This is what happens

when you get a bunch of photographers together for a week and add a dash of beverages to the mix.


It's the Dallas workshop photo crew. This was shot at Mike's Serial Bachelor Pad. Mike is the one in the middle of the back row. He's a freelance photographer in the Dallas area, and he was the leader of the pack for the photo sections of the worksop.

Here's the funny thing about Mike: He taught a KJI workshop that I went to when I was in high school, so I guess I've known him for 15 years, but we haven't seen each other since then, except for about 4 times this year. It's a frienaissance.

On the couch, laying across everyone else, is Jeanel, a photog from KSU and Shawnee Mission North. Our paths never crossed at North (she's too young) but our lives have been eerily similar at some points.

In the green, Aaron. He lives between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend State Park in Terlingua, Texas. Here's the thing it's always so hard for me to wrap my brain around about Texas: It took Aaron nine hours to get to DFW. That state is so freaking huge. You can drive all day and all night, and still be in the same state, depending on where you start and where you end.

In the yellow shirt - Dale Jr. Okay, no, just kidding. It's Ryan, but he could be Jr's twin. I think he said he had three people (in one day) say he looked just like Jr.
Back left is Aaron's childhood friend, Chris (inside voice). He was up for a visit.

On the right is DJ, one of Mike's roommates. This guy does the most incredible woodworking I have ever seen. See the very corner of the coffee table in to the left of the frame? He made that. It's all very antique and moody looking.

Luckily, Mike's crash pad was only about 10 minutes from the hotel, so we did our evening hangouts there instead of the local pay-to-drink establishment. We were near an airport, so when we did actually go to a bar that first night (Champp's - and no, that is not a typo) a 32-ounce Miller Lite was almost $7. The two reason we didn't go back there? a.) I'm a cheapskate, and b.) Two "p"s? Really? What is the reasoning behind that. I find it highly annoying.

Anywho.