Insomniac!

So guys,
I entered this crazy contest put on by mac, called the insomniac photo festival. I have from today at 5pm until 5pm tomorrow to make an image on the them they have selected. Everything is being kept under wraps, but i will say the idea I'm working with is, well here's a fun description:
{the box} {photo idea} . Anyways, it should be good, and you have to vote for me! Here's a link to insomniac (click here). Go check it out tomorrow, and I will send out further emails. Rock on!

Night Lights

So I had decided last week I was going to go out and do a night shoot. I just wanted to take advantage of the surrealism that the darkness offers. One really should look around as they drive at night, and take the time to soak in the landscapes as they are bathed in artificial glow. It is incredibly peaceful. I always enjoy shooting out late at night by myself, as it allows me to relax, gather my thoughts and just work through the ideas in my head. Initially I was out shooting with the Hasselblad, but it suddenly became too structured for me, so I switched over to digital and decided to do some more experimental work, instead of shooting lighting. So I found a construction site right off the road (if you guys don't know how much I love industrial equipment, you really should. The piles of old Tonka Toys in my bedroom back home are testament), busted out my tripod and maglite, and went to work. In the images, I was hoping to convey a sense of power through the strong lines and grit these machines possess. The pic of the Taco is just because I love taking pictures of my truck. It won't be the last one by a long shot. Enjoy!

Because Its Too Much Fun

So, because I love these portraits so much, and I'm sure many of you will, here are some more of my faves. Please feel free to leave comments on here, and definitely let me know if you want to be added to my email list! By doing so you would be informed whenever I post up new photos, be it on sportsshooter, blogger or the website. Hit me up!

And A Bridal

Also, another fun bridal portrait shoot.

From Mad Hatters to Lobster Ladies

So, in fitting with the personality of my friend Deborah, her wedding was one of the more creative, and hands down the craziest that I have shot. The ceremony itself was innocent enough, though it was held at the Wizard Academy. Yes, your eyes do not deceive you, this is a facility where the best and brightest new age wizards are taught the tricks of the trade (the tuition is lower than Hogwarts), and they even have a chapel on the campus, which is where we were. However, before we talk about all this, I have a fun story to share on getting there. Normally when I shoot for clients I like to get there the day before to make sure everything is square, but with the general craziness, and the fact the ceremony was on a Friday evening, I left Dallas with Ayns the morning of. Traffic as always was interesting in Austin, and stayed predictably heavy for a majority of the trip. We decided to truck straight on through to Chapel Dulcinea instead of checking in at the hotel first. Well, Deborah gave me two sets of directions; one for the wedding and one for the reception, which were about 45 minutes apart. Needless to say I felt compelled to visit the reception first, and arrived there on time. Or at least I would have been on time if I was anywhere near where I was supposed to be. So I called the groom, Charlie, and told him my predicament. Charlie, though, was not concerned with my issue, as apparently he had left the rings at the reception area and was trying to fight traffic to pick them up (this call occurred after I was well away from there, just fyi). So I let him do his thing, and I raced to get there. Though Deb was slightly on edge, everything went smoothly, and it was a gorgeous place.
Now is the matter of the reception. They rented a house off Lake Travis, and invited family and friends over to relax. What made it unusual, as you might be able to tell, was that it was themed "Alice in Wonderland." I had a blast, and did portraits of all the guests, which was hilarious in and of itself. Everything from Mad Hatters to Lobster Ladies. After that, we just hung out and let the festivities occur. They even jumped into the lake in full dress, because they could. So definitely a wild weekend. My holga pics should be in soon, hopefully I can put those up today. In the meantime, enjoy!

Aileen and Dennis

So these are a few pics from the wedding I shot last weekend in Houston. I'm going to be down there quite a bit in the spring time, four of the six weddings I'm shooting in May are there. It was a good time, I got to work with a new photographer for Bella, Jerry Smith. Anyways, here is some eye candy.
I went out this morning and shot lots of pics with the old Holgas. I literally had to take them off the shelf and dust them before I used them, but I'm glad I did. I woke up very inspired this morning, and just took off at 8am. I haven't been shooting enough non-wedding things lately, and it has really started to get to me, as I am always trying to do something different or crazy. So off I went to the park, because I absolutely love nature in the morning, and took pics of people playing tennis balls, and then worked with light and line interactions between shadows, balls and court lines. Whenever I get those back I'll make sure to post the favs up here.
I will be headed down to Austin this weekend with Ayns to shoot my friend Deborah's wedding. This one should be good. The ceremony will be beautiful, but the best part is the reception: it is themed Alice in Wonderland, with everyone wearing themed costumes. I'll be setting up a little studio to capture the magic. Now that you are salivating on the thought of dressed up Dodos and Mad Hatter Cake, I will leave.

Hardcore Bikin'

So I never got to put these pics up of David and I from Tyler State Park. We jetted down there to do some relaxation/camping/biking/being awesome. And I certainly would say that we dominated out there. The trail ratings are like in skiing, the blues and greens are easy and medium, and then there's the blacks. Needless to say, we rode every trail out there, easy to expert, and were worn out at the end of the day, but still good to go. If you ever have the chance, please head out to Tyler, there's not much there, but the folks are friendly, and nature is incredible. Also, the first shot of David is him walking up a hill from the trail to our campsite. We were able to jump straight on the path from where we camped. So good.