Via Flickr:
Another shot from the Eat Your Heart Out fashion/stylist shoot.

We went into the back room, the "green room" to try and find inspiration for another shot. We had run out of time, I could hear people packing up in the main hall. This is the exciting moment, can you cram one last image in? Sometimes that's the best one, you think less, you push harder, you live with what you get. Othertimes, it's garbage. Megan still had her doll pose ready to go. I needed to create some mood and tension, the room just smelled that way to me. It resonated a vibe of waiting that echoed off the walls in this small space. This is where people sit and wait to go out and entertain thousands of people. Megan sat in the chair, there was an old cheap thrift store lamp on the other side of the room. We shuffled, the furniture danced, and moments later I had a frame. I no longer saw a doll, I saw a puppet, a Marionette. She was waiting, to become the star, to entertain the masses.

Shot with a Nikon D7000, single Flash SB-800, light bounced off the wall and ceiling.

Although this isn't a "pure photograph" I always tend to go with what the image says to me. If it feels like it's more illustrative then that's what I do in post. I try not to overthink it, I have a concept in mind, and then I run towards the areas that feel most in tune with that for me in the moment. This is the joy of work that is expressive versus commercial. Doing commercial work all day long for over ten years, these small pieces are joy for me.

Via Flickr:
This is art. I mean that sincerely. You can't consciously decide to make something this genuine in art. I wanted to grab it, throw it in the truck, bring it home and hang it on my wall. That probably would've bothered my old british mother who despises foul language.

But the artistic qualities of it, probably should make it worth millions. The freeform decision to produce the capitalized F backwards? The apostrophe being in the non-assumed traditional position of "Y'all"? Then, of course, the creme-de-la-creme, the apostrophe is in fact, A HEART! A cute, little, adorable, bubbly, red, heart! But the message is so angry?

I just don't get it, could you imagine communist propoganda posters written in comic sans? Anti-semetic leaflets produced in Papyrus? As a graphic designer, I'm deadly serious when I say, this is art. How are the letter forms so playful, and cute. It's like this was tagged by a 7 year old girl who just finished watching My Little Pony in 1989. Of course she couldn't reach that high, which means this was a tall person, an adorably angry, tall person.

Via Flickr:
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I'm probably one of the luckiest guys on the planet. I work for a great company who treats me really well. I work from home remotely so other than the obvious advantages of pants being optional day-to-day, often I wear shorts, I also get to witness the occasional magic moment around my house. So many parents never get to see the moments when their children laugh, or have that spark. But I do.

Today, during a quick lunch break I was installing some OS X updates on my iMac. I heard my son Lincoln laughing and giggling in the other room. As I peaked in the room there I saw my two year old resting on my bed, my son on his back, and my wife tickling his nose with his own foot. They sure are bendy at that age aren't they? Anyway, he thought this was hilarious and couldn't stop erupting with laughter. Then, because he had no clue how this magic was happening, his mother popped up over his face. The laughter stopped, and it was like the secret of Santa Clause had been revealed. "Oh hi mom." was all I could see. I literally thought the phrase was about to come out of his mouth. Then, once he realised it was his mom, he started laughing and giggling again.

As a father, I love these moments. As a photographer, you die for these moments.

Anyway, I had to share this shot because it was a little brightness in my day and I'm hoping somehow that gets carried through these magical pixels and brightens up your day a little bit too.

@lifebypixels

Via Flickr:
Another from the abandoned farm homestead found just south east of Austin, Texas. The property was littered with pieces of old wood, rustic metals, and general farm like items. Rustic barbwire, old tractor parts, water tanks, etc. It was a macro photographers dream, unfortuantely I didn't have any macro gear with me.

But, the details weren't lost on me and I really appreciated the constant tonal relationship between rustic oranges with burnt sienna and the greens of the foliage that was often piercing through structures and objects.

As I knelt down to take a picture of this John Deer tank with various valves and fixtures I looked up to see the most beautiful old gate and tin shed. If only I'd had a model/subject to place in front of the fence. Another time perhaps?

Again, these are the rewards of exploration because I get fun little photos like these two, but I'm also inspired to constantly generate new ideas and opportunities.

Often when I go out exploring I get some ok shots, but the muse factor of getting out and the processing that happens in my brain is an education you can't get from books, blogs, classrooms, and alike. You have to breathe the space and let that infect your thinking. That's why I love getting out there and jumping a few fences from time to time.

@lifebypixels

Via Flickr:
Another shot from the abandoned farm we found south east of Austin, Texas. Technically this was an open area just slightly further south, about a quarter mile down the road from the farm.

I have to admit that a mild obsession of mine is when trees are alone in wide open spaces. Visually it's so beautiful to me. It's like great graphic design with use of negative space. You have so many options of how you want to compose the shot, it really is a joy to work with through the lens.

Another obsession is I often wonder how the tree came to be the only one in the field. Did a passing bird drop the seed, or did a kind farmer always mow around the sapling as it grew? By design or by accident, they are so few and far between when exploring, it's like moth to a flame for me with my camera when they are discovered.

@lifebypixels

Today has been an indifferent sort of day. One of reflection, discussion, work, and so much more. I find myself having these constant intense feelings that I'm running out of time. I always felt my life was in a realm of potential for accomplishing great things. Impressionable things that would put change in the world. I realize that's a tad ego-centric, and I don't mean it to be, but as life changes so does the reality and perspective.

I have the desire.

I have the want.

But, I'm a father. A husband. A son. Those aren't lesser class titles so much as ones that require a finer definition. To be a good father, husband, and son, you have to find balance between your own goals you have for yourself and the goals you have for the roles of the aforementioned titles. This crossroads has me wondering if I should sell all my musical equipment so that I won't allow it to be a distraction and so that I can focus more on my newer roles. The reality of this is that I've always felt that if you can't put 100% of your free will to something, and commit to it at a level that feels accomplished then why bother? Fleeting in a sense, but it's allowed me to learn more by pushing harder.

I just checked on my daughter. I tucked her back in, she squiggles into the weirdest positions while sleeping. I whispered I love you, and even in her deep sleep she whispered back "I love you much dadda". In much of my life I've been good at most things I touch, although I never feel like I've yet achieved greatness at anything. Maybe that's the point? But, from the advise of many, to achieve greatness takes at least a pure focus and commitment. If you're good at many things, you're rarely focused on being great at that one thing. Maybe that's the real point. If my new role as father is the most rewarding thing I can do, perhaps selling my toys/hobbies/interests is what will allow me to be a great father? So I can give all my free time focusing on how to be a great father for my kids. Or is this wrong? Is that backwards? Is it having these extra activities as an outlet, that help define me, and give me more resources to offer my children?

I don't know. There probably is no answer. But it's been a day of pondering and wondering as if to be at some sort of crossroads. The question at the crossroads is which way do you go? Which direction do you take? I guess I'll see if I can ride the current for now and hope that sustains me.

Well I introduce you all to Lincoln Gray Heaps, the newest addition to our family. He's been an absolute blessing and gift in how strong and good a baby he has been so far. It's amazing to think of all the strife we went through just a few years ago, to now be in a position where my family has grown. I have a beautiful two year old daughter, a newborn son, a wife, two dogs, a house, and a job. I really don't think that there's much room to complain. Many of my livejournal posts in the pasts have been expressive expulsions of emotions that were dark to help me reflect and realize my position in that time. I thought it was equally as important to share this new bit of good news with everyone, if anyone, that still reads my LJ.

Via Flickr:
So yesterday we celebrated my daughters 2nd birthday. It was actually on the 15th, but we did the party the first weekend day after.

What an amazing experience it was to watch her run around, interact with the other kids, talk to people, and start being social. It's at this point I started realize that we are now far from the starting line, and still even further from a finish line. It's exciting, for someone addicted to journey and adventure, this may be the greatest of them all.

I saw Fiona's eyes light up as everyone started singing happy birthday to her. She was a little scared, grabbing her mommy by the arm, and pulling her close. When everyone finished, she clapped in appreciation, and then she was allowed to blow out the candle on her cupcake, and do what all 2 year olds should do with a cupcake in front of them. She dove in! But first there was a gentle lick of the icing to test for approval.

After the quick taste test, she lifted her head, smiled at us all, and dove in. This shot was the moment of approval before the mess followed.

I am truly a very, very, lucky man.

@lifebypixels

Via Flickr:
There are those times where you can just zone out. Those times where you can casually drift off into yourself and find a peacefulness that is so refreshing, rewarding, and powerful that it just seems to radiate from your body. While shooting Model 8, a local indie model for Austin, Texas, I feel like I caught that moment.

It seemed like the opportunity to not look at the camera freed her of a burden and really let her relax. This was a pose between poses but I thought it really told a lot of her soul.

This was shot natural light in a storefront in Hutto, Texas. Processed in Photoshop for black and white. I was torn to make it black and white as the colors were really beautiful, but the very thing that made it a shot I liked would have been diluted with color distracting me from the essence of it all.

I hope you like it.

@lifebypixels

So last weekend the whole family got sick at some point or another all from completely different things. Fiona caught something at daycare, I got food poisoning, and my wife is having extremely bad morning sickness which is in no way restricted to morning hours of the day.

It was nice to see that the sun had come out today and everyone was feeling a bit better. I had setup a flower bed on Sunday just because being trapped on Saturday drove me bonkers. So my wife and daughter went to home depot, picked up some flowers, and decided to plant them. Fiona kept referring to them as, "dadda's flowers".

I was told she made a great little helper, digging with her little pink trowel. She put all the seeds in our new veggie garden, and helped pick up trash at the end. All while being the most stylish gardener Texas has ever seen. She picked out her outfit this morning, punki brewster eat your heart out.

Another fun filled day at the homestead so I ran out with the camera for 5 mins and grabbed a few pics of the girls in the yard.


@lifebypixels