Winter | The Seasons | El Paso, Fort Bliss Stylized Portrait Photographer

Winter has been a tad unpredictable for the 2013-2014 season.  El Paso has seen no more than a light dusting in areas, while the East coast and Midwest are being hit with a one-two punch of snow and ice storms.  I'm sure that the people who have to deal with iced over roads or shovel their driveways are sick of dealing with it.

Personally, I love it.

Winter can be harsh and unyielding, but it can also be soft and serene.  An overcast sky and a fresh white blanket of snow is more appealing to me than a beach on a tropical island.  I know, I know.  It seems crazy.  But there is something soulful about the solitude of winter.  It brings a special kind of peace.  At least until my son is itching to get outside to run around in the pretty white stuff.

My ultimate goal with  this shoot was to portray the wonders of winter in all of its aspects: The magical, the peaceful, the commanding.    Using the light to portray various moods, and post-processing to bring a little extra magic to our White Sands shoot, we created a set of winter wonderland portraits that I am so, so proud of.

**  WARNING:  The slideshow has music!  Turn the volume down if you are at work!  ;)  **

The Notebook | Cinematic Inspirations | El Paso, Fort Bliss Stylized Couple's Portrait Photographer

Walking through the streets of downtown El Paso, I found the perfect little area: A somewhat secluded cobblestone street framed by trees and brick buildings. I was immediately reminded of the dancing in the street scene in the popular film adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks novel "The Notebook". It had been a while since I had photographed a couple's session, so as soon as I got home I put out a model call to local friends and started planning.

Models were secured, screenshots were shared, wardrobes discussed, and a date set. Then the cold front came, just in time for session day. It was freezing. And wet. And windy. Not ideal conditions for a shoot inspired by a love story that mostly takes place in the warm, vibrant summertime. So we adjusted the wardrobe and, when the overcast afternoon rolled around, we steeled ourselves against the winter weather advisory and met up. After a small hiccup that may or may not have involved my not packing a CF card in my bag, we dove right in.

And they rocked it.

If they had reservations or were uncomfortable in any way, it did not show. Not one little bit. By the end of the hour, my feet were practically blocks of ice, but when I sat down in my car to thaw them and quickly flip through the images, I couldn't help smiling.

Love is an amazing thing. Even when essentially acting a part, it isn't forced. It flows naturally, and can be captured with breath taking clarity, regardless of obstacles or discomforts.  This family has love in spades.  And, boy, did it make them perfect for their roles.

**The slideshow plays music!  Just a fair warning!** 

Art Is Beauty - Part 1 | El Paso, Fort Bliss Beauty Portrait Photographer

When I put out a casting call for models for my Grimm fairy tale series, I received an e-mail from a lovely woman with some incredible body art. She was the inspiration for an entirely different kind of creative series: Art is Beauty. This series will serve to showcase the gorgeous body art of the subject in both studio sets and on-location.

The first part of the series was shot exclusively in studio using a single flash head and softbox, with a reflector positioned for fill light. The wardrobe is provided by the model with the exception of the black tulle skirt, and makeup services were provided by Emily D. Vinyl of Beauty is Art. It was my first shoot in the new studio space, and I was favorably impressed with the variety of shots I was able to get for being in such close quarters. I am looking forward to Part 2 of the series, scheduled for 6/2/13. 

Published!! | Featured | El Paso, Fort Bliss Portrait Photographer

Submitting to publications is a nerve-wracking endeavor.  Whether it is for a blog feature or a chance to be printed in a magazine, there is always a degree of vulnerability when it comes to presenting your work to others in an effort to be deemed worthy.  I am not inherently competitive, and generally modest about my work, so submitting to publications has never really been a priority for me.

But something about picking up the camera and producing artwork for myself, simply for the creation of something beautiful and magical, made something change about the way I looked at my work.  Here I was, hoarding dozens of images from a session that I had poured my heart and soul into on an external hard drive.  It didn't make sense.  Why was I creating art only to cram it into a black box and show mere glimpses of it to the world?  So I did something I had never had the courage to do: Push back my sense of modesty and relay, instead, my confidence in my worth.  I submitted a series of images to Essere, a small creative photography publication based in Virginia.  I never expected to hear back.

About an hour later, I received an e-mail stating that they wanted to include my series in their May issue.

I had to read it several times to make very extra sure that I had seen it correctly.  And then I got excited.  Very, very, very excited.  But I am a somewhat superstitious person, and did not want to jinx it.  Instead of announcing it right away, I resolved to keep it fairly quiet (with the exception of disclosure to a few good friends and family).

Until I received a beautiful copy in the mail today, that is.  I just cannot keep silent anymore.  I am simply thrilled at the prospect of having three full spreads in a printed magazine!  I do not desire fame or fortune in the grand scheme of things.  Still, it is pretty darn cool to see my work amongst some seriously amazing talent.  I am honored to have been included. 

You can purchase a copy of the May 2013 or other issues of Essere magazine here.