Journal

ONE Project

My good friend John Stanley is pictured with his father's clock. Here is the story John shared about the clock.

ONE Project

Daniel brought a painting created my his mother. He told me about how he grew up watching her paint and she created this awesome painting of his wedding day.

ONE Project

Melanie's item was her grandmother's ring. Check out the rest of the story!

ONE Project

An introduction to the ONE Project. My latest personal project: a study of people and their sentimental items.

We just completed the 2018 Celebration of Smiles- a fundraiser for PPA Charities and Operation Smile.  This great cause helps provide surgery for kids with cleft palates and other facial conditions.   A bit about Operation Smile from their website: It is one of the oldest and largest volunteer-based...

It is back- Celebration of Smiles 2017! Every year, we do free portraits to support Operation Smile.  For a donation of merely $25, we photograph you and give you the digital file.  No strings attached.  For every 10 we do, enough money is raised ($250) to pay for a child to have surgery.  What a de...

Just returned from a fun weekend in Yakima, Washington where I judged images at PPA’s Western States District Image Competition. If you’ve never entered photographic competitions, you are missing out on one of the best educational opportunities available.  It truly forces you to hone your craft and ...

General

Ok, I’ve fallen a bit behind in my blogging, but  had to take a second for a “shameless self-promotion post.” Several years ago, I started a YouTube channel to share tips on photography, Photoshop, etc.  It started out as just a fun project and just continued to grow.  Recently, the channel reached ...

It is that time again.  Time to take on a huge charity venture to help some kids smile.  My son Dean is helping me promote again this year, so here he is to tell you more…. WHAT IS IT? Operation Smile provides free surgeries to repair cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities for children...

Ready to get your learn on??? I’ll be doing a presentation tomorrow for the 2016 Digital Art Summit.  My program is on “Growing as an Artist” and there are plenty of other presenters doing some amazing programs as well.  You have the option of just purchasing my program or they have some packages th...

Is there a photographer out there who doesn’t want to get better?  Isn’t everyone looking for the ultimate learning platform for photography?  Well, Trey Ratcliff of “Stuck in Customs” fame may have just found it! A few weeks ago, I was introduced to a new learning community called The Arcanum.   Th...

A Week Of Inspiration I just returned from Altanta after spending the week at Gwinett Technical College judging at PPA’s International Photographic Competition.  Every year, judges from around the country get together for a week to judge the best photography from around the world.  It is truly an ex...

ImagingUSA is right around the corner!   For those who don’t know, ImagingUSA is the once-a-year photography extravaganza, hosted by the Professional Photographers of America. This thing is HUGE with loads of great educational programs and a mind-blowing trade show.  If you are anywhere near Nashvil...

OFF THE RECORD:  Mamma Mia! This one has been in the work for months!  I’ve been photographing Skyler her whole life and wanted to include her in the series, we just kept running into obstacles.  We couldn’t decide on a cover, then couldn’t locate the right dress.  Finally, the stars aligned and we ...

OTR- Nugent Style For this installment of the Off The Record Project, we are going all the way back to 1977 for the third album by guitarist/singer/songwriter Ted Nugent.  Cat Scratch Fever was a big hit for Nugent, going multi-platinum.  His crazed look helped to make the album cover very memorable...

Getting Modern Welcome back for another addition to the Off The Record Project.  We’ve been doing a bunch of older album covers lately.  This is probably due to the fact that the 80s produced so many iconic cover images.  For this one, however, we decided to get a little more modern, with an homage ...

The Age of Glam Metal The 80s were know for a lot of things, but “heavy metal bands with big hair” would certainly be high on the list.  For this addition to the Off The Record Project, we decided to explore the work of one of the biggest hair bands of the 80s – Motley Crue. Released in 1983, the ba...

Janet’s Control For the next installment of the Off The Record project, we are staying in the 80s for another memorable album cover- Janet Jackson’s “Control”.  The album went to #1 in 1986 and sported a very memorable red cover.  It even ranked #28 in Rolling Stone Magazines “Top 100 Albums of the ...

Off The Record We are entering the last few months of the Off The Record Project. If you are new to the project, you can read about it here. Back To The 80s The latest addition to the series is one of the most-recognized album covers from the 80s – Van Halen’s iconic 1984.  The album went to #2 on t...

Its time for another installment in my Off The Record Project and this time – its personal!  If you are new to the project, you can read more about it in the original Off The Record Post. Band Of Brothers I’ve always been a big fan of Hall and Oates.   They’ve had so many great albums, but my favori...

Ready To Up Your Game? There is no question that photographic competitions are one of the best ways to improve your photography. The bad part is, there can be a bit of a learning curve. I’ve seen both sides of the process, both as someone who enters competitions and as someone who judges competition...

Bowie Time The time has come to release another addition to my Off The Record project.  This time, we decided to take a crack at David Bowie’s iconic “Aladdin Sane” album cover from way back in 1973.  Brian Duffy’s original creation featured a startling portrait of makeup-clad Bowie in a version of ...

The Next Album As we work our way through the Off The Record Project, I thought it was time to mix in a fairly modern album – a movie soundtrack actually.  While the Les Miserables soundtrack isn’t necessarily an “iconic” album, it is definitely a very recognizable cover.  On top of that, it is actu...

It is that time of year! This year, our studio is once again participating in Celebration of Smiles- a promotion to raise money and awareness for Operation Smile.  The Professional Photographers of America have participated in this for the past several years and this will be our third Celebration. O...

With The Beatles When I first started this Off The Record Project, I knew one of the albums I needed to include was the iconic cover of the Beatles first US album, “Meet The Beatles”.  It is a very distinctive look that most rock and roll fans recognize instantly.  I thought it would be fun to recre...

General

Back From The UK Well, I’ve fallen a bit behind on my blogging lately and realized that I never really mentioned something BIG that happened to me earlier this year! I had the opportunity to speak in London at the Societies’ 2014 convention- which was a blast.  The Society of Wedding and Portrait Ph...

Pink Lady This next image in my Off The Record Project is a tribute to Pink’s “The Truth About Love” album cover. While it might not be quite as iconic as some of the other ones we will be tackling, it was certainly a fun one to create.  After all- isn’t that what it is all about? The Concept When K...

Off The Record For this cover, I took on the album cover of one of my all-time favorite albums:  Billy Joel’s Greatest Hits Vol 1 and 2.  When photographer Cris Duncan suggested the cover, I knew it was one that I wanted to work on! How It Happened Cris is located in Lubbock, Texas – which would hav...

Off The Record

They Got The Beat Time for another slice of delicious 80s goodness! The Off The Record Project rolls on this week with another beloved album.  This time around, it is the GoGo’s double-platinum debut album from 1981:  Beauty and the Beat.  I had several requests from people to pose for this album co...

Off The Record

The First Album The first official album cover for my “Off The Record” project has been completed and was unveiled today – appropriately enough – in London during my program at SWPP. I decided to start the project off with an iconic album cover from a British band that helped define 80s music – Dur...

Anyone Remember Records? The era of the vinyl LP is pretty much behind us.  Sure, there are a few die-hard collectors and DJs who still covet records, but by-and-large, the music industry has left them behind. Remember when you were a kid and you got a cool new album for Christmas?  It was always ob...

I am excited to be a part of the PROSPER eConference Summit January 14-23. This summit brings together 15 of the brightest minds in the industry — leading photography experts who will share proven strategies, real-world techniques, and hands-on tools designed to help you: • Attract, close, and thril...

Don’t get me wrong- there are certainly days when I long for the “good old days” – when we used film and people didn’t stare at their phones all day.  Technology can certainly be a nuisance.  However, sometimes it comes in pretty darn handy! OFF TO THE ARCTIC This week I was scheduled to speak in Mi...

Back Where It Started Fifteen years ago, I joined the Dallas Professional Photographers Association.  I didn’t really  know anyone there and was just learning the ropes of photography.  I knew so little, that I didn’t realize how far I had to go – if that makes sense. In hindsight, it turned out to ...

Every year, I teach a darkroom class to 8th graders at The Westwood School in Dallas. Although it is truly a dying art, I think there is still a lot to be learned from the whole development process. You have to work to get a nice image and can’t just shoot 1000 shots and hope to get a good one.  Whi...

I get a lot of emails asking which Photoshop filter plugins I use on my images.  By far, my favorites are the Topaz filters.  I like the fact that they offer easy-t0-use presets, but also allow you to go in and fine tune the look as much as you want. I don’t really endorse too many photography items...

Guest Post by Brian Testa From a Renewed Bingo Setting to Instant Photo Sharing Capabilities Social media has already made its presence felt in the photo industry with more technologies that cater to portability and ease of access. Although the DSLRs are still a must for professional shutterbugs, ca...

General

Last year I wrote a post about the Death of the Point and Shoot where I talked about how the Point-and-Shoot camera was going the way of the dinosaur. I mean, really- when was the last time you saw someone shooting with one? It makes sense really. Why carry along an extra camera when you can just us...

Ready To Take Your Social Media To The Next Level? Still struggling to get your social media program working properly? If you are like most people, you spend hours and hours online “marketing your business” with very little to show for it.  Don’t worry- help is here! A while back, I wrote an ebook c...

I’ve been a big fan of photographing with a ring light, since I picked one up at a convention a couple of years ago.  It gives a very distinctive catchlight in the eyes and can really have striking results. I decided to try something slightly different last week. I had seen some folks online doing H...

Are you still struggling to get nice images with your point and shoot?  Does your iphone camera completely baffle you?  Help is on the way. For years, I have put on photography camps for kids and every year I have people ask- “What about the parents?” This year, I decided to put together a small, on...

Big News! This summer I will be offering something I have never offered before:  a one day, hands-on photography workshop.  I’ve spoken at photography conventions across the U.S., but never actually done this type of class.  If you have been wanting to improve your photography skills – this is your ...

Well, some kind soul nominated me for the Dallas A-List so I figured I may as well play it out. As most of you know, I’m not a huge self-promoter.  I’m going to post the link and hopefully droves of raving fans will head there and vote.  Hey- it could happen??? So get out and vote.  Tell your friend...

Tutorials

Do you want to get better at photography?  It doesn’t matter if you a seasoned pro or a brand-new-just-bought-a-camera newbie.  We ALL want to get better.  Here’s your chance. Viva Mexico! This fall, I’m taking a group of photographers to Riviera Maya, Mexico for four days of photography in a fun, r...

General

Klout is one of those polarizing forces on the Internet.  Some people swear by it -others think it is a joke.  If you are unfamiliar with Klout, it is basically a website that tracks your social media interactions and calculates a score showing how “influential” you are.  The exact formula they use ...

ONE Project

"Tony's Kookulele" The latest addition to my ONE Project. This one features the legendary Tony Corbell - perhaps the nicest guy I've ever met. Here is Tony's story

ONE Project

Tony's Jersey - The ONE Project

ONE Project

"The Invoice" The latest addition to my #ONEProject is a portrait of my good friend Don Chamblee. He has an actual invoice- in his own handwriting- for a purchase his wife made years ago when they first met. Prepare yourselves for another great story!

ONE Project

The latest addition to my ONE Project - a portrait of Cheryl Locklear and her quilt.

ONE Project

"The Proposal Poem" I'm very excited to unveil the latest addition to my ONE Project - this one featuring my dear friend Ronda Gunther. Years ago, she wanted images to use on a dating app- and I like to think my photography helped her to find her husband! Here is Ronda's story....

ONE Project

"The Mask" The latest addition to my ONE Project features PPA President Kira Derryberry and one of the most unique items so far.

ONE Project

This project has produced some very emotional stories, but this is one you won't forget. Here is Marsha's story.‍

ONE Project

This latest ONE Project portrait features the incredible Meg and her box full of letters. It is a fantastic story-enjoy!

ONE Project

Ok- well, it is not officially a part of the #ONEProject but I created this portrait of Bandit to commemorate his 4th birthday today!

ONE Project

Stephanie's Calendar Here is the latest portrait in my ONE Project. This one features the wonderful Stephanie Rinks and her grandmother's calendar. Read on and enjoy!

ONE Project

"Sandra's Bracelet" Here is the latest addition to my ONE Series. This one features the incredible Sandra Pearce with her very special bracelet. You are going to love this one. Here is the story in Sandra's words:

ONE Project

Rojin's Gavel For this next ONE portrait, we have our youngest participant so far - Rojin Farzad and her gavel.

ONE Project

"Rich's Scoring Machine" If you are one of my photography friends, this will need no explanation. If you aren't in the photography world, you've just met a really cool guy.

ONE Project

Rebecca's Bicycle - The ONE Project

ONE Project

Pete's Camera - The ONE Project

ONE Project

Makayla's Book Time for the next installment of my ONE Project. This time, it is my friend and fellow Board member, Makayla Jade Harris. Good luck making it through this one without getting a little misty. Here's Makayla's story:

ONE Project

Susan's Letters - part of the ONE Project

ONE Project

"Letter from Dad" The latest addition to my ONE Project is a portrait of Gregory Daniel and a letter from his father. It is a pretty cool story- enjoy

ONE Project

"Jill's Mixer" My latest addition to the ONE Project features Jill Wohldmann Harper and a kitchen item that is near and dear to her heart! Here is Jill's story:

ONE Project

Heather's Photo Album

ONE Project

"Gary's Picks" Here is the latest installment to my ONE Project- a portrait of the always cool Gary Hughes and his Fathers Day guitar picks.

ONE Project

"Don's Camera" This week's portrait features one of my good friends and Texas photography legend, Don Dickson - and his childhood camera.

ONE Project

Cris' Bunny

ONE Project

Ashley's Rosary - The ONE Project

ONE Project

Angela's Port - The ONE Project

ONE Project

Anar's Sari - The ONE Project