When you're asked to make portraits of exceptional people, it's best to have an exceptional idea. The alumni magazine at UNC Chapel Hill annually recognizes a group of outstanding graduating seniors. After brainstorming with Jenna, Griffin and art director Kate Anthony we came up with the idea of making a portrait of each senior in front of a personal inspiration board. The success of the shoot hinged on our ideas AND the cooperation of five people I did not know. Our seniors surpassed my expectations all providing great props. Their boards were as interesting as their personal stories. Our group was comprised of a Rhodes Scholar (Rachel Myrick), a hopeful Parisian baker (Duncan Culbreth), a nonprofit creator (Camille McGirt), a math teacher (Jackclyn Ngo) and a future fighter pilot for the NATO alliance (Kyle Swartz). Exum Photography joins the Carolina Alumni Review Magazine in celebrating these seniors, and we wish you the best in all your future endeavors!  

Bill Ziefle is President and CEO of Divers Alert Network, also known as DAN. DAN is the diving industry's largest association dedicated to scuba diving safety, and the organization has served scuba divers for over 30 years. DAN also provides emergency assistance, medical information resources, educational opportunities and more. Scuba diving is one of my greatest passions in life. I am honored that DAN asked me to make public relations portraits of Bill Ziefle. It was a pleasure to meet Bill and his wife Julz. Julz picked out and styled handsome Bill's wardrobe. Thank you Bill and Julz. Below my wife Molly hangs on to underwater treasure, a sunken motorcycle at JMR quarry in Yanceyville, NC. 

King's Restaurant in Kinston, NC serves delicious ribs, hushpuppies, pulled BBQ and other homestyle cooked foods. Exum Photo did a food shoot for King's Restaurant back in October, and we are thrilled to see the images on display on their website. You can read about our shoot by scrolling back through our blog, and you can view all of the images at www.kingsbbq.com.

Exum Photography photographed golf professionals Bill Haas and Brandt Snedeker outfitted in Peter Millar clothing for a series of magazine ads. The Raleigh based apparel company sponsors both players, as well as newly signed brand ambassador Branden Grace. As it is the opening day of the Masters, Exum Photography would like to give our support and best wishes to all three golfers. We will look for you in your Peter Millar attire. Good luck gentlemen!

NC author and musician Bland Simpson is the unofficial chronicler not just of the Great Dismal Swamp but of the whole outer coastal plain. His eight books - a ninth is on the way - delve deep into the region's lore, people and geography. When Bland isn't writing prose, he's writing music; he often writes with Red Clay Ramblers, a Tony Award-winning string band. And on top of it all, Bland teaches aspiring writers at Chapel Hill. Bland graduated from UNC in 1970, and as a fellow UNC alum, I was honored to shoot Bland Simpson for Carolina Alumni Review Magazine. I ventured to the Great Dismal Swamp with my son Sawyer to gather images for the article. My associate Griffin and I donned chest waders and trekked out into a stand of cypress trees off Damascus Church road to pull off a portrait of Bland in a swamp. One of my favorite shots featured is a composite photo created by our graphic designer Jenna Moore. Jenna and I teamed up, experimenting with multiple swamp images to composite over Bland's head shot. We want to communicate that the Great Dismal Swamp and our coastal plains not only dominate Bland's writing but actually are a part of his being. Jenna's Photoshop work was phenomenal. Magazine designer Kate Anthony did an outstanding job with the layout. Love the lead photo! The prose by Mark Derewicz WAS my inspiration for the composite photo. Major thanks to Bland Simpson, the team at Carolina Alumni Review and my creative team here at Exum Photo.