Matt Nicolosi

Uh, Houston...

2008-05-12T00:44:00.002-05:00

Okay, so it looks like I lied when I said that if you currently subscribe to this (now) old blog you would automatically get email notification when I posted new content to the new blog with no effort required on you're part. These things never seem to go as smoothly as I envision in my head.

Sooo....

In order to continue to get notifications on new posts, I need you to do me a tiny favor and skip on over to the new blog (www.mattnicolosiblog.com) and click on the "subscribe" link in the upper right hand corner just below my logo. I promise I won't spam you with offers for the Ronco 5-tray electric food dehydrator or solar-powered blow dryers.

So, go ahead and head on over and sign (back) up. See you on the flip side.

This blog is so 2006...

2008-05-09T22:02:00.000-05:00

So there's good news and bad news. Bad news first? Okay, this blog is now officially closed for business. It's a difficult thing... she's been a good little blog, but like most things in our lives - or at least like the Big Wheel I used to cherish as an 8 year old - she's been replaced with something better. In case you missed it, that was the good news. So don't waste any more time here...

CLICK HERE TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE SHINY NEW BLOG

If you're a current subscriber to the blog, you should still automatically get notified by email anytime something is posted on the new and improved blog (blog 2.0 you might call it) - no effort required!

It's okay to take a moment to say goodbye to blog 1.0. She's given us some good times, and she'll still be here if you ever wanna come back and reminisce. She'll be missed, though... for about 2 seconds. Now go on, get outta here and stop in over at www.mattnicolosiblog.com. See ya there.

Yo, Mom... Happy Day!

2008-05-09T22:01:00.000-05:00

Hey, mom, I thought I'd step it up a bit from the "that's so 2005" traditional Mother's Day card this year and do something a little snazzier.

Love ya lots!

Genevieve & Sophie {sisters!}

2008-05-09T00:25:00.004-05:00

Okay, I dare you to tell me these two aren't beautiful. Go on... I dare you. Meet big sister Genevieve and little Sophie. Aren't those the coolest names, too? Man, I feel sorry for mom and dad when these two get a little older... they're gonna have to beet the pursuing princes away from the front door with a stick.

I met mom Sharon through a photographer's forum, and her and fellow photographer Karen asked me to come to Houston to photograph their families. I was especially honored - and a bit nervous - just because they're both photographers, so I couldn't bluff my way through their sessions. It's kinda like driving with a cop behind you... you just naturally get a little tense because they know when you're doing something wrong. I don't wanna give the impression Sharon and Karen were looking over my shoulder at all because they didn't in the least. They were great, and just let me do whatever I wanted to. It was just me creating the extra pressure in my mind I guess.

Anyway, both sessions went great, and I had a lot of fun during my weekend in Houston.

Here's some of the images from Sharon's family session. Stay tuned for a few from Karen's family in the next day or two.

Every Day Grace

2008-05-05T01:08:00.006-05:00

I feel very blessed that God has put Kylie in my life. We've been through some challenging times, especially recently, and we even went separate ways for awhile because of some things I needed to deal with and grow through. It's been a tough road at times and there's still a lot of work ahead, but God - through his mercy and grace - has recently given us another chance to renew & restore our relationship. Such a gift, and I'm so thankful. I'm excited about the road ahead.

Yesterday we took advantage of the killer weather and went down to the Dallas Railway Museum for a birthday party for her friend Laura's one year old son and then up to the Cottonwood Arts Festival to check out and stalk some featured photography artists.

Here's a few images from the day.

Too funny. We saw this sign painted on several of the vintage train cars, and I'm sure it has some kinda technical meaning to anyone who knows anything about trains, but we thought it was too funny to pass up. Hmmm... early 20th century subliminal Christian values marketing, maybe?? Kidding!

Back in the Saddle

2008-05-04T23:42:00.005-05:00

I'm finally home from Texas School, and I'm. Worn. Out. It was 5 awesome days of tons of photography instruction, a load of networking, and just a little fun. Just a little. [grin]. It's a good thing it's only 5 days - my body was going into shock from all the early mornings - both on the getting up and finally going to sleep. And after all the free fried/barbecued/greasy/grilled food I had all week, my digestive system rejected the first inkling of green, healthy food I ate when I got back Friday night. I can't even begin to guess what my calorie intake for the week was, but I'm half expecting a call from the FDA to do a case study on me any moment now.

It's good to be home, but I'm already looking forward to next year's school.

My friends Tina and Cecily went down with me this year, and we stopped a couple times on the way home to snag a few images. Here's a few of my favorites. We're such western wanna-be's.

We found this incredible old abandoned gas station near Normangee, TX. So cool, and so much character.

I love this shot of the gas pump with Cecily in the background. Check out the price of gas back in this station's hay day... $.31/gallon. Good grief - I need to get a horse.

Cecily just happened to have these sweet boots on during the trip home. Perfect for this shot.

Again with the boots.

Oh yeah, and Cecily grabbed this image of Tina trying to teach me how to 2 step early in the week. Dear Lord, I was terrible... further proof that God has a sense of humor. Sorry, Tina.

Check out Cecily looking all sultry.

And finally, here's Tina enjoying a little Spasmatic action.

Back To [Texas] School

2008-05-01T01:14:00.006-05:00

'What's the deal? How come he hasn't posted anything in a week??' I know all 6 of you out there have been wondering where all the new posts are and what's taking so long. In my head I'm hearing (in a voice fit for scolding a dog), "Bad blogger! Bad, bad blogger!!"

Sorry about that. This week I'm at Texas School on the Texas A&M campus in College Station with about a thousand other photographers from all over the country. This year I'm in Bry Cox's class, and he's one of the best around. Tons of awards. Amazing work. Sharp business skills... I could go on and on. I honestly don't know how he does it, because he's got a thriving one-man-show photography business and still has time to travel the country for speaking/teaching engagements as well as making time for his other talents including accomplished Jazz musician and authentic western pistol/rifle shooting ace.

Here's me with Bry doing what guys do... hanging out in from of men's bathroom doors.

"Photographing kids is exactly like hitting on women." ~Bry Cox.

This might be - no, is - the funniest analogy I've heard all week, but stay with me here... I think it's true (at least for the kids part). Often times when you first meet little kiddos at a photography session, they can be disinterested, shy, or scared of you. So, to get them to warm up to you, you've gotta slowly break down those barriers, so you talk to them for just a few seconds and then you walk away and leave them alone. After awhile, when you ignore them, they'll let their guard down and begin to show a little interest, and eventually they'll hopefully warm up to you.

I'll let the ladies out there be the judge on whether that works on them, but I know from experience it does work with kids. And don't shoot me, I'm just the messenger. We all laughed in class about that one, though.

It's been a long week with every day starting at 8:30 with class all day and then some type of social event ending late each night. I'm beat already, and it's only the end of day 3. But I'm having a ton of fun, too.

Here's a few more images from our event on Monday night at the Texas Hall of Fame.

This is my 4th year coming to Texas School, and this year my friends Cecily and Tina made the trip from Dallas to attend VIcki & Jed Tauffer's class.

Each year the Texas A&M Wranglers come out and put on an incredible show. TO call their stuff line dancing is an injustice. They are simply amazing and show more coordination and athleticism in 02 minutes than I've shown in my entire laugh. It's really part country-western dancing, part acrobatics, and a whole lotta fun.

The highlight of the night was the Spazmatics. The best way I can describe these guys is a cross between Devo and the guys from Revenge of the Nerds. They were freakin' hilarious and played all the great 80's songs. They rocked!

Yabba-dabba-doh!

2008-04-24T13:50:00.006-05:00

These are the things life's made of. I wish I could say these kinda things don't happen very often to me, but truth be told it's more frequent than I care to admit. Case in point - remember poor Mac? (On a side note, just this past weekend I left poor Mac's replacement in the seat back in front of me on my flight from Houston to Dallas, and I didn't realize it until I got all the way out to my car. Long story short, I'm sure I looked like OJ dashing through the airport in those old Hertz commercials, but I got the laptop back from the gate agent just before the plane went on to Toronto.) And just a couple weeks ago there was the pile of spaghetti that free-falled onto the white carpet below when the plate it was on just randomly snapped in half as I was carrying it to the couch. And I can't count the number of times I've searched for my car keys for more than a few minutes only to realize they're in my hand... I could go on (and on, and on), but I digress.

Any long time blog readers know I'm a big fan of Fruity Pebbles. Yes, I'm 35. Yes, I know 12 year olds love this Bedrock favorite. Yes, I know it's basically pure sugar. I. Don't. Care. Nothing you can say will change my fondness for the Pebbles. Sometimes I like to take a bowl with me to eat on the drive into the office. I know, I know... I shouldn't be eating and driving at the same time especially given my multi-tasking deficiencies, but it's a trade-off. I can either get up 10 minutes earlier in the morning and eat breakfast, or I can sleep in 10 more minutes and eat on the road. I dunno 'bout you, but it's no contest for me. Maybe God was telling me he doesn't approve of my choice because this morning as I was walking out the door with hands full, well... you can see for yourself below. Sorry Fred. Sorry Barney.

It's usually when I'm trying to do too much or too many things at once when these things happen. I think God's got a sense of humor (after all, He did invent it), and these are his ways of saying 'Slow down, chief. Maybe you need to focus just a bit more."

I'm getting the message. And I'm also getting more Fruity Pebbles.

Melanie {bridal images!}

2008-04-24T01:05:00.005-05:00

Last week I got to photograph my friend Melanie in her wedding dress for a few bridal images, and you're a lucky man, Mike... she looked gorgeous.

The whole thing almost didn't happen (the bridals, not the upcoming wedding), because to say that the weather looked ominous was an understatement. Melanie and I talked a couple times throughout the day as we watched the weather reports and kept checking the skies, and if there was any way possible to do the images on the day we scheduled it, we were going to make it happen. Ladies, you know how much planning, effort and money goes into getting the hair and make-up done and getting the dress on... it's an ordeal. Melanie was a good sport about it, and I kinda tried to talk her into rescheduling because the skies were dark and gray and it was sprinkling on the way to meet her at the park. We decided to just stick it out and make a decision once we both got there, and God smiled on us. Almost as soon as we pulled up, the rain stopped, the clouds parted and the sun even came out for a bit. Apparently God knows what an ordeal it is to plan these things, too.

Melanie told me I couldn't post anything until after the wedding so Mike couldn't see the dress until they get married a month from today. Whatever. Here's a few cool images from our session.

I love the way she's standing in this image. Looks so natural and relaxed.

Don't her eyes look amazing here. And her hair looks fantastic.

This is probably my favorite image from the session. Check out the way the sun's providing awesome backlighting on her hair and dress. Awesome.

Tamara

2008-04-24T00:37:00.007-05:00

I met Tamara almost 2 years ago at a party at Mike & Melanie's house, and after seeing their engagement images, she referred her newly engaged friends Casey & Samantha, and then she contacted me about doing some photography for her and her mom. Mom wanted to get some new photographs of her 'little girl', but Tamara only agreed to the deal if her mom came with her and was in a few of the images as well. Ahh... who says blackmail doesn't work?

Lemme tell ya, Tamara is one of those people that's just got an instant smile... it's hard work for her not to smile. Here's just a few images from our session.

Friends, Families, Festivals & (Craw)Fish

2008-04-20T21:21:00.009-05:00

I just got back from an awesome weekend where I got to visit some old friends and meet up with some new ones. I met Karen and Sharon - both from Sugar Land, TX - several months ago as part of a photography forum I'm a member of. We've become friends and I was honored - and a bit nervous since they're photographers as well - when they asked me to come to Houston to photograph their beautiful families. I'll post images of their precious little ones in upcoming posts, but I'll warn you, you may very well melt when you see their kids. Sooo sweet and adorable.

I took the 42 minute flight down to Houston on Friday and was stoked to find out that the guy sitting next to me on the plane was Jack Gruber, one of the 5 staff photographers for USAToday. (just a warning that if you check out Jack's site - and you should - a few of the images are a little graphic, especially those in the Irag, Afghanistan, Sunami sections) What are the odds? 42 minutes wasn't nearly enough time to hear all the amazing stories he has of the places he's been, the things he's seen, and the people he's met. Truly a down to earth guy and a pleasure to talk to.

In Houston, I was able to visit and stay with my friends Eric and Liz, and I can't thank them enough for their hospitality. I met Eric when he used to work at Texas Instruments and through him I met Liz, and they were gracious enough to trust me to photograph their engagement images and Liz's bridal images a little over two years ago when I'd never done any bridal photography. Not only did they pick me up and drop me off at the airport and give me an awesome room to stay in, they also gave me a car to use for the weekend, cooked me breakfast both mornings, took me to the annual Old Town Spring Texas Crawfish & Music Festival, and gave me unlimited play time with their sweet Schnauzer, Macy. How cool is that?

Here's a few images from the weekend.

Here's yours truly, Liz and Eric at the festival. It was pretty sunny out that day (probably somewhere in the neighborhood of a gazillion lumens if I had to guess), and Eric offered to take one for the team by letting me where his cool Oakley glasses while he sported the Elvis specs he picked up when they passed through Graceland a couple years ago. Thank you, Eric. Thank you very much.

Yah. Ummm, this is why I don't eat crawfish. I like my food a little more processed thank you very much.

Macy!!! She was my buddy the instant we met.

Meet Karen, Jen & Sharon. Jen is part of the same photographer forum and lives near Houston, so she met up with us for Sharon's session on Friday night and then went to dinner with us afterwards. My hat goes off to these ladies. I don't know how they do it - each of them is married with multiple children and still find time to have a photography business!

BTW, this photo was made possible by the kind folks at Apple. Long live the Mac and the iPhone!

Karen and Jen getting ready to assist with Sharon's session on Friday. This answers the question no one's been wondering, "Just how many photographers does it take to hold a 24" white balance disc?"

After dinner at Sambuca we walked around downtown Houston Friday night just to see if we could find any fun shots. (BTW, for anyone that's curious, all these night-time shots including the "iPhaces" image above were shot with the Nikon D3 with no external flash using only available street light @ ISO 5000.)

Having a moment of Zen on a street corner downtown. I couldn't keep my balance for more than 2 seconds, so not sure how Karen got this one.

Karen looking all saucy on the construction scaffolding.

Uh... don't ask. This is what dorky photographers do when they've got a camera and time to kill.

Don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.
Oh, c'mon... gimme a break. Tell me you weren't thinking it.)

Too easy. Dumb, I know. But easy.

Cara & Reed

2008-04-17T21:30:00.004-05:00

A couple days ago I had the pleasure of meeting Cara and her younger brother, Reed. Cara & Reed's mom, Rhonda, was the winning bidder in a recent auction benefiting the Legacy Christian Academy in Frisco, Texas. She was so sweet; she said she saw my friend Robyn's family images from last fall and she knew what she wanted to bid on. Thanks, Rhonda!

Cara is such a sweetheart - a little shy at first but she warmed up in no time and was so well-mannered... a blessing to photograph. Reed was your typical eight and a half year old boy - he was off exploring and checking out the park as soon as he got there throwing sticks into the pond and pulling lily pads out of the water and just doing what boys do... he was a trip down memory lane for me. Fun times!

Here's a few images from our time together.

I love this image because for me it probably most appropriately captures their personality and relationship. Cara was soft-spoken, patient and sweet while Reed isn't the type to sit still for very long, always looking to move on to the next adventure.

I've been labeled.

2008-04-17T10:16:00.001-05:00

So I saw this Personal DNA test on another blog, and decided to give it a try. At the end it spits out a report and a label that describes you. When I read my report, it's actually relatively accurate for me. There were a few things I questioned, but in general I agreed with much of it. Give it a try, and see if you learn something about yourself.

My personalDNA Report

Faithful Architect

Party for a Princess

2008-04-13T22:25:00.002-05:00

Princess Trinity turns 3 on tax day this week, so to celebrate the royal parents Jerry & Tina hosted a party and a feast for your highness. Cinderella even stopped by and entertained the court with some dancing, story-telling, a treasure hunt and a little face-painting.

Mom and dad really went all out for this one, which is nothing new for the Tackett's. They are truly the host(esses) with the most(esses).

Here's a few photos I managed to capture amidst the festivities.

Here's the invite. Tina designed and printed these on parchment paper and mailed them to the guests rolled up in a tube like a scroll.

What would a Cinderella party be without a glass slipper?

...or two.

...or 20.

Tina's super-talented friend Leanne made a whole castle full of cupcakes disguised as mice. Too cool.

As usual, Tina never misses a detail for these parties.

Ahem... a little subliminal [read: shameless] self-promotion for yours truly.

The best part about this image is the little knight sitting across from Cinderella watching her intently with his helmet on. Rocks.

No comment required.

Each knight and princess had a royal costume to change into when they arrived at the Tackett castle. This little guy was off looking for his damsel to rescue.

Knights un-armored and princesses back in their street clothes, it was time for some mice cake and other royal treats.

Cinderella and the birthday girl.

BTW, the castle was custom built by King Jerry and the Queen mom, Tina, using 2 refrigerator packaging boxes, an oven packaging box, some rope for the (working) draw bridges, and a whole lotta purple paint and brick stencilling. Nothing like doing a nice, small, low-key birthday party for your 3 year-old.

Emily & Reese {sisters!}

2008-04-12T01:41:00.003-05:00

Okay, seriously... who has kids that are this cute? I mean, c'mon... are you kiddin' me? Both big sister Emily and baby Reese have gorgeous big, blue eyes, and check out Emily's curly blond hair. Beautiful.

Mom Sarah and I have been trying for a few months to find a good time to have a session to capture her breath-taking little girls, and along with proud dad, Dan, we all met up in the Deep Ellum Arts District last weekend and made it happen. I couldn't be happier with the results. Then again, with looks like these two have, you'd have to try really hard to get a bad image.

I can't wait for mom and dad to see the rest of the images, but here's a few sneak peeks until then.

Huh, I learned something about me today...

2008-04-10T13:44:00.007-05:00

So, I guess I'm a heavy sleeper. Apparently there was a massive storm last night with trees and debris crashing down, utility poles snapping, and a few roofs being torn off of local dwellings, and I was oblivious to it all... good thing it wasn't serious or anything - sheesh.

If anything, this answers what I've sometimes wondered - if an intruder broke in in the middle of the night to rob me, what would I do? Well, apparently not much. Guess they could turn the lights on, make a few phone calls, maybe make them self a sandwich and play some music while they worked and I'd be none the wiser.

Funny thing is that I have no recollection of the noise and chaos of the storm, but what finally woke me up at 4:30 in the morning was when I was burning up in the absence of AC and a working ceiling fan with the power out. And I remember being annoyed about 7:30 this morning when I heard chainsaws workin' away outside, and I was thinking to my self, "What the hizzy?" I still don't have power, so I'm sitting at the Corner Bakery down the street takin' advantage of the free wireless and a not-so-free chicken panini sandwich...

Here's a few images of what I saw in the neighborhood when I finally walked outside a little later.

Something's brewing

2008-04-09T23:51:00.002-05:00

I've been planning & working on some new things for while now, and I'm stoked about one of the first thing on the list rolling out hopefully by the end of the month. Stay tuned.

Meet the LaScola's

2008-04-08T23:52:00.005-05:00

Admit it. It's just fun to say, isn't it? LaScola... I'm hearing the song, 'That's Amore' in my head (and now you probably are, too) as I let it role off the tongue.

My friend, Sarah (LaScola, it never gets old), had her brother, Matt (awesome name), his wife, Sandy, their little pride and joy, Joe, and her mom, Sally, in town recently, so we went to a local park and documented the fam before the next installation in the LaScola (nope, not tired of it yet) family arrives later this year. Congrats, Matt & Sandy!

Sarah just moved into her new house in Frisco and was nice enough to have a bunch of friends who didn't have family in town over on Easter for a HUGE dinner. We had a an Easter Egg hunt for little Trinity and Joe, although "hunt" might be a bit of a stretch - Trinity's mom and dad (Jerry & Tina) brought over somewhere in the neighborhood of about a million plastic eggs filled with candy, so Jerry, Matt & I ran out of hiding places in the back yard and just started tossin' them smack dab in the middle of the yard after a while. Trinity and Joe were practically trippin' over 'em as soon as they walked out the back door.(BTW, Sarah, did you ever get the egg out of the tree or are you still staring at it bitterly every time you walk outside?)

Here's a few images from our party in the park the day before.

Thanks, Sarah!

A little bit o' culture

2008-04-06T01:08:00.006-05:00

I had a photo session down in the Deep Ellum Arts District late this afternoon with two of the most adorable little sisters (more on them in an upcoming post), and this just happened to be the weekend for the Deep Ellum Arts Festival. Main Street was closed down to traffic and filled with local artists displaying their work, and there were three staging areas with local bands belting out their tunes. And of course, what would a festival be without corny dogs, funnel cakes and turkey legs - all of which I managed to avoid eating. Not that I didn't want to, but I was too lazy and impatient to wait in line to buy tickets to get the greasy goods. Back to the point.

As I weaved in and out of the crowd going from booth to booth, I was really impressed - and in a couple cases frightened & confused - by some of the work I saw. And regardless of what I thought, it's interesting to see how others think and see when they create their art. Some insanely talented people out there.

Beau Ethridge is one of those people. His work was fascinating to me. I don't even know how to describe it except that it had an urban, gritty feel to it.

Random skateboards that had been painted.

I wish I could remember the artist that created these, but she had these amazing glass mosaics that she framed when she was finished with them. Cool stuff.

Meet Spike. He was a bit camera shy, but can you blame him? Poor little guy.

And of course, I can't get enough of the vintage cars.

Then I found the Iona Handcrafted Books booth, and I was hooked. Mychal Mitchell (pictured below) and Edward Bailey, based in Austin - have been making these breathtaking journals and photo albums from all natural materials by hand for over 10 years now, and they are truly heirloom quality works of art. When I asked Mychal, she said she was inspired during a trip to Italy 15 years ago where she would see artists carrying around small books called Vade Mecum, which is Latin meaning "to go with me", and she decided she wanted to make these available here in the US. I couldn't resist, so I bought one to go with me. I'm stoked about it because I've got a cool idea about how I'm going to use it.

Here's an image showing just a small collection of the the sizes and finishes they had in the booth.

Here's the one I bought... couldn't wait to look at it when I got home.

If John Elderidge Could See Me Now

2008-04-03T23:20:00.006-05:00

I just posted about John Elderidge's book, Wild at Heart, not too long ago where he talks about one of the biggest issues men face today is that society seeks to create 'nice guys' by trying to take away the very warrior nature God instilled in them.

Need I say more?

I'm not sure what happened to my common sense that allowed Skye Hardwick to capture this shining moment of masculinity in all it's glory at her Austin workshop last weekend. I have no doubt that men everywhere feel so proud right now. Hey, at least a had a little 5 o'clock shadow goin' for me... that looks kinda tough, right?

In the words of arguably history's most emasculated male cartoon icon Charlie Brown, "Good grief."

It's time's like this I wish I had an 'undo' button for life.

Kool Kids

2008-04-02T18:35:00.005-05:00

So this weekend at Skye Hardwick's Soulographer Workshop, we had about 18 little kiddos running around Pioneer Farms in Round Rock, TX (near Austin). These little models were awesome and so freakin' cute - I wish I could've gotten to all of them.

Skye does truly artistic work with children, so it was great to see how she does it all. Check out some of her breath-taking images on her website.

Here's a few of the fun images from our photo shoot Saturday afternoon.

And finally, little Gabriel was amicable to letting me try out his cool guitar. Somehow I think it's only cool, though, 1) if you're a cute little kid or 2) you actually know how to play a guitar.

More Austin

2008-04-02T00:46:00.003-05:00

Here's a few more images from Austin this past weekend. This was a little park I stumbled upon when I was trying to find the hotel. I really cherish the times when I can just grab my camera and walk around in solitude just looking through the lens to see things a little differently. Very peaceful & relaxing, and I think it really helps keep the creativity fresh.

The next post will include a few images from the awesome kiddo models we got to photograph at the workshop, so stay tuned.

I thought this composition and the way the fence, tree and old house came together was pretty cool. This was photographed using the 14-24mm lens, I love wide angle lens in close-ups like this.

Slow shutter speed... 1/5th of a second

Fast shutterspeed - 1/2500th of a second.

Loved angles and perspectives in this image.

Detours

2008-03-31T22:55:00.011-05:00

Sometimes a problem or even just an inconvenience is God's way of telling you to try out a different route to get to something better. While that's a bit of a theme for me lately, this past Sunday it was just plain literal. I was on my way back from one of Skye Hardwick's Soulographer photography workshops in Austin (more on that in a later post) thinking about the awesome time I had, the cool stuff I learned, and the fantastic people I met when my post-workshop reminiscing party came to a screeching halt on I-35 near Hillsboro, TX. 'Perfect' I thought to myself (probably not the actual word I was thinking). First I thought it would be no biggie... it's Sunday afternoon so surely this was only a temporary slow-down caused by a minor fender bender. Tick. Tock. Ugh, what's the hold up? Tick. Tock. What a beating... my 3 hour drive is now 30 minutes behind schedule with no relief in site, and no obligatory road trip cheetohs in the car to distract me. Wait a minute... I've got an iPhone... and it's got Google Maps (and it's just cool in general which helps a little here). I tell it to locate where I'm at on the map, and see that if I get off I-35 I can wind through some back roads and skip all this mess and get back on the highway a few miles up ahead. Genius I am for being so resourceful and for buying my rock star iPhone. Yay, Apple.

Great idea... except the side roads were littered with detours and closings because of work being done on them. Stupid, over-priced iPhone didn't point that part out. Next thing I know I'm on some rinky-dink back road to no where when God turned my pile of lemons into a big ol' bucket of lemonade.

I love old, vintage cars no matter what kinda shape they're in. They're one of the things - if not the thing - I love to photograph most when it's just me and my camera out playing around. They just have so much character and history about them... classic Americana. I was actually just thinking about them a little earlier in the drive hoping I would see some close to the highway on the way home, but had pretty much given up on it. But because of this little traffic snafu that I was annoyed about, I took another route that turned into something cooler. Sometimes we don't alway get to travel the path we thought we would, but God always knows a better way.

Here's just a little taste of my lemonade He poured me on my trip home.

And here's a couple from a truck I saw on the way down to Austin

Dustin Cody Jackson {1986 - 2008}

2008-03-26T22:24:00.006-05:00

The family of fallen soldier Dustin Jackson has graciously given me permission to share this slide show of Dustin's memorial service on March 22nd. We often don't know or even think about those who have sacrificed - sometimes with their lives - to protect the freedom and liberties we, myself included, sometimes take for granted. As you witness this, please keep in mind and prayer all those who have served or are choosing to serve and protect this country in the face of an enormous personal risk. I can't think of anything more honorable and courageous.

Thank you again, Dustin, for your honor and commitment. May God rest your soul and abundantly bless and strengthen your loved ones.

If the slideshow seems to be running a little sluggish, it may be because of heavy server traffic related to the slideshow, and normally in that case if you come back to it after a few minutes it should run fine.

Well Done My Good and Faithful Servant

2008-03-23T13:54:00.010-05:00

I never met Dustin Jackson. I got to know him through the loving stories & memories his family shared about him yesterday. He was kind, pure of heart, astutely expressive (even when he was just 7), and always thoughtful of others above himself. Dustin, 21 and married 6 months ago to his wife Michelle, gave the ultimate sacrifice of himself in Iraq on March 12 in protecting all that we hold sacred in this country.

When I was first contacted late Thursday night by a friend of the family about photographing this service for the family (thank you, Jen, for giving Mandy my name), I was a little apprehensive because 1) I had a viewing and ordering session already scheduled for Saturday morning, and 2) I had never documented a full military funeral service (or any service for that matter), so I didn't know if I was the right person to capture these precious moments. But I thought about what this family and Dustin's wife must be going through, and the devastating loss they've already endured, and it was clear that this was the least someone could do for them. So I called Casey & Samantha and they were instantly supportive of rescheduling their appointment, and everything fell into place.

It was truly an amazing scene. The memorial and grave-side service were so heart-breaking, and at the same time so beautiful. You can't walk away from an experience like that and not be deeply impacted in how the military has such a profound sense of honor, duty and respect for their fallen service men and women.

And I was taken back by the number of people and especially Patriot Guard Riders that came out to show their respect for Dustin and stand for him since he stood for them - and all of us - by giving his life. American flags lined the streets outside the church and the pavilion in the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery where the grave-side service took place. The sound of bagpipes was eerily serene, the 21 gun salute followed by the Honor Guard playing Taps on the bugle was moving, and the folding of the flag that draped the coffin and presenting it Dustin's wife, mom and dad was one of the most emotional things I've ever witnessed. A fitting memorial for an outstanding young man.

Rest peacefully, Dustin. None of us can thank you enough for your service.

Out of respect for the family, I am creating a memorial slideshow for them but will only post it here if/when they're comfortable with me doing that. Either way, thanks for respecting their wishes.

Samantha & Casey {slideshow!}

2008-03-23T02:56:00.003-05:00

Here's the full slideshow of this crazy awesome couple from the post below. Aren't they fun?

Samantha & Casey {engaged!}

2008-03-15T17:08:00.008-05:00

Every once in a while you're fortunate enough to meet people and feel like the world is a better place because of them. Meet Casey and Samantha.

I knew just from the first time I talked to them on the phone about a photography session to celebrate their engagement that they were going to be a lot of fun. Lemme tell ya, they are A-W-E-S-O-M-E. God has blessed them with an amazing relationship, and their self-proclaimed "love birds" moniker couldn't be more accurate. The love these two share for each other is just so real and authentic and natural. I was truly inspired by them, and as a photographer one of the many cool things about them is that they're so relaxed and playful and willing to try anything. It doesn't get any better than that.

I think it helps that Casey and Sam are both musicians, so they're used to being in front of other people. In fact, they own and run the Creative Soul School of Modern Music in Watauga, TX, so check it out if you or your kids have ever had any interest in learning how to play cool tunes; music is their passion and their life.

Here's a few sneak peek images from the amazing session we had together. Casey & Sam, you're going to love your images... you guys rocked!

Wild at Heart {Recommended Reading}

2008-03-11T16:35:00.007-05:00

I don't claim to be an avid reader by any stretch. Actually, that's not true. I'm not an avid book reader. Blog posts? Love 'em. Magazine articles less than 6 pages? Sign me up. Anything photography related with a couple diagrams thrown in? I'm your guy. But when it comes to books, my attitude has generally remained the same since 4th grade... the fewer the pages and the bigger the pictures, the better the odds are I'll actually finish it. And those kinda books have gotten me to where I'm at so far. Those that know me are probably thinking, 'Hmmm... yah, that explains a lot.' Well, I finally agree.

I've seen patterns in my life lately that are difficult for me to wrap my head around, and these are opportunities for growth. We all have things we struggle with, and for me personally those things have hindered where I want to go and what I want to do with my life, and I'm trying to address those things and grow beyond them. Through the grace of God, I'll get there one day.

I don't want the blog to become a soapbox or a platform for me to preach, but every once in a while I experience or see things that I think can really help people, and I want to share those things. Enter Wild at Heart by John Eldridge. This book was given to me by someone special quite a while ago, someone who knew better than I did that this book could help me. I picked it up at one time or another on several occasions but never really committed myself to reading it, always putting it off telling myself "I'll get to it some day'. We all know what happens to 'some day', and so it sat on the night stand collecting dust. A series of circumstances over the last week and a half have caused me to take a 2nd look. All I can say is I wish I'd read this book years ago. I'm only half way through it, but it's enough to know I'd recommend it to others.

Wild at Heart deals with every man's struggle to live a life that's real and meaningful and in the image that God created him to be. We as men are taught at an early age by society and even in most churches that we should strive to be "really nice guys". If you think about it, almost every image you have ever seen of Jesus (maybe with the exception of the movie The Passion of the Christ) is one of a perfectly pleasant looking man with a mild and accepting demeanor. In reality, while Christ may have been this way, he was also very much a warrior and a protector demonstrating strength and passion. This is the image of God that most men - myself included - don't live up to. In fact, we're more afraid of what we're not and we will do almost anything to protect those insecurities. Ultimately in being molded into nice guys, we become bored and boring to others. Here's just a few lines form the book that really hit home with me.

"They may be misplaced, forgotten or misdirected, but in the heart of every man is a desperate desire for a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue."

"We are hiding, every last one of us. Well aware that we, too, are not what we were meant to be, desperately afraid of exposure, terrified of being seen for what we are and are not, we have run into the bushes. We hide in our office, in the gym, behind the newspaper or computer, behind our personality. Most of what you encounter when you meet a man is a facade... an elaborate fig leaf, a brilliant disguise."

"The truth is, [we] feel like [we're] just bluffing our way through life and someday soon [we'll] be exposed as an impostor. ...Truth be told, most of us are faking our way through life. We pick only those battles we are sure to win, only those adventures we are sure to handle, only those beauties we are sure to rescue."

"Until a man knows he's a man he will forever be trying to prove he is one, while at the same time shrink from anything that might reveal he is not. Most men live their lives haunted by the question, or crippled by the answer they've been given."

"[As a result of their unhealed emotional wounds,] so many men feel stuck – either paralyzed and unable to move, or unable to stop moving."

"Are we willing to live the level of risk God invites us to? Something inside us hesitates."

These are just a few of so many statements that I have read and felt like this guy knew me. This book deals with discovering the essence of a man's soul and what it looks like to truly live as God intended us to live. If your not a spiritual person, I'm confident you'll still find this book intriguing and inspiring and helpful.

Finally, this quote from Albert Schweitzer is so simple and powerful to me - "The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man while he lives".

I encourage you to pick up a copy today and see if you don't learn something about yourself, or ladies in your case, something about your man.

And now, back to regular scheduled programming.

TRInity

2008-03-10T01:26:00.005-05:00

It's been awhile since little Trinity has made an appearance on the blog, but she's back and more beautiful than ever. And guess who's got a birthday coming up in April? It seems unreal to me that this little bright star will be 3 soon. Seems like, well, 3 years ago I took the first of what would be many images of this sweetie growing up.

For a little fun this afternoon, we loaded up the car with tutus, boots, all the favorite stuffed animals, and lots of gold fish crackers and hit the road to head down to Deep Ellum for an urban photo session to commemorate another approaching milestone. We had a blast, and with the exception of a little Trinity tumble off a 3 foot ledge and a dead car battery, I'd say it was more than a success.

Thanks for being such a rock star, Trinity.
~ 'Uncle' Matt

Here's a few images from our party.

I love this image... looks like she's just leanin' back and kickin' it old school.

This last one cracks me up. While I was changing settings on my camera little Trinity found this bottle in the high grass and was looking down inside of it, so when I looked up, I had to capture this priceless image. Too funny. Please don't email me saying I'm promoting underage drinking. Nothing could be further from the truth - just a great impromptu moment.

Breaking News: Snow Storm Cripples Dallas

2008-03-06T23:42:00.007-06:00

DALLAS, TX - Big D was blind-sided with a quarter inch of snow today, and city officials have contemplated shutting down the city until a plan can be put in place to deal with this blizzard. One government employee who did not wish to be identified said, "This is a difficult situation. It's a lot of snow and people don't know how to deal with it. We're doing the best we can, but some people might be forced to spend the evening at home with their families watching American Idol and Celebrity Apprentice. Unfortunately we just don't have any answers right now, but the citizens of Dallas can be assured we're working to resolve the situation as soon as possible."

Tomorrow's weather forecast for Dallas calls for temperatures in the low 50s by early afternoon.

San Frantatstic

2008-03-06T17:41:00.003-06:00

I spent the last couple days on a mini tour of the west coast for some meetings with some top notch design firms for a project I'm working on with TI. There wasn't a whole lotta time for photo hunting, but we did have a little time one morning during our stop in San Francisco. Here's a few images to prove I was there.

Another view of the bridge.

Looking down the stairwell at the hotel.

Typical street view near downtown.

Here's the view from the glass elevator at the Westin I stayed at downtown.

Trace & Kristie {engaged!}

2008-03-06T00:55:00.001-06:00

Last weekend before I left town for the week we were able to hook up with Trace & Kristie for a quick engagement session down in the Deep Ellum district. I used to work with Trace at TI and now he and Kristie live in Seattle since she works for a little known software company that makes something called Windows. Being a Mac guy, I'm not familiar with it, but I didn't hold it against her. I think I was subtly being sabotaged for my Apple allegiance, though, as some how my iPhone 'accidentally' ended up face down in a plate full of Mexican food at dinner afterwards. (Sorry, Kristie, it was too funny not to mention).

I love photographing friends since it's easier for me - and I think them - to feel a little more relaxed. We had a lotta fun during this session, and there's so many cool textures, colors & character in Deep Ellum... I could've photographed these guys for hours and not hit all the cool spots. Trace & Kristie are getting married in Bismark, ND on July 5th, and as serendipity would have it, we found a building with a big american flag painted on the side of it that made a perfect backdrop for a save-the-date mailer idea.

Here's a few images from the session. Congrats again, you two!

How do you know?

2008-03-05T01:22:00.002-06:00

Have you ever questioned whether you’ve chosen the right path for your life? Whether relationally, professionally, financially, etc., how do you know when you’ve made the right decision(s)? There are so many things we could do with our lives, so many places we could go/live, so many people we could choose to spend our lives with, a virtually unlimited # of careers we could choose, the list goes on and on... How do you know when you've found your purpose and you’re doing what you’ve been called in your heart to do?

This is something I struggle with sometimes, especially lately, and I'm curious how others answer the question of 'how do you know?' Are you living the life you thought you would? A life you're passionate about? If not, why not? Are you living or simply existing? How do you know?

Aadhi & Sibi {slideshow!}

2008-03-04T17:13:00.000-06:00

Grab your popcorn and take a two minute break to watch this slideshow from a recent session with two future stars, brothers Aadhi & Sibi.

G'night, Dallas.

2008-02-29T23:46:00.000-06:00

In contrast to the creepy ladies in the previous post, I love evening city scapes. Something very majestic about them. This isn't the best view point of downtown Dallas by any stretch, and the tall building in the middle actually has crazy green lights, but sometimes ya just gotta work with what ya got (thank you Photoshop), and what I had was a camera and 5 minutes of light left.

Anyway, just a quick image to end the day. G'night.

Strange Images for a Strange Day

2008-02-29T23:19:00.000-06:00

So, it's February 29th... a bonus day. After a long day down town, I had a bit of time to walk around this evening, and lemme tell ya, there's not a lot going on in downtown Dallas at night. It's no Boston or Chicago or New York... but they're working on it. Lots of construction going on trying to make it a social hub and a place more people will want to live. In the meantime, I was being stalked by a few of the cool (and kinda creepy) retail window residents at every turn.

Jai & Rishi {slideshow!}

2008-02-27T21:02:00.002-06:00

Here's a quick follow-up slideshow from my recent slideshow with brothers Jai & Rishi. Enjoy these two good-lookin' guys.

Aadhi & Sibi {brothers!}

2008-02-27T02:27:00.005-06:00

Saturday I got too meet two of the coolest (and cutest) boys in town. Big brother Aadhi (who's name appropriately means 'beginning') and 8 month old Sibi (the name of an Indian king known for his philanthropy) belong to Sabari & Pasu. I've known Sabari for several years through my work at TI, and lemme tell ya, she's as sweet and friendly as they come. So it was no surprise that her boys were the same.

Sabari told me that Aadhi is typically very shy around people he doesn't know, so she kept telling him all week leading up to our session that "uncle Matt" was coming over to play and take some pictures. Too funny. She said Friday that he woke up and asked, "Is uncle Matt coming today?" Sure enough, when we showed up he was pretty withdrawn and quiet, so we were a little nervous. Ummm... no need to worry. Within 20 minutes, we were throwing stuffed animals at each other, having reflector fights (we didn't have swords, so Aadhi improvised), running after each other just laughing and having a blast.

Little Sibi... this guy's a charmer. Have you ever seen such big, penetrating eyes?? He was sleeping when we got there, and the first thing he did when we woke up and saw me and the my big scary camera pointing at him was cry? I can't blame him... I'd be a bit unnerved, too, if I woke from a deep, peaceful sleep to see someone I'd never seen before standing two feet away. Scary stuff. As soon as he got his bearings, though... he was as happy and inquisitive as he could be.

Dad was a trooper, too. We all worked pretty hard chasing these two dynamos around for a couple hours, but by the end of the session he was helping to hold reflectors and wrangling the kiddos at the same time.

We had a great day Saturday, and here's a few sneak peek images. I can't wait for Sabari & Pasu to see the rest of them. I'll post a slideshow of all their fab images after mom and dad have had a chance to see them.

D 3 L I S C I O U S !

2008-02-23T01:10:00.006-06:00

I love getting boxed packages in the mail. And if those boxes say B&H Photo on the outside... well, I just can't open them fast enough. Yesterday was one of those occasions.

If you're a photographer, unless you've been living in the woods with no connection to the outside world the last 6 months, you've heard about the new Nikon D3. It is the newest technological innovation and flagship digital SLR camera from Nikon, and arguably the finest camera in this class of any brand. (Sorry, Canon users... you have a legitimate beef with that statement, but let's face it, Canon's been a step ahead of Nikon for the last couple years until now, so let us Nikon folks have our moment in the sun please). I've been reading tons about this camera and getting more and more excited with each article I read and each test image I saw, so I finally made the decision to invest in this little dream machine. The demand for them has been overwhelming, so they're back-ordered just about everywhere here in the US, but somehow I was blessed enough to place my order at B&H Photo a couple days ago where I was told they didn't yet have any in stock and didn't know when they would be getting them in, and yet mine showed up yesterday. Unbelievable!

I'm excited about the new possibilities the D3 gives me when I'm photographing my awesome clients... I truly believe it will change the way I photograph... for the better! I can't wait to give it a full test-drive over the next couple days, but here's a few images out of the box of her (yes, I have designated her a... well, her. Some guys name their cars, I'm choosing to personify my cameras. I'm taking name suggestions if you've got one).

Isn't she a beauty?

Every Day Scenes { Wednesday }

2008-02-21T09:29:00.002-06:00

Just a quick image from a stop on my way home yesterday. I'm a sucker for all things nostalgic, and this reminds me of HS football days many, many moons ago.

Jai & Rishi { brothers! }

2008-02-16T13:29:00.002-06:00

Recently I had the chance to visit and play with Jai & Rishi. To borrow [read: blatantly plagarize] a phrase from all the grandmas out there, these two have "grown like weeds" since the last time I photographed them back in June. Big brother Jai has got GQ looks already, and he's got such a fun personality to boot. And this time around, he was ready and excited for the camera from the moment I walked in the door... no warm-up required!

Little Rishi is such a happy guy. He loves hanging out with his brother and just being part of the fun. And the eyes! I said this back in June & now it's even more evvident...both Jai and Rishi have some of the most amazing eyes you'll ever see! I'm a little jealous.

Here's a sneak peek of a few images from our session together. I'll post a slideshow with all the images a little later.

Winter Morning View

2008-02-16T12:29:00.003-06:00

Here's a view from my bedroom window this morning. It's cold, wet & dreary today, but I love this view, even in the dead of winter. Very peaceful.

Dinner Night { Asian! }

2008-02-10T13:03:00.000-06:00

My friends Jerry & Tina love to entertain, and every once in a while we get together at their house for a themed dinner night where Tina puts together a menu and each person is responsible for making a dish. Last night was Asian night, and so my friends Kandis, Sarah, the hosts and myself gathered for Potstickers with Spicy Dipping Sauce, Egg Drop Soup, Sesame Green Beans, Szechuan Shrimp with Chili Sauce, and Pork Chow Mein.

Par for the course with these events, we started around 7pm and ate at 10. My underwhelming kitchen skills put us behind early as the potistickers had a list prep time of 20 minutes... I had 'em ready in 2 hours. I think I shoulda been given rice duty, It's all good, though, as the best part of these dinners is the socializing while cooking. And as you can see, after dinner we did a little Kung Fu fighting. Here's a few images from this episode of dinner night.

They like me! They really, really like me!

2008-02-08T11:46:00.000-06:00

I was excited to find out yesterday that an image I submitted to Open Photo Contest won first place for the "travel" category. It was a photo of a barn a took when I was seriously lost on the back country roads of my old hometown in Ohio a while back. I know, I know... who gets lost in their hometown? [insert image of me sheepishly raising my hand here] Hey, I was looking for barn photo opps so I was boldly going where no man - or at least only a few - had ever gone before and got a little turned around. That's not the point here.

The best thing about this contest is that photographers from all over the country and even the world can submit photos, and the judging is done by those same photographers. So I was stoked that one of my images was chosen. That's pretty freakin' cool just by itself, but to top it off I am featured on the site and I think I also won a new Lens Baby 3G! So, if you've got a second, go to the site and check it out. BTW, if you get there and see Jasmine Star featured, by all means stay there and read her bio first - she does amazing wedding photography out in California. THEN, hit your browser refresh button and yours truly should be featured... I think the site randomly cycles through the contest winners.

Also I submitted this image for the "engaging" contest and got 3rd place! Sweet.

More Personal Photography Party Images

2008-02-05T00:38:00.000-06:00

Here's a few more of the images from my little self-guided play-time down in the Deep Ellum district this past Saturday.

I love silhouettes. They're so easy to photograph and even easier to add a little drama to in post-shoot editing.

Ha, was peeking in a window at a little gallery and saw my reflection in the glass and couldn't pass this shot up. Without looking through the viewfinder, it took about 7 tries to get an image where I actually got my face in the frame and in focus. Ridiculous.

Nothing particularly special about this run-down building when you pass it on the street, but with a little texture and vintage love, it's got a little character.

Funny thing about this next image is that just outside the frame is a sign saying graffiti is illegal in Deep Ellum. So, someone went through the effort to spray paint a message on this wall saying it wasn't a free wall to advertise on.

I met little "Bruiser" while walking down a back alley. Such a playful guy - it took everything I had just to get these 2 images because he kept running up to me where he was too close for me to ge tthe lens to focus on him.

Guess who? Who hasn't photographed their own shadow?... more than once.

Dusted off the old Lens Baby 2.0 for a couple images. Man, I need to upgrade to 3.0 where you can set your tilt shift. Holding the lens on a tilt with my fingers (req'd for v2.0) is something I'm pathetically unskilled at.

Umm... not sure why I took this next image other than because it was there and I had a camera in my hand. Hey, it was my photo party so I photographed whatever and whenever I wanted.

This kinda of thing drives non-photographers crazy when they're with me. "For cryin' out loud, Matt... it's a freakin' parking meter! C'mon, let's go!" I love simple everyday things, though. These are the kinda things we live with everyday and never notice.

Ditto the caption of the above image.

Photo Therapy

2008-02-04T00:59:00.000-06:00

Saturday afternoon I had a chance to return to my proverbial photography roots when I made a little time to go down to the Deep Ellum arts district and just walk around with a camera on a personal mini photo scavenger hunt. This is my favorite way to relax and recharge my batteries from time to time. Some people like to sit in their favorite chair and read a good book. Others like to get a massage. Still others - God love 'em - like to go running. Me? Give me a camera and put me any place that has a little character, and I'm golden. Just call me when it's dinner time so I don't forget to eat.

Landscape and cityscape photography is really where my passion for the lens began, and while I love my clients and creating lasting images with and for them, I really want to make time every once in a while to give myself a chance to be free to photograph whatever interests me. It keeps me from getting burnt out and it helps me to see things in new ways which is ultimately a good thing for my clients as well.

If your a photographer and you find yourself in a rut or just feeling a little creatively - ahem - bored, take some time for yourself to remember why you fell in love with the camera and then go recapture that. Both you and your clients will be happy you did.

Here's a couple fun images from Saturday afternoon of this local biker's watering hole. Such a cool place with a couple Harley's sitting out front. I could've photographed this scene alone for a couple hours, but unfortunately I didn't have that much time. I'll post more images from this little afternoon safari tomorrow.

Frozen Grand Central Station and a Super Bowl Warm-Up

2008-02-01T14:05:00.000-06:00

Just a little Friday fun to wrap up your week.

This would've been hysterical - and a bit freaky - to see. My first inclinations if I witnessed this probably would've been (in this order):

Where's Spielberg?
Huh...Bill Gates has finally figured out a way to control people's minds now, too. And these poor people - like their PCs - have crashed.
Great, an Alien invasion and I didn't bring my aluminum foil hat.

And finally, in the spirit of the [irrelevant] Super Bowl this weekend, here's a little pre-game warm up with some classic commercials from Super Bowls gone by:
http://gawker.com/351176/top-25-most-memorable-super-bowl-ads

Scerious Science

2008-01-30T14:44:00.000-06:00

Wow, who knew science could be so cool? Well, at least now that I don't have to take it to graduate. Today I was in a science classroom at a local high school to take a few images of some educational product ideas for a project I'm working on at Texas Instruments. Some things truly do never change; when the teacher we were talking to left the room, it was time to play around with all the toys. Anatomical Andy rocks!

I was never very good with the Periodic Table and what combines safely with what, but thanks to Mr. Corbin's serious grading curve in 8th grade Chemistry (we're talkin' 13 out of 40 correct answers is a C+), I squeezed by. My favorite part of that class was the labs, though. What guy doesn't like combining chemicals he knows nothing about to see if he can make something dangerous?

This image was purely for scientific research and my own dumb curiosity. Please don't e-mail me telling me I'm promoting glue-sniffing. I didn't - and still don't - see how someone could get high sniffing glue. My test results? High? Hardly. Nauseating? Without a doubt.

I have no idea what I'm doing in this image. Seriously. This was some kind of bony fish with spikes and apparently I was trying to soften him up a bit... he looked a little mean.

You're a Good Man, Dan McCurdy

2008-01-30T00:12:00.000-06:00

Last week my friend, Dan - a.k.a. "Senator", "Danimal" or just "Daaaaaan" (pronounced Don, only longer) - turned the proverbial "Big 5-0". I felt compelled to give Dan a moment in the sun on my little blog because honestly you won't find a nicer guy on the planet. I promise you.

Dan is often the guy in our 'tribe' of friends that gets razzed the most or is the subject of many harmless one-liners. Don't get me wrong... some of that's self-induced since Dan is known for or even expected to be telling a semi-believable tall-tale for the first 5-7 sentences when you talk to him. People that don't know him are especially susceptible (I don't know how many people have fallen for the 'Opterectomy' surgery story). But at the end of the day, as much as we make fun of Dan we all know there's probably no one you could count on more to offer to help out if you have a need. There's a handful of guys I know that I would consider truly stand-up guys, and Dan's one of them. He's just one of those people everybody likes, and a testament to this was Saturday night when 35-40 friends showed up for a birthday dinner and celebration in his honor.

I hope I'm in half as good a physical condition Dan is when I hit the half-century mark down the road, and I would be honored to be considered the friend he is by even just a few. You're a good man, Dan McCurdy. Congratulations on your 50th Birthday. I wish you an even better next 50. I'd say more than 50, but let's be honest, at that point we'll be doing well just to remember our own birthdays, let alone anyone else's.

Okay, Dan, your 15 minutes are up... at least on this blog. I don't want to over-flatter you or I'll never hear the end of it. Seriously, though, thanks for everything you've ever done for me and the rest of the gang.

Another Piece of the [Pizza] Pie

2008-01-26T12:05:00.000-06:00

Hmmm... a quick recap.

Thursday lunch. Pizza.
Thursday dinner. Pizza.
Friday lunch. Leftover pizza.
Friday night? Yup, more pizza.
Saturday lunch. Leftover pizza.

I. Love. Pizza.

5 meals in a row... and counting.

Fun Screen Cleaner

2008-01-24T12:07:00.000-06:00

Best screen cleaning method I've seen to date... makes me want to get my screen cleaned all day long.

Try it yourself!

---------------------------------------------

UPDATE: Apparently the link above has become a bit of a phenomenon on the web adn the server that hosted it couldn't handle all the traffic, so it's down for now. Hopefully it will be back on-line someday soon.

Vintage Contemporary Storyboard Collection

2008-01-23T11:59:00.001-06:00

Well, after continuing to answer countless emails on the storyboard templates I created several months ago, I finally wised up and decided to make it easier for the GP to get info about them as well as be able to purchase them right from the blog. I know, I know... what took me so long? Guess I'm a slow learner. So, here's the 411:

Each template is a 250dpi layered Photoshop file that’s fully customizable, so if you want to change the colors, move design elements around, add/delete elements, this is very easy to do. In addition, each design includes an extended 2" border all the way around in case you want to offer these as gallery wraps. These templates also come with a couple video tutorials showing you how to insert your images into the files, change colors, etc. Very easy and very fast. Also, as a bonus I’m throwing in a custom 5x7 vintage holiday card template for those that purchase the templates.

Cost: $95 (~$20/template + free 5x7 holiday card template)
Sorry, no individual template purchases at this time, only the set.

I’ve tested the templates with Photoshop CS, CS2 and CS3, and everything works fine. It may work for earlier versions before CS, I just haven’t tested for those. I've also been told the templates work with Photoshop Elements. IMPORTANT: The fonts I've used in these templates aren't included. So, if you don't have the font I used, the text wording will still be editable, but the file will likely substitute some other default font on your system. You can either purchase the font or use your own favorite font instead, and I’ve included notes about which fonts I used in each template for your reference in a FAQ sheet when you purchase the templates.

If you are interested, please send payment ($95) via PayPal to mnicolosi@ti.com, and I will email you a download link for the templates as quickly as possible, and certainly within 24 hours of receiving your payment. So please be sure to include your correct email address with your PayPal payment.

Due to the nature of the product, exchanges and refunds are not possible. However, if you change your mind before I send out the links - I am happy to offer you credit.

Please let me know if you have any questions at all. Also, I’ve images below showing a little larger view of the storyboards.

Storyboard 1 (10x20)

Storyboard 2 (10x20)

Storyboard 3 (10x20)

Storyboard 4 (20x20)

Storyboard 5 (20x20)

Bonus! Free 5x7 Holiday Card Template

My Wonder Years

2008-01-19T00:16:00.001-06:00

I went through a couple shoe boxes of old photographs the other day... amazing how an image can completely take you back to a different time in your life and in an instant make you remember things you haven't thought about in years. I think that's why I love being a photographer and creating images for people... what's more important than the stories and memories of our lives?

Apparently I'm still a bit intoxicated on nostalgia, though, since against my better judgment I thought it would be fun to post a couple of the gems I found. Enjoy!

Love Olan Mills work. Such realism in their images. What kid didn't play football in poster-perfect pastures wearing plaid pants and a turtle neck?

Who doesn't pack a white, short-sleeve, button-down dress shirt for camping trips?

If I'm not cute here, I don't know what is. I'm pretty sure I peed my pants shortly after this, though. I had a bad habit of not wanting to take time out from playing outside to come inside and go to the bathroom when Mother Nature called.

My brother was an obvious fan of early mornings on Christmas. Either that or someone just told him Santa brought him underwear for Christmas.

Hey, Davy Jones, the rest of the Monkees called... they're wondering if you're in for the reunion tour?

White men truly can't jump. I proved it conclusively in junior high track long before Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes did.

Nice rolled jeans, Fonzie. Although, this style is coming back now, so I might argue I was ahead of my time from a fashion perspective.

Ahh... the gold necklace with the HS football jersey number on it. So original... like no one else was doing that in th early 90's. Very manly and cool, especially with the powder-puff white dog.

So pensive. A GAP model in the making. Actually, I was more likely looking down to make sure my jeans were rolled up.

True or false: Having your subject face directly into the sun makes for a flattering, natural-looking smile? And hey, Don Johnson, where's Tubbs?

Hmmm... I see a John Travolta Urban Cowboy starter-kit happening here.

Apparently the letter to parents with kids entering kindergarten said to dress them in stripes that matched the school bus to make it easier for the bus driver to know when she needed to stop.

Again with the plaid pants. And is the person in the background wearing an orange prison jump suit? Is there something somebody wants to tell me?

I'm sure Adam and I's prom dates are sitting on a bench on the other side of the dance floor pretending they're having fun, too... or maybe we're just laughing at that year's apparent faux jungle theme.

My last HS football game... I knew I had muscles once. Also, I remember "accidentally" tearing a big hole in the side of that jersey before the end of the game pretending it happened when someone tackled me in hopes I would be allowed to keep it. Turns out I was allowed to keep it but never wore it again because , well, it had a big hole in the side of it. Genius, I know.

Here's Your Sign

2008-01-18T16:19:00.000-06:00

Sometimes it's the little things that just make your day. Case in point, yesterday I received the following email from someone I've never met before, and it made me laugh:

"Came across your website today from a link from another site. Didn't even go back to where I found it b/c I spent all my "free time" (was supposed to be doing laundry and ordering proofs) just laughing my way through your blog... like I knew exactly what you were talking about. Your work is absolutely amazing!!...to the point of motivational!!!! Oh, my poor boys when they get home from school... their worst fear is mom will have a camera out...again.

Your work is truly amazing!! (you need to throw a caution on your website, though, stating something about you are at no fault for visitors not getting their own work done!!!

God's Blessings!!
Jenny"

It's still amazing to me how we can impact complete strangers through the power of the web. I know for me this is a big reason that I got involved in and continue to be able to grow in photography. There are so many insanely-talented people out there freely sharing their knowledge, their work, their passion and their lives through the web, and they have been an inspiration and a compass for me in motivating me to get better. And thinking back where I was a little over 3 years ago in my work, it's very exciting and truly flattering to think today that someone might consider my work "motivational". God has truly blessed my in this area of my life.

Thanks for putting a smile on my face, Jenny. I can so relate to the hours disappearing when I'm on other photographers sites; there's been many a night I've been about to go to bed after I check out 'just one more site", and next thing I know it's 2:30am.

With that in mind, Jenny, here's your [warning] sign.

Warning: Hot Car Photo {look with caution}

2008-01-17T23:09:00.000-06:00

Simmer down ladies. Put the drool back in your mouths, men. I'm not sure you can handle the power of the Plymouth. I was looking through some old photos last night and found this beauty and was instantly taken on a 4 cylinder, 65 mph top speed trip down memory lane. I bought this dream machine in Ohio back in 1993 when I was in college for $1100. I know what you're thinking, 'What?? Only 11 Ben Franklins?? How'd he score that once-in-a-lifetime deal?' What can I say, some guys are just blessed.

Check out those sexy curves (is there even a curve on that body?), the saucy red paint job, and the custom 12" rims. And under the hood... she musta been carryin' at least 23 ponies... and I'm sure there was some serious torque in there, too... and probably a big, state-of-the-art flux capacitor. Is it any wonder this baby made the girls cry when they saw it? Who wouldn't be overwhelmed?

The best part, though (I know, I know... how could it possibly get any better?), is that I sold her 13 months later for $1000. So, not only did I get the privilege of driving around this Plymouth Horizon instant classic - a 26th place finisher for 1984's Motor Trend Car of the Year - it only cost me $100 to boot. Winner.

The Olan Mills Collection

2008-01-11T11:57:00.000-06:00

This list has been making the e-waves the last couple days, and for good reason. Who hasn't had a portrait masterpiece like one of these done? If you haven't, congratulations on making it through the 70's and 80's photographically un-scarred. The captions are golden.

http://listoftheday.blogspot.com/2007/09/great-olan-mills-photos.html

M & M {engaged!}

2008-01-10T01:14:00.000-06:00

Melanie. Mike. Marriage. In May. It's all about the M's. And doesn't this first image scream 'M"? Clever, isn't it? C'mon, it was too easy not to do.

I've known these two for quite a while, and I'm so excited for both of them. Mike (a.k.a. "Hippie" - picture him with longer hair. Much longer. Nope, keep going. There ya go.) and I first met him through Dallas Sport and Social club way back in... well, let's just say way back, and we've been playing flag football together ever since. There were a few forgettable softball teams in there, too, but nothing hall-of-fame worthy. Then along came Mel a few years later, and now he's finally a changed man. Well, at least he's got shorter hair. And a couple of dogs. And I haven't seen him wear those black and white checkerboard clown shoes in a while. So seems like he's headed in the right direction. Thanks, Mel! [grin]

Oh yeah, and Hippie's my back pocket auto mechanic, too. Anytime I've got a car question - like "where's the dip stick thing at?" - he's first on the speed dial list. So if you've got a question, give him a ring... unless it's about battery acid.

Anyway, I digress. These two love sports, especially football. Hey, that's how they met, and that's how they got engaged... Hippie asked Mel the big question at a Texas/Kansas State game... hmmm, wonder if Mel would've said yes if KSU lost that game? So it was only natural that we ended up in a football stadium by the end of the session. He's a big University of Texas guy, and she went to Kansas State (bless your heart, Mel, for your loyal support and misguided belief that KSU will one day have a good football team). While neither of those football stadiums were available, SMU obviously isn't using their field during bowl season - one might argue they don't really use it during the season either - so we snuck in [read: walked right in through an open gate] and had some fun before wrapping up my last session of 2007.

Enjoy the sneak peek of a few images. Click on the images for larger previews.

New Year = New Baby

2008-01-06T21:45:00.002-06:00

Okay, first off - not my new baby. (exhale, mom)

Meet Sam. This little guy was an early Christmas present for my friends, Lana & Bobby, and after a false start due to a technical issue a few minutes into our first session attempt (apparently my flash equipment decided to take it's own holiday break), Sam was ready for his big debut in front of the camera. In fact, he was so excited that - after a little fussing, a little food and a few impromptu bathroom breaks - he slept through the whole show.

Enter big brother Max. He was more than ready to step in for some play time while little Sam was on break. Max has some of the most beautiful big, blue eyes you'll ever find. Watch out ladies. And he's a ton of fun, too!

Here's a sneak peek of a few images from our afternoon play time. The last image is possibly my favorite fun image from the session. I think Max is touching his brain.

The Best Explanation of the Differences Between Men and Women I've Ever Read

2008-01-04T13:41:00.000-06:00

I've been on a bit of a blogging holiday coinciding with the recent actual holidays, but I'm slowly getting back on the horse as the new year starts ramping up.

I thought I'd start off 2008 with a post that anyone who's ever been confused by the opposite sex (and who hasn't been?) can use and hopefully benefit from. The article written by Deborah Tannen is an insightful read and you can find it here.

John & Leanne {slideshow}

2007-12-27T22:21:00.000-06:00

Here's a quick slideshow from a recent session with John & Leanne. These two were one of my last sessions of the year, and they made it a good one. So relaxed and fun to work with. Thanks you, too!

Ho Ho Holy Smokes This Thing Rocks!

2007-12-26T18:31:00.000-06:00

I'm convinced Steve Jobs could run for president and make a respectable showing. Seriously.

Ahh... jolly old St Nick made one last stop straight from the Apple store this afternoon and dropped off a long-awaited iPhone. It's been a difficult stretch and a test of will power since June when this magic box was first made available to the GP. I've left a lot of nose prints on Apple store windows since then as I looked on longingly as others smuggly purchased their shiny new phones inside. Today Santa redeemed me.

And in typical Apple fashion, set-up and activation was a breeze and took only a couple minutes from the comfort of my own chair at home using iTunes. Flawless. In fact, I was even a bit shocked when after only a couple minutes my iPhone debuted it's first ring when I received my inaugural call from my friend, Kandis. Too cool.

In un-typical fashion, actually buying the iPhone at the Apple store was a bit of a hassle. Maybe more on that in a later post, but for now a quick word of advice to anyone out their with aspirations of purchasing an iPhone at the store, too: Don't bother trying to pay cash. You can't. Credit card only. All things considered, though, it was worth the small inconvenience.

Here's cool iPhone use #1 - taking pictures of long forgotten 2 month old chili in the fridge. Kinda looks like a coral reef or something, doesn't it? I've called the local Haz-Mat office... they're coming tomorrow to remove this toxic growth.

Blessings Abound

2007-12-24T03:35:00.000-06:00

It's 3:36 in the morning, and it is now officially Christmas Eve day - my favorite day of the year. Early in this morning I am thankful for all the opportunities and blessings God has poured out on me this year. It has been a time of new friendships, wonderful clients and unprecedented growth and awareness in my life. I am truly grateful for what He as given me this year, and I want to take this time to wish you all the merriest of Christmas celebrations.

While society in general seems to continually try to downplay the reason for this holiday, watering it down to where it's little more than a couple days off work and time to buy and receive presents from friends and family, it's my hope that you'll take some time on this day and tomorrow to reflect on the true Christmas story and the reason it is celebrated.

Merry Christmas!
Matt

12 Days... Hoosier Style

2007-12-17T23:42:00.000-06:00

Some of you may have heard this version on the radio the last couple days, but if you haven't, stay with it... it's the 12 Days of Christmas like you've never heard it before.

And if you're fans of the 80's and more specifically the band, Toto - well, Merry Christmas.

Ahh... what could be sweeter...

2007-12-12T18:11:00.000-06:00

... than the first dance? This lovely couple knows how to make it memorable.

Natural Light... Camera... Action!

2007-12-11T19:28:00.000-06:00

I admit - I'm a voyeur of sorts. Before you jump to any conclusions and suggest I be put on a national registry list, hear me out for a second. The kind of spying I like to practice is of the public variety. I always enjoy watching how other photographers work and how they capture their breath-taking images. I'm always looking for new ways to challenge my thinking and 'seeing', and observing other photographers in action is sometimes a great source of inspiration.

In that spirit, the following is a short series of images showing first how I like to move around to see different perspectives and secondly the resulting images. It should be noted that I no longer like being photographed which may be partly why I decided I wanted to be the photographer... that way I'm always on the safe side of the lens at parties, events and even family get-togethers where the likelihood of ending up in unflattering or - worse yet - blackmail-worthy images is high. It wasn't always that way; I used to have a smile I was proud of, but somehow over the years it's turned into something that no matter how hard I try ends up looking like somebody asked me to smile a half second after eating a habanero pepper. Painful stuff... in both cases. But in this case, my friend, Tina, was assisting me for this session where we were photographing her friend and co-worker, Leanne, and Leanne's husband John, and Tina captured these images of me while I was photographing this fun couple. BTW, Leanne is another creative, and she graciously offered her amazing talent in writing a lot of the copy in my first brochure earlier this year that Tina designed.

In general, I love details - the things that we often overlook everyday that are so distinctive. I think that's why I like hand photographs so much. Hands are so distinctive and have so much character. You can often identify someone just by looking at their hands. I think that's what makes the resulting photograph such a strong image to me. It's a memorable image now, but just imagine how much more meaning this image will have for Leanne and John 20 years from now in their walk together.

For this kind of image, I used a 60mm micro (macro) f/2.8 lens to get great detail in the rings with a shallow depth of field to blur out everything else.

Although I will occasionally step in to do some light directing, I generally don't like to do a lot of hard posing. It's easy for people to start looking unnatural when you do, so I like to simply suggest for people to do something that's second nature to them. In this case, I think I just asked Leanne and John to walk over and have a seat on the brick ledge by the water and just talk to each other for a little bit. And then I just waited for that moment to happen between them.

Here I used a 70-200mm f/2.8 VR (Vibration Reduction) lens. This is probably my favorite lens because it allows me to capture those real images without having to get too close. Plus, I love the soft backgrounds with the shallow depth of field you can get with this lens.

Leanne wanted a few close-ups during the session and with the amazing fall colors all around us in this beautiful park near downtown and the sun already just below the tree line to the left of Leanne & John creating perfect light, this was a pretty easy one. As I mentioned, sometimes I will step in and direct just enough to get the image I'm looking for. In this case, they may not normally stand like this, but it's still simple and believable. I just asked Leanne to lean into John and try not to smile. BTW, sometimes asking people not to smile is the best way to get them to smile naturally!

Again, I used the 70-200mm for this close-up so I could photograph it from a distance without Leanne and John feeling like a camera was in their face. I opened the lens all the way to f/2.8 to get the soft background again, so it it was important to have the two of them pretty much on the same plane with such a shallow depth of field or else one of them would've been a tad out of focus. The result:

Well, if you're still reading this, I'm impressed. Kudos to you for your perseverance, and hopefully it was mildly insightful regarding how I like to approach photography. At the very least, hopefully you've decided I'm not the voyeur freak you might have been thinking after that first sentence.

Suzanne and Ryan {slideshow!}

2007-12-09T22:00:00.000-06:00

I've gotten so many great comments about Suzanne and Ryan and their images that I wanted ot share their slide show. Suzanne's mom picked out the timeless music by Mary Chapin Carpenter, and it's perfect for these two. Enjoy!

Princess Trinity

2007-12-07T22:05:00.000-06:00

Most of you long-time readers of the blog already know little Trinity by now as she's made several starring appearances over the last several months. Last Saturday we set out to find this little Princess' magic castle, and we photographed our journey along the way.

The weather was a bit windy, maybe even borderline monsoonish at times, but when a 2-and-a-half-year-old little girl makes up her mind to get dressed up and go exploring, there's no stopping her.

Here's a couple of my favorites from our adventure.

The Larsen Family

2007-12-06T00:30:00.001-06:00

In my experience, there's basically 3 possible outcomes from any photo session. The first, and fortunately least typical, is the session where you know the best part about the session is that it's over. Sometimes kids just aren't in the mood to be photographed no matter how badly you - and oftentimes the parent(s) - inflict self-humiliation in an attempt to crack an elusive smile from said kiddos. You're already checking your calendar availability on the way home to see when you schedule a re-do session.
The 2nd outcome is one of uncertainty. You think the session went okay, but you won't really know until you get back to the studio and cross your fingers as you download the images, all the while making a deal with the photography gods that you'll promise never to shoot hand-held at less than 1/30th of a second again without flash if they just give you a couple good images this time.

Then there's the 3rd type of session, the one photographers pray for every time they walk out the door. This is the type of session where you can't wait to download the images because you know you've got great images. That's the kind of session we had on Sunday afternoon with the Larsens. Jana and Scott have a beautiful and wonderfully friendly & playful little girl named Jordan, and we had lots of fun exploring the neighboring woods and fields by their house. Poor mom, though- I felt bad for her by the end of the session. I think the temperature dropped 40 degrees (well, at least 15) while we were outside... and she was wearing a sleeveless dress. Sorry, Jana!

Here's a few sneak peeks of a couple images from our session.

Gas-Guzzling Princess Chasing

2007-12-03T00:43:00.000-06:00

Here's a couple funny images from a session this Saturday. We spent a couple hours chasing Princess Trinity around this field, and I was worn out by the end of the afternoon. Keeping up with Her Highness is a lot of work, and I was glad we brought this chair so I could catch my breath. We had a ton of fun, though, in this field we serendipitously found along the George Bush Freeway.

One other funny [read: dumb] story from this outing... when we pulled over the curb along the highway and up into the field, I simply jumped outta the car, grabbed my gear and started photographing. Cut to 2 hours later... we finish the session, I get back in my car, reach in my pocket for the keys... uh-oh - where are my keys? It took a couple seconds of panic before I realized - yep, you guessed it - the car was already running. Genius, I know. I had a third of a tank of gas when we pulled up, but now my gas light was on and it was about 95 degrees inside even though the AC was on. A few more minutes and I'm guessing it would've completely overheated, so I guess I'm blessed. Well, as evidenced by the second image, at the very least I'm blessed by a princess.

Look for images from this session later this week.

The Smith Family

2007-11-25T00:47:00.000-06:00

Last weekend I met the Smith family for the first time. Karen called me about a month ago and said that her friend, Trisha - another client - told her she needed to get images of her family made as well. (Thanks for the sales job, Trisha. The check's in the mail... well, kind of. With the referral program, you now get $50 off your next session. Sweet!)

So Karen & Larry and their adorable (and extremely polite and well-mannered, I might add) kids Jenny and Taylor loaded up the car and met us at a beautiful park near downtown Dallas last Sunday taking advantage of the amazing fall weather we've been having to create some great images. Once again, I managed to schedule a session that coincided with an important sporting event - Larry races motorcycles and had a race that afternoon, but was gracious enough to skip that one in favor of spending some time with the family to do some photography. Good choice, dad.

Everyone was great and both Jenny and Taylor we're the human equivalents to Play-Doh... willing to mold themselves in any position I threw at them. Thanks guys.

Here's a few sneak peak images from or session. Click on images for a larger preview.

Swampscott, Sun Rise and Spencer

2007-11-19T01:45:00.000-06:00

What's in a name? Well, I'll tell you what's not in a name... and that's anything remotely telling about the name Swampscott. First of all, and maybe this is just me, but if I want people to know how beautiful and quaint a town is, chances are anything with the word "swamp" in it isn't gonna make the final cut. I mean, c'mon... Swampscott?? Is this the best someone could come up with for their beloved city's name? Sounds more like a member of a shady crew you'd wanna shy away from down at the docks to me.

[cut to headline]
"Swampscott, Shotgungary and Beerbobby arrested on charges of tax evasion at local boat house."
[end headline]

Naming considerations aside I spent the night at the house of my cousin Aaron, his wife Jen, and their 17 month-old little big man, Spencer, Friday night just outside of Boston in this cozy, coastal getaway. Such cool established neighborhoods with towering trees, hills and miles of coastline made this little suburb amazingly peaceful and serene.

Umm, what time are we getting up again?
So, Aaron asked me Friday night (after midnight actually) if I wanted to try and catch a few images of sunrise down by the water at a little after 6 in the morning. To say I'm not a morning person is like saying Bostonians hate the Yankees... it's a given. I must have been high on fall color, though, 'cause I agreed to giving it a try, but secretly hoped he'd A) forget about it, B) sleep through his alarm, or C) wake up, realize it was only 30-some degrees outside and decide to skip it. No luck, though... being a trader on Wall Street and living in/near Boston, this guy's used to frigid, early mornings. So, off we went and I'm so glad he dragged me along. I haven't seen a sunrise since, well, I don't even know, and it was amazing. Check out the cool beach images.

THE Game
After we got back to the house and my body recovered from the shell-shock of being up so early, it was time to settle in for THE game all Buckeye fans live for every year against Michigan. So, we all put on our OSU gear, grazed on tons of awesome food the entire afternoon and celebrated what's become a customary whipping of the Wolverines. Good times were had by all. Well, maybe not so much by Aaron and Jen's friends that also came over. They're unfortunately fans of the maize and blue variety, and as you can tell by the look on their adorable little daughter, Makena's face, her Big Blue eyes can't believe the Wolverines got pummeled again.

Thanks, Aaron, Jen and Spencer for being such gracious hosts and opening your home to me. It was great seeing you again, and can't wait to return the favor in Dallas sometime soon.

Please Come To Boston

2007-11-17T16:32:00.000-06:00

No, seriously. You really need to come. I mean it.

Boston and the surrounding neighborhoods are beautiful. So much contrast between the busy, hectic city and the calm and peacefulness of some of the nearby outlying suburbs. Truly one of the great cities in our country, and if you haven't been here already, what are you waiting for?Here's a few more images from my recent tip. Click on the images for larger previews.

This was a small public cemetery in the middle of the city that memorialized all those who died in The Boston Massacre. It's very cool how the city has re-purposed several of the graveyards to be celebrated memorials and parks where people come to visit and relax.

Fall colors! Yeay! It's such a beautiful time of year here right now.

Boston is Cool

2007-11-14T22:51:00.000-06:00

Scratch that. Boston is cold. Actually, I'm just a big baby. It's not that cold here... yet. But when I'm comparing the weather here with the sunny, low 80's weather in Dallas, it's justifiably frigid. I got in this evening, dropped my bag off at the hotel and took a quick walk to find some dinner and grabbed a few images along the way. I really like coming to Boston because it's got such a rich history and cool things to see and photograph at every turn. And downtown is so people-friendly with all the greenery, parks and cool little neighborhoods. There's plenty of hot sports opinions waiting to be heard here, too. With the Red Sox winning the world series, the Patriots steamrolling everything in sight, and the Celtics off to the best start in the league this year, it's hard to argue with them.

Check out this big guy sticking his tongue out at me when I took his picture.

Suzanne and Ryan {engaged!}

2007-11-14T02:50:00.000-06:00

Suzanne and Ryan recently got engaged and made a trip up to Dallas to spend a Saturday afternoon with us to create some images of this amazing time in their lives. Both are graduates of Texas Tech (all Tech graduates reading this post with their guns up, it is now time to put them back down), and I had to apologize to Ryan within the first five minutes of the session. It seems when Suzanne's mom and I spoke on the phone and scheduled the appointment weeks in advance, we failed to take into account the Red Raiders would be playing Texas during at the same time as our session. Oops. Sorry again, Ryan. I felt your pain, though, as my Buckeyes were also playing at the same time. Hey, in hindsight everything turned out for the best, though, as we had a lot more fun creating these amazing images than we - or at least I - would have watching both our teams go down in flames.

Both Suzanne and Ryan were great... very laid back and willing to do anything I asked... I wish all my sessions were that easy. Very fun couple, and I can't wait for them to see all their images. Here's a few sneak peeks (click on images for larger previews).

Stay tuned for a slideshow in a future post.

From the Memory Box

2007-11-11T22:24:00.001-06:00

I was looking through some old photos tonight and came across two of my favorites of little Zoe from years gone by.

I love the first one from way back on her 4th birthday. And the second one is just classic Zoe. She loves the belly rubs.

10 Reasons You Aren't Getting Anything Done

2007-11-09T13:43:00.001-06:00

The following text is from a post penned by the good folks at lifehack.org. If you haven't checked out their site, give it a try. It's been rated as the #38 most popular blog in the blogosphere by technorati with a self-described goal of helping you get thins done faster and more efficiently.

This post really hit home with me because I sometimes get frustrated and/or overwhelmed with where my life is or isn't going, and I'm guilty of several things on the list. Ideally none of you need to read this post and you're lives are progressing exactly how you desired/planned. If not, though, I hope this post inspires you to take back control of your life. Enjoy.

If you’re not reaching the kind of success you imagine in the areas that are important to you, one or more of the following things might well be true of you:

1. You don’t have a goal.
A lot of time we find ourselves “spinning our wheels”, struggling through a day-to-day routine that isn’t getting us anywhere because we don’t know where we want to go. Sometimes we had goals when we set ourselves on a particular path, but we’ve changed along the way and those goals are no longer that important. Sometimes we simply did what was expected of us without ever stopping to think about what we eventually wanted to accomplish for ourselves. Whatever the case, figuring out what your goals are and, just as importantly, whether your current actions are helping to achieve them, is important.

2. You don’t have a vision.
Setting goals is important but isn’t enough to drive you to the finish line; it’s important, too, to be able to imagine yourself as the achiever of your goals. How will you feel, what’s the payoff, why is it worthwhile to follow these goals and not some other ones? If goals are the end result of a journey, your vision is the fuel to get you there.

3. You don’t have a plan.
If goals are your destination and a vision is your fuel, your plan is the map to get you there; without a plan, you have no idea what immediate steps to take to achieve your goals. Planning means taking stock of the resources you have, the resources you need, and the steps you have to take to put those resources into action. The world is full of people with goals they have never accomplished because they didn’t have a plan — don’t you be one of them.

4. You’re too certain.
Too much certainty creates inflexibility. If you’re sure that your plan is correct, and refuse to accept the possibility of error, you may well find yourself stuck when an unexpected change comes about, or when your plan takes you in an unexpected direction. However strong your plan and however sure you are of your goals, make room for periodic reassessment.

5. You’re not certain enough.
At the same time, too little certainty will paralyze you. If you refuse to take a step because you aren’t positive it will move you towards success, you won’t make any better progress than if you had no goals at all. Keep your eyes open and be willing to change, but have faith in yourself, too.

6. You don’t learn from your mistakes.
A lot of people take their mistakes as signs of their unworthiness. They take setbacks as proof that they were never meant to achieve anything in the first place, and that they were stupid to even try. Mistakes are crucial to success — if we take the time to analyze them and learn from them. Even when they bar us irrevocably from attaining a goal, the lessons we learn from our mistakes help us to make new and better goals.

7. You reject outside influences.
A lot of people see the influence of others as a weakness, or worse, a restriction or even “pollution” of their innate creativity. This is, in a word, hogwash. We are first and foremost social beings, none of whom has ever accomplished anything without the help of others. Welcome and accept other perspectives on your strengths and weaknesses, your successes and failures. Accept help graciously when it’s offered. This doesn’t mean you should take every piece of advice offered you, but you should listen seriously and openly and weigh carefully the input of others. And learn from their mistakes, when you can.

8. You worry about being copied.
Often we close ourselves off from other people not because we’re afraid that they will influence us but that we will influence them, that our brilliant ideas will be taken up by someone else and no longer be solely ours. So we avoid sharing our passions, and spend our energy jealously guarding our “secret” rather than simply moving forward. In the end, we turn our passions into burdens that become difficult to carry instead of a joy.

9. You use up your reserves.
When I’ve found myself at my lowest points, it’s always been for lack of a reserve — whether of money, of time, or most crucially of energy. In part this was the fault of inadequate planning and over-certainty — I should have reassessed my situation more realistically before exhausting my resources — but whatever the cause, it’s a dangerous place to be. A mistake that could be easily recovered from under normal circumstances becomes overwhelming when you’re too broke or too exhausted to respond adequately. Keep track of where you are financially, materially, and emotionally before you find yourself too worn down to continue.

10. You fear success.
Forget fear of failure, it’s fear of success that kicks us the hardest. It’s the darnedest thing, too — the kind of thing that you don’t imagine possible, until one day you realize that you really don’t know what to do with yourself if you ever accomplish your goals. On the other side of success is the unknown, and believe it or not, the unknown is often scarier than the known world of struggle and unfulfillment this side of success. When I realized this, one night as I drifted unhappily to sleep, it jerked me straight up in my bed!

The Holiday Season Can Now Begin

2007-11-07T00:51:00.000-06:00

Well, it's finally happened. That annual ritual that signifies Christmas is right around the corner has transpired, and the holiday season is now officially open for business. Call it the Groundhog's Day equivalent of indicators that Jolly St. Nick is packing up the sled. Yep, the Chambers family scheduled their annual Christmas pictures. Every year, I use the Chambers as my gauge that it's time to start thinking about getting serious about the holidays. Laura and Andy were brave enough to volunteer to be my first official clients back in December of 2004, and we've been creating images of every year since.

I was shocked how much little Emma had grown in the past year since our last session. And her hair! Wow... she's a Julia Roberts starter kit! And John, this little guy wasn't even around yet for our very first session, and now he's well on his way to becoming a big boy who looks just like his dad.

Here's a few images from our session last Sunday. Click on the images for a larger preview.

Ava Turned 2!

2007-10-30T02:22:00.000-05:00

Yikes, where does the time go? I still can't believe it's already been a little over a year since we created images to commemorate Ava's first birthday. And now this little princess is already two. Well, 2 and change, really - her birthday was a couple months ago, but we pushed out her session a time or two, but this way we also were able to do some Pulitzer-worthy Christmas card images while we were at it. If you're friends of the Gaonas, check your mailbox around Christmas time to see this beautiful family.

I'm so glad we waited. The weather yesterday was fantastic, and so was Ava - a diva starter-kit for sure. She's already melting hearts, so watch out boys.

Here's a couple sneak peek images for mom and dad. Click images for larger previews.

I love this image. Such a rockin' outfit... and a matching suitcase! Are you kidding me? How cool is that?

Drive-By Instant Classic

2007-10-25T17:53:00.000-05:00

We don't get much fall color here in Dallas which is to say if you want to see some red, orange and yellow leaves you better call someone up north and have them ship them down.

This was a fun image from when we were driving around Nashville. I just slowed down the shutter speed a bit, pointed the lens out the car window at some passing trees, and presto... instant masterpiece. Monet-Schmonet... poor guy spent days and weeks painting his timeless Impressionist classics. Mine took 1/8th of a second.

Just Plain Fun

2007-10-17T23:31:00.000-05:00

I love this image from a recent session with BA and his daughter, Emily. The 'love junkie' graffiti on the wall is so appropriate... BA is a self-proclaimed addict to his little girl.

That's all, just wanted to share this little piece of gold.

Rolling Through Nashville

2007-10-17T23:30:00.000-05:00

Kylie and I went to Nashville last weekend to have some fun in the Music City. The weather couldn't have been better and the city had a quaint, welcoming feel to it. Between the Grand Old Opry, the "Batman Building", downtown Nashville, Music Row, Vanderbilt, Bicentennial Mall, Percy Warner Park, historic downtown Franklin,Centennial Park, and a host of other things to see and do, there's never a shortage of things to do. Oh yeah, and did I mention all the rolling hills. Beautiful!

Oh, and I wish I had a photo from the Pancake Pantry. We ate breakfast at this legendary establishment near Vanderbilt on Friday morning, and while we unfortunately didn't see any country music stars during our visit, apparently it's not uncommon to be eating pancakes next to folks like Keith Urban or Leann Rimes when you're there. In fact, I can't confirm this, but I overheard the waitress tell another table that Jessica Simpson was in that day before we got there. Hmmm... wonder if she had to wait n line, too?

These were big columns in Bicentennial Mall (btw, it's a park, not a shopping mall in case you were wondering what these columns had to do with shopping) that chimed every hour and every 15 minutes (and sometimes seemingly just whenever). They played "Rocky Top", too. Fun stuff.

This is the courthouse in downtown Nashville. They actually have night court here, and apparently it's a popular date night event. What?

Here's the view from the hotel room inside the Gaylord Opryland Hotel. Pretty nuts isn't it? Amazing how freakin' big this place was and how they've built these little cities inside.

The NEW Reagan Era

2007-10-17T15:34:00.000-05:00

The baby wagon made a stop at Michael and Amanda's last week and dropped off a brand new, shiny little girl. I got to meet miss Reagan Adelle Styer last weekend when I was back in Ohio for a little getaway, and let me tell ya, she's a keeper. She's beautiful, likes to eat all the time, needs lots of attention, and loves to sleep... truly a girl after my own heart. Watch out mom and dad... this one's gonna attract a lot of interest from the boys when she gets a little older.

What a blessing that she was born into such a solid family. Schrode and Amanda are wonderful people, and Reagan will never lack for love and guidance. Grandma and Grandpa Styer were there for a bit when I stopped by this weekend, too, and you could just tell they're hooked on this little girl. In fact, when grandma heard I was stopping by and had my camera with me, she hinted that baby Styer was billboard material. Too sweet. You've got it good, Miss Reagan.

Well, it took a little while for her to warm up to the camera (literally I think she cried every time the camera came out for the first 30 minutes), but after a couple new diapers and a little food, Reagan finally found her happy place and fell right to sleep. Here's a few images we stole while she was napping.

As always, click images for larger previews.

PLEASE READ! - I didn't forget you...

2007-10-16T16:29:00.000-05:00

... I just didn't know you e-mailed.

If you've e-mailed me in the last week and you haven't heard back, rest assured I'm not ignoring you. My hard drive headed south a little early for the winter and is apparently never coming back. While I had backed up my data relatively recently, any e-mails I received in the last week or so are part of the data that's gone... vanished... forever... for good. If you were one of the lucky ones to send an e-mail recently, it would be awesome if you'd resend that e-mail again, and I promise we'll get back to you. Thanks so much!

All Things Vintage

2007-10-15T00:54:00.000-05:00

I love old things. Period. If it's got a hint of nostalgia to it, I'm a fan. If it reeks of time gone by, even better (hamburger meat notwithstanding). Weathered barns, rusted out cars, trains, rail road tracks, faded signs... these are a few of my favorite things... to photograph (sorry for putting the song in your head). I was back 'home' in Ohio this weekend and had a chance to get lost out in the country to do some photography, and although I was a little too early for the fall color, I still found a few things reminiscent of days gone by during my favorite time of year. Here's a couple more of my favorites. Click on an image for a larger preview.

Also, speaking of Ohio, my HS buddy Schrode and his wife Amanda give birth to their first baby last week, and she is so precious. Stay tuned for a few images of little Reagan this week.

The World We Live In

2007-10-08T11:25:00.000-05:00

My friend, Tina, sent this to me a while back, and I'm just now getting around to posting it. I'm not a huge politics guy, and I know some people will skip this video as soon as they see Newt talking, but his message is clear and concise and really made me stop and think for a while about how much we take for granted and much we continually put our freedom at risk with each act of ignorance or worse yet, indifference. We live in a society that is so afraid to offend anyone that we may not - if we're not careful - ultimately be able to protect anyone in the end.

See-attle {slideshow!}

2007-10-07T17:35:00.000-05:00

I'm finally resurfacing after spending some time in Seattle last week. Such a cool city... so much character, and so many things to see. The weather was unseasonably sunny to boot. In fact, in the 8 days I've spent in this city over my lifetime, it's really only been gray and drizzly one day. I think the miserably rainy persona Seattle has is perpetuated by it's own residents as marketing ploy to keep everyone from moving to this beautiful city.

I was travelling with my buddy Robin this week as we were visiting with a group of Seattle teachers to observe how they're using a new product we've been working on for Texas Instruments. While we were there we got to meet up with Trace and Christie who moved to Seattle from Dallas about a year ago, and they took us to a couple of their favorite local hang-outs. Too cool.

My favorite stop was a little hole in the wall place called Beth's Cafe. Very "homey" with hand-sketched scribbles and artwork from customers covering all the walls. I don't know how else to describe the food at this place other than to say when I ordered my omelette, they next question our waitress asked was, "You want a 6 egg or 12 egg omelette?" I almost fell asleep just thinking how stuffed I was about to be.

Here's a few of my favorite images from the trip. Check out the slideshow of all the images at the end.

Like Father, Like Daughter

2007-10-04T01:01:00.000-05:00

Brent ('BA') was one of the winning bidders on a custom photography session from an Alzheimer's Association charity auction event earlier this year, and the weather finally cooled off (sort of) enough for us to capture some father/daughter images in Old Town Plano recently. Both BA and Emily are the sweetest people you will ever meet... just 'good peoples' if ya know what I mean.

And BA is one of the most dedicated and caring dads I know. Such a nice guy; it's easy to see why this dad and his little girl have such a genuine, natural relationship.

Here's a few fun images from our session.

Invaded!

2007-10-02T14:12:00.000-05:00

This video is a testament to the slacker generation. Is it productive? No. Is it for a cause that will benefit society? Negative. Is it educational? Ummm... not a chance. Is it 2 minutes of meaningless, mind-numbing entertainment that you will never get back. Absolutely.

Haven't wasted enough time yet? Try Pole Position and Pong. Retro fun!

I've been tagged... again... and again

2007-09-25T00:51:00.000-05:00

Remember the game of tag you played as a kid? Yes, of course you do - consider that a rhetorical question. Well, like most things from the back-in-the-day era, a new version of this classic game of hit-and-run has evolved for big kids. And like seemingly all things in our big kid lives, it involves technology to even get in the game.

For several months now, this new viral version has been spreading like wild e-fire through the professional photography blog world, and recently I was tagged by Jen, Barbie, and Marlo.

The Rules
Post the rules before you give the facts. Then post eight random facts about yourself that few people know. At the end of your blog post, you need to tag 8 other people and list their names leaving each person you tagged a comment on their blog letting them know that they've been tagged.

The [Forgettable] Facts
Prepare yourself to be underwhelmed.

1. I never gauge well the amount of paper towels I'm going to need. Tear off one square and I spill something and have to go back for more. Tear off 3 squares "just in case" and I barely get so much as drizzle of ketchup on the corner of one. I've tried the select-a-size rolls, too, thinking more size options would make it easier to manage this dilemma. More choices = more waste. It's an on-going struggle.

2. I'm an obsessive counter. Seriously. I'm always counting and memorizing random things in my everyday existence. It's 19 steps from my 2nd floor apartment to the parking lot below. The seat belt warning in my car consists of 25 mind-numbing 'dings' that go off in succession for a stretch of 6 seconds every 45 seconds until I put my seat belt on. When I stayed in Philly recently, it was 433 steps from the front door of the Hampton Inn I stayed at to the front door of Chili's. Scary, I know. I could continue, but let's move on.

3. I received a nomination from then Ohio Congressman, Mike DeWine, to attend the United States Merchant Marine Academy (also known as Kings Point) after high school. Kings Point is the least-known of the 4 major military academies, and probably the one you've never heard of. The other 3 are West Point (Army), Annapolis (Navy), and the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. It was a pretty competitive screening process and kind of a big deal that I got selected, but I only stayed 3 weeks before deciding it wasn't for me. At the time, the decision to leave was the toughest I had faced in my life and ultimately led to a dark, painful time in my life for a while back home.

4. To this day I have sequestered and locked away all-known evidence of this, but I was once chosen to be Mr. June in a local radio station's "Men of Dallas" calendar contest. I'm still emotionally scarred from the rightful harassing I received from my 'friends' for that gem in my past. (yes, I was completely clothed for the calendar image in case you were wondering. Give me a little credit here... I may have been naive, but I wasn't completely insane.)

5. I love Fruity Pebbles. Always have. Always will. Yes, I'm 34 years old, and, no, I don't care.

6. I'm generally shy and uncomfortable around new and/or unfamiliar people. Perfect characteristic for someone who photographs new people all the time, I know. Yup, I've grown up being a little insecure/unsure of my abilities and intimidated around people I don't know. This is a daily challenge for me, but with the grace of God and a good group of amazingly supportive friends and loved ones, I'm making strides and learning to spread my own wings.

7. In elementary school, I stretched the truth a bit [read: I blatantly lied] and told Michael Styer (Schrode) my family owned a hot air balloon so he'd think I was cool and invite me over to spend the night at his house so we could play Atari Football and Frogger. The only thing I owned with hot air back then were the words coming out of my mouth. Sorry I fibbed, Schrode, but hey, thanks for inviting me over! Besides, the way I see it, I think we're probably even given the manner you threw me under the bus in your desperate love letter to Connie Vanover.

8. I'm a self-taught photographer. As a kid, it never crossed my mind for even a second to write "photographer" in the blank at the end of the "When I grow up I want to be a ..." question. Now, an artist? Different story. Watching Bob Ross every day after school create those 30 minute masterpieces on PBS with 'happy trees' and 'VanDyke brown'- how could I not want to grow up and be like Bob. Although even back then, I knew I didn't want Bob's haircut. Did they not have a stylist for that show?? I digress. Nope, other than an elective black and white darkroom class at Ohio State, I never studied photography in college either. I've always been doing something creative, and I guess I was always kinda curious about photography, but honestly I don't know why or what caused me to decide to do it on a professional level. I think one day a little over 2 and a half years ago, I was simply talking to a co-worker about photography and I saw an ad on the internet for the new Nikon D70 back then and thought, 'Hey, I could do this.' So I played for a while (still am), did lots of experimenting (still am), went to a few workshops and seminars (still do), stalked a lot of other photographers' blogs (still do), and presto - here I am. Thanks to Laura Chambers for being brave enough to give me that first chance to take her family's Christmas photos back in December of 2004. (BTW, Laura, I'm sure you could tell, but I didn't have a clue what I was doing... thanks for not calling me out on it.)

Bonus Factoid. I've broken 3 bones in my life, and none of them were mine. In 8th grade I tackled Kari Ihns from behind in the snow just trying to be funny... she never got up. Yup, broken femur. Nice strategy for showing a girl you like her, eh? My junior year at a HS girl's basketball game, my buddy Adam pulled a chair out from underneath me as I was sitting down, and during the less-than-graceful descent, my flailing hand struck a women from the opposing HS's team square in the mouth and broke her front tooth. Her husband was very large and scary. That same year at another girl's basketball game, I was playing a game my basketball coach had taught us and jokingly punched (seriously, it was a game) a buddy as he ran past me. He tried to duck to avoid me and my fist landed squarely on his collar bone. Ummm... oops.

The Tagged
Considering 1) hardly any of my friends even have blogs and 2) most of the photographers I know - due to my slow e-reflexes and delay in responding - have already been tagged, this is the hard part. So if your name appears below, and you've already been tagged, my apologies. I didn't see any "no tag back" clauses.

Okay, I've only got 7, but you're 'it':

Schrode, Tina/Trinity, Martha, Brooke, Sara, Marie, Alicia, Paige

Blair's Bridals {slideshow!}

2007-09-22T12:13:00.000-05:00

Here's the slideshow from the bridal session we did with Blair recently. Beautiful bride. Beautiful location. Beautiful images.

HUGE!

2007-09-21T13:35:00.001-05:00

This is a test of the emergency blogcasting system. Below you will find mesmerizing imagery and may experience the urge to cash in the college fund for the kids and splurge on a ridiculously expensive and completely on a whim vacation to Europe. This is only a test.

You may now resume normal blogcasting.

Okay, the title may have oversold the content of this post a bit, but hey you're reading this aren't you? Just testing a new method of posting bigger images. I love this image from Stockholm a couple years ago.

Finally... #5!

2007-09-21T01:15:00.000-05:00

Uncle! I'm temporarily on storyboard design hiatus after this one. I really like the simplicity of this design, and I'm stoked to finally be done with the collection... for now.

Isn't Trinity adorable? I never get tired of seeing her, and she's perfect in this layout. Click on the image for a larger view.

I'm looking forward to putting down the stylus, using a crow bar to remove myself from this chair and getting back behind the lens tomorrow.

Storyboard #4... one more to go

2007-09-19T01:17:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Julie, Jennifer and Jamie for dressing up this new, shiny 20x20 storyboard design. One more to go and then I'll offer these as a set of 5 that can be customized to suit your taste.

Stay tuned!

Barnyard Animals Everywhere, I Apologize

2007-09-17T15:57:00.000-05:00

After seeing this, I now realize how terribly inept and disrespectful my impersonations were back in Jr. High... and still today. I am ashamed of my efforts, and apologize to all the rabbits and roosters I have offended.

The Museo Collection

2007-09-15T23:58:00.000-05:00

Some of you have "complained" that it's been too difficult to choose when you come in to view and order your images. Thank you for this compliment.

To help ease your pain, I'm excited to announce the new Museo Collection, a collection (what else?) of 6, 9 or 12 canvas gallery wraps of your favorite session images. Each stunning gallery wrap comes ready to hang with no framing required.

Take a look at the Boyer family in these images. You'd have a hard time finding more adorable kids anywhere on the planet. [click on the images for a larger view]

Make sure to ask for more information about this beautiful new collection when you call to schedule a session.

Blair's Getting Married!

2007-09-13T01:38:00.000-05:00

Blair and her fiance Steve are getting married next month in Las Vegas, so we made our way down to Las Colinas for a bridal session late this afternoon. She looked fantastic and really let loose and had some fun as the session went on, and I think the images we created are amazing.

Today's session was very cool because I was able to try some new things with a portable flash and softbox. I'm normally au natural when it comes to lighting, but I've been wanting to play with light of the man-made variety, and this evening was the perfect time to try it out as the sun faded behind the horizon. I'm really excited with the results and look forward to doing more of this kind of lighting; it really adds a sense of depth and drama to the images.

Congratulations, Blair and proud mom, Vicki. I can't wait for you guys to see the rest of your images. Stay tuned for a slideshow in a future post!

Storyboard #3

2007-09-12T00:38:00.000-05:00

I'm excited to add this new design to the growing collection of storyboard designs you can choose from when ordering images from your session.

I love the richness and depth of this one. Of course, Jessica and Brett can make any design look good. Too cool - and a unique way to display images in your home.

Note to other photographers, I've got two more design on the way to go with the first three, and after that I'll be offering these as templates. Check back soon for more details!

Friends are Fun!!

2007-09-11T02:19:00.001-05:00

I love photographing friends because it's so much easier to feel relaxed and have fun. Plus I don't feel bad asking them to do quirky or better yet dangerous things all in the name of a great image... or at least a great image in my head. Sometimes they just don't pan out, but, hey, that's what friends are for, right?

Yesterday we went out with Paige & Colin and Juan and Allison and their little superstar, Seth, to capture some images for Colin and Allison's dad's birthday present. Shhh... it's a surprise. Ben if you're reading this, close this window immediately, empty your browser cache, and remove this bookmark from your favorites until after October. Consider this your "do not view until November" courtesy message.

Despite a little bit of rain, we had a ton of fun, and these guys were great. Little Seth is gonna be a ladies man before long. Such a sweet and good-looking little guy... watch out girls!

I'll post a slideshow in a couple days. Until then, enjoy these sneak peeks!

As always, click on images for larger views.

Another Storyboard Design

2007-09-08T17:57:00.000-05:00

Here's the 2nd design in a series of storyboards I'm creating. I'll have the templates available for purchase once I finish up a couple more.

Storyboards!

2007-09-04T14:34:00.000-05:00

I'm excited to announce I've now added photographic storyboards to the product line-up just in time for the holidays.

You might be asking, "What are storyboards?" (if you're not, just roll with me here for a minute) Story boards are a collection of 2-4 images from your session that have been woven together with exquisite custom background elements and your favorite verse or saying into a single, stunning image. Storyboards can be ordered as canvas gallery wraps for a timeless, museum look on your walls; they can also be dressed up with a beautiful frame that compliments the design and is as unique as your family. Love the look but would rather put it on a side table or dresser? Storyboards can also be printed and mounted and placed on an easel for a more nostalgic feel.

Storyboards make truly unique gifts as well, so be sure to ask about these for your next session.

Click on the example image to see a larger, more detailed view. Additional exciting designs are on the way, too!