I think he is after those apples

I am a big fan of the blog Photoshop Disasters. Every day the authors highlight some very bad photoshop work that has been sent out into the world without very much thought. Sometimes you will see ads with extra arms and hands that don't belong to anyone in particular. You may find weirdly proportion heads and bodies. You will also find some very obvious clone stamping, and ill conceived compositions. The best part is that these finds are not the work of students, or beginners, the work sometimes comes from very large companies that spend a lot of money producing and marketing their products. Companies like Nike, or Microsoft, or Disney. You know, companies with little budgets.

Today I popped over and found a gem for you. In fact, I am still laughing just looking at this thing. Great photos can sell a house, but this is downright scary. I hope they have a really big fence.

Janelle and James

Last summer I was asked to shoot engagement photos for Janelle and James. We had a great time shooting, and were able to get several great photographs in the process.

I was happy to also be a part of their wedding day, and capture some of their joy. It was one of those fun weddings where you could tell that everyone was having a genuinely great time.

I love this last photo, and was very pleased when they chose it for their Thank You cards.

Be a Warrior

I'm a big fan of Ira Glass, and "This American Life." I was introduced to the show by a fellow photographer, after he described some of my images as having a "This American Life" quality to them. At the time I didn't know what he meant, but now I understand, and take it as a compliment.

In this video, Ira Glass talks about creativity. He is describing the learning curve in making great audio stories, but the sentiment can be translated to photography. The video is worth watching, and gives me hope that the many parts of my craft that I have not mastered will come with more time and practice.

Why we have brothers and dogs

This is one of the compositions I worked on today. I need to keep practicing my photoshop techniques, so I try to keep myself entertained in the process.

I really don't think that he is going to clear her. Let's hope she doesn't bite.

La Plage

Yesterday I viewed the Richard Misrach exhibit "On The Beach" at the National Gallery of Art. The prints are extremely large, some are six feet by ten feet. They are so big that you feel like you could crawl in them. Misrach shot the series from the balcony of a hotel room, over several years, using an 8x10 camera. He was trying to achieve the sense that the viewer is hovering over the subjects, and it works. You feel like you are floating over the people and the water. Misrach also intended the work to be a little unsettling, as his inspiration was the images of people falling from the World Trade Center towers on 9/11. At times some of the swimmers looked scared, particularly the image of two swimmers embracing. Overall, the vast water and sand left me feeling more peaceful than frightened. I was fascinated with the peculiar way in which he shows us behaving on the beach, from the trappings we bring, to the way we face the sun, the curious positions we find ourselves in, and even the way in which we float, swim and dive in the water. Perhaps it is my love for the beach that prevents me from feeling frightened the way that Misrach intended. Regardless, the exhibit is worth checking out, and will be on display at the National Gallery of Art, in the West Wing, until the end of beach season, September 1st.

Humans with Donkey Heads and Overgrown Vegetables

I am working on a project this week for my photo illustration class. The project is taking me a long time, which can be very frustrating...especially for someone with the patience of a newt. Not fair, a newt could be very patient, I have no idea. Compositing images is something that is very new to me. Despite it's newness, I love the idea of creating an image from pieces that were not together to begin with.

At the beginning of this class I was introduced to the work of Chip Simons. After a few clicks through his portfolio I found myself laughing out loud, and in love with his work. If you are unfamiliar with compositing, check out his "Postcards" series. One look at that dog whose torso was replaced with a corn cob and I was hooked. Genius stuff. Kind of mad that I didn't think of it first, to be honest with you. While you are over there, also check out his "Bunny" series. I am fascinated with the child-like, yet frightening qualities of those photographs.

Simons work sent sparks through my brain, and I have so many ideas of composites that I would like to try. I also found an article Simons wrote that is additionally inspiring. I often find myself working on something, and then I start laughing hysterically. It is nice to know that I am not the only one. I might be slightly crazy, but I am in good company.

Summertime

I think part of the fun of shooting portraits is to try and capture a bit of the subjects personality. When that subject is a five year old girl, you can get all sides of that little personality beaming through.

About Me

Photo by Justin Mathews

Hi! I'm Meaghan. I am a photographer. I love photography. So much so that sometimes I get really excited, and talk really fast, and make myself giddy with photo geekness. Sounds awesome, doesn't it? What else would you like to know? Well, In my sixth grade year book I was voted "Most Artistic" and "Class Clown." Nothing has changed much since elementary school, except that I am a little bit taller now. I am also obsessed with baseball. It is a Boston thing, you may or may not understand. I moved to Washington DC from the great state of Massachusetts in 2001. I have yet to stop talking about it, just ask my husband, poor guy. And to borrow a line from one of my heroes, Elliott Erwitt, I love kids and dogs.

Besides Mr. Erwitt, I am inspired by many photographers and artists including Chip Simons, Henri Matisse, Diane Arbus, William Wegman, Norman Rockwell, and Wes Anderson, to name a few.

I am available for work and assignment in the DC area, and am willing and able to travel. I can be reached at meaghangayphotography [at] gmail [dot] com.

I hope you enjoy the blog.