Just about the time my little family of three (at the time) packed up and moved to Georgia, I found a little piece of Mary Englebreit decor, which read “Bloom Where You’re Planted.” It’s exactly what I needed, moving our then one-year-old away from her loved ones to a job where my husband was going to travel (a lot) and commute no less than 2 hours/day.

Though, we headed back to Texas less than 1.5 years later, that little saying has stuck with me. Dallas …. Oh how I love Dallas. Yet there are so many people living in the suburbs who do not take advantage of their proximity to America’s ninth largest city. Though our city is ranked #8 in skyline beauty (yes, I did choose the list which ranked Dallas the highest), I put would put our inner beauty in the top two. We’re a friendly city with friendly drivers.

There’s so many reasons why 23.5 million visitors come to Dallas each year. My family used to hop on 75 each Sunday morning to head to church in the Arts District. We rarely cashed in on the plethora of offerings. However, I do always jump at the chance to accept an assignment for Dallas-based headshots, senior portraits at the Dallas Arboretum or an opportunity to take advantage of Deep Ellum’s whimsical backdrops. And talk about friendly!! While some may be afraid of Deep Ellum, my clients and I have had nothing but positive experiences. At the biker bar, owners have graciously allowed my clients to pose on the polished-chrome beauties, we’ve perused the aisles of Rocket Fizz (of course, taking pictures along the way). 

We’ve splashed in the Art District’s reflective pool, photographed Booker T’s high school seniors, of course, romped through Klyde Warren Park with my Collin College students, photographed those on a powerful path with  the SMU campus serving as the backdrop, complete with white pillars,  and the list goes on and on.

But you don’t need to be a photographer or being photographed to love and appreciate Dallas. Even if you do nothing more than peruse the streets and pop in for a bite to eat, the plethora of historical and modern monuments, and the wide range of faces and personalities will keep you entertained for days.

There’s oh-so many reasons the Dallas/Ft Worth Metro is home to 23 of the wealthiest Americans. As famous photographer once told me, “I can instantly make you a better photographer. Take pictures of famous places; they are famous for a reason.” Want a fun day away, head to the city. It gets the attention of the rich and famous for a reason.

Email me for a list of my favorite Dallas destinations: Misty@PhotographyByMisty.com. Or head to my website to see if you can figure out what portraits and/or headshots have been created in Dallas: https://PhotographyByMisty.com