Africa or Bust 2013 - Part 4: The Elephant Orphanage and Animal Sanctuary

July 22, 2013 in Travel

Okay, by this point we are 6 days into our travel and have reached the un-official "day off" before departing on our safari. So Olivia, Jort, Shelby, and I decide to take the day and roam around Nairobi checking out a few sights and a local bazaar. Nairobi is the only city in the world to have a protected wildlife reserve within the city that has a full array of rhino, lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, buffaloes, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, and so on. A great majority of our day was going to be spent in and around the park.

Africa or Bust 2013 - Part 3: Nairobi and the Wedding

July 20, 2013 in Travel

By the time our flight landed in Nairobi and we got our visas and cleared customs it was night out, so there wasn't going to be much shooting going on. Our driver and good friend Mocha picked us up from the airport and took us back to the Jai residence, the same location the wedding would be at the following day. After a few hours of meeting everyone and Shelby catching up with everyone we headed to the rental apartment that we would call home for the next few days.

Africa or Bust 2013 - Part 2: The Souks And The Burj

July 17, 2013 in Travel

On our second day in Dubai, I awoke to the sound of super cars racing up and down the street outside our hotel. Believe it or not, in the land of wealth and excess, there are rare and exotic super cars are on every street corner. I rolled out of bed and walked over to the window and nearly forgot that his was our view:

Africa or Bust 2013 - Part 1: Our Arrival in Dubai

July 15, 2013 in Travel

So around the middle of last year, my platonic bosom buddy, Shelby, approached me about being her travel partner for a once in a life time trip to Africa for a wedding and safari. My first reaction was "hell yeah", but then I started thinking about what I could possible be getting into. There were all sorts of political uprisings happening across the continent, and when I found out the main destination would be Nairobi, Kenya, that didn't put any of those thoughts at ease. Let's face it, I'd only be a stones through away from Somali Pirates and what's left of the Taliban....or at least that's what I thought...
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Round Rock Twin Peaks Bikini Contest 2013 - Part 2

June 16, 2013 in Commercial Work

After getting ready at the hotel and doing some quick studio shooting (see yesterday's post) we headed off to the restaurant in a stretched Hummer Limo in what I can only describe as the most out of control 10 miles I've ever traveled! When we arrived at the restaurant it was bursting at the seams.

For some reason the girls let this guy in the shot. Photo by Eric Garcia

Round Rock Twin Peaks Bikini Contest 2013 - Part 1

June 14, 2013 in Commercial Work

Once again, it's that time of year. The days get longer, the temperature gets hotter, and the bikini's come out. Yep, It's full on bikini season and what a better way to kick it off then with the annual Twin Peaks Bikini Contest!

This year we did something a little different for the girls at the Round Rock Twin Peaks restaurant; we all met up at the Hilton Garden Suites and set up shop. The girls got their hair and make-up done by Christina Shepek, Stacy Shepek, and Andrea Fernandez, and then got a quick little photo shoot by Eric Garcia and myself.

And Finally RaChelle - Fashion Portfolio Shoot

May 24, 2013 in Artsy Shoots

So our 12 hour day of fun and laughter came to a close with RaChelle. I had drawn up a makeup idea a few weeks earlier after I had purchased a few sets of crazy costume eyelashes, and I wasn't sure who to use it on. I knew Christina could easily pull the idea off, but it wasn't until RaChelle said that she was 'in' that I knew who to use it for. Her blonde hair and bright eyes helped the turquoise blue of the makeup almost leap off of her skin. The final outcome was electric!

Monica - Fashion Portfolio Shoot

May 20, 2013 in Artsy Shoots

So now we come to Monica, who showed up ready to party with her 1920's style Flapper dress and long filtered fake cigarette. Her hair was an idea that Christina was dying to do, a nice simple teased up bun. The makeup came from a mixture of

Jennifer - Fashion Portfolio Shoot

May 16, 2013 in Artsy Shoots

Continuing with the theme of the last couple of posts, it's Jennifer's time to shine. I honestly don't remember where the concept of her makeup and hair came from, you tend to forget things when you put off your blog, ha. Although I do remember seeing lips made up like this on some models during Colorado Fashion Week, the rest I'm going to say was all Christina.

Francesca - Fashion Portfolio Shoot

May 15, 2013 in Artsy Shoots

Much like Belle & Daci's shoot I posted a few days ago, Francesca was also a part of the portfolio shoot I did for Christina. Being our first victim, um, I mean model for the day, Francesca showed up bright eyed and eager to let Christina apply her craft.

Belle & Daci - Fashion Portfolio Shoot

May 11, 2013 in Artsy Shoots

So I haven't kept up with what I set out to do this year; This photo blog. It's like I've been ignoring my little spot of real estate on the web, but the truth is, I haven't had the time to spend updating it. Thanks to a whole army of you out there that I call clients, you've kept me extremely busy. And I've been enjoying every minute of it.

SXSW 2013: Bigger, Faster, Stronger!

March 19, 2013 in Commercial Work, Concerts

So here we go again, another year where the entire music industry takes over downtown Austin for 6 days of absolute chaos. At any given time through out the year there are more music venues in Austin then any other city in North America, during South By Southwest that number triples, with any open area becoming a stage or a spot for bands to play. Bands from all over the planet make their way to Austin in hopes of making an impression and changing their careers; their lives, forever.....

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And Now Something Not Photo Related: My Favorite Albums of 2012

December 29, 2012

So I haven't been to terribly regular at keeping this blog up to date. A lot of that has to do with how busy my wonderful clients have kept me over the last few months, and for this I'm incredibly thankful for. So right now I want to give a big THANK YOU to all of you for keeping me busy!

Every year I put this list together of albums that have been in regular rotation in my life. It's really just a way of recording what I liked so that way later on in life I can either praise or make fun of my musical choices for that year.

Jonna - Northwest High School - Class of 2013

November 27, 2012

Well little did I know that doing a shoot with Taylor would lead me to also doing a shoot with Jonna; Taylor's BFF, sister from another mother, eternal life mate. These two are chaos on their own, but get them together and it's a category 5 non-stop laugh riot ripping through the Texas panhandle. Saying this shoot was fun is a complete understatement.

Like Taylor, Jonna got the full treatment from Natalie Alana for hair and makeup before we headed out. And as usual, Natalie did a fantastic job!

From the Old Public Market to Sundance Square, Jonna kept me on my toes. But one of my favorite stops was the Fort Worth Public Library where Jonna's passion of books came into play. More then once did I loose her to the books she had in hand, having to shake her back to reality!

The shoot culminated with the unveiling of the new Northwest High School band uniforms in Sundance Square. Jonna, thank you for allowing me to be the first person to shoot you in your new uniform and your sacred Shako! Thanks for an amazing shoot, and for you and Taylor keeping a smile on my face the whole time. I wish you the best for your senior year, and hope you enjoy every second of it!

Cheers Jonna, Northwest class of 2013!

Taylor - Northwest High School - Class of 2013

November 27, 2012

When I got together with Taylor and her parents for her pre-session consult, I knew we were going to have some fun. Video games, comic books, and marching band this session was right up my alley and every boy's dream! But wait, Taylor is a girl, and we need her to look cute and magnificent while in these rad locations...

Well that was no problem for hair and makeup extraordinaire Natalie Alana, who took Taylor for beautiful to magnificent at the blink of an eye. Not only was I super impressed, but both her mom and dad were floored. Thank you Natalie!

But honestly all props go to Taylor for being a trooper, having some amazing ideas while out on the shoot, and being a truly unique gem. I had an amazing time while we were out, and I want to say thanks for allowing me to shoot her senior pics. Enjoy this time in your life, because before you know it, it's a distant memory.

Cheers Taylor, Northwest Class of 2013!

Boba Fett - The Galaxies Most Notorious Bounty Hunter

November 27, 2012

Let the geek out begin:

When the galaxies most notorious bounty hunter gives you a call about updating his head shots and portfolio because he's thinking about entering the world of online dating, you don't tell him no. I didn't feel like becoming a slave for one of the Hutts or a meal for the Sarlacc. Unlike some in the Alliance, I fear and respect Boba Fett, and if he needs new photos for his portfolio, then I'm glad to be of service to him.

Like most boys born in the late 70's, I was and will always be, a Star Wars fan. Sure Episodes I-III are no where near as good as the original trilogy, but I can fight through them. It's more about the lore and the literary universe surrounding it now that has become more intriguing then the films. There's also the Clone Wars cartoons that my son and I enjoy watching, and they are actually pretty well written. But I digress....

Every since I first saw the Empire Strikes Back in 1980 I was drawn to the ice-cold-coolness of Boba Fett. He quickly became my favorite character. So when I heard that my cousin was acquiring all the pieces to complete a full costume, I knew a photo shoot had to go down. Plus it would give me a chance to work on some different compositing techniques and new editing styles. None of these images are HDR, just straight editing using the NIK software suite.

Special thanks to Andre Pagan and his bad ass set of armor. Hopefully this isn't the last time we shoot Boba Fett's antics around the D/FW area.

Geek time over, I think....

2012 Fort Woth Volks Folks Meet

November 03, 2012

The 12th annual North Texas VW show rolled into the Lockheed Martin Recreational Area today with more then 300 Volkswagens entering the show, and a few hundred more spotted through out the parking lot. Each car required a $10 entry, with all the proceeds going to the Hope Center for Autism in Fort Worth.

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Assignment - Revolver Brewing's Grand Opening

October 20, 2012 in Commercial Work

Just outside of Granbury, Texas, on a winding road through the countryside, lies North Texas' newest provider of adult spirits, Revolver Brewing. Quickly becoming one of my "go to" beers while bar hoping around West Fort Worth, I just had to make the trip down for their grand opening.

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Ava & Audrey

October 20, 2012

A warm Sunday afternoon in the park with Ava, Audrey, and a bunch of balloons.

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The Bones

October 19, 2012

Today I had the pleasure of shooting one of my favorite families, the Bones, in some new outdoor locations. Every once in a while the stars are in alignment and everything comes together; perfect weather, excellent lighting, and beautiful subjects. Here's a few of my favorites from their shoot!