From a young high school graduate aspiring to be a graphic artist designer to the cover of the Rolling Stone magazine, one Mexico native has reached the pinnacle of every photographer's dream.
Curtis Millard, a 1996 Mexico High School graduate, has one of his photographs published in the Aug. 19, 2010, issue of the Rolling Stone.
The photo – printed on page 14 in the "Backstage: Meat and Greet" section, is of the Randy Rogers Band that recently released its new country album, "Burning the Day."
Millard, a self-taught photographer, said he'd been living in New York since March 2002, doing graphic design as a retoucher for various portrait studios. While working in the production, he began getting bigger jobs and work for bigger magazines, which prompted him to start doing his own photography – and subsequently he hit pay-dirt.
Millard's work has also been published in the Country Music Magazine, Blackbook, the Artist Magazine, New York newspapers, on various record labels, and for Universal Music. The Curtis Millard Studio is based in New York. But the chance to follow the The Randy Rogers Band and take pictures for their album cover, he said, was "a super huge step in the right direction."
Millard admits he initially set a goal of five years to reach this level of success in his life. However, he welcomes the rapid achievement.
"There are lots of people trying to do what I just did," Millard told The Ledger in a recent telephone interview. "And I feel grateful as far as that goes.
"Two weeks ago, a few hundred people knew who I was. Now, I don't have any clue how many people have picked up the magazine and read it. But, I'm certain those numbers have jumped substantially."
Never married, Millard, 32, lives in the heart of New York City. He said it was through a friend who went to college with Randy Rogers that got him the job. And after hearing the band's music and being extended an invitation to meet the band, Millard said he jumped at the opportunity, and flew to Columbia, where the band was scheduled to play at the Blue Note.
"I went and took shots and showed them to Randy and he loved them," Millard recalled. From there he was invited to accompany the band to the David Letterman Show, and document their entire appearance.
"That was a cool experience for me," Millard said. After their exposure on Letterman, the band began planning for its new album, and invited Millard to do the promotionals for its cover. Several of those shots are posted on his website www.curtismillard.com.
Millard said Waylon Jennings' actual tour bus was used in many of the shots, and that it was likely his decision to use an editorial-style shot versus a posed shot, that led the band to select his pictures.
"When people shoot bands they tend to do exactly the same thing; line them up on a wall, or shoot them sitting down. And, they all look alike," Millard explained. "I wanted to bring in more elements, so I did shots of them on the bus, shots of them emerging from the bus with a really muted color palate that goes along with the lyrics of their music, and shots of them backstage.
"The one (chosen) with the bus in the background was a great shot of the guys, and the strongest."
After that photo shoot, the band needed more ideas for promotions, and the record label ended up offering Millard that job as well; hence the chance to go on tour with the band. Their last stop of the band's July Fourth concerts ended up at Willie Nelson's summer picnic, with Millard on stage taking photos of the country star icon and others that he grew up with and loved listening to as a kid.
"I was a little giddy and nervous, but it was a great experience," Millard said, as he recalled being only a few feet from actor Kris Kristofferson. "It was a very surreal moment."
Prior to connecting with The Randy Rogers Band, Millard said he had periodically assisted in retouching post productions for the Rolling Stone, but this was his first big chance to actually land a photo credit with the magazine.
He hopes the exposure will help him grow and get more of his work out there.
"Right now, I'm interviewing with a bunch of agents to decide which direction I want to go in. But no contracts have been signed."
The Randy Rogers Band's new album, which was released Aug. 24, is currently ranked No. 1 on the country album charts, and the Rolling Stone's August edition is on newsstands nationwide.
Millard is the son of Mexico resident Marcia Hampton, and the grandson of Ralph Millard, and the late Anna Millard.
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From a young high school graduate aspiring to be a graphic artist designer to the cover of the Rolling Stone magazine, one Mexico native has reached the pinnacle of every photographer's dream.
Curtis Millard, a 1996 Mexico High School graduate, has one of his photographs published in the Aug. 19, 2010, issue of the Rolling Stone.
The photo – printed on page 14 in the "Backstage: Meat and Greet" section, is of the Randy Rogers Band that recently released its new country album, "Burning the Day."
Millard, a self-taught photographer, said he'd been living in New York since March 2002, doing graphic design as a retoucher for various portrait studios. While working in the production, he began getting bigger jobs and work for bigger magazines, which prompted him to start doing his own photography – and subsequently he hit pay-dirt.
Millard's work has also been published in the Country Music Magazine, Blackbook, the Artist Magazine, New York newspapers, on various record labels, and for Universal Music. The Curtis Millard Studio is based in New York. But the chance to follow the The Randy Rogers Band and take pictures for their album cover, he said, was "a super huge step in the right direction."
Millard admits he initially set a goal of five years to reach this level of success in his life. However, he welcomes the rapid achievement.
"There are lots of people trying to do what I just did," Millard told The Ledger in a recent telephone interview. "And I feel grateful as far as that goes.
"Two weeks ago, a few hundred people knew who I was. Now, I don't have any clue how many people have picked up the magazine and read it. But, I'm certain those numbers have jumped substantially."
Never married, Millard, 32, lives in the heart of New York City. He said it was through a friend who went to college with Randy Rogers that got him the job. And after hearing the band's music and being extended an invitation to meet the band, Millard said he jumped at the opportunity, and flew to Columbia, where the band was scheduled to play at the Blue Note.
"I went and took shots and showed them to Randy and he loved them," Millard recalled. From there he was invited to accompany the band to the David Letterman Show, and document their entire appearance.
"That was a cool experience for me," Millard said. After their exposure on Letterman, the band began planning for its new album, and invited Millard to do the promotionals for its cover. Several of those shots are posted on his website www.curtismillard.com.
Millard said Waylon Jennings' actual tour bus was used in many of the shots, and that it was likely his decision to use an editorial-style shot versus a posed shot, that led the band to select his pictures.
"When people shoot bands they tend to do exactly the same thing; line them up on a wall, or shoot them sitting down. And, they all look alike," Millard explained. "I wanted to bring in more elements, so I did shots of them on the bus, shots of them emerging from the bus with a really muted color palate that goes along with the lyrics of their music, and shots of them backstage.
"The one (chosen) with the bus in the background was a great shot of the guys, and the strongest."
After that photo shoot, the band needed more ideas for promotions, and the record label ended up offering Millard that job as well; hence the chance to go on tour with the band. Their last stop of the band's July Fourth concerts ended up at Willie Nelson's summer picnic, with Millard on stage taking photos of the country star icon and others that he grew up with and loved listening to as a kid.
"I was a little giddy and nervous, but it was a great experience," Millard said, as he recalled being only a few feet from actor Kris Kristofferson. "It was a very surreal moment."
Prior to connecting with The Randy Rogers Band, Millard said he had periodically assisted in retouching post productions for the Rolling Stone, but this was his first big chance to actually land a photo credit with the magazine.
He hopes the exposure will help him grow and get more of his work out there.
"Right now, I'm interviewing with a bunch of agents to decide which direction I want to go in. But no contracts have been signed."
The Randy Rogers Band's new album, which was released Aug. 24, is currently ranked No. 1 on the country album charts, and the Rolling Stone's August edition is on newsstands nationwide.
Millard is the son of Mexico resident Marcia Hampton, and the grandson of Ralph Millard, and the late Anna Millard.
