"Pop Rocks" for Dallas Child Magazine

Last weekend, I shot portraits of three fathers who balance their families with a career in music. This assignment was especially fun because the subjects and the locations were so diverse. My many thanks to Lauren Niebes, Dan Phillips, John Dufilho, Michael Bleecker (and their highly entertaining kids) for the good times.

Dr. Guzman for Fort Worth Child Magazine

For four and half hours, Lauren (my photo editor), Julie (the writer) and I followed Dr Guzman around the Emergency Room at Cook's Children Hospital. It's an interesting dance you do when you're trying to be both in the action and out of the way. Dr Guzman has an inherently easy manner, perhaps the result of his many years performing his tough job. He delivers good news with the same grace he delivers not-so-good news, a talent that would be an asset in any occupation. He was also a very good sport, and used his talent time and time again to make me feel like I was not constantly in the way.

all images © Nick Prendergast

New Work: Mary-Frances Hurt

I shot wedding planner and owner of DFW Events Mary-Frances Hurt and her children for the current issue of Dallas Child. Super fun!

New Tear Sheet: Conor Lyons for Dallas Child

I had the pleasure of shooting Conor Lyons for a story about gifted kids in the new issue of Dallas Child. Creative Direcor Lauren Niebes had told me about the assignment a week or so before the shoot, and we immediately began thinking of ways to illustrate his quirky personality and his advanced intellect. Conor was a fun subject to shoot, and a cool kid to hang out with. He draws really detailed maps, builds amazing WWII figurines, and has an incredibly inquisitive mind. Here's an outtake from the shoot featuring some of the clay soldiers he's created:

© Nick Prendergast

{from the Dallas Child website}

Many thanks to Conor, his mom Julie, and Lauren for her amazing concept and direction.

Cassy Lawson for Dallas Child Magazine

I had the pleasure of photographing Cassy Lawson and her lovely family for the current issue of Dallas Child. I shoot for this column frequently, and the challenge quickly becomes finding new ways to capture the feel of a family in their home without it getting visually repetitive. When I suggested to Cassy that she and her family sit on the floor behind their couch, she must've thought I was crazy. I really like the location, though, because I think it gives the shot a sense intimacy that other, more obvious spots around a family home wouldn't provide. Check out Cassy's activities-for-mothers organization, PROJECT MOM.

Three New Covers to Ring In The New Year!

Goodbye, 2011. You were a year filled to the brim with great surprises, unexpected joy, gut-wrenching loss, familiar frustration, amazing opportunity and - as with any passage of time - lessons that will forever inform my life. I look forward to the ways in which 2012 will whip those same ingredients into its own entirely new concoction.  

I awoke this morning to find that the three January covers I shot for Dallas Child, Fort Worth Child and North Texas Child are out! My thanks to the wonderful, creative folks over at Dallas Child for this fantastic assignment.

Cover: Thrive Magazine

Thrive Magazine is a resource for parents of children with special needs. I shot Dawn Grosvenor and her daughter Ashley for the cover a few weeks ago. It was an interesting challenge because while Dawn was excited about the opportunity to tell Ashley's story and talk about her non-profit HOPELights, she had some reservations about the shoot. As we worked our way through some different lighting and location setups, she was visibly loosening up and, by the end of it, her fears seemed to have faded away completely. Ashley (who's has been diagnosed PDD-NOS on the autism spectrum) was fun and playful throughout, taking direction like a pro.  When the issue came out, Dawn even sent me a nice e mail saying she thought the images looked beautiful and that she feels proud of the end result. My many thanks to Dawn and her lovely daughter, Ashley. This was one of the most rewarding shoots I've yet been assigned.

Tear Sheet: Brooke Hortenstine for Dallas Child

I shot these portraits of Brooke Hortenstine, editor of PaperCity Magazine, with her son Rollins for the Nesting section of the latest issue of Dallas Child. As a photographer married to an interior designer, I had a blast shooting all the interesting details of such a beautifully appointed house. My many thanks to Brooke, Rollins, and my photo editor Lauren!

Tear Sheet: Dallas Child

I shot this portrait for an interesting article in the current issue of Dallas Child about colored lenses that help kids who suffer from dyslexia. I had never heard of this technology, which builds colored haploscopic filters (meaning they are individually prescribed for each eye) into lenses for corrective glasses. It's really cool getting an assignment to shoot something that's changing people's lives. My many thanks to Dallas Child Magazine!

Meredith Land for Dallas Child

I had the pleasure of shooting NBC news anchor Meredith Land and her adorable daughter McCall for the "Real Moms" column in the latest issue of Dallas Child. It was an absolute blast. My many thanks to Meredith, McCall and the great folks over at Dallas Child Magazine! 

Alison Viktorin for Fort Worth Child Magazine

© Nick Prendergast

I recently had the pleasure of shooting voice-over and commercial actress Alison Viktorin and her son Cyrus for the current issue of Fort Worth Child. Many thanks to Alison, Cyrus and Lauren!

Chef Tim Love

I had the pleasure of shooting a portrait of Tim Love with his three kids at The Love Shack, his casual burger joint in Fort Worth. Love is best known for his appearance on Iron Chef, where he bested (my personal favorite) Chef Morimoto. It was a really fun and laid back shoot. My thanks to Lauren and the rest of the Dallas Child crew!