On September 11, 2005, five fire fighters gathered in the city of Denver, CO to honor to the 343 FDNY fire fighters that gave their life four years earlier.  By climbing 110 flights of stairs, the number of floors in each of the lost Twin Towers, they paid tribute to the heroic efforts of those that paid the ultimate sacrifice on that fateful day.  The number of fire fighters that climbed grew from the initial 5 to a band of 12, to a group of hundreds and was ultimately held to 343 climbers.  Eventually, this tradition found its way into numerous cities around the nation.  The motto for this valiant effort is presented on their website, collateral and posters.  “We promised to never forget so we climb because they climbed.”

This year, on the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, the memorial stair climb was scheduled in more cities than ever; Dallas included.  343 fire fighters from throughout the Metroplex gathered at the Renaissance Towers dressed in full bunker gear and equipment.  Each of them carried a badge with an image and name of one of the 343 we lost and climbed 110 flights of stairs beginning at the exact moment the rescue efforts began ten years earlier.

Our good friend Clayton is a member of the Frisco Fire Department.  He promised to never forget so he climbed because they climbed.

You can view the slideshow of all the images HERE or by clicking on the image below!

Phil and Lisa Taylor of the American Fallen Soldiers Project invited me and my wife Emily to travel with them to New York City to document an event honoring the men and women whose lives were lost eight years earlier in the terror attacks on the World Trade Center.  The tribute event was taking place on Saturday, September 12th on the USS Intrepid however, we arrived at just before midnight on September 11th and knew that we needed to see the Tribute in Light first hand and close up before it concluded again for the year at 8 AM.  Little did we know that this artistic installation is not something that you see, but rather something you feel.

The Tribute in Light as seen from just the other side of Ground Zero:

A banner hung at the start of the 56 foot Brass Memorial on the side of Fire House 10 across the street from Ground Zero:

Wreaths, pictures, candles & other personal tributes adorn the 6 foot tall Brass Bas-Relief Mural

A young mourner pays her respects:

Work continues in and around Ground Zero in the rain at 3 AM:

Tribute in Light installation stationed adjacent to Ground Zero

Emily captured this great image of a young man admiring the Tribute in Light

It was just over two years since I left Los Angeles to forge a new path in Dallas as a portrait and wedding photographer so I jumped at the opportunity to change things up a bit and work on the set of a movie.  “Us Minus” is a clever and entertaining short movie recently filmed in and around Dallas by a very talented cast & crew.  I found it rather refreshing & enjoyable to have an opportunity to capture these production stills on the set of this project for the London Film School.

Last night’s episode of the immensely popular television show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition was filmed a few short months ago in the small town of Keller, TX; nestled between Dallas & Fort Worth.  I was approached by Wall Homes, the builder that was graciously donating their time and resources to complete the construction of the Augustin Family’s new home, and asked to document the week for them.  Of course, I happily and humbly accepted.  Over the course of 7 days, I watched in awe, as a community came together to provide a very deserving family with a new home to call their own.  Below are a few of my favorite images from that week.  You can also learn more about the family & the project at www.extreme.wall.com.