Spring Mini Sessions!

This is a call to those in Marietta, GA!  Check out the details below and contact me via email to reserve your spot!

Winner Announced!

I apologize for every thing about this video.  I am no video expert, nor do I know how to make myself look presentable.  That zit?  Oh man...

Congrats Karina!  Please email me to schedule your photo shoot!  And THANK YOU to everyone to for entering!  Really truly, I thought this giveaway would be flop, but thanks to you guy it was a total success.  We went from having 60 "likes" on the Hogar page, to over 100!  That's HUGE!

And for those who entered, but didn't win, you qualify for 40% off of your next sitting with me.  Email me for details!

Thank you again, everyone!  I can't say it enough, I have been so humbled by your kindness and willingness to share about the Hogar!!! THANK YOU!!!!

Adoption

I met my friend, Rachel, in February of 2009.  It was unseasonably warm for the time of year, so I wore a flowery short-sleeved shirt and a pair of comfortable black pants to our first meeting.  I was accompanied by my husband Andrew so that he and I could talk to Rachel about the Hogar Program, a service based program that Andrew had heard about one day while sitting in one of his recreational therapy classes.  It was Rachel who announced in his class that she was looking for two summer volunteers to live in El Salvador in an orphanage for children with disabilities.  Andrew, knowing I was eager to live in a Spanish speaking country with him while doing humanitarian service, knew right away that we needed to find out more about the program.  We called Rachel later that evening to set up a time to meet with her to learn more.

Our meeting was awesome.  I left knowing that Andrew and I were going to live in El Salvador the following summer because everything just felt so right and so exciting.  Andrew felt the same, so a week and a half later we applied to be the Hogar volunteers for the summer of 2009.

We were accepted!  Rachel kept in contact with us until we left for the Hogar the following May, and continued to talk with us via email throughout the summer.  The Hogar was amazing.  It was life-changing in so many ways, not only for those we helped, but more specifically for Andrew and I.  We left knowing that the world was bigger than us, but that, despite being only two people, we could make a small difference with hard work.  I left with so many new friendships, including a great friendship with Rachel.  We worked together closely (as close as you can get via internet!) all summer, and we realized that we got along pretty well.  Before leaving the Hogar, I told Rachel that there was no way I was going to return to my old life as a selfish-minded college student.  I wanted to go back to Provo and continue to help the Hogar by helping Rachel find more volunteers.

That was nearly 2 years ago, and over that time, Rachel and I have become good friends.  We talk about the Hogar Program, and we talk about life.  Through our emails, I learned of her strong desire to have a baby, and also of her struggle to get pregnant.  She told me that despite her difficulty in getting pregnant, she had hope that she would have children to call her own one day.

Last year, Rachel and Ryan Nielson created their adoption page, and made everything official to become parents via adoption.  However, their journey has been far from easy.  They have faced rejection and disappointment that even adopting couples rarely face.  Yet, they have remained positive and firm in their beliefs that they will have children someday.

And so I want to share on here how much I admire Rachel and Ryan, and how deserving they are as a couple to become parents.  I have known no other couple to be as giving, as self-less, or as motivated as these two.  Rachel, at the age of 21 (I believe), began a non-profit program, The Hogar Program, because of her love for the children and her determination to change the world.  She, with some help, fundraised over $20,000 to officially begin the Hogar Program, and continues to run this program from NY (the program is based out of Provo, UT).  She has grit, and will be the best mom I can imagine.

If you know of someone who is pregnant and contemplating adoption, send them to visit Rachel and Ryan's adoption profile, and DEFINITELY visit their blog.  Rachel is an incredible writer.  I'm not much of a blog reader (I prefer images, which makes sense!), but her blog is one of my absolute favorite blogs to read.  The posts can make you laugh, cry, and everything in between.  One of her most recent posts made me cry like I haven't cried in a really long time.  And yet, her subsequent posts made me smile from ear to ear.

Tell you friends about Rachel and Ryan Nielson, and their desire to adopt!  Giving a child up for a adoption is so difficult (I can only imagine, as I've never experienced it before), but giving a child to these two would be the best decision for a mother to make who is looking to place her unborn child in an incredible home full of love, learning and joy.

Don't they look like the funnest people ever?  Well, they are.  And they're cool, and nice.  Go tell your friends about them!

Tie-over

My primary class

I have tons of photos to edit from PA.

Photos from Jesse and Becca's wedding,

and a TON of other portrait sessions I did.

Give it time and I will be posting more frequently!

Winner winner, chicken dinner!

Winner is Kristen Bates (who had slots 9-12)!

Contact me ASAP! Maybe we can take them at Camp Kresge and make a day out of it!:)

PS- For those who didn't win, but did enter the contest,

I am offering you a session discount!

Instead of paying the regular $75 photo shoot price,

you can book me for $50!

Contact me to book your photo shoot!*

*Photo shoot needs to be booked before August 15, 2010

and need to be taken before September 1, 2010

100!

This is my 100th post!! I have been contemplating what I should do for this momentous occasion.

Should I blog some photos of beautiful people?

Or give away a photo session to one lucky reader?

Geez, this is HARD!

Ok ok, not that hard.

I'm giving away a free photo session!!!*

How to enter this said giveaway?
Easy! You just have to earn yourself entries by:

1. Following my blog (go down to the bottom, click "follow")- 1 entry

2. "Liking" my facebook page here.- 1 entry

3. Adding a link on your blog to my photography/this post

to let your friends know about it- 1 entry

4. Comment on THIS post with your name

(and whether you became a 'follower', 'liker' or 'linker')- 1 entry

With all of that, you can earn up to 4 entries.

Daang! That's a lot of opportunities to WIN!

So you better get started!

This giveaway ends Sunday, June 27th at 11:59PM.

Winner will be announced shortly thereafter.

*Photo session good for:

Small Family (good for up to 4 people)

Couples

Bridals

Seniors

Utah/Salt Lake Counties

which includes:

1 hour shoot

DVD of 10 high res images


The giveaway has closed.  Good luck to those you entered (and thank you:)).  The winner will be announced shortly.

More of Melinda and Brandon's engagement session soon!

Concentration...64...no repeats...or hesitations...you start

My sister and I played this game together ALL of the time as little girls.

She was 5 years older than me, so I guess I was really the little one

and she just liked beating me at the game. She could concentrate really well.

Apparently, so can her little boy.

He was really into the feeling of the couch pillow.

Ha! I love that face, a lot.

Anyway, hope this ties everyone over till I get my other photos edited and online!

Photo nerds: Read on...

It turns out I have an AMAZING friend in PA

who, 5 years ago, sent me some old cameras.

I realized a few weeks ago, that these cameras

ARE AWESOME!

I really ought to thank him for them,

but 5 years ago I figured these cameras were somewhat useless to me.

Little did I know...

My valuables:

A Peerflekta medium format camera (an unknown brand,

but I can't wait to get it serviced and WORKING!)

A Bolex Paillard B8L camcorder (it's in amazing condition...I could make super 8 movies!

Would someone like to teach me how?)

A new rival...

My husband, whom I love dearly, has decided he is going to become a good photographer too.

I told him he couldn't get better than me though.

That photos are MY thing, and sports are his.

He can be good, but just not better than me.

Not that that would take a whole lot,

but still.

I threatened him and didn't even feel bad.

But since he's my husband, whom I love dearly,

I have to show him off. He's good, huh?

Just not better than me, right?

Oh yeah! That's him!

Good thing he's cute...and keeps promises:)

Joe's Cafe (Orem, UT)

If you're craving some good Southern cookin'

head over to Joe's Cafe in Orem, UT.

It's a great little cafe and Joe, the owner, really makes the place what it is.

He's a friendly (understatement? yes) black man from Texas who knows how to cook!

"Where great food and old school soul go hand in hand"

A great quote for this little place.

SO, if you like nice atmosphere, a nice waiter and cook, and some good eats

then go say 'hey' to Joe and his cute wife at Joe's Cafe!

This was my breakfast. Yum!

Joe takes pictures with all of his customers, has the photos printed, and puts them on the wall.

He's my kind of guy.

Model Call!

So last time I put a model call up, one person contacted me. Don't be shy, people! Everyone wants photos of themselves, and I want photos of YOU!

I need American models who are NOT white Caucasians. Well, I guess you don't have to be American, we can just pretend that you are. BUT, I need people with these ethnic backgrounds: Asian, African, European, and South/Central American/Hispanic.

That's a pretty broad spectrum, but if you'd like to be apart of a cool photo project that I'm doing, send me an email! mmacphotography@gmail.com.

This is a black and white film project, so it'll be all on film. That makes it even cooler. Go ahead. Volunteer!

Model Wanted

I'm looking for someone to take some portraits of for a class
assignment for my intro to black and white film.

Who am I looking for? Someone I don't know, and someone with a
die-hard passion in/love for something...preferably not just your
family or husband/boyfriend/girlfriend/fiance(e). Someone
who loves to skateboard, or take photos, or sing, or teach or cook, etc.

Male or female between the ages of 20-99.
Email me at mmacphotography@gmail.com if you're interested
with a recent photo of yourself and what
your passion is. I will be in contact
with you right away.

ALSO, if you're available tomorrow
to take photos,
that'd be AWESOME.
Let me know! Plus, it's
supposed to be 47 degrees
tomorrow, babay!
Woohoo!

Let this face encourage you to email me.


PS- I'll be giving you the best print of my choice (unless of course my favorite is your least favorite) mounted on matte board. It could make for a really great gift for a loved one, or just something to hang on your wall!

Thanks 2009....

Here is a very brief view of my fave's of 2009. I LOVED the year 2009. Oh the adventures! Let's hope that 2010 is just as great:)

Feliz Navidad!

Merry Christmas! I hope everyone has a great break spent with loved ones:) Don't forget the reason why we celebrate Christmas (Christ!). Celebrate what you've been given and spread joy this season!

I'll be enjoying myself in North Carolina with my husband's family, eating fattening (but OH so good!) southern-style food and cheerwine:)

Vote for Becca!

My friend, Rebecca Sior, is in a contest to go to a photography workshop. It is an awesome opportunity, but she can only go if it's free (she isn't made of the big bucks)....that is where YOU come in. Vote for her to go!! (scroll toward the bottom and look for a cute blond girl named Rebecca Sior!)





PS- Have you been watching the Sing Off? Yeah, NOT happy about Tuesday night. Not happy at all. But, such is life. At least they won't get too big and famous to stop shows in Provo. And I'm selfish and want them to stick around here so I can still enjoy an affordable Noteworthy show. But still...they could have easily won. Anyway, keep watching the show!! I'm voting for Nota now....and not just because I love Spanish and Spanish speaking people...but that definitely gives them an upper hand:)

AHH!!! Guess what?!?!

Remember Noteworthy? Here's a refresher:


They are on NBC's The Sing Off tonight, tomorrow, the next day (Wednesday) and then December 21 (next Monday night). I think it starts at 7 Utah time even though it says 8pm on the website because I came home from work tonight pumped that it started at 8 and not 7:(. I was wrong...I came home devastated because I MISSED Noteworthy's performance. BAHH! They just HAD to perform first! I sure hope they put the full length video on NBC. Despite my tragedy, this is EXCITING!!

Noteworthy, I love you. I hope you love me. I'm so so so so so so so so so so so so so ecstatic that you're on national television. BUENISIMA SUERTE!!! (not sure if that can be said in Spanish, but I. just. did.)

toot cute

Truly. Cute.

My bad...

I guess I wasn't meant to publish the bare-armed, vested brother of mine, but I did anyway! It's funny and it can't be funny without being shared.

He shared with me WHY it's so funny...so to "redeem" myself, here is the awesome comparison:

My camera is still being cleaned, but supposedly it should be coming home in just a few days! I called into Inkley's today to find out what was going on...they said it was done getting cleaned and it should be in within a few days. YAY! It has been a long month without it.

SO, with that being said, I apologize for not posting nada for a long, long time. School started about 2 weeks ago, but I have yet to take a photography class. Stinks...but I'm looking forward to a photography class next semester (yes, only one...sheesh...gotta wait so long!). For now, I'm learning how to draw, cut out colors from magazines and paste them onto paper to make a design, and use photoshop. Okay, so using photoshop is actually useful...the others AREN'T! I don't like my drawing class. I get bored and frustrated, and I'm not so hot at drawing a straight line. The design class is fun and creative, but it gets tedious. LET ME TAKE SOME PHOTOS! Ha:)

I also found out today that there is a chance I could get kicked out of BYU photography program. You see, they accepted 10 too many students this year and so after this year of school, all of us freshman (ugh, yes, I'm a freshman AFTER THREE YEARS OF SCHOOL! Lame-o) will have to submit a portfolio again. From there, I guess they will choose the 18 that are good enough for the program. THUS, there is a chance I could not make the cut. SUCH STRESS!! Wish me luck. This has gotta be a successful photography school year for me.

Unfortunate happenings

My laptop sort of DIED. Yeah, really big bummer. So, sorry, but lightroom is on my laptop which means I have to get it fixed before I can edit any of the pictures I´ve taken recently (not really a ton...but just a few).

I love the Hogar del Niño. LOVE IT. Andrew and I are coming home this Friday, but we aren´t going to stop helping this place. These kids are amazing, the nuns are amazing, and so are the workers. They have so little, but they have LOTS of love. I´ll be sad to come home (even though I´m ready and excited to come home...I love my mom), but this past three months has been an awesome learning experience and I´m glad we made the choice to come.

Anyway, but I just wanted to say it´ll be a while until I post again. Sorry...that stinks. But I love you, readers:) Hasta la proxima...

Dude...

My web counter started over! WHAT THE??? Piece of junk. I guess it's okay to have a fresh start. Keep 'em coming! KEEP ON READING, READERS! (thanks for that, by the way. Very generous and kind...and go ahead and make comments whenever you feel so inclined to do so. I welcome them).


PS- Here's a shout out to the HOGAR DEL NINO BLOG! woot woot! Go check it out...look at old posts because some are really funny and fun to watch. Look at the posts I'll be posting, and when I leave KEEP looking at the blog and follow what is going on. Donate if you want...support however you can. Write them letters, send them messages through comments, send a video reply...whatever you want! If you can, give some love and check out the blog:) (please?)