Portrait of a Gigolo

Here are some of my favorite portraits from last week's shoot with Vin Armani, a male gigolo. Some may know him from the Showtime show "Gigolos." I didn't know what to expect meeting him, having a seen a couple episodes of the show... but he was such an awesome and down to earth guy, and such fun to photograph. I can see why people pay to hang with him. See the Las Vegas Weekly article here. And see Vin Armani's website here.

The Homecoming I Never Had

I would love to say that photographing the Chaparral High School homecoming dance brought back fond memories for me of high school dances past, but that would be a lie. Yes, I went to homecoming once (I think it was my sophomore year). But it wasn't a romantic and magical memory. For me, it was mostly awkward and a little drunken. Anyways, enjoy the photos of these great kids dressed to the nines and having fun! To see more photos and the Dave Berns story, part of our Turnaround Schools porject, click here.

The Oldies Rodeo

As promised, here are some choice snaps from the Senior National Finals Rodeo last week. They ran in a photo page today and to see more photos go here. I tried to get a bit more action shots this time, and ended up with one action shot that I liked. That's more than I can say about the last time I shot rodeo at the Clark County Fair in 2010. We shall not speak of that day.

Little Wrangler

I could not resist taking this photo of three-year-old Boedy Lambert of Wiggins, Co. holding the hand of his father, a contestant in the Senior National Finals Rodeo. After I took the photo, little Boedy demonstrated to me how quickly he could rope a calf by pantomiming it in the grassy picnic area. Probably the cutest thing I've ever seen. Watch out for this kid... he's gonna be a contender. I'm going back for more Senior NFR action tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Strip Sobbing

Why was this woman weeping while walking down The Strip today? I was stationed in front of the Venetian after shooting G2E setup inside the Sands Convention Center this morn, waiting for the rain clouds to drop their fury upon the Monday tourist masses, when it started to pour. The streets quickly emptied as people dashed through the closest casino doors. I was waiting to get pictures of the brave souls soldiering up the boulevard when this sad woman in purple came down the road, looking slightly upset and limping. Then suddenly, the purple lady just started sobbing. It was very strange, but I kept taking pictures. I stopped her as she passed me to ask if she was OK. She said, "I'm fine," gave me a weak smile and wouldn't give her name. What happened to her? Did her boyfriend just leave her? Did the rain bring to light some past emotional trauma? Was she upset that it was raining and she didn't have an umbrella? We'll never know. All I know is that the emotional highs and lows of the Strip are quite something to observe.

Here's more rain pics, including the one of her that I submitted for publication. I thought it would be a little strange to have a photo of someone sobbing as a rain feature.

Portrait Hating

Like any good newspaper photographer, I've always been a vocal portrait hater. But inside, deep in my darkest heart of hearts, I love taking portraits. Don't tell anyone. Here's the latest fun, including, but not limited to: yard sale entrepreneurs, gays in and out of the military, Zen Buddhists, and politicians.