Jason and Jada are the kind of couple you can just take a glance at and say, “yeah, they deserve each other.” You can see for yourself. They are some of the most radiant and infectious people out there.
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Dustin and Aubrey Proposal
We did our best to work around the rising waters and murky environment, but it just goes to show how beautiful love makes the the world seem.
Read MoreTim and Caroline Musical Engagement Session - Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Imagine having a playlist for your life; a soundtrack filled with songs and sounds just for you. For Tim and Caroline, some of the most musically gifted people around, they’re soundtracks contain plenty of love songs and laughter. This engagement shoot is just a snapshot of the lives they have, and will soon share.
Read MoreMitchell and Haley - Market Common Engagement Photo Session
It's fun living in a small town and working with locals, because chances are you have crossed paths with them numerous times. I didn't grow up with either of them, but I met Mitch and Haley when they were dating and both working at a local restaurant that my wife and I went to pretty regularly. They became very close to us and it was a lot of fun to watch their relationship grow. Mitch even told me when he got the ring and planned to propose, so it's an honor to get to document their lives through my photos. We decided to take a stroll around The Market Common in Myrtle Beach for a few photos before their big day. Click through to see all the photos!
Read MoreAlex and Ryan - Myrtle Beach Engagement Photography
Alex and Ryan were a ton of fun! We started out in the Market Common and worked our way to the Myrtle Beach State Park. I love how relaxed they both are with each other. Having shot their engagement and now wedding, I can say that they really do truly enjoy each other. They are both fantastic people that have big hearts for their patients, students and their big teddy bear of a dog
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Market Common - Myrtle Beach - Trisha + Pat Engagement
Trisha + Pat, two newly engaged Myrtle Beach visitors, wanted their engagement photos to portray themselves in a place they enjoyed: the Market Common. This location has proven to be simple, yet diverse in all that it has to offer. Having little to no setup time, the Market Common is packed with photography gold, ranging from modern colorblocked walls to the natural serenity of Valor Park. On top of that, shots of warm brick, walls of ivy, column-and-lattice walkways, and flowing fountains offer stunning backdrops to couples of every kind, for any occasion. Located very near Surfside and Murrells Inlet, Trisha + Pat felt right at home in one of their favorite destinations nestled in the heart of the Grand Strand.
Read MoreThe Right Direction - The Importance of Camera angle
Just a quick tip today about camera angle. I have to images where the couple were standing in the exact same spot but I changed my position and completely improve this photo. Shot with an 85 mm it was pretty long and the background was compressed a good bit. I had an assistant holding lights to make sure everything was lit correctly on the couple so I could play a bit with the ambient light around me. I probably could've used a wide angle lens to capture as much of the fairgrounds as possible but it wouldn't have given me the sharpness and depth of field I was looking for on the 85mm. So I tested the light with the couple standing in shot one but realized that my background was very boring, so all I did was move over about 10 feet to my right in a perimeter around the couple allowing me to capture this really fun romantic image.
Read MoreJeremy and Sydney - Creative Wedding Photography
Myrtle Beach is a fun town with many unique venues for weddings and other events. We have everything from historical landmarks, to grand ballrooms and everything in between. One of my absolute favorite venues in town has to be the Myrtle Beach Historic Train Depot. It's a smaller venue that holds somewhere around 175 to 200 people maximum that is perfect for intimate weddings and other events. I was fortunate to shoot a wedding there this summer for some dear friends of mine, Jeremy and Sydney.
Read MoreLindsey and Michael - Affordable Myrtle Beach Engagement Photography
The south end of the Grand Strand is one of the most beautiful places on earth with it's sweeping marshes and lush forestry, it really makes for a great backdrop for photo sessions. One of the places that sits very high on my recommendation list is Caledonia.
Read MorePhoto Of The Week - Mirror Maze
In my new project of my favorite photo I have taken over the last week. This photo is one I took when shooting some street photography at Broadway At The Beach here in Myrtle Beach. Broadyway is tourism attraction and the favorite hot spot for many people when visiting the grand strand. Having a flash of great weather last week I decided to go and take some photos and was pretty happy with the way this one turned out. Thanks for watching!
Photo Of The Week - My New Car
A quick photo description of my new vehicle. It's nice to finally be in something with enough space for what I need!
See the photos in better detail here!: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhucksphoto/sets/72157641537220185/
Photographing History - The Steam Plant
The steam plant in Conway has been a part of the landscape since before I was born, but it is now coming to an end. Due to a clean air act, the EPA had to shut down this facility due to too much cost in converting the plant. My dad and I took a scary highway hike to get to the island in the cooling lake across from the plant for some sunset photos. Enjoy the video!
Read MoreCapturing Real Emotion in Engagement Sessions
Now I have to be honest. Some of these photos were extremely easy to capture genuine surprise....because she was genuinely surprised! I had the honor to help out with my second surprise engagement session this year. I love these!
Meet Dominique and Stephanie: they are a wonderful couple who were celebrating their anniversary together with photos, but little did she know that he had contacted me without her knowing to request that I help him with this momentous occasion! They are so great together and a ton of fun to watch interact with each other. I love watching couples who so obviously enjoy each others company. Anyway, on to the photos!
When trying to capture real moments I have always found that it is most easy to start with a real one. See, most people are not very good at posing themselves (I include myself in that category). I like to pose a couple and then take a few shots so I have a posed photo for the set but then go fiddle in my bag or on the back of my camera so they are no longer paying attention to me. Now I am catching the couple in their natural state of reacting with each other. Another thing I like to do, it say I am just testing my light so these don't count and the couple forgets about me for a minute.
Engagement Photos are the perfect story telling medium. You have a great romance to share with the viewer and you only have a certain amount of images to do it in. Sure you could take 5,000 photos but the amazing emotional content will be lost just because of sheer size. Like a high end restaurant, there are less things on the menu because after purging all the bad and mediocre, you are left with the best they have to offer. Thats why I wanted to tell this story in just 4 images:
These types of photos are just invaluable because I, as a photographer am prepared to create images that are more natural and personal. If all I ever do are posed portraits, they could probably save money by just going to Olan Mills or Walmart. The reason clients choose more creative photography is for the CREATIVITY. I feel I have a romantic photojournalistic style to my engagement shoots and this definitely falls in the category. What is your style? What do you like? Comment Below!
Remember that if you would like to book me for a photo session or you have something special in mind to surprise your loved one, please contact me at jarrett@jarretthucks.com or by phone: 843.446.4929
Thank you for reading!
Recording History: The Pastor's Pen
I am getting married very soon! It's finally becoming very real! See, Annie and I are the last of three couple in my church getting married within a 6 week period and I had the pleasure of photographing one of them. While shooting this wedding for a long time friend Kim, and, her now husband, Kevin, I was able to practice a little for how we would like to set up the church for our ceremony. Bonus Points! With all jokes aside, it was a beautiful ceremony and an absolute joy to shoot. Everyone was relaxed and able to have fun and enjoy the day. Here is a little taste from the photos afterward.
More photos after the jump!
My pastor married Kim and Kevin, who happens to be Kim's uncle, and after the ceremony and the formal photos were done, it was time for the marriage license to be signed.
Pastor Buddy pulled his pen out of the breast pocket of his suit jacket. Many forget that a pen is similar to a watch; a piece of functional jewelry for a man. A piece of his own personal history that holds genuine and amazing history that signifies what he has been through in his life. Well Pastor Buddy's pen is absolutely one of those types of constants throughout his life. After joining the ministry, he was given this pen. a beautiful, slender work of art that he has always kept. A pastor has many jobs; he brings us all together for sermons, marriages, funerals and more than I could tell you. But this pen has a special story because after having it for over 30 years, it has only ever been used for one thing: signing marriage licenses.
This pen has only ever graced the hands of people on the most important day of their lives as they spiritually, emotionally and, with the pen, legally bind themselves to one another. This pen has one job, and that is to permanently mark a contract of two people's love for each other.
Call me a romantic but I think this pen has an awesome story!
Did you have an item used in your wedding that has a significant meaning? How about something you keep with you every day? Let me know in the comments below!
First ever pressgram photo!
Thanks @zarias for turning me on to this new format. Here's hoping it grows tremendously!
Room to grow: Using my Nikon 105mm Micro Lens
So, many people have their favorite lenses that they own or have owned and many drool over certain pieces of glass that they feel will boost their photography to the next level. That piece for me was the 85mm 1.8. I had such of love affair with this lens and after getting it, I haven't really used it much. But still I was determined to continue my photographic journey to professional status so I started to use it and have really fallen in love with what I can produce with it, but I figured I needed to continue investing in to my equipment to take better photos. Well one day cruising around craigslist, I found a Sigma 70-200mm 2.8 for sale just an hour away from me. I couldn't pass up the opportunity of at least inquiring about it. Well after a few emails, the seller informed me that she was parting with a bunch of her equipment. She knew what she had but was willing to make a deal. I ended up walking away with the 70-200mm Sigma. She also had a few other things that sparked my interest, like a 17-55mm 2.8 which I passed on but she did talk me in to coming home with the handy dandy Nikon 105mm 2.8g Micro. Both were in pristine condition but I still only paid around 60% less than retail which for such a big purchase is impressive.
Anyway, I used the 70-200 constantly on photo shoots, weddings, pretty much anything outdoors just because there is something commanding about a lens that size. I know that sounds ridiculous and a bit narcissistic, but every photographer starting out has issues with being taken seriously. This lens was my ticket to the "not to be taken lightly" glances by those around who thought of me as a just another kid who thinks he knows what he's doing.

Well all this time goes by, probably six months, and I haven't even touched the 105 macro. This is ridiculous because it is by far the most impressive lens I own but I can never make anything work right with it. It always produced blurry and soft images. Most would get annoyed, blame the equipment and sell it off; but I keep it. Why do I keep it?
Maybe it's because I suck at letting things go. I'm great at finding deals but I am awful at selling off things that I can't or don't use. I usually hold on to them for way to long and then it bites me in the butt when I finally decide to sell something and its three generations behind and.worth half of what I think it is. I have been burned like this plenty of times.


But.... this is not one of those times. See, I realized shortly after I bought it, that this lens was too much for me, I couldn't make it work because I didn't know how to yet. I was still stuck in the "I must shoot wide open all the time" phase and didn't understand how to use it to its potential.

To tell you the truth, I still don't yet, but I'm learning and I am shooting with it at my level now. I am gaining an eye for it and I can see where this lens could be a permanent fixture in my lineup to come. More than just a few nice shots of engagement rings, this lens is great for all types of shots. One use I have found, is babies. Having my first encounter with baby portraits just recently, I learned how to make the distance and depth of field and all the magic inside this lens work for me.


Hope you enjoyed the photos. Please subscribe!
-Jarrett
Photo Of The Day: Surprise Engagement
So, this is the first blog post of it's kind. I just recently had the wonderful opportunity to share one of the largest moments in a couple's life: their engagement. After a few brief coded phone calls, I was enlisted to help Justin surprise his girlfriend on the beach with a special not in a bottle on the beach and a beautiful proposal. They were such a treat to work with and I am very excited to present their photos to them. Hope you enjoy the photos and the video!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP5lfu4DeP4&w=640&h=360]
5 Tips for Beach Family Photos
Excited about your upcoming vacation to the shore? How about some professional photos taken while you are there to commemorate the occasion! Now there are a few things you need to know before booking your family photos with a local photographer. Here are a few tips to help you along the way:
Switching Roles
So today, I figured I would share some photos from my time in front of the camera instead of behind it. I got engaged last year and as you might know, I will be getting married later this year to my wonderful fiance, Annie. Last weekend we spent some time down in Charleston, SC with our good friend Mary King (fellow photographer) taking some photos for us. It is such a different experience being in front of the camera! I don't really care for it myself but I enjoyed spending some time with Annie and getting all dressed up and having fun. I feel like I learned a lot as a photographer and gained a ton of respect for my past and future subjects. Taking a photo is a difficult thing to do well, but getting your photo taken takes patience, confidence and trust of your photographer. Thanks to all my clients for trusting me! Enjoy!
If you would like to see more of Mary's work, you can check her out here!
Valentine's Day!
So! The season of love is upon us. Many people, out there rushing to find the perfect thing to buy their sweetheart. Well, anyone thought about skipping the chocolates and giving a photoshoot to their valentine? I can't think of anything more sweet than spending time together and having it captured for years to come! Call me cheesy and everything in the post cliche, but I am a hopeless romantic and I know how much my fiance and I enjoy having our photos taken. Even if I am not the one who gets your business, I just want you to think about the opportunity. Be spontaneous and creative with your Valentine's Day!