Univision 45 Houston for Houstonia Magazine

I spent a couple of days making my way through the hallways and newsroom of Houston's Univision television station for Houstonia Magazine. It was quite fascinating to see how a nightly newscast comes together from gathering information, meeting with the news team, discussing stories and eventually writing the copy and presenting it to the audience. Oh, and anything can happen at any time so you have to be ready for that as well. Big shout to Univision 45 for letting me kick it with them at work. Check out the article written by Adam Doster HERE!

Mike Davis - Head Basketball Coach at Texas Southern University for Houstonia Magazine

When I got this assignment, my initial thought was Mike Davis? Mike Davis who took over for Bobby Knight and was almost a national champion at Indiana Mike Davis? Mike Davis who was dangerously close to signing Boogie Cousins to the University of Alabama-Birmingham Mike Davis? Yep, that Mike Davis who has been quietly killing it in the SWAC winning the conference 3 of 4 years and leading the Tigers to the NCAA tournament in two of them. Cool, I get to meet Mike Davis and chop it up about Jared Jefferies and Tom Coverdale. But of course, that's not how it went. He was a super cool dude and amenable to all my ideas but he's a D-1 basketball coach trying to prepare his team for an all away game non-conference schedule. Ain't nobody got time for Starghill saying "hold the ball with your left hand and look to your right." Mike Davis has a team to coach. Big shout to Monica for coming through with the assignment!

TaKasha Francis and Melvin Hopkins for Houstonia Magazine

A couple of months ago, I photographed TaKasha Francis and Melvin Hopkins for a story about Houston's Department of Neighborhoods for Houstonia Magazine. I met and photographed Francis at city hall where she runs things as the head of the department. I don't think I've ever actually stepped foot in the offices of city hall before the assignment but everyone was just so damn nice! Is it a function of the new administration (big shout Sylvester Turner)? Or is just how people usually get down in my city? 

Then I rode around with Hopkins on a hot summer day in his city issued white vehicle looking for property violations. Y'all better cut your grass and get those vehicles off the lawn...or else the Department of Neighborhoods is coming for you! Anyway, check out the article HERE. 

Former New England Patriots Linebacker Ted Johnson for Houstonia Magazine

Toward the end of his career, Ted Johnson was a linebacker for the New England Patriots during the beginning of their dynastic run. He has three Super Bowl rings but he also has been dealing with life after a pro football career filled with concussions. As usual the writer, in this case Jeff Balke, tells Johnson's story a lot better than I can. So I'll let him.

Big shout to Teddy Three Rings for giving us the time and big shout to Houstonia for giving us the work!

The Place Upstairs for Houstonia Magazine

The PLACE Upstairs is an interesting little shop on the second floor of a building in Midtown. There are a bunch of vintage and quirky goods for sale including skulls, a casket, an incubator and early 20th century dolls. Even the shoot at The Place was interesting. I took this particular photo at 11:33p on a Wednesday night after talking with Laura and Mike (the owners pictured) and perusing the store while sipping a 16oz can of PBR. I took this photo just a couple hours prior. All in all, a good night for me with the camera. BIG SHOUT to Laura and Mike who opened their store on an off night and chopped it up with me for a few hours. You should ALL go check it out. You'll have a good time. Check out the write-up in Houstonia here.

Real Estate 2015 Issue for Houstonia Magazine

Last month I got to know Houston a little bit better as I drove around to photograph a bunch of different neighborhoods for Houstonia's 2015 Real Estate issue. Although there were 25 neighborhoods highlighted in the issue, I was only tasked with visiting five and finding something interesting in those places. I went to places I haven't yet explored and saw communities that I didn't even know existed. My list consisted of Montrose, Bay Oaks, the Energy Corridor, Cross Creek Ranch and Westview Terrace but you should probably pick up the magazine if you want to see the rest! Big shout to Chris Skiles for the assignment that gave me a reason to further explore the city.

100 Things Every Houstonian Must Do for Houstonia Magazine

A couple of months ago I was asked to embark on a mini project as part of a huge list of '100 Things Every Houstonian Must Do' for Houstonia Magazine. Sadly, of the list of five things that I was assigned to shoot, I had only completed two. A tumble down the hill at Hermann Park and a visit to an ice house? Check and check with both being completed before my age reached double digits. Thanks Dad! Traders Village? Nope. Texans tailgate? Nope. Western two-step dancing? Hell nope.

The process was incredible. Traders Village has a LOT of crap but it also has pretty much everything you could ever need. I became completely enthralled with the electronics and toy stores that sold every single video game system and action figure that I had growing up. I almost bought a Sega Genesis but that would involve me playing more video games than I already do. My Houston football allegiance does and will always belong to the Houston Oilers but my time roaming around the Blue Lot before a Texans game was a (blue) lot of fun to say the least. Every time I stopped to photograph an interesting looking set up, they fed me. And not just burgers and dogs, either. I'm talking stuffed jalapenos, filet mignon fajitas, bacon wrapped jumbo shrimp...you get the picture. The last stop was a trip to the SSQQ Dance Studio where the two step was one of the many dances being taught to a large crowd sectioned off in 4-5 different spaces. It looked like fun but luckily I didn't get pulled onto the hardwood to break it down.

Anyway, check out the rest of the list and marking things off. If it means you have to come to Houston...so be it! Shout out to Chris for the assignment! 

Helicopter Underwater Escape Training for Houstonia Magazine

This assignment from Houstonia Magazine was a bit of a change from sports, but it was still action packed! I photographed something called Helicopter Underwater Escape Training (HUET). It's a training designed to -- well, it's pretty self explanatory. Lots of people who work in the oil and gas industry must take this course because of potential flights to offshore oil rigs. The writer (and American University alum) Peter Holley can probably describe it a little better as he actually went through the training. I did get soaked, but I managed to keep myself above ground...unlike the trainees. Take a look!

Brad Davis of the Houston Dynamo for Houstonia Magazine

I photographed mid-fielder Brad Davis of the Houston Dynamo a few weeks ago for Houstonia Magazine. An MLS-watching friend of mine said he had the best left footed cross in the whole league. But what's more interesting is that at 31 (which is considered old-ish in athlete years), he's still battling for a roster spot on USA's 2014 World Cup team. You can read all about it at Houstonia. And if you're so inclined, you can check it out in print at your local magazine vendor. Shout out to the Dynamo aka Orange Crush aka La Naranja aka Die Oranje.