The evolution of Tori as a designer and leading interior design firm in Texas and beyond has been a fun one to witness and be lucky enough to document. Her style is timeless, she is loved by so many, and working alongside her is about as great as it gets from a photographer's perspective. I can only imagine how much growth she will have in the next few years, the word is out and her team is growing.

I just finished listening to the latest Business of Home Podcast featuring Steele Marcoux of Veranda magazine, discussing their new issue and commitment to print publishing. It’s an exciting time for fans of Veranda, and fans of printed magazines. Veranda is not just changing the physical size of the magazine, but also doubling the page count, which is going to make this next issue feel more like a Sept issue from years past of one of the major fashion magazines.

There is a lot of effort that goes into getting that perfect shot – the one with the WOW factor that really showcases your designs in the best way. Some people think those shots are kismet or that they just happen, but I can tell you that the level of energy that it takes to get even just one hero shot is enormous.

Interior designers across the country are incredibly busy – even during a pandemic. With everyone working, playing, vacationing, and learning at home, people are laser-focused on renovating and improving their houses. So now you have all of these amazing projects completed and you want to photograph them. But can you do that in a pandemic? With the right planning, you definitely can. It just takes a little ingenuity.

I’ve shot many projects safely since the pandemic first hit, including a huge shoot for the Kips Bay Showhouse in Dallas and a Perennials campaign shoot.

I am so excited to announce the release of Expressive Interiors by Lucas Eilers! This Houston based design firm duo of Sandy Lucas and Sarah Eilers has been a leading force in the design narrative in Texas and beyond for a long time, and they have finally put that work out for the world to enjoy. Over the past two years I've been shooting several projects for them specifically for this book, which was an education for me personally on working directly with a publisher, Rizzoli, and book designer and editor.

Editor in Chief, Jane Dagmi with Designers Today podcast SAID, decided to take a more personal approach with Stephen Karlisch. The level of comfort you feel listening to this talk will keep you intrigued about learning more about Stephen’s journey. How he ended up in Dallas, shooting interiors, working on book projects, adding fine art and being sought out around the country.

Bronson is a one-namer. You know, like Bono or Beyonce. Not sure why I chose to lump him into the entertainer category, since he is usually on the other side of entertainment where the true genius tends to reside. He makes dreams come to life, and his imagination is only rivaled by his intensity to get shit done.

Chad Dorsey is a gift in the design world. He's a breath of fresh air in a growing sea of sameness, pushing a narrative of masculine comfort, similar to his personality. When you are in one of Chad's homes, you just want to stay there because everything just feels right.

Do most interior designers know that they should be art directing their photoshoot? It’s interesting to me that some designers think they will hire a photographer and stylist for a shoot, tell him/her what shots they’re looking for, and then have the shots delivered exactly as they want with no more work involved. I always want to remind interior designers that this is your photo shoot, and that you need to art direct the day – exactly the same way that a shelter publication will when they shoot a project.