The day came for Sri and Sumeet to get married and I must say it was a perfect day.  It all took place at the beautiful Sugar Land Marriott Town Square where Nalini and her crew from Decor to Remember did a fantastic job in turning the beautiful into extraordinary.

The events started on Friday evening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then the main event on Saturday.  Sri got ready.

 

 

Sumeet enjoyed his baraat.

 

 

 

 

 

Then the wedding ceremony got started.  The beautiful mandap created by Decor to Remember.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the ceremony, we had some time for some great portraits.  Sri and Sumeet looked GREAT together!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then it was on to the reception.  The ballroom looked AMAZING!  This is a combination of about six photographs “stitched” together to create a panoramic view.

 

Now, some of the beautiful flowers and settings.

 

 

 

 

 

Sri and Sumeet made their way into the ballroom and enjoyed the first dance together.

 

 

Did I mention the beautiful (and delicious) cakes?

 

 

 

The program included some dances and very moving speaches.

 

 

 

 

 

As well as a game in which the newlyweds had to answer who was most likely question!

 

Then the real party got started…

 

 

 

 

 

Sri, Sumeet, you two have been absolutely wonderful to work with.  I wish you both continued success and the very best.

Rod Stewart is a rock legend with a musical career that started in the late 1960s.  I remember as a kid learning the lyrics to “Maggie May” and later on dancing to “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy” and “Young Turks”.

So, when a friend called me and asked if I could cover an assignment for him as he had to be out of town, I said “of course, what do you need?”  When he said “can you cover the Rod Stewart concert for Live Nation“, my answer was “hell yeah”.

The show was held at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion at The Woodlands - one of the nicest concert venues you could be at.  The only down side was the shooting location.  Normally, you get to shoot from the area between the stage and the security barricade or from the sound mixing area.  On this night, it was neither of those.  It was from an area directly in front of the columns that support the projectors and some spotlights.  Now, please don’t get me wrong, there is not a single bad spot to see a show at the Pavillion, but for photography you like to have a clear shot without arms waving in the air - and they were on their feet and waving their arms from the moment Rod stepped on stage.

Rod Stewart still sounds the same and he put on a great show.  He truly is a legend.  So, here are some of the photos from the show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Like I said, it was a great show and “Some Guys Have All The Luck” certainly applied to me in this case!  I don’t get to shoot many concerts - OK, I’ve only shot two but they’ve been legends:  Depeche Mode (my absolutely favorite band) and now Rod Stewart - but I hope to shoot more of them in the future.

I’ve been so busy lately that I had not finished this series so…

This is the final installment and it is dedicated to the learning aspects of the trip.  This part of the trip was five intensive days of seminars, workshops, and one-on-one conversations with some of the best photographers in the world.

The keynote seminar was delivered by my friend David A. Williams, from Australia, whose “Almost Alone” workshop I’ve had the priviledge of attending in Houston.  David is passionate about the work he does and the impact it has on those it is performed for.  He has been a great influence on me.

The other “highlight” seminar was by my friend John Michael Cooper, aka Alt-F, from Las Vegas.  John is known as the “creator” of the “trash the dress” movement - but I think he’s more of the “instigator” for all things creative.  He calls his version of “trash the dress” the “anti-bridal” and his creative influence on me has been amazing since the first time I met him back in November of 2006.  Ever since that week, my eyes have seen differently and I thank him for it.

These next images show John as he demonstrated some techniques, with my good friends Milissa and Rene Tirado as models.

Of course, on the way to John’s seminar, there were some photo opportunities as dusk approached and we had dinner.

 

 

 

 

 

The last of the images were taken on the grounds of the Carefree Resort & Villas - the site of the Digital Wedding Forum Convention.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, that concludes the Arizona series.  The trip was amazing.  It was inspiring in many ways, I had a chance to learn from some of the top photographers in the world, see some old friends, make some new ones, and see a part of the country that is absolutely stunning.

…to me!

Well, I survived another year.  I’m a bit older (29 yet again!), a bit more worn, and I hope a bit wiser!

With God’s willingness, I’ll update you on my increased wisdom next year at the same time!