Top 10 Places To Watch The Sunset

According to TravelersDigest, the top 10 places to watch the sunset are:

10. Sentosa Island, Singapore
9. Santa Monica Pier, Los Algeles
8. Ipanema Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
7. The Maldives, Indian Ocean
6. Cape Town, South Africa
5. Grand Canyon, Arizona
4. Great Pyramids, Egypt
3. Serengeti, Tanzania
2. Taj Mahal, India
1. Santorini, Greece

At Memory Lane Portraits, we would like to request a list to be made for sunrise views. In our humble, but accurate opinion, Hilton Head Island, SC should receive at least an honorable mention. :)  This family portrait session is too beautiful to leave cooped up in our computer systems. Be assured, more sunrise and sunset beach portraits will appear on this blog!

Clean It Up! - A Post For Photography And Photoshop Lovers.

Photographing in Hilton Head has its perks, however; it still comes with a handful of challenges for creating impressionable portraits. From humidity, heavy winds, to working around beach goers, we have learned to do our best on the front end to not be consumed with Photoshop work on the back end. Even still, a little touch of the foreground and background can take an image from average to exquisite.

Before

After

 Removing the people in the background is expected. The sand has been cleaned up as well as the reflection on the water from the little boy with the bucket. We decided to remove the shadows on this image because it does not enhance the overall impact of the portrait.

Tip for the day from your favorite Hilton Head photographers: 

  "When editing, start with removing distractions in the background. This will help determine the focus of the portrait and provide a clean, refined look." 

Happy snapping!

Fishing In Hilton Head

Down time in Hilton Head is somewhat of an oxymoron for us during the summer season. Consultation, family portrait sessions, viewing appointments and editing require a great deal of enjoyable effort. However, every now and then we get to bust out for a little adventure.


Stephen and Dave can be found on the golf course or, as the photo shows, fishing. This particular shot shows Stephen attempting to reel in a large fish (a shark to be exact, yikes!) which eventually got the best of the rod and escaped.

If your into fishing, Hilton Head has some options for you!

Fishing Tips:

Salt Water Fishing:
 - Must be 16 years old to fish from a boat.
 - Commercial fishing boats have a license that covers all whom are fishing on the boat.
 - A 3 day SC non-resident license for a private boat is $11.00.

Fresh Water Fishing:
 - Anyone 16 years or older needs a fishing license. ($11.00 for a 7 day, non-resident pass)
 - On private plantations:
         - Sea Pines: Resident or guest only with a CSA pass available at the security gate.
         - Shipyard: For residents and guest only, no restrictions.
         - Palmetto Dunes: For residents and guest only, fishing allowed at the banks of the lagoon that the  
           Queen's Folly bridge crosses.

Favorite Quote From Your Hilton Head Photographer

The reality of having only 23 days left of summer has finally hit home. Our busiest family portrait month is behind us. We are all smiles when we think of the families from all over the US, Canada and Europe that are opening their gift wrapped portraits and deciding where they should be displayed in their home. Memories of Hilton Head will most certainly linger on.

For most, returning from vacation means settling into life's routine. Shopping for last minute school supplies, car pooling for fall sports practice, and for our northern friends, breaking out the sweaters for those chilly evening temperatures.What ever you may find yourself doing when not on vacation, remember this quote:

"Life is what you make it. Always has been. Always will be." - Grandma Moses.

Make the best of everyday!

Top 3 Portrait Tips For Babies - Family Portraits Hilton Head

The first smile, first steps, and first words are baby milestones that are highly anticipated. Along with these developmental stages are environmental and seasonal firsts... first snow, first trip to the pool, and first trip to the beach!


Here are our top 3 portrait tips for babies at the beach:

1. Greet The Morning - A sunrise session could prove as a miracle worker by

matching your baby's schedule vs waiting until late in the evening.












2. Keep Wipes Handy - Sand becomes a menace and babies

can't get enough of it!

3. Prepare For A Close Up - The beach can be a harsh environment for a little one. Close up portraits of the baby in a parent or siblings arms has proved to be a great alternative to putting a baby under 6 months old in the sand.

Birds, Lizards, and Gators, Oh My!! Wildlife In Hilton Hean

With a cup of coffee in one hand, a newspaper in the other, and a rocking chair on a back porch, mornings in Hilton Head are peaceful, leisurely, and often joined by a predictably active wildlife. Turtles sunning on rocks, lizards sunning on decks or stucco walls, alligators peering out of lagoons, and birds of all shapes, sizes and colors announcing their arrival to the morning. One might say it is therapeutic to watch.

Photographing in Hilton Head is truly a treat to us. We enjoy watching families from all over the United States and even the world come to the island and appreciate their surroundings. Our home town in Charlotte has many wonderful features, but the package that Hilton Head offers is truly unique.

A continuing tradition for returning families is the who-can-spot-the-first-alligator game. Understand that many folks do not live in areas where alligators commonly roam, here are some helpful pointers from Hilton Head Island to keep you safe when interacting with these big fellas.

We locals have an arrangement with the alligators: we leave them alone and they leave us alone. You would be wise to honor that arrangement. Alligators are not normally aggressive toward humans but they are dangerous. An alligator can outrun a horse for a limited distance. Human adults are too big to be alligator prey, but small children and pets are vulnerable, and an angry alligator knows no fear and will go after anything that bothers it. Here are some rules to keep you out of harm's way:

A mother alligator protecting its nest is about the only circumstance an alligator will attack without provocation. This could occur in wooded or brushy areas near lagoons. Nesting is typically May through August, and the mother protects the hatchlings for one to three years.

Feeding alligators is illegal for a good reason. If an alligator sees humans as a source of food, it stands to reason it will approach humans. Alligators lack social skills - they won't ask nicely for a handout. To feed an alligator is to sign its death warrant, for it will become aggressive and will soon be "removed" (yes, killed).

Never, ever, let small children or pets play in lagoons or on the banks of lagoons. Alligators are so fast a pet can vanish before its owner can take a deep breath.

If you catch a fish in a lagoon and an alligator wants it, give it up. Reeling in the fish close to you is a very bad idea, as the alligator will see you as competition for food.

If someone tells you there are no alligators in a given lagoon all they have done is display their ignorance about alligators. Alligators move around and frequently relocate. A male can cover 1,000 acres in search of mates.

There have been very rare instances of alligators at the beach. Alligators can stand salt water but prefer fresh or brackish, so an alligator at the beach is out of its normal environment and probably lost. Just keep away from it - if possible report it.

It has been said that the way to tell the length of an alligator is to measure the distance between its eyes in inches, which will tell you its length in feet. This sounds like a very bad idea if the alligator is alive.

For more information on Hilton Head's wildlife scene, click here.

photography Hilton Head

A Lesson From Hollywood

It is a long way to Hollywood California. 2,461 miles to be exact. We all know that we can't take

Hilton Head to Hollywood, but Hollywood sure can visit Hilton Head, and boy has it!

When you're looking for things to do in Hilton Head, consider visiting some of the destinations that have been showcased on the big screen. Before Adam Sandler could pick up a pigskin, the 1974 box office hit "The Longest Yard" staring Bert Reynolds was filmed in our backyard! Various locations around South Carolina were used to make the production complete but still yet Hilton Head Island recieved one of its first visits from Hollywood. In 2005, "Come Away Home" was filmed almost exclusively in Hilton Head and features many scenes around the Sea Pines Plantation, including Harbour Town.

Of course, how can we forget "The Legand Of Bagger Vance". This 2001 film brought home The Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for best original score and took home the Golden Goblet from the Shanghai International Film Festival for best technology. The scenes in this movie give Hilton Head plenty of reasons to boast. When our portrait artist are photographing on the beaches or around the island, we know that each visitor will take home a little piece of their vacation through a family portrait.

Similar to how "The Legand Of Bagger Vance" wraps you up in another time, we want to do the same for our portraits. Our portraiture is designed to focus on your family and the bonds within it. When you see our photographers in Hilton Head, analyzing the conditions, setting up lights, walking around with meters, interacting with the families, or making silly voices to help children relax and enjoy themselves, it is all in the name of taking home a family portrait that best represents you in a location that is truly timeless.

After you get back from your family portrait and your day of scouting scenes from movies of the past, grab your family and your flip video and head to the shore to make a feature film all your own.

July Jingle Bells - Christmas in July For Hilton Head

Fireworks, red, white, and blue, ice cream, humid days, picnics, summer, and vacation.Can you guess what all of these words have in common? The answer is the month of July. However, if you are in Harbour Town in the Sea Pines Resort, one word associated with July that may not have originally been on your list would be Christmas.

Many island vacationers enjoy hours of shopping with the holidays in mind. For Memory Lane
Portraits, we photograph a large number of family portraits that will specifically be used for Christmas cards and gift prints and photo albums.

The Harbour Town Christmas Store says that July is their busiest season of the whole year. Take a look at this video of inside this Sea Pines shop.



Send in your photo of your favorite Hilton Head orniment and we will display them on our facebook page!

Rocking Your Cares Away

Bliss is found in the little things. The small and repetitiousness details on Hilton Head Island aids in a lasting impression for those fortunate enough to visit. Have you noticed the way rocking chairs are trickled throughout the island, especially in Sea Pines? The striking red hues of the rocking chairs in Harbour Town are some of the most memorable. However, take a closer look. You'll find them on the front porches of homes, condos, restaurants and other store fronts.

Can you guess where this is?

Memory Lane Portraits
71 Light House Rd. Suite 220
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928

Celebrating on Hilton Head Island

Having been on the island for more than 10 years, we've noticed that many people choose Hilton Head Island for more than just a vacation. Weddings, birthdays, and anniversary, are a few examples. People come to Hilton Head to celebrate life and many times Memory Lane Portraits has the opportunity to participate in the process.

Check out this video clip of Mike and Gina Carrier. Memory Lane Portraits had the privilege to photograph them for their 35th wedding anniversary.



We have adopted the philosophy many years ago that it doesn't matter what the occasion, any reason to visit Hilton Head Island will do.

Recipes From Hilton Head Island

While walking through the Salty Dog Cafe, Becky (our marketing guru) picked up a recipe book. Here is her story...

Mr. Weatherman was advertising a fantastic summer thunderstorm. Beach thunderstorms furnish perfect conditions for "sky watchin'". Sky watchin' is very similar to what us southern folk refer to as "front porch sittin'", except this has a time limit because the storm eventually ends. When the time comes, I prefer a group of friends, a light blanket, some snacks, and a big front porch.

On my last souvenir stop in South Beach (Sea Pines), I picked up two additional Salty Dog tee shirts as well as a recipe book called "Hilton Head Island - Recipes of Ellie and Bill's Catering". This pictorial cookbook featured alot of Hilton Head favorites. Bill and Ellie Bollin started a catering business in the early 1970's and the family business is now a staple to this barrier island. Among the recipes are a few Salty Dog Cafe favorites, hors d'oeuvres, drinks, and even a full course dinner. In my book, sky gazing requires sweets, period. Thus, the Butterscotch Brownies on page 25 was calling my name.

The brownies turned out delicious! We did adjust the recipe just a bit, but that should be expected and acceptable with 4 girls baking in a kitchen. We added semi-sweet chocolate chips (yummy!). I would also recommend adding a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and some butterscotch topping on top of your brownie.

Good friends, great snacks, and a fantastic thunderstorm equals wonderful summertime evening.

Thanks to the Salty Dog for the recipe book!

Sunrise In Hilton Head - A Photographers Secret

 Warm hues with bold shades of gold reflecting on the sand and on the tides, our sunrise sessions are the best kept secret on the island. We understand you are on vacation and the thought of waking up before the seagulls are out can sound daunting. However, the colors and the atmosphere of a Hilton Head sunrise are worth the effort.

Here at Memory Lane Portraits, we aim to give you a memory that can go down in the record books. We aim to create a portrait that is well worth its praise.

Keep the sunrise session in mind when planning your wall portrait. The warm tones that are produced from the suns rays and hazy morning skies could compliment the look and feel of the room your portrait will be hanging.


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A Visit To Lawton Stables

Here at Memory Lane Portraits, we like to think one of our business philosophy is work hard and play hard. Living in Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island, there are plenty of things to do to keep us active and on the go when we are not photographing or presenting beach portraits. Lately we made a visit to Lawton Stables. 


I (Becky Pesek) personally have not had the privilege to tour Lawton Stables until now. The staff was absolutely wonderful. Lisa, who works in the main office, gave me an overview of the stables and what is available to the public. I learned that the rumors are true, everything great that has ever been said about Lawton Stables is right on the money. 


This equestrian farm has pony rides for the little tikes and trail rides for children and adults. If you would rather stay on foot, take a moment to meander through the petting zoo. You will be greeted by sheep's, goats, llamas, a few roosters, bunnies, a pot bellied pig, and the queen of the stables, a white tailed deer named Carly. 

 Another stable favorite is Harley (left), the Clydesdale who was born on an actual Budweiser farm. Harley gives carriage rides and really enjoys the attention he gets from visitors. On the day I visited, Harley was in the same area as the ponies. The combination of extra small ponies to an extra large horse was fascinating. Both breeds frolicked around and didn't seem to mind being around each other. 


Currently, Lawton Stables is getting a lot of well deserved attention due to their new program, Wish Upon A Horse. Their website describes the program as "Providing for special needs individuals form the local community as well as for visitors and their families seeking to combine the therapeutic riding experience with other amenities Hilton Head has to offer. Wish Upon A Horse hopes to enhance the well-being, both mentally and physically, of its participants by providing a safe, therapeutic and fulfilling activity."


I would like to encourage you to check out more information on Lawton Stables by visiting their website at http://www.lawtonstableshhi.com 

Beach Portrait Style - Memory Lane Portraits

Owner and portrait artist Stephen Dey gives you a look into what kind of beach portraits you can expect from Memory Lane Portraits.

Hilton Head Island Tolls - A Humorous Encounter

Photo From Hilton Head Island Real Estate Co.

I, Becky Pesek, a new member to the Memory Lane Portraits staff, made my first trip ever to Hilton Head Island. My journey from Charlotte, North Carolina to Hilton Head Island was blessed with warm weather, open highways, and gorgeous sky's... nearly perfect. When nearing Hilton Head, I began to notice signs for a toll. Toll roads have never bothered me. I understand the reason for them and although they are an inconvenience at times, I knew it would be far worth every penny. Here is where the issue began.

Chick-Fil-A has always had a special place in my heart. During my trip, I pulled over for my usual order, a grilled chicken sandwich on wheat with pickles and a container of Chick-Fil-A sauce. Predictably affordable and predictably delicious. Once I left the drive thru, a group of young girls were collecting donations for a local charity so I tossed in every bit of change from my car.

Once I noticed the toll road approaching, I remembered that I had a new debit card and had no clue what the pin number was. So I did what any sane person would do, I pulled over and went "coin diving". This is where you tare apart your car in hopes to find a quarter under a floor mat or a dime in between seat cushions. My grand total came to 57 cents. I was thrilled, the toll lady was not. After she recited the number of toll signs in between her and Bluffton, she explained that I will be receiving an invoice in the mail.

Lessons Learned:
1. Always have change in your car.
2. Always know your pin to your debit card.
3. Never beg for forgiveness for being short .63 cents on your toll. The toll folks are just doing their job... and they must hear it a million times a day.
4. Plan to travel over the James Byrnes Bridge at dusk. It is such a pleasant entry onto the island.

Enjoy your stay in Hilton Head!

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Get Your Plaid On - Heritage Golf Classic

With the Heritage Classic coming to an end, we are finally back in the studio and prepared for a full days worth of editing. While flipping through images of the opening ceremony, golfers teeing off, excited fans, and gorgeous landscapes, we came across this shot.

We have been photographing the Heritage for a few years now. Every year we keep our eyes peeled for these two guys for the Tartan Day event. This event is one of the many traditions that take place during the tournament. We know these tikes are cool, but don't let this photo fool you, many adults get decked out from head to toe to show their enthusiasm and spirit for the occasion.

Little did we know, not only did the twins win the outfit competition last year, but they won this year too!  Since this image has been posted on our facebook page, we found out that their names are Eli and Cooper. We also were able to reach out to their mom Stephanie and congratulate her as well.... we know these kinds of things takes a womens touch, so way to go Stephanie!

Stay tuned to a recap of this PGA event.


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Opening Ceremony - 2 Tips To Stay Connected With Heritage Golf

Stephen Dey and Dave Mulvaney are having an incredible time photographing the Golf Classic this week. About if a photograph from the opening ceremony. While attending the event and being in the PGA environment, they have picked up a few pointers for the golf fans. See below!

1.) Get on twitter if you are not already on it. Next step is to follow Memory Lane Portraits. Our twitter handle is MemoryLaneHHI. In the search bar, type "#Heritagehhi" and you will find real time entries of updates of the tournament.

2.) Check out the Heritage Island Packet website. They have a great section dedicated to the event. If you have the ability to pick up their booklet, turn to page 28 for a special April offer from Memory Lane Portraits!

Heritage Golf - Hilton Head Island, SC

Ladies Pick Up The Clubs For A Cause 

PGA Wives Golf Classic 2011

Imagine some of the worlds best golfers dressed up as a caddy, attending to flags, pulling clubs and even wearing the bibs. If you were at the Sea Pines' Ocean Course on Hilton Head Island, you would have noticed that the golf pros for the Tuesday event were actually the wives. Tending as their caddy, coach and even stepping in for the occasional do over, golf pro husbands from past to present participated with their wives in the PGA Tour Wives Golf Classic.

This 9 hole shootout is a charitable event with the hopes of raising $100,000 for different organizations. Half of the proceeds will be donated to Hilton Head Heroes. This organization provides a resort style vacation for families with children between four and eighteen that are fighting a life threating disease.  Memory Lanes had the privilege to photograph the ladies with their caddies before they began to gear up for their big day on the green.

Stay tuned for more images from the Heritage Classic!

Hilton Head Heroes
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Memory Lane Is Connected!

Wouldn't it be cool to give your friends and family a sneak peek into shoot after your professional beach portrait session? Well now you can! Memory Lane will feature one of your families images on our facebook page either in a post or in an album. You will be able to tag your photo before you ever have to the leave the shore line of Hilton Head Island. Remember, you must "like" Memory Lane on facebook before you can tag your image!

Here are a few sneak peeks featured on Memory Lane's Facebook from last weeks sessions!

All the way from Indiana! Here is a portrait from the Fehd family session.

What do you get when you have a portrait session with a family that has two boys, ages 3 & 6, who are happy, outgoing, and full of energy? ... One great workout! We loved our time with the Quackenbush family!

Here is a glimpse into a sunrise session with the Prothro Family. Enjoy!

We met the Stearns family by the dunes and capture this image of their two kiddos!

We had a great beach session with the Von Stein family! Enjoy the sneak peek!

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Framing Tips And Options Coming At Ya!

Over the years, we have taken the suggestions and comments from our clients and tried to find new and innovative ways to meet their needs. We are proud to announce that Memory Lane Portraits is now offering framing options for wall portraits! 

Stephen Dey and Dave Mulvaney have put their heads together and picked out 7 frames that best compliment the beach portraiture which Memory Lanes is so famous for. You may be asking yourself "how is this helpful?".  When it comes to framing a portrait, the most important determining factor is the actual portrait itself.  A common mistake is matching a frame based on a room color or furniture selection. Due to changing trends and style preferences, it would be most helpful to pick a frame that compliments your portrait than compliments the lime green contemporary wall color that blew out just as quickly as it blew in. 

The pros have looked through literally hundreds of frames and matched up the beach locations with the most appropriate framing options. If your wall portrait will be of your family at the dunes, a frame that reflects a warm undertone will be the best option. A warm pewter or an antique brown can pull out yellows, reds, and the sun-kissed orange to make your portrait sizzle. However, if your preferred portrait is of your family by the water with a gorgeous blue sky, picking a frame with a cool undertone will be your best bet. 

Memory Lane Portraits is excited about incorporating frames to the line up this season. We know you are going to be thrilled to open your front door and see a package that contains your families customized wall portrait in its perfectly matched, hand selected frame. 

This new addition will assist you in properly displaying a memory that will last for generations to come. 

                                                                                                                          

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Hilton Head Island Zip Code - Entertainment Highlights for 29926!

Starting in March and rolling through the summer months, Hilton Head Island operates a jam packed events calender with a broad selection of entertainment to choose from. For our photography and art enthusiast friends, we wanted to make you aware of the Lowcountry Through The Lens exhibit at Coastal Discovery Museum. Not only is the welcome center packed with information for island visitors but the museum also contains the history of Hilton Head Island which is worth a visit all unto itself.

Here are the details about the exhibit as listed on Coastal Discovery Museums website.

"The Coastal Discovery Museum and The Camera Club of Hilton Head Island present this exhibition of photography at the Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn. The Hilton Head Regional Healthcare Temporary Exhibit Gallery is open Monday through Sturday from 9:00 am until 4:30 pm and Sunday 11:00 am until 3:00 pm. The opening reception for the exhibit will be March 3rd from 5 - 7 pm and the public is invited." http://www.coastaldiscovery.org/

Memory Lane Portraits is considering some prints to enter into the gallery for next year. Here is a sneak peek of our selection below. When it comes time for printing, they will be displayed on canvas or metallic fine art paper, some might be framed, and some with or without the black matting. 

We look forward to seeing you on the island! Enjoy!


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