I had the opportunity to share a great evening with a great bunch of folks on Saturday night. The Hutto Chamber of Commerce celebrated thier annual Gala on Saturday, February 11th, and due to my photographing the attendees and much of the event, I was afforded the opportunity to meet a great bunch of folks. As well as so very many of the Hutto areas’ movers and shakers, there were also many elected officials in attendance. It definitely was a who’s who of Eastern Williamson County.

 But I wanted to also post a congratulations to Michael Smith, city of Hutto Council member, local businessman, husband and good guy appreciated by many. Michael was named Hutto’s Citizen of the Year for 2012 by the Hutto Chamber of Commerce.

Congratulations to all the award recipients at last night’s gala. I am diligently working on all the pictures I shot last night.

Here’s hoping you all had a safe and fun New Year’s….

Just a quick post to advise I will be shooting some pin-up this month and hope to be getting some of it posted here shortly after…

I am also available for portrait work. While many like the ourdoor shots, let’s also think about a few in a controlled environment where we can take the time to really capture some close-ups that truly reflect who you are as an individual…

Feel free to use the Contact Me page…

Until next time,

Chuck

I was fortunate to be allowed to photograph not only during the fashion Show at the Paul Mitchell Academy in Pflugerville on December 11th, but I was also allowed to shoot the gals behind the scenes at my portable studio set up. I was quite pleased with the great attitudes of soem of these gals about being photographed. Several of them really had an idea of how to do this as well.

As soon as I arrived and saw all the great colors, I was very pleased that I had decided to use a white paper background that would show no edges and no real shadows, other than some of the dirty footprints. I guess I should have placed a couple of wet rugs down for everyone to have wiped their soles on before stepping onto the white paper. Oh well, live and learn.

 I have to admit, with some of the gals, I am not sure whether they or I had the more fun with the whole thing… Admittedly, it was a lot of fun for me. Everyone’s bright colored outfits really came through well on the white paper.

I am hoping they all appreciate my efforts, as I certainly worked up a good sweat working on these shots. Fun? Absolutely! Hard work? Yup.

Here’s a few more samples…

Help Portrait 2011 took place in Austin on December 10, 2011. As chairman for this years event, I was very pleased with the turnout of volunteers. Paul Mitchell – The School from Pflugerville sent sixteen people to do hair and makeup. I think there were actually more than that.

Ooops, let me back up. First off, a HUGE thanks goes out to the Covenant Presbyterian Church for allowing all of us to use thier Eaton Hall for Help Portrait 2011. Their gracious trust in us to use and maintain the integrity of their facility was very kind. Manny and I spent about an hour to an hour and a half cleaning, re-organizing and ridding the facility of trash, extra items left from the day’s event and to get all of our personal items that we brought to share in use with others, all in an effort to help ensure the day’s success.

Overall, we had a great day. Met many new friends, expanded our network and were touched by the folks that we were able to serve on this day. For more information on the entire Help Portrait movement, click here.

A special thanks goes out to all of the volunteers, from the girls that did such a great job of manning the registration table, to the ‘runners’, to all the photographers, hair stylists and make up folks, to those that brought props, snacks, and everyone else that were there just for support, “Thank You……”

Funny thing happened to me on Black Friday…

I was planning on going out with my step-daughter Samantha to the HEB Plus not too far from us, as she wanted to get started early on Christmas presents for her two sons, Jaydon and Guage. I was going with to assist and perhaps get a 42″ TV if they had any left after the initial mob rush was through. Samantha texted me at 12:30 advising there was already a long line stretched out in front of HEB and she was afraid of how much longer it would be by 4:00 am, the time the store was supposed to open for Black Friday. We were going to go about 2:30 and stand in line for a while. But when she saw how long the line was at 12:30. she was dis-heartened and decided to not go at all.

Move the clock up to 11:30 am. Sam was over at our house and suggested going to see if there was anything left… We drove to HEB Plus and saw the lot was only 3/4 full. We went in and got a cart, headed back to electronics and found the Xb0x 360 she wanted to get. There were still a few available. I noted someone was pushing around a cart with the TV I was interested in. I asked the couple about the TV. they advised there were a few more right up by the registers. There were none back in electronics. I walked up to the area right behind the check out lines and there were two more of the TV I was interested in.

A 42″ LCD flat screen TV for $359.00 plus tax.

Needless to say I was elated. I got a good night’s sleep, and still got the TV that I wanted for the Black Friday sale price. Samantha found everything she wanted from HEB as well. We were both feeling so good after that, that we went to Walmart to look for other items listed for Black Firday, although it was 12:30 pm on Black Friday….

Don’t get discouraged when you feel things aren’t going your way. Turns out, we didn’t have a thing to be concerned about…

until next time……………

Chuck

Traci and I took her twelve year old son Keegan and his friend Cody to the Texas Renaissance Festival located just outside of Plantersville, Texas. Plantersville is about 30 miles from Conroe, north of Houston.
Anyhow, we all had a great day. I did miss the parade that happens at noon. The parade includes most all of the ‘better’ costumed characters on site, which gives all who attend an opportunity to see al the different characters that are present that day and a brief view of them as they parade by…

There is so much to see, if you’re into Renaissance festivals, this is one of the largest in the country. So it is definitely worth the trip!

I’ll be attempting to get more images placed into a gallery on this site, hoping I can get the gallerys figured out.

Until next time…

The Stage on Music Row, Nashville, TN

Had a great time in Nashville after I finally got there…
Started out with our plane encountering a message on the pilots computer screen that advised him there was a loss of pressure in a hydraulic line, somewhere in the plane. After sitting in the plane at the gate for an hour and a half, we get off the plane (with our luggage), to stand in line for 3 hours while they attempt to find us another flight, so that we can get to Nashville. Well, I was told they could still get me to Nashville on a flight that arrives in Nashville at 11:22 pm. Right, I want to stand around the airport so I can fly to Nashville just in time to go to sleep, after I get a cab and get my hotel room…. I told them no, I can sleep in my own bed. The agent advised, “OK then, I can get you on our first flight tomorrow.” I asked him what time that was? “5:40 am.” No thanks, I’m not getting up at 3:00 am to make a 5:40 am flight to get to Nashville at 9:00 in the morning on a Sunday… I decided to opt for a noon flight. Well, I was planning on going to the American Pickers store in Nashville. That didn’t happen. To make it worse, it looks like Mike from American Pickers got to hang out with Michael McDonald from the Doobie Brothers fame (as well as other bands…,) and I probably would have been there… grrrr

However, in between meetings at the conference I went to Nashville for, I was able to grab a few shots in the area. some are posted in an album called Nashville. Feel free to take a look. As always, If you see something you like, most all images are for sale in print. Drop me a line if you’re interested.

Until next time…

Chuck

Well, that wonderful time of year that so many children look forward to, even a lot of adults ( and no, I’m not talking about Christmas…), will soon be upon us.

Halloween can be all about scaring the little ones,

                                                                                                          having a party and see who gets hammered,

or worse, refuse to indulge in a supposed holiday that is in celebration of some kind of a pagan ritual,

or make the most of it and have some fun and safe time with your family.

For children, Halloween can be a time of fun and celebration.

But since this is a photography site, its really almost too late to be thinking about Halloween pictures with the little ones in their costume, isn’t it? But it is not too late to be thinking about updated pictures for family Thanksgiving and Christmas cards…

We are now booking for Christmas card sessions with a large variety of Christmas card samples that can be personalized to represent your family and your wishes to everyone for the holiday season.

Contact us now to book your session. Be surprised and pleased at our rates and image pricing structure. We are here to serve you, our client. Just click on the  contact menu button at the top of the page and drop us a line. We’ll be happy to contact you and arrange a time that fits everyone’s busy schedules.

Now, got out there and have fun!

     Roger Daltry, of the famous band The Who, came to Cedar Park Center  in  Cedar Park, Texas and showed all in attendance that just because he is now sixty seven years old (yes, 67!), that he still has what it takes to be a domineering front man and bellow out the lyrics from the 1969 rock opera (first one in history in fact), Tommy. Written by bandmate Pete Townshend in 1968, Tommy created a new sound and a new ferver for themed music that Rock had yet to witness.

Just before Daltry and bandmates performed at last year’s Superbowl, Roger had a pre-cancerous growth removed just before the halftime performance. While Daltry admits that he is in the point of his life that if he wants to keep any resemblance of the voice we all know and love that he must keep singing or lose it, it was evident to this photographer from the photo pit that he is sometimes on the edge. More than once I saw him quickly reach to his throat while hitting some higher notes…

More pictures to come as I cull down the shots.

Also, I will be submittimg some pics and my review of this performance to All Access Magazine for publishing.

Until next time…

Here’s a few more from that night…

Pete Townshend's brother Simon...