megan erbele photography

Colorado Trip

2011-12-19T02:13:00.000-08:00

I took a somewhat impromptu road-trip to Denver to see a good friend of mine back in October. I was amazed by all of the color, such gorgeous yellow leaves! It seems North Dakota goes from green to brown most of the time. Anyway, I stopped at Mount Rushmore and Devils Tower along the way. I tried for the Jewel Cave in South Dakota, but it was all booked up. *sad face* I tried for the Teton Parks, but snow came early, so I high-tailed it out of there!

Time for inspiration.

2011-12-08T18:24:00.001-08:00

I recently got a job working at Olive Garden doing food prep. I absolutely love the job, even though it is not what I was expecting, graduating with a BA in General Art. Alas, student loans are only gracious for so long. I want to try to come up with a project soon. I have plenty of thinking time, so hopefully something will come. Maybe I'll read my collections of Emerson book for some inspiration. I don't think anyone can read something of his and not be inspired.

England!

2011-11-03T11:55:00.000-07:00

I finally edited all of my England pictures.

Click to see progression.

I couldn't sleep so I kept taking pictures of the sunrise.

Click here to see the rest of the pictures!

photographie du soir

2011-10-17T23:57:00.000-07:00

These pictures were taken around 11:30p - past midnight in my backyard. Living on a farm rocks. Shutter: 30 seconds | Aperture: f 3.5 (smallest) | ISO 800. I used a tripod (I'm not completely crazy).

My first gif. (Click image to make it move) Honestly, I'm kind of disappointed. Not only did I bump my tripod (fail!), but this was five straight minutes in 31º weather. I guess I need to have more time for pictures like this.

Notes from Night Photography

Wear a scarf
Buy cable release
Research more about star trails
Bring watch

Smalltown USA

2011-09-29T13:37:00.000-07:00

This is the first real project I've done since my senior show. Eventually I want to use it to gain more funding for small towns after I shoot more towns.

How spiffy my jiffy is!

2011-08-08T20:25:00.000-07:00

I got this amazing camera at a flea market in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. I came out to Bemidji with my mom for a mini-vacation. Stayed at a Bed and Breakfast. I highly recommend Villa Calma if you are in the area.
Anyway. . . I love this camera! Took me too long to figure out how to open it. (blonde roots) The bellows are in great condition, but looking through the lens is near impossible. You can see different colors, but everything is very, um, shall we shall abstract? I plan on buying 120 film, since 616 is no longer manufactured. There is a little bit of a zoom. One side is 5-10 feet and the other is beyond 10ft.

I'm still figuring out this gorgeous thing. I know it was made in the 30s, which makes me wonder who could afford to buy a camera during the Depression. A film addict.

Jiffy Kodak six-16

Pretties

2011-08-01T23:03:00.000-07:00

Some of my extended family was able to come to our house this weekend. The only bad part about the weekend was that I didn't actually have a bed. I thought that since I used to sleep on the floor when I was ten, I would be okay. Well I've got news for you. I'm old now. That doesn't work so well anymore. But I digress.

My cousin's 4 year-old daughter brought these five things to me while a bunch of us were sitting on the porch. She asked if I wanted to hold her "pretties." It's interesting spending time with toddlers. They have such a different perspective than we so-called adults do. You see that kind of whispy looking thing? That's what she wanted me to protect. When I first looked at it, I considered it a weed of sorts. However, as I had no choice but to keep it in my custody, I inspected it a bit more closely.

She was right. It was beautiful. This whimsical thing reminded me of something that Uta Barth would have been inspired by.

I need to spend more time with toddlers.

Facebook Page

2011-06-24T00:36:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to keep myself busy. Or just distracting myself from dishes. Or the fact that I have to start paying loans at the end of October. . . Eek, I'd rather ignore that deadline.

I made the facebook page for my photography today and I whipped up pricing and added it on this blog (merbele-pics.blogspot.com/p/pricing.html).

FB page: facebook.com/pages/Megan-Erbele-Photography/138416706236198?sk=wall

bambi

2011-06-07T03:10:00.000-07:00

Last night my younger brother, Scott, found a young fawn. Have I mentioned I love living on a farm? It's the perfect continual photo opportunity.

black and white

2011-05-30T21:41:00.000-07:00

I love how kids see things as a black/white issue. Either something is wrong or it isn't. In some ways, I wish I could back to that simpler time, when there was an easy answer for everything.

strawberry fields forever

2011-05-29T09:08:00.000-07:00

wedding morning

2011-05-28T14:53:00.000-07:00

I'm really liking black-and-white images lately. I was in a wedding last weekend. I only took a couple quick candids since it was a busy day.

Bookcase

2011-05-15T10:13:00.000-07:00

Chair

2011-05-10T13:47:00.000-07:00

At Sunrise

2011-05-09T09:46:00.000-07:00

Red Doors

2011-05-08T01:45:00.001-07:00

The View Out My Window

2011-05-07T20:43:00.001-07:00

Church

2011-05-03T14:51:00.000-07:00

Tree-lined Path

2011-05-02T20:54:00.000-07:00

fake studio

2011-04-23T14:57:00.000-07:00

I am in the middle of some shoots for a job application. I couldn't get into the photo lab today, because sometimes campus safety likes to make it difficult for us studio students. But I digress. So, for today, I made an impromptu studio in my room.

The backdrop is some fabric I found on the cheap at IKEA last time I was there. The brighter white is a pencil skirt that I threw over a bin. And the reflector...is a reflector. REAL equipment :) One day, I hope to own a studio. Portraits aren't necessarily my thing, but I think it would be fun to be able to have friends over and take pictures, as well as do more product photography (which is what this job application is for).

On the hunt

2011-04-20T00:16:00.000-07:00

I got a call back for a job in Milwaukee yesterday. It would be absolutely amazing if I got the job. I would be the merchandise prepper for the photographer. It would be for the corporation BonTon, which is in charge of department stores like Herberger's, Younkers, etc. It isn't the perfect job, but I am so excited that there is a possibility for a photography related job right out of college :)

This picture shows all of my research for apartment hunting. It's been quite the process. Looking for apartment complexes, churches. Seeing where groceries are...etc. I found a perfect apartment, and it's only 15-20 minutes from the job. Now I just need to get the job ;)

books

2011-04-19T20:50:00.000-07:00

I love reading. I love being able to escape to a different world. I love being able to fall in love with the characters. I hurt with them, I sometimes cry for them, I laugh with them. But once I finish a book, especially if it was well-written and emotional, I always feel a little lost.

©megan erbele design

habitual neglect

2011-04-12T21:02:00.000-07:00

I was perusing the archives of this sadly neglected blog. (Hopefully now that I only have 2.5 weeks left of my academic career, I will be able to post frequently.) In February of 2010, I posted 28 times. Once a day, every day. So, my goal is to get back into the groove of taking pictures for fun again and to post at least once a day. It might take some effort to get back into the habit, so bear with me. In two months, I will be in a completely different environment. PRAIRIE!!!

Business Card [official]

2011-04-10T21:24:00.000-07:00

I got my cards the day of my show. Quite pleased with the quality. The image quality of these images isn't great because it was taken with PhotoBooth, but you get the idea.
I highly recommend UPrinting.

By the way, the show went great. I have lots of ideas for new projects. A couple for portrait, but mostly landscape. It was good to challenge myself with portraits, but landscape is where my heart is.

Senior Project

2011-04-07T13:12:00.001-07:00

This isn't the order that they are up in the gallery, but you get the general idea. Installing a gallery is a ton of work, but it is so amazing to see your work lighted so well! :)

Environmental Portraits

Environmental portraits are much more than merely showing the surrounding of a person. What is their favorite color? How do they spend most of their time? So many questions can be answered by an environmental portrait. These images are taken in the person’s bedroom, house, or studio. These are the places where they spend most of their time, and therefore an honest description of who they are. I talked with my friends as I took their portrait; I was able to get to know them a little better, whether that was learning about their family, their sleep schedule, or what they had for breakfast that morning. These portraits are documents of their lives.

Oops

2011-03-18T18:56:00.000-07:00

Sorry for not posting since...last year. Senior Project has been keeping me really busy lately. Once I decide on the final prints, I'll post them here. My show is on April 9th. Very exciting :) Pictures below are of the postcard for the show.

Business Cards

2010-11-14T23:05:00.000-08:00

this is the front of my business card. The picture below are five different ideas for the back. I want to print off all of them and be able to have a variety to hand out. I have been working on this for a couple months now. Let me know what you think.

revolution

2010-10-10T19:01:00.000-07:00

hey everyone, sorry for leaving you hanging (if i actually have any readers that is).

this is part of my senior project. i am taking pictures of run-down and broken things. I'll elaborate more on this later, when i have it nailed down more. i have my midterm crit on Thursday. excited and scared. this image is from an abandoned farmhouse i found in the area. i really need to find more, so if any of you know of abandoned farmhouses in Illinois/Wisconsin, let me know.

brownie

2010-08-13T20:53:00.000-07:00

My mom and I found this old brownie while cleaning out the covered porch. It is so awesome, I just wish I could actually use it!

Helpful advice

2010-06-16T15:42:00.000-07:00

Andrew

2010-06-15T13:39:00.000-07:00

Bricks

2010-06-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

Blue Skies

2010-06-13T16:25:00.000-07:00

Sammy

2010-06-12T16:06:00.000-07:00

Jiffy Muffins

2010-06-12T02:10:00.000-07:00

I love when designers have the old school design on packages :)

Camp Pews

2010-06-09T23:16:00.000-07:00

During camp clean-up I washed down all of the pews at camp. How ironic that it was 66 benches. (One more 6 and it's satanic....lol) Anyway, it was nice to see this beautiful light coming down on them after I was viewing them rather begrudgingly.

LightRoom 3

2010-05-25T21:44:00.000-07:00

I just downloaded the Lightroom3, beta 2 version from Adobe. Haven't played around too much with it, mostly imported my [ahem] 10,116 images. I am thinking I need to seriously organize and label those suckers before it really gets out of hand....... Well, I was browsing through Lightroom when I realized I have been taking pictures of just buildings and landscape-ish stuff. [I had 3 pages of restaurants that I had to take for my internship] SO I need to make a point of shooting people, now that I have time. Anyway, I am quite impressed with Lr3. It's getting closer and closer to the features the Photoshop has. But the workflow is so much easier in Lightroom, definitely recommend it.

Now if only it would have the the mind-reading powers to synch with iTunes and play what I need during long editing sessions.

On the Road Again....

2010-05-16T20:59:00.001-07:00

Old Letterbox

2010-05-13T20:19:00.001-07:00

Leaves

2010-05-03T00:04:00.001-07:00

Newspaper Stands

2010-05-02T13:53:00.000-07:00

I took this picture while shooting for my internship (restaurants for the Elgin website). Believe it or not, this little building is a restaurant. Kendall's Kountry Kitchen. Looked cute, but it was closed so I couldn't go inside. Sad day.

Apologies

2010-04-21T16:16:00.001-07:00

My posting has been really ax on this blog lately. I actually have too many pictures. Been working on projects for both of my photo classes. My photo 2 final is on Monday so I'm scrambling to get it together. For now, you will just have to wait!!

...sorry!....

Cherry Pickin'

2010-03-31T21:14:00.000-07:00

I'm excited for this. Picking all the cherries off of the tree in the front yard, and then making fabulous Cherry Cobbler from scratch. Too bad my major isn't homemade cooking. THAT would be amazing! :-)

Vintage

2010-03-25T19:34:00.000-07:00

So I went vintage shopping for part of my next photography project. It was fabulous! It was the first vintage store, that seemed authentic. There was stuff everywhere. At least five shelves of just hats, (aka Hat Heaven :) a really sweet wedding dress, and tons of books--including Donna Parker. So if any of you out there reading this live by Elgin, check out PK's Antiques and Collectibles on Douglas Ave. It is filled with tons of albums, fun kitchen stuff and more than I can say here. :)

Broken

2010-03-24T10:51:00.000-07:00

Shoes

2010-03-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

First off...I am sorry for the lack of posting. Lack of sleep brings on less blogging. I am currently printing so I can actually post. Anyway, right now I am working on my Social Landscape. It was hard for me to wrap my mind around landscapes as non-traditional. I woke up Saturday morning and came up with the idea for shoes. How we wear them everyday, and take care of them. I will post my artist statement along with the rest of the images this week. I decided on these two images for this post because Joe only had two pairs of shoes, and Joanie had the most out of anyone.

Entrance

2010-03-21T11:45:00.001-07:00

Self-rising dough

2010-03-16T21:45:00.000-07:00

Rural Post Office

2010-03-15T23:15:00.001-07:00

I love country living :-)

Recipe

2010-03-15T23:09:00.000-07:00

The more stains, the better a recipe....

Shapes

2010-03-12T14:03:00.000-08:00

I took these pictures in Elgin before I left for break, and I just loved the shapes of these two images! It is always fun to try new angles. (Even if people do wonder what is so fascinating about a light bulb :) My favorite is the second one. I just love the dynamic lines that the building makes.

Sidewalk

2010-03-11T01:59:00.000-08:00

I am sorry that I have been so horrible with posting this week. I have been so busy with cleaning, baking, visiting people, and going into town that it is hard to find time to blog!

King George

2010-03-08T19:50:00.000-08:00

Bottle-fed lambs

2010-03-08T19:49:00.000-08:00

Wire

2010-03-05T22:04:00.001-08:00

Blue buckets

2010-03-05T22:03:00.002-08:00

Saw and paints

2010-03-05T22:03:00.001-08:00

Sketch Models

2010-03-05T22:02:00.000-08:00

Don't look up

2010-03-03T14:08:00.000-08:00

Taxi-cab

2010-03-02T16:55:00.000-08:00

By the way, here is the link for my post on my portrait project...http://meganerbele.blogspot.com/2010/03/thoughts-on-slavery.html

Sculpture Studio

2010-03-01T22:57:00.000-08:00

Sorry that I have been lax in posting these past couple days. I have become inundated with images and am doing lots of editing...not to mention it's midterms.

Ol' Billy Bob

2010-02-27T20:03:00.000-08:00

This is ol' Billy Bob. I met him today in Chicago. Quite the interesting character. He said I could take a picture of him if I gave him a dollar. As I gave him a dollar, I started talking with him. I asked him if he knew about slave awareness in the Hershey's company. At first he didn't fully understand, and was saying how they live there [in West Africa] so it isn't that big of a deal. But when i told him that the labor was forced, and people do try to escape, but they are beaten and abused when caught. This seemed to change his view, and quickly changed his stance on the topic. His was the most honest answer I had heard all day. Others that I spoke to about mainly said, "Well, obviously, I don't support slave labor." He used some "French" in his answer, but he was my favorite.

Going into Chicago today wasn't what I expected it to be. It was my first time being there by myself. I actually did get lost for about an hour. Note to self, listen to your own common sense when walking in Chicago, not the GPS :-)

Counter-top

2010-02-25T18:27:00.001-08:00

Flower

2010-02-24T14:29:00.001-08:00

Thorns

2010-02-24T14:27:00.000-08:00

Christmas-time

2010-02-23T14:25:00.000-08:00

For me, this image really shows the spirit of Christmas. I know it isn't even close to Christmas and that it was only a couple months ago. But I have always loved Christmas--it is by far my favorite holiday. Christmas in my family means fun traditions, baking and being able to just talk and relax.

Can Christmas come four times a year? I would really enjoy that.

Science Building

2010-02-22T17:34:00.001-08:00

Bird?

2010-02-21T17:03:00.000-08:00

Used

2010-02-21T17:01:00.000-08:00

Pillow

2010-02-19T21:08:00.001-08:00

Studio Lighting

2010-02-18T19:14:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't posted a new picture in awhile.

Nothing picture-worthy has really been happening.

I had a photoshoot with Rebecca tonight. It was the first time using the studio lights. Yeah, I want to be a photographer for the rest of my life. It's the most fun I've had in awhile. If that was my typical Saturday night, I would be overjoyed! (though my typical Saturday night, but that's beside the point :) So, first Rebecca shot me for an hour, and then I took 162 picture of her in the course of an hour :) Good stuff. We were working on our portraits project for photo2. Mine is centered around bringing awareness to slave labor in the chocolate industry. I'll try to post all of the final images on here (in two weeks).

Food on the Brain

2010-02-15T16:36:00.000-08:00

Stuffs

2010-02-15T15:50:00.000-08:00

So I've heard about this old abandoned factory that is amazing for taking pictures for years now. I remember Robb talking about it freshman year. I think I need to get out there sometime. I think it's in Algonquin. I just need to find someone to go with me, so I actually carry through on my plan. Thought it would be sick to get some pictures for my portrait project in there [Did I just say sick in a positive way? These Chicagoans are changing me....]

Oh, Baranski was saying today that we need to do a photo response to a photograph in the Art Institute. It's free this month! I think I will be doing fun stuff this weekend. Not too much due this next week, (but the week after is finals...yuck) so I need to get this fun photography stuff done before I get too busy. Professor Baranski also said that her class will be learning how to work the light on Wednesday, so I'm going in for half an hour of that class and finally learning the studio lights. [about time] So, this weekend hopefully entails an abandoned toy factory and Chicago. Hope it's nice. Anyone want to join me?

I wish it wasn't Monday.

Well, my roomie (who got engaged last night!) said I need to take a nap if she is going to let me stay up all night [i slept for two hours last night]. So, I'm going to get this nap over with and then get back to my Picasso paper. ugh, how I loathe that man. He was a perverted, disgusting man. Can't I just write a paper on the awesomeness of God instead?

Real Sugar!

2010-02-14T22:16:00.000-08:00

Found this popcan sitting by HWAC this weekend. Lovin' the old school design.

Good to know there are some 'real' things in life.

[interesting title here]

2010-02-14T16:13:00.000-08:00

This blog is really forcing me to take more pictures. Kind of the point though, I guess. I definitely took more pictures freshman year. I let myself get too busy. :-( I'm not really even involved in anything. My priorities just aren't straight. I spend too much time doing random things and complaining about papers and projects. I always thought that the hardest verse to live out was Philippians 2:14-- "Do everything without complaining or arguing."

So instead of giving you an actual picture tonight, I'm posting a video of one reason why photography is awesome. I recorded it on Friday actually, but the chocolate got first dibs on posting. Yeah, so I'm pretty lame in front of the camera, so don't ever interview me, you know who you are :-) And I'm not sure why I said peace out at the end. I always thought peace was an "in" thing :) Anyway, it isn't edited AT ALL! Pretty impressive right? No, just sheer laziness on my part.

BTW, new blog. I'm trying a "fashion" blog. Oh dear, why did I do that? Oh yeah, femininity is awesome. [http://myattemptsatfashion.blogspot.com]

Edit: femininity is awesome for girls. Sorry, guys, just don't EVER wear v-necks or scarves. An actual winter scarf is fine, but why must you shop at H&M? [end of soapbox]

Cate

2010-02-13T12:05:00.001-08:00

Bonus post! :)

2010-02-12T16:59:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited about my fair-trade chocolate that you get two posts today! :)

Opening the blessedness that is chocolate...

Smelling the chocolate.....

Delighting in the chocolate-y goodness that is Peppermint Crunch (Sweet Earth) Chocolate! Yummm! Hope ya'll get the chance to get some too! (And there is no excuse if you go to Judson!)

Ashley

2010-02-11T22:29:00.000-08:00

Brittany

2010-02-11T12:44:00.000-08:00

Rebecca

2010-02-10T10:21:00.000-08:00

Claire

2010-02-09T18:18:00.001-08:00

Casting Crowns

2010-02-08T12:45:00.001-08:00

From megan erbele photography

Lindner Parking

2010-02-07T10:45:00.001-08:00

Steeple

2010-02-06T20:40:00.000-08:00

CPO 264

2010-02-05T09:39:00.000-08:00

None of my pictures were really that great today. (Sadness) So this is a picture of my cpo. Number 264. Yup, this picture is pure sentimentality to me. It probably has no significance for anyone else. Except for maybe my mom and the couple others who send me letters and such. One of these days I'm going to take a picture of the inside of it. I'm not really sure why I didn't today.

My digital photography class is taking pictures all over campus to hopefully give for advertising the school. So today I brought my camera with me to class. It was pretty awesome. I think I will have to do that more often. Side note: my attachable flash was dead. Thus, chapel = bad pictures. But the cafeteria is always a fun place to get pictures. Maybe I will try socializing more. Oh boy, breaking my own bubble.

Crumpled notes

2010-02-04T16:48:00.000-08:00

Self Portrait

2010-02-03T10:50:00.000-08:00

Reading the Bible has become so much more important to me in these past three weeks. It is what inspires me to begin the day. It is what I read when I can't sleep at night. It's soothing words help me through everything. God has good ideas. I need to learn to obey Him more than my own selfish thoughts and desires. He tends to be smarter than me. You'd think I'd get it eventually.

Caitlyn

2010-02-02T14:32:00.000-08:00

Candle

2010-02-01T09:24:00.000-08:00

This is part of my abstract final due on Wednesday. This image is all about seeing the abstract form of the image. Not trying to figure it out, but just appreciating the little detail you can see.

Confession

2010-01-31T13:06:00.000-08:00

I shot a Canon last month.

San Antonio

2010-01-30T13:55:00.000-08:00

American Smiles

2010-01-29T13:58:00.000-08:00

Get it? Not American Gothic. Bahahahah. Okay, maybe I'm the only one that likes lame jokes.

Well, anyway, I think this picture is cute. But maybe I'm partial. I am rather fond of my parental units after all :-)

Rose petals

2010-01-28T10:01:00.000-08:00

Soap

2010-01-27T10:13:00.000-08:00

The Road Less Traveled

2010-01-26T16:30:00.000-08:00

I love North Dakota. It is so beautiful. Not many imagine it as that way. Many see it as an arctic tundra that never thaws. Yes, it gets frightfully cold, but it is also beautiful. Besides, who says cold can't be beautiful? If you ever really stop to think about the beauty of the winter it is breathtaking. You can see your frosty breath. You glance at the beauty of the clear and cracked ice on the sidewalk. For as much we complain about it, we should be happy about it too. It seems no one sees it as two ways. Just the negative, never the positive.

I'll get off my soapbox now.

Black sheep

2010-01-25T10:00:00.000-08:00

LightRoom is now on my Mac. So excited about that. I finally imported all my pictures into it. I don't know why it took so long. I mean, I only have 3017 pictures on my computer. It's helpful to look back though, makes me realize that I actually have improved.

Cue Ball

2010-01-24T14:42:00.000-08:00

Green Curls

2010-01-22T12:12:00.000-08:00

Shot this in San Antonio, on the Riverwalk, when I was with the family in December. The architecture there is phenomenal.

I just got the inspiration to go to Chicago tomorrow and take pictures. Hopefully I can get a shooting buddy!

I promise, I will continue posting.....

Updates soon!

2010-01-20T22:00:00.000-08:00

I wonder if anyone actually ever checks this.....but I have two photography classes this semester. Ergo, I have no excuse for no posts on this blog. Speaking of blogs, my Photo II class has a photoblog.

judsonphoto2.blogspot.com

Orange Flower

2009-09-19T13:03:00.000-07:00

My first selective color picture.

I know the craft isn't very good, but it was my first try. Give me a break. :-)