Ahhhhh, family picture day.  A day to look forward to…everyone is happy, everyone is on their best behavior, everyone loves their outfits, especially if they did not select said duds on their own…a day of joy!  Right!?    Um…..not really.  Reality is probably a lot different for most folks!  And then, after all the drama, nothing is more disappointing than seeing proofs of the people you love most in the world, all stiff and uncomfortable, posed in awkward ways, with fake smiles plastered across their faces.  So, what is the solution?  Mix it up!  Be authentic!  And look no further than the fabulously amazing photographer, Steve Wrubel!

Steve Wrubel:  Dallas Photographer

The Curious Cowgirl loves cool and interesting people, and Steve Wrubel defines cool and interesting!  I met Steve over 20 years ago, as he is married to a dear childhood friend of mine, Lucy Reeves Wrubel, who is totally cool in her own right….but that’s another Blog post (Hint:  I’m comin’ for ya Lucy!!!!)  He’s also Dad to the darling Stella….amazing family!

Darling Stella Wrubel in Bluebonnets

Steve Wrubel’s Background

Authentically authentic, Steve Wrubel’s personal history is quite fascinating!  This Blog post could be a zillion words long, because there’s just so many aspects of Steve I want to share…but alas….I will try to keep it a little more brief than a zillion words….He spent the first three years of his life on the beaches of Monrovia, Liberia, son of parents who worked for the first wave of the Peace Corps and a father who worked with the Fulbright Foundation.

After a move back to the U.S. and Berkley, California, Steve’s parents founded The Nature Company.  Steve earned his Undergraduate degree from U.C. Berkley in Rhetoric (so try not to get in an argument with him) and his Masters from The Brooks Institute of Photography. Um, also, his grandfather, Allie Wrubel, wrote the song “Zip-A-Dee-Do-Da” for Walt Disney….so that’s totally awesome!  Bottom line:  Steve comes from a family that was as creative and interesting as they were concerned and fascinated by nature.

Steve Wrubel’s Current Projects

Now a resident of the Great State of Texas, and a fellow Dallas dweller, Steve has a true gift of seeing the interesting in the commonplace, and his photographic fine art series of palm trees entitled “29 Palms” and his “Desert Daze” series of Joshua Tree, cactus and succulent photographs, are highly sought-after works of art, and connect directly to his parents’ passion for nature, and how respect for and admiration of nature was an important part of Steve Wrubel’s upbringing. Steve is represented by Gallerie Noir, through which you can acquire his photographs for your own home.

So, if your family is not made up of cacti or palm trees, and no judgement if it is, what’s the tie in to the painful family portrait scenario I referenced in the beginning?

Steve Wrubel’s Family Portraits and Photography

In the history of EVER, I have never seen family portraits designed or executed in a more interesting and fabulous way than as crafted by Steve Wrubel.  Beginning his process with a whole series of thought-provoking questions that each family member must answer (i.e. Who is your favorite Super Hero?  If your house were on fire, what three things would you grab?  What is your favorite aspect of yourself?), Steve tries to deeply understand the true nature of the family he is photographing, and then works with that family to conceive a setting that is special and unique, allowing the real essence of a family to truly shine through! The finished product is a real piece of art that enhances and celebrates their lives.

But that’s not all folks….in addition to being an accomplished fine art photographer, and a designer of the world’s most interesting family portrait stories, Steve Wrubel is also a Curatorial Art Designer for home owners, hotels, and other commercial spaces that need a true artist with an impeccable eye to help advise, design, and source art for private and public installations. (A little bird told me one of his projects may or may not be appearing in an upcoming magazine that showcases architecturally significant homes….).

So, how can YOU get in touch with Steve Wrubel?   www.stevewrubel.com.

Y’all…the world is a richer place with Steve Wrubel in it!  So fun to have the opportunity to profile my friend, and I can’t hardly wait to see what amazingness Steve creates in the future!!

All images courtesy of Steve Wrubel Photography.

More Funky Dallas Information

• Shopping Funky Opportunities?  Click here for cool Vintage and Mid-Century in Dallas.
• Funky and fun neighborhoods?  Click here to learn more about the Bishop Arts District.
• How about funky Art?  The Dallas Contemporary never disappoints!  Click here to learn more!

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