Living in Austin, Texas, meant being surrounded by music. The city pulsed with it, from the smallest dive bars to the biggest festival stages. The demand for photography was endless—artists always needed new shots for posters, albums, press kits, and promotional materials. There was never a shortage of work, and I found myself drawn deeper into the world of live music photography.

One of the biggest opportunities came when I was hired by Stewart Ramser, the founder and publisher of Texas Music Magazine. The magazine launched in January 2000, dedicated to covering the vast and diverse music scene across the state. Stewart brought me on to photograph South by Southwest, one of the biggest music festivals in the world. It was a massive undertaking—five days of non-stop shooting, covering anywhere from seven to ten bands each night.

The challenge wasn’t just in capturing the performances but in the planning. I had to map out a schedule, navigating through the festival chaos to be at the right place at the right time. Venues were scattered all over downtown Austin, and no two sets were alike—some were dimly lit, intimate affairs, while others exploded with strobes and spotlights. Timing was everything.

After days of racing from one venue to another, camera in hand, three of my images landed on the very first cover of Texas Music Magazine. The cover was a collage of Austin artists, a fitting tribute to the city’s thriving music scene. Seeing my work featured on that inaugural issue was a defining moment—proof that the long nights, the careful framing, the split-second captures of raw musical energy all amounted to something tangible.

From that point on, my photography in the Austin music scene only grew. The city never ran out of bands that needed their story told through images, and I was there to capture it all.