Happy New Year 2009!

Wishing you and yours a prosperous New Year. I've moved the blog to here starting today. Hope to see you there! New blog location.

Lone Star Snow.

It's a rare occurrence that we get the frosty flakes drifting downward in Texas, but here we are. Now they don't usually compare to those from real winter states, but we'll take it—in little doses—just the same. Mind you, we cowboys don't drive too well in this stuff.

The kids have enjoyed it, that's for sure. Of course, the better stuff is coming down now that they're in bed.

Emerging Leaders cut loose!

Last night I got to hang out with a great group of Houston professionals winding down a long week. Emerging Leaders (EL), a group within the Houston Downtown Alliance, held their first-ever Summer Heat Wave party at the swanky Butterfly High Lounge on Capitol Street in downtown Houston.

The Southern Backtones were on hand, serving up some great sets while everyone chilled, enjoyed some adult beverages and caught up with one another. This band is Texas based and getting some phenomenal reach with recent awards and Hollywood exposure. Check out their music video for "Forever." Oh, and go figure...I walk into the lounge, start talking to the band guys, and low and behold, found out I competed against the bass player in high-school tennis. (cross-town rivalry!)

If you're in the Houston area, check out EL and get involved. They are the largest young professionals group in the city, exceeding 600 members and over 300 companies and organizations. EL promotes downtown businesses, supports philanthropic activities, and plans social events—all to encourage the professional development of all of our members.

Thanks again to Denise, Melissa and Mark for working with me on this event. Check out your images!

Baylor Grad '08!

We recently ran to Waco to see my wife's youngest sister, Lynda, make her walk to graduate from Baylor University. It's a little weird for me since I still remember her sometimes as a big-eyed five-year old I met while dating her sis Shelly in college. She has, however, definitely grown up and quickly found success. And that makes me think about how we tackle big changes in our lives. Yeah, it's unnerving sometimes, but exciting, too. It all boils down the perspective we choose to adhere to. You could really see Lynda closing this chapter of her life and moving on to the next adventure.

We're all proud of you and looking forward to visiting soon—an excellent excuse to head to Austin. Congrats Lynda!

Check out your proofs.

Bill + Kris: Wedding

This weekend I had the pleasure to photograph my dear friend Kris' wedding. It was a perfect setting, deep in the forests of Magnolia, TX, right at the end of the day. But photography aside, getting to witness a friend embark on a new adventure and share the moment with her is what counts. I'm glad to have been there for her, camera or not, to enjoy this celebration in her honor. Even if I nearly stepped on a copperhead leaving the party Sat. night. ;) God bless you guys.

Check out your proofs here.

Monte + Marlene: E-Session

Last Sept. I needed about 2,400 miles to grab Continental elite travel status for 2008. As I planned how I could knock that out in one trip, it ended up a HOU-to-LA would put me over. So, I tracked down my good friend, high-school tennis opponent and current tennis pro, Monte, to check his schedule. The timing was perfect, and as usual, great weather, good food, and old friends catching up made for a nice, long weekend.

Marlene, Monte's girlfriend, was a great host and broke me in immediately upon arrival, picking me up at the airport and showing me around town. Little did I realize she'd have me marching to the top of a mountain near Mullholland Drive, overlooking the LA basin, within an hour of touching down. I was so sore I could barely walk the rest of the trip. Lucky for me, she fed me well at some of LA's swank eateries.

While there, I managed to talk the two of them into letting me shoot some casual portraits, and now in retrospect, it ended up being a stealth engagement session for me. All I can say is, "Marlene, you're a natural...and Monte, well, you still clean up good these days, too." :)

Looking forward to celebrating with y'all at the Oahu wedding, Nov. 23!

NYC Trip Surprise

There was a lot of scheming that went in to planning this trip, a nice surprise anniversary get-away, for my wife, Shelly. After 15 years, she's come to know how I operate, so it took extra special care pulling this off. Several times I thought the jig was up. In the end though, I realized my ability to work covertly was still intact. She never saw it coming.

From booking the flights and events, to the disinformation strategy and her colleagues at the office helping me work around her schedule, I'm amazed that when the day came she was still clueless to the plan. I literally packed her suitcase just after she left for work that morning, since she'd notice things missing in her closet. Thanks to all who helped keep her in the dark. The look on her face was priceless.