---

Stumbled upon a concept the other day.  Lots of potential, but I need to perfect it.  Any ideas?  I'm thinking we need makeshift space helmets or something... 

TANGENT:  It never ceases to amaze me when people scoff at the fact that Nikon puts a pop-up flash on it's semi-pro camera bodies.  The dang thing is SO useful!  With a handful of new cameras from Nikon and Canon right around the corner, I have to say that this is one reason I prefer the Nikon D300 / D700 setup over any other setup, including the Canon 5D, it's theoretical replacement, (cause we're assuming they won't put a pop-up flash on it, let alone enable remote commanding) ...and even the Nikon D3, which does not have a pop-up flash.  The Nikon D300 and D700 are in my opinion near-perfect for photojournalism / action etc.

But, I don't want to get too geeky on this blog.  Suffice it to say that Photokina, one of the two largest annual photography conventions, is right around the corner, and excitement is building around all the new gear that we're going to see...  Yay...

(If you sense a lack of enthusiasm, it might be because most ALL of this new gear will be high-end, and out of my gear budget for 2008...  But all you big spenders out there, get your credit cards ready...)

Take care,

=Matt=

---

---

I'm just gonna keep on rolling with the cliche photos, until you tell me to stop... 

Just let me know when you can't stand any more!

=Matt=

---

---

Rented a 300 2.8 for the weekend, (and monday) so what else to do with a fast-apeture super-telephoto but shoot the moon...

Take care all,
=Matt=

---

---

Good grief, how un-professional!  Totally passed out on the grass...

("inaction" captured by Stephen at a wedding in July...)

...Must have bumped the shutter while I was napping!  Call me flat-out lazy, (pun intended?) ...but I'M gonna call it my new favorite camera angle...

=Matt=

---

---

Just got back from an engagement session this afternoon.  (2nd job of the day...)  Here's one image really quick, un-edited.  To read a full report on how I arrived at this image WITHOUT doing any "arriving" in photoshop, go visit my CAMERA TALK blog, www.xanga.com/cameratalk

Alright I've gotta take care of more business.  Peace out, Napoleon!

Happy rest of the summer,

=Matt=

---

---

I spent the evening hanging out with Joy.  We ran some errands and
then worked on our wedding guest list for quite a few hours.  I had no
idea I knew THIS many special people, and the names just keep coming to me! 
It is going to be impossible to get "the number" down to 150.  We'll
see, I guess?  So I have a question for married couples out there, or
anyone who has ever stressed out about how many people are going to
come to an event:

What percentage of people invited will show up?  I mean, just as a wild
guess number, is it less than 100%, exactly 100%, or more than 100%? 
What about if we narrow it down to JUST those who RSVP?  Will that be a
100% "show" rate?  Or more / less?  Even though I've been a part of
dozens and dozens of weddings, this is one question I've never asked...

Any wedding planners / coordinators out there, or other vendors?  (Time to make a few calls to the ones I know, but it's 1:51 AM at the moment...)

I'll leave you with another sepia image from the BEAUTIFUL wedding back in June.  (Probably another album page  spread...)  I hope everyone has monitors that are at least 1280 pixels wide, cause I couldn't help uploading this image a bit wider than normal...

Take care,
=Matt=

---

---

Does anybody else dream about flying?  I have this dream at least a few times a year, and last night was one of them...  I just jump up, flap my arms, and fly.  I've never really been able to fly higher than tall trees / building, as far as I can remember, but it's still amazingly fun.  You're just floating above everyone else.  Usually when I fly, it's out in nature, in a park or somewhere green.  And since I'm such a visual person, the experience is very vivid and memorable.  I can still feel the air rushing up and around my body, I can still remember seeing all the little details in the world down below.

Call me completely nuts , a weird-o, call me a sissy, ...but it's one incredibly relaxing dream and I thoroughly enjoy it, each and every time...

I've certainly paid my dues-  there have been entire years in my life where I didn't have a single memorable dream, when work + school caused me to go for months on end with ~4-5 hours of sleep each night, or less...  Or back in elementary school, when I would have those "being chased but feeling paralyzed" nightmares all the time.  Makes me realize how good my life is if I can simply get 8 hours of peaceful sleep each night.  Really, all we need is a little perspective and life can be so beautiful...  I am so blessed; thank you God!  I wouldn't trade what I've got for anything else...

I used one of my sepia presets on this image.  I think I used the preset that I named [b] high-key, in honor of my hero the Becker.  Either that or the one I named "kinda rad" LOL.  You get the idea!  I also did a little bit of burning and dodging of course, to add emphasis.

I think this is going to be the opening image of the couple's wedding album.  For some reason, I only took this ONE frame.  Usually I fire half a dozen shots fluidly, moving around, to let my creativity progress from shot to shot.  As a nature photographer I'm always systematic and methodical.  But this was totally impromptu, RIGHT after they had said their vows and walked back down the aisle.  I just followed them, and when the composition hit me like a ton of bricks, I cried "KISS!" and they happily obliged.  Click.  It would have ruined it if I were playing paparazzi, ya know?

More photos coming soon.  But right now I'm still swamped with other work!

Take care all, and sweet dreams!

=Matt=

---

---

Again, this is the kind of portraiture that I live for.  Relaxed, natural, REAL.

Someone asked me the other day, or I guess we were just talking and I got the impression that it was assumed, that eventually I, like all other portrait photographers who "arrive", would own my own studio.

This thought shocked me.  I LOVE the outdoors.  I live for beautiful, NATURAL light.

Aspire to own a studio?  The outdoors IS my studio.  I aspire to capture just a fleeting glimpse of the beauty around us, and the compassion revealed IN US when we step outside our digital world, into the organic one...

(artistic processing by Eric)

I'm thrilled to be able to work with so many people who feel the same connections with nature.  THANK YOU ALL!!

Take care,
=Matt=

---

---

Do me a favor and VIEW THE LARGER VERSION for full sharpness, please!
BTW:  3-image stitch @ 17mm, with flash to fill shadows in the 2nd image...

Take care,
=Matt=

---

---

(artistic processing by Eric...)

Wow, what a beautiful location for a wedding ceremony!!!

=Matt=

---