony,” says Houston. “After we shared our vows, my entire focus was on having the best time with Ade and I forgot about everything else.” Former Presiding Elder Eddie Gadsden provided a brief sermon and prayer, and the Hallelujah singers led the recessional with “Holy, Holy, Holy” and “Oh Happy Day” before the couple was chauffeured away in a Rolls Royce Corniche to the River House for cocktail hour and dinner.
The ability to capture and create is truly a gift. I believe that photography is a creative language that allows me to communicate without words, boundaries, and borders.
