Author Archives: Ryan Smith

About Ryan Smith

Wedding and family photographer in Myrtle Beach, SC. I'm really into the technical side of photography and gadgets and I enjoy geeky things like web coding. I always get excited to try a new technique or piece of equipment and I'm glad to share some tips when possible.

Groom and adopted son first bumping before ceremony

First ever wedding on the Barefoot Resort Love Course with a bit of Dr. Who


May 10th, 2013

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This was the first ever wedding held at this spot on the Barefoot Resort and Golf Love Course. It was held at a really nice spot where they have the recreated ruins of an old plantation home along holes 3-7. The mother and father of the groom were long time members of Barefoot resort, so they were given the special opportunity to do a wedding at this spot. I’ve done lots of weddings backing up to golf courses, but never one where there were no golfers to watch out for. This was special because the entire course was closed down for us, we had the location to ourselves with no one else around.

As you can see below, the couple decided to do a first look to get some of the pictures done before the ceremony. I really like the storyboard format of my blog now, it’s easier to show something like a first look that can be hard to express in a single picture. Thanks to it being cloudy, even though it was earlier in the day we didn’t have a problem with the harsh sunlight. The couple are big fans of the Dr. Who series, so we incorporated that in some of the pictures. The wedding planner Elizabeth Hodges, that I’ve worked with a lot, her son came dressed at The Dr. He looked like he could fit right into that series, he really made a convincing look-alike. I really loved the look of the Tuxedos worn by the groomsmen, and the groom’s top hat. I hope you enjoy some of the pictures below, please comment if you do.

Wedding details before the ceremony Dr. Who TARDIS ringbox Continue reading 'First ever wedding on the Barefoot Resort Love Course with a bit of Dr. Who'→
HDR of a wedding ceremony on the compass pad at the Marina Inn - Grande Dunes

Wedding of mother with four fun kids at the Marina Inn with reception at Joe’s Crab Shack


April 24th, 2013

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This was a really fun recent wedding at the Grande Dunes Marina Inn with a reception after at the Joe’s Crab Shack at Broadway at the Beach. I didn’t really ask, but I would imagine this was a second wedding for both the bride and groom. Those are always fun, because when it’s the second time it’s usually more about just having fun with the family.  Especially when they have great kids with good personalities.  Instead of my most important pictures being about the couple, it’s usually more about the family and having fun with the kids.

I’ve actually never been to Joe’s Crab Shack before, the couple said they just loved the food there and that is why they picked it for the reception. When they brought out the appetizers I actually thought it was the full meal. You know the food must be good when everyone has to wear a bib. It seemed like everyone was having a great time.

There is a shot below with the couple kissing with the kids being silly in the background, it’s probably one of my most popular pictures I’ve put on Facebook. There was some really strong overhead sun during the ceremony, I’ve gotten pretty good now about dealing with that, but it’s never ideal. I took the couple out around sunset time at Broadway to do a few more pictures which turned out nice.  I hope you enjoy these below, please comment if you do!

Picture of the rings sitting in a book Kids of mother before the wedding - standing in front of Grande Dunes Bridge Continue reading 'Wedding of mother with four fun kids at the Marina Inn with reception at Joe’s Crab Shack'→
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Fun large family with colorful outfits doing portraits at the Myrtle Beach State Park


April 16th, 2013

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I keep having some really great families for pictures recently. It’s so nice when everyone in the family is in a really good mood and ready to have fun with the pictures. The family I’m highlighting here was a larger size group I took to the Myrtle Beach State Park.  When I’m photographing a large group I usually don’t go to the oak trees, but just take them down to a more secluded area of the park on the far side of the pier.

This was a really cloudy, not very nice looking evening. When the sky is overcast like this you do get a really clean, less harsh lighting on the pictures. You will notice there are no harsh shadows and issues you might get with a clear sky.  Of course, that is why I like to go near sunset, so I can get better control over the shadows when the sky is clear.  Sometimes I have clients worry their pictures aren’t going to look good if the sky is overcast. But that isn’t true at all, you just get a different look.  I would say it’s more like what you get in a studio with softboxes and more controlled lighting. I hope you enjoy the pictures, please comment below if you do!

Portrait of large family with color shirts in front of the dunes in Myrtle Beach Large family walking down the beach with a reflection of them in the water Continue reading 'Fun large family with colorful outfits doing portraits at the Myrtle Beach State Park'→
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Another fun couple doing engagement pictures at the Myrtle Beach State Park


April 11th, 2013

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I met this couple for the first time on Friday to discuss photographing their upcoming wedding. While they were in the area we decided to do some last minute engagement pictures on Monday at the state park in Myrtle Beach. I’ve said it a lot of times before, but doing engagement pictures is really the best way to get to know a couple, and for them to get to know you as the photographer. If they like what you do during the engagement portraits, they are going to like you at the wedding as well. Pictures of the couple after the wedding is pretty much the same thing, just a little more rushed and with a little more stress.

We are finally getting some good weather, it was a beautiful evening with a great sunset. I notice it seems to be a really popular thing to get some flare from the setting sun in the lens.  You certainly wouldn’t want it in every picture because it washes it out, but it can be a cool look.  The really expensive Nikon lenses have a special Nano Crystal coating on them to reduce flare because it’s not normally something you would want. If you get the sun over to the side but in the frame enough where it’s hitting the lens you will definitely still get it.

One other thing I thought of.  Because of constantly looking into the sun I know I need to always wear sunglasses. However my current ones completely make the screen on the back of my camera not visible. I realized you have to get sunglasses that are not polarized. I ordered some nice Ray-Bans that should be really good without being polarized. I’m hoping that will make it so I don’t have to keep taking them off to see my screen.  I hope you enjoy the pictures below, please comment if you do.

Couple sitting on the oak tree branch at the Myrtle Beach State Park Couple sitting on the oak tree branch with sunlight coming through the trees Continue reading 'Another fun couple doing engagement pictures at the Myrtle Beach State Park'→