HoltArts » Blog

The World is Shifting...

2010-10-02T22:58:00.003-05:00

...and so are we! Our blog can now be found at www.holtarts.com/blog.

Enjoy!

Marfa, TX: Not Your Typical "Old West" Town

2010-08-30T20:19:00.003-05:00

We recently made a trip out to west Texas to visit the small town of Marfa. More recently known for its role as the shooting location for There Will be Blood and No Country for Old Men, the town has seen its share of film production.

At first glance it really looks like any other town you'd expect to see out west. The buildings are ancient, the land stretches out in all directions, and the commercial presence is minimal at best. This is a good thing.

Beyond that is where Marfa's charm lies. While most of the exteriors have been preserved in their original form, each building holds unique surprises. Every building we visited was completely remodeled and modernized inside.

We stayed at a "hotel" called El Cosmico, which isn't so much a hotel as it is a collection of tepees, yurts, and vintage campers that look a little dicey from the outside. Once you go inside however, you almost have to do a double-take and make sure you're still in the same place. The tepees all have bamboo floors and futons inside. Very cool.

Everywhere we ate, all the meats, fruits, and everything were mind-bogglingly fresh. Where the food comes from, who knows? It's definitely some of the freshest and best-prepared food we've had in awhile. Not only can Marfians cook, but they're some of the nicest people in Texas. No matter where you're from, they embrace you and trust you as if you've lived there your whole life.

Needless to say, we'll definitely be visiting again soon.

The Big Picture

2010-06-10T00:26:00.004-05:00

Down in Austin last weekend, we found this spot with a nice little view. Thing is, the only lens we had was a 50mm.

"HOW am I gonna get a shot of this classy view?" I thought to myself.

"Of course!"

I then proceeded to snap 25 individual frames from the bridge. Again, this was on a whim, tripod-free shooting.
And at that moment, our largest panorama yet was born...

Memorial Day

2010-06-01T09:16:00.003-05:00

Did you enjoy your Memorial Day? We know we did!
A relaxing, traditional cookout was all we needed to kick back and have a good time. And though the food was delicious, it's always just a bit scary at the beginning, isn't it?

What would this holiday be without cupcakes?

Oh right, and don't forget ice cream!

Here's hoping you had a fantastic weekend, and to kicking off an even greater summer!

AHS Prom 2010

2010-05-25T22:17:00.005-05:00

Last week was Prom in Aledo.

Now, many of you out there may have no idea what an Aledo even is, but the people who live there REALLY know how to throw a party.

In Aledo, Prom is a three-stage event that takes place from 5:30 in the evening, all the way until 6am the next morning. It starts with the Promenade (pronounced PROM-EN-ODD), where each couple arrives (usually in a limo of some kind), is announced individually to an audience of family members and friends, and the proceeds to walk around the gym on a red carpet...and back into their limos.

Now comes Phase 2: The Dance.
Couples arrive at the hotel downtown where Prom takes place and spend the next several hours dancing, shouting, and trying to slip in the sexy moves when the chaperons aren't looking. Suddenly, OH MY! It's almost 1! Let's go!

Enter Phase 3: Project Graduation
This part of the evening usually takes place at one of those gaming zones like Main Event and lasts until 6 in the morning. Cheap food, free games, amazing door prizes--we're talking computers, bikes, microwaves, you name it--and all the the time in the world.
When it comes down to it, those Aledo kids know how to make Prom way less lame than it's supposed to be.

Oh, that reminds me. Photos from Aledo Promenade 2010 are now online!
JUST CLICK HERE.

Texas Stadium Implosion!

2010-04-16T00:01:00.003-05:00

On Sunday, April 11, a huge chunk of Texas history met its demise when Texas Stadium--opened in October 1971--was demolished. Thousands of people drove out to witness the spectacle first hand. Many of them came the night before, spending $50 or more to park and camp out in order to get good spots for the 7am demolition.

Somehow, we HoltArts folk managed to get there just an hour early, park free, and squeeze our way to the front just in time! There was a vibrant array of people in attendance, which made the whole event even more entertaining. What's that, you ask? Footage?

Granted we did just shoot this event for posterity (and funsies), here's what we slammed together that afternoon.

It's Spring!

2010-02-21T22:26:00.005-06:00

Well, actually it looks like there is more snow in our near future, BUT it certainly feels like spring in the media production industry! We've been buzzing around like crazy in preparation for our upcoming feature that goes into full-fledged production this April.

We've been lucky enough to have steady access to most of our shoot locations, which has allowed us to do on-set shot preparation. As a result, once production runs around we'll know exactly what we need to do, where to go, and (most importantly) what we're doing! For the most part, all script revisions are stabilized, our fight scenes have been choreographed, and our available gear is looking GOOD. Though several members of the cast are already Masters of Taekwondo (we have a 5-stripe black belt and a 6-stripe black belt), a few of the less-experienced cast have already reached yellow and green belts. Even our director has garnered a couple of belts during movie training! She says she won't make her actors do anything she wouldn't do herself. Rock it!

Anyway, we didn't want to leave you guys hanging. Hopefully this frame-grab from our shotlisting sessions will hold you over for a bit:

Over Capacity

2010-01-31T15:57:00.004-06:00

There's something about shooting documentary that's just pure excitement. Especially with observational doc.

The fact that everything you're shooting is just what's happening in real life. Sure sometimes you'll shoot interviews, or people will act a little differently because they see a camera, but really that makes things all the more interesting, don't you think? To see how people behave when they're making a conscious effort to "perform" for the lens and say a lot more about a person than if they forgot the camera was there.

Anyway, we had a fun shoot today for what looks like it'll be somewhat of a personal process doc. We're very excited to see how the story ends!

You Know What?

2010-01-23T01:03:00.002-06:00

We're hard at work and it's been TOO LONG since we talked to you this way. We'd just like to let you know we have a whole PILE of excitement in the works--it's just a matter of organizing that pile so it will fit in a drawer...

But seriously, a lot of exciting things are happening here right now, and we can't wait to explode open like a bottle of news! Until then though, you'll just have to settle for EXTREME green!

You might have noticed our support for our founder, Brad Holt, and his little video about LASIK. We're hoping that if he wins and gets the procedure for free, he might stop that uncontrollable wink. The ladies are getting too excited!
That was a lie.

Seriously though, we know he'd really appreciate it if you voted for his video at www.givemelasik.com (video title: LASIK MAKES A DIFFERENCE), because, after all, he is me. You can vote once per day until voting ends on February 2nd at noon.

We promise that more exciting news than this will occur. What kind of media company would we be if we didn't build up the suspense?

Stay tuned, kids!

Brad

Wedding Reel Online!

2010-01-13T13:12:00.004-06:00

Our wedding demo is now online!

Marriage lasts forever, but a wedding is one crazy day that quickly becomes a jumble of fragmented memories. Don't worry though! HoltArts is here to make sure the happiest day of your life is preserved forever in all its cinematic glory. We offer a number of options that you can tweak to match your budget, so contact us for details, would you?

View the demo by either hitting VIDEO PRODUCTION above and clicking WEDDINGS, or you can just go to www.holtarts.com/weddingreel to skip a couple of steps.

That leaves us with two down, and only one to go! I just hope you're ready for the IMPACT our music reel is going to have on your life!

User-Customizable Photo Cards!

2010-01-06T14:55:00.006-06:00

It's finally here!

Now you can take any photo in any gallery at our SmugMug and turn it into a photo greeting card!

First choose your photo. For this example I'll use what some may call an "unconventional" graduation portrait.

Click Buy, then Create a Card from the resulting dropdown.

That's how you get to the magic card-making box!

From there the instructions are pretty self explanatory. Choose a design from several different categories including all your winter holidays, Valentine's Day, baby celebrations...you name it.
Resize and position the picture how you like it, add text, maybe add a few more pictures, and within a few minutes you have a nice, classy card.

New Year, New Deal!

2010-01-01T17:46:00.004-06:00

Welcome to 2010! For the first week of January, we're celebrating what we know will be a fantastic year with a special deal for you! Enter HA1010 when you order prints from our photo site and get 10% off your total order! I know I can't think of a better way to ring in 'o10...

Better be fast though! After the first week of January, the deal is up!

Senior Portraits

2009-12-16T02:14:00.008-06:00

As we wrap up the fall semester and get ready to swing around into spring, we're quickly approaching picture time for all those graduating seniors out there.

Our wide range of photographic capabilities enables us to personalize your photo shoot, so your images look exactly like you want them to. When photo editing is complete, the images will be available at our SmugMug, which you can access easily from the Photos tab at the top of this page. There you can get everything from standard prints (4x6, 8x10, wallets, etc.) to more exotic options--large formats, canvas prints, pre-mounted/framed prints, magnets, mouse pads--you name it.

To set up a shoot (or to just get some questions answered) hit Contact and share your thoughts and feelings. Spill your guts! You'll hear back from us within 48 hours (but probably faster).

We look forward to hearing from you! Even if you just want to chat, let's visit!

Thanks to Myles for lending us his likeness for our special examples.

Aledo vs. Everman Online! Wide Angle Receiver or Jam-Op?

2009-12-08T22:07:00.009-06:00

Sports are a pretty popular subject among professional photographers. Whether it's football or basketball, high school or pro, you can expect to see a slew of photographers around the sidelines, snapping and flashing away at every game.

Sure sports are great fun, but do you think they'd be nearly as entertaining without sweet jams blasting out from the stands? Whether they're playing new arrangements of popular songs, or nostalgia-inducing classics, the bands that play at sporting events deserve some attention as well, don't you think?

Periodically I like to visit my hometown of Aledo, TX and photograph the Bearcat Regiment at games and contests. As a former band member myself (go drumline!), I have strong ties with the program--not to mention the fact that both my parents are involved with the Band Boosters...and my brother is currently huffing his way through as a tuba player.

Not only do these games and contests give me a chance to see my family, but I also get to play around and experiment with photography! What could be more fun than that?

Cutting to the chase: I broke a long hiatus last weekend and took a few shots of the band at the Aledo v. Everman playoff game in Burleson. The album is now live! Feel free to snoop around, and maybe even buy some prints if you see yourself in there!

With Harmonic Love,
Brad

It's Time for Holiday Cards!

2009-12-01T18:05:00.013-06:00

As we swing ever so delicately (right?!) into the holiday season, a lot of people suddenly freak out because they STILL haven't taken pictures for holiday cards! What would this season be without fancy holiday greetings flying around through "vintage" mail?

Won't you stop worrying already? Look where you are! Book a shoot with HoltArts (singles, couples, families, whatevs!) and we'll help you design the most delicious cards you could dream of! You want custom text?
Well YEAH!

Your only concern should be this:
Now do I want a legit 4x8 card like this one...

That's right, we dressed up the dog.

...or am I feeling a little on the wild side and thinking something more...foldable?

What's more wild than something with horns?

No matter what creative angle you're going for in your greeting cards, HoltArts will rock your holiday world...

in a good way.

What a Beautiful New Place!

2009-11-30T01:22:00.005-06:00

Well hello there!

After almost a year of sweat, blood, and carpal-tunnel-pumping labor, our new and exciting site is up and running! We feel that the sleek, simple design will help you move around the site and learn a bit more about us as well.

You may be looking at this classy new interface and thinking to yourself, Where did all the files go? Don't worry! The wonderful (and somewhat overflowing) land of purchasable photography still exists. You can get to it by clicking at the bottom of the Photography section--or by clicking here. When we do photo shoots in the future--and you know we will--that's where you'll go to order prints. There are several pictures there already, so feel free to sift if the flash portfolio isn't juicy enough for ya!

So what's with this video production tab, you ask? Video production, in various forms, is something we have a strong passion for here at HoltArts. As you may have read in our About section, we've been making movies under the HoltArts name since before we even technically existed! Or were even old enough to pay taxes. That's right, a little boy and his video camera. Oh, the memories...

Now, before I blabber on until the end of time, why not click elsewhere and do some exploring!

With Encoded Love,
Brad