Whoops!  We've moved and I forgot to post it!  Check out blog.studiodetro.com - it's fantastic fun.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

See the full gallery on Posterous

Something I like about the city is the height restriction for the buildings.  I think everything is shorter than the Capitol spire.  I'm sure that does amazing things to the property values (as does the rock solid economy in the area).  But it makes for nice foot traffic city visits.  Human scale architecture in America.  Amazing!

I really enjoyed The National Gallery of Art on the north east side of the Mall.  Since my visit was during the heat wave that hit the east coast in July, I especially liked any place with great air conditioning.  Stepping outside felt just like home in Houston, Texas - 110+ temps and 90% humidity.  But more about the museum: think "endowed" instead of "publicly funded".  It is such a great visit, both the pre-modern and modern buildings. 

One interesting piece is a painting by Leonardo Da Vinci, of an American young woman, in Virginia.  Who knew?  It's so very Italian, and so provincial early American.

Library of Congress. Smithsonian buildings. Architectural salvage.  Eastern Market on a Saturday morning. Shopping in Alexandria.  I think Georgetown escaped my photographic documentation this trip.  You know, a good mix.

I'm looking forward to my next trip.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Look who was waiting for us on our back porch when we got back from a recent evening session ... he looks right at home, huh?!

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Just returned from a great trip with my Dad, we attended my cousin's wedding in Sonoma.  What a great time with Dad's family in a beautiful locale.  I'm sad for Patrick and Katie, as they don't live there anymore; it's such a great climate and laid back environment.  And I'm glad for them that they have lived there and had such a great memory made hosting their wedding.  If either happen upon this post, thank you so very much for including me!

So, I tried really hard to not be "the cousin with a camera" the whole weekend.  I took a few photos as a guest at the events and then cooled my jets by enjoying being there.  Dad and I got up early and visited the edges of many vineyards making some killer images.  I'm really excited about those.

And I'm excited about these sweet photos of my Miller family!  Happy wedding!

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

We love the hours right before sunset.  This is us out fishing during the brief cool daylight with some great friends.

The dogs love the activity, lunging for lures and swimming in the good fishing spots, they aren't exactly helpful.  But it is nice to be outside!

I wish I had more to say about fishing, but I didn't fish, just photoed the fishing people.  It looks tricky, Grant and Scott were doing this quiet competition thing to see who could bring in the most/the biggest.  Elaine and Guy were busy keeping lures or hooks and worms on their lines.  I think most everyone caught something, but I really don't know because I was not paying attention to their results :) just the activity!

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

How do you spend an enjoyable afternoon in and around the county seat of Austin County, Texas? 

I've got to recommend lunch at Bellville Meat Market and a trip through Lavande north of town.  At the first (Bellville Meat Market), you can enjoy manly sights and eat very yummy meaty things.  At the second (Lavande), you can visit, smell and touch (I think there is lavender tea, but don't quote me) all things lavender.  Soon, olive oil grown on property will join the boutique mix.

I'm posting the photos from the meat market with this post and the photos from the lavender fields in an accompanying post.

Immensely enjoyable and fortunately photogenic day d' Bellville.  (Everything just sounds so much more country when you throw in that town's name, try it.)

And check out the last post on cookies (+) in Bellville.  Didn't "cookies" sound much more country being "Bellville cookies"?!  Am I right, or am I right? :)

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Super close to the county seat of Austin County, Texas (Bellville) is a great spot to visit.  And I have photographic evidence to prove that we have indeed visited. 

Check out Lavande north of Bellville and south of Chappell Hill for yourself sometime soon!

Immensely enjoyable and fortunately photogenic day d' Bellville.  (Everything just sounds so much more country when you throw in that town's name, try it.)

If you have time check out the last post on cookies (+) in Bellville.  And the other post about food in Bellville: visit the Bellville Meat Market.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

These guys have also played praise and worship at the church I attend (Bethel Church) recently and I hope to see more of them soon!

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

We took the girls, a chocolate lab and a black malti-poo, along for the play day at the George Bush dog park.  Fun had by all!

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

free-the-captives-web.mov Watch on Posterous

I'm honored and excited to introduce an anti-human trafficking organization called Free the Captives.  I've very much enjoyed getting to know Julie Waters, the founder.  Actually, my friend Stephanie Turner (who is a killer reflector holder and a joy to spend time with), made the link that we know Julie from college!  She was the secretary of Phi Lamb when we joined as freshmen.  So fun.

Onto the deep, important stuff.  I've learned a lot about human trafficking since beginning work with Julie.  Houston is a US hub for the odious activity.  We've put together a website freethecaptiveshouston.com. This video introduces the work that she and other organization members are actively pursuing.

I'm so excited to know I can help.  You can to - Join in! More info at the website freethecaptiveshouston.com.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Grant and I are hanging out with my family and several of my sister's friends over spring break.  These girls are such precious people, they are out in freezing windy weather in sundresses to make these photographs.  They look like they had a lot of fun, even though I know they were freezing!  I was out there in jeans and a fleece!

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Tim Sr.: "I have added a chicken to my music gigs. I would like to see if we could take pictures for website. We are performing this Friday. Could that work??? How about video for web? Tim Jr. has the video camera. He is the chicken. Let me know."

studiodetro: "This chicken e-mail is the funniest e-mail I've ever had. Do you have an open end time or is someone else playing immediately afterwards? I'd love to come photo more!"

Tim Sr.: "He is a new employee. Now don't make fun of him!!!!! He does have a complex. See you Friday."

So, to add to the timjanak.com website and online presence, as we promote Tim Sr.'s German folk music, I made the following photographs of the Friday lunchtime performance.  Complete with chicken.  And when Tim Sr. played "The Chicken Dance," things began to make sense to me.

And Tim Jr. makes for a helpful and entertaining chicken partner to the man wearing lederhosen.  You know, if it works, go for it.

Crazy is so fun!

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

• Houston, we have an awesome community of photogs! Thx U all 4 coming 2nite 2 our @SmugMug meetup. Also BIG thx 2 @JRCohen & @CoffeeGroundz
• Speech by JR Cohen about social media and paying it forward.
• Community isn't about yourself.
  
• I'm still buzzing off of how awesome last night's @SmugMug Houston meetup went. @JRCohen reminded all of us it's not bout us. #SLGT

Sorry I'll miss the March meet - looking forward to April's - check out the Houston SmugMug Meetup.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Such is life, I guess!  Sometimes photographers stop looking at places very close to home ... we just stopped valuing places close to home as fascinating places.  I suppose if a photographer can make a careful interesting study of the "mundane", the new and the interesting will be that much more natural to record.

So, Brian gets some help from Scout as he photographs horses.  And we test Brian's mettle by running through a messy cow field.  We also made a quick trip into town and hit the diner and the general store.  Brain said, "I feel like I've had culture."  Hmmm.  Super cute!  And we drove through Cat Spring, TX on the way back to Houston.  It's cuter than old town Spring IMO.  And maybe Brian's.

We're looking forward to the next time we get to spend some time with Brian.  Maybe it will be when Grant and I are in Orange County, experiencing Brian's version of "everyday" ... cameras in hand.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

We were out in Austin County this weekend.  It was wonderful.  When I photographed around the Newman's Bakery in Bellville and a patron asked me in that beautiful German-influenced drawl, "You take pictures to remember where you've been?"  It's true!  That's why I'm lugging around my camera, to remember where I've been.

And mom and I love our buckskins.  Newsflash.

The sky was amazing, a few photographs don't do God justice on the weekend light show.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

We were out in Austin County this weekend.  It was wonderful.  When I photographed around the Newman's Bakery in Bellville and a patron asked me in that beautiful German-influenced drawl, "You take pictures to remember where you've been?"  It's true!  That's why I'm lugging around my camera, to remember where I've been.

And mom and I love our buckskins.  Newsflash.

The sky was amazing, a few photographs don't do God justice on the weekend light show.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Some new friends of ours came out and rode, bringing two of Will's horses.  Glad their plans fell through wherever they were supposed to go, Grant and I enjoyed the company!

I'd talk about how great the weather was, but that's boring.

I remember being in college and thinking how cute, old, and fat married people were (you know, the Aggies that had "recently" graduated) ... especially if our class year was in a different decade.  Sigh ... we've arrived!

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

We're always open to new ideas and new faces at our Pack meetings.  The only rule is that all attendees contribute.  We haven't yet run across a person who was a walking idea black hole!

Here's a link to the blog we've started to centralize our planning and our recapping. The Pack - Houston Photographers.

If you're a Houston area creative, you're welcome to add yourself and your resources (aka "get involved")!

So here's the studio|detro photos from the last meeting.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »