Y’all, what a year. 

Somehow despite this absolute mushroom-cloud-dumpster-fire-flaming-apocalypse of a year, I’ve got some good news: I bought a house in the mountains, got married, and somehow managed to keep the business afloat. 

Grab your coffee - or who are we kidding, wine - we’re overdue for a chat.

Hold up. You bought a house where? What? So, where do you live now?

I know, right?  It sounds like a bold choice during a chaotic year, but finding a mountain hideaway has been in the making for several years now. If you know me, you know I’m up there with my filthy, tufty dog every chance I get, anyway.

So, we did it! We’re now the proud owners of a surreal lil dream of a cabin in the woods in Lake Lure (in the Western North Carolina mountains). The deer wander the dirt road in the morning, we go tubing down the river or kayaking on the lake after work, and the hummingbirds buzz around the feeder in the evening. There are worse places to socially distance during a pandemic, I promise.

And hey, if you ask nicely, you can rent it! While it is hard to leave, trust me, photography calls me to Charleston on the regular. So to answer the question everyone keeps asking, we live in both Charleston and Lake Lure. Logan still has his place in Mount Pleasant, so you’re not getting rid of me anytime soon, Charleston.

Logan! IS THAT YOUR HUSBAND?!

Sure stinkin’ IS! We tied the knot and jumped in the lake with epic donut floats! 

Our wedding was a tiny, COVID-era event at Parker-Binns Winery, and it was totally us: a disorganized hot mess right up until the very last second, down to earth, and simple. Except getting down the aisle. I literally got tangled up in this rose bush trying to turn the corner and could. not. move. I had to call, “Haaaalp!” before everyone realized I wasn’t just savoring the drama of the moment, my dress was immobilized. Our amazing photographer Jack had to rescue me. I still had half the rose bush stuck in the train when I did finally make it up there, and then Logan’s dog laid down on my dress anyway. So appropriate for this year, right?

So, how’s work going?

Everyone asks this question so nervously.

And to be honest, this has been the blergiest year of my career. (Blerg is the sound I make before responding to the above question.) What was supposed to be the most exciting year of my career took a pretty unexpected turn, and I suddenly found myself with an alarmingly blank calendar. All the conferences? Gone. All the festivals? Gone. Concerts? Gone. Corporate meetings? G-g-g-goooooooone.

I am incredibly blessed and grateful that I’ve been working in marketing, blogging, and website work since March for a small business I used to shoot for regularly, Grit & Grace Studio. Without that opportunity, the answer to the “how’s work going” question would probably look a lot different right now. I’ve been lucky to share this terrible year with a strong, empathetic, and inspiring team of supportive women and to do work that I find deeply fulfilling. 

And photography? I am still shooting! Work is incredibly slow, but I’m grateful for it in ways that I hope I carry with me as we move into more carefree times. Make no mistake, this year has been really, really hard. There have been a lot of tears, sleepless nights, and days when I’m just bone-deep exhausted from the fight. I also have a newfound respect for every person who has juggled a photography career with a full-time job, but that’s for another day.

Despite it all, I’ve done some really fun work for car dealerships in Orangeburg and Spartanburg (featuring smoke bombs!), some exciting branding work for Jack Foster and Kairos, and a bunch of heartwarming family sessions.

To all my former wedding photography clients who have hunted me down for a portrait, a first birthday cake smash, or a socially-distanced newborn session, THANK YOU.

Your love and support mean the world. 

I’m working on accepting that it’s easier to flow with the current than try to be the rock this year. All things in due time, do what you can, and accept that you’re human during an unprecedented and unpredictable time. 

Part of that, for me, has been taking a breather from all the trimmings and trappings that go with running a small business. I needed a break from social media posts and stories, from blogging, from white-knuckle-gripping my way through this crisis.

And you know what? All that floating around in a lake has been pretty dang therapeutic, so I’m refreshed and ready to get back to it… after the honeymoon. Did I mention that we’re doing a road trip honeymoon in a pop-up camper? (Pray for us, y’all!)

So, let’s catch up.

Let’s tell a story, let’s take some photos, let’s make some fun memories despite this dumpster fire of a year.

And hey, when it comes to your Christmas card photos, my place or yours?! While I’ll be in Charleston regularly, I’m on the hunt for some epic Lake Lure family portraits during leaf season, just saying.

Wishing you love, kindness, and someone to share your donut float with, 

Reese