Sunset Glow | Maternity | Fort Bliss, El Paso Portrait Photographer

I have been itching to do a sunset shoot since my first evening in El Paso.  Sunsets are always beautiful, but there is something uniquely magical about the rosy glow over the mountain's mighty peaks, or the rainbow burst of color as the sun slips beyond the endless desert horizon.  So when this beautiful momma-to-be said she was up for it, I was beyond thrilled!  This is just a sneak peek of the fun (somewhat chilly) session!  Congratulations to the {L} family on the impending arrival of your baby boy!

New Name, New Look, New Focus! | Business | Fort Bliss, El Paso Portrait and Event Photographer

Re-branding.  It's a big undertaking.  Websites, blogs, email addresses, domain names, Facebook pages and, most importantly, business documentation all need to be changed over.  It's a pricy endeavor when the entire look is overhauled and one has to purchase new business cards, packaging, logos, etc.  It can be risky, too.  It's impossible to follow a band that changes their name all the time.  It is possible to lose the following one has worked hard to gain.

So why did I choose to do it?  There are several reasons.  First and foremost, my initials are not as unique as one might think.  MMU may not have been trademarked or used in the USA, but it is used at Manchester Metropolitan University, which I imagine must have been confusing for some of their students.  I would frequently see photos or social invitations posted on my wall, and felt a sense of guilt for unintentionally misleading others.

My business name was originally beget from my indecision to use either my maiden or my married name.  Legally, I did not want to get into any kind of trouble for assuming a false name, and I did not want to settle for my maiden name only to have to change it later.  So my nameless business became MMU Photography.

But the name never really fit, and neither did my branding elements or colors.  They were sleek and professional, but they did not fit the warm, curled-up-by-the-hearth storytelling, heirloom feel that I want my work to convey.

I have been mulling these changes for a good long while, but I was not inspired to pull the trigger until I planned and executed my recent fairy tale session.  So much of my heart and pure creative energy was poured into the project, and the end result was a perfect example of the romantic, timeless work that I strive for.  Everything fell into place naturally.  Now, when I look at the new name, warm colors and the antique touches, I feel like I'm at home.

Admittedly, I should have had more consideration for how the elements of my business might come together and represent me as a photographer.  Like many new photographers, I was so swept up in the excitement of starting my own business that I did not take the time to select branding that would accurately reflect me as a person or my goals as an artist and a professional photographer.  But, like other photographers, I evolved, I tweaked, I adjusted as I went, and finally found a place where I am happy and excited about what the future holds.  It can be scary to create something different and put yourself out there, but once you find yourself and your brand, it is such a revelation.  To thine own self, be true.

Allerleirauh | Grimm Fairy Tales | Fort Bliss, El Paso Stylized Portrait Session Photographer

Books were a major part of my childhood.  I could lose myself in the pages of a good story.  I would read beloved novels or short story collections over and over until the covers were falling off and the bindings loose.  I had quite a few books with a lovely brown masking tape spine.

Perhaps the most loved and tattered of my books are my collections of fairy tales.  Hans Christian Anderson and, a bit later, the brothers Grimm are likely at least partially responsible for my sense of responsibility.  After all, many of their writings are cautionary tales concerning the consequences of the character's actions.  As an aspiring artist, many of their tales resonated with me and instilled in me a desire to create.  The imagery in some of the lesser known stories stayed with me for years; I wanted to be able to spin a likewise enthralling thread.

Allerleirauh (known by several names, among them Manypelts) was one of the first Grimm tales that I read that did not have a Disney adaptation.  It likely never will.  There are elements of it in the beginning that would have to be very skewed to be considered child-friendly.  But the visual elements in the story beg to be brought to life, from the mantle to the gorgeous gowns to the three golden items (a ring, a reel, and a spindle).  I had to do some improvising, and quite a bit of modernizing, to bring this last minute session to life, but with the help of my amazing model and oodles of determination, we got it done.  And I couldn't be happier with the results.

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!