I recently photographed a project in Pueblo, Colorado, for IGT — the company that supplies and maintains machines for the Colorado Lottery. The images were part of a contract renewal proposal, and the goal was to show not only the machines but also the broader impact the lottery has on the community. The shoot took me to grocery stores and gas stations, where technicians were servicing machines and employees were using them in their daily work. These were busy environments,…

Gas station ... boy, how am I going to get creative with that? That's what went through my head when a business magazine art director contacted me recently to photograph a North Dakota convenience store. She requested images of a remodel and a creative portrait of the owner. When meeting my subjects for the first time, I leave my camera gear in the car and look first to start a conversation to see what I might learn that will spark ideas.…