Journal
Why I Never Would Have Made It in the Corporate World Years ago, I was doing a location shoot for a big corporation called ROLM. We were set up in their offices in San Jose, using a massive conference room with one entire wall made of glass. That wall looked out onto a sea of cubicles—classic corporate territory. The main focus of the shoot was the people seated around the conference table, but I wanted to add a little life […]
Yes, it’s true! To demonstrate firsthand just how beautiful and professional iPhone photography can be, I’ll be exhibiting prints in local public venues. The latest show will be held at The Red Rock in Mountain View, featuring a collection titled “NaturePlants.” You can explore the series online at melphoto.com/portfolios/nature If you’re in the area—especially if you’re a skeptic—come see what kind of stunning images your iPhone is capable of capturing. Or better yet, sign up for a class and start creating […]
A make-up artist that I have worked with frequently over the years, Jan Lendhart, has been reading my posts. And she suggested this story that she recalled us working one. A Tale of Tough Love on a Set This was supposed to be fun little gig for a software security company. Just a simple image of a fierce female cop, gun drawn, staring down a cyber criminal. I envisioned a moody, cinematic setup in the studio, shadows […]
Yesterday, (May 24, 2025), while on a day trip to Point Reyes. we met this old man sitting on a feed store porch. He was as grizzly as they come. But once we struck up a conversation, you couldn’t stop him from smiling and rambling on. I think he enjoyed being the old man that strangers would come up to and talk with in the small, roadside town. Yes, all shots with an iphone.
I am grateful to have photos selected by a well known panel of judges into the APA Something Personal Top 100 exhibition. As many of my friends and clients know, I have spent the majority of time over the last several years, taking care of my sons. As they have gotten older, I have slowly getting back to what I love doing the most, photography. Having two selections out of more the 1000 entrants is quite an honor. APA San […]
There exists a chasm in the compassion of human beings. A distance between the way we should treat others and the way most people actually do. Much like in autism, it’s a spectrum. But it’s always nice when you meet someone who understands the simplicity of a request to joy ride elevators. Most are curious. Some are annoyed. Others will just refuse to break protocol. Those are the personalities we meet most often. That’s why it is eternally nice to […]
As many people know, people with autism get fixated on certain things. My son is fixated on elevators. Where ever we travel, Matthew has to visit the local elevators. We don’t need to guess where good ones might be, he has already done his research and knows where they are. He knows the fastest elevators, the highest, the standard as compared to the Miconic. Don’t know what a miconic elevator is? Neither did I until Matthew told me. But when […]
In a continuing effort to demonstrate that the iPhone has a wonderful camera, I recently used it to create some very specialized portraits. These portraits were taken at the Native American Pow Wow in Marysville Ca. on Feb 17th. Yes, these were all shot on the iPhone. And yes they were edited later. Lighting was LED lights, powered by a battery pack. It’s a great experience to work with wonderful people who allow me to capture emotional images. Because for […]
Not really Greece. But it certainly looks like the old country. This is the Holly Cross Greek Orthodox church in Belmont. The interior is an amazing display of hand crafted tiles, created in Greece, the brought back to Belmont and hand install into beautiful, continuous murals. Entrance to the church is not typically open to the public. But if you have a friend and they can take you, it’s like taking a trip across the ocean and back in time. […]
