Yet another thing to love about Fort Worth: Van Cliburn. Read about his recent return to Moscow in the New York Times.

Favorite quote: “He loves the whole world,” she said. “There is enough of him for the whole world! This is a great heart!”

Bootsy Collins brought his band to the Palladium Ballroom Friday, June 17, and despite taking the stage an hour later than scheduled, he rocked the house. I shot this for The Dallas Morning News and was only able to shoot one song before heading to car to send my photo via my Clear 4G connection.

Typically, we’re allowed to photograph three songs, but Bootsy’s 10:15 arrival didn’t allow me time to get more than one song in the camera. I had an 11 p.m. deadline and made it with minutes to spare.

This Bootsy Collins photo and other images from The Robert Hart Studio are available in my searchable online archive:

Christopher Shih, a gastroenterologist in Ellicott City, Md., won the Van Cliburn Sixth International Piano Competition for Amateurs in Fort Worth, Texas, on Sunday May 29. The competition was held at Texas Christian University in Ed Landreth Auditorium.

Read TheaterJones.com‘s comprehensive coverage of the five day competition.

These and other images from The Robert Hart Studio are available in my searchable online archive:

Members of the Houston band “Sanctus Bellum” perform on the lawn of the Denton County Courthouse at the 35 Conferette.
Members of the Brooklyn, N.Y., band “The Spring Standards,” perform a live webcast from the lawn of the Denton County Courthouse Saturday afternoon, March 12, 2011, at the 35 Conferette music festival in Denton, Texas. Band members are, from left, Heather Robb, James Cleare and James Smith. The trio is enroute to Austin for SXSW where they’re performing as an invited band for the second year.
Music fans watch a performance by New Orleans band “Generationals” at the 35 Conferette Saturday evening, March 12, 2011.
“Backside Pick” performs on the lawn of the Denton County Courthouse at the 35 Conferette Saturday evening, March 12, 2011.

Day three of the 35 Conferette in Denton, Texas. More music than you can shake a stick at!!!

These and other images from The Robert Hart Studio are available in my searchable online archive:

20-year-old Cliburn gold medalist, Haochen Zhang, returned to Fort Worth for the first time since his 2009 win to perform at Bass Hall Tuesday night. Zhang’s performance included Chopin’s Four Ballades, Brahms’ Klavierstücke op. 118, and Ginastera’s Sonata No. 1, op. 22.

Zhang has spent more than a year touring in the United States, Europe and Asia.

This and other images from The Robert Hart Studio are available in my searchable online archive:

John Mayer performed at Superpages.com Center on September 4, 2010 for a crowd of 12,000 to 13,000 fans. For client The Dallas Morning News.

This and other images from The Robert Hart Studio are available in my searchable online archive:

I had a few minutes at the Meyerson this afternoon with Hamlisch who’s in town to promote the DSO’s pops series. Hamlisch will be conducting the series and intends to feature American composers. For Mark Lowry’s story on Hamlisch, go to TheaterJones.com.

Hamlisch, a child prodigy who attended Juilliard as a seven-year-old, is one of two humans to win The Oscar, The Emmy, The Grammy, The Tony and the Pulitzer Prize. The other is Oscar Hammerstein.

We shot in the Meyerson’s green room, which is your basic DARK space with rich mahogany-colored walls. This was going to be an interview session, which meant I’d shoot while my colleague, Mark Lowry of TheaterJones.com, asked questions. While 11 minutes might sound like a short time, anyone who works with celebrities knows it’s more than enough time to make a nice portrait.

I make it a point to arrive at least an hour early to every shoot. I like to see the space well ahead of time and set up lights, test, and correct early. Typically, I have an assistant with me to help but none of my favorites were available today, so I schlepped the gear myself–with Mark’s help.

I used a 48-inch softbox with a Profoto 600 monolight camera-right and a white tri-fold reflector camera-left, just an inch or two outside the frame. Hamlisch, 65, had been up and running since 5 a.m. and was grateful for a few minutes to sit before walking into the Mort’s foyer for a evening-long reception.

Hamlisch is ever the gentleman and a delight to work with. His face lit up when he talked about the master class he’ll teach later this month for students at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Hamlisch, the teacher, can’t wait to get in front of those kids.

This and other images from The Robert Hart Studio are available in my searchable online archive:

Brooks and Dunn gave their final Dallas performance Saturday to a sold-out crowd at Superpages.com Center. While Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks put on one hell of a show, they don’t get that close together onstage–at least not during the first three songs, which is all the promoter will allow photographers to shoot.

My assignment was to photograph both performers in one vertical frame. That image didn’t blow my skirt up but this shot of Ronnie downstage was a nice moment.

This and other images from The Robert Hart Studio are available in my online archive:

The third annual Marfa Film Festival got underway yesterday evening to the sound of Cinco-appropriate mariachis, two excellent Mexico-centric films and plenty of Patron and New Belgium libations. Post-film viewing, rock music played into the night, but not far into the night as Presidio County sherrif’s deputies showed up in force–I counted five officers–two hours before the midnight curfew. I suppose you gotta keep a close eye on these artist-types. You never know when they’re likely to go all minimalist on your ass.

Despite the chilling effect of Presidio County’s finest, the crowd kept their chill and dispersed into the night.

Marfa Film Festival founder/director, Robin Lambaria, kicked off the third annual festival Wednesday afternoon at the Crowley Theater.

This and other images from The Robert Hart Studio are available, here, in my searchable online archive:

Moby Dick, Herman Melville’s classic, debuts tomorrow night with the Dallas Opera. There’s a huge buzz about how director Leonard Foglia intends to portray the whale and it’s been one of Dallas’ best kept secrets. Given Mr. Foglia’s reputation for putting audiences in the middle of the action, the leviathan’s first appearance onstage in Dallas should be stunning. Stories this week in the The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal have only added to the suspense.

Back on April 1, I had the opportunity to meet and photograph Moby Dick‘s composer, Jake Heggie, and librettist, Gene Scheer, for www.theaterjones.com inside Dallas’ gorgeous new Winspear Opera House. I wanted to incorporate the rich, warm burgundy surfaces inside the lobby, so I arrived a couple hours early to scout the location.

Jake and Gene showed up right on time and we were able to finish the shoot in less than 30 minutes. What an absolute delight these two were to work with. They were both enthusiastic, engaged and eager to participate and I am delighted with the result.

As any photographer will tell you, a good portrait requires the cooperation of the subject(s) and Jake and Gene were the best.

Turns out they loved the result as much as I did and each requested a signed copy of the photo, which I was flattered to provide.

I’m eager to see the performance tomorrow evening and can’t wait for the great white whale’s operatic debut.