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)

Last weekend, our beloved Northwest Arkansas area was hit hard by a series of Tornados. Everyone's personal story with this event is different. But the beauty of a disaster situation is that it creates opportunities for help to be given and received, community to be experienced and lives to be changed for the better, even if it seems like it's temporarily for the worse. That's my 2 cents, anyway. The brutal truth though, is that we all got hit REALLY hard and personally, that's something that is dawning on me more and more everyday.

(Click to Read/View 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 - The Polaroid: Photography as a hobby.

Back in the good old days, Photography was my hobby. A disgruntled graphic design professor once told me I’d never be a graphic designer because I couldn’t draw. His comment set me on a course to pickup a camera. And although his assessment of my future as a graphic designer was completely wrong and probably born more out of grumpiness or hangryness than lack of ability, I never put the camera down. In my late college years, I began experimenting with Polaroid cameras. And a whole new world of creative possibilities seemed to open up.

(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.

Today on the blog, we’re featuring images collected over the last few weeks that document the work of Jacob Paa Joe Jr., a visiting artist at the University of Arkansas School of Art.

(Click to view more photos and read an excerpt from the School of Art explaining a more about this unique artist and his work.)

Today is the day! Blake Street’s new pop up bar opens to members and guests. Eldi, a Nordic themed outdoor bar features small plates and drinks heavily influenced by the region. On cold days and nights, guests can huddle around the open fire or underneath any of the outdoor heaters and enjoy the carefully curated menu items. And if you’re looking for a little excitement in your life, you can try your hand at knife or axe throwing.

As always, the fine people at Blake Street have worked hard to come up with a unique concept that allows members and guests to embrace the winter months while also providing an educational and inspiration food and beverage experience. And we certainly had a blast creating the images to introduce Eldi to the public.

For hours or for more information on membership at Blake Street, visit www.blakest.com

This week on the blog, we’re sharing some recent/not-so-recent Commercial Photo + Video work for the University of Arkansas School of Art. Every year, the University hosts a weeklong Summer Arts Workshop for High-school Students, grades 10-12. The workshop is free and open to any students that wish to apply. Participating students are treated to a host of experiences including museum visits, classes and art experiences taught by faculty, and other unique opportunities. (click to view more)

Meet Emily Wold: Little Rock Resident, Successful Homesteader, Motorcycle Enthusiast, and the brains, brawn and vocal cords behind her wildly successful VoiceOver business, Fable Hound.