Don and Molly Glentzer
Finding fifty subjects that photograph well and have interesting backstories is difficult enough; being limited by their blooming season is an even greater challenge. For Don and Molly Glentzer, the Houston photographer and author behind Pink Ladies & Crimson Gents: Portraits and Legends of 50 Roses, their first joint project took not only flexibility but also humor. Happily, their backgrounds—she is the lifestyle editor at the Houston Chronicle, his art has been displayed at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, among other places—and 22 years of marriage made for a smooth collaboration. “We know when to stay out of each other’s way,” explains Don. Go to Natural Beauties for an excerpt of their breathtaking work.
Jeff Wilson
texas monthly is fortunate that contributing photographer Jeff Wilson accepted such a grave assignment for this issue: shooting the Texas State Cemetery (“Remains of the Day”). “I live in Austin, but I had never been there before,” says Wilson, who grew up in Temple. “When I first walked around the grounds, it seemed like the most peaceful spot in the city.” Though Wilson has shot numerous projects for the magazine—from high school football stadiums to grade school chess champions—the cemetery provided a particular problem. “I wanted dramatic photographs,” he says, “but I also wanted to reflect the quiet and calm of the grounds.”
Michael Hall
Is there such a thing as too much Willie Nelson? Apparently not for senior editor Michael Hall, an expert on Texas music who produced a 12,000-word oral history after interviewing more than 45 people (“‘Willie’s God! Willie’s God! We Love Willie!’”). “What was amazing is that people were so eager to participate,” he says. “When I reached out to celebrities like Robert Redford or President Jimmy Carter, they let me know immediately that they were interested.”
