Merry Christmas and I’m Out!
- December 24, 2009 -
I just wanted to take this time to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I’m really excited about what 2010 has to offer and I hope you guys are looking forward to it as well.
I also wanted to get the formal word out that Nate Mathai Photography will be closing it’s proverbial doors until January 4th (well…techincally the 2nd) for the holidays. My upcoming schedule heading into the new year will be:
Dec. 24-25: Family Celebrations
Dec. 26-29: Winter Regional Conference in Hillsdale, Michigan
Dec. 31-Jan. 1: New Year’s Festivities
Jan. 2: Wedding in Indiana
So I technically start shooting again on January 2nd, but will be officially back in office starting the 4th to respond to e-mails and such.
Happy holidays everyone, and stay safe!
be sure to visit the contact page if you’re looking for a chicago wedding photographer, available nationwide.
natemathai | 
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Wedding Packaging
- November 11, 2009 -
I’m in the midst of getting a lot of editing done and getting client stuff setup and ready to be shipped out, and I figured it’d be a great to show you all my packaging for my wedding clients. It’s definitely not anything mind blowing, but I love it! :) I like to keep things pretty simple in design, yet still have a punch to it…creatively clean.
The discs are all shipped in these beautiful cases with a gold stitch…
When you open it, you see my spiffy new business cards, with the dvd case tied in a lime green ribbon (hand cut and tied, mind you)…
Behind the case will rest any additional discs that are included (generally proposals, e-session images, engagement ceremonies). It all rests nicely on the lime green felt (hand cut and placed, mind you)…
All that’s left is untying the ribbon, and you get the main dvd of your wedding.
I don’t know about you, but I love it! :) It might take me a little bit extra time to put it together (I’m not a wiz at tying ribbon), but its definitely worth it for the final presentation.
Happy Wednesday everyone! The wife and are headed out to Cali this weekend, but I’m looking to get one more post up before we head out, so get ready for that one!
be sure to visit the contact page if you’re looking for a chicago wedding photographer, available nationwide.
natemathai | filed under: Modern Weddings, Personal, announcement business, chicago wedding photographers, disc of images, marketing, nate mathai photography, packaging, wedding photographyRebranding and Relaxing
- September 26, 2009 -
As most of you know, I’ve had some big changes in my life recently (ie. getting married about 6 weeks ago), and taking a little time off game me moments to plan out for the upcoming year. I’m expecting some big things in 2010, and I really wanted to push my own creative boundaries in the process. In addition to just a business-perspective change and such, I thought it was about time to bring on a little bit of a new look. For those of you who are reading this on facebook or in your favorite rss reader, then you probably haven’t noticed anything, but I re-tweaked my site for an bit of an updated new look! Go there to check it out!
For starters, I’ve got a new color! The color actually came when I started to furnish my new office (which I’ll post pics of soon), and the lime green just fell into place. It’s that little burst of energy that I think I needed.
So the look is just the beginning of changes to come up from this time moving forward. The other major thing you’ll notice is the new branding on my images. You like? I do!
Enough about branding, this past weekend, I had the pleasure of going on a ‘family vacation’ with my wife’s immediate family. 9 adults, 4 children, and a lakehouse in Wisconsin for the weekend was a great time for me to get acclimated with the family better, and for them to get used to me. There weren’t any huge activities planned out, which was good as things were pretty chill most of the weekend and I was able to catch a breather as well.
Most of our time was spent in the basement of the house, as there was table tennis, a billiards table, and foosball to keep us occupied for most of the time. Here’s a little frame-by-frame of my intense battle with my father-in-law :)
The house was right on the lake, so we went down there a couple times for some fishing and a little water fun. My father-in-law loves to fish, so he was out there early every morning, and I caught a few as well! The house also had a paddle boat, so some of the family took the kids around the lake. However, my wife’s team had a few issues and needed to get ‘rescued’, and you can see the a video clip below…
I’ve posted a handful more on my personal facebook page, so feel free to ‘friend’ me and check those out as well. All in all, a nice weekend with family, and a great escape. I’m back at editing and getting ready for a busy October! Thanks so much for all of your patience during this past month as we got settled into married life, but you’ll definitely be hearing more of me now! :)
be sure to visit the contact page if you’re looking for a chicago wedding photographer, available nationwide.
natemathai | filed under: announcement chicago wedding photographers[2009.07.20] Monday Night Recap
- July 20, 2009 -
- [Cubbies] After destroying the Nationals to start the second half of the season (woo hoo!) we got a quick dose of reality getting hurt bad by the Phillies today. I’m looking on the bright side though – we’re #2 in the Central and ready to make our move! Let’s Go Cubs!
- [To Catch A Predator] Have you guys seen these shows on Nightline? On MSNBC they’ve been showing these series from the Nigerian scam artists to men soliciting minors via internet chat rooms. And though its disgusting to see these stories, at the same time I keep getting entertained watching these men wait in a living room expecting to see a 14 year old girl walk out, and then Chris Hansen comes through and just starts talking to them. And they all sit there and have a pretty lengthy conversation too!
- [25] It happened. This past friday I reached the ripe old age of 25. It’s crazy! I mean, everyone thought I was old before, but now I’m actually 25. And in less than a month I’ll be known as a husband! What is this world coming to!? Thanks again for all the phone calls/voicemails/text/email/facebook/twitter messages- I definitely felt the love!
- [Birthday Dinner] Even though my fiancee is taking the BAR exam in a week and a half (keep up the prayers!) she still made time to take me out to dinner on Saturday evening. It was a great time for both of us to take a break from the madness of everything, and just relax and enjoy a meal and dessert. We won’t have too many moments like this before the wedding, so we’re definitely soaking it up.
- [Birthdays/Anniversaries] In addition to my birthday a few days back, my family has quite a few celebrations going on in the month of July. My parents’ wedding anniversary and my sister’s wedding anniversary was on July 14th, her in-laws anniversary on the 15th, my brother-in-law’s birthday on the 22nd, my other sister’s anniversary on July 26th, and her birthday on the 30th. That’s part of the reason why we scheduled my wedding for August :) To celebrate, the extended fam went out to Buca di Beppo for some good Italian dining. As an added bonus, my niece made me a birthday book! After reading it there, she also suggested I read it before I go to sleep. And read it to other people too. Consider this you being read to :)
be sure to visit the contact page if you’re looking for a chicago wedding photographer, available nationwide.
natemathai | filed under: [MNR], announcementPimp My Ride
- April 9, 2008 -
Back in the day, I spoke about how my dad was MacGyver-esque in the way that he was fixing up our van…a 1991 Chevy Astro. And (this post is slightly over do), I’m here to announce that he is truly amazing in his skill. Screw West Coast Customs or GAS, my dad’s got mad skill. Who else can take a vehicle that looks like this:
And turn it into this:
OK, all joking aside, it’s finally happened. The Big Red Van had been through alot…logging many, many miles. I remember trips to Canada…and Detroit…and Philadelphia…and New York (…yeah, we never flew places…). It was the ultimate caravan. And the best transporter whenever someone needed help.
But earlier this year, it took it’s final breath. Well, technically it still worked, but the brakes were shot. So you could drive it, you just couldn’t stop it. So, after a little look into fixing it by my dad (he seriously wanted to keep it), he finally decided to give up and buy a new car. So he’s gone from the ‘vintage’ Van to a pimp Accord. We donated the van to the American Lung Association (I wonder what they plan on doing with it), so at least someone will put it to use.
It’s been a good…17 years (my goodness…I’ve had this van longer than some of you blog readers have been in alive!). Fun times…rest in peace.
be sure to visit the contact page if you’re looking for a chicago wedding photographer, available nationwide.
natemathai | filed under: Personal, announcementHello Madelyn!
- March 19, 2008 -
I know I said I probably wouldn’t blog again this week, but I just need to get this announcement out. I’m an uncle again! On Wednesday, March 19, 2008 at 12:02pm, my sister gave birth to her second daughter, Madelyn Joy. A little bit after I started work I got a phone call saying they were at the hospital, but my sister was walking around and such so no real hurry (I thought). A few hours later, I get a call saying I have another niece! I mean, seriously?! Who said this pregnancy thing was tough? [Totally kidding...]
Well, just wanted to post a few pics of the newest one to whet your palette. I’m excited to have a new model…you’ll be seeing plenty of pictures of her in the near future!
- About a week and a half left in the photo challenge! Get your images in to challenge@nmathaiphotography.com.
- Last time to create your NCAA brackets is noon on Thursday, so go to ESPN, fill out a bracket, and join the nmathai photography group! HURRY!
Happy (early) Easter everyone!
be sure to visit the contact page if you’re looking for a chicago wedding photographer, available nationwide.
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I’m Thinking of a Challenge…
- February 29, 2008 -
Pretty much everyone and their mother has a camera nowadays, by it a D3, an XT, a simple P&S, or even a camera phone. At a wedding, about 75% of the people there will have some sort of camera (no factual evidence for that statistic). And I think it’s a great thing. I feel like so many people, though, are not letting themselves really use this tool to get a deeper glimpse in the world around them, which is one of the things that I love about photography. As I walk down the street, I immediately see a massive picture with great details, be it signpost, a colored door, or a distant statue. And many times, as we walk through the day consumed with the concerns of ourselves, we walk right past the beauty that’s around us.
So I was thinking of possibly doing some sort of “Monthly Challenge” thing, basically in an effort for people to take more pictures and get creative; to experience the beauty and ‘reality’ of the world they live in and share it with the rest of us. There would be a simple topic/theme to cover, and then for the month you would go and ‘search’ for it., take LOADS of pictures, and e-mail them to me. I’ll combine them all and post the different perspective that we all have on the same idea. What do you think? Here’s an example scenario to show you want I mean…
Theme: Color
And people would submit (these images are from a free stock photo site):
It’d be very interesting to see how different people perceive the same direction. Even though we’re all looking at the ‘same thing’, we will all have different aspects of it that jump out at us. And recognizing the differences in people’s perceptions will inevitably open up our eyes. So…do you want to play?
This will only work if we have a decent number of people participating, so let me know (leave comments!) and if we get a good response I’ll post the first theme. Maybe I’ll even pick my favorite one (totally subjective :) ) and that person can win a special prize. So…let me know! Happy shooting people, open your eyes and keep it real…
be sure to visit the contact page if you’re looking for a chicago wedding photographer, available nationwide.
natemathai | filed under: announcementThe Beauty Within – 01
- February 6, 2008 -
Earlier, I stated that I was going to start on a personal project outside of the project100′s (100 different images of the same type of subject). And this one is called “The Beauty Within”. What I love about photography is it captures the essence of life. It looks deeper than we did at a single moment, and allows a clearer reflection of our lives. With that in mind, I realize that there’s so much around us that we overlook so quickly. We might ‘experience’ it everyday, but from our general point of view, it looks very bland and doesn’t catch our attention. But from a different angle, everything can look simply stunning. This project is for me to capture 50 different objects within my house from an angle that I just might not totally look at it. Here’s image number 1:
Sometimes, you need to look at things from a different angle to see the beauty in it. A change in perspective can open up your eyes and your mind to new ideas and a greater vision. Do not let yourself be limited my consistency…work outside of the box, step a few feet back, and open yourself to a greater potential. Much love.
be sure to visit the contact page if you’re looking for a chicago wedding photographer, available nationwide.
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#7 (1 of 12)
- January 27, 2008 -
In my 28 in 2008, I’m 1/12th of the way of completing #7. The first book I bought/read was “Egonomics” by David Marcum and Steven Smith. And let me tell you, I really recommend this to anyone who is in a leadership position…be it in a company, ministry, relationship, whatever. It creates an opportunity for important self-reflection…understanding the limiting factors in our own lives (as well as understanding the internal issues that others could be limited by). And by knowing these things and acting wisely upon it, it will lead to more efficient progress in life.
Here are a handful of texts that jumped out at me for various reasons throughout the month:
- Curiosity is the active ingredient that drives exploration of ideas. Curiosity gives us permission and courage to test what we think, feel, and believe is true, reminding us we don’t know everything about anything.
- When competitive challenges consume us, combined with the general inaccuracy of our comparisons, we get sidetracked in three ways: we set goals we shouldn’t set to begin with, we set the bar higher than is reachable or realistic, or we get comfortable where we are at.
- The logic behind defensiveness doesn’t stack up. If we’re wrong, do we really want to defend a bad idea or position? If we’re right, will being defensive increase or decrease the strength of our position?
- When people move from sharing to showcasing, the smartest people are ignored – even when they’re needed the most.
- For most people, tradition holds that the opposite of excessive ego is humility, when in fact having too little ego is just as dangerous and unproductive as having too much.
- The closer we move to the extremes on humility’s equilibrium, the harder it is to make our way back to the center. The longer we stay off-center, the more comfortable we become off-center. If we don’t quickly recover, we’re more likely to develop an egotistical reflex in the way we work.
- Regardless of what others say or how they act, a genuine exchange of ideas isn’t possible until people are sure what’s being questioned is ideas, not identity.
- Veracity doesn’t differ from truth in its destination, but in action. Veracity implies the habitual pursuit of, and adherence to, truth. Both pursuit and adherence matter immensely, pursuit in arriving at truth, and adherence in making a change once truth is discovered.
Just recap a small glimpse of it was exciting again for me. Who would have thought this reading thing would be so informative and beneficial? Next on my reading list is unChristian…I’m excited!
Alright…3:15am…time to sleep! (I wasn’t up this late to blog, but making the 2007 NavJeevan Missions Team video for tomorrow [today's] service. If I get time, I’ll try to shrink and post and it on youTube or something)
be sure to visit the contact page if you’re looking for a chicago wedding photographer, available nationwide.
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ReDesign: BLOG
- January 22, 2008 -
Alright, once I start thinking of something, I can’t let it sit. If I do, then the creative juices that were once flowing slowly dry up…and I’m left with an old idea and no real passion behind that motivation.
So what I thought would take a few months took a couple days (probably the same amount of hours logged though): I’ve redesigned my blog! Now, for everyone who subscribes to me using Google Reader (or your favorite newsreader) you won’t really notice the change. But to all the faithful who check my actual blog site, or the new-comers here, I’ve made some changes that I think you’ll enjoy.
[1] 1-column, no frills: I took out the sidebar with the archives list, the dancing photographer, and so-forth, and stretched the main content area to the full length. Now you get more of what you want, and less of what you don’t! :)
[2] color|brand consistency: I’ve matched my color palette to be consistent with that of my website. I’ve also matched transfered the signature over. I love when things work together!
[3] leave comments!: OK, you could leave comments for my posts before, but you would have to go into each individual post to find the link. That’s just silly…and I’m sorry (I didn’t even realize it for awhile!). Now after each post you’ll see how many comments are there, and also see the link to post your own. So start leaving comments! I love them…and I try to respond to them if you leave contact info.
[4] subscribe easier: At the bottom of each post, there’s also a link to easily subscribe my blog to your Google Reader (or Bloglines or Yahoo…whatever your reader of choice is).
[5] custom post titles!: This is by far my favorite customization. All photography related posts (and possibly others) will have a custom image to go along with the title…how cool is that?! I posted a semi-random one for this post, so you get the idea, and you can also check these past post’s to see it too: Jaden’s Birthday, Regional Conference, and Ammachi’s 75th. I love it!!!
Alright everyone…enjoy the new blog and start leaving comments!
be sure to visit the contact page if you’re looking for a chicago wedding photographer, available nationwide.
natemathai | filed under: announcementNEW WEBSITE!
- January 19, 2008 -
I know it’s been a bit quiet around here, but it hasn’t been without reason. With a new year, a new plan, and a new focus I wanted to bring about some ‘newness’ and changes for everyone.
I’m excited to announce my new website is up and running! It took a bit of time planning, designing, and coding it all (I know, I should just outsource it or buy a template…but I find a weird joy coding), but I finally got it together. Let me know what you think!
This site is simply bringing a bit of freshness for 2008, but obviously my blog is the more consistent way to keep in touch with my work and my life, and it’s the most constantly updated with information, so keep browsing. And I’ve got some changes planned for this as well! No guarantees as to how soon it’ll be, but I’m excited! (Again, I’m a coding nerd at times)
Alright, just wanting to let you all know I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth recently and I have been working. Enjoy! Here’s too an amazing 2008!
be sure to visit the contact page if you’re looking for a chicago wedding photographer, available nationwide.
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Macworld 2008
- January 15, 2008 -
I just finished watching the demo of the Macbook Air, as well as Jobs Keynote Address. I never thought I’d have this much Mac-love before. I was anti-Mac through high school, even into my freshman year of college. Then it was just too expensive, but I slowly started loving everything about it…their innovation, their marketing, and their understanding of the client.
My Highlights:
- Mac Ads- hilarious as always
- ‘GPS’, Weather, Mail for the iPod Touch ($20 upgrade)
- AppleTV Take2 (public announcement that they made a mistake with the direction of AppleTV)
- HD/DVD Quality 30-day/24-hour Movie Rentals (probably won’t use, but interesting)
- [humorous - Flickr photos DON'T work during presentation...I still enjoy when Apple has problems too]
It wasn’t the most inspiring keynote to date, but interesting none the less. OK…I’m a nerd for watching the full keynote as well as the Air demo (especially since I wouldn’t buy the Air), but I just love technology and innovation.
I realized I haven’t posted images in quite awhile…I’ve been a bit busy, but I’m planning on getting back out there and even just shooting for fun in the coming weeks. It’s coming, I promise!
be sure to visit the contact page if you’re looking for a chicago wedding photographer, available nationwide.
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Logo 2008
- January 5, 2008 -
With the new year upon us, I figured I’d change up my logo/proof a bit. Hope you like the new look (because if you don’t…that really sucks…):
The Logo
Proof (landscape)
Proof (portrait)
be sure to visit the contact page if you’re looking for a chicago wedding photographer, available nationwide.
natemathai | filed under: announcementBlog of the month(s)
- January 2, 2008 -
In a recap of 2007, I figured I look back on my ‘favorite’ (whatever that means) blog posts for each month. Looking back, though, I realized that I took a bit of a blogging hiatus from January-April, so as a bonus, those months will be recapped with when I started blogging in 2006…my have I come a long way. Enjoy!
[January] Overflow…
My first post ever. I started this blog as sort of a journal, a way to express my thoughts/feelings/views, as it’s something that I always had difficulty doing (even now). This was at the beginning of my Senior year at U of I, and had so much going on. Great weight on my shoulders regarding graduation, relationships, friendships, purpose, etc. And as I put the pen to the pad (…or more my fingers to the keys), this is what came out. I must say…I’m no great lyricist, but sometimes I impress myself :)
[February] Grace Period
Part of my collection of ‘purposeful’ posts. I didn’t want to just post random happenings, but information and thoughts that were beneficial to those who read it. I still desire to do that now, but also give people a glimpse as to who I am on day-to-day basis.
This concept of grace is still so foreign to me at times. It’s amazing how much we learn at one point, yet still forget as days and months go by. We are a forgetful people. I’m so glad I’m doing this reflection post because it’s a great reminder of how much I’m in need of grace.
[March] Leave a Legacy
Plain and simple – this is my desire. I want to leave a legacy. Not for my own name, but for His. I want people, when they remember me, to think, ‘Man, that man loved Jesus.’
[April] Immature 21
The more I tried to blog ‘purposefully’, the more I was able to see God in many different scenarios and life situations. It’s an interesting thing to look at the world and see things just a bit differently. It’s so beneficial to do this in all aspects of life, and it’s something I take pride in my growth. To look at a sports team and learn about business structure, or wildlife and see something about leadership- it’s an exciting feeling.
[May] Indecent Exposure (?)
Finally…a 2007 post. I laughed a bit again when I saw this. We live in such a crooked world. It doesn’t make sense the things societies try to censor, at the same time the things people try to receive “freedom” to do. It just doesn’t make sense.
[June] Alexis’ 2nd Birthday Photoshoot
She turned 2, and I’m just thinking of how much I’ve changed. I was using my brother-in-law’s Rebel XT for this, and retty much spent a lot of time post-processing. Over time I’ve learned how to ‘get it right’ in camera and less time behind the computer. It’s nice to look back at things like this, because you see progress and growth (as well as a picture of how potential can be achieved). Oh, and my goodness these little ones are huge now. They really keep me grounded with what life is really about.
[July] MTC Summer League Photoshoot
This was my first opportunity with my 30D. Outside of that, this was also the first Summer League that we ran (after a long drought since out last hosted bball tournament). The league was a learning experience, but the response was so great. Everyone came to play and it was fun and exciting. Not too shabby for year1, and I’m looking for to the return in 2008. The help was amazing too…I would not have been able to put on something like that without the help provided.
[August] Grieving and Praising [Reviving]
The Lord had brought my community through a lot. I still haven’t completely dealt with it. It’s not easy, but God is good.
[September] nmathaiphotography.com
The official announcement. It’s still a bit surreal that I decided to go full force (some what) and start my own photography business. It’s one of my joys and passions, and I’ve received such great support. Mark it down…the beginning of forever! I love my life!
[October] [10.22.07] Monday Night Recap
Another first’s for the year. I was able to keep the recap going every week from this day through the end of the year, with the first day that I was missing was New Year’s Eve. Not bad, I’ll get back on board again next week.
[November] Jane & Alan’s E-Session I LOVE e-sessions! My joy of photography is capturing reality and emotion, and I love having an opportunity to capture the relation of two people madly in love with each other. And even more, I love hearing their stories. Everyone is so unique and it’s just so much fun! (And with these two being my friends, all the more exciting!)
[December] Holiday Cards!
December was a tough choice as there was much that went on that I enjoyed, but I figured I’d post another ‘first’- my first Christmas Card! It was purely for fun, and I’m glad I was able to bring a smile to many people’s faces during this holiday season.
So there you have it…a post for each month (be it a few from 2006). It’s always good to look back and remember what you’ve experienced and what you’ve gone through. There’s so much more between the lines than what I’ve posted. I hope you all had a great time following my blog, and I hope to give you much, much more to look forward to in 2008!
be sure to visit the contact page if you’re looking for a chicago wedding photographer, available nationwide.
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Vacation!
- December 26, 2007 -
As announced before, I’ll be heading out for vacation early tomorrow morning, beginning with my church retreat in Michigan. Due to this fact, I’ll be away from my e-mail and (most likely*) blogging for while. I’ll be back responding to everyone’s e-mails by January 7th, 2008. So until then, have yourself the happiest New Year, and get ready for a 2008 that you will NEVER forget!
*If I’m able to gain a solid internet connection at the conference site, I might do some photo dumps to get a glimpse as to the goodness that we’re experiencing up there. No guarantees, but feel free to check in!
be sure to visit the contact page if you’re looking for a chicago wedding photographer, available nationwide.
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[11.26.07] Monday Night Recap
- November 26, 2007 -
- [Macbook Pro] So I ordered a refurbished Macbook Pro in celebration of Black Friday (needed an excuse), and was expecting it to come by Thursday. I checked the tracking this morning at work and saw that at 5:27am, it was in transit. 14 hours later…it is still in transit. I mean, seriously!?!?! Don’t toy with me like that. Here’s to hoping for tomorrow.
- [BEARS] Devin Hester, you are ridiculous. Shanahan is very foolish for kicking to him, and I feel a bit sorry for Sauerbrun…both times he ended up kissing Hester’s ankles and watching him dance into the endzone.
- [ROSE BOWL] There seems to be an option for the Illini to make it into the rose bowl!!! I’m literally in awe, right now. God bless the BCS!
- [TheShot] I’ve been a bit hooked on this show called The Shot, on VH1…which is basically “America’s Next Top Model” for photographers. It’s focus is fashion photography, and I haven’t seen anything amazing yet, but it’s still entertaining to watch. There’s one guy who comes from a background in wedding photography…I’m rooting for him.
- [FANTASY] I used to do do fantasy sport for baseball, basketball and football, but now I’m just doing football (and rather poorly). However, Jay Cutler and Tony Scheffler pulled down 34 points for me, so it was an all around great bears game.
- [Science&Faith] Here’s an interesting article in the NY Times regarding how the basic foundations of scientific ‘proof’ are based on faith in an unknown. Caught my attention…
be sure to visit the contact page if you’re looking for a chicago wedding photographer, available nationwide.
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Things To Come…
- November 18, 2007 -
A busy weekend leading into a busy week means that I’ve got a bit of processing (without a lot of time) to do before I’ll be able to post the recent sets…but get ready! This past Saturday I had the engagement ceremony of Jane and Alan, and then today I did a photoshoot for my cousin’s newborn baby boy (2 days old)! And looking ahead, I’ll be having a Thanksgiving get-together with my college friends tomorrow evening, a church lecture on Tuesday, and then Thanksgiving weekend (I have a feeling I might ‘invest’ a lot of money Friday morning). So some of these images might not be posted immediately, but bear with me, it’s coming. Here’s a little ‘teaser’ of this past weekend, to give you a glimpse as to what’s to come:
be sure to visit the contact page if you’re looking for a chicago wedding photographer, available nationwide.
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[11.12.07] Monday Night Recap
- November 12, 2007 -
In an effort to not post twice within the span of an hour (as I’d like to edit and post pics from a birthday celebration this weekend [which really turned into just a child photoshoot]), I’ll be doing the MNR midday.
- [ILLINI] I said it once, and I’ll say it again. I proud to be orange and blue. Illinois is #19 in the BCS, while THE Ohio State Buckeyes dropped to #7!
- [BEARS] How many people are hearing the chants for Orton? Rex fumbles his first chance, but then has a 59 yard game winner to Berrian. Say what you want about Rex, but my goodness he has an arm. We’ll see how long this lasts (I still think we can win out). (In other news, Peyton throws 6 INTs for the Colts second straight loss…what?!)
- [EQUINOX] OK, I’m going to try to get back in shape and working out. Let’s shoot for twice a week, starting today.
- [LAKSHMI] Not sure how many saw this story of a girl who was born (2 years ago) with 4 arms and 4 legs. I’m amazed at what the is possible in the health field, as well as broken as to the mindset of the masses in India.
- [SRS] For some reason the SRS light came on in my car, and after 2 and a half hours, Honda had to order a part to fix it. Looks like I might be spending another 2 hours at the dealership tonight. (Maybe I’ll jump on the twitter bandwagon, and twitter from my iPod Touch…)
- [OFFICE] Due to the writer’s strike, this Thursday is the last new episode of the Office. Soon, all that will be left is news, sports, and reality TV. Looks like I’m going to find a lot more productive ways to utilize my time in the near future…
OK, so keep an eye out late tonight for a post with pictures.
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I-L-L…
- November 11, 2007 -
During my undergrad at the University of Illinois, I had to endure 5 seasons of Illini Football, where they were 13-45…an average of just under 3 wins a season. But I bleed Orange and Blue, and the pain is starting to turn into joy. With Zook finally getting a chance to work with his recruits, they are 8-4 with one game to go (yes, that equals the amount of wins in the past 4 years combined), and were at one point ranked 18th in the nation.
But, oh, if that wasn’t enough, they just did the unthinkable, and shook the Big10. They went into Ohio Stadium to take on the undefeated, #1 team in the nation (yes, that is THE Ohio State Buckeyes), and defeated them 28-21! Juice is AMAZING! For an Illini team that still is getting questions on their passing game, this guy threw for 140 yards and 4TDs. The future is bright, my friend. Yet another reason I’m proud to be an Illini (Say it with me…I-L-L…I-N-I!)
(AP Photos)
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Google at the Pump
- November 7, 2007 -
I don’t normally blog this often (4th post in 3 days), nor do I find it valuable to try to blog everyday (you’ll eventually lose quality trying to find content), but I came across this story today that really caught my attention.
I am one of the many that are in love with Google innovation, as well as Apple innovation (I’m waiting for the day they merge and become…Apple…bad joke?…sorry…). But here’s another way that Google is recognizing a simple solution for the needs of the people, and finding a way to fit their product in there. Drivers are always in need of directions, and there’s always a gas station around. So put a map there! Simplistic, but genius.
If this catches on with gas stations around the country, you’ll see less and less need for the average person to have a GPS system. It won’t get rid of it at all, but for casual drivers, it’s a lot cheaper to go and get gas and get directions from there, than purchase a a navigation system.
Now I just need a map of all the Veeder-Root gas stations around the country…
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2007 NavJeevan Missions Team
- October 31, 2007 -
For the past few years, our youth fellowship has been blessed to be able to send various teams to the India to serve at the NavJeevan Centre and the in the Red Light District. NavJeevan is basically a rehabilitation organization for children of the women who work in the Red Light District in Mumbai.
In light of the recent events in our community over the past few months, God has provided an opportunity for us to still be able to send a team this year. Minnie Thomas had been going since we started sending teams and Bobby Thomas has been serving there for the past 6 years as well. This will be Nisha Mathai’s first time going. Minnie and Nisha are leaving this Friday, while Bobby will leave on November 7th, and they will be serving out there for a month.
Whenever you remember, lift up a prayer for these guys. Here are a few requests that they have:
- Pray for their health (physical, emotional, spiritual), that God would protect them from sickness and any sort of illness.
- Pray for their safety as they travel around India and through the Red Light District.
- Pray that they will use every opportunity as a chance to minister to the people they interact with.
- Pray that they will grow together through this mission trip, and be united in spirit and truth.
- Pray for words and wisdom as they explain the situation of Binil Samuel (testimony) to the kids there.
- Pray that they will be a light and voice of truth and love to the children at NavJeevan.
- Pray that God will expand their vision of His Kingdom, and equip and empower them for great works, both overseas and when they return.
Whenever you guys remember, lift up a prayer…
“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
_Romans10:14-15_
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MTC Winter Regional Conference
- October 29, 2007 -
I just wanted to get an announcement out for the 2007 Winter Regional Conference. I’ve had gone to this conference since I was 13, then stopped while I was at U of I, and am starting up again for my second straight year. We’re really excited because we’ve got 3 amazing speakers coming this year- Pastor Peter Kim from Cityview Presbyterian Church in Chicago, Pastor Dwight Yoo from Renewal Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, and Reverend Ninu Chandy, who is the Youth Chaplain of the Mar Thoma Church from the Dallas area.
The conference is in Hillsdale, MI from December 27-30th, and is an amazing time to retreat and get re-connected and re-focused before starting out the new year. I encourage you guys to really consider it if you aren’t set for any other conference this winter time. For more information and to download the registration form, go to the regionals website.
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Say Uncle!
- October 25, 2007 -
So a short while ago, I came home from work and my sister, brother-in-law and niece were at the house, which is always fun. I put my stuff down and started playing with Alexis for a bit, and then her dad walked by and called her over. He whispered something in her ear, and then she came over to me a said “Eat my Shirts!”…or at least that what it sounded like. In reality, she was saying “read my shirt!” (which, if you look closely at, reads “big sister”).
And this was the way they told our family that they were having another baby! They are very creative with these things. For Alexis, they ordered Chinese food, and my sister made fortune cookies, with each fortune somehow relating to them having a baby. So it looks like I’m going to be an uncle…again. And this time, I’ll actually be around for the kids first year of life. Plus, babies/children are so photogenic. I call that an added bonus. Good times…good times, indeed.
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I’m Touch-ed
- October 16, 2007 -
I was part of the handful of people who delayed getting an iPod because I couldn’t justify the cost. 6 years later, I started to attempt the justification, but still couldn’t bring myself to it. Then came the iPhone, and I definitely couldn’t justify switching over from T-Mobile (the cost of canceling the contract, the bandwith charges, and the cost of the new service/phone). So I continued to be years behind everyone else with these technological gadgets, yet at the same time know so much more about these toys than those who were ahead of me (it’s a sad situation to be in).
Then came the iPod Touch, and I chose to wait no more. I didn’t go crazy, as I only bought the 8GB, but that should do me just fine for now. The music/podcasts are my primary use for this, but once they start allowing us to add events to the calendar (supposedly a bug with the iTouch that should be updated probably when Leopard comes out), this will be a great PDA. In due time, I’ll be scheduling you into my plans using this! (And in a longer due time, it’ll probably be in my iPhone…).
…I wonder if I can write this off as a business expense…hmmmmm…
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Alan & Jane
- October 7, 2007 -
Another day, another couple getting married. Being a part of pretty large church with tons of people in the 20-something age group, recent years have shown quite a few marriages. This past summer there were a handful of weddings and engagements going through, and already I think there are 11 weddings scheduled for the 2008 summer (…if only I was hired for all of them =) ). I guess it’s fun to have friends getting married and moving on into that new stage of life.
It’s also interesting when you’ve grown up with both the would-be bride and the would-be groom (which is starting to happen more often as well). Two close friends are mine are going to be tying the knot next year, and have having an engagement ceremony in November. What makes it all better is they asked me to be the photographer at the engagement! It’s already a blast to have my two friends getting married, and they just increased my joy by asking me to document it for them. I’m so excited and happy for the two of them (…as well as the 500 others getting together within the next 2 years).
Here’s a picture of the couple I took recently…again, working with the novelty of textures (I think I’m going to go a bit out of control with textures…I learn something new and then go crazy…sorry):
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nmathaiphotography.com
- September 5, 2007 -
When you find something you love to do, sometimes you just need to go after it. I’ve done that quite a bit of times, too. I loved acappella, so I started up (with the help of others) Second Chance Acappella. My passion for media and technology brought me to create (with 3 fellow brothers) Up All Night, Productions, which is still running strong. And my desire for my girlfriend pushed me to chase her and bring us to the state we are currently in.
I’ve always had a love for photography. There was something about capturing moments of emotions that words couldn’t express. Something about stirring feelings of joy and exciting 5 years after an event. There was a love for the ability to re-live an event through imagery, letting still pictures speak volumes.
Through college, my love for photography continued to grow, especially being surrounded by a slew of ‘photographers’ at CFC. This setting actually caused me to retire from photography – I was too disappointed in my limitations of a point & shoot that vowed not to shoot again until I got a dSLR. Through this time, however, I started learning; learning about framing, and lighting, and exposure, and focal lengths, and photoshop, and marketing…anything and everything that could quench my desire. And I slowly picked up the P&S again, and later fulfilled the dream of my dSLR.
It is with great excitement that I can say that I am officially jumping into photography, and unveiling nmathaiphotography. There’s always so much to learn and my passion continues to grow. My desire is to really build relationships, and provide a service that will bring more joy to my clients than anything else I could offer them. Pray for me as I step into this new arena…TGBATG.
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