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

Photo of Bootsy Collins performing at The Palladium Ballroom in Dallas

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 receives a hug from Van Cliburn after winning the Sixth International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs.

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 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.

Friends greet on Hickory Street at the 35 Conferette on March 12, 2011 in Denton, Texas.

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 Haochen Zhang, from China, returned to Fort Worth's Bass Hall Tuesday, September 14, 2010.

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 onstage at Superpages.com Center in Dallas on September 4, 2010

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:

Marvin Hamlisch, Dallas Symphony Orchestra Pop Series conductor, in the green room August, 2, 2010, at the Mort.

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:

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

Mariachis helped open the third annual Marfa Film Festival outside the Crowley Theater Wednesday, May 5, 2010.

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

Presidio County sheriff’s deputies showed up in force to keep Marfans safe from loud music.

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

'Moby Dick' composer, Jake Heggie, and librettist, Gene Scheer at Dallas' Winspear Opera House.

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.