Michael McNett Photography

Oh did you miss another blog, I guess you did.

2008-12-08T11:41:00.003-05:00

Now you missed another one you you better get on the B-A-L-L I can't make it any easier. Here is the link
You can even subscribe to the new blog through your email RIGHT HERE

Look if you keep coming here civilization as we know it may come to an end, global warming will accelerate, people will take to the streets in revolt an gas prices will go back up. Ok maybe not but you will miss out on a lot of cool photography and (wink wink) I'm going to have a killer contest when I announce the grand opening of the new blog, it is going to be "LOCO"

-Mike

And You Thought I was Jokeing

2008-12-06T01:06:00.004-05:00

See what you are missing. I posted a new post and you are missing out because you are still going to the old blog. Progress baby! The new blog takes this blogs lunch money and then gives it a wedgie. You can even subscribe to the new blog through your email RIGHT HERE

SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR HERES THE LINK you can go there right now

OK, you win pretty please.

What?
Fine, pretty please with a cherry on top

-Mike

A new blog for a new year

2008-12-03T19:13:00.002-05:00

It is with great pleasure that I will be announcing my new blog. Well not quite yet but really really soon. Here is a sneek peak New Blog I would love to hear what you think, so please comment. I will be placing a redirect code on this blog in the not to distant future but you should go ahead and bookmark or subscribe to the new one since I will be putting all new content on it.

-Mike

Happy Post-Thanksgiving

2008-11-29T20:24:00.005-05:00

The days after Thanksgiving are here which hold some of the most wonderful traditions of the year. Sleeping in after long nights of tryptophan induced slumber. And for some waking up at 3am to prepare for battle as Black Friday arrives. I actually talked to a bride that booked her wedding with us yesterday and had the great idea that I hold a black friday sale next year and have people camp out on my lawn. I would love to hear what the neighbors would say.

In our household the day after Thanksgiving marks the start of the christmas season. The tree comes out,the lights go up (and I try to sneak a menorah some place)

Today I arrived victorious from a day of stealthily hunting the ever elusive Abies concolor (concolor fir) but if my mother asks it is a Chanukah bush.

There are a lot of great events that I haven't posted yet so keep checking back to see yours. I also have a lot of events coming up this next month that I am really excited about so stay tuned.

-Mike

Happy Birthday Jaden

2008-11-20T00:05:00.011-05:00

One of the things I love to do is talk to clients. People as a whole are very interesting and have much to contribute to each other if you take the time to strike up some small talk and try to listen as much as you talk.

This was the situation last week when I was speaking to a mother of a Bar-Mitzvah boy whom I am going to shoot this weekend. We were talking about party themes (his is going to be Marti Gras) when I mentioned that my sons birthday is Nov. 15th and we were going to have a Carnival theme. For anyone that knows me and my wife, we love Birthdays and usually make elaborate games and decorations and bake a novelty cake. I had spent the last month making Carnival Games out of wooden boards and painted them in garish reds and yellows (I was very proud of myself)

Kelly, the mother of the Bar-Mitzvah boy shares the same view on birthdays and mentioned a Carnival themed one where they did a take off on "ye ole" pie eating contest. The twist is bubblegum. You drop a gum ball in a pan fill it with whipped cream. With no hands the child has to burrow their face through the whipped cream, get the gum, chew like mad. The first one to blow a bubble is the winner.

I loved the idea and had to do it. Guess what? it was the hit of the party. Despite hours of hard labor building those games, they were out shined by a very simple yet clever idea. Thanks Kelly I can't wait to see what you have in store for this weekend.

Click Play To Watch The Video Below

Heres a link to more pictures MORE PICTURES

Happy Birthday Louis Daguerre (221 years old)

2008-11-18T16:57:00.003-05:00

Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre
Born November 18th 1787

For many of those that are slowly forgetting what film is, may be drawing up blank at the mention of the Daguerreotype. But photography would not be what it is today with out this Artist and Chemist. The Daguerreotype is an image exposed directly onto a mirror-polished surface of silver bearing a coating of silver halide particles deposited by iodine vapor. The daguerreotype is a negative image, but the mirrored surface of the metal plate reflects the image and makes it appear positive in the proper light. Thus, daguerreotype is a direct photographic process without the capacity for duplication.

While the daguerreotype was not the first photographic process to be invented, earlier processes required hours for successful exposure, which made daguerreotype the first commercially viable photographic process and the first to permanently record and fix an image with exposure time compatible with portrait photography.

Here's to you Luis-

Winner of contest #2

2008-11-05T13:19:00.003-05:00

Here are 2 of my favorite pictures of contest #2's winner Melissa. One of the images will be featured in Style magazine. Congrats Melissa the day was fantastic and you look great.

Whoo Hoo The Election Is Over!!! How about a reward!!!

2008-11-05T11:47:00.004-05:00

Whether your guy (or girl) for president won or didn't, this is a time for celebration. Why? because I won't be getting 15 phone calls a day from people telling me to go out and vote. I guess that's what I get for registering as an undecided.

Well I want to do my part to help get the economy going and help everybody out with their holiday shopping. So I am offering a free ipod to anyone who books their wedding or event in the month of November 2008. Keep it for yourself or gift it to a loved one, heck give it to someone you don't like. Just a little something extra to show my appreciation.

(Update: a past customer asked if they referred someone if they get an Ipod, after much squirming ,LOL, I agreed. But with the following stipulation, you as the referee have to contact me first to let me know who they are, and they still have to book the event in November.)

This offer only applies to those that see it on my blog, as an added reward for those that visit so the password to qualify for it is to say "Hey Mike, Gimme my free Ipod!" when you are in the studio.

Melissa's Video Montage

2008-11-03T02:59:00.001-05:00

Close but no bouquet

2008-10-31T14:54:00.007-04:00

click to enlarge

Every now and then I take a photograph that tickles my fancy for whatever reason. In this one I love the hands of the lady in black in the second photo. She is grasping at the bouquet and coming up with a hand full of petals. It just goes to show that these are moments that we are capturing, it is easy to get caught up in the lighting and technicalities of photography but there is something to be said by just capturing a moment in time that will never happen again.

Video Montage of Kayla's Sweet 16

2008-10-21T21:06:00.006-04:00

Happy Birthday Kayla

2008-10-21T12:03:00.013-04:00

I had a blast at Kayla's Sweet 16.

Thank You Thelma and Freddie for having me.

Kayla you were super to photograph and I wish you a very happy birthday.

From the guests to the birthday girl everyone was great and having a good time

CONTEST #2- Who wants to be in Style Magazine!!!

2008-10-06T19:48:00.004-04:00

Here is a unique opportunity for someone who is a soon to be bride, already been a bride or never was a bride. I am offering a free trash the dress portrait session to the winner and I will supply the dress. I will also feature the winner in the style magazine issue that follows the shoot, and give you a 11x14 fine art print from the session.

Trash the dress refers to photographs that contrasts elegant clothing with an environment in which it is completely out of place. It is generally shot in the style of glossy beauty and glamour photography. The idea of destroying a wedding dress has been used in Hollywood symbolically since at least October 1998 when Meg Cummings of the show Sunset Beach ran into the ocean in her wedding dress after her wedding was badly interrupted. A model often wears a ball gown, prom dress or wedding dress, and may effectively ruin the dress in the process by getting it wet, dirty or in extreme circumstances tearing or destroying the garment.

It may also be done as an additional shoot after the wedding, almost as a declaration that the wedding is done and the dress will not be used again. It is seen as an alternative to storing the dress away, never to be seen again.

Here is how you win. Email me your idea or location that you would like to shoot in, your dimensions so I can secure a dress and the person with the most intriguing idea will be the winner. The sky is the limit let the creativity flow.

CONGRATS TO MAUREEN O'MEARA THE WINNER OF CONTEST #1

KNOCKING ONE OUTTA THE PARK

2008-10-02T00:41:00.005-04:00

I would like to wish Josh a big congrats on his Bar Mitzvah, and thank you. It was an honor to not only attend such a spectacular event but be the first photographer to shoot a bar-mitzvah in The Washington Nationals baseball stadium. The facilities at the stadium were awesome, from getting to be in the players locker rooms to the players indoor batting cages, it was truly a thrill, and if it wasn't for the rain we wouldn't have got a rainbow.

3ed Place Congrats Sienna

2008-09-25T15:55:00.006-04:00

Thank you to all who came and those that supported the Angel 34 Walk for Hope (AKA Sienna's Birthday Party) I am very happy to say that she took 3ed place in the most money raised category. Over $15,000 was raised in the entire day by all participants. Thank You again for being a part of it.

PLEASE READ THIS !!! - it could save a life

2008-09-16T18:06:00.003-04:00

A Celebration with a Cause

I always new that my daughter had secret super powers, but I am pleased to find out that selflessness is one of them. Her birthday is September 21st which happens to be the same day as the 5th annual Walk for Hope by the Angel 34 Foundation. IT benifits local children in Eastern PA battling Pediatric Cancer and thier families. And Nationally with the ICEE Program.

So rather than have a party with presents she is inviting everyone to attend an bring a min $20 donation in lew of a gift. 100% of all monies raised go to the children and families. You who are reading this are invited to attend even if you don't know my daughter, Sienna. Angel 34's website is www.angel34.org if you want to check it out. please email me mike@mcnettimages.com if you would like to attend. The walk starts at 1:30 (we will get there just after 12:00) on Sunday Sept. 21st 2008 @ Northampton HS Stadium. Just look for the guy in the black fedora carrying the big camera LOL!

Sincerely, Thank you all who are able to attend.

NYC Fashion Week

2008-09-07T02:03:00.005-04:00

We had an amazing time in NYC for Fashion Week. It was the studio's honor to photograph the unveiling of Love Brigade's much awaited Viva La Future collection for Spring 09 part of their new ex-oh diffusion line. www.lovebrigade.com

Congrats Lori & Zachary

2008-09-02T13:47:00.012-04:00

AUGUST PHOTO OF THE MONTH

2008-08-16T16:40:00.006-04:00

This photo of the month was taken at Hawk Mountain in Kempton PA.

Between August 15th and December 15 is the 72nd annual Hawkwatch. From the North lookout you can spy some of the first migrants which include Bald Eagles, Kestrels and Osprey. (although on this day all we saw were turkey vultures)

Bath Lions Picture Day

2008-08-16T16:03:00.004-04:00

If your parents ever embarrassed you as a child, when they asked to take your picture when you were with your friends, then you can imagine how hard my kids have it. Today was picture day for my son's football team and my daughter's cheering squad, the Bath Lions (For everybody not in Pennsylvania, that's Bath as in the city, not Lions that like to take a bath) My poor children had to suffer as I brought out the big camera and a flash on a light stand with a softbox and a second flash on a stand for a hairlight.

CONTEST #1- Read This you can win something!!!

2008-08-15T01:04:00.004-04:00

Ok here is the first contest. I am giving away a free portrait session and a fine art print from that session to one lucky person.

Heres what you have to do I am in here somewhere (Well the studio is).

So if you have the latest issue of style or your bored in line at Wegmans reading magazines, search us out. Email me at mike@mcnettimages tell me what is going on in our ad and the first one to do this wins. Good Luck

Time to water my blog

2008-08-15T00:48:00.004-04:00

Thank god the blog is not like a plant I haven't even been stopping in to water it.

The site has had some changes that have been taking up my time. You can now go to the links page and click on the clients link to view your online proofing and place orders. There is also an option to do this on the first mcnettimages.com page.

This system should work better rather than using a 3ed party host for the pictures. I can control more and provide better access with out worrying about who is viewing your information or if they are spamming you or selling your email address to nigerian scammers. This is hosted solely by me so the only down side is that when you apply for your password I have to do it by hand. I apologize in advance if it takes me a bit but in the end I think every one will be happy with the results. Like any technological improvements let me know if you notice anything buggy.

I well be posting more about some of the other exciting things that have been happening: New lighting techniques, a couple new ads have hit and Im going to start some contests/scavenger hunts so you guys can win some free stuff

MIke

Happy Birthday Sheena!

2008-07-20T18:06:00.003-04:00

It was a pleasure to photograph your birthday. I had a great time. Suman and Elias thank you as well and congrats on your daughters first milestone she is beautiful.

Congrats Cynthia & David

2008-06-30T14:49:00.004-04:00

Guys I had a blast. Cindy you get bonus points for the trampoline and Dave I never thought I would be so touched by a chipmunks song LOL. Congrats

Lehigh Valley Style pg 117

2008-06-30T14:35:00.003-04:00

June Photo of the Month

2008-06-20T12:17:00.004-04:00

This month I am cheating. HA HA HA! This image is a 2 page spread for an album I'm currently working on. By themselves they are compelling images but together they tell a story. This Diptych is what my ambition for the studios direction is all about, not the dark moodiness, even though I love dark and moody, but it's having the sum be greater than it's parts.

This is much like the wedding itself, to quote the mastercard commercial: Dress $600, Food $30 per plate, Centerpieces $50, The perfect wedding priceless. Any element (or picture) on its own can be amazing but to have a synergy between all the elements, to get them working together for the whole that is priceless.

Check out the portfolio section of www.mcnettimages.com to see the rest of the album. I will be posting it as it develops.

Mazel Tov Rickey

2008-06-16T17:43:00.003-04:00

Page 6 of Hakol

2008-06-12T00:07:00.003-04:00

The studio's new ad came out in the June 2008 (Iyar/Sivan 5768) issue of Hakol. If you've seen it let me know its always good to know when advertising works.

To retouch or not to retouch that is the question...

2008-06-03T07:44:00.003-04:00

"When retouching a photography how much is too much?" Some people live their whole lives with what the general populous might deem unsightly blemishes. Either the person doesn't get it removed for financial or moral reasons or they just don't care. Regardless at the studio we retouch every photograph with two thoughts in mind 1) make the people look their best. 2) Keep the people looking like who they really are. If you have a mole that you have lived with your whole life it is part of who you are so it stays.

The client that sparked this train of thought after seeing the proofs said "Wow, the pictures are great, but I should really get that removed," referring to a mole that she has had for over 30 years. Here are these beautiful keepsakes of her wedding, one of the most joyful days of her life and all she can see is the mole that she has seen every day of her life when she looks in the mirror.

That got me to thinking about my function as a photographer. A purest captures the moment for what it is, nothing more nothing less. But what if what you are capturing is more than physical, what if it is the subjects vision of what is going on.

A bride on her wedding day is at her apex, hair... the best, makeup... perfect, dress... flawless. While in reality that might not be the case in her mind, hopefully, she is perfection. I believe that this is what should be conveyed in the photography.

But who decides what stays and what goes. What if Matthew Brady decided when taking Lincoln's photograph that the mole has to go? Ultimately still it falls to the subject or person commissioning the images to be made. Communication is important, and tough. I don't feel right asking a client "Hey do you want me to touch that out. " What one person thinks is beautiful might not be the same as another.

Congrats Brittany and Nick 5/25/08

2008-06-02T16:43:00.003-04:00

Congrats Trish and Garrett 5/24/08

2008-06-02T16:35:00.003-04:00

Im ready for my close up Mr. Demille

2008-06-02T16:24:00.003-04:00

For everybody in the Lehigh Valley I will be volunteering tonight on PBS WLTV Channel 39 between 7:00 and 8:00 PM during their telethon. So tune in and see me and my daughter Sienna man the phones (or in her case girl the phones) and if you are a watcher of public television call in and make a pledge, if you call and get me make sure you say hi.

It is official I have lost my mind

2008-05-28T22:58:00.005-04:00

I have succumbed to building a ring flash out of Home Depot parts.

For those of you that don't know ring flashes create a ring of light that surrounds the lens so that there are less shadows. A dentist or doctor might use one to take a picture of an area where they want to examine with out it being obscured by shadows and it is also good for close up work. Fashion photographers also use ring lights because it gets rid of the shadows from wrinkles and gives a glowing look. But to make a long story they are EXPENSIVE. So off I went today to my local hard wear store and must have looked like a lunatic trying to see if a plastic flower pot would fit together with plumbing fixtures.

The result was phenomenal it is light, portable and provides the proper illumination. I can't wait to use it on my next shoot. I posted some shots of the flash, the materials I used and a test shot of a mannequin.

Behind the scenes w/ Joyce Tenneson

2008-05-09T07:26:00.003-04:00

I would encourage anyone to go see this:

Tuesday, May 13 6:30-9:00

Calumet New York's Canon Theatre

22 W. 22nd Street

New York, NY 10010

212-989-850

The admission is $10 to register call 1 (800)Calumet

Hopefully I can convince my wife Sheri to go with me despite it being a school night. So if you see me make sure you say hi.

Tenneson's portraits go beyond a surface recording of her subject's likeness. Her signature-style images attempt to show the inner person who hovers behind the face. Says Tenneson, "I want to allow others to reveal and celebrate aspects of themselves that are usually hidden. My camera is a witness; it holds a light up for my subjects to help them feel their own unique power. The resulting portraits invite the viewer to participate in the search for individuality that inspired the portrait session."

This rare glimpse into Tenneson's thought process has never been presented in New York—until now. Tenneson's work has been shown in over 150 exhibitions worldwide and is part of numerous private and museum collections. Her photographs have appeared on countless covers for magazines: Time, Life, Entertainment Weekly, Newsweek, Premiere, Esquire and The New York Times Magazine. She is also a much sought-after portrait photographer with clients in Europe, Japan and the United States.

Tenneson is the author of seven books. Her latest, Wise Women is a bestseller and was featured in a six-part Today Show series. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the International Center of Photography's Infinity Award for Applied Photography. In addition, she has been named "Photographer of the Year" by the international organization, Women in Photography. A recent poll conducted by American Photo voted Tenneson among the ten most influential women in the history of photography.

Can't contain my excitement

2008-05-07T21:14:00.000-04:00

The littlest of things give me so much pleasure. My new promo postcards came in today and I love them. I have to thank Billie for her allowing me to shamelessly use her images for my own personal gain. Thanks as well to Mike at CE Roth Formal Wear for displaying them in your store www.ceroth.com

Started Production of Ben and Billies Coffee Book Album

2008-05-07T20:36:00.000-04:00

I've started production of Ben and Billie's Coffee Table Book. Here is a shot of the cover. I'm really excited about how it is coming together, can't wait to see it printed.

For those paying attention the round mirror is actually the mirror from where the tuxedos were rented.

Photo of the Month

2008-05-05T16:15:00.000-04:00

Here is May 2008's photo of the month,(& I didn't take it.)

Through the miracle of sonar I am pleased to introduce the first pictures of Ben and Billie's child. As tempted as I am to put he/she in the album, I think I will have to fly down for a shoot when better lighting is available.

Michael McNett Photography is Up & Running

2008-04-22T14:15:00.001-04:00

The site is officially up, well kind of. I will be adding functionality as the days progress. To think I didn't even know what a blog was.

I will be using this forum to let clients share some words about me and work that I have done. I also will be posting the occasional image that may or may not be directly related to studio's main body of work just for the fun of it. And occasionally I may wax poetic and share some of my personal feelings on photography and projects that I'm working on.

Michael McNett