New Engagement Shoot

The last time I posted asking for feedback on an engagement shoot was that gritty graffiti extravaganza of a shoot I did in April and the consensus was that the photos weren't "engagementy" enough.

Well, I feel that I have rectified that with my newest engagement shoot.

Please go check it out on the front page of my site www.niallmccarthy.net .

You folks are the ones who's opinions I value, so please, leave feedback, and I truly don't think it will be anything the same as last time.

Cheers blogosphere,

NIall

THE UNITED STATES HAS THE BEST HEALTH CARE IN THE WORLD

The lie: The United States has the best health care in the world.

The liars: A slew of U.S. presidents, politicians, journalists, commentators, and everyday citizens

The debunking: There is one yardstick by which U.S. health care distinguishes itself: cost. The United States spends more -- in total dollars, percentage of GDP, and per capita -- than every other country on Earth.

On virtually every other broad metric, the claim that U.S. health care stands for global excellence is demonstrably false. The United States doesn't take a top spot in either the World Health Organization or nonpartisan Commonwealth Fund rankings. The American health-care system is not best in terms of coverage, access, patient safety, efficiency, or cost-effectiveness. It does not produce the best outcomes for diseases such as cancer, heart disease, or diabetes; for the elderly, the middle-aged, or the young; or in terms of life expectancy, rates of chronic diseases, or obesity.

Which countries do come out on top? Often -- France, Switzerland, Britain, Canada, and Japan. On the World Health Organization's list, the United States comes out 37th





Not saying I think Obama's system is going to work or that socialized is the way to go or anything like that, but I'm just tired of hearing about how great our system is. Phooey.

Sorry

That it's been so long. Just been super busy with summer. School starts tomorrow and life will return to relative normalcy.

Expect this blog to be more active again, as I hope all of yours will be too.

Also, just took my first set of baby pictures yesterday and am 100% thrilled with the results. They are on my website at www.niallmccarthy.net . Go check em' out!

Jeremy and Kelsey Wedding

Put up shots from the wedding I did on Saturday. They are over on the site at www.niallmccarthy.net.

Thanks guys. Please leave comments. I think I really upped my game with this last shoot.

2 things

HUGE thanks to Padfoot for helping me get the site up and running without any bugs. Any and all photo updates will be over there from now on, so if you use it, update your rss feeds.

Also, does anyone have any personal recommendations for the printing of business cards? Any places you've used before? I'm looking for features like rounded corners and matte finishes..

thank you blogosphere. Hopefully you will be less dead soon.

EDIT: Business cards will be done in 3 days. Here they are-- tell me what you think. Looking for VERY simple but bold.




They will be printed on thick cardstock with a matte UV finish with big fat rounded corners. So excited.

new blog up and running

kind of.

www.niallmccarthy.net/wordpress

ok, now I need some serious help. I don't understand the best way to create a blog post with a lead of picture, and then click to follow galleries. I don't understand how to make the intro slideshow work. I don't understand why www.niallmccarthy.net and www.niallmccarthy.net/wordpress take me to two different sties. Basically, I need help. Can I meet with some of you guys that have a ton of knowledge about all of this? Help? Please?

Already bought the domain and server space and all of that, so I'm not going to not pursue this.

Thanks guys,

Niall

21st birthday

Had a great birthday that I spent with family, Ben and Nat. Good times were to be had as we hung out at the Yardhouse for my "first" beer. Nat got me the Canon fisheye and I got enough money to go on our road trip. Hot dang!

Professional Opinions Needed

In my quest to start my own business I am currently designing all of my online options, website, blog.. ya know. This post is about the blog section. I've decided to go with wordpress because I really like what I've seen and the options that are available to me. Since it will be a strictly photo blog that showcases the latest projects and such, I am looking for a wordpress theme that is simple with a huge emphasis on the photos being posted, yet retaining easy navigation. With that criterion set, I have come to these to themes..

http://labs.andreamignolo.com/zack990/

http://labs.andreamignolo.com/ocularprof/

I would like everyone's opinion as to which of the two layouts they like better. Please leave your feedback in the comments.. THANK YOU!

E3

Went with Samuel today to shoot one of the VIP parties at E3 for Sony Europe and had a really rad time. Learning a lot from this internship for sure.

Check out the pics:












Cheers,

Niall

Quick update

Got the internship! Here's the site to check out: www.samuellippke.com .

Already a whole lot of fun and I'm learning so much. Will keep everyone posted.



Blogosphere is really down lately huh? Guess it's because everyone is busy.



Anyway, took some pics tonight and thought they came out great. Tell me what you think please. Always helpful.







plus some fun ones:







Good night and good days,

Niall





Also: for those of you who are photographers (or shoot with an SLR) what do you shoot in? JPEG or RAW?

Summer

This summer is looking to be awesome.

I have an interview with a photographer on Wednesday for an internship position. I would be the only intern.
Here is his website: www.samuellippke.com

I'm very excited and nervous! Please pray that everything goes well!

Goodnight everyone!

Hosanna's Dress

Hosanna wanted some pictures of her in her dress. I took em'.

Wedding pictures are up!

All of the pictures that will be put on the internet of the wedding are up!

PLEASE check them out!!!!!















Thanks for looking guys. Really proud of a lot of these.

So many pictures so little time!

Too some "semi" formal pictures for Panacaea today, to be used in their program for sophomore recital.

Seriously, umbrellas are my absolute best friend. Most consistent lighting ever.










Really enjoyed taking these. Great bunch of dudes that I'll do a band post on soon. Unique post-rock metal featuring (obviously) a violin and cello instead of guitar and bass.

Senior Pictures for Angie

Posted some senior graduation announcements for my friend Angie.

Comments are more than ever, appreciated.

Went for a cleaner and more classic style. Thoughts?

This weekend

Went really good. First wedding is over and I'm very happy with the results, missed no shot all day.

Stressed though. So much to do.



Honestly, I'm sick to death of college. It's just a stupid limbo between being a child and getting to the working world. There is no purpose. I'm learning nothing even remotely related to what I intend to do in life and the schools don't care that I use my spare time working on my future career and not spending my time in bars.

I'm stereotyped by a culture that wants to stereotype me and lumps me in with every other college kid who cares more about weed, beer and sex than they do about self improvement and intellectual pursuit. Case in point, this is one of the number one singles in the country and doesn't show any sign of slowing down: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43pkqeamXe8 , Asher Roth's "I Love College". Give me a break. This is what kids my age (Granted, not all, I DO NOT CARE if YOU do not smoke weed or drink beer all day. I know this. I don't befriend people who do, at least not to the point of telling them to comment on my blog, so, I know. Not everyone does. Really. I know. Seriously.) this is cool? Give me a break. This is why so many adults just roll their eyes when they hear about college kids. Ugh.

I'm tired of arguing with silly people about how my life should be led.

I'm tired of frats.

Of kids who act so superior because they go to a private school.

Of kids who have their heads so in the clouds that they can't live in the real world.

Of kids how are the exact opposite, with absolutely no dream to speak of for their life other than a drive to make "a shit ton of money".

I'm over all of this. Of trying to keep groups of friends together. Of balancing a TERRIBLE job with an AMAZING girlfriend. Of listening to gossip. Of pretending to like things that I really don't care about at all to keep people from telling me about what they care about. Of being told that I need to care so much about my body.





I want to grow up and be my own person but I feel like college isn't letting me. Damn it.

First Wedding

I'm going to San Francisco in the morning to be with friends and to shoot my first wedding. Wish me luck guys. You know I'll post pictures.

Love,
Niall

Pet Peeves

Number one pet peeve: When people put a giant proverbial period at the end of their sentences. Especially when those sentences are made up entirely of their inferences and not fact, thus shutting down lines of communication and the further spread of knowledge and destruction of ignorance.

Note: It is inevitable that we will all do this from time to time, this complaint goes out to those where EVERY sentence is followed by this period, by this supreme knowledge that somehow the information they have and the conclusion that it is has lead them to has somehow blessed them with understanding of situations far beyond the scope of possibility of understanding of every other mortal caught within earshot of their musings.

This is directed at no one on this board but is a result of years of proverbial period abuse.

Have a great day,
Niall

Kafka on the Shore/ the american dream

Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami is becoming one of the best books that I will ever have read.

I would love to delve into some Russian literature after this.




I read a great article in Vanity Fair about the American Dream. It really made me see the mutations that the concept of "The American Dream" has gone through since the 50's. The notion was founded on the idea of "freedom from want", that somehow, the fledgling United States of America was going to be able to provide a lifestyle, more specifically the opportunity to attain whatever lifestyle a person wanted, that they may see their family's never go hungry and have all of the amenities that make life good and not really with the intent to focus on excess. That freedom from want principle is a beautiful thing.

But what has it become? Freedom to want everything. No longer is the American dream a comftorable livelihood that a family can exist by itself and how it pleases, but an excessive force that has become an unattainable thing for every American. 50 years ago, a man would walk through a parking lot and say, "I'd love to have a car like that someday." Now, a more common thing to hear would be "I want every man to want my car someday." Status has perverted that idea of American prosperity. And what of all of this? "Why is it so bad that people have more things now than they ever have?" After all, the average american makes 60% more per capita than we did in the 1950's (adjusted for inflation). Does it mean anything though if the rate of unhappiness is skyrocketing? Stress rated illnesses and diseases are at an all time high. Depression is at an all time high. Obesity is at all time highs. Something is wrong. I really feel that something is wrong, and it's not just with this country. But it's with this BS "dream" that the whole world has for itself. Granted not everyone wants to drive a porsche, or wants to be able to pick from 1 of 3 colors of rolls royce every morning, but almost everything we have is outrageously taken advantage of. Our life of material excesses is going to kill us all. If not physically, then mentally or spiritually.

End rant.

Wait..

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Israeli-Army-T-Shirts-Mock-Killing-Palestinian-Women-And-Children-During-Gaza-Offensive/Article/200903315245946?lpos=World_News_Carousel_Region_2

what?


We mindlessly support these people why?

Oh right. Because the message of Jesus Christ tells us that never ending war is the way, that we shouldn't turn the other cheek, that we should take an eye for an eye. Yah, that's what I remember about the message of Christ. Oh wait. No it isn't.

Finished edits...

These are the finished edits from some of the pictures I posted the other day. These are what the blurry photos were intended for.

GREAT DAY!

Did an awesome engagement photo session with my friend Jeremy and Kelsey today.

These are my favorite shots from the day:







What are YOUR favorites of the set and do you have any feedback as to the direction my photography is headed? ANYTHING is helpful to me!

Also! I'm going to sound like a broken record but if you need ANY photography for ANYTHING then PLEASE talk to me! My rates are those that are STARVING COLLEGE STUDENT would charge and I give you WAY more than you pay for!

Love,
Niall

Propaghandi interview

How do you feel about the current state of the music industry? Are physical copies of albums losing ground to digital releases? Is music better now than it was a few years ago?

The "industry" sickens me. It can be summarized like so: commercial pablum created to make lots of money for a handful old, ugly CEOs who hate music. If physical copies of albums are losing ground to digital downloads, at least there will be slightly less shit sitting in landfills for all eternity.


Are you glad you're a Canadian rather than a United Statesian? Do you think the people in the USA should be called Americans I mean North and South America should be Americans too?

I don't really think like that. To quote Neil Peart, "Better the pride that resides in a citizen of the world than the pride that divides when a colourful rag is unfurled."



Band rules SO hard.

My mom vs. Barbara Boxer

This is an email I just received from my mom.

I know that EVERYONE in the blogosphere would love to read it.

Diana McCarthy 2012.

The Email:

Got an email tonight from our wonderful Senator Barbara Boxer telling about all the wonderful things coming our way because of this massive stimulus bill. Here's my response:
What about all the pork in the bill? What about the massive amount of money we are borrowing that will have to be paid back by US the TAXPAYERS???

What about the targeting of Americans who make around $250K a year and will now have to be taxed to death do to all the over-spending that you all in congress are doing?

My husband and I are finally making it. We dug ourselves out of a hole and went from barely making it to making a six-figure income. But my dear Senator we are NOT wealthy! How on earth can you put people who make $250,000 a year into the same bracket as multi-millionaires??? We feel every single tax that comes our way. We work hard. We asked for no hand outs. We have 3 kids w/ one in college. We get NO loans for it. My mother lives w/ us and we take care of her also. But w/ all the new taxes coming our way...and they ARE coming... we will start to sink under their weight. Where is our incentive to make more money? It will only go to someone else who didn't work for it.

We sit here w/ a mortgage that is upside down and can not refinance it to a fixed rate loan. We are paying our mortgage so no one wants to deal with us. We aren't looking for a bailout. We are just looking to refinance to a fixed rate. Not sure that will happen because again we are seen as "the rich". Too funny since 4 years after moving in we are just now buying curtains and still have a dirt backyard. You see we are trying to do things the right way. We want to have the money before we do the backyard....that is IF we still have one in the future.

I am tired of hearing about "the richest 2%" in our country. They worked darned hard for what they have and should not be demonized for it. What right do you all in congress have to take it away from those who earn it?

I suggest you all take a massive pay cut. But then again you probably wouldn't feel it. I'm quite sure you aren't making just $250K a year.

Instead of being so quick to spend someone else's hard earned money why don't you look at the real working Americans out there that are just like me. Working working working and the tax bills just keep climbing. It is time for a Boston Tea Party in America so you, our representatives, will realize that we are sick of this and aren't just going to keep taking every thing you want to throw at us. After all...YOU work for ME!



I'm sending this to all the idiots in congress who represent us. No more just talking! Time we let them know what we think too!!




Yah, my mom pretty much kicks ass.

Watchmen

was AMAZING.

Do NOT listen to the critics on sites like Rotten Tomatoes. Most of them have beef with THE GRAPHIC NOVEL and not with the interpretation of that novel. It is completely unfair to fault a movie based on it's source material, when the ENTIRE point of the film is to adapt the source material.

Also, don't let people tell you it's super complicated, it isn't. Deep, but not overly complicated.

Also, see it on IMAX. Ruled.

NERD OUT!

What do you think?

Just put up some portraits for my friend Nathan's new book of poems he's putting out. In particular, I want to draw your attention to the headshot.


Do you like the edit of it? I'm in love with it but I would also like a non-artists opinion.

Love you guys,
Niall

Lol

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16680-porn-in-the-usa-conservatives-are-biggest-consumers.html

New portraits on Flickr

Did a GREAT portrait session today with one of my good friend's (whom almost all of you know) Matt Bebee.



I would love it if you would check the rest out.




Also: Any of you families out there in the blogosphere want pictures of those families done in a way that doesn't look like the same Olan Mills Jc Penny shot that everyone else gets? Couples? Single bloggers want pictures for family or friends? Pets? Anybody need pictures for ANYTHING? If you do, get in contact with me, and please, refer your friends if you know that someone needs some photography done at a very reasonable price for a personable experience.

Thanks everyone,
Niall

P90x day 30

So, I'm happy to say that we are 1/3 of the way done with this nightmarish P90x program.

Results at 30 days:
Lost 14 pounds
Lost 7 percent body fat
Feels infinitely more athletic
Has new passion for yoga and stretching


This is amazing and I'm already happy with how I'm looking. :)

Best Game Ever.

My love has been rekindled. Any old players out there?

8:37 am

Hope decided that 8:37 am was a GREAT time to resume construction on the inside of our dorms.

On a saturday.

Awesome.

Social Programs

"One of the many reasons for the bewildering and tragic character of human existence is the fact that social organization is at once necessary and fatal. Men are forever creating such organizations for their own convenience and forever finding themselves the victims of their home-made monsters." - Aldous Huxley

Couldn't possibly agree more.

New job and book list

Finally found a job! I will now be working at the Souplantation in Fullerton. Hot damn! Come down and visit.

I've recently decided that I need to start reading more. For the sheer sake of organization (and my own lack there of), I will use the rest of this post to create a list of books that I hope to finish by the end of the semester.

In order of which I hope to read them by:
You Shall Know Our Velocity! - Dave Eggers (done)
The Dharma Bums - Jack Kerouac (in progress)
Fear and Trembling - Soren Kierkegaard
The Wind Up Bird Chronicles - Haruki Murakami
Coming Up For Air - George Orwell
The Idiot - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
A New Kind Of Christian - Brian McLaren
Surprised by Joy - CS Lewis
For Whom The Bell Tolls - Ernest Hemingway
The Sound and Fury - William Faulkner
Naked Lunch - William S. Burroughs
Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut

After I read these (should finish out the semester) I hope to finish the rest of the works by most of the writers on here, and me being most notably excited for Murakami, Eggers, Kerouac, Dostoyevsky and Lewis.

Anyone else had their nose in a book lately?

Would You Rather...

Stolen From The Luna Facebook!

The Rules

1. Put your music playing device on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!

IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY” YOU SAY?
Glorified Dirt

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Kafari

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
the Saddest Day

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
A Thousand Falling Skies

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Surrender

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
On The Line

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
And I Can Hear the Soft Morning Rustling (As If Snow Were Sliding Down The Mountains)

WHAT IS 2+2?
Get a Job

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Total Pandemonium

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Recluse

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Life In a Glass House

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
The Hand That Feeds

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?"
In G and E

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Now and Forever

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Come On! Feel the Illinoise!

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Rhythms

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
There ain't no CAN'T in AmeriCAN

WHAT’S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
Shipwrecked (Flat on Your Back)

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
For All The Cows

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
Outburst

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Second Place

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Mean Eyed Cat

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
Sincere

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
Slip

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Shoot Our Wounded

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
Three's A Charm

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Sensible

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Would You Rather...

P90x

So, myself and 13 other people at hope international university are now 5 days into the p90x program, and I can say that without a doubt, it has been the 5 most intense days of my life. We are all adhering to the strict diet and workout routine and every single time we leave the aerobics or weight room I can proudly say that every single person has given their hundred percent.

Today we did yoga, and honestly, it was one of the best things I have ever done. I enjoyed it so much in fact, that I want to look for a yoga/tai chi class after finishing the p90x program.

As for my goals for the program... I can honestly expect (based on typical results) to lose 10 to 12% of my body fat and lose around 30 to 40 pounds over the course of the program.

I'll keep everyone tracked on my progress!

Wish me luck!

Niall

Miyazaki

I would like to take this blog to announce to the world my love of the animation director Hayao Miyazaki. If you have never seen any of his movies, I highly suggest you check one of them out. The best and most readily available of these movies is the film Spirited Away.

Here's the trailer:



For the love of God, check out this director's movies.

Nerding out,

Niall

This is what is wrong with our world.

I just thought I'd bring this to the attention of my readership.

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/theampersand/archive/2009/01/08/226800.aspx

If they get any money, I'm rioting.

Disgusted.

Flickr

is updated.

Anyone know of any businesses hiring in Orange County? Could Realllllly use a job!



As always, please check out the photos!