Resolution Photography

These shots are of a great building with an incredible amount of character. It once housed a foundry, but is being rehabbed into a wood shop. The man behind it is turning the building into a place where inner city youth can learn a trade. I would love to spend more time photographing the building, but I was on a timeline when I shot these. They will have to do for now.

Somewhat of a misleading title, but oh well. As promised, more pictures!

Following the delivery of the boys, I have hardly picked up my camera. So much craziness going on, maybe some of the stories will make it to this Blog, but doubtful. They more so belong in a book for dads bringing home babies. What to expect, what to not expect, and tips on survival. All stuff I really needed to know.

Anyway, these shots are from when we brought the boys home. I had the idea of having all the family present when we arrived with the boys. This way we could have video and still shots of the arrival, but also for support and it was an opportunity for Carolyn and I to thank the most important people in our lives. The people we couldn't have survived without. Little did we know how important they would be in the first week with the boys at home.

It was an fantastic evening. We ate Pot Roast, watched the Packers game and took some time to just be together. My parents drove in from Columbia, Carolyn's parents, who had been with us at the hospital almost continually helping us sort through all the mounds of information, were there, and Carolyn's sister, Jacqueline, also spent some time hanging out.

I wouldn't trade that night of memories for anything.

For all the family reading this, thank you again. Your support, encouragement, and patience is invaluable. For those close enough to us to know what we went through this past week, you also played and enormous role in us (mostly me) keeping our sanity (this means you Jen and Darren!)

Enjoy the images, they were taken by my dad, Merle, an accomplished photographer in his own right and are SOTC (Straight out of the Camera) with no adjustments. Spot on, as usual!

~Matt

The Boys are a week old now, and I am finally getting around to sorting through all the photos from their birth. I also have some shots from their Homecoming that my dad took, they'll be posted soon.

I'm going on just a couple hours sleep and haven't been able to load any shots from my camera, but here are a few from our point and shoot. Carson has worn a few different color hats in an effort to find one that would eventually stay on his head. His hair keeps sliding the hats off. Caden, on the other hand, has some gorgeous curls that seem to keep pulling his hat lower on his head, often over his eyes. Caden's hat is the green and white knitted.

Caden also seems to enjoy pulling his chin down to his chest like he is trying to pull down into his swaddling cloth. When he does this, he looks like a little turtle trying to pull into his shell.

Carson had his eyes open and tongue out from the moment he was born. He seems to be taking in the world around him. Caden has focused his time on sleep. The birth was a bit more traumatic him and he ended up with a bit of a bruised face and especially bruised upper lip.

During labor Carolyn was pushing and Carson was slowly working his way out, then the doctor said something funny and Carolyn started to laugh, next thing we knew, Carson was out. The laughing shot him out faster than the pushing!

Next came Caden, he came out with one hand along side his cheek, as Carolyn pushed, another arm came out too. He might have potential as a swimmer because as he came out, he motioned his arms like he was doing the breast stroke. These two are characters right from the start.

More photos to come.

We (Carolyn and I) are rapidly approaching having our world rocked by the birth of our two boys. Yesterday my wife was 33 weeks pregnant. Today we met with our high risk specialist and he very sincerely said that after Carolyn went into labor at 25 weeks, nobody thought they would be able to delay birth this long. Now it is looking like the boys will be delivered sometime in the middle of January.

In the meantime, we took some time last weekend and took some maternity shots. We were limited on locations because she is on bed-rest, so I did what I could to dress up our unfinished basement and vary its appearance as much as I could.

Carolyn is doing well and getting bigger. As of today the boys are 3 lbs. 13 oz and 3 lbs. 13 1/2 oz. the fact they are so close in size is a good thing and implies good health.

I was born and raised just north of Los Angeles in a town called Newhall. Even though I was less than an hour form downtown (depending on traffic) I was never a Raiders fan, didn't root for the LA Rams, was never tempted wear a lightning bolt of the San Diego Chargers and have too much self-respect to be associated with the 49ers. I was born and raised a Green Bay Packers fan. My dad has always been a Packers fan and I followed in his footsteps. Even if you are not a Packers fan, but are a fan of football, or even great American success stories, the history of the Packers is rich.

A few years ago for my dad's birthday my mom surprised my dad with tickets for both my parents, my wife and I to a game at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. It was a great trip with many great adventures on the way.

This year for Christmas I couldn't swing tickets to Lambeau, but thanks to my father-in-law, i was able to purchase 2 tickets for my dad and I to the Rams v Packers game in St. Louis. It was a great game and Brett Favre showed up in all his glory, he even set the new all time passing yards record during the game.

I love the St. Louis photographic community. All of the photographers I have met here in town have been great. They are helpful, willing to share and give of themselves, and welcoming to new photogs. The shots below are form the Christmas party we recently held at Studio Altius in Kirkwood. Below is a self portrait of Stephanie as well as a shot of Stephanie posing Jen Henneberry with Kelly Park in the background.

Many more were there, but I don't have everyone's websites, email me or leave your site in the comments. I look forward to our monthly get togethers. Thanks again to Stephanie for pulling it all together and David with Studio Altius for letting us use the studio.

This girl has personality in excess. She would run up to me and say, "Let's play tag!" smack my leg and run away laughing. As I turned toward her she would scream and run into her dad's arms. Twice as quickly as she yelled "Let's play!" she would squeal, "I'm not playing this anymore!"

As soon as I turned away, she would leap back up and smack my leg and say, "You're it!" So much fun.

~Matt

I have been going through a bunch of my agriculture and landscape collections and thought I would share a few. They are from a variety of places, Illinois, South of Columbia-Missouri, Santa Rosa- California, and the Napa Valley. I wanted to add a bit of emotion to them and hopefully cause the viewer to see agriculture in a way other than the typical Bought-In-The-Mall-Calendar type of way.

~Enjoy!