I’m a huge Lena Jacome fan! Last year at about this time I was invited to shoot Alma Schnell’s dance concert and happily agreed. There were tons of talented performing artists and I became a new fan of Flamenco dance.
One artist in particular that struck me as hugely talented was Lena Jacome, who dances while her equally talented husband, Chris Burton Jacome plays Flamenco Guitar. There is a tangible magic in the air while they perform! Lena is focused, poised, and visibly passionate. Chris seems to build the very notes she dances on. The pair naturally compliment each other and entrance their audience.
I was delighted to be invited back this year to shoot Alma’s show, the proceeds of which will benefit Brazos Albierlos children in need. This is one of my favorite shots of Lena at last night’s concert.

When I look at this photo I see the inevitable corrosion and decay that catches up to everything (and everyone) when the earth eventually comes to reclaim it. This tenacious keyhole has somehow escaped the fate of the machine that it’s a part of. Years, miles, and weather have all but melted this once proud and reliable icon of an era, all but one tiny piece. What will you leave behind?

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~Peter Marshall

All racers face criticism, judgement, and intense expectations. Their careers depend in part on public interpretation of their talent, private analysis of their scores and strategies, and their own ability to digest it all without having a nervous breakdown at 220 MPH. Some buckle under pressure, some thrive. As a photographer, it seems a priviledge to preserve a moment that captures the ironclad composure of a pro.

Visit Hideki Mutoh’s Official Website

  Another Indy shot from the Homestead Miami Speedway. What a long day on the track. The amount of precision calculation, engineering and science that goes into this sport is mind blowing. By the time the driver suits up and brings his adrenaline and focus to the driver’s seat, the the chemistry exploding under the hood can be matched in ferocity only by the roar of anxious fans on their feet.

 While watching Marco Andretti suit up through my lens  this day at sunset I caught a slight flare and considered correcting my angle to eliminate it, but decided instead to keep it. Only something as fleeting and magical as a flare could compare to the glory that draws this driver to the track. It belongs there.

Visit Marco Andretti’s Official Website

~Danica Patrick

  I had the privilege to shoot for the Andretti/Green racing team at the Homestead Miami Raceway in February. Admittedly, I didn’t know a lot about Indy cars, or racing in general. I wasn’t all that impressed by what looked (from the outside) to be a bunch of cars driving around the same circle really fast a bunch of times. I had however, heard of Danica Patrick. Who hasn’t?

  While the other drivers were of course talented and interesting, it was Danica who immediately fascinated me . She’s a maverick who’s harnessed a strong inner drive for speed, adrenaline, and mastery of her chosen sport. She had the vision and ferocity to break through a major gender barrier. Fear is a choice for her and she chooses to put it in it’s place every time she climbs into her car.

  If every portrait a photographer takes is a form of self portraiture, I hope this one reflects a lot of my own personality. Those who know me well know that adversity has been no stranger to my life. I like to think that I meet it head on and even use it to fuel my journey through life. Thanks Danica, for being a shining example that this attitude can propel you to greatness!

Visit Danica Patrick’s Official Website

I’ve been exploring the art of the self-portrait recently, and this is one of my interpretations. This photo features my henna tattoo. I’ve always wanted one. This is my first, and it’s quite fitting when you consider my affinity for butterflies.
To me, butterflies are the most beautiful symbol of metamorphosis. They begin life as an awkward, vulnerable vessel promising delicate beauty and freedom, something utterly unimaginable at first glance. Those who invest the time and patience it takes to observe the process from beginning to completion come to understand that grace can eventually emerge from a seemingly unlikely source.

I have found another photographer who has inspired me to reach out and expand my own vision. Nick Onken is a master at manipulating sunlight in his photography. His images convey warmth, life, confidence, a positive perspective, and often the bold colors that draw me like a magnet. His dedication to art has not been diluted by his ambition to be paid for his talent. Check out his adventures in lifestyle photography and a bit of poignant philosophy at is blog, Shoptalk.

This photo is my interpretation of playing with sunlight. It was a fun and challenging experiment, one I intend to explore further. My usual bold colors are not present here, but color still highly influences this photo. The warm gold doesn’t need to shout in this scene. It works better as a whisper, in harmony with the Zen of the gentleman’s performance.

My boys and I admired this little reflection pool on our way to Horseshoe Reservoir twice last week. We didn’t catch any fish either day, but we treasured the time we spent and the images we took home with us.

Here’s my latest self portrait. It’s an attempt to show more than what I look like. It says something about who I am. I’m wearing my new favorite PJs. I adore PJs! I have different ones for different moods and occasions, I’d wear them all the time if I could, and I shop for them like most women shop for shoes.
I’m sitting at my piano. It’s important to me because my meager musical affinity is what I inherited from my father’s great musical talent. He died when I was really young, so I don’t remember him, but I heard a tape recording of him playing “The Entertainer” on his piano once. Though I also inherited his piano, it was too large for my home and since the wood came from England (a beautiful burl wood) it was impossible to keep tuned in Arizona. Something about humidity. Anyway, my sweet husband replaced that piano with a smaller digital version. It sounds amazing and looks very elegant. It plays itself and will teach you how to play songs. Sometimes I sit and play classical music and pretend like I know it by heart. Other times I let the piano play Norah Jones by itself and I just sit and close my eyes and let the notes carry me away.