I have been working for Dmagazine for 4 years now as a photo retoucher and I finally got to photograph my first spread and a few pages in the magazine.
I was a little nervous photographing the spread. The designer wanted specific lighting that I do not have a lot of experience with, but I was not going to back down from a challenge. I have a few continuous lights and a speedlight to help with the dim lighting of the Stoneleigh P. The owner and his granddaughter were so nice about taking photos. I know that sometimes being in front of the camera can be awkward, but I wanted them to be as natural as possible. The whole shoot was about an hour to an hour and a half long after setup and I got the lighting perfect. I was so relieved when the art director complimented me on creating his vision.
Are you excited to watch the World Cup in DFW? I received a list of places that I had to photograph for the magazine to help with the bar/restaurant list of where to watch. I had so much fun meeting some really cool people and also trying really amazing places. Each place I photograph had their own authentic style and were very excited to be featured in the magazine. I even went back to some of the places to try more of their food. The only struggle that I had with this project was that my A/C was out in my car so when I was traveling I probably looked like a sweaty mess! The owners of these establishments didn’t seem to notice though (or at least were nice enough not to tell me LOL).
Working on Dmagazine’s May 2026 issue was a blast and I cannot wait for more assignments in the future.
An impromptu sunday at the museums in Fort Worth was what I needed to recharge my creativity. I had the pleasure of going to the Fort Worth Modern Museum, the Kimball Art Museum, and the Amon Carter Museum.
I saw a man so inspired by art that he started his own watercolor painting. I didn’t want to interrupt him, but I really wish I knew what he was painting. I tried looking over his shoulder and it looked really good, but then I thought I was invading his personal space and walked away.
I found the Amon Carter Museum to be colorful and inviting. Inside there was an exhibit called “Seven Days: The Still Lifes of Chuck Ramirez” where I got to play iSpy with seven photographs depicting still-life scenes of food and leftovers after a celebration.
There was one iconic painting that stood out the most on my trip and that was Caravaggio’s “Judith Beheading Holofernes.” This painting tells the Biblical story of Judith, who saved her people by seducing and beheading the Assyrian general Holofernes. Most artists depict her after the beheading, but Caravaggio stages her right at the assassination. This painting is hanging at the Kimball Art Museum and it’s a must see before it’s gone.
I haven’t been museum hopping in Fort Worth in a long time and I’m so glad I carved out time to see some amazing works of art. Below are more images from my trip and yes you will see a Georgia O’Keeffe in there too!
