We rescued this little guy almost two months ago.
Be Thankful
We fuss over trivial annoyances, drool over the latest whatever-ma-bobs, complain if the temperature isn’t just right, send food back if it wasn’t exactly how we ordered it – the list goes on and on.
But, for as much as we bitch and moan about our everyday lives, you’ve gotta admit – most of us have it pretty good.
I, for one, have a lot to be thankful for this year. An amazing wife, great family, great friends, and overall – a terrific life.
Unfortunately, there are many out there who face daily struggles that we can only imagine.
Volunteering is easiest during this time of year because most charity organizations need all of the help and donations they can get.
The best way to be thankful this season, or any day in between, is to pay it forward.
It’s easier than you think.
Sahara Smith for Austin Woman Magazine
Over the summer, I had the opportunity to photograph local singer/songwriter, Sahara Smith for the cover and feature story in the September issue of Austin Woman Magazine.
We worked through about six setups at two locations in downtown Austin – Lambert’s and the W Hotel. My favorite location was this lounge at the W (the first tear sheet below). Shelves of vinyl records that reach the ceiling!
Sahara’s first album was produced by the legendary T Bone Burnett, and she made her television debut on Letterman.
You can check out some of her videos here and here.
Sieben
Recently, I had the chance to hang out with my buddy Michael Sieben over at his studio Okay Mountain.
As a talented artist, co-owner of Roger Skateboards, and new father, Sieben is a very busy man, but was gracious enough to find time for me to drop by and make this long overdue portrait.
The Okay Mountain gallery was under slight construction, so it was mostly empty and spacious – a perfect place to set up.
Without the luxury of time on my side, I had to think and move fast before his afternoon schedule came roaring in.
Choosing to stay lean and mean, I grabbed a chair and placed it in the middle of the floor, and positioned my lighting.
I quickly metered the set and fine tuned the light, and started shooting. Knowing that I only had a few minutes left, I made a couple of variations with angles and lighting before finally calling it a wrap.
As I was editing through the take back at my desk, I was pleased to see that my quick and simple vision came together well.
The emptiness of the gallery combined with Michael’s plain white t-shirt created just the right setting for an artist … a blank canvas.