If The Boot Fits.....{Austin Commercial Photography}

I got a call a couple of weeks ago from the University of Texas at San Antonio, who heard about me via Texas State University -- who I've worked with in the past. The first thing I heard from her was "I've got a job for you, but it's not a wedding." That's okay, I'm skilled at all sorts of photography, I began to tell her. She said she needed photography for an annual report they were putting together and they'd like me to travel to Bastrop to photograph the Texas Boot Company -- a store celebrating its first year in business this week. So my assignment -- if I chose to accept it -- was to photograph a boot store in the town in which I was raised.

I was happy to make the road trip and spend some time in a nifty boot store then have lunch with my mommy. What a fun morning! I met with Marc, the owner of the Texas Boot Company, who set about giving me a tour of the industrial space that was formerly known as Greosenbeck Furniture -- the place I got my dining room table.

Within minutes I found the Aggie boots I'd been searching for a couple of years. I found some super-cool hippie chick boots that seemed to have my name written all over them. I got out my iPhone and started making my Christmas wish list. And I'm not a "boot person." But yowsers! This store could make me one real fast!


Marc showed me boots that were designed in their store to match a wagon that held a display. He showed me a special room they made for fun events like concerts and lunches and benefits. He showed me a dress worn by Sandra Bullock and boots from the Civil War that a customer gave them for display on a miniature cotton bale. He showed me the head of an elk that someone gave them; a bejeweled set of spurs; the $500 boots made of elephant hide; the boots made of shark skin that if you scratch it and sniff it, you can actually smell the shark; and the stuffed bobcat-- the only thing in the store that's not for sale.


Marc and his staff were friendly and offered me booze at 9 a.m.! Many a shoppers came in and partook of their offer of Shiner and Lone Star as they shopped for boots and western wear on a weekday morning in the heart of Texas. So thanks for showing me around, Marc! I took notes. Here's to hoping I see those hippie chick boots under my tree on Christmas morning!