Rare Magazine has done a great job with their new website.  I like this page, where you can see lots of my recent work for the publication.  Bonus:  the format of the site allows more of my photos from each shoot to be displayed.  The staff at Rare has really stepped it up!

Fix coffee, type out a long, thoughtful email to a student who wants me to mentor them (telling them I’m the wrong guy for the job). Take a drink of now cold coffee. That’ll teach me. — My facebook post from Jan. 8th, 2010.

Dedra went with me to Anne & Fred’s to get some shots of their new baby, Fred IV.  I asked her to get under my light for a test shot.  She amazes me.  Note, only shot of this post not taken with my droid.  Just wanted to share it.

Me, as the cold front blew in on Valentine’s Day.

Some lime for my water. Magnolia Cafe.

Yes, I’m having fun with the camera in my phone lately.  I mean, check out this shot of my Valentine’s candy from the post on the 14th!  That’s what my Droid gives me the freedom to do.  Take a shot, post it up.  I recently had dinner with a friend and his 60+ year-old mom.  She said, her favorite camera is her iPhone.  I said, “guess what?, my phone is also my favorite camera!”  They asked why, but could already guess.  It’s compact and easy to use.  By the way, Edna showed me some absolutely amazing photos of trees taken with her phone.  Wall-worthy.

With the camera on my phone, there’s not much else to do but frame your shot and take it.  Sure, there are some neat camera effect apps, and I use them all the time, but it’s still all about the simplicity of the process.  Pro, and prosumer cameras are great, but if picture resolution is less important than just having fun, then go with what’s easiest and fastest.  Click and post that baby up!

Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk. – Edward Weston

The rules, aren’t arbitrary. They are a way to help visual artists label the familiar patterns that the human eye generally finds appealing. But consciously constructing an image based on these rules is putting the subject in a secondary role. The patterns are innately recognized; you know it’s right, when you see it. You just take the picture that looks right. You just walk the way that feels like walking.

Drew Smith

Nathan Singleton, The Sideshow Tragedy

More at AustinMusicPhotos.com

Dustin Welch, Trisha Keefer on fiddle/violin

Kelly Grace has been busy lately.  She’s done some work with me AND still had time to star in a video (see below).

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One thing I’m finding is that there are always a couple of people in the audience who think that buying a DSLR hybrid camera will get them in the business of video production.  Part of that perception comes from the way camera manufacturers are marketing these “HD” cameras and part of that comes from photographers wanting to believe that these hybrids will allow them to compete in the world of commercial video production. — Gail Mooney

Gail also talks about how placing our value on being the “technician” is dangerous.  Read the rest of the article,  Defining Yourself By Your Vision – Not The Camera

via Strictly Business Blog, ASMP

In TRIBEZA this month, some photos in the Wedding Treats piece.  Mine are the Cupcake Bar, top-right and bottom left.  Stacey Bridges for the Austin Cake Ball shots.  Hey, I got to sample the Cupcakes.  Check out more of my shots all over Lori’s site –>  The Cupcake Bar!

Linda, was 62 at the time these pictures were taken.  She doesn’t mind me mentioning that.  But, I have to say, I was not expecting anyone, let alone a 62-year-old, to come into my studio with as much enthusiasm as she did.  Her attitude was inspiring to me.

She also doesn’t mind me mentioning that just prior to her session date, she’d had a breast augmentation.   She seemed thrilled with it.  And she told me all about how her husband was understandably excited about it, too.  The photos we made were a sort of celebration of this new side of life she is experiencing with him.  See, it wasn’t just about the enhancement.

“My husband states that what has been the most appealing to him about the whole process this last year,” she told me.  “Is how it affected my self-confidence and allowed my ‘true’ self to be seen by others. He says that my attitude about myself has changed my sensuality and that is more appealing than the actual physical alteration. I feel ‘free’ to be me.”

She was very gracious to give me permission to share these photos with my blog readers.