Simple Family Portrait

A simple family portrait made in their living room using a love seat and an empty wall.  I used a single shoot through umbrella with a 1/4 CTO gel to warm it up a bit and that was it.  Doesn't always have to be an elaborate setup to get a nice portrait.

Blizzard Lunch

Stopped in to Mia Za's on State Street for some comfort food while the blizzard raged outside. It's good quick Italian food at a decent price.

End of the World Blizzard

It was the eve of the end of the Mayan Calendar and the blizzard dumped nearly 20" of snow on Madison, prompting some to think it truly was the end of the world. Seriously, it was our first major snow of the season and just in time for the holidays. It was a winter wonderland!

 

Soga - The Isthmus Review Is In

The Isthmus review for Soga Shabu Shabu came out today and thankfully it was glowing.

After all the food they gave me during the photo shoot this past Saturday, I was hoping it would be good. Read the full review here and below are some images of the other dishes I photographed. Besides the Shabu Shabu, I think my favorite was the Spicy Salad.

Spicy Salad

Pig Ears

Poached Fish in Spicy Sauce

(#18 on menu says Chicken, but it's a typo.)

Perfect Harmony Men's Chorus

Perfect Harmony Men's Chorus is Madison's gay and gay-friendly men's chorus.  They perform two concerts and a fundraiser cabaret each year.  They also preform at various functions throughout the year.   The chorus has been singing in Madison since 1997 and have continued to grow and bring choral music to the community.

Soga Food Review Photo Shoot & Feast

I did a food shoot for an upcoming review of Soga Shabu Shabu restaurant on State Street for Isthmus today. The photo editor gave me five dishes were reviewed in the article. I showed the list to Xiaoling (aka Rene) and Seya since it seemed that English wasn't their strong suit. I asked for one or two dishes to work with. They being eager to please types, I got all six! Fried duck, sliced pig ears, poached fish, spicy salad and their specialty shabu-shabu not to mention bubble tea and an alcohol-laden tropical fruit drink.


After I completed the assignment, they insisted I sit down and eat. I had never heard of shabu-shabu before. It's an interactive dish popular in Japan and Korea that let's you do the cooking. You get a boiling pot of broth (one side spicy the other not) in which you cook the thinly slice pieces of fatty beef and a heaping plate of vegetables. Xiaoling being the good host, sat down across from me and did the cooking. Like a doting mother, she kept heaping samples of all the dishes on my plate. I tried several times to quit, but my pleas for mercy went unheeded. I must admit I didn't try too hard since the food was all quite tasty...though I wasn't the biggest fan of the pig ears. Kind of rubbery.

It was all a wonderful experience and for a moment I imagined I was actually traveling in China being treated to Xiaoling's hospitality in her own kitchen.

I sure hope the Isthmus gives them a good review after all the trouble and expense they went for me to make a photo. We'll find out on Thursday and I'll post the link to the article and a few images from today's session.  Fingers crossed! 

*UPDATE:  See next post on results of the review and more images.

Help-Portrait Madison 2012

(c) Andy Manis Photo

Another great year of hanging with fellow photographers making portraits of appreciative folks at The River Food Pantry for the annual Help-Portrait event.   It's an international movement of professional photographers making portraits for people in need the first weekend in December.  

This was our biggest event yet with 139 Sessions in one day. That equals 476 people, 8 dogs, and one kitty between 14 photographers and a big group of happy helpers!  Thanks to Amandalynn Jones for her tireless effort in organizing this year's event.