Chris Jenkins Photography

Sara and Brandon Engagement Session October 2011

2011-10-16T00:02:00.001-07:00

Meet Sara and Brandon, an awesome couple preparing for an April 2012 wedding, which I have the honor of photographing. Sara's Dad J Dee McKay and I have known each other for several years now. J Dee is a musician and sound man, damn good at both, and we have worked many events together over the last 15 or so years. I remember Sara coming along and helping J Dee with gigs when she was around 13 or 14, I guess. Now she is all grown up and getting married. I feel proud, but a little old. These photos are from the engagement session today. Beautiful couple!

My first dove hunt.

2011-09-11T07:37:00.000-07:00

Dana and I went to my good friend Neil Waggoner's annual dove hunt this weekend. Neil and his wife Vickie, their 3 year old twins Lex and Mary Beth and Neil's daughter Logan live on 40 acres off of 45 South in Lowndes County, MS, surrounded by Black Prairie land. I always love shooting new things, and this was certainly different from what I am use to shooting. Beautiful day, perfect weather and, at the end of the hunt, some of the best catfish I have ever had in my life! Lots of fun, I hope to do it again soon.

It was my first dove hunt...but not Dana's.

Lex and Daddy

Looking West on Neils land. Absolutely beautiful.

Mary Beth and Logan Waggoner

Lex and Daddy carting hunters to their spot.

Lex Waggoner

Lex Waggoner, Neil Waggoner and Ken Kemp.

Ken Kemp and Neil Waggoner. I have known these two for MANY years. Ken and I played tee ball together in Propst Park in 1979.

Dana and I hopped on the 4 wheeler with Neil and rode the property.

Botanic Gardens- Memphis, TN

2011-08-08T05:57:00.001-07:00

This past weekend weekend, on the occasion of my 40th birthday, I paid my first visit to the Memphis, TN Botanic Gardens. Although it is August in the South, and I was sweating like Snookie in a spelling bee.....I had a great time. Now, I have been visiting Memphis my entire life, but I had never been to, much less heard of this place. I recommend this hidden little gem to anyone visiting Memphis. Not necessarily in August, though. It's chock full of beautiful, colorful gardens, Japanese Koi Fish ponds, nature trails and lush green lawns. Here is a sampling of the 200 + photos I managed to take before near heat exhaustion. Enjoy!

Pic Of The Day 6-3-2011

2011-06-03T09:56:00.000-07:00

Bryan Foods, in West Point, MS. Being torn down:(

Aaron and Beka

2011-06-02T12:24:00.001-07:00

My nephew Aaron and his lovely bride Beka:)

Pic Of the Day 5-9-2011

2011-05-09T16:52:00.000-07:00

Dr. Hal Jenkins, Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs at MUW is retiring after 12 years at MUW and over 30 years in education. He is from Kosciusko, MS, which is where my Dad's family is from. But we are not related. He is like family, though! Congratulations, Dr. Jenkins. Enjoy your retirement.

Electrician's Porn- Pic of the Day 4-17-2011

2011-04-17T10:22:00.000-07:00

I am big fan of textures and lines. These are the breaker panels for Shattuck Hall at MUW.

Pic of the Day 3-8-2011

2011-03-08T07:37:00.000-08:00

Happy Mardi Gras!

These images have nothing whatsoever to do with Mardi Gras, but they ARE from my recent trip to NOLA two weeks ago.

Pic Of the Day 2-21-2011

2011-02-21T15:15:00.000-08:00

Room With A View

After 19 years at MUW, and countless university trips to hotels and motels across the South, THIS is the room I get in New Orleans.....22nd floor, CORNER room. This is the stuff photographers dream of, but never get. Well, I got it! And you get this wonderful HDR photo of downtown New Orleans. Composited in Photoshop CS5's HDR PRO, from 5 images. Oh, how I love my new 1D Mark II!

Pic Of the Day 2-15-2011

2011-02-15T22:49:00.000-08:00

Dick Gregory, comedian and civil rights activist, speaks to the Ina E. Gordy Honors College at Mississippi University for Women.

Global Warming in the South....

2011-02-10T01:40:00.001-08:00

Not since my childhood (which took place from the Mid-Seventies to the Mid-Eighties) can I remember snow like we got tonight in Columbus. That white, fluffy, beautiful snow that you just don't usually see in the South. And what perfect timing it was.....I just received my brand new Canon 5D MK II and my 16-35 lens a few days ago. So we ventured out into town tonight to get some photos. An opportunity like this doesn't come along very often here. In a few short months, it will be 94 degrees at around 100% humidity. I shall the look back on these photos fondly at that time and possibly yearn.....

Corner of 5th Ave. and 9th Street South, Columbus.

Tree outside Stark Recreation Center, MUW campus.

Stark Recreation Center, MUW Campus

Outside Cromwell Communications Center, West Parking lot, MUW Campus

Downtown Columbus, intersection of 7th and Main

Caleb and Dana crossing 5th St South at Main St.

Downtown Columbus, MS

Intersection of Hwy 45 north and Main Street

Our Back patio

Our back patio, again.

Back of our apartment

Amzi Love Home, in HDR

Global Warming in the South

2011-02-10T01:40:00.000-08:00

Pic Of the Day 2-4-2011

2011-02-05T12:08:00.000-08:00

HDR With Canon 5D Mark II

Home of Mike and Betty Waters, 2 different exposures, merged to HDR PRO in CS5.

Pic Of the Day 2-3-2011

2011-02-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

Town and Tower Club's annual Community Prayer Breakfast, Columbus Country Club.

Tech Info: Canon EOS 5D MArk II

16-35 L-Series Lens at 35mm

2.8, 1/60th at 4000 ISO

Pic Of the Day 1-25-2011

2011-01-25T22:47:00.000-08:00

Las Vegas, 2001. I went to the WEVA (Wedding and Event Videographers Association) conference. I know, sounds exciting, right? This was the view from my room. I need to go back, soon.

Pic Of the Day 1-22-2011

2011-01-22T07:58:00.000-08:00

Four Generations

Today's photo of the day is very dear to my heart. It honors four beautiful women, inside and out. Clockwise, from top left, Nell Trapp, Her granddaughter and our dear friend Ashley Bowler Matthews, Ashley's mother Judi Bowler and Ashley's daughter Aven. Judi passed away yesterday after a battle with lung cancer, two days after her 59th birthday. I shot a series of photos back in the Fall when she first got sick, and this particular photo was Ashley's idea, and I am so glad she suggested this to me!

Ms. Nell, Ashley and Aven now have a beautiful new angel in heaven watching over them. I am blessed to have known you, Ms. Judi. Fear not, for you have a lot of very caring people watching after your mother, daughters and granddaughter. Say hello to Mikey for us;)

Pic of the Day 1-20-2011

2011-01-20T23:30:00.000-08:00

I love infrared photography! And I really want to get back to shooting some IR, it has been a while. I shot this photo February 7, 2008 in Friendship Cemetery in Columbus, MS.

Tech Info: Canon EOS 5D on a Bogen tripod

f 4.0, Shutter 5 sec, ISO 250

Canon 50mm 1.4 prime lens with Infrared filter

Pic Of The Day 1-19-2011

2011-01-19T23:54:00.000-08:00

I shot this today during a trip to Jackson for the first Higher Education Day at The Capitol. That's about all I have to say about that:)

Tech Info: Canon EOS 1D Mark II

f 7.1, shutter speed 1/250 ISO 400

Lens Canon 28-135, Focal length 135mm

Pic Of The Day 1-16-2011

2011-01-16T16:42:00.000-08:00

I have been playing around in Photoshop, giving photos a look of tilt shift photography. This is my first attempt, a photo from a MS Braves game August 21, 2009.

Pic Of The Day 1-14-2011

2011-01-14T07:05:00.000-08:00

This photo was taken March 5th, 2010 in Rent Auditorium at Mississippi University for Women. The African Children's Choir, brought to Columbus by the Columbus Arts Council.

Tech Data: Canon EOS 1D MKII

70-200mm 2.8 L-Series lens at 200mm focal length

1/60, f 2.8, ISO 1000, no flash

Pic Of The Day 1-13-2011

2011-01-13T09:29:00.000-08:00

OK, new year, new Macbook PRO, new copy of Photoshop CS5, and a renewed sense of focus creativity....I am going to start doing a picture of the day on my blog. Now I am in no way delusional enough to believe that I can have the discipline to update this daily, but I will make every effort to update it as often as possible. So, this is the first installment.

Meet Carrie Holliday Hamilton, longtime friend, graduate of MUW and fiercely loyal Widespread Panic fan! Carrie and her husband Ray, who has a Culinary Arts degree from MUW, own Anthony's Market in West Point, MS. I was sent there on assignment last night to cover Blues Night for a new magazine that is being launched by The Commercial Dispatch. Blues Night is every Wednesday from 7-10. The music is great, and the food is unbelievable. So check it out! This is one I caught of Carrie just sort of relaxing before the music started.

Tech info: Canon EOS 5d Mark II, F5.o, Shutter 1/60, ISO 1000, Canon 580 EX Flash bounced off of a wall.

Tennessee Williams Tribute- Sweet Bird Of Youth

2010-09-13T08:08:00.001-07:00

One of the things I have come to love in recent years is shooting theater photos. As most of you know, my hometown, Columbus, MS, is the birthplace of famed playwright Tennessee Williams. Perhaps you have heard of some of his work: A Streetcar Named Desire, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, The Glass Menagerie, The Rose Tattoo, and many more.

Columbus is also home to the annual Tennessee Williams Tribute. You may remember my post from last year's production, A Streetcar Named Desire. This year's production was Sweet Bird Of youth, directed by my friend Rus Blackwell. Again, I feel truly blessed to make a living doing something I love. I hope it comes across in my photography. Enjoy!

Air Show May 2010- Columbus Air Force Base, MS

2010-08-11T14:10:00.000-07:00

So, apparently I have not updated my blog since we were still wearing long sleeves. My bad. trying to do better!

These are from Wings Over Columbus this past May. I love shooting the Thunderbirds! Especially on clear days with blue skies and circular polarizing filters! Enjoy. More to come soon, pinkie swear.

Maryneff's second annual birthday fish fry- Greenwood, MS

2010-03-29T20:12:00.001-07:00

I spent my Sunday afternoon with my dear friends Nick and Maryneff for the second annual Maryneff's birthday delta fish fry in Greenwood, MS. These are two of my dearest friends in the world. Chef Nick works at Giardinas Restaurant, at the Alluvian Hotel in Greenwood, and is a product of MUW's Culinary Arts school. Maryneff teaches high school art. These are two beautiful souls that I am proud to call my friends;)

Our master fish fryer Willie Leflore, his lovely wife Romona and their baby Annabelle.

Yep, you're in Saints country!

Conecuh- pork sausage made in Mississippi

Nick, Maryneff and Freida;)

Mona, Lecrisha and Maryneff

Lecrisha and Maryneff

Maryneff's hall of photos. LOVE their house!

Palm Sunday

2010-03-28T22:02:00.001-07:00

This past weekend we celebrated Palm Sunday at our church, Beersheba Cumberland Presbyterian Church. I have gone to this church all my life, my mother was raised there, and my parents married there some 51 years ago. I have a very special place in my heart for that little country church. Caleb sang with the children's choir, just as I did many times as a child. Ah the memories;)

Autumn in the South

2009-11-17T11:21:00.000-08:00

Ah, fall at last! It's probably my favorite season for several reasons. Relief from the oppressive Mississippi heat and humidity, COLLEGE FOOTBALL (specifically the SEC) and the magnificent colors. Here are some recent photos from around Columbus, with the exception of the last three photos, which were taken in North Carolina, about eight years ago. Still appropriate though.

Jim Gibson- Pianist, and all around good human being!

2009-11-16T09:25:00.000-08:00

So I have a new friend in the music industry, and his name is Jim Gibson. I had the opportunity to photograph Jim when he was here a couple of weeks ago for the Decorative Arts & Preservation Forum and Antiques Show and Sale. He played Friday evening in MUW's Carrier Chapel. Besides being an incredibly talented piano player, Jim is just one of those all around good people. A rare find, especially in the music industry. I really wish I had more time to hang out with Jim, but time did not permit on this trip. Click here to hear a sample of Jim's amazing musical abilities. Also check out his website.

Streetcar Named Desire

2009-09-13T19:34:00.001-07:00

Last week, I had the honor of photographing a fantastic production of Streetcar Named Desire, which played in Rent Auditorium on the campus of Mississippi University for Women as part of Columbus' Tennessee Williams Tribute.

The show was directed by the incredibly talented Rus Blackwell, who's acting credits include The Curious Case Of Benjamin Buttons, Drop Dead Diva's, Monster, One Tree Hill, Law And Order, and WAY too many more to list on my tiny blog. Check out his IMDB page to see more.

Starring my dear friend and colleague Brook Hanemann as Blance DuBois, Brian Landis Folkins as Stanley Kowalski. Brian is also a photographer, who shoots a lot of music festivals in Colorado...so naturally, I found new friend for life in this cat. Sarah Claire Smith as STELLA!!!! And a host of uber talented actors of screen and stage.

Now, this is the kind of stuff I love to shoot. It is very challenging, and I am forced to use all of the technical photography skills that I have worked so hard all these years to acquire....in order to get images that are usable. I did not want to use a flash, I wanted to use house lights....that so many people spent SO many hours perfecting. So it was more about honoring their efforts than just me not wanting to get a bunch of blown out sunshine-level flash photography. Here is the result. I am pretty pleased. Who knows, maybe a career in theatre photography when my tenure at MUW ends???

Enjoy.

Chris

No this was not part of Streetcar, just Brian entertaining us between set changes;)

Long Live Baseball!

2009-08-24T08:45:00.000-07:00

I love Baseball....and for as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a professional baseball player. I finally realized about a year and a half ago that that's probably not going to happen......oh well. Now I love photography, so it's all good.

Friday night was Lions Night at the Mississippi Braves Game, The Atlanta Braves AA affiliate team. My Dad got to throw out the first pitch. Pretty cool if you ask me. Caleb and I went down on the field with him, which was also super cool. My parents use to take me to Braves games as a kid in Atlanta, so it was very special to me to be able to take Caleb his first baseball game. In the words of John Bell, Lead Singer of Widespread Panic, "Long Live Baseball!"

A "Model" Prisoner

2009-07-29T15:06:00.000-07:00

Meet Robert Himburg.

He is serving time in the Rayburn Correctional facility in Louisiana for burglary. You see, Robert use to use his hands to crack safes. Now he builds models with them.....unbelievably detailed models of ships, trains, etc.

My dear friend and colleague Brook Hanemann is an MUW Theatre Professor. Her father Danny works for the Rayburn Correctional Facility where Himburg is incarcerated. Last fall, he commissioned him to build a "Streetcar Named Desire" for Brook since she is a huge Tennessee Williams fan....who, by the way, was born right here in Columbus, Mississippi. Low and behold, while it was being made for her, she found out that she will be playing Blanche in an upcoming production of "Streetcar," as part of the Tennessee Williams festival here in Columbus in September. Funny how things work out.

So here is the model. He was not allowed to use any power tools, and only had photographs to look at. He didn't even have a model for reference....just a stack of photos. This is the most amazing piece of craftsmanship I have ever seen. The rivets on the outside are tiny drops of glue....there is even a folded up newspaper lying on one of the seats, and tiny hydraulic lines under the wheels, and working LED lights in the roof.

If the stars line up, Brook and I are supposed to go interview him at the prison for a short documentary on how he built it. The model will be on display in the lobby of Rent Auditorium on the Mississippi University for Women campus during production of the play, hopefully with a DVD of the interview playing beside it.

Brook's mother, Marcelle Hanemann, is a journalist, and has written a couple of stories about him and his models, which got picked up by the associated press and were printed in several papers around the country. read the stories and there are photos of an incredible ship he built as well.

We carted this masterpiece around the fair city of Columbus today and took these pix. Once again, I LOVE my job!

Enjoy!

Happy Birthday America!

2009-07-06T09:28:00.000-07:00

I love fireworks....and I love photographing them. These are from the 2009 Fourth of July show at the Columbus Lock and Dam. I battled ant bites and mosquitos for an hour and a half to get these. I think it was worth it;)

Enjoy.

Chris

Dismals Canyon

2009-06-12T13:02:00.000-07:00

The Dismals Canyon, located in Northwest Alabama about 30 miles South of Muscle Shoals, is an amazingly beautiful place unlike anything I have ever seen in this area. It is located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, so there are lots of beautiful rock formations, streams, caves and waterfalls.

It was first inhabited by a tribe of Paleo Indians nearly 10,000 years ago, and later by the Pueblo, Chickasaw and Cherokee Indians. There is a lot of history there, yet it's not a state park. It's privately owned and operated. I highly recommend making a drive up there some lazy afternoon. The trail is only 1.5 miles, so it's a relatively short hike.

Here are some photos from last weekends trip. CAleb and his cousin Laina were our guides;)

Enjoy.

Space Shuttle Atlantis Visits Columbus AFB

2009-06-03T14:41:00.000-07:00

Wow, after six months without posting a new blog, I am finally back in the saddle! This is hopefully the first of several I will be posting over the next few weeks.

Yesterday, the Space Shuttle Atlantis stopped at Columbus Air Force Base to refuel on it's way back to Kennedy Space Center in Florida. I got the opportunity to photograph it, and Caleb got to go as well. He is all about space and rockets now, so he had a blast. We were at the north end of the runway, close enough to feel the wind off of the plane when it passed over. Incredible experience!

I think I got some really good shots. For you technical types, I was dripping in Canon digital gear. I had my 1D Mark II (this body shoots 8 frames per second.....yes, 8)with my 100-400mm lens in one hand, and my 5D with a wide angle in the other, both of which had circular polarizing filters on them.

We had to sit in the sun for about two hours waiting, but it was well worth it, or at lease Caleb and I though so;)

Enjoy!

Tallahatchie Flats Revisited

2008-11-10T18:21:00.001-08:00

This past weekend, we returned to the Tallahatchie Flats in Greenwood, MS. My cousin Amber was in town from California, so I took her along this time. I think her friends back home think this is still how we live here in the south....silly Californians;)

Caleb also came along on this trip, and he had a blast! We climbed on antique tractors, walked through a cotton field down to the banks of the Tallahatchie River, and roasted marshmellows over the bonfire that Mr. Bubba built...Mr. Bubba is the owner, caretaker and permanent resident of the Flats. He is quite a character, and quite nice!

To see photos from our first visit, look in the March 2008 folder.

Chris

Me and my cousin Amber;) You can't see it, but my
shirt says "Dirty South." Always representin' baby!

Plymouth Bluff Environmental Center

2008-11-03T10:10:00.001-08:00

Yesterday it was beautiful here! So we loaded up the Pathfinder and headed out to Columbus' best kept secret...The Plymouth Bluff Environmental Center. This is a beautiful facility located on the banks of the Tombigbee River, rich in geological history dating back hundreds of thousands of years. There are many fossils and sharks teeth buried in the bluff from years of ocean flooding....LONG before our time. There are also about 3 miles of nature trails, and the sunset over the river is stunning. Especially this time of year with the changing of the leaves. I highly recommend taking a trip out there before winter. As usual, Caleb had a blast, and I of course took about 180 photos. Here are a few;)

Enjoy.

Kim and Ben (This one is a real wedding;)

2008-10-13T13:03:00.001-07:00

These photos are from a wedding I shot a couple of weeks ago. Meet Kim and Ben. Super nice people! I really enjoyed this one, and unfortunately I cannot say that about every wedding I shoot. The reception was at The Veranda in Starkville, MS, and included blackened catfish with crawfish sauce, some super tasty spring rolls and sweet tea...maybe that had something to do with it;) Why aren't all wedding receptions like this? Enough with the little Quiche tarts and punch already!

Enjoy, and congratulations to Ben and Kim!

Chris

Tony and Tina's Wedding

2008-10-08T12:44:00.001-07:00

This past spring, I made my theatrical debut. My dear friend Brook Hanemann, (In the center of the above photo) Professor of Theatre at MUW, talked me into this one night after one or six Vodka and Cranberry's. Now keep in mind, I had never so much as been in a school play. I reluctantly agreed, and I must say, it was one of the most fun experiences of my adult life. I played a hung over, pissed off, disgruntled wedding photographer....I know, a big stretch for me. So I had to take a whole bunch of inappropriate photos while drinking on the job, flirting with a stripper and various female guests, and miss a lot of important photos....Really? Are you serious? I can SO do this!

This was a very different theatre experience. It was very interactive. The audience danced with the cast, ate dinner, had drinks, just like a real wedding. So some of these photos have audience members in them, doing completely unscripted activities.

We put on four shows, and I was really shooting during each one. So I had somewhere around 2200 photos by the end of the run. I managed to cut them down to 68 of my favorites. Enjoy! And Thanks Brook, you are awesome, and MUW is lucky to have you. PLEASE STAY!!!!

Caleb Playing Soccer

2008-09-16T21:18:00.000-07:00

Last Monday marked yet another milestone, I guess you could call it, in my life as a parent. Caleb started soccer practice. Now keep in mind, I have played organized sports for as long as I can remember. My entire childhood was spent playing either football behind Joe Cook Junior High School, or baseball in Propst Park, endless practices in the middle of of a HOT Mississippi summertime, working on base running, hitting the cutoff man from right field, or in slightly more tolerable weather conditions in the fall blocking linemen during a fullback slant to the right, running end around reverse plays.

My parents were ALWAYS there. No matter what. I cannot remember one game or band competitions (and there were hundreds) that both of my parents were not there. Looking back, that had a huge impact on who I am as a man and as a parent today. Their love and support pretty much made me who I am today. Put it this way, if you could go shopping for parents in a store, Howard and Linda Jenkins would be the ones that no retailer could keep in stock. Once again, thanks Mom and Dad. By the way, my parents will be married 50 years this December 21! I can never repay them for what they did for me and my three brothers. I can only try my best to return the favor with my own child.

The first two are of Caleb scoring his first goal (even if it was in practice.) It was a big moment for him, and me. The first thing he does is run to the sideline and hug his mother. There are just no better moments on earth than these.....

And for those new to my blog, My son Caleb is the one with the curls;)

2008-09-01T18:25:00.000-07:00

We went to Orange Beach this weekend despite the impending threat of Hurricane Gustav. Caleb has been dying to go to the beach this summer, and this was pretty much the only chance we were going to get. He had a blast as usual, and we managed to get three days in at the beach before the mandatory evacuation Sunday morning. As I was editing these photos, it occurred to me how big he is now, and how fast he is growing up. I don't like it at all......so I am making a conscious effort to enjoying every second of it. Rather than dwell on the things I do not have, I make it a point daily to remember the things I do have. I am truly blessed. He is my heart, my soul, my life.

Music Photography

2008-08-25T21:25:00.000-07:00

My parents took me and my brother Steve to see Queen in Atlanta Georgia when I was 8 (Mom, Dad, that was pretty damn cool of you.) I was amazed by what I saw. Don't get me wrong, Queen was really good, but it wasn't so much the band as the experience. The energy, the crowd reactions…..it is something that is with me to this day. I love to watch live music, and I love to photograph it.

I have been fortunate enough to shoot some really good bands over the last few years….Widespread Panic, LL Cool J, Sister Hazel, John Mayer, Robert Randolph, Ben Harper, The Funky Meters, North Mississippi Allstars, Whild Peach (Outkast’s studio and stage band) Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and several very good local bands. Out of 900 plus photos, I managed to narrow it down to around 60. Enjoy!

Hope and the Family Jewels (what a great name for a band)

2008-08-17T08:40:00.001-07:00

I have recently noticed that a LOT of my friends are musicians. Let's face it, musicians are just cooler than most people;) This is a new band in Columbus made up of my friends Jeremy Swain, Aja Wilson, Justin Kleiber and Hope......well, I don't really know Hope so I don't know her last name, but holy crap can she sing....It's a nice little blend of New Orleans funk, a little soul and a whole lot of badass. Go see them, it's worth the $3 cover, and being in a bar that is basically a doublewide trailer. More music blogs to come.....

Cypress Trees and Rusty Tubes

2008-08-12T21:14:00.000-07:00

Las Vegas 2001

2008-08-12T20:52:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos from early in my photography career, a 2001 trip to Vegas for, of all things, a wedding videographers conference......can you imagine the excitement in that convention hall.......

Sunrise at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

2008-08-12T20:21:00.000-07:00

Savannah, Georgia Fisheye

2008-08-12T19:21:00.001-07:00

Special thanks to Renee Reedy Photography for supplying me with a fisheye lens for my South Carolina/Georgia trip!