Queens University held its annual 2013 Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year event on March 7, 2014. The award honored Lynn Good, president and chief executive officer of Duke Energy, for her achievements and contributions to the success of the largest electric power company in the United States. Whitney Combs, Assistant Director of Marketing at Queens University, put on this beautiful event and did a fabulous job. Enjoy the photos highlighting this fantastic afternoon.
While visiting friends back in Jackson Hole, Wyo., my friend, Kelsey, informed me about a dessert that apparently convinced her to move to Jackson. This may sound irrational, but if you knew Kelsey, you would understand. So naturally, I had to see what this Kelsey-moving dessert was all about. The s’more delicacy is served at local watering hole, Snake River Brewery, which also serves a killer bowl of elk chili. When the plate arrived, I couldn’t believe how awesome it looked. I had no intention of taking photos that afternoon, but there’s no way I could pass this up. It was gorgeous. After getting lip from Kelsey to hurry up the photo shoot and and stop torturing her, we finally dug in. Holy graham crackers, was this plate good. Needless to say, Kelsey and I practically licked the plate clean. I can not wait to go back next year.
During my trip back to Jackson Hole, Wyo., I teamed up with freelance reporter Kelsey Dayton to cover a feature story for Wyoming Wildlife Magazine on the new trend of snow biking tours. I was a bit apprehensive at first about photographing the story; biking on dry roads can be strenuous enough for me, so I could only imagine how tough it would be riding through snow, especially while hauling photo gear. But, I decided to take a chance and try it out. We arrived at Teton Mountain Bike Tours, where we met owner David Hunger. This particular morning was unusually wet and windy, but the energy coming from David was electric; he was clearly not phased by the weather. What I’ve always loved about Jackson locals is how excited they are about everything outdoors-related. The weather was not going to stop him from giving us a fun tour. David showed us around his store, and pointed out the bikes we’d be using that morning. These tires were huge. Imagine mountain bike tires, but twice as wide and twice as tall. The bike frames are specifically designed to handle extremely wide tires, which naturally cover more surface area, making it easier to ride through the snow-covered paths. There are even studded snow bike tires available for conditions that may need some extra grip. David pointed out the areas on a map of where we would be traveling that morning, and began loading the bikes. To my surprise, the bikes were not heavy at all. My small, 115-pound frame could easily pick up the bike and lift it above my shoulders to load into the truck bed.
After a short 15-minute drive through the beautiful Gros Ventre area north of town, we pulled over and started unloading the bikes. The area was beautiful. Snow covered trees and hills sparkled as the sun peered through wispy clouds. Other than the occasional gust of heavy wind, we had picked an ideal day for the activity. Carrying a backpack full of photo gear was occasionally challenging, but the photos I came back with made it worth the struggle. The next time you head out for your annual ski trip, remember to look into a snow biking tour. It’s a phenomenal way to take in the landscapes of this winter wonderland while getting a good work out.
Last night, I put up this wonderful little bird feeder that Brandon bought me for Christmas. It took me awhile to come up with the right spot where we could enjoy watching them feed from the comforts of our home. After finally putting it up, it was welcomed with open beaks from dozens of different birds. I couldn’t help but snap off a few shots of these two beautiful cardinals that frequented the feeder. Their bright plumage offered the perfect pop of color to this otherwise rainy, gloomy day. Look forward to having more of these little friends around.
I miss the snow. So, when a snow storm hits Charlotte, it makes me giddy and excited. Snow hit around 2 p.m. in my neighborhood, and I waited until dusk for it to accumulate enough to take some fun photos near the house.
Images © Tricia Coyne 2014
Hundreds of Queens supporters got together to celebrate the the 24th annual Royal Society dinner. The evening started off with a lovely celebration of the newly established Levine Center for Wellness and Recreation. President Pamela Davies thanked donors for their extraordinary generosity, and gave tribute to philanthropists Leon and Sandra Levine and Ravenel and Beth Rivers Curry for their great contributions to the project. The night continued into the Frances Young Dining Hall, where guests celebrated Queens’ progress, reflected on the school’s year-end achievements, and looked ahead to future goals. Guests rolled in laughter during an upbeat video tribute to the Levines, and tears couldn’t stop flowing after an incredibly moving speech from Queens University student athlete Alexys Taylor. It was a wonderful evening, and I take pleasure in sharing a few memorable moments from the event. Enjoy!
I had the honor of being asked to shoot the grand opening ceremony of the Queens University Levine Center, a brand new wellness and recreation facility. Things didn’t quite go as planned, however. The original idea to have the ribbon cutting outside was thrown out the window when a huge storm decided to roll in at the last minute. Rain didn’t damper anyone’s spirits, though. This building was astonishing and HUGE! The 145,000-square-foot building had no problem housing the hundreds that would show up indoors to celebrate it’s grand opening. Floor to ceiling lobby windows made for such a great first impression, and provided wonderful lighting for the event. Charlotte philanthropists Leon and Sandra Levine performed the official ribbon cutting as hundreds of onlookers and supporters cheered on. The three-story facility has an indoor basketball/volleyball court, a 5,000-square-foot fitness center, 33-meter stretch swimming pool, and indoor track! I can only imagine how happy these students are going to be enjoying this building. Enjoy this little recap of the event!
A good friend put me in touch with Joel, who was looking to get some portraits done for a book he recently wrote and published. Who doesn’t love an author? Working with Joel was wonderful. His ear-to-ear smile and cheerful personality made the session delightful. It was a privilege working with him and providing some photos for his marketing campaign. Here are a few of my favorites from that morning. Make sure to check out his website and book, too!
I recently completed a video project with the National Council on Teacher Quality highlighting the best Teacher Ed programs in the nation. Today, NCTQ released their Teacher Prep Review along with four videos I produced for them. Their article is currently the top read story on The Washington Post! Check out the videos and visit the NCTQ Blog.
Had the pleasure of working with Drew Parham and a few others members of the Audio To Go Entertainment team as they hosted Providence High School’s Prom at the Bank of America Stadium. I always love covering the short prom season and watching students cut loose. Providence was definitely ready to party, which made for some great footage!
North Carolina DJ Drew Parham rocks a Prom for Providence High School in Charlotte, NC from Audio To Go on Vimeo.
