The 10 Best Lifestyle Photographers in Dallas

Dallas is a city that manages to be many different things at once. Modern and traditional, Southern and Western, and a major metro area that possesses its own brand of local charm: Dallas is a place that offers ideal conditions for intrepid creatives looking to carve out their own special niche. Such is certainly true of the professional lifestyle photographers who make this city their home. Whether it’s working for fashion and advertising clients, or freelancing for magazines, newspapers, and trade-industry publications, the Dallas lifestyle photographers that we’ve featured here have all demonstrated their own unique twist on their craft.

1. Cooper Neill

Cooper Neill’s portfolio comprises a distinctive cross section of lifestyle photography and photojournalism. A regular contributor to national publications like Rolling Stone, ESPN, and The New York Times, he’s particularly well known for putting artful spins on traditional sports photography, highlighting the light-hearted, behind-the-scenes moments experienced by some of Dallas’s leading professional athletes. His interests extend well beyond the sports world, however. Cooper is adept at capturing the beauty in ordinary, day-to-day situations, often emphasizing warm color patterns and intentional framing choices that speak directly to the subjects and situations at hand.

2. Dixie Dixon

Along with possessing one of the catchiest names on our list, Dixie Dixon is a photographer who has made a name for herself as one of Dallas’s up-and-coming stars. With an ability to seamlessly move between lifestyle, fashion, advertising, and more traditional forms of commercial work, Dixie brings a professionalism and confidence to her work that extends beyond her years. Her shots are defined by a dreamy and romantic quality that sometimes veers into surreal directions. In other cases, she’s inclined toward carefully staged shots and product placement that demonstrates mastery at working in-studio and manipulating light and shadow. Her versatility and track record of great content make her one of the best Dallas lifestyle photographers.

3. Reed J. Kenney

Reed J. Kenny possesses the key creative trait of any successful lifestyle photographer: the ability to see—and then communicate—the magic that exists within otherwise mundane moments. And yet, even in this, he stands apart from so many of his peers, having garnered nearly 40K Instagram followers who desire to stay abreast of his latest shots. Reed’s food and travel photography are hallmark areas of his lifestyle portfolio, often depicting service industry professionals in ways that wow and inspire viewers.

4. Kevin Brown

Kevin Brown has been listed among the leading names in Dallas’s photography world for decades. A former newspaper staff photographer turned full-time freelancer, his lifestyle portfolio leans toward documentary and editorial directions, frequently encompassing themed projects on blue-collar industry workers, ranging from truck drivers, to oil rig employees, to crawfish farmers. At the same time, his skillset working in studio with product placement has made him one of the most in-demand print advertising photographers in all of Texas.

5. Aaron Fairooz

Aaron Fairooz’s lifestyle portfolio, though wide ranging in terms of subject matter, is united by a sleek and sophisticated aesthetic that is tailor-made for advertising, fashion, and high-end commercial clients like Stetson, Volkswagen, and Gary Riggs Home. Reviewing his body of work, one quickly gets the sense Aaron is a photographer who simply loves what he does. In addition to the professionalism he brings to the creative and editing process itself, Aaron has a knack for the marketing and client cultivation side of the job.

6. Jason Kindig

Jason Kindig specializes in lifestyle photography geared toward corporate clients and special events. With the combination of his real-world experience and educational background in photography, he’s been able to offer tailor-fit services to a diverse client base that includes Fortune 500 executives and professional athletes, as well as ordinary individuals and small businesses. His corporate lifestyle shots are frequently done at close range against brightly lit backgrounds, giving his images a light and airy quality that is well suited for brand building.

7. Tom Hussey

Regardless of the genre he is shooting in, Tom Hussey is one of those photographers who somehow always manages to convey a sense of fun and adventure. His work in the lifestyle space translates especially well to advertising clients. In addition to winning a number of Addy awards, he’s been named one of the top 200 advertising photographers in the world by Lürzer’s Archive. Put simply, Tom’s photos possess such warmth and human connection that the viewer often wants to jump right inside the frame and participate in the world that’s been created, and that’s what lifestyle photography is all about.

8. Jessica Taylor

Jessica Taylor is a lifestyle and fashion photographer known for creating work that’s edgy and sexy and entirely distinctive. A good deal of her on-site shots beneath natural light encompasses carefully curated scenes and staged product placement. At the same time, Jessica has a way of artfully capturing the beauty of impromptu moments, giving her shots an addictive quality that pulls the viewer in and leaves them wondering what the next moment of action might be. Overall, Jessica is a prime example of a lifestyle photographer who straddles the line between free-flowing and controlled expression.

9. William Bichara

William Bichara has carved out a reputation as one of the best Dallas lifestyle photographers for creative lifestyle photographs that combine elements of formal portraiture and fashion. William is less concerned with improvised, natural moments than he is creating scenes defined by perfected compositional edits and rich color backgrounds that pop and emotionally affect the viewer in subtle ways. For these reasons, his work stays in high demand with corporate and entertainment industry clients who are seeking to establish long-lasting emotive connections with their brands.

10. Clay Hayner

As diverse and wide ranging as Clay Hayner’s skillset is, the Dallas-based lifestyle photographer seems most at home shooting subjects at play in the natural world. His portfolio is defined by inviting backdrops, stunning natural scenery, and, more generally, a light-hearted and playful tone. As such, he’s a particularly great fit for clients in the fitness and travel industries. The fact that his adopted dog, Tuco, has become a high-demand subject in his shoots provides more evidence that Clay is all about blending work with fun.

The wide-open creative possibilities coursing through the texture of life in Dallas make the city one of our favorites for locating talented visual artists. The 10 best Dallas lifestyle photographers that we’ve highlighted here have all staked out distinctive ways of capturing the essence of being alive, whether that’s through ordinary moments, staged studio scenes, or bold perspectives of humans at play within the majesty of the natural world. And if you want to plan a solid lifestyle shoot, you need great locations, don’t you? So make sure to check out our listed spaces, dozens of which are in the Dallas area. Have fun, and make awesome stuff.

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