Samantha & Casey {engaged!}

Every once in a while you're fortunate enough to meet people and feel like the world is a better place because of them. Meet Casey and Samantha.





I knew just from the first time I talked to them on the phone about a photography session to celebrate their engagement that they were going to be a lot of fun. Lemme tell ya, they are A-W-E-S-O-M-E. God has blessed them with an amazing relationship, and their self-proclaimed "love birds" moniker couldn't be more accurate. The love these two share for each other is just so real and authentic and natural. I was truly inspired by them, and as a photographer one of the many cool things about them is that they're so relaxed and playful and willing to try anything. It doesn't get any better than that.

I think it helps that Casey and Sam are both musicians, so they're used to being in front of other people. In fact, they own and run the Creative Soul School of Modern Music in Watauga, TX, so check it out if you or your kids have ever had any interest in learning how to play cool tunes; music is their passion and their life.

Here's a few sneak peek images from the amazing session we had together. Casey & Sam, you're going to love your images... you guys rocked!

More Personal Photography Party Images

Here's a few more of the images from my little self-guided play-time down in the Deep Ellum district this past Saturday.

I love silhouettes. They're so easy to photograph and even easier to add a little drama to in post-shoot editing.



Ha, was peeking in a window at a little gallery and saw my reflection in the glass and couldn't pass this shot up. Without looking through the viewfinder, it took about 7 tries to get an image where I actually got my face in the frame and in focus. Ridiculous.



Nothing particularly special about this run-down building when you pass it on the street, but with a little texture and vintage love, it's got a little character.



Funny thing about this next image is that just outside the frame is a sign saying graffiti is illegal in Deep Ellum. So, someone went through the effort to spray paint a message on this wall saying it wasn't a free wall to advertise on.







I met little "Bruiser" while walking down a back alley. Such a playful guy - it took everything I had just to get these 2 images because he kept running up to me where he was too close for me to ge tthe lens to focus on him.









Guess who? Who hasn't photographed their own shadow?... more than once.



Dusted off the old Lens Baby 2.0 for a couple images. Man, I need to upgrade to 3.0 where you can set your tilt shift. Holding the lens on a tilt with my fingers (req'd for v2.0) is something I'm pathetically unskilled at.



Umm... not sure why I took this next image other than because it was there and I had a camera in my hand. Hey, it was my photo party so I photographed whatever and whenever I wanted.





This kinda of thing drives non-photographers crazy when they're with me. "For cryin' out loud, Matt... it's a freakin' parking meter! C'mon, let's go!" I love simple everyday things, though. These are the kinda things we live with everyday and never notice.



Ditto the caption of the above image.

Photo Therapy

Saturday afternoon I had a chance to return to my proverbial photography roots when I made a little time to go down to the Deep Ellum arts district and just walk around with a camera on a personal mini photo scavenger hunt. This is my favorite way to relax and recharge my batteries from time to time. Some people like to sit in their favorite chair and read a good book. Others like to get a massage. Still others - God love 'em - like to go running. Me? Give me a camera and put me any place that has a little character, and I'm golden. Just call me when it's dinner time so I don't forget to eat.

Landscape and cityscape photography is really where my passion for the lens began, and while I love my clients and creating lasting images with and for them, I really want to make time every once in a while to give myself a chance to be free to photograph whatever interests me. It keeps me from getting burnt out and it helps me to see things in new ways which is ultimately a good thing for my clients as well.

If your a photographer and you find yourself in a rut or just feeling a little creatively - ahem - bored, take some time for yourself to remember why you fell in love with the camera and then go recapture that. Both you and your clients will be happy you did.

Here's a couple fun images from Saturday afternoon of this local biker's watering hole. Such a cool place with a couple Harley's sitting out front. I could've photographed this scene alone for a couple hours, but unfortunately I didn't have that much time. I'll post more images from this little afternoon safari tomorrow.