Kayaking Adventures

Nearly 2 years ago my friend Greg Latza and I briefly discussed the exceptional coolness of cruising down the Missouri River in kayaks. This is my 3rd summer of yaking around the Southeast part of SD. Greg found his addiction quickly after we took a quick trip together one April morning. Anyway, we finally found the weekend (which is a Thur. and Fri. for us...beauty of being your own boss..."sure take off, have fun, and don't die"....well the real bosses let us get out out there anyway, thanks wives) to make it happen.

Mother nature however had some other thoughts, high winds and high water deflected our trip down the lower Missouri to the White River in western SD. The White flows into the Missouri south of Chamberlain so we still got to fulfill our desire to time travel and paddle w/ the fur traders and explores of the Frontier days. I should mention here that we owe a debt of gratitude to some paddling friends via their experience and wisdom. Jarett Bies, Donna Juffer, and Caleb Gilkerson out of Steamboat in Pierre all helped us to make the safest and most educated decision on where to go. Huge Thank You to all of them.

So our journey began on the White River at county rd 319 and was a planned 2 day trip exiting the mouth of the White and an approximate 1/2 to 3/4 mile finish on the Missouri to our take out.

I grew up roaming the prairie of South Dakota with my Dad. We hunted and fished everywhere we could. We camped, we took trips just to take trips like getting out to see the spring migration of waterfowl. I learned at an early age how incredibly beautiful this state is, especially if you get off the road. I have to say that this trip ranks right up there with some of the best. The visual painting laid out before us was ever changing and couldn't be done justice with words in my opinion. I thought often of my father who unexpectedly passed away 3 years ago. I realized that I wouldn't have the ability to comprehend or appreciate anything that I saw, smelled, or heard out there had it not been for those many outdoor adventures he proudly brought me on. He would've loved that trip, and am sure was right there with us throughout a majority of it.

My paddling companion on this trip of course was Greg Latza. Greg has the talent and ability to capture some of the most beautiful images of our State that I have ever seen. I feel fortunate and lucky to be able to just be around, and hope that osmosis somehow trickles a bit of that ability through my shutter. Now enough of the sappy kiss ass sounding stuff, Greg is a great guy to have on a journey like this cause you get the appreciation for what's there and the smart ass attitude that needs to be present as well. My only worry was that he'd be crying like my 1 1/2 year old when we got out in the middle of nowhere.

All that said, I had a great trip and I would like to think that I learned a lot. Mostly maybe though I reconnected, not only with Momma Nature but somewhere within myself as well. I find that I need that cleansing via the wide open Prairie, probably something to do with My bud, My Dad, who showed me the way so early and often in my life. This time around it was good to travel with someone that he called a friend as well.

Oh, That top shot is by none other than Greg Latza....gorgeous shot buddy!

E

Always have the shooter with ya....

I happened to see this "little" bit of action the other day while out with my kids.

This guy couldn't get through the drive thru at S-Bucks so I guess it was down the street to try and get a bite at Daylight Donuts!

I love seeing odd stuff like this, and it's why I try to have my camera with me all the time. You never know when you'll happen upon something that you want to shoot. My kids got a kick out of this big 'ol house heading down the street as well.

E

Aaaaahhhh Spring Eve....

I was lucky enough to spend some more time with my family this last weekend. I am one of those lucky guys who married not only a gorgeous and incredible woman but was also fortunate enough to find another family that anyone would love to be part of. My in-laws have a home near the Missouri River that we spend as much time as possible in and love every minute we get there.

So, we spent Easter in Pickstown, SD, enjoyed some kickball in the yard, great food, and some drink. Mostly we enjoyed family. I got to get in the boat with my Father in-law Glenn and do a little fishing. This is a shot from the evening we sat on the Missouri below the Ft. Randall Damn. A gorgeous dusk that I often long for and am so incredibly thankful for.

Hope you like it and it gives you a fraction of the peace I felt looking at this sight! To me it is Stunning, the land, the water, what mother nature will give you for a fleeting moment.

E

Things I've seen....

I have been, as always looking at my surroundings with a lens in my mind. I recently shot some stuff for a friend that is a defense attorney and that resulted in scouting, then subsequent shooting elsewhere. So I have some not so unique shots here, places that are photographed relentlessly but I found myself at each one completely alone.

The first is the namesake of the city that I live in, city is used as a descriptor loosely. We mostly occupy a large area as farm cast outs, whether it's first gen or 4th gen....we who live here mostly likely have blood that was shed upon the fields of SD.

The latter is a place that is dedicated to those who have served this country in battle. The Veterans Memorial Park. I don't know what drew me to this park that day but 30seconds into my visit I saw what will stay with me until my last breath. I walked upon the memorial bricks and was greeted by a lone Rose, it was the only color in the park and symbolized the individual. The man or woman that signs a dotted line, leaves their family maybe to never return. Sacrifice that most of us can not imagine. I stared at this rose for a long time and thanked all who bled their end upon the earth for us and for those who still fight.

These are things I see and if I were more disciplined about having the camera with me the more I could express myself. Just remember that when you think that the day is tough, someone is walking down a road that DOES have an end and won't be coming home!
E

March Deals from Erin McManus Photography

So as I mentioned we've changed up our pricing a bit this year, I've invested in some new gear, we're updating our website to offer the customer much more flexibility in ordering prints via their own galleries directly and we're broadening the spectrum of what we shoot.

So, here is The March deal: Any wedding that is booked in March will get $100.00 off the CD, and any Children or Family Sessions that are Booked in March will get 1/2 off the session fee. You can book the session for whenever you want through the rest of 2011.
Email me or Message me on Facebook if you're interested so that I can attach the new price list (the part we're still updating on the website).
Thanks again,
E

Box 185 NYC -- Compilation of our work together

So this is for my friend Sara Keiser, designer and artist of clothing in NYC. I have had the pleasure of working with her and many other talented artists over the last couple of years. I decided to put this piece together for all of us who have worked so hard to create these beautiful images.

I know that she works very hard as do all members of the teams that were organized both in South Dakota and New York City. I hope that the work that I contributed has done them all justice. Keep up the good work all of you and I wish for continued success to you all.

It's a little long so please take a little time and look, so hard to condense so many shots. If you like little short vids I apologize this isn't one of them.

Enjoy,
E

New Day

Here are a couple more shots from the Box 185 Shoot this Winter.

Jill and I have been discussing ways to improve this adventure we are on and are hashing out some new stuff. There will be some new deals coming very soon. I will also be updating the website and will post here as that happens. We have added some new shots to the site so go check it out and keep an eye on it because it will be changing frequently.

See you soon,
E

Here we Go Again!!!

Ok, so of course I owe my few followers an apology for my absence and promise to be much better at this.

So, wrapped up the 2010 year in a positive manner feeling pretty good about things on the business front and very hungry for more. I believe that we had a good year, we shot a lot of great family, newborn, senior, freelance, children, fashion sessions as well as a few weddings! I tried to spread myself somewhat thin, but to stay in control, as well. I learned not to overbook by spending massive time at the computer editing until 2-3 AM for many weeks. I loved that we were that busy but also learned to manage that time by spreading things out a little bit more.

Jill and I spent a few days in NYC shooting for Box 185 on the streets of Manhattan which was very cool, especially considering it was nearly a year after leaving the 9-5 to pursue this dream. A big thanks to Sara Keiser for that opportunity. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our friends and families for the incredible amount of support and referrals. Without all of you, this year may have been a much more difficult one. That said, this year we will be changing our pricing a bit for a couple of reasons that I'll discuss. I will also be a bit more aggressive this year promoting our business. I know there are a lot of photographers in our area and I'd like to ultimately be considered amongst the best. I know that requires a lot of blood, sweat, and tears (yours not mine, because you love your photos sooooo much).

Pricing, as I mentioned earlier, I spent many long nights at the Mac editing. Again, not complaining and I know that with experience this time will shrink, but also there are a lot of uncontrollable things that come up that sometimes need to be dealt with on the system. I realized some of those early mornings that I really wasn't paying myself much at all. I am not a money hoarding person but we have to be able to keep the wheels turning on this and be able to continually stay competitive, which means additional equipment and the ultimate goal - a studio! We want to strive for nothing but satisfaction for our customers. So we are in the process of updating the website with a new pricing area, as well as much needed new images.

I will be a lot better at keeping this blog updated and try to manage my work flow accordingly. Jill and I really want to build this business up to be a top notch respectable Photography business that our customers come back to over and over again. Ideally, I would love for Jill to work more with me on location (she has a great eye for excellent shots). She will have a camera in her hand soon, as well.

So for now I will say can't wait to see you here again and I hope that you visit often and enjoy the images that we capture. Thanks again for all of your support and maybe we'll see you in front of the lens soon. Take Care!
E

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