Feb 2012 Blog Challenge Entry - Pink/Red

Alright guys here's mine for this month. I chose this photo from a wedding I shot two days ago. This little girl (The groom's daughter) was an absolute RIOT. This was during the formal post-ceremony shots and I could tell she was getting bored so I yelled at her to "Give it some 'tude" and this was the result. The night was filled with moments like these. (her dancing with her dad was an absolute treat to was as much as it was adorable)

I hope you enjoy the photo! Please click HERE to check out the next participant!

Thanks!
John Melancon

Jade and Sidney's Engagement Session

As a photographer it's easy to get caught up in the day to day activities of running a business. In fact any good photographer worth his (Or her) weight will tell you that we honestly don't spend all that much time behind a camera. I would say honestly only about 10% of my time is spent actually holding a camera in my hand. The other 90% of my time is spent editing, marketing, accounting , budgeting, meeting with clients, booking jobs, dealing with art directors, and just generally anything non-photography related.

By now you're probably saying "John, how does this have ANYTHING to do with Sidney and Jade's Engagement Session?!"

I hear you, just hold on. I'm getting there...

I give you this time break down because I want you to understand that I do all of those things in the 90% just so I can have that 10%. It's that 10% that inspires me to push through the other 90%.

I love shooting. LOVE. IT. Even if you are the most horrid client, guess what. I'm still going to have fun, because I get to play with awesome toys and take awesome photos, and who doesn't love that?! I've been fortunate to not have any myself. In fact all of my clients have been pretty awesome! (Love you guys! I wouldn't be here without you!)

But every once in a blue moon, when the weather is right and the planets align, I get a couple that completely redefines my definition of "Happiness"...

...Enter Sidney Steen and Jade Songne

These two have completely reinvented the paradigm for me.

As a people we have a tendency to attach very impactful words and phrases to very mundane things. (EXAMPLE: "This cake is to DIE for!", would you really give you life for that cake? Even if you said yes, you'd be dead and unable to enjoy said cake.) As such, when people are talking about other couples it's only a matter of time before the phrase "Oh they're perfect for each other" surfaces.

I typically don't give this phrase much afterthought, as I'm sure most of you don't, until it was spoken by my girlfriend the night before Jade and Sidney's shoot. Sitting on the balcony of Jade's apartment in Destin, warm ocean breeze hitting me, the smell of the beach in the air, that phrase rocked my world.

She was right!

I instantly thought back on all of the years I've known them both. Jade since 7th grade and Sidney since high school. Thinking about all we had gone through together as friends. They are the least likely couple I would have every imagined, but I also can't imagine them with anyone else. They are in a word...perfect.

Anyone who has spent more than 5 minutes with them will tell you, they are a walking/talking disney movie. I've never been with a couple that have...

...worked as hard...

...laughed as hard...

...and LOVED as well as these two have.

Jade...Sidney...I've known you both for a very long time. You are both amazing friend and I love you both with all of my heart. You have raised the bar for me on what it means to love another more than yourself. You are both honest, humble and inspiring. Thank you for taking me into your lives and for being a part of mine. Thank you for making that 10% worth it, and thank you for being you.

Much Love,
JM

Freestyle Motocross Awesomeness!

Ok so this past weekend I had the pleasure of shooting my first real sporting event. Ok lets be honest here, my FIRST sporting event! haha! And in true "John Melancon" fashion, I just threw myself into it head first and hoped for the best! Probably not the best way to go about it but hey...you only live once right? ;)

So this being my first sports shoot I knew a few things going into the shoot: Keep the shutter speed high and your eyes peeled. What I wasn't prepared for was the incredible level of talent these riders possessed.

You see, this wasn't just my first sports/motorcross shoot. This was my first event PERIOD! I've watched these guys on tv for years, the X-Games were a staple of my childhood. However this was the first time ever experiencing it first hand. And let me tell you...

...it was unreal! I found I had to keep reminding myself that I was at work and to stop yelling and cheering like a little kid every 2-3 minutes (I'm a sucker for backflips!)

Shooting with me that day was my good friend Jason Sonnier (His WEBSITE)

if you don't know who he is by now then you're life is incomplete! He's an incredibly talented up&coming photographer and I've had the pleasure of working with him on numerous projects both professional and personal. I am extremely proud to call him a colleague and a friend! I promise you will be hearing a lot more about him in the future!

...besides...who can resist a smile like that ;) haha!


So after 4 hours of shooting and what felt like 6000 flights of stairs later (The Cajundome is MERCILESS! haha) the riders settle into their seats to sign autographs for their fans.

As we began our long walk back to the car to pack up our gear I had a lot of time to think about the evening that passed. I was tired...no exhausted. Covered in sweat and what I can only assume was a coke that someone spilled on the floor right where I happened to be kneeling. My back was killing me. My legs were shaking from the stairs...and I had the biggest smile on my face.

You see...something beautiful happened that night. Amidst all of the engine noise and screaming fans I realized something...I DID feel like a kid. I felt like a little kid having the time of his life, and I was at WORK! The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. I was having so much fun that there was no WAY this could be work. It was pure, unbelievable, unequivocal joy. It not only reminded me why I love being a photographer but it reminded me how important that "Child-like" joy is. Children don't do anything in halves...they are the harbingers of passion and totality. They are completely happy or completely sad, but they are also completely ALIVE! Somewhere in our adult lives we've learned to "live in the grey" a mix of emotions that are constantly undercutting and diluting one another. Well for a while I was living in a black and white world where I was COMPLETELY happy! We can learn a lot from children...don't do anything in halves...be complete. If you're going to love, love completely. If you are going to experience joy, being completely joyous. And if you want to be happy, be completely happy. Learn the lessons our children are teaching us...there's a child in all of us just begging for us to listen. Maybe it's time we started :)

New Year, New Blog, New Couple!

Well it's the beginning of a new year. A time for resolutions, new beginnings and new commitments!

This year really started out on an incredibly high note. I made a promise to myself that this was going to be a year for the history books. Now we are still less than one month in and I can already say that I've accomplished that goal!

High note of the year so far has definitely been Jennifer and Clint's wedding on January 7th.

I was truly an absolute honor to be a part of their wedding. Everyone was so warm and open. By the end of the evening I felt like I was part of the family.

There were so many wonderful people there, each more willing that the last to share a laugh and a story or memory about the bride and groom.

Jennifer was the consumate hostess. So kind and accommodating, she handled anything that the night threw at her with a sense of grace and poise that belies her age. A beautiful person inside and out, I'm very honored to have been there for her on such a wonderful day!

So my goals for the new year:

-Keep a positive outlook-

-Never take a single moment for granted-

-Make the best of every situation-

-Don't take myself TOO seriously-

-Break Photoshop's will to live-

-Spend more time with my love Amanda-

and finally...

-Persevere-

;)

New Blog Site!

Hey everyone! Thanks for checking out my new blog page! I'm currently working on my first wedding of the year and will have a post about it very soon so keep your eyes peeled!

Thanks,

John