I recently did the first of the shoots for a new series of photographs I’m producing for my portfolio. I persuaded the ever game Kalynne to come out at dawn for that shoot and after we finished, spent another half an hour with her shooting some fun images near one of the ubiquitous irrigation canals in Phoenix. I’m keeping the images from the first part of the shoot under wraps for the time being, but here are a few from Part II.
I recently was invited by Celestial Williams, a talented Phoenix-based make-up artist, to shoot one of the prelude shows for the upcoming Phoenix Fashion Week, of which she is also an organizer. The show – which was held at Arizona State University’s student rec complex in front of a large, rambunctious crowd of students who had just returned from summer vacation – featured designs by a number of up and coming Phoenix clothing designers. Here are a few of the images:
My favorite model relaxing in the sun at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.
Main Beach – Corona del Mar
My wife, Jennifer, posted an Erma Bombeck quotation this morning which points out one of the many reasons this is a great country. “You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness.” This is how we began our Independence Day celebration.
We honored the flag…
While our chefs finished cooking breakfast…
Which we all enjoyed, from grandchildren…
To grandparents.
We honored our veterans from the greatest generation…
And were moved by a letter written by a young soldier in Afghanistan and read by his dad.
We gathered as husbands…
and wives….
as scout leaders…
and neighbors…
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as mothers who love their sons…
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and dads who love their daughters…
and as children, playful…
observant…
pensive…
joyful…
and patriotic.
And then, with parents gathered in eager anticipation…
We had a parade.
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It’s a tumultuous world and we live in trying times. But some things remain constant. I’m grateful for family and friends, and for a great, blessed country that, despite her occasional stumbles, has a generous and courageous heart.
Had a fun three-day shoot last week for a client who was looking to spruce up their marketing materials and website with images that illustrate the Arizona lifestyle. We shot at beautiful locations around Phoenix, including Papago Park, a private residence in Paradise Valley, and the golf course adjacent to the Biltmore Resort. I think everyone was a little nervous about the heat, but the weather for all three days was spectacular – more like spring than the inferno of summer. Our team consisted of a fabulous group of models as well as Heather Wilson, a superstar make-up artist, and Patrick Tipton, a great photographer who kindly agreed to help out on the shoot.
Kalynne and Brittany
Kalynne and Brian
Vincent, Lauren and Teddie
Lauren and Brian
Kalynne and Lauren
As part of my birthday celebration last weekend, Jennifer took me on a road trip up into the beautiful mountains east of Phoenix. We stopped first in Pine (34.385067, -111.457709), population 2,000, to wander around the annual Strawberry Festival. It’s not really a classic summer festival, and they were out of strawberry pie, but it was a spectacular day in the mountains and we did manage to catch about 30 minutes of a great blues band.
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