Mr. & Mrs. {W} | Fort Bliss, El Paso Anniversary Portrait Photographer

Couples who finish each others' sentences or speak in unison warm my heart.  When they do it recounting the details of the events leading up to their first date after 10 years of marriage, it is inspiring.  For a couple in love, those details don't fade over time.  It is possibly because, like most married couples, they are asked to tell it over and over again to new friends, to children, at family get-togethers.  It is not so much what is said.  It is the way the tale is told.  Warm glances and smiles exchanged, leaning into each other just so that the height discrepancies melt away and they are equals.  Add into the mix the perfectly natural way they hold hands walking between shooting spots and I was in photography heaven.  Congratulations on a decade of marriage, and may you celebrate many more decades to come!
 
    Sincerely,   Megan 

Learning To Love The Sun | Personal | El Paso, Fort Bliss Wedding & Portrait Photographer

I am a shade/cloud cover junkie.  There.  I admitted it.  When I go out to a session on overcast days, I rejoice, for there is just enough light filtering in through the grayish skies to give me that perfectly delicious, even lighting that I adore.  When the sun is out in all of its glory, I test the strength of the rays with my hand and make a mental note to seek shade ASAP.  I work with the conditions I am given, but I don’t fully embrace it like I should.

During my hiatus, I have been resolute in my mission to capture the everyday goings-on of my home, my children, my life.  Inside the sanctuary of our house, with the beautiful light pouring in through the windows diffused by the white paper blinds, it is easy to find and use the light.  Outside is the battle.  I have had something of a phobia of outside light in El Paso.  45 minutes before sunset and about an hour after sunrise, I have no issues.  Those are the golden hours, after all, a photographer’s best friend when it comes to achieving delicious golden, diffused light.  But when it came to the hours approaching or just beyond noon, I balk.  Harsh midday light is a challenge in the best of locations, so photographing in the El Paso desert with the sun beaming off of every reflective surface seemed to me especially daunting.  So I avoided it.  At zoos and parks, I sought refuge in the dark corners, or took backlit portraits to avoid dreaded hotspots.  I did not want blown out skin and harsh shadows, so I shot what I knew.

And then my son decided he wanted to play outside with his aunt on one of her last days visiting us before she had to shuttle off back to school, and I realized we hadn’t taken park photos in a while.  So I ended up facing my biggest fear: A playground in the middle of an open field.  In El Paso.  At noon.  The results were unexpected, to say the least.

I realize something now that I suppose I have known all along, but didn’t feel I possessed the proper skills to attest to: The sun is not an enemy to our art.  The sun gives us the framework for our craft, and asks nothing in return.  It is (arguably) the best lighting system and (factually) the cheapest to use.  There is no need to feel anxious about it or hide from it.  One just needs to know how to use it.  I’m learning more and more everyday about the ways to use different sources of light, and I am glad that I no longer view the sun as an adversary.  It’s one hot piece of photo gear (Hardy har har).

**Please note that these are snapshots.  They are not edited, not posed, and definitely not great pieces of art.  They are merely a means of illustrating the core message of this post: It's not about working in the right light; it's about making the light work for you.

~Megan

Snow Day! | Personal | El Paso, Fort Bliss Wedding & Portrait Photographer

I don't have many words for this day.  It was the beginning of January.  It snowed.  In El Paso.  And it stuck around for two days.  Beyond those facts, I'm a little speechless.

Hello, Fall! | Personal | El Paso Wedding & Portrait Photographer

I wish I could liken the changing seasons to the changes that are happening here at MMU Photography, but in the desert the changes are not nearly as drastic.  No turning leaves or markedly cooler weather signal the need for a fall-colored wardrobe or stylish layers.  Without the return of the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, I might have drifted into winter ignorant of the debut of my favorite season.

It has been easy to get disoriented in the whirlwind of activity of the past few months.  Between relocating twice (from Lawton to Killeen, then from Killeen to El Paso), packing, traveling to see family, unpacking, ob-gyn appointments (for the newest addition to the MMU Photography team due in November), and getting settled into a comfortable routine, there has been little opportunity to breathe, let alone keep others updated with the goings-ons, but I am here to try!

When we left Killeen, I took quite a bit of time focusing on my family.  I wanted to be sure that our son was comfortable with all of the big transitions (moving to a new house, sleeping in his own room, adapting to a new environment) as well as prepare for the arrival of his sister.



In the midst of the move and all that came with it, I began a gradual restructuring of my business plan.  This began with a massive overhaul of my product line and pricing.  I drafted packages and ordered samples of products offered.  I took a good, hard look at my business and what I wanted to do to make it stand out, as well as how I would be able to maintain the delicate balance of business and family without one overwhelming the other. 




Happily, I seem to have found a balance.

The following changes have been made to the MMU Photography product line & services:

• Today (October 1, 2012) through December 31, 2012, MMU Photography will not be taking on new portrait sessions or weddings.  Sessions for 2013 may be scheduled during this time, and all requested client orders will be processed as normal.

• All prints (with the exception of wallets) come standard mounted on matboard (gift prints), styrene (standard prints) or foamcore (large prints) to better preserve the quality of your portraits.

• All gift prints (8x10 and smaller) are a flat rate.  Details available upon request.

• Packages will debut in the product line (and online shopping carts) November 2012.

•  An in-person presentation of images will be scheduled one week after portrait sessions.  After the in-person session, an online shopping cart and gallery will available for 14 days for friends and family.

• MMU Photography will resume OpLove portrait sessions and homecomings January 2013.  Sessions will be limited to one of each type per month.

• The America's Sweetheart Program (ASP) and bookings of portrait sessions and weddings will also resume in January 2013.

Thank you for your patience and understanding in this time of transition, both professional and personal.  I look forward to coming into the new year refreshed and ready to take on the world!

Ever Ever After | El Paso, Fort Bliss Wedding Photographer

A stunning pair, a beautiful Orange County wedding day steeped in Lithuanian tradition, and a high energy bunch of friends and family made for an unforgettable wedding day.  From start to finish, small touches made the wedding deeply personal for the bride and groom, a window into their fairy tale courtship.  Table number holders at each table boasted a framed portrait of various Disney attractions that the couple had experienced together, the groom's cake was a very fitting Captain America emblem, and hints of the military life whose obstacles they continue to conquer were evident throughout (the groom's dress blues, the bride's garter, the very sweet Precious Moments cake topper).  Add in a handful of traditional wedding customs honoring the groom's Lithuanian roots, and this wedding stood out in a class all its own.  For this Disney loving pair, there is really only one way to close out this blog post...

                                                                                           ...And they lived happily ever after.

Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. {M}!

Sincerely,

Megan

Picture Perfect | Fort Bliss, El Paso Anniversary Portrait Photographer

I love stories.  Books, movies, tales of everyday people leading extraordinary lives or taking part in fantastic adventures.  I love writing stories, as well.  There is something wonderful and liberating about being able to create your own characters, your own environments, and weaving the fabric of their world into a rich tapestry of events.  In pursuit of my photographic career, I find myself attracted to the storytelling aspect of photographs.  There are, of course, those frame-worthy, picture-perfect moments where everyone is looking at the camera, flawless and happy.  But then there are those in-between moments, or even the something-akin-to-movie-directed moments: A touch, a glance, a small gesture that speaks volumes for the affection that is so clearly present between the subjects.  This couple's session is a perfect example of the pairing of two seemingly unlike styles to present a wonderful story that is very telling of their sweet, fun, and loving relationship.  Happy 2nd Anniversary, {M} Family!  May you continue to celebrate in happiness for several decades to come!