Once in post production, I did a bit of treatment to the image by hand. I just kept going over it and over it until I got the final outcome, a beautiful and grainy black & white image with depth, detail and emotion. I now refer to this photo as ‘Mistress of the Night’.

I hope you enjoy the image as much as I do.

I am a professional music photographer that specializes in live performance photography, tour & set documentary, event coverage, and high-impact media imagery for musicians & entertainers. You can see more of my work by visiting www.christopherdurst.com.

Mistress of the Night: Photo by Christopher Durst

No purchase necessary. Each person is limited to one comment per day. Comments must be unique. Non-unique duplicate comments will not be considered. Contest will run until 11:59pm on Wednesday, March 9th, 2011. You do NOT have to live in the United States to be eligible.

Winner of this Limited Edition Signature Series print will be selected by, at his sole discretion, music photographer Christopher Durst, creator of this Willie Nelson image.

This Limited Edition Signature Series Print Retails for $1275.00.
Print Dimensions are 24inches by 36inches (24H”x36W”).
Printed on High Quality Fuji Photographic Paper in a Matte Finish.
Only 100 Prints Available Worldwide.
Print Displays Edition & Print Number.
Print Hand Signed by Christopher Durst for Authenticity.
Frame Not Included.
No Warranties Made.
Print Comes As Is.
Not For Commercial Use.

Limited Edition Signature Series Image Below…

Willie Nelson Live in Concert – Austin, TX

There are weekly concerts at Stubbs featuring an array of local, national and international acts. Stubbs features two different music areas, the inside stage and the outdoor mezzanine. The inside stage is a bit smaller yet intimate and typically hosts smaller local acts. The outdoor mezzanine, which is quite a bit larger, normally hosts well-known national and international acts. Both areas are very well set up and feature state-of-the-art sound.

One of the things that I love the most about Stubbs is their staff. Everyone is very accommodating and friendly at Stubbs which always makes an experience much more enjoyable there.

I have been shooting music photography there for years and absolutely love the venue. I also can’t seem to get enough of their BBQ. I definitely recommend Stubbs to anyone visiting Austin, Texas. Please tell them I sent you!

Stubbs Music Venue & BBQ - Austin, TX

R.I.P. Jim Marshall…

Of all the series pieces I’ve done in the past, my Texas Series has turned out to be one of my absolute favorites. To me, these photographs are true classic American images that capture the legacy of a great State and its countryside. What I love most about this particular series is that it’s completely open-ended, meaning I will continue to add to this series over the years.

Texas Series: By Christopher Durst

The site was originally designed as a gas station but later had a general store added to the back which sold basic necessities and common goods, as well as jewelry. The location immediately ceased operation after the incident and never reopened. Pictured in this fine art photography is the car of the actual store owner which was never driven or removed from the location succeeding his death.

Bonnie & Clyde’s Last Ride: By Christopher Durst

If you are currently seeking a professional music photographer please visit http://www.christopherdurst.com in an effort to become better acquainted with Christopher’s work. Though based in Austin, Christopher travels frequently throughout the U.S. and abroad for assignments. Contingent on availability, Christopher can reach most destinations within 48 hours.

For all bookings & information please call 512-626-3549.

Lukas Nelson Live in Concert - Austin, TX

A few years ago, I randomly stopped in this place called the Chuggin’ Monkey (that’s right folks, the Chuggin’ Monkey!) down on 6th Street. As I walked in, the band just happened to start playing. Immediately I was slapped in the face with the beautiful tones of Stevie Ray Vaughan, ZZ Top, Jimi Hendrix, Muddy Waters, and much more. Sonny was absolutely eeeeelectric!

Anyway, I could go on and on about these guys. Just do yourself a favor and go down and see them perform. They can be found all over 6th street any given night at historic venues such as Momo’s, Maggie Mae’s, Chuggin’ Monkey, Dizzy Rooster, and more. Please be sure to tell them that I said hello, and that I’m in serious need of a blues fix!

Click on the image below for Sonny’s Facebook profile.

Sonny Wolf Live in Concert – Austin, TX

Christopher is currently teaching in Texas and is scheduled to visit cities such as Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. For a complete listing of dates, please see his tour schedule below for more detail.

Tour Dates & Schedule Availability
Please contact me privately at chris@christopherdurst.com.
($75 per hr / $350 per day)

LESSON STRUCTURE
- Cameras & Lenses
- Shutter Speed, Aperture & ISO
- Exposure & Metering
- The Digital Process
- Color Imagery
- Black & White Imagery
- Overall Lighting
- How to Take Better Photos
- Equipment & Software
- Retouching, Resolution & Printing
- Copyrights, Releases & Agreements
- Constructing Professional Portfolios

TEXAS
- Austin: (Feb 10th – Feb 18th)
- Dallas: (Feb 19th – Feb 20th)
- Austin: (Feb 21st – Feb 25th)
- Houston: (Feb 26th – Feb 27th)
- Austin: (Feb 28th – March 2nd)
- Austin: (March 16th – March 20th)

NEW YORK: (March 3rd – March 9th)
MIAMI: (March 10th – March 15th)

LONDON: (March 21st – March 24th)
AMSTERDAM: (March 25th – March 28th)
PARIS: (March 29th – April 1st)
MADRID: (April 2nd – April 5th)
ZURICH: (April 6th – April 10th)
MUNICH: (April 11th – April 14th)
ROME: (April 15th – April 18th)

CALIFORNIA
- San Diego: (May 3rd – May 6th)
- Los Angeles: (May 7th – May 10th)
- San Francisco: (May 11th – May 15th)

Guitar Mistress: Photo by Christopher Durst

All around this is just a classic photo of two iconic musicians. I hope you enjoy! Click on the image to see the original gallery…so much more to see!

Leon Russell & Willie Nelson: Photo by Jim Marshall

Christopher’s creative approach has afforded him the opportunity to work with some of the most recognizable personalities in entertainment. His talents have also afforded him the opportunity to travel regularly both domestically and internationally.

If you are seeking a more creative approach to your event photography needs, please feel free to contact Christopher directly by calling 512-626-3549 or by visiting his website at www.christopherdurst.com.

Denise Hosek at Manifesto 2010 – Austin, TX

‘Luck, Texas’ was originally built for the film ‘Red Headed Stranger’ in which Willie Nelson starred. The original script called for the set to be burned down towards the end of the movie. However, Willie fell in love with it during production and convincingly persuaded the producers of the film to rewrite the ending, luckily sparing the set from being burned to the ground…hints the name ‘Luck’.

The town boasts a jail, bank, saloon, post office, barn, church, water tower and a hotel (featured below) that Willie now uses as his infamous ‘Luck Headquarters’.

To see more images from this series please visit my website by clicking on the image below.

Western Town (Luck, Texas) - Austin, TX

My true passion is shooting events in black & white. There is nothing more timeless or classic than a candid shot in black & white, it really speaks volumes. I can get so much more emotion out of a black & white than I could ever in color.

To see more examples of my event photography please visit my website at www.christopherdurst.com.

Denise Hosek at Manifesto 2010 – Austin, TX

“I have been working on this series for nearly two years. What I truly love about this series is that it’s open-ended, meaning I can continue to add to it forever. There will always be beautiful, old, rustic objects to discover, explore and photograph.”

Christopher’s unique ability to capture and produce timeless artistic imagery has gained him notoriety over the years for his extensive series pieces and fine art print work.

To learn more about Christopher Durst please visit www.christopherdurst.com.

Texas Series by Christopher Durst

Though his creative passion is shooting musicians and entertainers, Christopher is also recognized for his fine art photography and lifestyle imagery. His unique ability to capture and produce timeless artistic imagery has made him a favorite with clients seeking a more creative alternative to their photography needs; it has also gained him notoriety for his extensive series pieces and print work.

To learn more about Christopher Durst please visit www.christopherdurst.com.

Lukas Nelson Live in Concert – Austin, TX

If you’re in need of a professional music photographer to capture the true essence of your SXSW event or live performance, please contact me directly by calling 512-626-3549 or by visiting my website at http://www.christopherdurst.com.

Clint Litton Live in Concert - Austin, TX

I had the opportunity to photograph Kris while he was in Austin, Texas performing at Willie Nelson’s Annual 4th of July Picnic in 2010.

To see more images of Kris Kristofferson please visit rock photography.

Kris Kristofferson Live in Concert – Austin, TX

I had an opportunity to photograph him recently in a very up-close and personal setting. What followed was a series of images that captured the true raw emotion and essence of his performances. To see more images from this series please click on the image below.

Rocco DeLuca Live in Concert - Austin, TX

To see more great images of Willie’s son, please click on the image below.

Lukas Nelson Live in Concert - Austin, TX

Christopher specializes in live performance photography, tour & set documentary, event coverage, and high-impact media imagery for musicians & entertainers worldwide.

Willie Nelson Live in Concert - Austin, TX

Once you set up your ad-word account, and then produce your ad, you have to actually perform a search and see if it worked.  That is the step I missed.  Low and behold, when I did my search, up pop ped my blog in the right hand column – just like magic.

While I recognize its tough to read, trust me, its there!  That was pretty exciting, given that I have no clue what I’m doing here and pretty much experimenting as I go.

As with pretty much everything,  I know this will get easier (and I certainly hope quicker!) as I do it a few more times, but it was certainly a relief to see that finally pop up.

Even Mom’s can blog…….

Setting up the ad seemed simple enough – I followed the steps and in a relatively short amount of time I had my ad constructed.  Getting it up and running was a slightly different story – Google is fairly particular about how the words appear; they don’t like excessive punctuation, etc.  Once I figured out what my “error” was (they were slightly illusive in their message) I fixed it, and went to the next step.

Given that I’m not really advertising anything, and what I am advertising generates zero revenue, I assigned a very modest budget ($5 a month) to my ad.  Well, Google didn’t like that either, and told me I would basically never see any action, which would likely result in a failing grade on this assignment.  So, I bumped my budged up to the recommended  minimum, which was $50.

Again, given that what I’m advertising really isn’t anything tangible, I had a tough time selecting appropriate ad words.  I took a stab at it and got the ad up and running, finally.  Then I sat back and checked it periodically to see if I had any “action”.

According to the Google Chart, I actually have 603 impressions.  While I would normally assume that is a good thing, and my ad was at least somewhat successful, the fact that my “Total Cost” column remains at $0.00 leads me to a different conclusion.  Basically, I have no idea at this point whether or not my ad worked, or whether I did it correctly.  I do, however, know a little more about Google Ad Words overall, so the assignment was successful overall from that standpoint.

Another fact that gives me a little confidence is the fact that I’m getting Google Alerts regularly in my in box, telling me my name is showing up online periodically.  Granted, it is usually something associated with my Linked In account, my blog (which is illusive at best) or my Face Book account, but this is certainly more than this Mommy ever appeared on Google before, so I must be moving in a positive direction at least.

Overall, I thought this assignment was great.  I’m going to hold on to the assumption that had I been trying to advertise something of actual substance, I may have gotten some actual hits, and is may have actually cost me some money.  The upside of doing this incorrectly is the fact that it hasn’t cost me anything  to participate in the exercise.

I spent quite some time playing with Google Earth, and even got my daughter interested in it.  Some of the other Google applications, while seemingly great ideas, don’t have as much value to me personally.

However, upon checking out Google Blog Search, I found a whole new area to use.  There are so many blogs out there today, but how could one person possibly find them all, or even the ones that may interest them?  Enter Google Blog Search.  By simply typing in one or two words you get screens and screens of possible matches to your interest or topic.

We are going to be traveling to Florida in a few weeks with our three young children.  While we have done this many times in the past, I was interested to see what other parents did to keep their kids busy – I can always use new ideas.  I typed “traveling with kids” into the blog search and came up with several great blogs!  “Green Daily” was a great site that offered some great ideas that were not only new and differnet, but green as well.  How clever!

There were blogs on traveling with kids with special diets (airlines often don’t offer viable options), traveling with various baby gear, good places to travel to (and some to avoid) and so on, and so on…..  You could truly find pretty much whatever you are looking for here.

Another blog I read was “Travel Tips – 10 Time-Tested Tips for Traveling with Toddlers” since all of my kids are under six years old.  This too offered some good ideas and some tips I had not yet tried.

Perhaps I will get lucky and not need any of these…. perhaps all of my kids will simply fall asleep at take off and wake for landing… or, perhaps I will need to use several of these before we even board the plane.  Regardless, this blog tool was a great find and one I’m certain I will continue to use often.