I got a call from an ad agency asking if I could photograph a live shark. This was long before AI, and Adobe Photoshop was still in its infancy. Computer processing power was a fraction of what it is today.you could start a simple Gaussian blur and have enough time to leave the room for coffee and a snack while the machine churned through its task. The assignment sounded simple enough. Capture a clean image of a shark against a […]

This famous photograph comes from the series that ultimately launched Playboy magazine and propelled a 19-year-old redhead into international stardom. That woman would later become known as Marilyn Monroe. The image was conceived and captured by photographer Tom Kelly in 1949, before the young Norma Jeane Mortenson dyed her hair blonde and changed her name. And certainly before she appeared in any films. At the time, she was a financially strapped housewife who was paid just $50 for the photo […]

I’m willing to bet you’ve never heard of anyone trying to impress a model quite like this. We were on location in Pacific Grove. One of the most breathtaking places on earth, and without question one of my personal favorites. The light was golden, and the Pacific stretched endlessly toward the horizon. It was one of those evenings photographers dream about. The assignment was a sunset shoot featuring a stunning 22-year-old model. Fit, athletic, radiant, and effortlessly poised in tight […]

Around 2005 I opened up the studio in San Francisco as a rental stage. It became home to a wide range of productions. Everything from major feature films to small local production companies. Some shoots were memorable, others routine, but each brought its own energy and lessons. One week, Playboy rented the space to conduct a casting call for their lingerie book series. I had no formal role in the casting itself, but you can be certain I made it […]

Over the decades, I’ve been asked countless times, “Why do clients come to you?” For a long time, I assumed it was because I had a creative eye or a certain talent behind the camera. But as I reflect on some of these stories, I’ve begun to realize that, at least sometimes, clients hired me because the job was difficult, maybe they needed to trust that the photographer would not shy away from the challenge and would see it through […]

I am an artist. An artist possesses a unique soul. They see the world differently. But more than that, an artist feels a deep desire, a calling to invite others into that world. An artist is driven by the pursuit of shared vision: to allow others to see, feel, and experience life as they do. To accomplish this, they choose a medium. That medium may be music, writing, painting, sculpting, or countless other forms. Whatever the choice, it becomes the […]

When you are a starving art student attending college in a big city, the housing is questionable at best. The second place I rented was better than the first. Mainly because of my roommate, who would eventually become a lifelong friend. The housing itself, however, was still filled with fringe personalities. We called ourselves the “Georgites,” because we all rented from the same landlord: George. He would rent to anyone willing to accept the accommodations he offered. Including a garage […]

We have all heard about it. Some people hope to pass on that way. But when it happens at a time that you are not ready to move on, you fight against it. At least I did. We have all heard about it. Some people hope to pass on that way. But when it happens at a time that you are not ready to move on, you fight against it. At least I did. The autonomic nervous system is designed […]

Did I cause the death of a Korean worker?   I may never know. This assignment was a shoot for POSCO Steel. One of the largest steel manufacturers in Korea, and in the world. The flight to Korea was uneventful, and the welcome we received upon landing was warm and generous. It was my second of what would eventually become many trips to the country, and Korea was already beginning to feel like a second home. Still, I was learning about […]

BTW _ am am teaching in person classes on how you can get beautiful shots with your own iPhone. Special discount from my friends in the Yuba/Sutter area. With the hands on classes at my studio in Marysville.   See samples:  https://melphoto.com/portfolios/iphone-fun/ https://melphoto.com/learn/