lifestyle headshot photography: Debra Barrett Realtor at Simple Things Fort Worth

I envision my child(ren) in therapy years from now talking about how Mum-mum was always cleaning. People come into my home and say, “How does a toddler live here?” And, I don’t know. I might be neurotic. Or, I mean “Tidy, tidy tidy up” is my favorite Little Baby Bum song, so maybe I just value neatness. My wife wakes in the morning and says, “The elves must have come.” Let’s be clear: she means that I’ve cleaned. Meanwhile, at 5 am, I was standing at the espresso machine looking out into our open abode like “What slob lives here?” How can 3 people - one of whom has obsessive compulsive disorder - and a dog make such a mess? I wake ready to conquer the day. I am that morning person whom I used to hate, and then by the afternoon, my standards are far more realistic, and I can see the abstract art in the cheerios on the floor. 

I am not sure if this is true for everyone or just for people like me: I am profoundly influenced by my environment. I identify as an artist; I’m happiest when I’m consciously seeking to find and create beauty - in everything. 

When we moved into our minimalist, ultra-modern inspired home, I invited Debra Barrett to help me bring the front of our home to life. It was sterile. (I kinda like that…look, a blank canvas!) But, I didn’t have a vision for our space, and if it had been up to me, we would have lived on austerely until it was time to move. Purchasing paralysis. It’s how I feel about hanging portraits on my white walls, too. I have hundreds of photos and just never know which ones and should it be framed or metal or wood? So, I end up with white walls. 

Yet, with a client’s walls, I have a vision. You need a framed canvas there. 16x20. I’m definitive. 

Debra brought that sort of confidence to our home. Buy this rug. Hang this print. Use this fabric. What do you think of this? And with the pieces we had that were less than beautiful, she’d say, “Tell me about this.” And, if I could tell her about its importance, she gave it new life and incorporated it in the design. And, if I couldn’t, well Marie Kondo, buh-bye and thank you for serving us in our past space. I mean, we have* feathers and drumsticks on the mantle, if that tells you anything. But, every time I step through the threshold of our front door, I feel at home. And, I thank God for Debra. It’s the same for most of the people who visit us, too. Wow, what a room! I should take photos of it to post here, but it’s the afternoon and Mum-mum’s tired and it looks like a toddler tornado’s come through. 

Anyway, you probably know people who infuse magic into everything. That’s Debra. If you live on the westside and wanna sell your house for full price overnight? Debra. Even if it’s been on the market for ages with another realtor, she’s gonna stage it to sell. Wanna figure out how to combine you and your spouse’s eclectic ideas about function and form? Debra. Wanna downsize, upsize? Debra. Wanna turn a book shelf into a work of art? Debra. 
When she asked me to update her headshots, I was excited and knew I wanted to take her out of the studio into a place brimming in color and texture. Simple Things Furniture in Fort Worth was kind enough to host us.  And, I love some of these images so much, I wish I could send them to people when someone requests my headshot.

A new client called this week and said, “I was on your website, and you know the beautiful woman with glasses - she must be a stylist or in design…”  That’s how I know I’ve done my job: when the photo tells the story of who you are and all you have to offer the world. Recently, I wrote a blog about the importance of headshots HERE. Check it out if you’re unsure where to begin.