dan the man

this is my friend daniel - it was his birthday recently, and when asked what his favorite type of cake was, i think his response was something like...chocolate, with chocolate, and then some more chocolate

so, i did what any lover of baking would do...i went to whole foods in search of the best quality chocolate available - and with a couple pounds of it, made a super rich chocolate cake from scratch, and then drowned it in a chocolate ganache made from the same magical chocolately goodness - it was so rich, i could barely eat a small piece, but he managed to polish off the entire cake within a week

i love this video because it's very honest and in the moment - it was also his first experience with trick candles....sorry daniel

how suite it is

this april, i had the great honor (and responsibility) in assisting Brian Gibb of The Public Trust, (or as I like to refer to him - the mastermind of operations) in organizing and hosting the first annual SUITE Art Fair - it was an incredibly ambitious and ballsy undertaking, but I believe that all things great start with a big dream (and a little bit of crazy)

with Brian as the ring leader, the event was predictively surrounded by great design - not to mention the buzz he created after scoring an interview on NPR, Good Morning Texas, as well as placement in several respected national and local art publications

and the fair was a huge success! all of the contributing galleries came together at one of Dallas' most beloved historical hotels - people had the opportunity to visit 14 different bungalows, where each gallerist uniquely displayed their collection of work and installations - and as art patrons wandered out of each room and on to the next, they experienced live music and a cocktail in the charming courtyard

so watch the movie i shot to experience the event for yourself, and as a reminder to come out next year!

check out the SUITE art fair website for more information on the galleries

burning midget

click here to see what happened after this photo...

last weekend i went on a little adventure in West, Tx - we camped (and kind of froze) on acres and acres of land in a tiny little town near the czech stop (and if you're any kind of texan, you know right where that is) it was a test-run for a festival called Flipside/Burning Man, that is coming up this May - and what a test run it was!

we: played with a lot of guns, made kolaches over the fire, lit up the night with the most awesome bonfire i've ever seen (with thousands of pounds of hay at the core), roasted marshmallows, watched in awe as the fire spinners worked on their routines, went on midnight boat rides, strapped a chair atop a jeep and played frisbee, made campfire espresso in the morning - there were dinosaur costumes and tree climbings, and then, we topped off the weekend with...almost setting the entire property on fire. yep.

the short explanation: a hand-made firework + dry texas field + wind = bad bad idea...

but, luckily, aaron blazed onto the scene with a giant metal pool tow strapped to the back of a jeep, and extinguished the entire fire...like a superhero!....and then we all went home.

i'm so glad i got to spend a weekend with such a lovey, creative, and free-spirited group of people - so many memories to hang on to!
thanks for including me.

isn't she lovely

i was recently fortunate enough to be invited to the baby shower of my friend and local fine art photographer, Misty Keasler - the celebration contained a collection of amazingly accomplished women - painters, photographers, gallerists, art professors, etc. - and i was honored and humbled to be in their presence
the incredible cake, a replica of the mural in the baby's room(dreamed up and painted by Misty's husband and artist Brian Gibb) was home-made by her friend and godmother to the baby-to-be, Maria Sheets, an art restorer in the Dallas area
this is a talented group of folks, to say the least
and after mimosas, delicious eats, and some of the most creative gifts i've ever seen given - the day was topped off with a mini-sculpture contest, with good old-fashioned modeling clay - a throwback to days in design class

see the sculptures, and the rest of the party, by clicking right here

house beautiful

click here to see the rest of this impressive home

i rarely blog about work - my day job that is - in fact, i don't think i've ever blogged about work - but i often have the good fortune of photographing some of the most beautiful structures in the Dallas area - and this house was no exception - i would even go so far as to call it a feat of architecture - the house was primarily made of glass and steel, and curved around the block in a spectacular 'U' shape - the house was designed to wrap around an enormous tree that sits in the middle of the 3 acre lot - with features like an infinity pool that follows along the back side of the house in an identical 'U' formation, 15 foot zinc doors that greet you at the entrance, stunning custom zebra wood built-ins, movable walls, an outdoor shower, and secret hidden rooms, this place was a true dream house - and definitely warranted a blog entry
....oh, and to top it off, there was also an adorable blood hound that completely stole me heart

got it, that's a wrap!

my most recent shoot was for an old friend of mine and her family - we spent a really nice afternoon in a local park - initially a little stiff, (and irritated with the thought of being photographed for a couple of hours) i eased them in with some traditional group shots - but, as the afternoon wore on, and the family began to loosen up, i moved on to screaming out direction and movement and how to look like you're having fun until....we hit that moment when i know i've done my job...when they all actually started having fun, laughing at one another, and almost forgetting that i was there - and that's when i got this shot.

i don't care if it's hip

it seems like all of the artists and graphic designers i know have been moving to Portland lately - i mean, i know it's a very green-hipstery-fresh-aired-mountainous-love-your-neighbor type of place, but what is all of the hullabaloo about anyway?
well, now i get it. after a far too short vacation, filled with skiing and hiking and snowmobiling and game nights and happy/friendly natives and amazing farmers market produce and....really i could go on...for awhile...but i won't
i love this place! and i fully plan to return in the summer months to experience everything else it has to offer - until then Oregon...

check out the movies i shot and edited of this wonderful wonderful trip!

elephants and eggnog

i've thrown a lot of parties in my lifetime - but most have been in my college-lifetime - and though i've always wanted to throw a good christmas party, it's never really come together...until this year - i figured it was time, living downtown, being surrounded by neiman marcus christmas magic and the big city lights, everything around me here feels festive - i decided to go with a white elephant party - friends from all different stages of my life were invited, and going to come together for the first time, and a ridiculous and dirty present exchange seemed the perfect way to get everyone involved and laughing together - it was a huge success! - and the best christmas party i've ever been to - haha! cheers!

check out photos from the 'photo booth' we set up at the party right here

cool yule

one of the great things about the warm texas winters is that we get to have fabulous outdoor christmas festivals - this is my second christmas living downtown, and i was not about to miss the over the top production known as the 'city lights festival' put on by neiman marcus - there was a great tree-lighting ceremony, hot cocoa, face painting, carolers - and then, a spectacular reveal of the neiman marcus window (the only department store window in america that allows the children to actually crawl into the display itself) the show was topped off with fireworks, and the most awesome santa entrance that i have ever seen! you'll just have to watch the movie i shot and see it for yourself!

twistin' the night away

kandi and i were lucky enough to attend this year's margarita ball - the world's largest invitation-only black tie charity ball - it is a non-profitable event, who's goal is to provide christmas gifts for at-risk children, as well as support the organizations that work with these children throughout the year - the mountain of toys was overwhelming, and the party was such a joyous celebration of the season! - see for yourself in this movie that i shot between dances:

nature in the city

i worked with a new client recently, and we decided to do a less traditional shoot and work in the park...in the middle of downtown - we were able to shoot during those last beautiful minutes of daylight, my favorite time of day for shooting - and with a little direction, a little cooperation, and a lot of courage to not care what others would think (the park was full on onlookers that day) i was able to get the modern lifestyle type portraits i was looking for - the sunlight, the park, the city backgrounds, the adorable family - all made for a fantastic and fun session!

check out the rest of the shoot right here

too much cute for one week

in the same weekend as my previous adorable kid photo shoot - i managed to book a second adorable kid - this little girl, who expressed interest in acting and modeling (the reason for the photo session) showed up initially a little shy - but with just a little encouragement from me to jump up and down, laugh, and dance - this little girl came alive, and a wealth of joy spilled from her every move and facial expression

see more from this all too fun photo session by clicking here

little boys are...fast

i had a shoot with a new client recently - we had such a nice day in the park! i was warned beforehand that he was difficult to photograph because of his energy and inability to sit still - and boy was she right - i spent most of the afternoon chasing him around in circles, up and down playground equipment, back and forth on the swings, and whoa, that kid is fast! but his dimples won me over - and the rest of the day we'll just call...a good day's workout...and pretty much how the majority of toddler photo shoots go

check out the rest of the shoot here

summertime, and the livin' is easy

my college roommate contacted me recently in need of some headshots for a new business venture - i knew she would be easy to shoot because not only does she have a great smile, but it is incredibly easy to get her to laugh...err crack up - headshots are a simple head and shoulders crop, which i think actually makes the shoot more challenging sometimes - it's fun to play with light and backgrounds and posing to try to get variation and life within such a tight shot - and i think she looks pretty great in every one of these shots

check out the rest of the shoot right here

ghouls and goblins and glitter, oh my!

so i guess i'm more of a videographer than a photographer these days - or still in the thick of a love affair with my iphone - either way, sometimes things are just better with motion and sound - and halloween is definitely one of those things - we had such a great time at the block party on Cedar Springs this year - the costumes were so great - and the personalities of the people we met were even better - follow that up with a great rock show, and you've got yourself a pretty magical all hallows eve...

one part friends, two parts tequila - shake well

i recently photographed some old family friends of mine - i was initially concerned that the history between us would make it difficult for them to relax and act natural - but on the contrary, it actually made the shoot a lot easier and more comfortable for all of us - i was able to joke around with them and get them to laugh easily - and then go for margaritas afterwards!

click here to see the rest of the shoot

the big apple

my most recent trip to NYC was a total blast! the movie i made shows it better than i could ever describe it - enjoy

you gotta have 'em

we tackled another 5k last week - but this one included more walking and smiling and girl-power, and a little less sweat and fire and mud - it was a great experience and really uplifting - the susan g. komen breast cancer awareness 5k is always a very empowering and community driven event - more than 30,000 people came out in support of the cause - and it was really an amazing sight to see - see for yourself and check out the video i made of the early morning fun:

today i stretched my designer hat over my photographer hat - it was a tight fit

i had the privilege of shooting these three girls for the 2nd fall in a row this year - and somehow, they have managed to get more beautiful since - and this time, mom and dad decided to join in on the fun for a few of the photographs - i'm wrapping up the editing of their shoot from this weekend, and have layed out and designed for them, 4 different christmas cards with the photos from our shoot - i've always loved graphic design, but have certainly never considered myself a designer - i have to say however, it was made a lot easier by having access to photos that i shot with my point of view, from which to derive inspiration

click right here to check out the card designs

let the games begin...

click here to look through the rest of this shoot

with fall comes great weather, and with great weather comes portrait season! just another reason why this time of year, is my favorite time of year - i had a hectic weekend of wedding photography, family portraits, and senior portraits - the first set i'm rolling out to the public are the senior portraits - this was one of my most successful and satisfying shoots to date - i am proud of the work and eager to share - and it didn't hurt that my subject was a very patient young artist with incredibly striking features - a complete joy to photograph

(fall appointments are filling up fast - check out thephotositake.com for available dates and rates)

the monster mash

the end of september means the beginning of haunted house season - and halloween just happens to be my favorite of all the holidays - i look forward to it like normal people look forward to christmas - it's not just the candy, the costumes, the parties, the mood, the chilly nights, the haunted houses, the spirit, the history, the ghouls and the goblins...it's all of it!

this weekend we headed out to a nationally accredited haunt in gainesville, a small town just south of oklahoma, where all of the proceeds from ticket sales are donated to the red cross - in these quick snapshots, i tried to capture the things that represent a recipe for a good scare: ticket booth hand painted on the side of a trailer..in the middle of nowhere, target practice, clowns, decapitated heads, and...porta potties

there is nothing more fun for me, than to visit these houses with people who are easily terrified and truely scared of, not just the spooks and startles, but the mere anticipation of it all - it's just not the same unless you have a screamer in the group, and luckily we had a couple - i'm really looking forward to screaming all over the metroplex for the next couple of weeks!

the end of summer

traditionally, labor day marks the end of summer - and this year it was a welcomed relief to steamy triple digit days, as well as a much needed triple day weekend.
mine was filled with cliche rituals of the american holiday...barbecues, block parties, new babies, and football - but, a nice change of pace from days filled with shot lists and photoshop and computers and hours of driving - it came and went all too fast


(and on a side note, the iPhone takes some pretty awesome photos too - as you can see)

and....action!

so i finally surrendered to the genius that is steve jobs...i got an iPhone - i've been a mac user since i was a teenager and i'm constantly trying to convert people because i have first hand experience in the superiority of apple technology - however, i've been putting off buying an iPhone for several reasons - the cost, having to become at&t's bitch, being that connected all of the time, and mostly - because i was sure i would be addicted to it soon after - well...i was right - and i'm already at the point where i can't remember how i survived without it for so long - within 24 hours of owning it, i decided to make my first iPhone movie - i think i was inspired by all of the filming that's been going on downtown - so i walked around in my neighborhood for a couple of hours and shot a few clips of my favorite places - i used the iMovie app to cut and arrange the clips, add music and text and transitions, and export...all on the phone - this thing is awesome!

enjoy the show.

quiet on the set

an unexpected perk to living downtown is getting to observe all of the movies and tv shows that are filmed here - the film crews are always really nice - and it never ceases to amaze me that i can wander around and take photos without anyone questioning me - i'm not sure if maybe my camera gear just makes me look like i belong there, or if they really just don't care - before my many adventures through the various sets, i would have thought there would have been more security on a movie set - or at least they would block off the street to the public - but i guess it's just too expensive to borrow main street for a night or two...?

the happiest kind of bar

a girls' night out at a gay bar is like smoke on a disco ball...
roundup is a fabulous place where you will find a karaoke stage, a dance floor, pool tables, a rooftop patio, and a few hundred beautiful, well dressed, charming,and totally.. uninterested men... who can dance.

after we cheered michele on in the karaoke room, we hit that dance floor where we made an adorable new friend - and we immediately began scanning the room to help find him a partner for the night - and successfully so! i can't remember the last time i danced, and sweat, and sang, and laughed so much in one night - and we can't wait to go back!

can i get a little cheese with that whine

my family and i attended a wine and cheese tasting at whole foods recently - we had a very in-depth history lesson about the 6 different types of gouda we tasted, as well as the several whites and reds that were paired along with each cheese - the origins and the cultural references were fascin...blah blah blah - it was a lot of damn wine and cheese...and i can't wait for the next one! - what a great way to spend an evening amongst friends and family - and after the 7th or 8th wine that was passed around, an actual fist bump (or terrorist fist jab, as fox news likes to call it) occurred between my mom and sister, as my dad looked on entertained/embarrassed - and we managed to get out of there without blowing too much on our picks for the night - *clink* here's to the next tasting, family!

surrogat family at the lake

so i spent this july 4th on a beautiful lake in crockett, tx - a sleepy little town between here and houston, where all of the tallest pine trees in texas have decided to dwell - the lake house where we spent the weekend belongs to a friend of a friends' parents....hairdresser's second cousin's sister-in-law...jk - anyway - it belongs to two of the most wonderful and welcoming people that i have had the pleasure of spending time with - and it's become kind of a tradition for aaron and i to crash their family reunion come july 4th - and i spent the (all too short) weekend fishing, swimming, water skiing, kayaking, chasing kids, making s'mores, setting off fireworks, drinking wine, and photographing everything in sight so as to not forget those 3 awesome summer days and nights - thanks genie and chuck for another memorable 4th!

click here to see the rest of the weekend

surprise!!!!!!...sort of

so the plan was to surprise jason on his birthday by stuffing all of his friends inside of his favorite bar and screaming and jumping and waving at him when he walked through the door - pretty standard as far as surprise parties go, but a fun one nonetheless - when you're expecting to run in and take your annual birthday shot, and find 20 or 30 of your friends, dulce de leche cupcakes, and balloons - it's pretty surprising right?....unless you forget that jason knows what kind of cars we all drive, and we managed to line the streets outside the bar with them...oops - even though he was tipped off, he did indulge us all with a little manufactured shock and awe...thanks jason

check out the rest of the fun surprise right here

yee-haw

i had the good fortune of attending another central market cooking school class this week - it featured the chef, author, and radio personality, john demers - and with a texas-inspired menu like white bean frito pie, texas snapper, praline sweet potatoes, and shiner-braised short ribs with jalapeno polenta, how could we resist?? - and after one amazing bite of that creamy kicked up polenta, my mom exclaimed 'i love grits' - which, for you northerners, is one of those hand in the air/hand on the bible statements that you have to make before you can hang out in the south - we definitely picked the right week to report to class
chef john openly and passionately expressed his love affair with all things texas - as he chopped and sauteed and flipped, he sipped on a shiner beer - a local favorite brewed in shiner, tx. - that he would later use to braise the beef (this is my kind of chef) - he told tales of a 14,000 mile roadtrip around the state, his search for the best bbq, the many colorful characters in terlingua and marfa, and his life near the border - he got so lost in his own words and animated storytelling - a true author - and it suddenly became more of a show than a class - and we were the willing (and salivating) audience

clinks of drinks and birthday winks

it wouldn't be sarah's birthday without some karaoke at a gay bar, lining up to do 'the time warp', a little bar hopping, and at least a few rounds of shots
*table-cheers-down the hatch*
there is never a shortage of interesting characters in denton - what a fun town - even though i reside in dallas these days, i'll never stop thinking of denton as home - i didn't grow up there, but it made up for what was sorely lacking in my hometown...music, art, love, diversity, and local color///segue///the color of light in the different bars that we visited throughout the night was so eclectic and fun, that i decided to go with it - so i just enhanced it, instead of color correcting it - have fun looking through a few of sarah's birthday photos by clicking right here