by Jason Dixson -

American Cancer Society Cure by Design Event

On Friday I photographed the American Cancer Society Cure by Design event at the Ronald Reagan Building.  I have to say, it was spectacular!  Every aspect and detail was so well done and designed.  The food was delicious, the decor was elegant, and the fashion show brought joy to people’s hearts as well as shared the stories of various cancer survivors.  It was all truly an inspiration.

The description from the official event page:

Cure by Design is an event in which the fashion, design and retail communities join forces with the local corporate community to benefit the American Cancer Society. The focus of this special evening is a fashion show that spotlights designer fashions and, more importantly, the cancer survivors who model them. These survivor models are living proof of the strides we are making in the fight against cancer, and their vibrant smiles portray a message of hope for the cure.

The money raised at Cure by Design enables the American Cancer Society to fund cutting-edge research, early detection and prevention education, advocacy efforts, and life-affirming patient services. By supporting Cure by Design, you are partnering with the American Cancer Society to help cancer patients in your community.

I started off photographing in the very swanky VIP lounge which was designed by my friend Ginger Rodriguez. Then I moved downstairs to capture the highlight of the night, a fabulous survivor fashion show and a silent auction which raised more than $26k for cancer research and services!

Below are a few shots from the evening, with a full gallery of photos from the event here.











by Jason Dixson -

Jessica and Tim’s Engagement

When Jessica and Tim approached me a few weeks ago about photographing their wedding and engagement photos I was both honored and excited!

We decided that an outdoor shoot (before summer got its heatwave on) was ideal for the engagement shoot. The engagement shoot took place at Kalorama Park (which has special significance for them) and the Spanish Steps just west of Dupont. There was even an awesome mural that Jess and Tim found near Kalorama Park that really made the photos pop!

These two are such a fun and easy going couple! I think the photos really reflect their personalities and their desire to have relaxed, casual portraits taken. I had a blast photographing them both—they were natural with the camera and provided comic relief the entire time!

by Jason Dixson -

View of NYC from the Highline

This classic view of New York City includes the Empire State Building as seen from about 10th Ave at 18th st. It mixes NYC’s iconic monolith with lower lying markers of the city’s architecture, including a water tower on the left and a small glimpse of the Chrysler Building tucked between buildings in the center. Time of day was about 10 minutes before Sunset.

This view is from the Highline, a park built on a historic freight rail line on Manhattan’s West Side. The first section of the park was built in 2009 with another section just opening in 2010. The whole thing runs from about 14th to 30th st.

I was really excited to check out this space and the views—it didn’t disappoint. The park is open from 7am – 11pm daily, but I recommend going after 7:30pm for the best lighting (in the summer, which is about 45 minutes before sunset).

by Jason Dixson -

Thunderstorm from 30,000 feet

This photo was taken at 30,000 feet (on my flight from New Orleans, connecting to Atlanta, back to DC).  It took me a little while to realize there was a wicked thunderstorm going off in the distance.  By the time I got my camera out we were right next to it. 

I’ve never really seen a storm from the outside looking in like this before. It was pretty crazy, with lightning going off every other second at the height of it.  Hard to tell how many miles across the storm cloud was covering though. I’m glad that we weren’t in the middle of it!

by Jason Dixson -

New Orleans on the Go pt. 2

I haven’t had a chance to edit or upload other photos from New Orleans, and this “on the go” post is coming much later than I expected.  My original plan was to edit via iPad on the plane, and post during the lay over in Atlanta, but mechanical issues kept us on the ground an extra hour and almost made us miss our connection!

For now, here are a few shots from NOLA with others to come.  I had such an awesome experience there with the food, music, architecture, history, and people.  New Orleans has such a unique culture that some have called it “America’s most foreign city” (and this is meant in the best way).  Anyway, here’s a few shots with more to come!

Dusk at Jacques-Imo's Restaurant and the Maple Leaf Bar

 

Beignets from Cafe du Monde
Boudin balls for brunch at Elizabeth's
The Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band playing at Tipitina's
The Apple Barrel bar on Frenchman Street, located just below Adolpho's
by Jason Dixson -

New Orleans on the Go

I’ve been experimenting with my travel photography workflow to make it less cumbersome (less gear, fewer things to worry about) and faster (to get photos up while traveling, and spend less time indoors and more time exploring!).

These photos are the product of my Canon 5D Mk II, iPad and camera connection kit, and Nik Snapseed for editing (with a little help from Photogene for spot edits). The workflow is working out nicely! The iPad is much more useful on the go than I had ever imagined and its been well worth the investment. No more days of lugging the MacBook, powersupply, and external hard drive around.

As for New Orleans—it’s a blast! You can google it and find millions of positive reviews but here are the take aways from day 1: AMAZING food, great music, friendly people, classic architecture. Three more days to go.

Partying on the balconies of Bourbon Street
Amazing grilled oysters at the Acme Oyster House
Pecan cobbler at the Acme Oyster House
St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square
Twins