Restaurant review photographs

Thunderhorse Saloon offers a Double Cylinder Cheeseburger and libations at the saloon in Lewisville on Friday, Oct. 15, 2003. The motorcycle is a 2002 custom Harley Davidson long bike chopper owned by Christina Antee, the saloon's CEO and manager, at the motorcycle-friendly establishment.

Mark M. Hancock / © The Dallas Morning News




Fayrouz had me pull down some of my favorite food photos from this year. She plans to update our site with a food slideshow.

If you check out the new images, you'll notice the hamburger and Harley shot. It was one of the more enjoyable shoots in the last few weeks.



The DMN PJs are given editorial assignments to illustrate restaurant reviews. These assignments must squeeze into our schedule as time allows. Often, we can't give restaurants a lot of warning because we simply don't know what's happening next. So, we'll call and say we're on our way and hope they'll accommodate our need for something to illustrate the story.

It's somewhat of a waste because we shoot images of whatever dish they prepare and hand it back to the owner. Some PJs pay for the food and eat if after they shoot it.

It's not a financial option for me, so I just shoot, return and leave.

I sometimes eat a (cheap) burger elsewhere before I go to the shoot so I won't become a shaking, starving mess while I shoot whatever I face.

Back to the story of the burger though... I called to make arrangements to shoot at the saloon. She said the saloon was open, but the reporter had talked to the manager about having the manager's custom Harley in the shot because she often parked it inside the saloon. She didn't ride the bike to work that day and said she'd do so on another day if we could arrange it.

So, I agreed and it took two days for both of us to have a meeting time available. She and her chef had to arrive two hours before the saloon opens. I had to do another shoot at 10 p.m. the next week to balance it all, but it worked. I'm happy with the bike shots.

So, yes, it's a real Harley on a dance floor in a saloon.

I only have one shoot scheduled for tomorrow. So, I can research a story I'm suggesting. I also need to listen to the police scanner for another story they're working about Northeast Tarrant County firefighter cooperation agreements. So, no telling what will really happen tomorrow after 3:30 p.m.

Enough for now,