Tag, he’s it

Frank Haxton, 39, the owner and proprietor of Digiman Photography, is a man of many interests. Of course, his passion—both as a businessman and as an artist—is photography. But he also has an Elvis shrine in his office. And he collects cereal boxes. The Mountain View, Calif., native came to Reno in 1995, “tired of the rat race.” He’s active in the Advertising Association of Northern Nevada’s annual art show, Art Slaves. He lives with his wife, Patricia, and his 8-year-old son, Halen—who was named after Eddie Van Halen. Haxton can be reached at 829-7444.

Anybody ever confuse you with Digimon?

No, but just yesterday, someone asked me if I knew about the cartoon characters. I just tell people that I am not Digimon—I am DigiMAN.

No copyright infringement lawsuits yet?

No. Yet?!? Thanks, man. Actually, I like being Digiman. People know who I am and how I got there. Frank Haxton? Who is that? I am only Frank at work. At home, I go by [the name] Tag.

Where did you come up with that?

That was my nickname before I was born. My parents were getting a divorce, but my mom ended up pregnant, and I was just tagging along.

When you came to Reno in 1995, you had a tough time getting going.

Yeah. When we moved here, there were four large photo studios, and they had the pie split nicely among the clients. I walked in and wanted it split differently.

You were once a ticket-taker at Mount Rose Ski Resort?

You’re gonna ruin my image, man. My first season up here, I took tickets up there on the weekend just to pay the bills, even though I had a successful business going in the Bay Area [before I moved]. I only got 10 days of skiing in that year. It was lame.

The weirdest photo shoot you’ve ever done that can be described in a newspaper?

Probably a live surgery at St. Mary’s Hospital in San Francisco. It was arthroscopic, with a laser. I learned that after so many surgeries, it’s just another job for the doctors and nurses. There was actual horseplay going on. They were totally messing around, and I learned that if you do this one thing every day, it’s still just a job. Maybe it’s different for brain surgery …

Tell me about this Elvis shrine.

I don’t even own any kind of Elvis recordings. It’s kinda sad. I like the icon of Elvis. I have an Aruba stamp of Elvis, Elvis checks, coins from the Marshall Islands. I used to have a shrine with the dripping candles and everything, but my wife thought that might be too scary for the clients.

Back up. You own no Elvis music?

I love Elvis music, but I just don’t own any of it. You know, you dress up like Elvis once, and it will change your life.

How?

The spirit of Elvis will be in you.

Does that mean I could then croon “Suspicious Minds” like a pro?

Hmm. I guess.