Gallery Show Coming up FAST

Interested in buying some of my prints? This is a great time to do so. I'm having a gallery show in The Colony (just north of Dallas) with local artist Chelzee Lentz. There will be wine, live violin, and much mirth and merriment.

Also, keep in mind, 50% of my profits are going back to the models that helped create these images. So you would be helping them out as well, just in time for the holidays.

December 18, from 7pm until 9 pm. I'll see you there.

Variety

Many of the photographers I know love to specialize. In theory, specialization leads to mastery. And for those that can make a living this way, I truly respect them for it.

But for me, I get bored fairly easily and love to try new things.

I'm based in Dallas, TX. My name is Brian Hilson,
I am a:
fashion photographer
food photographer
product photographer
headshot photographer
portrait photographer
pet photographer
fine art photographer
conceptual photographer
...The list goes on. I shoot it all and I absolutely love shooting it all.

A few of us were talking over sushi the other night about variety of images. A good friend of mine is an amazing food photographer, another friend is an incredible concert photographer. Over dinner we were talking about the different vibes we enjoy creating in Photoshop and I brought out my iPhone. Coincidentally enough, the night before, I decided to see how many different looks I could come up with from a single headshot. And I showed them this folder of images loaded up the previous night.


The original


Basic black and white

Black and white with heavy gold toning



Original with some minor color tweaks



Black and white with selective focus and bronze toning



All in all, I really prefer to not specialize. I have entirely too much fun playing with images like this.

An open letter to a muse

We haven't worked together, not really. But I see your photos, your smile, the way you carry yourself... and it makes me daydream of the day I get you in front of my camera. Not the one I shot that time, but the one you really are, the one that comes out behind closed doors when you allow you to be you. I've met that "you" and I truly respect that "you" I met.

I remember meeting you and feeling so small. Your work made me tremble, just a little, but it was enough. My work wasn't worthy of you yet. It's been three years now and I'm still not worthy. Truth be told, I'm not sure I will ever be, I'm not sure I want to be.

When I shoot, I think of you often, wondering if you will like what I create, wondering how you would feel if you were gracing my camera instead of the person actually there. And it makes me try harder.

One day it will happen, possibly. Then again it might not. The more I think about it maybe I prefer that I never become worthy. Because this way, I never will. But I will keep trying. And I will continue to improve. And even if we never create anything magical, I'll never have you far from my thoughts. Then again, even if we do create something amazing, you will still be there. Because of... in spite of... you. And I thank you for it, at least here.

Thanks for being you and everything you inspire me to become.

Boudoir Photography

I've been debating for some time now about posting a few more galleries on my site. The problem is: I don't want that top frame to become too cluttered. There is also a good possibility that this gallery might be too much for some of the more conservative people and businesses. I don't post any nudity on here, but I don't mind nudging that boundary a bit when I truly love an image. So instead, I'll just create a few extra galleries and link to them in this blog. The most recent public/hidden gallery is for my boudoir work.

brianhilson.com/portfolio.cfm/Boudoir

Previously, I've been creating a temporary gallery when asked for samples of my boudoir work. Once the client has a change to view them, I would just delete the gallery. But as people continue to contact me for more and more of this, creating and removing that gallery isn't something I have time for. So enjoy this new link showing another facet to my website.

Taco Mexico, authentic Mexican food

The only thing better than Mexican food is amazing Mexican food. I'm going to introduce you to a restaurant you might not know about, but definitely should.

I received a phone call early last week from a restaurant owner in Balch Springs that needed a photographer for a last-minute gig. They were getting a new menu printed and had very little time to do it in. I was free and took the job.



I met the owner the morning of the shoot as he took me on a brief tour of the restaurant. We went over the shoot list and I set up my lights. A few minutes later the first plate rolled out and I discovered something. The first item was shot and he asked me to taste the food. It was good. I mean, really good. At that moment the owner smiled, and started to tell me what his secret is: everything is hand made. And by everything, he meant everything.

Order tortillas, they mix up the flour and water, press them, then cook them up on a pan right before being brought out to you. Those same fresh tortillas are used on their burritos and tacos. The cup of salsa sitting on the table with your corn chips is hand made, and so are the chips. For those of you that have never tasted fresh, hand made Mexican food, this is not something to be missed.

As we talked about everything on the menu throughout the day, I saw the passion and pride in his eyes as he told me where each menu item came from. This really is a Mexican restaurant, in every sense of the term. Each dish was carefully chosen from the various states of Mexico and they all contribute to a wonderful experience.




I started shooting food photography less than a year ago. It has been a fun ride so far and I am not even close to being done yet. Restaurants like Taco Mexico are the reason I love doing what I do. The food is amazing, but the people are what make it what it is. I live north of Addison. Taco Mexico is in Balch Springs, just south of Mesquite off Lake June Road. Without traffic it takes me about 45 minutes to make the drive. And it is absolutely worth it.



They don't have a website up yet, that part is in the works. Once it goes live you can expect to find it linked here. But for now, you can follow this link to get directions.


And after your meal, be sure to order the flan as well. I have always had a soft spot for flan, and this is absolutely the single best flan I have ever tasted.

Valentine's Day at Mercy Wine bar

Thanks so much for everyone that came out to Mercy to celebrate with their friends and loved ones. And thanks so much to everyone that has emailed me about that weekend. I'm glad so many people like their photo(s).

Now that it is a new month, I am going to pull the gallery off my main site. I'll leave the content up for another month or so for those that are just now coming to find their photos. And for those that have expressed interest in buying prints, that deal still stands. 5x7's are $5 each, 8x10's are $10 each, and 11x14's are $15.

You can now find the gallery here: Vanentine's Day at Mercy Wine Bar.

Be sure to visit Mercy's website at www.MercyWineBar.com and sign up for their email notifications. They send out weekly email blasts to let everyone know about upcoming specials, bands, and tastings.

Thanks again for coming out.

Mercy Wine Bar

It's good to know people.

A few years ago, a good friend of mine kept pestering me to go to this local wine bar. Apparently they have amazing food and it's full of people that I apparently needed to meet. I was hesitant. Honestly, up until then, I had never been in a wine bar before and I had heard from a few friends that they tend to be a little uppity. I couldn't have been more wrong.

The people were friendly, I was greeted by a series of warm handshakes, and ate the best chicken sandwich the world has ever known for dinner. I was hooked.

6 months later, I was talking to Glen Agritelley, the owner, about the artwork in the restrooms. We decided to shoot some new stuff for the men's room.

I placed a few casting calls and had a few amazing responses. One of them, Angela Ryan, is a pretty big deal. After working with her, I can completely understand why. The other model preferred to remain anonymous, so I will respect her wishes. But suffice to say, I couldn't have been happier with the images that came from these shoots.



A few months later we decided to update the photos in the ladies room as well. Courtney Crave and Flip Ashley responded to those castings. Once again, I was blown away by the images we all created.



Mercy Wine Bar can be found in the Village on the Parkway in Addison. Stop by, grab a glass of wine, and be sure to try the chicken sandwich. And let me know what you think of the artwork in the restrooms.

Erika the Gamer Girl

An opportunity presented itself a few weeks back to shoot an idea. "What if Sports Illustrated did a video game issue?" It was all her idea and I loved it.


We hashed out a few ideas through email, decided on a couple that sounded fun, then set the date for the shoot.


Erika was recently picked up by the Clutts Agency in Dallas. To be honest, I don't do a lot of agency work these days and had forgotten what it was like to work with someone that knew how to pose this well. I'll admit it, the shoot was spectacular. The first group of photos picked for retouching was around 60 images. Since I try to limit how many I retouch to around 4 or 5 per look, that was a bit of a problem. But it was a good problem to have.


We finally narrowed it down to around 10 shots. I'm still working on the last 4 since they require a bit more attention in Photoshop. These are closer to my conceptual work than the images posted here. So expect another update in a week or so with the rest of her shots.



All in all, this was a great shoot, Erika was charming and a complete blast to work with, and with any luck, she will be chosen as the next XFS girl. Life is good.