Shooting for Visit Austin was about as close to a love letter to my favorite US city as a photography project can get. The brief was to capture Austin in all its glorious, contradictory, keeps-you-on-your-toes variety, and this city never makes that difficult.

Over the course of the project we moved through the full spectrum of what makes Austin, Austin. Colorful patio dining and food truck lines on a sunny afternoon. The iconic Austin Motel pool scene, shuffleboard and cold drinks in hand. Couples strolling South Congress, friends gathered at patio bars, kids playing in the park. And then as the sun went down, the city shifted gears — nightclub dancing, live music venues buzzing, two-stepping at the Broken Spoke, cowboy hats and neon lights at western bars that have been part of this city's soul for decades.

The challenge, and the joy, of a tourism shoot like this is representing a city that genuinely has it all without making it feel like a highlight reel. Austin is inclusive, eclectic, and proudly itself, and every frame needed to reflect that. From the queer couples relaxing poolside to the country western dancers at a honky-tonk, the goal was to show a city where everyone belongs and everyone finds their version of a great time.

As someone who calls Austin home, this one was personal — and it shows.

AGENCY: Third Ear | PRODUCER: Little Benny