The Dinner Detective is an interactive murder mystery dinner show. It’s a four-course sit-down dinner in which each guest is allowed to choose their own entree. In between each course of the meal, another part of the show is revealed and the plot thickens.

The show is an interactive and improvised comedic murder mystery set in the present day. Besides the two helpful detectives, none of the performers are dressed in costume, but instead are dressed just like everyone else; therefore you do not know who is a part of the show and who isn’t.

The show takes place throughout the entire room, and performers may actually be seated at your table, so part of the fun from the beginning is trying to figure out who’s involved in the crime and who’s not.

Throughout the night, murders and mayhem will occur, hidden clues will come forth and the Detectives will help everyone try to solve the crime. In the end, there’s a prize package for the Top Sleuth who solves the crime.

This show is a unique way to enjoy dinner out on the town at a very reasonable price. Check out their website for a location nearest you and make some reservations. You’ll want to experience this at least once. Continue reading for more photos.

Boulder Digital Works • 1011 Walnut Street, 2nd Floor, Boulder, CO

Boulder Digital Works is a 60 week program and new kind of digital learning environment developed by the University of Colorado at Boulder through the early support of founding partner MDC Partners and with input from Sweden’s Hyper Island and The Society of Digital Agencies (SoDA).

BDW is a project-based and accredited learning initiative focused on developing today and tomorrow’s digital leaders and entrepreneurs. With a mix of Business, Creativity, and Technology, this program is a real-time learning experience through teaching current and future skills within the industry.

In 60 Weeks, you’ll learn to think globally, design innovatively, and learn to see past perceived barriers. You’ll be exposed to some of the brightest minds in the digital world. You’ll come out of the program with the ability to think big — and the skill set to make it happen.

Check out the website for more details. Start now to get your application in for the next session. If the 60 week program isn’t right for you, look into the 36 hour workshops. The next workshop, “Making Digital Work”, is April 14-16 and led by Matt Howell of Modernista! and Gareth Kay of Goodby Silverstein & Partners.

Also, every Wednesday, BDW hosts “Idea Studio.” This is an interactive presentation in which different leaders and entrepreneurs come in from various agencies and speak to the public about what they do, how they got there, and how to think creatively.

Regardless of your knowledge or experience in the digital world, you’ll always get something out of it. It’s a great networking opportunity and BDW is so lucky to have these creative minds share their ideas and insights with us.

[About this Shoot: I met with @ZinzGallagher at the @bdwcu office. It was a slow day but they wanted to showcase the fun aspects of the space. The first photo is a wall mural they recently commissioned Mike Scarano and Josh Wills of Factory Design Labs in Denver to complete. The second photo (below) is a room that the students created. It's a simple wood frame with clear plastic wrap and a circle hole entrance on the side.]

WE ARE SCIENCE! explores how truth emerges in the interactions of the moment. Through improvised performances and interactive installations, thought DJs Adam Good and Jon Lee remix fragments of words, sounds, movements, and experiences to unlock the unexpected, the inexplicable, and the profoundly obvious.

There’s really no right or certain way to describe these guys. I think you just have to experience them. I began this journey to attain some familiarity through watching the various performance videos on their website.

I was very interested in their interactive word remix project, ART IS. What they did was take words that certain artists used to describe their own artwork, feelings, experiences, etc. They then made note cards with these individual words on each.

The idea is to use these cards of words to complete the prompt ART IS and give it a spontaneous definition. Watch this short interactive performance below to see the experiment in action.

Fashionista Photo • 1045 Pearl Street, Boulder CO • (720).352.4096
Mention oncemany and get a free 8″ x 10″ print from your shoot

Grab some special outfits and prepare yourself for two hours of fashion euphoria. Rick Cummings has been operating the Fashionista Photography Studio in the heart of downtown Boulder on West Pearl for over 12 years.

You’ll get to have as many clothing changes as you want and have the time to find your inner fashion model. Rick is great at creating a comfortable atmosphere for clients so they feel their best. These fun sessions let you express yourself, play, and be seen.

Don’t want to go at it alone? Invite a group of friends for a girls-night-out photo shoot. Go big and add a make-up artist with the option to get prints, books, and magazines of your shoot.

Check out the website for details and examples – http://fashionistaphoto.com

[About this Shoot: I wanted to capture a behind-the-scenes look at Rick working in his studio and include the lighting, backdrop, and shots of the make-up artist to give the readers a feel for how it all goes down. Thanks to Rick and big thanks to the very stunning sister duo, makeup artist Josie and model Alex.]

More photos after the jump . . .

Live : Now (Rule of Thirds 2012)

Tuesday, January 20th, 2009. Barack Hussein Obama is inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States of America. As I was watching his inauguration speech on television I had “that” feeling.

That instance where you realize the moment is grand enough to boast about 30 years later that you were alive and this is what you were doing. It often takes moments like these to jolt the soul, let you know you have the choice. The choice to pay attention, give up the ideas of insignificance, and become something.

I then decided that I needed to somehow capture this night; this moment. I had recently purchased a Zero Image (Zero 2000) pinhole camera and therefore also creating reasons to use it.

I had a roll of Ilford Delta 100 Pro in the camera. I attached it to a tripod and set it up directly in front of an old school 51″ CRT Big Screen, paused the live DVR recording of the speech, and did a long exposure.

I love the way it turned out, the overweight subject in the back left, the motion blur on his hand doing the “raise your right hand” swear in, and the LIVE station overlay in the bottom right. A bonus conspiracy theory lies encrypted within this photo + title as well. Enjoy.

Barrett Rogers Design – http://brdworks.com

wow! certainly sums up the industrial design + multi-medium sculpture work from Barrett Rogers. His experiment with childhood and through to a humility filled high school adventure happened in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts. Shortly after graduating he ventured out, bouncing from state to state on a seemingly endless college career.

He spent about 3 years each pursuing majors including painting, sculpture, and interior design before finally settling in on industrial design. Barrett honed his design + finishing skills at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY while working as an architectural model builder.

After graduating from Pratt, Barrett moved here to Colorado. He designs and builds everything from Furniture to Jewelry, which is sold through retail spots in Denver and Boulder, and provides consulting services on various projects and graphic design.

Check out his work and contact him to discuss commissioning him for a custom project or to carry his designs in your retail store.

[About this Shoot: I met Barrett at his home in Lafayette, CO to do a portrait and showcase some of his work. Positioning him atop one of his wooden coffee table designs, surrounded by various toys + sculpture, and below the large "wow!" wall piece; I wanted to capture him in a casual, comfortable, and introspective pose.]

Rawana, King of Lanka (2009)

Ramayana is one of the great Hindu holy books and tells the story of Prince Rama and his Princess Sita. The evil Rawana, King of Lanka, disguises his Prime Minister as a golden deer and lures Prince Rama into the forest. With Princess Sita now alone, King Rawana pounces and carries her off to his hideaway.

Hanuman, the white monkey god, informs Princess Sita that Rama is trying to rescue her and gives her Rama’s ring as proof of contact. When Rama arrives he is met by King Rawana’s son, Megananda, who shoots an arrow that magically turns into a snake and ties Rama up.

Fortunately, he is able to call upon Garuda (mythical man-bird creature) who helps him escape. With the help of Hanuman and his monkey army, a great battle where good defeats evil occurs and Rama + Sita return home safely.

[About this Photo: Last October I spent a week in Bali, Indonesia for vacation. This story is portrayed every night with full costume, dance, chanting, and fire at Uluwatu, one of the most spectacular Hindu temples on the island, high atop a cliff overlooking the Indian Ocean. The performance is called Kecak and includes a large choir of men chanting "kecak..cak..cak.." which imitates a troupe of monkeys. Each of the characters are ornately decorated in costume and dramatically animated.

I was lucky enough to be positioned right up front throughout the performance and the finale involving a ring of fire as an attempt to burn Hanuman, the white monkey god, reminded me how close I was to the action. Considering the location of the cliff temple, at sunset, and the actors performing a traditional story with such enthusiasm, this turned out to be one of the greatest things I may ever witness.]

Sometimes we forget to take into account the full comprisement of what Health means. We often get caught up solely on the physical aspect of being healthy when in reality all areas of our lives including the environmental, nutritional, emotional, social, and spiritual aspects need just as much attention and exercise.

The Green Room, located at 1738 Pearl Street Suite 100 M in Boulder, was established in November of last year and is locally owned and operated. They’re dedicated to the holistic health of patients and understand that each individuals treatment is wholly different and should be targeted with a cooperative balance of physical and mental techniques. The Green Room staffs Massage therapists, Acupuncturists, and acts as dispensary and caregiver for medical marijuana patients.

Owned and staffed by a Cancer survivor, a Multiple Sclerosis patient, and chronic pain sufferers; these professionals know first hand the benefits which holistic care can provide. They also understand that it’s of utmost importance to provide service in a safe, legal, and educative manner and they go above and beyond to ensure privacy, safety, and appropriate operations. The Green Room offers many varieties of organic products, espresso, tinctures, and baked goods which are all locally made or grown.

The space they’ve designed is one of the warmest + most comfortable places I’ve been in. They promote respectable, well balanced technique + treatment to qualified patients that are serious about their health and want to live a more comfortable and happier life. If you’ve been searching for that “right fit” dispensary with holistic care, look no further.

Stop in any time or call them (303.945.4074) to talk about your options with a free consult. Check out their website and give them a follow on Twitter @TGRBoulder. More photos after the jump . . .

I Found the Former (2009)

Last autumn my girlfriend and I jumped in the car for a day trip to take in the colours of the landscape. We did a western loop from Denver that took every bit of a full day to complete. However, I recommend it to anyone this fall as its a thorough experience that time of year. Somewhere between Poncha Springs and Gunnison, we spotted a patch of Aspens not far from the road which tempted us both. We located them from an old access road and the area had been used as a great primitive camping location as the remnants of campfires were sporadic.

It was a bit windy and several clouds were passing between us and the sun creating a gradient of blue on the sky. It reminded me of childhood, running through the woods in a pair of cut off jeans and converse; like how you find a place and it immediately feels like a secret, as if no else has ever been there to see it, and maybe, no one will find it ever again.

Its been a transformative year for Jo Pakenham. Today marks the 1 year anniversary of a split from a long term relationship with her boyfriend. Times like these are always trying, scary, and inevitably make us stronger. It’s these crossroads in life that cause us to reflect on who we are as people and realize what’s important. The bond of family + friends is tested and reveals the result of who the true patrons of our hearts are.

Jo has progressed through this transition quite well. She’s moved into her own little house and grown closer to her family and friends. She’s just turned 30 this year, but as she’s maturing she’s realized the importance of appreciating the childlike qualities of life, the idea that you’re happiest when you recognize the beauty in the simplest of things.

[About this Shoot: From the details that Jo delivered to me about her trials and revelations from the past year, the idea of staying young at heart stood out. I recruited some friends, a mother/daughter pair, and photographed each sitting in front of a mirror. I used the reflection of the daughter portion and paired it with the mother sitting to symbolize the idea. The closed door, ready to be opened, was also an important element in the photo for me.]

See Large Version of the Photo Here