It's been a busy Spring and Summer thus far. I said goodbye to Jared as he left Novo Studio to join the photo/video team at Crystal Bridges full time and I spent the better part of April…

In this edition of “busy season craziness but here’s a recent work update”, we’ve got everything from farms, to pool parties, to cocktails, high-powered spray washers, hotel grand openings, moody portraits and even a possible Alexander Calder sculpture (verification pending). I’m sure we’ll do all this again in September. In the meantime, stay healthy, stay cool and stay awesome.

Cheers.

For many people (myself included), the idea of practicing Yoga can be intimidating and overwhelming. There are so many different types of Yoga, different poses, areas of focus, and reasons for even considering it and committing to it. Yoga is one of the few exercises that seems to bridge the gap between exercise, spirituality and self-awareness. And there's lots of options for Yoga teachers and studios in our area. So if you're interested in Yoga purely for the fitness aspect, make sure you focus your search accordingly. But if you are interested in Yoga because you are interested in discovering more about and connecting with your inner self, Meg Ryan Yoga is a great option.

As you may have guessed, Meg Ryan is not the same Meg Ryan you remember from movies such as Sleepless in Seattle and You've got Mail. She is also not your typical Yoga teacher. While her credentials read like equal parts professional yoga instructor and spiritual mystic, her practical, lighthearted personality will make your Yoga experiences valuable, enjoyable and most importantly, meaningful. Meg recently rebranded, launched a new website. Here's a few favorite images from the shoot.

Enjoy.

For years, Walter’s Boot & Shoe Repair has been located just steps from our studio. And for more years than we’ve been in existence, they’ve been firmly planted in the Downtown Rogers community, repairing shoes and leather goods. To walk into the shop these days is equal parts intrigue and nostalgia. The shop has been somewhat updated since the original owner, Carl Walter retired years ago. These days, his nephew Aaron, his wife Kim, their son Cody, and a talented hat maker named Clara work in the shop. And while you can finally use credit cards to pay for your repairs or purchases, many of the original details were thoughtfully left or repurposed in the shop. Most of the machines are original to the shop, some dating back to the late 40’s. And yet they still work as good as when they were new, thanks to Aaron’s knowledge and care. Awhile back, we had the opportunity to hang out in the shop with the purpose of creating some photo and video content. And today on the blog, we’re excited to share a bit of both. Please enjoy this All American story of history and craftsmanship.

It’s been a busy few months for the fine folks at Blake Street House. In recent weeks, they’ve managed to revamp, rework and launch three new internal food and beverage concepts for members and guests. And I can safely say that all three are delicious and exciting.

The Neal Family Farm is wildly popular with residents of Northwest Arkansas. And while they are best known for their delicious blueberries, this year (and for the first time ever), they decided to plant tulips. As you can see from the photos, the results were stunning. We were happy to work with their marketing agency, Fuss Consulting, to document the opening day. Here’s a few photos from the event. For more information on their tulips and their upcoming blueberry season, visit their website, their Facebook page or give them a follow on instagram. 

Happy April 1st.

PLEASE NOTE that the following collection of images represents REAL WORK with REAL CLIENTS and is meant to draw attention to some of our recent projects and not to confuse or mislead anyone. Included in this post are recent images for the following clients. Check them out as they’re really cool and really fun to work with.

Urban Land Institute
Buf Studio
Black Apple Hard Cider
University of Arkansas School of Art
Marsouls
Blake Street House
H Club
Arkansas Times
Crafton Tull
Ecological Design Group
Lighthouse Financial 

Enjoy!

Late last year, we had the opportunity to hang out and capture some content for Hospitality America and their new hotel, The Motto in Downtown Bentonville. The Motto, part of the Hilton chain of hotels, is a thoughtfully curated space oozing with a hip coolness and a warm welcome. We visited the property for both the soft opening as well as the grand opening and produced a collection of images and a video highlighting the event and the space. And today, we are happy to share some of that content here on our blog. Enjoy.

Greetings and Happy Holidays from us here at Novo Studio. Now that the holiday season is upon us, we thought it would be a good idea to get around to updating our blog and social media with some recent work. Every year, it seems that the end of summer snowballs into fall. Work picks up, schedules become difficult and our capacity to continually update things stretches thin. But finally, here we are and my oh my, what year it has been.

For many of us, this year was largely defined by the severe weather of Memorial Day Weekend which resulted in multiple tornados and caused area-wide devastation. Many of our friends, clients and neighbors are STILL dealing with the impact from that weather and that is very sad and unfortunate. On a more positive note, we had a lot of fun with our work this year. In spite of some wild work scenarios and crazy deadlines, this year was so much fun and such a good learning experience.

Thank you to everyone for the support, the encouragement, and the opportunity to continue to do what we love.

See you all in the New Year.

Philip & Jared

Downtown Springdale Arkansas is on the upswing. There are a lot of new amenities, activities and establishments to explore. One such establishment that is definitely worth checking out is Medusa Bar & Grill. Think of it as an upscale Mexican Restaurant that serves elevated cuisines as well as honest takes on the classics. Traditional Mexican dishes sit alongside hamburgers and fried shrimp. Oysters (flown in from the coast) are served on ice with all the appropriate sauces you’d find at an establishment situated next to the ocean. The drink menu, like the food menu is diverse and unique, offering innovative Margaritas as well as a delicious smoked Old Fashioned. Come for Happy Hour and stay for dinner. Believe me, that would not be a bad decision at all.

This week on the blog: We’re featuring recent Commercial Photography work for Kansas City based Architecture firm, Slattery. The firm recently went through a brand re-design, changed their website and hired a few new people. And when such things happen, it is often a good time to bring your favorite photographer back for a visit.

If you’re one of the locals in Northwest Arkansas pining for some excellent live jazz music, I’ve got great news for you…The H Club has you covered. Twice a month (usually on a Thursday evening), the H Club, which is owned and operated by Hubbard Clothing Company, opens the doors to it’s exclusive members only club and invites the public in for jazz and cocktails.

This week on the blog: Recent Commercial Photo + Video work for Bentoville.

By now, many of you have probably heard about Bentoville, their world class cuisine and their equally accomplished chefs. Maybe you’ve experienced one of their amazing events in person. Or perhaps you’ve simply ordered one (or more) of their Bento Boxes for lunch or dinner. But if you HAVEN’T heard of Bentoville…

It’s always a joy to work with the fine folks at the University of Arkansas’s Center for Arkansas Farms and Food. (CAFF). The University’s continued support of educating both college aged students as well as interested adults on the fundamentals of farming, is noteworthy and commendable. A few times a year, we highlight certain students for their newsletter and blog. Here’s a few images from our recent visit.

Enjoy.

This week on the blog, we’re featuring some images captured for Safety Culture featuring their sponsored Nascar Driver, Shane Van Gisbergen (aka SVG). Van Gisbergen, who hails from Auckland New Zealand (with the accent to match), has been racing professionally for a good number of years but only just starting in the Nascar circuit as of May 2023. I had the opportunity to follow a Safety Culture video crew around for an entire week, documenting the meticulous process of training, engineering, planning and also, the race itself. It was in fact, a blast. Here are a few photos from the week.

Enjoy.

Say hello to Spring and to Fox Trail Distillery’s new Spring/Summer menu of delicious cocktails (non-alcoholic ones available as well.) (Yes, they’re delicious.) As usual, the staff have all contributed to the creation of these drinks and they have of course, exercised maximum creativity in their endeavors.

(click to read more)

It was a hot, hot fun time working with The Solutions Group and Southern Cast Products, a Foundry located in Jonesboro Arkansas. The goal (besides not getting burned or melted), was to create some images for SCP’s new website, which recently launched. We spent 2 days walking the facility, making friends and capturing everyday life inside the foundry. The resulting images were used by The Solutions Group in the redesign of SCP’s website. Here’s a few favorites. Enjoy.

I could without a doubt, go on record to say that Jon Batiste is the happiest person I’ve ever seen perform live. Nothing about him or his performance was subtle, sad or dull. And while I’m personally drawn to sad, solemn musicians, I have a sneaking suspicion that following Batiste around for a day would do my soul a world of good. Fortunately, it only took a few hours photographing him, watching him and listening to his music to give me a better outlook on life and coincidentally, the experience of lifetime. Enjoy the photos and give him a listen if you haven’t already.

This week on the blog: Recent Commercial Food and Beverage Photography for Theo’s in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

It’s not hard to fall in love with Theo’s. If the cozy and sophisticated atmosphere doesn’t win you over, the beautiful (and delicious) food that appears soon after undoubtedly will. My experience in working with Theo’s and similar establishments is (click to read more).

This week on the blog, we’re featuring some recent Commercial photography work for Ella’s Table, the delicious restaurant located on the University of Arkansas campus in the Inn at Carnall Hall. Over the years, we’ve had the pleasure of working with Charlestowne Hotels and Ella’s Table, to capture the new and exciting dishes and beverages they’ve come up with. This menu update includes items for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For more information or to make reservations, visit Ella’s Table online.