It's Friday - Time to Step Out of the Box

Starting a blog with a pic of a hot model is always a great way to get everyone’s attention.  This is Kelly Grace who I recently shot in Austin, Texas.  You can find Kelly and several other models under Creative Portraits and Glamour shots in my gallery at www.douggraybealphotography.com. 

Today is Friday, but not just any Friday.  It is the first day of ACL.  If that doesn’t sound familiar to you, you don’t watch much PBS.   ACL is Austin City Limits.  The TV show is actually filmed at a studio at the University of Texas but the festival  is at a park near downtown Austin and starts today and runs through Sunday.  Hundreds of bands from all around the world will play in one weekend, at one park, on a handful of stages for thousands of people.  To me, this is the best festival in Austin - and Austin has a lot of festivals.

Aside from the music (I’m looking forward to seeing the Eagles on Sunday night) my favorite part of ACL is the crowd.  In addition to the typical corporate promotional junk that we don’t like but secretly admit it helps pay for the festival, you’ll see hippies selling tie die shirts; Rastafarians selling pipes and bongs; artists showing off their talents and best of all, a crowd of people from virtually all walks of life.  This is the kind of festival where a young college group will be shoulder to shoulder with a group of over 40 yuppies and an even older hippy that doesn’t know and doesn’t care that the 60’s ended a long time ago.  I guess that’s because the crowd is a reflection of the music, which comes from all around the world and from all genres.  Whether you’re in to rap, country, heavy metal, adult alternative, folk music or classic rock, you’ll find it at ACL.

What does this have to do with the pic of a hot model?  Nothing.  But, I like the pic and wanted to use it today.  And, it’s Friday.  Time to step out of the box and get ready for a fun weekend.  See…if you don’t let people define you, you’ll find it easier to get the most out of your journey.