Matt Blum Photography :: International Super Blog

The Blog Has Moved!!!

Sat, 24 May 2008 19:21 -0600

Please update your records to point to the new Matt Blum Photography Wedding and Portrait Blog :: mattblumphotography.com/blogWith the new blog I have the ability to post multiple images, slideshows, and all kinds of other good stuff. Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy the new blog experience.

Gretchen + Joel are Married!

Sat, 17 May 2008 09:51 -0600

I met Gretchen at a friend's wedding last year, and she was married yesterday. I was honored to be asked to be the photographer, and we found so many amazing locations to shoot in. On another note, it's Art-A-Whirl this weekend so stop by if you have a second. I'll be here all day today (Saturday) except for 6-7:30pm and all day tomorrow (Sunday) until 5pm.
77 13th Ave. NE #206A
Minneapolis, MN 55413
See you then!

The Luge.

Thu, 15 May 2008 20:48 -0600

A studio shot from this evening. Sorry for the lack of blogging lately, been away shooting. Clint (the guy in the shot) is my neighbor at the studio and we just completed a 4 day shoot in Georgia together. Now we're just goofing off.

Zak @ EHS International Night

Tue, 06 May 2008 09:58 -0600

This shot is another one from EHS International night. I think his name is Zak and I'm positive he was involved in the basketball game which resulted in another dislocated pinky for me. By the way, the work pinky doesn't seem to be in my dictionary. Weird.

CA + Andrew are Married!!!

Sun, 04 May 2008 11:24 -0600

There were so many images I loved from this wedding, I had to blog everything on the Personal Blog. Check it out!!! Also, in the next couple weeks I'm going to be transitioning to a different style of blog. You see, I love too many of these images to post only 1 a day. So look for that!

EHS International Night

Fri, 02 May 2008 12:51 -0600

After dislocating my finger on Tuesday, I decided to stick around Edina High School and see what was going on for international night. I met a ton of people and photographed some. I don't remember many names though due to the heavy amount of pain killers that I was on at the time. I'm sure Kess will shed some light on who the people I photographed are...

"You want to shoot by the what?"

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:08 -0600

How does a person come up with the idea for a photograph? I honestly can't say. You see something that might look cool, and sometimes it does. Sometimes it doesn't too...

This Kid Really Wanted the Garter... er... Flower.

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:40 -0600

The thing about wedding ins Guatemala is that they don't throw a garter (at least in this one they didn't). Based on what I observed, it was a flower or something. Anyway, whatever it was, this kid was into it.

Atmosphere Again.

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:01 -0600

Atmosphere just released a new album called When Life Gives You Lemons You Paint That Shit Gold and so I thought it be appropriate to blog an image of Slug and Ant. If you're an Atmosphere fan, rumors are this album is great. They were very secretive about the music on the album and actually flew to LA and NY for listening parties instead of sending out pre-release copies. Makes me think it's amazing music.

Mel + Danny Part Deux.

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 10:06 -0600

"Turn around, every now and then I get a little bit..."

I'm loving that I am starting to get back into shooting weddings and portraits. It's been a long winter and I'm happy to see it go. There's much creating to do and I feel like I'm ready for it. My next wedding is on May 3rd for the beautiful Caroline Kessler. This will be a special wedding for me. I'm very excited.

Hot!

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:25 -0600

Gotta love their fierceness. I'd like to thank America's Next Top Model for giving Melissa the strength to sport a sun dress in 40 degree weather with a decent breeze. She lives by the words "Look warm, even when you're cold." Thanks Tyra for all you do for the world. Everyone's life is a little better because of you.

Mel + Danny :: They're Engaged!

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 18:25 -0600

Melissa and Danny will be getting married next December, and while we tried to shoot with some snow, we missed it by a couple of days. More to come in the next couple days!

Faviola + Heyner :: A Grand Entrance

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 15:16 -0600

I apologize for not blogging more as of recently. I got back from Guatemala on Monday and I've been playing catchup since then. Plus, my great friends Brent and Maggie got married yesterday so I was busy with that as well. It was an AMAZING wedding. So much fun, so much beer. Brent was kind enough to ask me to be one of his groomsmen so I got to wear a fancy tux and everything. I'm sure Kess will have some photos up in no time of Brent and Maggie's celebration.

I've got an engagement session tonight that I'm super excited about, so look for a blog tomorrow for sure. And the day after that even.

Fabiola + Heyner :: A Wedding In Coban, Guatemala

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 16:34 -0600

It was a beautiful day to get married in Coban, Guatemala. This was actually an impromptu wedding for me that I found out I was shooting yesterday. It was amazing. Beautiful, simple, lovely, amazing. Fabiola + Heyner were married at 11am this morning with a day time reception following the wedding.

Hello there Charlie.

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 16:54 -0600

You have to love this kid. This is from Easter, my cousin Faye's child. He's pretty much the cutest little chiltlin you've ever seen. In other news... I'm in Guatemala for the next 2 weeks so I'll be updating my personal blog a little more than this one. If you're interested, take a look at mattblum.com/blog for some images and updates. Be warned, occasionally the posts on that blog contain nudity. All artistic, of course.

Peace out for now...

Bloggin' in Guat.

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 20:14 -0600

I'm back in Guatemala again, coming to you live from the lounge at your favorite Monastario in Coban. It was a long travel day but I'm feeling good now. This is an image from Easter, of little Jack. I had to work with him a bit to get him comfortable in front of the camera, but once he was we were off and running.

I'm up at 6am tomorrow for morning prayer, so I should probably get some sleep. Nighty night blogland.

Hey There Lucy!

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:29 -0600

Look at this little bean with her parents. Sorry for being so lazy updating the blog lately. I'm working on a new double-secret website that has been consuming a lot of my time. I'll give you just a little hint... the images are HUGE.

Max, Lucy, Grandma, and Grandpa.

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:19 -0600

I would love a shot like this of my sister, my grandparents and me. The most amazing thing about a shot like this is that they took the time to do it. In 40 years this photograph will be infinitely more valuble to Max and Lucy than it is today.

Senior Portrait Season Cometh!

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 13:25 -0600

I'm extremely excited for this years senior portrait season. If you're interested in booking one please set up the session sooner rather than later because I only shoot 1 session a day and the days fill up.

No! I won't!

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 17:20 -0600

One more from Anne Marie, the sweetest little sweetheart in the world. Way to go girl, stand your ground.

It's Up To You, New, York, New, York...

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 18:48 -0600

Kess and I are in NYC this weekend. It's amazing. Lots of people, you know, unlike Minnesota. I had to resist buying a Rolleiflex Camera with ALL MY MIGHT today as we visited the PhotoMecca that is [B&H Photo]. I won this round, but I can't promise I'll win the war.

Um... Excuse me?

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 18:23 -0600

"Either do what we tell you or we're not going to get McDonald's ice cream after." -Anne Marie's Dad
I thought AM was going to start a riot. We locked eyes, I fired a frame, she eventually broke into a laugh. Wheew, that was a close one. I can't stand to be stomped by another child. Christmas at the Kesslers' is enough for one year.

Guess Who Else Likes to Photograph?

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 15:14 -0600

Ann-Marie is a 3yr old photographer in training. Her favorite things to photograph are the floor, the sky, and herself. She is in the process of pioneering the art of shooting without actually looking at what you're shooting and then viewing it on the LCD. Actually, come to think of it, she might have a shot as a pro some day.

Anonymous Fast Food Worker #1

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:13 -0600

I met this woman yesterday at Wendy's while I was breaking my Lenten resolution. I did order a fish sandwich, however, even though it was Monday. Her eyes were electric and she was kind enough to let me capture this portrait of her.
If you haven't checked out the new blog, take a look, I've been doing a lot of personal work lately so it's getting some updates - mattblum.com/blog
Have a great Tuesday.

There's a New Blog in Town.

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 12:56 -0600

I've decided to separate my wedding + portrait work from the rest of the work that I do. So I've created a new blog that will be the home of everything that is not a wedding or a portrait. You can find the new blog at mattblum.com/blog
I imagine I'll be keeping as up to date with the new blog as I have been with this one, so check it every couple days or so.
Thanks!
Matt

Homenaje a Raoul Benavides

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:14 -0600

Raoul sent me an email today and I pulled up his work and was instantly impacted. Check out his site at raoulbenavides.com. One of the things I love about photography is the ability to learn from everyone and share ideas. As soon as I saw his work I thought of this image and how much more powerful it would be if I made it way more dramatic. This was the result. Inspiration strikes when you least expect it.

Veni, Vidi, Vici.

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:48 -0600

Actually, for me it was a little less vici and a little more 'didn't mess it up too bad.' Dad shot an 89 which is phenomenal considering how hard this course was and I shot a 121 which is - as you might be thinking - 18 shots better than yesterday. Also, as an added bonus it's 75 degrees here today and I have an unhealthy sunburn. But it feels so good.
We'll be back in MN tomorrow in time for the stupid wind chill and dumb-face cold. If I had $25 million, I'd buy a house on the 14th hole and stay.

The Pebble.

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 22:14 -0600

Captain Jack and I played Spyglass today, one of the toughest courses out here. I shot the best round I ever have - a confident 139. My dad shot an 89 which is very impressive considering the course was set up for pro golfers and we are not pro golfers. I'm not even a regular golfer, actually.Tomorrow... a new challenge. Beautiful ocean vistas, green grass, and lush mountain scapes serve as distractions as the course tries to eat you alive. I will not be distracted. I will not be defeated.

Hello From Pebble Beach.

Sun, 10 Feb 2008 17:05 -0600

Here he is, Jack Blum, 1 day past 60 years of age looking out from our hotel room onto the 18th green and the pacific. And like 100,000 people since there's a pro/celeb tournament today.

My dad and I are out on a 4 day adventure of golf, watching golf... and wait... I was blog-interrupted by a gentleman bringing a bottle of champagne to our room. I think it's Krystal [if that's a brand of Champagne]. I could get used to this and pause I already am. Also it's 70 degrees here which is quite a nice deviation from Minnesota which I believe is suffering from wind chills of 140 below 0.
Tomorrow we play Spyglass, and the day after that The Pebble itself. Wish me luck as I will most definitely need it.

Old Love.

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 13:02 -0600

I asked Hanz and Loraine [I'm pretty sure her name is Loraine] about how their love has changed over the last 60 years. They said in the beginning they were exploring what it was like to be with one another, learning about one another, and passionate about one another. Now, after so much time, they know each other too well for all of that. They describe their current love as comfortable. I think that's pretty obvious.

Winter Max.

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 18:08 -0600

Wow. Honestly. Wow.
My dad and I are preparing to a trip to Pebble Beach on Saturday... so I'll be gone for a few days next week. I'm so excited to golf that course it's unbelievable. The best part is I am a TERRIBLE golfer. I mean truly awful. Luckily, the word is that everyone on that course sucks and so the staff just grin. I just need to not-suck enough to blend in. Sometimes I miss the ball though, that's all I'm saying.

The Whole Family

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:10 -0600

Here is the whole Familia Lopez-Luna. What an amazing group of people.

I'm off to Los Angeles today. I'm actually a little sad to be leaving now because we are getting all kinds of glorious snow that is creating perfect conditions for me to practice my drifting. As a consolation prize my man Sean Borg hooked me up with a sweet ride in LA, so if you see a partially-balding pale noob driver in a BMW 5 series make sure to waive, cause that dude you're flicking off is me.

Los Hermanos Lopez-Luna

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 18:44 -0600

Aunque se ven muy serio en esta foto, son dos personas tan sinceras casi no te lo puedes creer. Durante el reportaje hice retratos tradiciones mezclado con imágenes mas relajados. Al final todo salio muy bien, y me dio la oportunidad a practicar el español. Pongo otra foto mañana.

The Abbey of Love.

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 17:05 -0600

Here they are, the lovely couple in front of the SJU Abbey.
In related news I'll be launching my new Personal Blog in the next few days. I've decided to separate my wedding and portrait blogging from all of the other random stuff that I post. Look for the link as soon as I'm done testing it.

Ta ta!

CA is Back.

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 14:02 -0600

I love the look, Caroline Ann.
I'm off to Lutsen this weekend and I won't be back into the studio until late Monday or Tuesday. Most likely Tuesday. Have a great weekend, and say a prayer that I don't kill myself trying to keep up the the younger, better, more agile skiers.

Simple Nude.

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:05 -0600

At times I think I'm too lazy to build a set, get crazy with makeup, or go over the top with lights when shooting figure studies like this. While that's definately true, I love the simplicity in images where it's just a person as they are without too many distractions. Someone asked me the other day if I liked Edward Weston. He is, in fact, my favorite photographer.

TheView

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 17:13 -0600

During Todd + Carrie's celebration we stopped at The View in uptown for a drink or 3. Carrie's brother Kevin was nice enough to help me with the lighting and should he want to I'm sure he would be an amazing wedding photographer. Just don't steal my business, Kevin. Seriously, I'm watching you.

C for Carrie, T for Todd

Sat, 19 Jan 2008 15:53 -0600

Carrie and Todd got married on the coldest day in the history of the world. I really don't like to talk about the weather, but the high today and yesterday was something like -5. And still, we braved the cold to shoot outside and everything. I'll post a portrait tomorrow, but I wanted to show you their rings. They are pretty, yes?

Woah... That's intense.

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:31 -0600

I shot a couple hours with Atmosphere today. We hung out at a bar for a while before exploring the great outdoors for 10 minutes. Apparently it's very cold today.

Tilt Shift Paradise

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:32 -0600

Another portrait from today, this time using my BRAND NEW TILT-SHIFT LENS. Coming it at 45mm, about a pound, this little beauty is capable of so very much. I know I'll be shooting a lot of portraits with it. This image has NO Photoshop other than the toning. All of the distortion and blur effects are organic.

The Art Everywhere

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 14:07 -0600

It just doesn't get any more simple than this shot. It's just a headshot. I made it for the Walker Corporation, and I'm proud of it. I love a good, simple, clean portrait. Sometimes is feels as if you're looking through the person. Strange, I know, but to me there's nothing better.

Snow Bride Part 2

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 14:20 -0600

Colleen was way easy-going as you can see. Lay in the snow when it's 5 above 0? Of course, she said, anything for the image.

The Best Part About This Shot...

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:07 -0600

... is the explosion that ensued as this lovely couple broke 4 gigantic halogen bulbs that were ever so carefully placed on the ground behind whatever that thing they're standing behind is. I think it might be art, but who knows.

Carly Girl Be Engaged!

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 17:45 -0600

This right here is not safety first. I did ask him if he could successfully jump and land on that ledge, so I figure I did my due diligence. Due Diligence might not be the right phrase there, I don't know.
Carly [sister of Kess] and Andrew [brother of Andrew's sister] will be married next May at the Carlson Towers. This will be an extra special wedding for me since I know them quite well.
In other family-related news, check out the new Beantree Photography Website. It's been reinvented with a whole new look, but the same great photography.

The Abbey At St. John's + Free Music Wednesday!!!

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 19:09 -0600

This is from the last wedding I shot. The church in the background is the beautiful Abby at St. John's University which just happens to be my Alma Mater.
In other news, I changed the music on my site and got so much response that I contacted the artist and he said I could give it away. That's right, you heard it here. It's by John Richards, of Consolation Champ and the track is called Italy. This song was recorded and produced by me, so it's extra close to my heart. Click here to download it.
If you are looking for a wedding band, these guys are it. No lame gimmicks or annoying lead singers, just sweet music that you can groove to. They've got a show this Saturday at the Fine Line. I'll be there.
Enjoy today's image, and enjoy today's song.

That's How You Rock

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 13:08 -0600

This image was captured at the Atmosphere concert a couple months ago. I can't remember the name of this rapper but he was sweet, and he jumped into the crowd a bunch of times. I actually really want to be a rapper. The unfortunate thing is that I don't think people would take me seriously. Above that, I don't really have any street cred.

Oh, you kids...

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:17 -0600

Nothing like a little sibling affection. These kids were a blast to work with. I love it when they just play along and don't look at me like I'm an idiot (even if it's warranted).
I'm slowly recovering from my birthday. It's 2 days later and I still don't feel quite right. I don't know when it happened, but at some point I got old. So old that any alcohol consumed takes 24-48 hours to be purged from my body. I miss the college days when I was in good drinking shape.

Lucy [Max's Cousin] Discovers Pool.

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 19:13 -0600

Pictured in this image are Lucy and Max's [the blog-famous-baby] arm. They discovered the joy of playing with pool balls that weigh about 1/10th of what they weigh and not one injury was sustained.

I added some new wedding galleries to the site, so check those out if you have a second. I still have 6 weddings to scan through and add images to the online galleries, but it's definately a start. The new galleries are at mattblumphotography.com.
I may not be blogging tomorrow, it's my birthday and I plan on celebrating. Trivial Pursuit and all.

Untitled Nude

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 13:59 -0600

Happy New Year!
I'm taking the rest of this week to do some site updates, put a couple new portfolios on the site, and redesign some of the promotional materials. It's been great to have to time to digest everything that's happened in the past year. It's been an amazing ride, and I can't wait to see what 2008 holds in store.
A sincere thank you to everyone that continues to check the blog and read the stupid things that I write :)

The Couple + The Art

Sun, 30 Dec 2007 22:44 -0600

Here is the lovely couple, Joe + Colleen, who are probably packing right now for their honeymoon in Hawaii. They were married on Saturday at St. John's University, my Alma Mater and theirs as well. SJU is known for their artsy monks, so I figured we should probably shoot with some of their creations.
In other news... I played boot hockey tonight and my everything hurts. I'm pretty sure I had some amazing near-fatal falls. During one of them, I did the splits. It was not graceful.