Images from Nevada & Utah

We have so much to share from our awesome trip out West. I had a little time this morning to work on some of my favorite images.

I saw this driving through the Valley of Fire in NV, and I had to stop. Inspired by Ansel's Moonrise over Hernandez, NM, 1941, I title this Moonrise over an RV Park, 2008.

This was one of the most peaceful and quiet sunsets I've ever seen. Mary and I climbed up a cliff to witness this one. Valley of Fire, NV

This was shot through the windshield... I was a little afraid to drive through it because it looked like something that the Roadrunner painted on the rock.

Mary and I at the top of Delicate Arch. Arches National Park, UT

Arches at night

Balanced Rock by moonlight

Yee haw

Yee haw, originally uploaded by justinmarantz.

Just chillin at the top of the world...

Just chillin at the top of the world..., originally uploaded by justinmarantz.

Took us two hours to get up here, but I'd say it was worth it :)

My Picks

Those of you who know me, know that I'm not the biggest basketball fan, but I do love making guesses for the NCAA tourney every year. The first two years I did this in high school, I would have won every pool in the country, so the next year I put my $10 in with some of my friends and finished dead last. (Thus ended my gambling carreer!) Now I know my pick to win it all is not a favorite by any means, but when you bleed blue & gold, you have to have West Virgina in the finals ;-)

The first day of the tourny... I'm off to a good start:

My Bracket:

Leaving Las Vegas...

Wow, WPPI was a full on whirlwind. It spun us right round, baby right round. Like a record baby. :) We got to meet so many new friends and I'm so grateful for all the people who came up and said hi! It was so great meeting all of you! We'll be doing a full on recap when we get home. But for now we're heading out today and renting a car to spend some peaceful, soul searching days in Moab before heading on to Salt Lake City to hang out with one of our dearest friends, Davina and speak to her PUG. We're pretty exhausted right down, but I think the next few days are going to be just what the doctor ordered.

Vegas!!

Mary & I are out here in Vegas for the biggest & best photo conference of the year, WPPI! We're having such a blast hanging out with all of our friends and meeting some new ones along the way. If you're out here too, please be sure to grab us and say hi! We want to see as many people as we can!

Exciting PH News!!

This is so exciting!! Portrait House has really been exploding lately and we've been getting so many emails from PHotographers all over the country wanting to get involved, which is so awesome! But with all this happening, Justin & I just couldn't keep up fast enough and we very quickly realized we were going to need some help. One name instantly came to mind...

We are so proud, excited, humbled, and all out psyched to announce that the first ever Portrait House employee (besides the rockin founders of course :) will be one of our dearest friends in the whole world....the lovely, talented, and oh so incredibly generous Miss Shyla!! ( I mean c'mon...she has clearly taken the absolute coolest PH shirt picture to date! Talk about credentials!)

Shyla is one of those people with a heart that's just too big for her body! Everywhere she goes she brings so much joy and encouragement. From the very first minute she heard about PH she jumped on board with every ounce of energy she has (and anyone who knows Shy knows thats a LOT! :) She will basically be serving as our right hand woman, directing all of the day to day workings that keep this project moving forward. There are some very exciting things coming up for PH in the next year and we know we couldn't do it without her!

Shyla we are so grateful for your friendship and support and we can't wait to see all the amazing things you make happen! We love you!! Also, for anyone who hasn't heard, Shy just got the cover of Rangefinder, hello!!! Head on over HERE to give her some love!

Stay tuned for another exciting PH post coming up about the amazing thing some of our newest photog friends are doing to raise money for Portrait House!

Featured Website on the Brand New Pictage Blog!

This is so cool! Check us out on the new Pictage Blog! We're the first Featured Member Website. We just love Emily and the whole gang at Pictage so much! They're amazing!

Going to....

Going to...., originally uploaded by justinmarantz.

Today we're off to Philly to hang out with the NJ & Philly Puggers.
Can't wait!

New Hampshire Recap

We're back from an awesome week at the Grazier's Married Photographer's ski retreat in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. We had such a blast hanging out with Matt & Enna Grazier, Tabitha & Larry Sherrell, Kim & John Sanderson, and Christine & Andy. Mary and I can't wait until we can all get together again! So without further ado, the pictures:


Breakfast of champions!

Christine and Andy - Christine may have made this shot, but it was Andy that took first place in the pool tournament (beating me TWICE in finals of the double-elimination tournament!)

Matt & Enna w/Olli

The Grazier Boys

Kim & John Sanderson - I thought I had shots of everyone on this trip, but somehow Kim managed to avoid my lens the whole week, so I had to steal this one from the Grazier's blog. Also, check out the awesome "We Click" shirt that Matt & Enna made for each of us!

My little ski bunny, the beautiful Mrs. Marantz

Tabitha & Larry Sherrell

The little Sherrells

Thank you guys so much for an awesome week! We're so blessed to have friends like you!

Tearing up the Gnar! (This is for you Sarah!!)

Ok, so my husband is officially crazy talented. I'm seriously in awe of him right now. Check out this killer video of him on his very first day EVER on skis. Needless to say, I was not nearly as successful as him on my first time out. Let's just say there was a conveyor belt involved. :)

So today he took me back out to the mountain and was just such an awesome and super-patient coach. Even when I braved the ski lift up the hill....but then decided I would much rather it if we walked back down. :) He just smiled, took off his skis, and walked beside me. And all I can think is how blessed I am because I know he'll always be the one right there walking beside me.

Special thanks to the uber-talented, backwards skiing, dare-devil stuntman John Sanderson for this crazy cool video. That guy can do anything!!

Live Free or Die!

Check out the view from the house we're staying in. Insane!

Packing Light! :)

Packing Light! :), originally uploaded by justinmarantz.

We're off to the Married Photographers Ski Retreat hosted by the
Graziers in New Hampshire for a little R&R...and clearly we're really
roughing it! We're only taking the bare essentials!

Just a super quick update...

...before we run out the door AGAIN! :) We got home from NC at about 2am this morning after battling a full on blizzard in Southern CT. What was up with that?? Then today we ran out to Rhode Island to pick up the pup from his "grandparents" and spend some time with the fam. Now we're about to go grab dinner with two of our absolute favorite clients turned friends, Lisa & Rob at the fabulous Foe to celebrate a very special announcement of the very first baby Kaminsky on the way!! Eeeee! We are SO excited!! Definitely fun belly shoots on the way!

Just one more quick update before we head out....we just found out from Sarah while we were down in NC that Spread the Love is officially SOLD OUT!!! We're even plus one for a grand total of 11 awesome new photographer friends! We can't wait to meet everyone!! If you're interested in getting on the waiting list in case we decide to make this a repeat performance, just shoot us an email at justin@justinmarantz.com

xoxo
M:)