[Grandma Nadine]

I couldn't have been been more blessed to finally have this beautiful lady in front of my lens while I was home this last time. She is such a big part of my life that it's crazy to think that amongst these past two years or so, I haven't forced her to be in front of my camera.

Our bond began at such a young age. While my brother and sister were drawn to the rural country life of my grandpa's lifestyle, I became invested in spending time with her. I think back to all of the things we did in my prime; watching horror films (Cujo, The Exorcist, Stir of Echoes, The Green Mile) at an age that probably shouldn't have happened haha, sand art, polishing rocks, weekend spend the nights, gardening, and trips to Virginia City. It is through these years and experiences that we have become so close.

This incredible woman has shown me so much in life. She's a hard working, independent, stubborn, succcessful woman who works way to hard for her own good,  and I love her to death! Thank you Grandma for allowing me to capture a few shots of just how beautiful you are inside and out.

Cindy Cieluch [Influence]

cindy cieluch (cin · dy   cie· luch) n. [extraordinary, goofy, energetic, funky, Great Falls ambitious photographer]

The first time I was given the chance to shadow Cindy on a senior session I was star struck. One by her overwhelming display of generosity to give me this experience and two I couldn’t believe I had been given the opportunity too actually go on a shoot with THEE CINDY CIELUCH.

Cindy’s photography has always been work I have looked up to as inspiration, but I never really knew what it exactly was about her images that really hit home for me besides how incredible they looked visually. I have no problem making that distinction now that I have gotten to know her.

Its One Word: PASSION.

It isn’t that she happens to know just the best locations to shoot, or just happens to just have ideal clients. It’s that her images are heart felt, emotional, engaging, and represent and depict identity for all that set foot in front of her lens. 

I am truly blessed to have you in my life not only on a photographic standpoint, but also as a genuine friend. You’re an incredible person, killer photographer (OBVIOUSLY), and influence me to work hard, take risks, and shoot for the stars.

Thank you Cindy!

Of course when I had studio assignments for school Cindy was forced to step out in front of the camera to model for me:} 

15 minute Mini Shoot= Stress Reliever

To New Beginnings! [A Website]

Today September 14, 2011, will forever go down as the official jump into the cyber world for me and my photography. With the help of Brooke Hansen I was able to take my vision for my website and put it into action with her incredible design background and skills! Thank you again Brooke for all your time and effort:) Everything by far seceded all my expectations!

I can't believe an entire year has went by since I have taken advantage of sharing my world of photography through here. Life surely has its way of throwing you curve balls, and taking you down so many different paths and journeys. My last blog post was around the time I started a new chapter of my life and headed off to college. It may have seemed hard at first, but now I am loving the new atmosphere more than ever.

In addition to the start of college, I have had a chance to really reflect on me. Discover who and what's important, meet and interact with new people, set goals and aim to active them, and continue to grow as a photographer learning everything that I can while I am here at school.

I realized that my blog needs to not be just a place to recap photography sessions, but a place to glorify the opportunities I have been given to meet new people and capture THEM through my photography. And secondly share my life through my experiences and my opportunities through the lens of my camera.

 There is so much to post, so much to share, and so much to come. Here's to new beginnings!

I am officially back! Recharged. Refocused. and Renewed!


Check out my new and official website at www.mattehnes.com

Braget Family [Obstacle]

The Braget Family decided that with Rachael heading off to college this year, it couldn't be a better opportunity to update their walls with family pictures! Since I have taken many photos of Rachael throughout my whole adventure of getting into this, they decided I was the man for the job. However all though it was really nice out the day of the shoot, once we got to our first location we were presented with quite the wind storm. These guys did serious work to rock the wind, (more so the ladies) and the shoot couldn't have been any better!

Running Concentration [Complete]

Its only been a month since I have blogged so its not really that bad is it? Yes I know its actually really bad and sorry for you out there who are let down every day that you have visited here and found nothing new. I have been doing a lot more facebook uploads though so hopefully that helps the situation a tad. Well through out the last couple months I had been posting installments to my AP Art Concentration and now I can officially say its finished (well we plan to do a few more that we didn't get a chance to do before submission but the pieces that went are and here they are!

The concept illustrated changed and became more developed as I worked through the year. I worked to capture the essence of setting goals, working for those goals, what a runner goes through in a literal since, and finished with a piece that questioned the idea "Was it worth it" and do you put your heart and sole into it.

On Your Mark

Burnout


Solemnity

Breathe


Dehydration


Carb Overload

Stress Fracture


Worn




Sacrifice

Used & Fused


Suffer Nobly

Austin Blaire [UPDATE]

Austin has made an appearance on the blog earlier from the last time I was down in LA scoping everything out. If she lived here everyone knows that she probably would be plastered all over my page! haha. The last two visits she has been home we have always talked about doing a full on shoot but it seems like thats always the first thing that slips our minds and we end up getting twenty or thirty minutes to shoot before she boards her flight. With that I decided I better post the few awesome shots we knocked out wit the time we had.







Artsy one for the 21st Birthday invites I designed for her!


Front Design


Back Design

Sarah [Senior Reshoot]

Sarah never ordered way back when I took her senior pictures last summer. It was something that kind of slipped our minds, so when the hard drive crashed we both realized we had an issue. However, Sarah was stoked when she heard the news and was ready to go full force on round two. We masted the art of avoiding the squatters who live amongst the junkyard, and got past the scare of a possible rotting human head!
















This is the head we saw in a pile of junk. Thankfully it was only a doll head.