A sneak peek - and a wish for 2011!

As many of you know, I love antiquing photos and giving them that vintage look - but still with a modern touch. I think that style looks especially wonderful when printed onto canvas for a gallery wrap. What many may not know is that I also love typography, especially when used as a primary graphic design element. Combine those, think BIG (oh...20x60" or so), and imagine custom wordart that (literally) spells out important places, dates, events for a truly one-of-a-kind piece of art. Vintage industrial wall art....hmmmm....tell us what you think...

We'll show you more in a few days, but in the meantime, this is our New Year's wish for all of you!

Sisters

Today, we had the pleasure of photographing a beautiful newborn named Eliana. Last year we were able to do the same for her big sister - Hana - who is now 18 months old. Eliana had a few definite ideas about getting her picture taken....

We got a few like this (with Mom Chris)...isn't she gorgeous?

But we got more like this...sigh...she just wasn't having it!

However, big sister Hana entertained us royally - a total model in the making! We had two tutus - one for Hana and one for Eliana. Well, Eliana didn't like her's too much, but big sis LOVED her's. She skipped and danced and spun around and flounced (yes - we have actual flouncing pics)...she just totally worked it.

Then, she discovered Eliana's newborn-sized tutu - and decided it was a great hat...it does make quite a statement, doesn't it?

(so sorry Hana - this is going to be serious ammunition for Mom and Dad when you're sixteen!)

She showed her serious side too - and while Mac was getting the lights set up, I grabbed some natural light shots...this one just screamed to be processed in black and white...

What a wonderful photo shoot - I hope that these pictures are treasured forever and will be looked at and smiled at by these girls' daughters and granddaughters and great granddaughters someday. That is why we love to do this!

a flower for Friday....

Shades of Fall Past

There is a secret glen in a beautifully overgrown field in New Hampshire - it is filled with dozens and dozens of birdhouses. Small, large, simple, ornate, hotels, condos, cottages, barns, mansions, townhouses - each is an absolute treasure. Time was short, and I was only able to shoot a few of them. Many mimic the much larger "human" barn that was down the road, and I suspect the birds love this place - so many choices for where to live! I want to go back and spend hours here...

How can this be the same flower?

Every couple of weeks I've been getting flowers to photograph. Two weeks ago I got some lovely fuschia-colored peonies. This was a first for me; I've been getting dahlias, hydrangeas, all kinds of mums, daisies, tulips - whatever caught my fancy. I was told the peonies would lighten a bit over time and open up quite a bit. By today, they were dropping petals like crazy but larger than a good sized saucer and faded to a lovely creamy white. I've never seen a flower change color like this - the photo on the top was from two weeks ago, and on the bottom was the same flower earlier today. Absolutely amazing.

Great vintage + a touch of modern = fantastic!

Black and white just seemed like the right treatment for these photos - except for that poppin' red one! Thanks again Suzanne, we're glad you had as good a time as we had.

Some fun old stuff...

Rusted, peeling, vintage, antique, distressed, steampunk, textured, well worn, OLD....whatever name you want to call it by, I just love it all - don't you?

Class of 2011; Suzanne Labelle from San Marcos High School

Being a high school senior is a special time in life - not just for those who are at that point right now or in the near future, but also for everyone who has ever thought back about their "good ol'" (or even "bad ol'") high school days. The words "High School Senior" personify the passage of time for all of us in one way or another.

So, when we got the chance to photograph a senior who has a personality and sense of personal style that combines the best of laughter, sweetness, whimsy, goth, funk, grunge, and a true sense of timelessness - we thought it would be wonderful and unique to take her pictures at a place that also personifies the passage of time. So off we all went to the Orange Empire Railway Museum - classic train cars, classic streetcars, classic signs, classic luggage, even classic postal artifacts and classic telephones - and lots and lots of wonderful rust! This gallery is the result of that trip back in time. A big hug and thank you to Suzanne for being such a wonderful model who looked great as everything from a vintage fairy to a 20's mobster's moll to a 40's ingenue to an 80's super model to a hip rail rider! Girl, you rock!

baggage....on the Rio Grande

I love graphic images - color, lines, text, texture....add that all together and mix in Nik HDR Efex Pro, and I hope you like this as much as I do!

Rail Rider Extraordinaire

We had a wonderful time today at the Orange Empire Railway Museum, taking photos of a gorgeous high school senior named Suzanne. She was so much fun, and willing to climb up and over and in everything we threw at her. The staff at OERM was great - showing us beautiful old train cars and helping out when a nasty wasp got into Suzanne's boot about 10 seconds after this shot was taken (thanks Brian!).

We'll post a storyboard with more pics later this week, but just had to put up one tonight. I used a tilt-shift lens for this shot, which gives a plane of focus that I just love. I think it puts the emphasis right where it belongs - on Suzanne's smile.

Another beauty from Stephanie's wedding

All I can say is wow! Again, a pleasure to be a part of Stephanie & Josh's Wedding. Here's one from the church antiqued. Love the natural window light streaming in. Thanks Stephanie & Josh!

I've heard...

...that some people have already decorated for the spooky night of Halloween! So, here's another decoration to enjoy - you can put this one on your desktop!

One very special picture...

...to finish the evening. The "getting ready" pictures are completed and are in the gallery. Now it's on to the wedding pics.

Getting Ready

The morning of Stephanie's wedding was a wonderful combination of fun and emotion. Laughter, tears, excitement....a father remembering his little girl, a mother's memories of a newborn cuddling in her arms, a friend's congratulations, the popping of a special bottle of champagne purchased decades ago with this morning in mind, and a young woman looking with joy to the life ahead of her with her HUSBAND....(how she thrills at those two words "my husband").

A blast from the past.....Part II

I hear ya Diane...! As usual we both look at things a little differently which is why we make such a great team! I'm glad we went back to this place (near Dark Pond, off NH 101) for this image. Definitely will be one of my favorites from the trip. I stepped about 15' to the left and captured this with a Lens Baby Composer with the double plastic optic and an f8 ring in. I added some special effects in photoshop during processing. I love how the effects exaggerated the rust and bubbled up paint on the bicycle. By stepping back a few feet and shooting through the weeds it appears like the bicycle was hiding back in there in an overgrown jungle of neglect. But, this scene was barely 15' off the road, talk about a drive-by shooting!
-mac

A blast from the past from New Hampshire

One of the "categories" of pictures we were taking in New England was old barns - peeling paint, beautiful faded colors, aging wood, that wonderful vintage feel that California just doesn't do very well or often...

While we were also hoping for some barn owls that didn't appear, we did find a great old bike leaning on a beautiful barn. Red, blue, orange and green - what's not to love?

The Many Faces of Kiley

We're back from New Hampshire - woohoo Stephanie and Josh! Your pictures are being worked on as I write this, but first we completed the soft proofs for newborn Kiley, which are now in the client gallery at mplusmphoto.com. I also put together a collage I'm calling "The Many Faces of Kiley." It is amazing how expressive a 10-day-old baby can be! She's gonna hate that middle one on the bottom when she gets older, isn't she?

Stephanie & Josh

Sometimes we are given the opportunity to share the most special of moments - thank you so much to Stephanie and Josh and their families for sharing September 18th, 2010...much more to come!

One More Tonight

Had to do one more tonight...

Kiley

This little sweetheart is 11 days old today. She is "little" at 5.4 pounds and 16" - but from the way she was snacking, she will catch up soon! I wanted to put up this picture quickly as a thank you to mom Kristina, dad Ryan, grammy Sandy, and grampy John for sharing this cutie with us. She is truly a "bundle of joy" as she was joyously anticipated and is now joyously welcomed!

There will be more pictures over the next couple of weeks, but here's one to enjoy in the meantime.

Bud and Carol Celebrate their 30th

While every portrait session or wedding or event is very special in its own way, once in a while as photographers you get to be part of something that really makes you stop and think - Bud and Carol's 30th Anniversary Vow Renewal was one of those times...thank you for letting m+m be a part of this moment!

A little change of pace...

Remember that cool wall I talked about a few weeks (well, okay, months...) ago? Well, it sadly got a little bit of graffiti, but it is now part of a parking lot, so it won't be covered up again. It is perfect for that antiqued/grungy look...and Happy Birthday to Nick, who thought the wall fit his look perfectly.

This guy is such a natural model!

Michael was a blast to work with - he knew exactly how he wanted to pose and went for it. He never had a bad moment, and nearly all his pics were "keepers." Michael - I'm glad you had fun cause we did too!

Michael - this kid's got style!

Aidan's older brother is Michael - a guy with a great sense of fun. He was ALWAYS ready for the camera, but we managed to get a few action shots of him just playing. I love putting shots like this together in a collage "storybook." The viewer gets such a sense of a person through their expressions and movement and emotions.

Can't Help Being So Cute - Aidan

Boy, if ever there was a truer saying on a t-shirt! We had a wonderful time with Aidan and his family last Sunday, both in studio and on the beach. Tomorrow you'll see some pics of Aidan's older brother - Michael...almost six years old and the consummate "young man."

Childhood beckons....

wow - July was BUSY!!! Lots to catch up on, but wanted to share a sweet pic that just makes me think of childhood, summer, having all the time in the world, being close to the ground and seeing all sorts of wonderful things in the dirt....just those simple pleasures that are there if you just look for them...no matter what your age...but you have to look...

2010 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships

What a week! The 2010 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships. Four days of shooting. More than 2,200 posed photos (yes, I said 2,200 POSED photos). Lots of laughter and fun. Assistance from a WONDERFUL team: Chris from Christopher Wood Photography, and Juliana and Patrick from Lani Ki Photography - you guys absolutely ROCK! Ben and Renee from Feriagrafix - we couldn't have done this without your advice and encouragement. Shawnee and Debra - you were willing and able to come provide help on extremely short notice. 15 hour days. Exhaustion. Bad head cold. 1,500 charming and talented athletes. Coaches and parents who support these kids to the nth degree. I've never experienced anything like it even though I've competed and judged at international karate tournaments.

Now the fun of post processing starts and will continue for the next few weeks. The pictures are spectacular thanks to these phenomenal athletes and our great team - and Mac and I want to share a few before we get entrenched in the order fulfillment process. Thanks very much to one and all! And special thanks to the Cameron Family YMCA for hosting this years event

and more...

Beauty Revealed by Accident!

Last fall, Mac and I took some senior shots of these beautiful girls. We have (had) a wonderful wall near downtown San Diego that was perfect for "grunge" shots - you can see that wall in the top two photos.
We drove by yesterday - by accident actually (gotta love that type of accident!) - and saw that the back wall and building behind it had been removed, and lo and behold look what was there! How old is this? And how fun is it! Sadly, it looks like they're preparing to put in a new building which will again cover up this great piece of history. Call us quickly if you want to have a photo shoot here!

Chandler's Pics

Mac and I got to photograph a sweetheart yesterday named Chandler, and we got to try out a great newborn photo prop from Kelsey and Jonathan at Quietude Quilts - a wonderful Etsy shop with hand-crafted doll quilts and furniture. They make beautiful hardwood doll beds and when I saw one I had to ask if they could make one sized just right for newborns. As you can see - 15-day-old Chandler thought it was the best! Her mom McKenna picked out the lime and red color scheme, which just pops off the screen and is such a fun change from your typical baby colors.

Thanks to Chandler for posing so perfectly, thanks to McKenna for the opportunity to take pictures of her sweet little new one, and thanks to Kelsey and Jonathan for such a great newborn photo prop. Check out the fun things in their shop (the bunk beds would be absolutely the bomb for twins), and call m+m Photography for your San Diego newborn photos.

Hint hint: If you call and tell us you're having twins - we'll make sure we get that bunk bed set for your photo shoot!

Love working with friends!

Our friend Janet is over learning some Photoshop tricks. We worked on this gorgeous shot she took on a recent trip to Cambodia. I think this is a phenomenal environmental portrait!

Mac and I finally got time to stop by Urban Barn in Escondido today. They used to be in Temecula as La Maison Rustique and were only open one day a month. Now they are open Wednesday thru Saturday every week!

Vintage, funky, eclectic - think the Paris Flea Market transported to sunny Southern California. The owner - Linda - has always been great about letting us take photos and here are two collages I created from the wonderful, one-of-a-kind items in her store. Urban Barn also has great classes and fun events, so check them out at 155 W. CREST Street, ESCONDIDO, CA 92025 WED. - SAT. 10-5; 760-743-7225