Texas Groundwater Video and Photos…

I recently travelled to Lubbock, TX and its surrounding cities to shoot some video and stills for an interesting story on water conversation in the Texas Panhandle. The story ran in the Texas edition of the New York Times today, along with more photos and video on the Texas Tribune Website and on Youtube.

If you don’t receive the NY Times, but you enjoyed this story and want to learn more about Texas, be sure to check out the Texas Tribune online by clicking here. And, if you liked my photos and video, be sure to visit my website at www.janikphoto.com by clicking here.

Shooting Texas…

My week has been pretty crazy. The picture above will show you where I spent Thursday. Do you recognize the flat, windy landscape of Lubbock, TX in the photograph? My assistant and I left Dallas at 3:30am on Thursday and arrived in Lubbock six hours later… just in time to enjoy a nasty cold front that brought 50 mph winds, sleet, rain and snow with it! We spent the day doing photos and video for a NY Times feature that I’ll link here when it comes out in a week or two. We finally got back to Dallas at 11pm that night. It was basically twelve hours of driving and seven or eight hours of shooting. It was a looooong day!

But, the long Thursday work day wasn’t the beginning (and won’t be the end) of my week. I started out with a Monday night shoot at Trees in Deep Ellum for a client of mine. They were throwing a big party with a celebrity tattoo artist and musician. It was a blast, but it also meant staying out pretty late. There was a photo booth at the event that I couldn’t resist using. I got home, slept four hours and then started my Tuesday…

Tuesday? Yup, after spending the morning and afternoon dealing with Photoshop, I hopped in the Suburban and headed three and a half hours south to Austin, TX. It was night two of shooting music, drinks, tattoos and fun for my client. The Austin party was much more rowdy, in a good way! But, it was midnight by the time I was ready to head home, and I was tired. I made it all the way to the Carl’s Corner truck stop, then slept for a few hours next to all the parked big rigs, and finally finished the last hour or so of driving.
I spent most of Wednesday doing more Photoshop work, and then it was time to get a few hours sleep before heading to Lubbock! Luckily, I had Friday as a slow day… some Photoshop work and video files to go through. However, it’s giving me a chance to catch a breath before shooting all day on Saturday. So, what did you do this week?

A Recipe For Fail…

Bank of America must’ve spent a lot of money to take out a full-page color advertisement in the Sunday paper. Those things aren’t cheap! However, they can still attract a lot of attention. There’s a big pay-off, if the customers take notice. So, why put out an ad that looks like it belongs in the back of the local penny saver?
Look at a copy of the ad below. Now tell me, doesn’t that photo look terrible?!? Did my grandmother take it back in 1987, right before she had her cataract surgery? The basic gray (or grey, if you are British) background would normally be complementary, but it seems to make this particular image look even worse!

Don’t get me wrong, I understand the idea of making a photo look more like a “snapshot” than a slick, fancy, high-dollar production piece. The “it looks like something from my Facebook wall” aesthetic is in vogue with large corporations and their advertising agencies right now. They want to appear to be your buddy, so their advertising imagery is trying to emulate what you would normally see from your friends and family – not some $10k photo shoot with models, assistants, make-up artists and a fancy craft services table.
I was hired last year by one of the largest retailers in the world to take feature story and cover photo images for their monthly employee magazine. This publication has a circulation bigger than most major city newspapers! I was constantly being reminded by the art director and communications director that “these images need to feel like the average employee took them”, but still feel professional and clean. It was a balance to make the images pop and grab the viewer, but still connect with the average person… not make them feel like they were being talked down to.
So, what’s wrong with this BoA advert? It skewed way too far on the snapshot side of things and forgot about the fact that it still needs to grab the reader’s attention (at least in a positive way). Harsh light, squinting eyes, tons of distracting background items… it just fails on so many levels. On a positive note, I like how the ad is tailored to the North Texas market. It says a lot that BoA found a local success story to champion.

Spring 2012…

Spring is just around the corner, and the flowers and bees are ready for action! I love sitting outside and following a bee from flower to flower. Sure, the images are totally different from my concert and music photography. These pics are a world away from the portraits I do of CEO’s celebrities and other notable figures. However, I think this macro photography might just be the most relaxing of anything I’ve ever shot.






To see my other photos, please visit my website at www.janikphoto.com

How To Photograph The Mayor…

I thought about titling this tutorial using common slang, but the idea of posting “How To Shoot The Mayor” just didn’t sound right. If you are coming here to look for some sort of deviant tutorial, you just wasted a click of your mouse or a tap of your mobile device. If you came here to get some ideas on how to successfully photograph an important public event, please read on.
I’ve photographed several Dallas mayors over the past decade, and I will most likely take pictures of several more over the coming years. Though each event serves a different purpose for the community, the key to successfully photographing it is basically the same. Follow the suggestions below to get the best shots…


The first thing to look for is an area around the edges of the room or the back of the event that you can take photos without interrupting or distracting people. Once you’ve done that, focus on getting some images that show the mayor and some of the environment. This will usually involve any important logos on the podium, and important banners or something else to help describe the where/what/when/why of the image.
Look for smiles, hand gestures and other emotions to capture. Anyone can snap an image of someone standing in front of a podium. It is your job to make the image look like the person is actually talking, inspiring and moving the audience.
Sometimes you’ll also want to get a tight shot. Not every client will have a use for these tighter shots, as they don’t really tell what the speech was in relation to. There’s no environment showing to connect with the speech and the speaker. It could’ve been shot anywhere. However, sometimes the tight ones can be the winning shot of the day, especially if the speaker is very animated. You may not focus on the tight shots for more than a few seconds, but snap a few just to be safe.


I find that the best images are ones that show people reacting to the speaker. The above sots show guests intently listening as the mayor gives his speech. Plus, there are hand gestures and big facial expressions, along with event logos and other environmental clues to let you know exactly what is taking place. These shots are usually the most important to capture.

Let’s not forget the posed shots that are often available before or after the event. Many publications like to run these images, so your client may consider them to be a crucial part of your photo assignment. They capture the key speaker with other VIP’s and/or community members. Sure they are the most boring shots to take at the event from a creative standpoint, but they are vital. Do not skimp on these shots. Give them just as much effort as the rest of the event.
Plus, these “grip and grin” images can be the best way to network yourself! I usually have people hand me their card after taking one of these shots with the mayor, celebrity, keynote speaker, etc. and ask how they can get a copy. Sending them a photo has occasionally led to some very lucrative jobs… shoots I never would’ve had, if I didn’t follow up on that business card!


And finally, some clients are tired of sending out the basic posed photos, and would prefer an image with a bit more action. This is where you can get some good shots of the mayor interacting with guests, shaking hands, laughing and telling stories. Keep an eye out for photos that show your speaker engaging with other important attendees.
If you need someone to photograph your next important event, please contact me through my website at www.janikphoto.com

If Only A Hug And A Smile…

If the only things you needed to win the presidential election were hugs and smiles, Rick Perry would’ve won in a landslide…



He looks like he gives some pretty good hugs!

Still Loving This Flower Photo…

I posted this image here in 2010, but I can’t help reposting it. I still love this shot! I’ve been in a flower-shooting mood lately… maybe it’s the warmer weather and the thought of Spring.