Photos on wheels

Snap 'n go: Vintage Volkswagen bus transformed into mobile photo booth

Photo booths have become ubiquitous at the modern wedding, replete with twee props and customized backdrops. That fact was not lost on Brittany Havican, a self-taught Houston photographer who shoots weddings and other special events when she's not working her regular nursing job.

Meanwhile, her husband, Austin, had been eyeing vintage vans with a hankering to fix one up. When he came across a 1978 Volkswagen bus, painted a spotty orange and in need of some love, the wheels began turning.

"What if we can get the bus to pay for itself, and have fun in the process?" he wondered. After a few days of careful consideration, Brittany gave the idea for PhotoMoto — a mobile photo studio — the green light.

The Havicans purchased the bus early this year and spent the better part of three months doing repairs, learning as they worked and making fast friends with other VW lovers. PhotoMoto debuted at its first gig, a wedding on April 20, as a gleaming, picture-perfect beauty.

"It's an ongoing process," Austin told CultureMap, indicating a couple of cosmetic and equipment improvements he still plans to make to the bus. Even as-is, it's as easy to use as your average kiosk: Slide into the back bench, smile for the camera, pose for four frames and watch the strips print out — about a minute from start to finish.

Events have been steady since April, with an appearance at Pop Shop Houston in mid-May, a spot at Free Press Summer Festival in June, a Reddit meetup and a Whole Foods local vendor fair a few weeks ago.

Wedding appearances are also getting booked up. Brittany explained that everything is fully customizable, from the handmade props to the logo printed at the bottom of the strips. Also, Austin pointed out, the bus is so compact that it can be rolled inside almost any building.

Look for PhotoMoto to be camped out in front of Domy Books on Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. with Pride-appropriate props, and on July 12 at The Big Show 2013 opening at Lawndale Art Center. Bring a few bucks and get ready to cheese.

After several months of repairs, PhotoMoto rolled out in April.

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Helping hand

ExxonMobil donates $3 million to Houston nonprofit that feeds hungry kids

Courtesy of Kids’ Meals

The 50,000-square-foot building will triple the size of Kids' Meals' headquarters.

At its annual Harvest Luncheon last week, Kids’ Meals, a a nonprofit combatting childhood food insecurity and hunger, received a huge boost: a $3 million gift from ExxonMobil. The gift makes a milestone for the organization.

“We are incredibly grateful to ExxonMobil for the generous $3 million donation, which is the largest corporate donation Kids’ Meals has ever received, both in size and in impact,” CEO Beth Harp said in a statement.

The nonprofit will use the gift toward its new campus, a 50,000-square-foot facility in Spring Branch. Kids’ Meals broke ground on the project in June.

The new building will nearly triple the size of its current headquarters, further helping Kids’ Meals achieve its goal of serving 26,000 children each weekday by 2031. The organization currently serves over 9,000 children every weekday through its 18,500-square-foot headquarters in Garden Oaks. The new building will carry Exxon-Mobil’s name.

“In establishing the Kids’ Meals ExxonMobil Campus, we will be able to expand our programs, reach more children in need, and make a lasting impact on the lives of countless families in the Houston area,” said Harp. “Together, we’re feeding the future and providing hope.”

Founded in 2006, Kids’ Meals serves children ages five and under, and is the only organization in the country that delivers free, healthy meals to the doorsteps of Houston’s hungriest children. Since its inception, the organization has delivered more than 14 million meals to children in 56 Houston-area zip codes. After delivering a record-breaking 2.4 million meals in 2023, the nonprofit is on track to deliver 2.7 million meals in 2024.

The Harvest Luncheon is the nonprofit’s biggest event of the year. The event raises funds to provide more than 500,000 meals for preschool-aged children. Houston Mayor John Whitmire’s daughters, Sarah and Whitney, chaired the event. Best-selling author Bob Goff served as keynote speaker.

Courtesy of Kids’ Meals

The 50,000-square-foot building will triple the size of Kids' Meals' headquarters.

nonprofits charity kids meals exxonmobil