Here a beard, there a beard, everywhere a beard, beard. Someone finally took notice of the fantastic facial hair on display in North Texas and now you can take a book of it home with you.
{"type":"Event","title":"Best Beards in Dallas Book Release Party","_id":269694,"html":"
","providerType":"guidelive","providerLink":"http://www.guidelive.com/oembed"}
Brent Baxter, a Dallas-based photographer, is releasing his coffee table book Best Beards in Dallas this week with a party at Sundown at Granada. Local music acts Charley Crockett and Shotgun Friday will perform.
The book is far more than art photographs of beards.
"There are some really unique people behind the beards," Baxter said.
The men come from a variety of backgrounds from music scene like Kirk Thurmond, of Kirk Thurmond & The Millennials, and Josh Goode, an Emmy Award-winning music producer, to tattoo artists like Pappy McCall of J. Hall & Co. Gentleman Tattooers, to entrepreneurs like Charlie Price, the owner of Hair by Charlie in Oak Lawn.
Baxter and his assistant Frank Williams Jr. spent about 30-minutes photographing each man in a space that best represents him as an individual. For some, that was in their home, for others it was in their studio or work space.
Baxter, who started photographing musicians professionally three years ago, said he was able to find inspiration for himself from his subjects.
"I reflect upon the guys in this book and I know that if you work hard and give all you have, you can accomplish whatever it is that you want to accomplish," Baxter said.
The beards are short and long — even a couple of mustaches made the book. What you will not find are glitter beards. (Baxter said you're welcome to glitter your beard for the party though.)
The book is for sale for $49.99, 10-percent of each sale will be donated to the Movember Foundation to promote men's health.
He hopes that men will feel encouraged and empowered to go to the doctor, get their check-ups done and be aware of their health and how they affect others.
"At first, I thought it would be a silly, fun project and this has turned into a cause," Baxter said.
Also at the release party will be a contest for the Best Beard in Dallas. Finalists for the competition will be chosen by the event team and the crowd will cast their votes on Twitter during the party using #BestBeardsInDallas.
Representatives from the Art of Shaving and The Boardroom Salon for Men will be at the event to give out goodies to attendees and beard contest finalists.
The winner will receive a "Best Beard" trophy and a deluxe shaving kit — not to mention bragging rights about having the "Best Beard in Dallas."
Baxter emphasizes that you don't have to have the biggest beard to win, but judges will be eyeing length, thickness, shape, style and color to deem the winner.
Can't make the event? The book is available for pre-order here.
