Urban Enthusiast – December 2014

12/02/14
Ryan Reason, along with his business partner, Jennifer Burkart, opened their commercial photography studio just about 18 months ago in the Downtown Spaces building at 1800 S. Industrial Road. Square Shooting caters its business to meet the photography needs of Las Vegas area resorts, focusing mostly on the architecture, food and cocktails.
The team is currently working on a project for the city of Las Vegas’ Office of Cultural Affairs. They have been tasked with capturing over two dozen architecturally significant buildings in and around the downtown area. This collection of images will culminate in a gallery show and become part of the Las Vegas City Hall’s permanent collection.
The duo also shoots lifestyle and editorial images and are well known staples in the Downtown entertainment scene for arriving on bicycles and knowing everyone in the room at any given moment.
Las Vegas native or transplant?
I’m proud to say that both my wife and I are natives of Las Vegas. I’ve seen so many changes this city has gone through over the years and I know that’s one of the main reasons I stay: I enjoy the city’s constant evolution. Las Vegas is only 109 years old, which, as a city goes, is like being a teenager. I love being part of a community that is really just starting to define itself.
Where are you hanging out Downtown?
Jenn and I do lunch every day, mostly just as an excuse to get out of the office and on our bikes for a little mid-day ride. We hit Le Thai at least once a week, and everything that comes out of that little Goodwich stand in front of Dino’s is fantastic. Viva Las Arepas has a great menu of Venezuelan food that I constantly crave.
Conversations and cocktails with friends is my favorite pastime, and DTLV has more than its fair share of bars to choose from. Due to its proximitydirectly across the street from our studio, Hard Hat Lounge is a favorite after-work spot for me. At least once a week, my friends and I pub hop on our bikes, stopping at some of our favorite places like Huntridge Tavern, Atomic Liquors, Velveteen Rabbit, and occasionally, the world famous Frankie’s Tiki Room.
I think many people would agree that The Smith Center is a crowning jewel for Downtown, as are the world class productions that fill its calendar. But for my taste, it’s hard to beat what’s happening at Cockroach Theatre inside Arts Square. I love the raw productions and the intimate setting, plus every play is produced and performed completely by local talent, which gives their shows an authenticity that can’t be found anywhere else.
What sets DTLV apart from other Vegas ‘hoods?
Growing up here, and even still today, Las Vegas tends to lack a sense of community that appears to be ingrained in most other cities. People don’t really know their neighbors and always seem to have one foot out the door, ready to move on to their next “real” city. For me, DTLV and its emergence has had a major effect on changing that attitude. Once people started to lay down roots to make a life here, they started to find themselves and other like-minded individuals gathering around Downtown. This momentum of people interested in changing the way people view Las Vegas is finally helping to create he sense of community that has always been lacking, and it’s creating an audience for cultural events to begintaking shape. This magnetism of culture and community is what sets Downtown apart from other neighborhoods in Las Vegas.
Photo: Ryan Reason in his studio by Lucky Wenzel