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

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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....

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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!

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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:)

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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).
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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