The Fayetteville Public Library recently kicked off its future expansion project by honoring the existing structure on the property. With plans to expand the library onto the property, the building which for many years was the city's hospital, had to go. But not before it was celebrated and remembered for what it was to so many people for so many years. Of course this sort of event also means that we all had the opportunity to watch some big heavy machinery in action. Way to go Fayetteville, your library is definitely a prime example of what other libraries should aspire to become. 

In the midst of a hectic travel schedule, I somehow found the time to slow down and enjoy the journey. Here's a few images from my recent travels. Enjoy.

Over the course of the last 2 years, I've been working with Visit Rogers to create a library of imagery that they can use to market our beautiful town to the locals and the visitors alike. I recently had the opportunity to tag along on a video shoot and create a few new still images. And of course, that meant sampling some delicious food and drink as well. Based on my "market research", I highly recommend the following: Cooking Studio of Downtown Rogers, Levi's, Bocca, Ozark Beer Company, Iron Horse Coffee Company, and if you like food trucks, City Pump. But please...don't take my word for it, try them yourself!

Meet Monty, owner and operator of Crybox Fitness Studio. Crybox Studio provides private personal training and fitness lifestyle coaching to serve the needs of all types of clients. Monty utilizes his 20+ years of past business experience with his clients to help them set time-bound goals that are safe, measurable, reasonable and realistic. I recently had the opportunity to create a few images of Monty and the studio to coincide with a website revamp. Here's a few of my favorites. Enjoy. 

When an awesome bank and its awesome marketing agency hire you to photograph landscapes and community imagery for marketing purposes, you make the most of it and have fun in the process. For me, that meant road tripping, truck camping, exploring small towns and taking some time to sit by the water and watch sunrises and sunsets. Thanks to The Twiggs Group & Grand Savings Bank for sending me on this work trip that didn't feel like a work trip at all. 

Today on the blog: A few images from Arkansas Food & Farm Magazine showcasing the digs and deliciousness at Oven & Tap Restaurant. Cheers!

I have always enjoyed working with the University of Arkansas’s Art Department so when the fine folks who head up the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences asked me to spend a couple days photographing the facilities and student life, my answer was an enthusiastic yes. I’m always fascinated by the quality of the education here in our area and I’m very grateful to be a small part of it.

Nick & Jessica's Wedding was a memorable for a number of reasons. The first reason that comes to mind is how many shirts I sweated through on their wedding day. (4, which is a new record for me.) Combine that with the location for their wedding...a beautiful home in South Fayetteville, designed by an understudy of local architect, Fay Jones and the fact that they left their wedding reception on a jet plane and you have a pretty memorable day. 

But the biggest reason weddings continue to be memorable for me is because of the people I get to work with. And Nick and Jessica are two of the kindest, most adventurous souls my 12 years of working in this industry and have led me to celebrate with. Congratulations and Best Wishes, you two....thanks for having me. 

It's always a pleasure to work with the fine folks at the Fayetteville Public Library. Spending the day watching people and photographing them as they use the library in so many different ways is a great reminder of how blessed we are to have so many great resources and programs in our little region. Even if you are not a resident of Fayetteville, the library is well worth the drive there especially if you have kids. For more information, visit their website. 

I had the privilege of photographing the annual Art of Wine Festival this year. The event is put on by the good folks at the Walton Arts Center and features products from local, regional and national companies and establishments. Here's a few images from the event. Enjoy.

Meet Jesse and Cori. Their only requests for their engagement photos were quirky, fun, a playground and some trees. After an afternoon of driving, exploring and adventuring, we managed to find "a few" trees, some questionable playground equipment and some other local oddities, which added up to loads of quirky fun. Here's a few images from our adventures together. Happy Tuesday. 

I hung out with Troy and Marian all day and I honestly loved every minute I spent with them. They are thoughtful, genuine and madly in love with each other. Plus, they do some pretty awesome serious faces. (See above photograph for example). Thanks for allowing me to photograph your celebration you two, it was an honor. Enjoy this (rather lengthy) sneak peek of images. 

Cheers.

It's always a fun adventure creating images for Arkansas Wild Magazine. I am continually challenged as a photographer when working with them and I am grateful for all of the beautiful places in our state that they send me to. If you haven't already, check out their newest issues of Bike Arkansas and Paddle Arkansas. Hooray for the outdoors!

Well, Summer is in full swing. And for me, that means more commercial work, a few weddings here and there and some time to hang out with fun engaged couples like Austin and Bridget. We had fun together, hanging out at Block Street Records and dodging thunder storms. Here’s a few images from our afternoon together. Happy Tuesday.

Congratulations and Best Wishes to Paxton and Laura who were married recently on a beautiful Saturday that also happened to be Cinco De Mayo. In accordance with the holiday, there was a Sombrero and a couple of fake mustaches on hand and the photographers (Thanks to my good friend Jared Sorrells for spending the day with me) as well as the groomsmen put them to good use during picture time. The weather was nice and the family and friends were even nicer and it was in fact, one of my favorite weddings ever. 

But this was without a doubt, the hardest wedding I've ever been a part of as well…

I recently had the opportunity to work with the wonderful staff and incredibly bright students of the Thaden School. Prior to my time there, I had only a vague knowledge of the school, it's history and it's mission. But spending a few hours there was downright impressive. Here's a few images from the afternoon. Enjoy. 

I've been on a shoot for the past couple of days and the property where I've been shooting is incredible. The actual location where was setup and shooting was near some cliffs and in some woods because it was outdoor apparel. But the other parts of the property had more cool junk than I've seen in a good long while. After finishing up, I was given a small tour of the property and snapped a few photos. Enjoy.

Congratulations to George and Bea on their recent engagement. During last weekend's Holi Festival in Fayetteville Arkansas, George proposed to Bea where they actually met years ago. Amidst loud dance music and colored powder flying everywhere, George got down on one knee and asked Bea to marry him. 

I was in a tricky situation, because...

Today, I am wishing my dear friends and next-door business neighbors a fond farewell and happy retirement. Trolley Line Bookshop was a local favorite long before I moved in next door. This was largely due to the personable owners, Pat and Myra Moran who never tired of making friends and involving themselves in the community for the better of everyone. Their shop had the cozy and quaint feel of a neighborly downtown business because it was genuine and not manufactured and their presence (as well as their incredible selection of interesting reads) will be sorely missed. Cheers and Best Wishes, you two and thanks for everything. 

** View a previous blog post about their shop here **

I recently had the opportunity to photograph (and eat) some of the delicious food at Sai Wok, a relatively new Vietnamese restaurant in Rogers. In case you're wondering, the food is just as delicious as it looks in the photos. Bon appétit.