Kim Mattina Photography

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2011-12-29T12:46:00.001-08:00

What? More? No Problemo!

2011-05-09T21:25:00.000-07:00

I know we're only a few weeks away from graduation for the Class of 2011, but things are staying pretty busy with seniors that wanted to wait til the end of the year AND I'm already booking for the Class of 2012!

The girls always want to know what to wear. I do have a "What to Wear Guide" for both Guys and Girls on my site's home page. But, seeing is so much better than reading! I'm going to try to post a few examples here each day. Some of these are ones I put together, others are from people that do these for the same web site that I go to.

Bottom line...take these as inspiration! Accessories are HUGE in completing your outfit and never ever underestimate the power of the shoes! So, here we go!

Lunch in 30 by Kim M featuring a layered chain necklace

Clu summer day dress
$325 - lespommettes.com

Melissa Shoes wedge shoes
145 AUD - thegrandsocial.com.au

Proenza Schouler leather clutch
$895 - barneys.com

French Connection metal bangle
18 GBP - houseoffraser.co.uk

Forever21 layered chain necklace
$6.80 - forever21.com

G by Guess gold earring
$15 - gbyguess.com

Alexander McQueen retro style sunglass
$325 - nordstrom.com

Crossroads Wall Art
$100 - crateandbarrel.com

*I think, therefore I'm single by **nensi** featuring denim shoes

Theory striped top
165 GBP - liberty.co.uk

McQ by Alexander McQueen leather blazer
$721 - my-wardrobe.com

Arden B denim shoes
58 CAD - ardenb.com

Proenza Schouler suede handbag
$1,595 - barneys.com

Provencial Arrangement, Artificial Floral, Silk Flower: Kitchen &...
$372 - amazon.com

Garden Trading - Original accessories and lighting for home, garden...
40 GBP - gardentrading.co.uk

Deco-Friendly Cork Board in Songbird
$20 - modcloth.com

#420 Trailing Ivy Stencil
$22 - naturesvignettes.com

Large Trailing Leaves Stencil 2 Clematis Vines
hennydonovanmotif.co.uk

When I see you I smile by SaraAlea featuring current elliott jeans

Bustier top
122 GBP - farfetch.com

Current/Elliott current elliott jeans
195 GBP - net-a-porter.com

Wet Seal gladiator sandal
18 CAD - intl.wetseal.com

Wrangler rock handbag
$70 - sheplers.com

Kate Spade crystal flower necklace
$225 - zappos.com

Casual Hot by Kim M featuring a faceted necklace

Haider Ackermann v neck tank
204 EUR - shopmrsh.com

TopShop knit top
$80 - topshop.com

All Saints skirt
$95 - allsaints.com

Peep toe espadrille wedge
$100 - topshop.com

Simon Sebbag faceted necklace
$87 - nordstrom.com

Metal jewelry
$26 - metroparkusa.com

Red Herring blue jewelry
10 GBP - debenhams.com

Crossroads Wall Art
$100 - crateandbarrel.com

What Should I Wear?

2011-05-02T23:45:00.000-07:00

Travel around the Block by Kim M featuring rebecca minkoff handbags

Alice by Temperley zebra top
85 GBP - net-a-porter.com

3 1 Phillip Lim peplum jacket
785 GBP - net-a-porter.com

Cacharel slim fit short
$495 - lagarconne.com

Heeled sandal
$124 - filthymagic.com

Rebecca minkoff handbag
$150 - rebeccaminkoff.com

Das Monk tote bag
35 AUD - thegrandsocial.com.au

Miss Selfridge wooden bead jewelry
19 GBP - missselfridge.com

Ashley Pittman brass jewelry
200 GBP - brownsfashion.com

Sunglasses flat sunglass
$36 - topshop.com

Deborah Rhodes Metallic Diner Napkin
$28 - barneys.com

Crossroads Wall Art
$100 - crateandbarrel.com

Heads, you win. Tails, you lose.

2011-01-07T23:04:00.000-08:00

I think we have a winner!

Low Hanging Fruit

2011-01-06T11:02:00.000-08:00

Low hanging fruit is ripe and easy to pick. I usually pick my iPod Shuffle. :)

Are you feeling lucky?

2011-01-05T10:59:00.000-08:00

I don't buy lottery tickets too often. But, I think I've been patient! Isn't it my turn yet?

*~*~* UPDATED: The drawing was today (1/6/2011). I didn't win the million. Hell, I didn't win enough to replace my 5D, which really needs to be done soon! In fact, I won nothing...nothing at all. *sigh* Oh well! At least I have my health, right? ha ha

Faking Baking

2011-01-04T10:54:00.000-08:00

The lingering scent of fresh baked sugar cookies hangs in the room. But, there are no calories and the oven never goes on. God bless you Yankee Candles!

Just a Sip

2011-01-03T10:52:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it takes just a sip to know if a beer is a good one. Sometimes you need to really be sure.

You Taunt Me

2011-01-02T10:48:00.000-08:00

You taunt me, just sitting on the counter. Whenever I pull you out, you produce such yummy goodness. Ahhhhh, my Kitchen Aide.

New Year...New Start

2011-01-01T10:39:00.000-08:00

I've decided I'm not much of a writer. But, I love sharing my photos and I do have quite a few emails asking when I'm going to update my blog. So this year...more photos and less writing. I'm in a black and white and ordinary phase, with the occassional splash of color.

By the way, I do like comments! :)

The year started out cold. And snowy. Go figure.

Ordering Football DVD's

2010-12-15T00:20:00.000-08:00

First, thank you so much for the many compliments on this years football photos. I think most of you know how much I love what I do, and I hope that shows with every shot. I did the slide show for tonight's banquet with photos of the players in action on the field and together as friends off the field. Many people asked about buying a copy. You can purchase copies by clicking this button where you can pay with PayPal, Visa, MC, Amex or Discover. Or, if you want to pay by cash or check, please send an email to kmattina@gmail.com letting me know which team and how many. :)
I will burn the DVDs over the weekend and have them ready on Monday. I'll have a late afternoon coffee (I'll be there from 4:00-5:00) at the coffee shop that just opened this past weekend at 3668 W. Anthem Way. That is the same plaza as Native New Yorker and Taco del Mar. I don't remember the name of the coffee shop, but it was Leo's Coffee before and was the smoothie place before that (for those of us that have been here a few years!)

Thank you again sharing your wonderful sons with me...even if only for a few hours on a Friday (or Thursday or Wednesday) night!

Truth in Journalism and 4 Days at the Capitol

2010-08-01T20:39:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged much lately. It's been a pretty busy summer with an extremely crazy week...and one that I will likely never experience again.

I decided to blog about the last 4 days because of what I have read in the papers and online about Arizona, Phoenix, SB 1070 and the people of Arizona.

According to AP reports and newspaper articles, including the Arizona Republic and one that I read in a North Carolina paper, the number of protesters on hand (when Judge Bolton ruled) on Wednesday was hundreds. Reality? Three. Yes, there were three of them at the Federal Courthouse.

How many protesters were there on Thursday at the Courthouse, Madison Street Jail and Capitol? According to the press wires, there were thousands taking to the streets. The reality of it is that there were around a twelve hundred (maybe 1500) total. Probably 700 at the jail (and 500 of those were bussed in from LA) with approximately 500 spread out between other downtown areas including the Capitol and the Courthouse.

At the rally on Saturday evening (Standing With Arizona rally), the press reported and covered the 15-20 protesters. Those 20ish people received lots of ink in the papers. They didn't bother to mention the 500 or so that were a part of the rally in support (despite the fact that it rained all day...up until about 15 minutes prior to start time).

I do understand bias in the media. I don't necessarily agree that it should happen. Isn't the job of the media to report the facts and let us form our own opinions? But, even with bias, the facts are the facts. Numbers are facts and if they can not report that accurately, how much of the rest is misinformation?

As I said, I was downtown for the events as they unfold. If you aren't interested in my opinion, feel free to look at the photos and (hopefully) understand the emotions involved.

Wednesday July 28, 2010
Ruling issued on Arizona SB 1070 by Federal Court Judge Susan Bolton

Arizona State Capitol Building
There were very few people at the Capitol. There was a small gathering of people protesting on the House Lawn.

The Federal Courthouse where Judge Bolton heard and ruled on the cases of The ACLU vs The State of Arizona and Governor Jan Brewer and The U.S. Dept. of Justice vs The State of Arizona and Governor Jan Brewer.

The Attorney for the Prosecution representing the Department of Justice.

The reading of Judge Bolton's decision outside of the Courthouse.

One of the approximately 30 protesters outside of the Capitol building following the ruling.

The cases have already been appealed and will be heard at the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. Governor Brewer requested an expedited hearing because of how this is affecting Arizona, both financially and emotionally. The request was for September. The Court set the date for November, ignoring the Governor's request. It is my personal opinion that this is a political move and it would not surprise me, in the least, if a date suddenly opens up around November 2nd or 3rd (election day). Really, their decision will matter only as support for this case as it will go to the Supreme Court. There is no doubt in anyone's mind that this will happen.

Thursday July 29th, 2010
The day the ruling was expected with protests scheduled throughout the state.

I was down by the Madison Street Jail. There were a couple dozen protesters arrested early in the day, mostly for blocking the roads, that were being held in this building.

You can interpret the photos however you'd like. I was there experiencing it and can only tell you what I saw while down there.

These are some angry people. I understand that they are afraid of friends or family being deported. I know that they have fears. But, the bottom line is that this country does have borders and laws to be followed. We, as a country, should expect our Federal Government to do their job and enforce the laws of this land. They need to defend and protect our borders and uphold our Constitution. That is their job. That is what they are payed to do. That is what they were elected to do. And, that is what they swore to do when taking their oaths of office...whether they are the President, Congress, State officials or Law Enforcement. We the people should expect nothing less and should receive nothing less from this officials.

The drum beats set the tone for the afternoon at the Madison Street Jail.

Police and spectators view that activity from buildings throughout downtown Phoenix.

Maricopa Country Sheriff's Department protecting the streets of Phoenix following Judge Bolton's ruling. The Sheriff's Department and Phoenix Police, including the riot squads and Mounted Patrols arrested approximately 75 people over a three day period for public disturbance.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio and the riot patrol receive a reaction from protesters following a brief altercation.

Friday July 30, 2010
Candlelight Memorial Service

Friday night was a memorial service for Law Enforcement and Arizonans that have lost their lives at the hands of those in this country illegally. It was quite a somber service with a procession that was led by a bag piper from the Capitol and through the various monuments in Wesley Bolin Plaza.

Rev. Wayne Perryman began the Memorial Service with a moving prayer.

Senator Russell Pearce and Ted Hayes begin the candle lighting.

While the Sheriff's Office Chaplain delivers a prayer for those fallen (taken far too early) at the hands of illegals, protesters gathered on the sidewalk.

During the candle light walk, protesters followed along side. Two were arrested at that time.

We don't have to agree with each other's views. It will never happen on any issue at all. But, in order for things to progress, we need to understand and respect where the other sides come from. For me it is difficult to respect anyone (no matter their opinion) that does not respect the families of those we have lost under any circumstance. These individuals, that felt it was proper to intrude in a very solemn moment, are no better than hate groups that feel it is right to protest a military funeral. There are just some things that you don't do.

Saturday July 31, 2010
Stand With Arizona

There was a Summit sponsored by Senator Pearce through the whole day. There were experts in various fields of law, statistics, civil liberties, diverse communities and more. This was for a very small group and media was not present...at all! This wasn't a show for media, it was simply an educational experience for everyone that was there.

For those that could not attend, here are the speakers that you missed out on...
John Eastman, Patrick Charles, Michael Cutler, John Martin, Wayne Perryman and Mason Weaver, John Martin, Maureen Wood, Fernando Trevino (a 19-year old Hispanic student from Texas...very VERY well spoken young man!), Chad MacDonald and Michelle Malkin. Originally, she was supposed to do a Q&A via satellite, but she came in person. If you ever have the opportunity to listen to Michelle, let alone ask questions of her, DO IT! She is extremely intelligent and very well spoken!

Following the National Immigration Policy Summit was a rally on the Capitol Grounds. Mike Broomhead of 550KFYI emceed the event.

This gentleman (I'm sorry, I don't have his name) sang the National Anthem...including the seldom sang second verse. He has an amazing voice and sang with so much emotion that everyone around would, and should, take notice and feel it in their hearts.

Unfortunately, while he sang, there were protesters on the sidewalk (next to the Senate grounds where the rally was being held) that felt they had more important things to do. Now, I have no issues with differing opinions. Afterall, isn't that what this Nation is about? Freedom? But, I just simply do not understand how anyone can desecrate our flag. This is a symbol of our country. It is a symbol that men and women have died for in the past and are currently laying their lives on the line for to this day.

I think that the thing that confuses me the most is that the protesters don't want illegals deported. They want the borders open so that people can freely waltz right in. So, if this country is such a great land of opportunity that people are willing to break the law to be here, why would anyone then destroy that very symbol of freedom?

And, like I mentioned with the Thursday photos, they do this with so much anger and bitterness. If we are such a bad nation and it makes them this unhappy, maybe they should consider their options. Then again, their options would never tolerate this kind of disrespect for the flag, the government, the people nor the opportunities available. Rather than protesting in this manner, they should be thanking their lucky stars that they live in a country where they have this kind of freedom.

I didn't take many photos of the protesters. This was not their night. It was a night for supporters who have been relatively quiet in their support. But, on this night, hundreds joined together with a unified voice. These people are not against immigrants. In fact, many at the rally are just that. The one sentiment that was echoed over and over is that it is time to enforce the immigration laws. Illegal is not defined by skin color nor by language. Illegal is defined by the lack of documentation that allows you to be within these borders legally. Quite simply...it is breaking the law. Supporters had their own signs, but more importantly, this lack of bias is shown in the faces of the crowd.

Isn't this a beautiful group? Ethnic backgrounds and diverse cultures with one common thread.

It rained all day long in Phoenix. But from the start of the rally until the end, the rain stopped. I like to think of it as divine intervention. Someone upstairs was going to make sure that the show went on. I think this sunset is proof of that!

And, just in case anyone is interested, this was my favorite sign of the night. Yes, I spoke with him. Yes, he really did graduate from Harvard. Really, this one made me smile and in my heart...a little more hope!

There were so many speakers and I do have shots of each and every one of them. I'll be uploading them all in a few days. Just so I don't make anyone feel left out, I'll not post the speakers here. Although, since there were some locals that are running for office (including one that I've known personally for 6 or so years now), I'll close out this epic blog entry with shots of them.

Senator Russell Pearce, Arizona State Senator

Senator Pearce and Congressional Candidate Sam Crump.

Senator Pearce, J.D. Hayworth (Candidate for U.S. Senate) and Ted Hayes (Political Activist)

Back to the title of this blog entry...I may not be a professional journalist by any stretch of the imagination, but I hope I have shown the truth of the last four days through these photos. It's a truth that seems to have been missed by those that have written article appearing in major publications. Maybe the biggest difference in our "perspective" of this truth is that I am not making any money in my version. I wasn't paid to cover any of this. I'm not selling a story, nor am I selling a photo. It is not my job to distort anything to make a dime or a dollar.

Then again, if facts and an acurate story were presented, people my actually form their own opinions through reading rather than buying an opinion for fifty cents at the morning news stand.

If you made it to the end of this epic post...Thank You for reading and looking! Comments (whether about the photos or the content of this post) are welcome. You do not have to agree with me and I have no problem defending my thoughts, but I will delete any comments with any racial undertones or any that are inflamatory. Sorry...my blog, my rules. :) Thanks for understanding!

Just playing a little catch up!

2010-07-21T00:45:00.000-07:00

There are times when opportunities present themself. You don't know why or how, but they do. Last month, I went to Las Vegas (thank you to our Angels that made sure I got there) to photograph a very special young lady and her high school graduation. Rather than posting a bunch of photos (I put up a sneak for them a month ago), here is a brief slideshow of the day.
It was so wonderful to finally meet you, Nancy (and Nicole, too!!!), and to photograph Chantal's graduation! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I just couldn't stop myself!

2010-05-27T10:27:00.000-07:00

No, it's not my photo. It is courtesy of AP, though. :) And, it is my caption. It's probably a good thing that they didn't consult me before publishing this!

My Last Senior for the Class of 2010...I think!

2010-05-26T20:15:00.000-07:00

The Seniors will graduate Friday, so I think this is the last Senior. And what a great way to end it! Tyler is a fantastic guy (Jody's a lucky girl). He's just so polite and nice, very friendly and so soft spoken. Well, except during football season! Congratulations, Tyler!

Getting my Zen on.

2010-05-25T14:15:00.000-07:00

These girls were so fun and so nice to shoot! They are all Yoga instructors at the Community Center here in my little town and we did a photo shoot for the local magazine. And one of them talked me into attending her class the next day. My hips have still not forgiven me. But hey, it's all in the name of Zen, right?

I'm Getting Back on Track!

2010-05-23T11:07:00.000-07:00

Ha ha, get it? Yes, today is all about the track photos that I didn't post when I shot a track meet last month. OK, bad pun. But it's a Sunday. Give me a break on this one! :)

Grandmas and Quilts

2010-05-22T08:21:00.000-07:00

I love the feel of quilts. Not just because of their snuggly goodnes, but also because of memories. Quilts remind me of Grandma, snuggling on a cold evening and as strange as it may sound, they remind me of the smell of cookies or pies coming from the kitchen.

I'm not a seamstress by any means, though I have a wonderful sewing machine that does all sorts of cool things. Because of some wonderful ladies on a message board that I frequent, I decided to try my hand at a quilt. These two were made for the Downy Quilts for Kids. They are doing such a wonderful thing. They provide you with the material and you pay for the thread and batting. So, I filled out the online form, got my kit and went for it. This is the lovely, quilty result.

I did one, before the kit, to practice. Remember, I've never quilted anything before this and probably wouldn't have done these if it weren't for this organization. So, here's my very first quilt...EVER!

Check out the little hearts to hold the binding! So sweet!

So, I sat down for an hour a day to do this. That's all. (A couple of days I did it for longer if I had the time!) And I just love that these two quilts will give some child that is sick or scared at the hospital a tiny bit of comfort when they need it most. And, I hope that they can smell the cookies, too.

2010-05-20T17:16:00.001-07:00

I have been a bad blogger. A bad, bad blogger. But, I have been a good, good photographer! :) I've been shooting, just not posting. So, I'm going to try to post up 2 per day til I'm all caught up on the year! lol, wish me luck with that!

To get things started, I went down to the AZ Capitol building at the beginning of May to see and speak with the protesters of Arizona's very controversial immigration laws. Whether I agree or not with anything said, it was good to hear the voices and concerns of the people that were gathered...from both sides.

So, even though I said 2 per day, I'm posting up more than that today since they go together as one event.

And she dances through the city and through their hearts...

2010-04-19T10:51:00.000-07:00

Some days I have to work harder than others. This day...not that difficult! Ashlyn was such a trooper and up for anything! Graffiti alleys? No problem. A few shots with her unwilling brother (until he saw the graffiti, then he did whatever was asked!), piece of cake. Pointe shoes on railroad tracks? Sure, why not! Formal dress out in the desert...of course!

Ashlyn, you were all America's Next Top Model-esque and totally rocked your Senior portraits! It was a pleasure spending the afternoon with you! Oh, and I hope the movie was a good one. You'll need to let me know! :)

Owl be seeing you, in all those familiar places...

2010-04-13T20:49:00.000-07:00

I know, bad pun. But really, I had to do it!

The baby owls have hatched and are about 4 days old. Mama was so very kind to fly off the nest long enough to let me get a couple of shots. (What a sweetheart, huh?)

I can assure you, she did not go too far away. And, she did not take her eyes off of me...even when I was behind her!

And, if there's any doubt about whether I was being watched getting closer to the babies, Mama brought in Daddy for reinforcements! Here's Dad and Mom (you can see her one eye and top feathers) sitting on the chimney. They kepts calling, "Who, Who" I kept answering, "Me, Me". They didn't swoop down, so I guess that was the answer they wanted to hear!

And now, with no further introduction, the babies! (I've named them Winkin, Blinkin and Nod, in case you were wondering!)

Up Up and Away

2010-04-12T16:05:00.000-07:00

These guys were flying about 40 feet up in the air. Both of them. At the same time! After this exhibit, I've decided that I may not be the best shooter at the X-Games. With only the 2 guys, I kept gasping...audibly. So, combine flying guys with a beautiful blue sky and it made for the perfect photo opportunity!

Cave Creek Fiesta Days Rodeo!

2010-04-11T20:01:00.000-07:00

Spring weather and cowboys. Is there really anything better?

The Fiesta Days Rodeo was a wonderful experience! The organizers really treated me well...setting me up with a great location to shoot from and introducing me to all of the key players in the Rodeo Circuit event.

I will admit. I love the view at the rodeo.

Coming or going.

But, aside from the view, the rodeo is also about tradition. The Rodeo Queens are a huge part of that! This beautiful girl was named Miss Rodeo Arizona at the State Pageant...this morning! Seriously, she got the crown and participated in this Rodeo a matter of hours later as her first official function. How cool is that?

And then, there are the rodeo events. No explaination needed, other than anyone who does not think Rodeo is a sport or that any of these guys are any less an athlete than a football, basketball or baseball player has never attended a Rodeo. And if you haven't, look one up. There are local rodeo circuits in all over the country. And really, there is nothing more All-American than taking the kids to a weekend rodeo!

Oh, but it's just so good!

2010-04-10T10:51:00.000-07:00

Banana bread is not on my diet. Nope, not at all. But don't we all deserve to be bad once in awhile? Especially on a Friday night? The bad news is that yes, I made banana bread. The good news? I took half of it to my parents, so I'm only being half bad. hee hee

Here's the recipe, just in case you find you have a couple of bananas laying around. Also, you can add walnuts, pecan or almonds if you want added nutty goodness (about a quarter cup of nuts). Also, when I'm feeling feisty, I'll add in 1/3 cup of cranberries. Yummy goodness and the splash of red is just simply a happy thing!

Banana Bread

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger, ground
1/4 teaspoon allspice, ground
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, grated
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (optional)
1/4 cup almonds, pecans or walnuts ground (optional)
1/2 cup butter or margarine (that's 1 stick)
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
4 medium ripe bananas, mashed (I normally use 2-3 for a more mild banana flavor)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
3. Sift flour,baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, allspice and nutmeg together in bowl.
4. Add lemon zest and almonds.
5. Stir until combined.
6. Set aside. Beat butter in large mixing bowl until soft and creamy.
7. Beat in sugar until light and fluffy.
8. Add eggs and beat until thoroughly blended.
9. Beat in flour mixture alternately with bananas until mixture is well blended.
10. Pour into prepared pan.
11. Bake in center of oven 1 hour to 1 hour 5 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
12. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes.
13. Invert from pan and cool completely on rack.

And, because I am on a diet and know that many have dietary restrictions, here's the nutritional information for the bread! Now, don't you feel better about it?

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 (107g)

Recipe makes 8 servings

Calories 318
Calories from Fat 118 (37%)
Amount Per Serving %DV
Total Fat 13.2g 20%
Saturated Fat 7.8g 38%
Monounsaturated Fat 3.5g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.7g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 83mg 27%
Sodium 414mg 17%
Potassium 152mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 46.6g 15%
Dietary Fiber 1.5g 6%
Sugars 22.4g
Protein 4.8g 9%

Last of the Desert Flowers...til the cacti start blooming!

2010-04-09T17:30:00.000-07:00

Meet the ocotillo! She's rather deceiving as she looks dead about 9 months out of the year. Seriously. Long grey sticks with big thorns. Then, all of a sudden, she gets these beautiful sprays of orange flowers on the end of each of the dead sticks.

And, it's a reminder that looks can be deceiving!

It's not just in the Southwest!

2010-04-07T13:29:00.000-07:00

I know this isn't only here in Arizona, but it's definately a warm weather plant. And completely annoying when she loses her flowers because they are like paper and make a real mess. But, for the time they are still on the prickly branches they are beyond beautiful!

15 Feet and Growing

2010-04-06T21:31:00.000-07:00

Just another day in paradise when you live in the desert.

This is the agave plant. More specifically, it's an American Agave. They also call it a Century Plant. Rumor has it that it lives for 100 years (Century, ha ha). In reality, it doesn't make it that long. And just when it gets this amazing stalk up the middle with these balls of "flower", it's time to die. This flowering is kind of the last harah for the agave. Then it goes off to some manufacturing plant where they suck the juices out of it an sell it in health food stores as if it is the nector of the gods. It's an interesting story for a plant that grows pretty wild in most of the yards out here.

Reaching up to the Sky

2010-04-05T16:11:00.000-07:00

I don't do too many landscapes nor much in the line of macro photography. I love it. I admire it when others do it. I just tend to not capture those areas of my world.

But, for today, I have to share the blossom of the aloe plant. Welcome to my world in the desert southwest!

**Flora Bella texture (Ocean Heiress set on softlight at 75% opacity) and Flora Bella Action (Classic Vintage @80%)

Born Too Late.

2010-04-04T09:44:00.000-07:00

That's what this Senior says. He's all about Rock-n-Roll. Loves Hendrix, The Stones...anything that is classic rock. He also prefers vinyl to CD's.

There is no way possible to have done his Senior portraits without including his guitar. And a sunset. And the desert. And making it vintage. Because that's him!

And, a couple of others. I haven't really processed them much more than cropping them.

A Little Bit of Fun for my Peeps...

2010-04-01T15:44:00.000-07:00

Since we are coming into Easter weekend, I've decided the next day or two would be devoted to the Peeps. Two that I posted on a message board. New ones will be posted tomorrow and Saturday. :)

Oh Baby, Baby...ba ba ba Baby

2010-03-31T14:47:00.000-07:00

I was so lucky to photograph this little cutie pie yesterday. Little Miss Corinna had other things on her mind, though! She was not going to sleep. At all. It took a few hours and a few bottles (for her, not me) before we got her to snooze for awhile. But, it was so worth the wait! During the awake time, there was no fussing or crying though, so it was all good!

A B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L Senior

2010-03-26T12:31:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've blogged! Crazy busy in this neck of the woods! But, I promised Emily that I would get a quick sneak peek of a couple of her Senior shots from yesterday up here. Enjoy!!

Boulder Creek wins 5A-II Title!

2010-03-04T01:47:00.000-08:00

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Here's about 100,000 words worth!Congratulations, Jaguars!

Picture of the Day 02-07-10

2010-02-07T21:32:00.000-08:00

Tina. I just love this girl! And her family! This was a "Part II" of her Senior portraits. We did "Part I" in Santa Monica CA knowing we would do these once basketball season rolled around so that we could get her in uniform and in the gym.

Thank you so much, Tina! Oh, and it was wonderful meeting your grandma at your game on Friday! :)

Creative Fee Account

2010-02-01T11:39:00.000-08:00

Picture of the Day 01-30-10

2010-01-30T15:38:00.000-08:00

Last night was a Boy's Soccer night. It was their last game of the season and was a pretty important one. If they won...it locks their first visit to the AZ State Playoffs. It also meant the first winning record for the school. And if they lost, well, playoff possibilities would dwindle and they would not have a winning season (though, they would have been at 500). Well...THEY WON!!! The boys defeated Willow Canyon 3-1. Congratulations, guys!

And, check out the big orange moon from the beginning of the game! Granted, I had to take this through a fence, another fence on the other side of it, plus 2 light towers in the parking lot. Oh, and I was handholding that monster lens! I didn't have my tripod with me for this shoot, so please be forgiving on this shot. It's not as sharp as I normally like moon pics...but it will do!

Picture of the Day 01-27-10

2010-01-27T15:57:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I featured Matt's slideshow. Today, it's Joe's turn! I photographed these two at the same time. They are best friends and, well...it just worked! So, you'll see the same locations, just some different poses and definately two different personalities! I've received wonderful emails from both boy's mothers and I really don't envy their job to narrow it down to select the portraits they want.

I told them we could make it really easy by ordering all of them! :)

Picture(s) of the Day 01-25-10

2010-01-26T15:56:00.000-08:00

Well, since this went out to Matt's Mom today, I'm going to make it my "Picture(s) of the Day"! Some of these were posted earlier right after their shoots...but this gives you a good idea off all of the photos together! Thanks for looking!

Picture of the Day 01-23-2010

2010-01-23T15:40:00.000-08:00

It's been a crazy busy week, so there hasn't been much opportunity to post. But...brining it back today! Last night was high school basketball, so I decided, "Hey, that's a picture for the day!" All 3 teams (Freshman, JV and Varsity) played great games and should be so proud of their seasons. Here are just a couple of the 200 or so that I shot.

Picture of the Day 01-16-10

2010-01-16T14:20:00.000-08:00

Today...it's all about the girls! Last night, I photographed the BCHS Girls Basketball and Soccer teams. Soccer was on the field against Valley Vista and on the court, our Lady Jags dominated the Lady Eagles from O'Connor. I think they won by 30 or something like that. So, today's Pictures of the Day are all about the girls and their wins last night.

Andy's Senior Photos...the video

2010-01-15T12:12:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally was able to finish all of the processing and have Andy's video finished! (YEA!) So, rather than posting a photo of the day, I'm posting the video of his photos, then will get back on track tomorrow. Tomorrow will probably be basketball or soccer photos...since that's what I'm shooting tonight. :) Happy Friday!

Picture of the Day 01-13-10

2010-01-14T19:34:00.000-08:00

You know, sometimes you need to see them jump more than once in a week.

Picture of the Day 01-13-10

2010-01-13T16:09:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted the last few days as things have been crazy busy with Seniors, basketball shooting, wrestling and life in general!

Since I did a split session with these two, here's a few from their "normal clothes" session (not to be confused with the football session at the field)!

Thanks guys! You two are a lot of fun to photograph and really...just to be around!

Picture of the Day 01-09-10

2010-01-09T19:25:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a scoping day. I went to lots of places with lots of colors. Since I photograph so many Seniors, I'm always on the prowl for places that are edgey. Places that Seniors want to go to and are excited to be photographed in and around. I want them to say, "Kim, I want my portraits at that really cool place where..." Also, I strive to fit locations to personalities. I don't want everyone's portraits to look alike or be in the same place and same time of day.

I didn't post yesterday or Thursday, so I'm posting 3 POTD today.

First, it's all about attitude. And, teens have lots of that! The way they hold themselves, their facial expressions, their smiles (or lack of)...everything. Capturing that attitude is part of who they are now. So, as long as I was checking new locations, I brought along my favorite model...my son! He was a great help with the light, the locations and you know what? It was just fun hanging out for these hours.

So, I locate these absolutely amazing graffiti walls. And, one of the artists in action. I was talking to him about what he does, City of Phoenix wanting to cover their art and making the walls tan (probably the same color as they paint everything else in this city!) and what the reason was for his painting today. Ends up, they were shooting a hip-hop video and he was doing a wall for that project. Here's two of the dancers (and yes, I'll be sending this shot to them! They thought it was pretty cool to have a photographer show up right when they were there.)

Last but not least, we have Marilyn. Not just Marilyn, but BIG Marilyn! Like, 30 feet long big. This is a huge wall and I just know that I'm going to have to have at least one Senior there. I don't think I'll use this a lot. Maybe limit it to one Senior per school just because this is such a distinctive background. But, for the person that gets this location...WOW!

Til tomorrow...

Picture of the Day 01-07-10

2010-01-07T15:25:00.000-08:00

I am a relatively crafty person. Really, I am. I can sew, do machine embroidery, hand embroider. I'm quite a good cook. I scrapbook and stamp. I used to own a scrapbook store, for cryin' out loud.

So, tell me why I have this collection of yarns and looms...and can not produce something that resembles a scarf...let alone a hat or anything else?

Blech!

Andy's Senior Sneek Peek

2010-01-06T19:53:00.000-08:00

I've known Andy since his Freshman year. He's a Senior this year with so much potential and such a bright future in front of him! I can't wait to see what he does in the baseball season and where he goes after graduation. Oh, I won't even mention A&F looks that he has going! Mom and Dad...you should be so proud and you've really done a fantastic job!

The Soft Glow of the Monitor

2010-01-03T13:40:00.000-08:00

As soon as my son lands on the sofa with his laptop, the cat is on top of him. Sometimes I wonder if the cat is actually reading what is being typed into Facebook while he stares at the screen. Love seeing the 2 of them together late in the evening.

Wonderment

2010-01-02T13:31:00.000-08:00

While doing a photoshoot of this sweetie, we went into the tunnel where they store the train when it's not running. Since the train still goes through the tunnel, they decorated it with lights. There's nothing quite like the look of wonder in the eyes of a child during the holidays.

The End of the Day

2010-01-01T14:57:00.000-08:00

January 1st - Really, Arizona has the most amazing sunsets! Taken from the Persimon Club House at Anthem Country Club.

Wolfpack Football Re-Orders

2009-10-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

We had some people as about re-ordering photos from their packages. The pricing is the same as it was on your envelope, so just send me an email with the player's name, Division (Mitey Mite, Pee Wee, etc.) and a contact phone number where I can reach you when the photos come in. You can send that information to kmattina@gmail.com. Here are the prices for the common sizes...

8x10: $12.00
5x7: $7.00
8-Wallets: $10.00
8-Trader Cards: $12.00
2-4x5: $7.00

If there was anything else that you would like, please send me an email and I'll call you right away! Thank you, again, and good luck with the end of the season!

Senior Destination: Santa Monica

2009-08-10T01:49:00.000-07:00

This weekend was a whirlwind! I wish we had had a few days of rest and relaxation, but we were so busy with the photo shoots that, well...it didn't happen. But, even though we didn't have play time, we had a ton of fun! Ashlee and Tina channelled their inner model and pulled out a couple of days of fantastic photos!

Thank you, girls! You were great fun over the entire weekend! Here's a sneak peek of a few shots. Each one is better than the one before. I can't wait for you to see them all!

And, as an added bonus, I got some great shots of this beautiful family. Carolyn, Scott and Natalie...thank you!

Gorgeous Home Shoot!

2009-08-03T21:29:00.000-07:00

My friend Tama called me about photographing a home that she is listing for sale at the end of the week. Sure! Well, let me tell you...this home is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! So, I promised I'd post a couple of sneak peeks for her this evening while I work on the rest.

This is the living room. I love all of the texture from the walls and flooring to the tile work and how it is such a beautiful contrast to the shiney smooth granite bar.

My absolute favorite room in any home is the kitchen. It is the spot that everything seems to revolve around. And it doesn't hurt that I love to cook!

And here is the front of this home right after sunset. It is such a wonderful mix. Kind of like Under the Tuscan Sun meets ummmm...some cool Arizona movie that I can't think of. While we were standing out there shooting these photos, we decided that this front is the perfect location for an intimate family wedding. *sigh*

Thank you, Tama, for asking me to do this photo shoot! It was such a pleasure with a wonderful family!

So many photos, so little time!

2009-05-30T00:47:00.001-07:00

Almost finished! I just have a few more from the reception to do this evening, then they will be posted, too! So, in case you can't wait, this is kind of the Cliff Notes of Courtney and Nick's Day! Enjoy.

You can see all of the photos (well, almost all) at
http://kimmattina.exposuremanager.com/g/courtney__nick. Drop me an email if you have any questions. Courtney will email everyone with all the details if there's a special photo that you'd like to order!

Congratulations Class of 2009

2009-05-19T22:33:00.000-07:00

I don't normally post shots of my son or family. Not because I don't love them to pieces, but they are normally your basic candid shots. Nothing special to anyone but me.

I'm making an exception today. Because last night was graduation for the Class of 2009. Other than the 100's of grads that I've photographed over the last few years, either on their field of play or with their families or during their Senior photos, there was one that means the world to me. Yes, my son graduated last night! YEA!

So, here's one of his Senior portraits. If you've been in my home, you've seen this shot on the wall printed on canvas.

And here are some shots from graduation.

This last one is not a commentary on this Class, nor any individuals in the class. Notice the big Budweiser sign under the Jumbo-Tron. I guess this is a drawback to having graduation in an NFL Stadium!

The Big Day...Courtney & Nick

2009-05-11T12:37:00.000-07:00

And what a great day it was!

Courtney was gorgeous...simply gorgeous. I mean, she is naturally, but with a little help from her friends she was a stunning bride!

They had a beautiful sunny day. And while it was warm outside, the bridesmaids were hot. No really...they were HOT! (Thanks Veronica, Christy, Nadia and Lacey! You girls were so fun!)

So, the girls decided to cool off with a quick drink.

The ladies weren't the only ones to calm their nerves before the ceremony, though! What wedding could be complete without the groom, his attendants, an elk head on the wall and a couple of velvet paintings!

Then it was time to tie the knot. The couple got married at Pioneer Village just north of Phoenix in a church that dates back 120 years! It was so much fun to celebrate modern romance in a chapel with so much history.

The flower girl and ring bearer were so cute and excited to be a part of the wedding.

Of course, the Mother, Father and Daughter of the Bride were thrilled with the end results, too! Let me tell you, if you ever want to hang out with a really fun and warm family, look them up! From start to finish...they rocked! Yes, Buck's giving the thumbs up!

Finally, Courtney and Nick got to relax, share a kiss, and pose for more photos. And not pose for photos. As I'm going through these, believe it when I tell you there is no shortage of both posed and candid shots! Oh, and how awesome is that wall behind them! Sure, some of you see old bricks and pealing paint. I see textures and history and young love contrasted with a wall that has seen a century of living. LOVE IT!

And finally, the party got started! The reception was a ton of fun. Despite lost music that was eventually found and a short power failure. Really, those are problems. They are just added details to tell about the wedding later on, right? One thing that I thought was amazing was when Courtney's brother sang to the bride and groom. And everyone cried. Including the singer, the bride while dancing and I'm not too sure...but I think I saw a tear or 2 from Nick, also! So, once the music was found for Courtney and her Dad, they hit the dance floor.

Anyway, there are so many stories to be told of this magical night. Stories of coaches standing in line to dance with the bride (remember, Courtney is the Athletic Trainer at the high school, so the school was well represented by coaching staff and players), 20-somethings getting dance-challenged by the photog with all of her gear *coughShanecough*, cougars and other wildlife, full moons (no really, a big full golden moon!), Nick's dad sharing the good cigar stash, Nick's sister who cried during the reading (and when she danced with Nick, when she hugged Courtney, when she looked at her dad...seriously, I told her I was going to follow her around with kleenex!).

And, guess what Courtney. It's all recorded for you. You and Nick will be able to relive and share this day with family and friends for years to come. Congratulations to you both! Love you!

(I also need to thank Jackie for being a great assistant! She carried equipment, set up the lights, held on to the lenses, arranged the dresses...everything and anything that was asked! And, Zak from Living Creation Photography...thank you for driving up from Chandler to shoot the wedding with me! You did an amazing job and the photos are proof of your mad skills! I hope we get to work together again sooner rather than later!)

Why....?

2009-05-09T23:30:00.001-07:00

Because, I don't shoot weddings. (Remember that!)

Because I think the world of Courtney and Nick. And Jessie. And Courtney's parents. And Courtney's family. And Nick's family (especially his sister that always has a tear in her eye with a smile on her face).

Because I'm downloading photos right now and couldn't resist!

Because Courtney is a Rockstar and Nick is a Superstar and their wedding party was so abso-freaking-lutely FUN!

So why am I posting this on photo tonight? Because Courtney and Nick are married. And everyone is happy! In fact...jumping for joy!

I'll post a few more sneaks in the next couple of days, but I just couldn't leave you hanging with nothing! :) Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of this amazing day!

Go ahead...say it...awwwwwwwwwwwwww

2009-05-02T21:47:00.001-07:00

California Girls have nothing on Arizona Girls!

2009-04-26T20:21:00.000-07:00

Chelsea has that California Girl look, from the blonde hair to the bright smile! And, we won't even mention the perfect weather for an afternoon Senior shoot! I really wish I could bottle that breeze for days that are completely still. So Chelsea, thank you for this afternoon and I hope you like your sneak peek!

Oh, and some guys are foolish! 'Nuf said. :)

When Amanda hits the downtown...

2009-04-11T22:18:00.000-07:00

...the heads turn! Within about 30 minutes, she had a marriage proposal from some guy in a Mustang, an SUV full of guys that had plenty of compliments (see the smiling photo), a couple of guys on the corner that have now nicknamed her "Baby Girl", and of course there was the cop that offered his hand cuffs. Don't ask.

Anywho, between offers and raindrops, Amanda pulled it together for some amazing Senior photos. Here's a quick sneek peak. If you want to see some of the amazing locations from today, just ask her for the password after the proofs are up!

Jeff's sneak peek, of course! (Get it...golf course.)

2009-04-07T15:11:00.000-07:00

We headed to the links a year ago to do Gary's Sr. portraits. And, did the same for Jeff! I think this family knows our courses up here better than anyone around!

Jeff came out showing his style! Whatever I asked of him was done and really, we have some amazing shots! But, until I can finish processing them, this little sneak peek will have to do! Thanks so much for enduring the brutal sunshine, Jeff. Oh, and for missing the beginning of the basketball game! :)

Wow.

2009-04-04T21:39:00.000-07:00

That's all I have to say about that...Wow!

Tony's sneak of tonight's session.

And Jordan's.

You two make my job so easy. Well, except for that whole name thing. :)

Double the Fun, Double the Trouble

2009-04-01T22:46:00.000-07:00

I know both of them and have for a couple of years now, mostly through football. These two are great guys. Seriously. They are! Now, ask me if I can tell them apart. Nope. Not at all. All I know is that when I said a name, one of them answered. One of the two of them has a hard time keeping a straight face. The other...totally goes from smiles to serious at the snap of a finger.

So, Tony and Jordan, I really really hope that I have the right name with the right face. It's easier in person than in photos. I know your mom will let me know if I got it wrong! :) Here's a quick peek from tonight's session. Can't wait to get the football uniform shots with you two. Based on these shots, I'll bet we could charge admission for the next session! Yep, extra points.

This is Jordan...I think?

Which would make this Tony...maybe?

Some girls have it...

2009-04-01T21:57:00.000-07:00

And this is one of those girls! Nina just has a certain exotic beauty to her. Between the dark eyes, the long hair and the beautiful olive skin it's no wonder her mom keeps a close eye on her. Especially when cab drivers pull up to a stop, pull out a cell phone and phone their friend to talk about this beautiful girl getting photographed. Yes, it's true. He didn't move the cab for a few minutes. And there was no stop light keeping him there. *sigh* So Nina, here's a quick peek at just a few of your shots! You did great!

Natalie's Sneak Peek!

2009-03-19T23:09:00.000-07:00

And...wow! On top of being beautiful, this girl has talents. Piano, track, brains...she's got it all going on! We had a great time in Scottsdale, though I need to remember minor details, like Spring Break, tourist season, spring training baseball, and the Scottsdale Art Festival this weekend. Yea, it was a little crowded! But, we did find a common love for Fruit Kabobs (dipped in chocolate) and all things Chick Filet! Anyway, even though we couldn't indulge in the kabobs (they were just setting up), we did spring for the Chick on the way home! But, before that, it was Senior Portrait time! Here's just a few. I didn't even include the red door, which may be my new favorite spot!! Enjoy your sneak, Natalie!

Desert Hockey...serious excitement!

2009-03-17T21:38:00.001-07:00

Saturday night is big. Huge. Boulder Creek hockey is in the State playoffs again! So, how about getting out of the heat for a cool Saturday night out! Boulder Creek plays at 7:55 this Saturday at the Alltel Ice Den on Bell Rd. This is just North of Frank Lloyd Wright near the 101! I think it's the Pima exit, but you might want to double check that!

Anyway, here's some shots from last Sunday night, where our Jaguars dropped Mtn. Pointe 8-2. Just press the play button in the middle of the screen. Fair warning...there's music!

Seriously, who'd think of ice hockey when it's going to be 90? But, for a couple of hours, don your sweatshirt and head indoors for a cool night of sports action!

Sneak Peek Sunday!

2009-03-02T00:03:00.000-08:00

Teens get such a bad rap these days. People point out everything that's wrong, but seldom take the time to say what's right. I don't know if I'm just lucky or if there's too much painting with a broad brush, but this year has been awesome when it comes to Seniors. Today was no exception!

Kendrick and I spent time this morning and again late this afternoon shooting his Senior portraits. He was great to listen to! He's got some lofty goals and interests that I'm sure will take him far. He's a terrific guy...despite the fact that he's a Panther's fan. :) Here's a quick peek of a few of his shots!

And, just a little bit "artsy" with some dramatic lighting! This was nice in color, but I love it in black and white!!

Sunday...Part Deux

2009-02-22T22:51:00.000-08:00

This afternoon was the 2nd part of Super Sunday! I "know" Tina from the Yearbook class at BC and from soccer. But today, I got to actually get to know her while shooting her Senior portraits. She's a natural and has the most amazing blue eyes! Tina, here's a little sneak peek for you! Good luck to you and your parents in picking your favorites! There are so many to choose from! :)

Speak No Evil, Hear No Evil, See No Evil

2009-02-22T12:23:00.000-08:00

Personally, I think it sounds like something that should be said on a Sunday morning. Not that there was any evil going on...just that it sounds errrr, right!

This family totally made my day! They are a close bunch. Every time I turned around, someone had their arm around someone else, or was nudging the person next to them. Or, jiggling. Ummmm, yea. :)

So, here's a quick sneak peek of a few shots. I normally just pull a few and post. Nothing that's my favorites...just whatever I pull up. But today, I had to post the 3 kids because I LOVE this shot!!! Enjoy your peek!

Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Desert...

2009-02-21T21:48:00.000-08:00

We live in the desert. It's all around us. Cacti, dirt, rocks...it's not too tough to find! So, Caitlynn decided that's what she wanted, lots of desert for her Senior Portraits. While finding various desert-y places, we ran into water. Not literally, but when we saw the sign for Lake Bartlet we just really had to make the turn and catch some water! Therefore, Caitlynn got the best of both worlds in her photo shoot...a bit of desert and a bit of water. Oh yea, and a closed up bar with blue walls and red doors.

Anyway, here's your sneak peek, Caitlynn! I just pulled a few of the last shots at the lake. Just wait til you see the rest! Taylor has nothing on you, girl!!! Super cute!

BCHS Men's Basketball Heading to State!

2009-02-18T12:39:00.001-08:00

Good luck guys! It's been my pleasure photographing the action on the court this year! We're all rooting for you as you head into the State tournament!

Lady Jags move on to State!

2009-02-18T11:37:00.001-08:00

It's been my pleasure to shoot your action this season, and I wish you the best of luck in State!

A Senior Sneak Peek!

2009-02-17T20:42:00.000-08:00

We had to get this one in before baseball kicks into full gear! They say that the third time is the charm. Thank goodness! Try 1...Tyler chipped a tooth the morning of his Sr. portraits. Try 2...I had emergency surgery. Try 3...We got the shoot accomplished!

I've known Tyler for about 4 years now, and he's a great young man! Here's just a couple peeks for you! Can't wait to get together with you, your car, and baseball gear this weekend for Part 2 of your shoot! Lookin' good, Ty!

Redecorating the Blog!

2009-02-10T14:40:00.000-08:00

I got home late yesterday and was a bit restless. I have plenty on my plate at the moment, but I was having a creative moment. I didn't feel like scrapbooking (it was too late to pull things out) and there was nothing to photograph at 11pm, other than a sleeping cat who did not appreciate that attempt at all. So, I decided to redecorate my blog.

I've always done my own thing for the blog. But this time, I decided to go another route and turned to the pros of House of 3. I know 2 of the 3...though I haven't seen Rhonna in about 5 years and she probably wouldn't even know who I am (well, unless I mention that she looks taller in her avatar!), and it's been about 2 years since I've seen Heidi. House of 3 is the new "baby" for these gals and they have some amazing brushes and frames for those of you that do digi scrapping.

The thing that sucked me into their creative vortex, though, was the blog backgrounds and headers! Rhonna is such a digi queen and does amazing work. So, I'm checking out what they have and this design jumped at me! No color adjusting since the colors already matched (EXACTLY) my logo. How could I not buy this, right! So, I took advantage of their photographer's licensing and bought. And love it!

I'm obviously not the only one! I wasn't even finished today and was getting emails. Bunches of emails of people commenting on the blog design! So, they have about 30 of them available and it's a serious time saver! If you blog (they have instructions for both blogger and typepad), this is a great way to decorate without it costing an arm and a leg!

And, when the school year finishes and I have a bit more time for scrapping, you can bet I'll pick up some of their frames and brushes. Good stuff there!

Here Comes the Bride...

2009-01-25T21:31:00.000-08:00

La, la la Laaaa. We got out in the beautiful AZ sunshine for Courtney and Nick's engagement session today! As beautiful as is was this afternoon pales in comparison to this gorgeous couple! (Seriously, check out Nick's dimples and Courtney's beautiful smile!) So, here are just a couple that I grabbed really quick to give you two a sneaky peek! Enjoy!!!! :)

I told you...a gorgeous couple!

The Eyes Have It...

2008-12-30T22:15:00.000-08:00

Some people have eyes that say it all. Without seeing the rest of the face, their eyes can tell a story. That is Poonam. This girl has the most beautiful dark eyes that portray amazing expressions! I've said it before and I'll say it again...I love photographing Seniors! And this girl...WOW!

So Poonam, here's your little sneak peek! Believe me, it was tough to pick out only a few for your preview! So many to choose from!!!! Can't wait to catch some sunset action tomorrow! :)

It could be your worst day ever...

2008-11-16T18:19:00.000-08:00

But, to look at a picture like this, it has to make you smile. Really, can you look at this and not feel a little better about everything and everyone around you?

Yea, I didn't think so! This is definately a happy fun feel good moment. Enjoy it!

And, for the record, Happy Birthday Jessie! :) Hope you enjoy this little sneak peek, Nick and Courtney!

Fun Couple!

2008-11-12T15:40:00.000-08:00

Picture it. Sunday afternoon and getting ready to do a photo shoot of a cute young couple. The clouds are building. That's ok...it's Arizona! We don't get much rain, right? Of course, it starts raining about 30 minutes before we head out for Kelsey and Cody's photo shoot! Of course (also knowing AZ weather), if you wait 30 minutes, it'll change. And it did. The rain stopped and we headed out on our adventure...and they were GREAT! Lots of fun, lots of smiles. *sigh* Young love. Enjoy your sneak peek!

The Freshman Football Banquet gifts...

2008-11-10T21:43:00.000-08:00

Tonight was the Freshman Banquet. They are such a great group of guys, and it has been a pleasure shooting them this season. Also, a fantastic group of parents. It's been great getting to know so many of you this season!

There were quite a few that asked about purchasing the book that was done for the coaches. We did the hardcover coffee table books with the jackets for the coaches and did a bit smaller version with the soft covers for the parents to purchase. We did the smaller version to make it more affordable for the parents to purchase. And we only ordered 10 copies (we honestly didn't know if this was something the parents would want or not!). Well, 30 seconds later and those 10 were gone!

If you did not get one and would like one, please send me an email. I can send you and invoice if you want to pay for it by credit card, also. They are $25.00 each, plus $2.00 each for shipping ($27.00 total). If you want one of these, please let me know by November 24. That is when I will send in the order!

Also, I had some ask if they can get the coffee table (hardcover) book. I would be more than happy to order those, also. They are $52.00 plus $4.75 postage. (Total of $56.75). I will also send that order in on November 24.

Feel free to call me if you have any questions about these books! And, thank you (all of you!) for your support and kindness this year! And, congratulations to our Freshman Team on a spectacular season! I hope to be able to shoot your action next year as you move on to the JV (and for some...Varsity!) level. I'm sure we have some great years of exciting football coming up!

It's an opinion...and only an opinion.

2008-11-03T09:50:00.000-08:00

I don't jump on my soapbox too often, but I am this morning. Maybe nobody will read this, and that's ok. It makes me feel better. :)

I always thought that home field advantage meant that you had the crowd on your side and the field of play is the one you know best. Before I say anything else, I realize that referees are human. They make mistakes because of that. Officiating is subjective to some degree of what you see. But, those areas are withing the guidelines of rules. The football game that I photographed on Friday was one of concern. Not just for me, and not because of the score (the school I shot for won, so it's nothing to do with wins and losses), but because of the possiblity of players being hurt when calls are not made and when control is lost by said officials. Normally, when the officiating is bad in any sport, it's bad for both sides. That's not what I saw on Friday.

When defense has it's hands all over an offensive player that is going up for a reception in the endzone, there's normally a call (pass interference?). When the ball is fumbled and a player comes up with it, it normally goes to that team. If a player has tape on his towel, it's usually called early in the game...not waiting until late in the game when the score is tied (complete with a penalty). And, when a player crosses the goal line with the ball, it is traditionally a touchdown. Especially when the player hits the pilon with his shoulder (outward movement) which would indicate that he is inbounds. Here's a recap of one of the final bad calls of this game.

See Taylor run.
Run Taylor, run!

See Taylor cross the goal line with the ball.
See Taylor dive across for the score.
Dive Taylor, dive!

See Taylor move the pilon.
See the officials.
See the officials place the ball on the 1 foot line.
See the team in white score despite the bad calls.
See the picture that tells the story.
'Nuf said.

(The picture is not good. It's not on the site for sale and just posting it here as an illustration for the story. I can only hope that the officiating in this game is the exception, not the rules.)

OK, off my soapbox now! :) Back to my regularly scheduled photo editing!

If you're cranky and want to snap out of it...

2008-11-02T21:21:00.000-08:00

Just spend some time with the "T" family! I laughed. Hard. Some of the antics in the time between shots. Or, while photographing the girls (for example). 'Nuff said. Between the laughs though, there is such an amazing family bond and thank you for including me as a part of your family portraits!

Kerrie really wanted something fun and a little different. So, we wandered out to Lake Pleasant. It was a beautiful day (though a bit less breeze would have been nice)! Kerrie and family, here's a little sneak peek of our day today. Can I just tell you how much I love the jumping pictures? All of them! I just grabbed one to post. Don't worry, all legs are up on many of them! :)

Thank you again for spending your Sunday afternoon with me, and getting text updates on the games!

And, I know this shot breaks the rules. But, I just love the emotion that it portrays!

Beauty and Brains

2008-11-01T19:58:00.000-07:00

I had the privelege of photographing Jessica H. today. She's a natural beauty and active in lots of areas at the local high school. And...a Senior! While I spent lots of time in Scottsdale last weekend, today we went to the Marriott's Desert Ridge for the luxurious and then ventured into the desert. With a red chair. If you know Jessica, I'm sure she'll share her portraits once I post them all in a week or so. But, til that time comes, here's a few sneak peeks. Oh, and Wendy? That polkadot dress is as cute in the portraits as it was when Jessica put it on. I hate to tell you this, but, you may want to go get a new dress for yourself. I think Jessica may be keeping yours! :)

Twins Part Deux!

2008-10-26T20:32:00.000-07:00

We started out on our Sunday afternoon adventure to finish up the Senior shoot for Megan and Emma. Nothing happens on Sunday...smooth sailing, right? Nope, for today was the best of times, and it was the worst of times.

We hit I-17 only to find an overturned fuel truck that had the interstate closed. So, while we headed out an hour earlier than yesterday, we only got shooting about 15 minutes earlier than on Saturday. (File that under worst of times.)

We get on the 101 and it's moving along beautifully. Until we got close to Indian School. Then, it started backing up again. More worst of times.

But, when we exited and went west to Pima Road, we saw the most amazing thing. Cotton. Lots of cotton. The pods were all opened and it was a sea of spotted white. The light was amazing so what did we do? Of course, we went off of the "scheduled places" and we stood in the cotton fields. Gorgeous. (By the way, this is a "best of times" moment, if you're keeping score!)

Then, we wandered around on a location search. We found a wonderful spot. Then we encountered a drunken Pope hitting on the high schoolers that I am responsible to keep safe. (This would be a "worst of times" moment.) The girls were great and the Pope went back to the bar with no stories to share. Yes, mama-bear mode is not something to mess with! If you want the story, ask the girls. Really, not too dramatic, but how often can you let your dad know the Pope hit on you. Right? :)

Then, we wandered up to my absolute favorite resort. I worked there when we first moved to Phoenix. And, I love this place. We were there for sunset and I was back in the "OMG, I'm feeling the portrait love" frame of mind. FYI, this will be an earlier stop for the future seniors. LOVE it here! :)

No more sneak peeks. I need to get the Senior night shots finished. But, I should have these ready for your preview later this week! Thanks again, Emma and Megan! You are both gorgeous and I had a great time doing your Senior Portraits this weekend!

Shooting Seniors is so fun...

2008-10-25T21:54:00.000-07:00

And, shooting twin seniors is twice the fun! Emma and Megan totally "got" it. They were scoping out awesome backgrounds and looking for the great light like pros! We wandered around and into areas that were slightly unconventional (like the dilapidated work area of an ironworks building!) and it was worth it!

In fact, we had enough laughs and exploring that we ran out of daylight! Oh well, there were two of them so we're going out again tomorrow! YEA! I promised the girls that I'd post a few shots on here so that they could proove to their Dad that we really were taking their portraits and not just goofing around. :)

So girls, here's a teeny tiny sneak preview! I can't wait to pick up where we left off when we head back out tomorrow!

First, a couple of the girls together.

Now Emma...

And here's Megan...

By the way, Rick, I take no responsibility for your daughters looking all grown up! :)

YEA! Football Season has begun!

2008-09-05T16:46:00.000-07:00

I really love shooting sports. And high school sports can be so exciting and let's face it...these guys give their all when on the playing field (no matter what sport!)

Last night was the first JV game against St. Mary's. St. Mary's is always such a powerhouse on the football field. Boulder Creek JV did not disappoint. Not only did they play them hard, but BC won...BIG! Way to do it right, guys!

Freshman and JV shots are already posted. Just go to my site (www.kimmattina.com), click on "Action" and pick Football. You'll see games going up through out the season. But, as a little teaser, here's Anthony (I don't list last names on here) from the JV team with a big play early in the game. Oh, and good luck to tonight's Varsity Team! I should have the real Friday Night Lights pics posted sometime tomorrow!

Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty

2008-09-04T09:57:00.000-07:00

One thing that is pretty awesome about being in Anthem is the wildlife that is here. These creatures come out of the mountains to reclaim their "homes". Let's face it, they were here before us!

This is a glimpse into what we can find if we just look around a little bit...or if we look up!

Only one word for Susan...WOW!

2008-08-28T07:40:00.000-07:00

Yep, just WOW!!!

Senior Special!!!

2008-08-25T20:33:00.000-07:00

I know there were lots of people waiting for this, so here it is!

Save $50.00 on your Senior sitting fee just for reserving your date! From today (August 25) until September 16. Just give me a call to reserve your sitting and pay the promotional sitting fee of $75.00 (normally that's $125.00) to confirm your date. That's it. Dates can be reserved from now until January 1st, based on availability. PLUS, you still receive the $50.00 credit toward your portraits! Just give me a call at 623-551-7896 and I'll pencil in your date. I need to receive your $75.00 payment within 3 days and you're all set!
Also, if your Senior knows either Mike Mattina or Brittany Williams, make sure they ask for a rep card. You'll receive 8 free wallets with your purchase! If you have any questions at all, just give me a call

Cover Girl

2008-08-25T20:24:00.000-07:00

I was really excited to be contacted by Freedom Way to do their cover for the August issue. I was asked to do a photo shoot of Lauren Sheehan, the new Principal at Boulder Creek. It was a beautiful, sunny morning (how unusual in Arizona, huh?) when we met. Since I have a senior at BC, I was happy to have the opportunity to meet Mrs. Sheehan. She's really ambitious and has a lot of plans for the high school, so it was a privelage to not only meet her, but to capture this shot for the cover...
I guess I did alright...since I also now have the cover for the upcoming September issue!

As far as the sports action shots that I did last school year, I'm excited to say that I have the contract for the 08-09 school year! So, for those of you that I got to know last year, you will see me on the sidelines again this year! Be sure to wave "HI" or catch me at halftime!! I look forward to providing some exciting shots again this year!

More from the summer...

2008-08-25T19:52:00.000-07:00

I don't do a lot of commercial photography, but when I do I really enjoy myself! So, I had this wonderful crew from OSR Physical Therapy here in Anthem, as well as Dr. McCalla (he's the team physician for BCHS). The main reason for the photo shoot was for them to wear BCHS Football jersies for their ad in the program. That became part 2 of the project...design the ad. They wanted something fun and edgey, so this is what I did for them.

I loved how the ad came out, but that doesn't always mean the client will love it. But...they do! They decided to do it in a 20"x30" poster that is hanging at OSR and one at Dr. McCalla's office! And, there are 2 more on their way that will be in the training room at the high school. Fun stuff! Thank you to Aaron, Courtney, Veronica, Kurt, Dr. McCalla and the crew for asking me to be a part of this!

One Day at a Time

2008-08-25T02:03:00.000-07:00

Well, the summer has been busy! Lots of photos and lots of design work which has led to some fun and challenging day. So, to catch up I think I'll just pick some highlights and get the blog rolling!

I recently did a photoshoot with this sweet baby. Baby "E" was about 3 weeks old and this was a sitting of black and whites. I have lots of people ask about storyboards, so here is a storyboard with a series of pictures from "E's" photo shoot.

"E" was so sweet and very patient with this stranger and lights and camera and all! So, thank you for inviting me into your home and for the opportunity to capture "E" and his sweet baby parts. :)

New School Year...New Logo...New Look

2008-07-19T13:40:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been working on it for months. Basically finished the website, but seriously, it's never completely done. There will be new and different pictures and portraits on the site as we start this exciting new school year! Lots of Seniors to do, only another 6 weeks until football and all of the fall sports begin, so now is my "equipment check" time, plus a few side projects.

For the last few years, I've been lucky enough to do the baseball posters that you see with their schedule. This year, I'll be doing the football and basketball posters, also. Football will have all 4 teams listed and basketball will feature the varsity schedule (though all three teams play on the same day, normally).

I should have the gallery of sports images updated in the next few days. I know there are a couple of sports missing, so I need to see what's happened with those links. You'll see this reorganized just a bit to make it easier for everyone to find their sport, their game...and themself!

Oh, you may have also noticed that I got all official with a "Studio Name". Whether you type in www.iremembertoday.com or www.kimmattina.com, you will go to the same site. I just didn't want people getting confused and figured this would be the easiest way.

Thank you and drop me an email with questions or comments!

From one side of the country to the other...

2008-06-02T00:42:00.000-07:00

One family from New Jersey, one family from San Diego, one family living in Surprise and their parents right here in Anthem. It's so exciting when you get to see a family all together, especially when home is so far apart!

This is a tiny tease, Susie! I'll be getting the portraits online in the next day or so. Thank you, again, for letting me a "part" of your family this afternoon! You and Brian should be so proud of your beautiful children and grandchildren. You did good, Nana and Poppy! :)

BCHS Prom '08

2008-05-04T00:11:00.001-07:00

Where does a golfer get his Sr. Portraits done?

2008-04-10T16:36:00.000-07:00

At the golf course, obviously! And that's what we did for Gary. Gary was such a trooper! His allergies were driving him nuts, but between sneezes we got some great shots!

Obviously, Gary (and his mom) knew all of the great places on the courses. So, we spent a little time by the 2nd green at Persimon with the trees and waterfalls which made for great backgrounds.

We followed up at Ironwood to get some great shots with the beautiful desert and mountains around (not to mention, a little water!).

Thank you, Gary (and Karen), for getting out there, despite the allergies! It was a lot of fun being out on the courses for your Sr. Portrait shoot! Oh, and Go Buckeyes! :)

Meagan's Turn...Lucky Me!

2008-03-23T08:40:00.000-07:00

We did Meagan's Senior portraits last week and had a lot of fun with this shoot. Meagan, you're such a good sport! I don't know how many I'd get to climb a tree, but you did it! And again, we're keeping secrets from Dad. But really Meagan, you'll be one of the prettiest tree huggers at NAU! :)

This time, we did some indoors and I love the polka dots! Meagan has such gorgeous features and I don't usually see much make up on her! But, for her portraits, she got a little help from her sister Kaitlyn with her makeup. Kaitlyn, I think you may have a part time position as a makeup artist in your future! You did a great job!!

Look how gorgeous Meagan is!

Then, we went to the park for some tree-hugging-grass-laying-train track-walking-rock-sitting-waterfall-background shots! OK, not all at once, but we did get all of those in. Isn't the gold shimmer in this top just knock-dead beautiful?

Meagan (and Kaitlyn and Suzie), thanks for the fun afternoon! I'll be around this evening getting the rest posted in the gallery! Also, I'm going to work up a couple of samples of Open House announcements for you! Something different from what we did with Jordan last year! Fun stuff, kids! :)

A gorgeous Senior

2008-03-12T15:19:00.000-07:00

I've had a few people ask me if I could post some shots on my blog while I'm doing Senior shoots. This is mostly to give people some posing ideas, but also so you can see some of my work!

So, on Sunday I shot Courtney. Gorgeous girl with beautiful almond eyes...and we're not going to mention the college guys that decided to flirt with her during her portrait session! We also won't mention how (when asked what school she goes to) Courtney said she's a student at NAU. OK, well, she will be in a few months. That answer made her mom let out a giggle. Of course, I jumped into protective mode. Ahem, she's a senior in high school. Now, move along guys! :)

Anyway, here's a little teaser with a couple of Courtney's shots. I'm still going through them. Bad news mom...you have more than the typical 20 to choose from! Just like we predicted.

By the way, that dress is a gorgeous red. But, with the pensive look on Courtney's face, this shot was screaming black and white! I seriously love it! :) Thanks for such a fun photo shoot, Courtney! I'll have your proofs ready in a few days!

What's going on this week?

2008-02-17T20:02:00.000-08:00

I was asked to update my blog weekly...people actually want to know what's going on! So really, I'm going to try!

Cheer and Danceline: It was a lot of fun photographing this great group of girls! Your photos all turned out beautiful! If you haven't picked up your packages yet, you can get them from Miss Brubaker on Tuesday afternoon!

Baseball: I'll be taking your Team and Individual photos on Tuesday afternoon. I will have forms for you to take home and return to me by Thursday. Same package as we had for Basketball and Cheer...$15.00 for a team 8x10, 2-5x7 individuals and 4 wallets. I'm looking forward to shooting your photos!

Wrestling: NW Regional photos are available online. Remember, you get 15% off of any photo orders placed on or before February 28! Congratulations to all of the wrestlers that went on to State competition! Also great job to all of the wrestlers. I have a new respect for the amount of discipline you put into your sport!

Senior Photos: Dates are now very limited for Senior Portraits! I do no more than 1 per day because of light. Since I work with natural light, there's only a small window of opportunity to get that perfect light for the perfect portrait. Please call me at (623) 551-7896 to book your Senior Portrait dates and times! And yes, I will do portraits on Sundays! Especially for those Seniors in spring sports, this might be your only open day of the week!

New Sports Galleries!

2007-12-16T07:49:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's been a busy week! Men's basketball last Monday and Tuesday, Wrestling on Wednesday, Girl's basketball on Friday, Girl's soccer Saturday morning, Wrestling again on Saturday afternoon, and catching my breath Saturday night! All of those photos are now online and ready for you! All of them were great events, so if you been thinking about getting out for some high school sports, definately do it soon! These kids are really impressive athletes...fun times.

If you're planning on getting a poster for the holidays, be sure to order it no later than 12-18. If you have questions about the posters, send an e-mail as soon as possible!

Baseball pictures will be removed from the gallery next week as we get ready for a new season in February. You'll see that the photos will remain online for approximately 8 weeks after the season concludes.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend and I'll see you in the stands!

15% disount at Creative Corners!

2007-11-28T11:43:00.000-08:00

Gasoline is cheap and I-17 is never crowded, right? WRONG! Save yourself the frustration of driving into town and save 15% while keeping your business local...right here in Anthem!

Creative Corners on Anthem Way (in the same plaza as Rosatti's and Native New Yorker) is offering a 15% savings for your custom framing order. Pretty awesome, huh?

Here's the coupon. Just click (it will open in its own window) and print. Take it into Creative Corners when you get ready to frame your favorite portrait to receive your discount.

Fast, convenient, local, savings...what more could you ask for! :)

It Really Is Winter Out There!

2007-11-28T10:16:00.000-08:00

Fall sports have finished at the high school level and winter sport shooting has begun. I'm getting soccer shoots done early in the season because, well...it's cold out there! I know, it's all relative, but it really is cold when it's 60 degrees!

So, I shot JV and Varsity Men's Soccer last night and their gallery is started. You can access Men's Soccer RIGHT HERE. This week, I will also be photographing Men's Basketball on Thursday.

Thank you and as always, let me know if you have questions. I can be reached via e-mail at info@kimmattin.com.