Menu

100 Best of the Decade – Part 1

Not being the best at blogging, I decided to share some of my favorite photos made over the past decade. Several of these images are part of a post sitting in my drafts folder waiting to be finished. I thought this may be the easiest way to catch up.

Reviewing my body of work from the past decade, I found it stretches across many types of photography. There are editorial and advertising photos, annual reports, higher education, sports, reportage and news coverage, along with many several types of portraits. It has been a wild and fun ride with interesting stories to go along with almost every image I created.

Here are the first twenty images. Other than being grouped by years, there is no significance to their order.

Meet Angel, my first assignment for the Univeristy of Tennessee. Angel was a 2-year-old walking horse that was rushed the University of Tennessee’s large animal hospital and was diagnosed with colitis and life-threatening endotoxemia. Angel became better because of an aggressive form of treatment with the use of a hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
A student studies while in-between classes at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga.
An environmental portrait of a University of Tennessee professor sitting in a garden that he built at his home in Knoxville, TN.
This is one of the most touching assignments that I have had in my career. I spent two days with unrestricted access of a pediatric heart surgeon at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, TN. Here one of the doctor’s patient being comforted by their mother and father while recovering from heart surgery.
A model rushes down SwiftWater Run at Dollywood Splash Country as part of a advertising photo shoot. To get this image, I rode the ride backwards fives in a row with different models. We were on a time crunch, so each time I would sprint back to the top and ride again. By the end of this ride my legs were so wobbly I was barely able to walk out of the exit pool.
University of Tennessee quarterback Matt Simms hands the ball off to Tauren Poole against UT Martin. Sometimes the photos gods give you nice action in great light. This was one of those days.
Lady Vols Head Coach Pat Summitt laughs as assistant coach Mickie DeMoss tells a funny story during at the Pat Summitt Basketball 101 event with the Alliance of Women Philanthropists.
A senior portrait on location at Ijams Nature center in Knoxville, TN.
A halloween portrait of ThunderCat’s Lion-O and Toy Story’s Jessy during an impromptu photo session at my kid’s preschool.
A location portrait created to help launch Dollywood’s new Barnstormer advertising campaign.
On a snowy night, I decide to go to Downtown Knoxville and make photos of people sledding and playing. When I got there it was desolate. Just me, the Sunsphere and the banging of hooks on the empty flag poles.
Interior photos of Dolly Parton’s apartment at Dollywood for historical records before the building was gutted and turned into office space. Yes, I did take a selfie in the tub before the day was over.
Actors and actresses play a silly family enjoying their time at Snow Mountain inside Stone Mountain Park in Stone Mountain, GA.
Dolly Parton works on recording new music in Nashville, TN for the Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show in Myrtle Beach, SC. I have worked with Dolly countless times, but this session was my favorite.
Talent rides the newly opened Barnstormer ride at Dollywood for a commercial photo shoot.
Dean & Mary Jane Heavener are two avid Lady Mocs fans and actively support womenÕs sports at University of Tennessee Chattanooga. I took them outside for a nice portrait with the clean sky in the background. Being HUGE basketball fans, I asked the to treat me like a ref that kept making bad calls. I thought this captured the liveliness of their personality, much better than just standing there.
Seven day old Elena, sleeps on her bookshelf as if she were a part of the room decor. I have only photographed a hand full of babies through out my career. (I learned it was not my calling.) This was my attempt to do something out of the box and my favorite before quitting newborn photography.
Alexander Peppe, of Maine, leads Afrika and the rest of the pack during a hike in the Smoky Mountains with Smoky Mountain Llama Treks. This was a great day. I got paid to hike the Smokies with Lamas and I didn’t even get spit on.
Interior pictures for designer Angelique Medow in Rarity Bay. This was an occasion where I used available light, and that meant I used every light available. I think the final light total was 10 by the time we go too the end of setting.
This was a part of thank you portraits for the Campaign for Tennessee at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. I was photographing different students and faculty at different locations every 20 minutes all day long. I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off. After showing this faculty member her photo on the back of the camera she replied, “I want this photo for my funeral!” I was a little taken back until I realized that she gave me the greatest compliment I could ever receive.