Travis is a war veteran and great guy that we had the pleasure to photograph in our Dallas portrait artist series on generations for a local neighborhood magazine. He makes amazing pieces of art out of blocks of wood.
I met Travis as we were again doing a magazine feature for a series called Generations. This featured local people in the Eldorado neighborhood of McKinney that have been staples of the area and have a lot to share about their life experience. Travis has a wood shop in his home and creates beautiful pieces of art out of big blocks of wood.
His wood shop is at his home in McKinney. When I got this assignment, I knew it was going to be one of my favorites. Travis is also a war veteran, so we greatly appreciate his service.
There is something both fun and nerve-racking about going into space for the first time and having to figure out in a few moments how you are going to photograph it. I love that creative excitement and it’s how I come up with some of my best ideas.
His, however, was already a photographers dream to work with. Textures, grit, and personality. He reminded me of my Grandfather’s workshop when we were growing up. We started the shoot with some posed portraits of Travis before getting into photos showing me how he makes his artwork.
The above photo is one of my favorites from the portrait shoot as well as two that you will see below. The lighting turned out absolutely perfect and it shows him inside of the place that he so enjoys being. I really like that you can spend a while looking through all of the details and the different tools that are in the photo. All the things that I know are well used in the production of his artwork.
Absolutely stunning. When I saw these originally sitting on his shelf, I could not imagine that he had made them. You just figure that they came from a store somewhere.
he told me that with the vases in the first photo, he finds pieces of wood that have imperfections. That is what gives you that decorative look on the top of them. You can see the one on the right even has a hole in it, and it just adds to the overall look of the piece
The bowl below is very similar to one that I now have in my studio. He gave me one as a gift at the end of the shoot. Such a nice gesture of him to do so and it will be something I cherish in my studio for a long time to come.
I don’t remember what he told me about the blue highlights that you see in the bowl, but it is some sort of filler that is used where the wood has imperfections to fill it in. It creates a neat splash of color to the bowl.
After some of the posed portraits in the wood shop, I had Travis show me around the shop and work on a few pieces as I photographed him. Maybe we added in a little bit of danger into the portraits with mixing flash and power tools, but we were living on the edge.
Those beautiful bowls that you saw will start from a big chunk of wood like this. That is so impressive to me. As a Dallas portrait artist, it is kind of similar to how we start with a blank canvas for our photo. Then one light at a time we shape and mold the final photograph. Travis does the same, but with a block of wood.
The next photo below is definitely one of my favorites. The lighting is beautiful and comes from a hidden light I put in place above him. At his age, he is still able to aim that chisel tool as that block spins around. I’d likely lose a finger or two.
This next photo is similar to the one at the top of the page. Both are ones that I absolutely love. The perfection of design in this living room was a dream to work with. With a set of windows to the right, it also worked great to supplement the lighting that I created.
I love how the blue coach matches perfectively to the blue walls and the chairs that match the throw pillows. I have said it before in this post, but this entire house really was a photographers dream to work with.
I spent several hours at this photo shoot. More than was actually needed for the assignment by far. But I. just enjoyed being able to talk with Travis and learn more about his life adventures. Thank you, Travis, for the opportunity to photograph you.
Do you have someone like Travis in your family? Your grandfather, father, uncle, or important patriarch? Now is the time to. book your own session for them to make a lasting Artist Portrait that will be enjoyed for generations to. come. Sadly with the digital world that we. live in, beautiful artwork for your walls is. becoming a thing of the. past.
As a Dallas Portrait Artist, I am striving hard to preserve those memories for people by printed museum quality prints both for framing or in albums to serve as a. family heirloom.
These can be photographed in studio, or right in their home as you see we have done here with Travis.
If you are. interested, please give us a call today at 214-998-7001 or click the button below to go to our contact page.
Jeff Dietz Photography is an industry leader for Dallas Senior Pictures and Fashion Sports Portraits. We have been in business for nearly 18 years. We serve all of DFW including Prosper, McKinney, Frisco, Allen, Highland Park, Southlake, and more.
We would love for you to give us a call, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or send us an email. We can’t wait to get started!
All content on this website and it’s linked content is copyright Jeff Dietz Photography 2024. Do not copy or reproduce in any way without direct written consent.
Jeff Dietz Photography is an industry leader for Dallas Senior Pictures and Fashion Sports Portraits. We have been in business for nearly 18 years. We serve all of DFW including Prosper, McKinney, Frisco, Allen, Highland Park, Rockwall, and more.
We would love for you to give us a call, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or send us an email. We can’t wait to get started!
All content on this website and it’s linked content is copyright Jeff Dietz Photography 2024. Do not copy or reproduce in any way without direct written consent.
