Busy, Late or Early, and Fun

Ok, so I've been absent again...damn I have to get better at this. It's 3:09 A.M. as I type and am still pretty wide awake....crazy but what the hell I have to work when I can and that's what I suppose is good about being a bit of a night owl. I have been having an incredible October! Super busy, booked up for the whole month early on, Flew to NYC to shoot for my friend Sara Keiser of Box 185 for 4 days (talk about Kick Ass), and loving my favorite time of the year. No, not the political season...Fall, and we are having an absolutely beautiful Fall this year!

So, I am up this late or early, however you want to look at it, because I'm trying to rock out as much editing as possible. Tons of family stuff, kids, engagement, seniors (the high school kind) and newborn work to get done and out to clients. On top of that I'm still booking the rest of the year out and even though I'm super busy now I know it will slow soon as that white stuff begins to creep into SD again. Don't let that stop you from booking, we can do some cool stuff in the winter!

The NYC trip was incredible and I will post some photos and fun stories on that soon, it deserves it's own post.

I Love My Job!
Thanks for reading and hopefully I get to see you soon, through the lens or not...maybe at bar, don't look for me unless you call though, kiddos are bar killers (and that's ok:-))

(The photo above is the son of my High School classmate Dan Brendtro and High School / college friend Jen Lee Brendtro. Thanks to the Brendtro family!)

good morning,
E

Problem: Bottleneck, Solution: MacbookPro!

Its not often that we spring for new shiny toys around here, but our latest shiny toy is a welcomed addition to the business. If you've recently booked a session with Erin, you'll recall that his schedule for fall is filling up fast. Of course, this is obviously a great thing, but its resulted in some sleepless nights of editing for Erin. Sessions typically take 1-2 hours, which is the quick part. What customers don't see is the time spent on the back end, sorting through the hundreds of frames and editing what will become your final portraits. If your a nightowl, you're bound to see Erin surface via Facebook in the wee hours of the morning. The guy doesn't sleep! Since we only had one system, I didn't have a computer to edit on, so I....well...slept. We figured that in order to provide a quicker turnaround to you, our wonderful customers, we'd add an additional system so we can both be editing into what we hope aren't quite the wee hours of the morning any longer. Problem solved!
-J

Kellee & Matt

Its pretty easy to take photos when the couple looks this good! Kellee and Matt were married on a beautiful (but incredibly windy!) summer day. We were lucky to find a secluded spot near their eastside church to take advantage of the outdoors. Congrats Kleins! And thank you for allowing us to share in your day. -J

Here's some of my Recent Fashion shoot w/ Box 185 - by Sara Keiser

Stranger?

Wow, Sorry about the absence! I guess that I might actually be speaking to my 1 Follower (thanks Kelly). Anyway I have to say that the reason I haven't kept up with news here is that I've been pleasantly busy. A lot of late nights editing and days shooting on top of the rigors (loves) of Fatherhood.

So, I thought that I'd share a couple of recent things that I've shot and hope that any of you looking at these are doing well and if it's a bad day maybe these could give you a smile.

Thanks for stopping,
E

A Few Recent Shots

These are some of the images I've captured recently. I have been at the computer editing a lot, listening to good music, and very much enjoying the incredible opportunity to be my own boss.

I have always felt that Photography or a Photo gives us the chance to stop time, or a captured image can really act as a time machine. I find this especially true with children for obvious reasons. My goal in shooting photos of children is to capture who they are, who they really are! Who we as parents see daily and at any given moment think to ourselves how beautiful they are and how much we wish we had a picture of "that expression" or smile. I want to give you that as a parent.

Time flies by so quickly so lets try to stop it on occasion!

A special thanks to the Karim Family; The Petrick Family; The Hennies Family; and The Van Beek Family on our recent sessions.
E

Going Political

Here is some recent work that I've done for Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin. On the occasions that I have worked with her and her staff, it has been effortless. She is very sincere and in observing her interactions with people, just plane genuine.

I think that she does a very good job at representing the people of South Dakota.
E

Who I am

Normally I won't post a photo on this blog that isn't my own unless it has a significant meaning or it is from someone that I completely am in awe of and give credit to. Here is one of those times!

This is the sentimental photo/words addition; I didn't take this photo, not sure who did but I really like it. This is my Dad, Lee McManus. If you don't know me and have happened upon this little sliver of a blog, my Father Lee died 2+ years ago. He is my best friend and I miss him terribly everyday. We talked nearly every day and it is hard for me to grasp the fact that I haven't talked to him in this long!

So, I was trying to find a message that I missed on the home phone (land line) and heard my Dad's voice talking to me. This threw me back in time and suddenly he seemed right there again.

I am my Dad, yet I am me, but without my Dad who knows what I would be!

Miss you Dad,
E

Becka & Ryan Burger Wedding

Here are some shots from the wedding. Jill and I had a great time shooting and spending time with our friends on their beautiful day.

We wish them all the best....Congrats again!

E

Becka & Ryan

So I have read on occasion that some photogs won't shoot their friends (though some might want to, and not with a camera). I have also read "tips" about dealing with BIG occasions if a photog does snap the shutter on friends, seemed very un-friend like the things that I was coming across.

Anyway, I was asked to shoot a wedding for my friends and agreed to....of course. Their ceremony sounded beautiful and was very much my style. Outdoors, Natural Light (aahhh), and an incredible location....the Black Hills of SoDak.

I am still editing after pulling the trigger more than 1500 times, probably closer 2000. I never let my cards leave my possession until loaded in my Mac. In fact the night of the wedding I slept with them in my pocket, as I wandered through dream land I ended up having a NIGHTMARE....I fell (or was pushed) into a pool with the cards in my pocket. Of course after that I woke up several times checking on them:)

I thought that I'd share a couple images here, and will post more after the edits are done and the Bride and Groom have them.

Most of all I'd like to Thank Becka and Ryan for the opportunity to not only spend that day with you but to capture such a special moment in your lives together!
E

Box 185 Summer Shoot coming!

I'm getting excited for another Photo shoot with my friend Sara Keiser and crew later this summer. This one looks to be a sweet one, a little bigger production than our winter shoot. I thought that I'd share some of the shots from that shoot here.

Check her out, she is a very talented artist/designer living out in NYC. She's a SD native that is pursuing her dream and doing quite well at it.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/box185
http://www.myspace.com/box185

Oh, and if you're interested in modeling or know of someone that might be, please by all means let me know.

Designer: Sara Keiser
Model: Monica Geise
Hair: Amy Norman
Make Up: Shannon Wright-Barnes

E

So here is something that I came across the other day while cruising around Downtown Sioux Falls. Candy Cigarettes! I have to admit that there is a little part of me that loved seeing these, I mean how Un-PC is this nowadays..... I think that's why I love it, check that I know that's why I love it!

I remember going to a little neighborhood store on the North End called Buds Grocery and getting these bad boys. Of course then the package actually said "Candy Cigarettes"...pretty sure there's some lunatic out there that would sue the company for causing them to smoke at the first sign of health issues, hence the "Candy" label. Anyway it was fun to see them and I think next time I'll buy a pack and bring them to a bar with me (maybe I'll order a root beer...nnnaaahhh).

Oh, almost forgot they had the Bubble gum Cigars too....

E

My Little Lady

This is my favorite little Lady!

We went w/ Grandma Cathy to the Horse Barn in SF the other day and I caught her gazing at some of the art there. The light was very warm, bouncing off of the wood floors and creating this wonderful glow on her face. This image is relatively untouched, I did add a slight tone adjustment and a touch of vignetting.

I love that little face!

E

Dad

Dad,
This is an open letter to let you know that we still have a good time. Dennis, Mike, Paul, Russ, Ron, and I all gathered tonight. We told stories of you and without you, you'd love 'em and wouldn't believe them....some were the ones you told too.

I miss you, I miss your voice, I miss your "love You"'s and I miss your hugs... Someday I hope to get there again, until then I'll do my best to give my little ones everything you gave me.

Thanks Dad, for the millions of memories...they're flowing like a river right now....Miss You...Love You McNeeto:)

E

Announcements

I have to say that I have a great partner in life but also a wonderfully talented and creative business partner as well...yes I'm gushing about my wife Jill.

We have been offering Announcements for newborns as we have done newborn sessions. Jill is incredibly good at making custom announcements. I don't think that I have seen any like them. What is even better is that the client has something totally unique. Anyway I thought that I would show a couple of samples of our collaboration. (Thank you to Beth & Ryan and Amber & Rory).
E

Clouds

Just thought that I'd share some of what I saw last night as looked out our front window then proceeded to run for my camera!

Very impressive storm clouds, yet I only heard one bit of thunder and didn't have a drop of rain. Crazy what MaMa Nature can do.

Here We Go!

Hello and welcome to my new world, sort of. As you can see or know my wonderful wife Jill opened this blog with some commentary some time ago and I'm finally getting to lay down some words for you to digest. You'll have to forgive my style of writing because it is purely stream of conscience and most likely grammatically butchered. Sorry former teachers it's me not you.

For those of you that don't know me, I of course am Erin McManus and I now call myself a Photographer...as of last September anyway. I've always considered myself a photographer just never got paid for it.

I have always been enamored with the notion of catching a moment, a moment in time. I often think of it in terms of one of the closest things to time travel. You can only look back however. I remember being a child and sitting in my Dad's studio with him looking at old photos. I was amazed at how different everyone looked, this was probably when I finally realized that everyone changes, gets old (physically anyway), and at some point dies. I really was struck though when I saw incredible images that were literally frozen in time, how amazing to have snapped the shutter at that very instant. I think what really set the hook in me though was observing my father paint incredible art from Black and White reference photos he shot. I found myself drawn to the photos and how beautiful a world really still could be with out color. Our mind if we let it will see past the shades of grays into that window of an image and let us imagine the moment.

My Dad traded a painting for my first camera, a Nikon F circa 1971-73, older than me. The same camera I saw reporters photographed shooting the Vietnam War. I shot a lot of photos with it, most of which I'm sure were scrapped as I got the contact sheets printed and realized I had no clue about ASA, F-Stop, Metering, etc... But that's the sweetheart that got me started.

My Dad died suddenly two years ago, he was my best friend and I miss talking to him as I did nearly everyday. He was 60 years old, lived a good life though not nearly long enough, and almost realized his Artist dream....No 8-5 and doing what he loved. This obviously weighed heavily on our decision to take this step. I really felt that I didn't want to look back and say "what if". So I owe him a huge debt of gratitude for not only helping me discover photography but to encourage me to go after it long before he left.

I also must say here that I could not be doing this without the support and love of my wife Jill. I think that we make a great team, as I don't do this work all alone. I plan on having a camera in her hands as well soon and think that we will capture some incredible moments together....maybe even for you.

So here we go, I'm having a blast and so far have had many very incredible experiences already. Thank you to those of you that have already hired me and trusted me to freeze those moments for you.

Sincerely,
Erin McManus