Michael McGraw Photography

Celebrity Look-a-Like: Me and Meryl Streep

2010-03-04T21:26:00.003-06:00

Mike and Meryl

This is what Mpls. StPaul Magazine said about my submission to the celebrity look-a-like contest they were having:

Congratulations Mike and Billie Jo!

Mpls. St Paul Magazine is very excited that you will be making your “celebrity” appearance Sunday night at the Oscars! The red carpet rolls out at 5pm and we would love to have there shortly after 5pm. Plan on being shot by our photographer and film a quick “acting” debut with our video crew as well. Enjoy the evening with the 4 course dinner sampling with wine in the VIP section of Cosmos Restaurant while watching the Oscars on the Big Screen! Follow your evening up with your free night stay at The Graves Hotel in a luxury suite! Cocktail attire requested.

If you have any further questions or concerns please do not hesitate to call or email me. See you Sunday!

Pretty cool, huh?

Photographs on Location at Crocus Hill Oriental Medicine

2010-02-20T11:28:00.008-06:00

Anna Perry, Acupuncturist

Crocus Hill Oriental Medicine in St. Paul, MN

I have been going to Crocus Hill Oriental Medicine for at least 10 years now for everything form muscle pain to snoring to blood pressure issues. I like having needles stuck in me and then taking a little nap for 30 minutes with Native American flute music playing in the background.

I have two photographs from my Illness and Healing series on display there through this spring. Both of these photographs were taken at the Islands of Peace park in Fridley, MN. There is the occasional shallow stream that runs through the park and a little bridge that goes over it. These photographs are interesting to me because each shows the surface of the water, what is beneath the water, and what is reflected above. And, they are printed on a shiny metallic paper which looks really beautiful in the natural light.

Foot-In-The-Door Show at the Minneapolis Institute of Art

2010-02-04T06:17:00.007-06:00

A new decade means it's time again for the Foot-In-The-Door Show and the MIA.

Foot In The Door 4
Friday, February 19, 2010—Sunday, June 13, 2010
Minnesota Artists Exhibition Gallery
Free Exhibition

Opening reception: Thursday, February 18, 2010

Foot in the Door 4 is an open exhibition for all Minnesota artists, which takes place every ten years at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Since 1980, Foot in the Door has celebrated the diversity and enthusiasm of Minnesota's visual arts community.

The one restriction about exhibiting is that your work, of any type, must fit in a 12 inch by 12 inch box. You could be Alec Soth or Joe Schmoe and if the art fits in the box, it's in the show.

I was in Foot In The Door 3 in 2000, so now I will be able to say, "Yes, I've had a couple of works displayed in the largest art museum in Minnesota."

One cool thing about FITD is that they photograph your work and your art becomes part of the permanent MIA website. Even today, if you search my name on the MIA website, you will see my "Pilgrim" photograph that I had in the exhibit in 2000. This year, look for my Exploding Crab.

(Okay, I dropped off today right as they opened. Actually, 20 minutes before they opened, but they were taking submissions anyway. It took me 35 minutes to get through the line to submit. People who dropped off Friday in the middle of the day may have had to wait more than 2 hours. suckas!)

Art drop-off and registration
Thursday, February 4: 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Friday, February 5: 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 6: 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 7: 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Exhibit:

Friday, February 19, 2010—Sunday, June 13, 2010
Minnesota Artists Exhibition Gallery
Free Exhibition

2400 Third Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404
www.artsmia.org

Photographs at Coloplast Headquarters - Winter 2010

2010-01-15T16:10:00.004-06:00

Photographs by Michael McGraw

Illness and Healing: Photographs of Ice on the Mississippi River

Today I hung a few photographs from my Illness and Healing series of ice photos on the Mississippi River. Coloplast headquarters are just a mile or so south of where these photographs were taken, which is kind of cool that the photographs get to have this temporary home overlooking their permanent home on the river.

To see other images from this series, check out this gallery.

I'm a big fan of Coloplast, though I do not use any of their ostomy and wound-care products. They commissioned only local artists to add to their permanent art collection for the building. You can see me gush about them here. They also have rotating exhibits in the multiple public spaces in their building. What a great opportunity for all of us local artists!

Crab Apple Behind Glass - Diptych

2010-01-09T11:50:00.004-06:00

3 December 2009 #19

(with glass effect and without)

Still struggling with the use of Photoshop filter for making images. I never have trouble adjusting contrast, a bit of dodgin and burnin, and even increasing saturation, but preselected filters? Not so sure. I like how this looks, though. Click on the image and enlarge. See what you think.

Crab Apples Through Glass

2009-12-30T22:14:00.003-06:00

3 December 2009 #39

I'm a bit embarrassed to post this because of my use of the "glass" filter in Photoshop. I was just messing around with an image that wasn't quite working for me. It brings me closer to that painterly feel that I wish I had more often.

Comments are appreciated.

Crab Apples - December

2009-12-29T21:43:00.003-06:00

3 December 2009 #10-1

Natural Abstraction - Crab Apples in Winter

2009-12-28T18:18:00.002-06:00

3 December 2009 #14

Winter Crab Apples

2009-12-28T09:10:00.003-06:00

2 December 2009 #10

More Snowfall and Crab Apples

2009-12-26T23:31:00.002-06:00

2 December 2009 #32

2 December 2009 #42

Merry Christmas - Crab Apple and Snowfall

2009-12-25T15:55:00.002-06:00

2 December 2009 #14

Christmas Eve

There is at least 10 inches of snow in Mpls today and a bunch of slush being created as I type.

One thing that is interesting about this batch of winter photos is that I can see that some of the fruit is only just recently eaten. You can almost see juice dripping from the apple stems.

Good luck, squirrels and birds!

Black and White Crab Apple Tree in Winter

2009-12-23T20:53:00.001-06:00

1 December 2009 #32

What Choices Do You Make?

2009-12-16T20:14:00.009-06:00

2 May 2009 #13 (again)

2 June 2009 #169 and 3 May 2009 #103

Or, more accurately, what decisions do you make? I have been trying to make a bit more sense out of my photography and the process I have for making pictures. One prominent aspect of the process is that it is about choices and also about choices. Choices when photographing to represent the choices of life.

Decisions I make when photographing:

Subject matter--typically trees. Very life-like things.
Location--typically the busy street by my house. This is where my life is.
Time of day--though I try to minimize the effects of sunset lighting and such so that the photo is more about the subject than the light. Life isn't always the golden hour.
Lens--usually my Canon 70-200mm f4.0L. Sort of like putting one's best foot forward.
Proximity to my subject--usually less than 5 feet away from the tree trunk. Life surrounds you. You're in the middle of it.
Focus--mainly sticking my lens in the branches and adjusting the focus on the various branches. It's all about choices.

What am I trying to communicate?

All life has beauty, and no beauty is without flaw. The choices we make create harmony and balance, or dissonance and discord. Usually a mix both. The choices before us are unlimited, and there is no right path. Enjoy the beauty you see and appreciate its complexity. Everything is the way it should be.

Are These Crab Apples Staring at Me?

2009-12-14T06:25:00.000-06:00

4 November 2009 #18 b/w

Seriously. I'm beginning to feel like as I am staring at the crab apple trees that they are staring back at me. They don't smile, I don't smile. They don't pose in any given way, and neither do I.

I'll see if I feel this way after a nap.

Bright Red Crab Apple Fruit #1

2009-12-13T07:42:00.000-06:00

4 November 2009 #3

A Bit of Nature

2009-12-10T06:02:00.002-06:00

4 November 2009 #20

B/W Crab Apple

2009-12-09T07:00:00.002-06:00

4 November 2009 #19b1

Fall Crab Apple Diptych - Chicago

2009-12-09T06:44:00.000-06:00

4 November 2009 #4 - #12

Bundle of Thorns - Chicago Crab Apples

2009-12-08T06:57:00.001-06:00

3 November 2009 #44

Chicago Crab Apple with Thorns

2009-12-06T10:16:00.000-06:00

3 November 2009 #77

Chicago Crab Apple Trees -- Green Blobs

2009-12-04T22:09:00.001-06:00

3 November 2009 #55

Mpls Crab Apples With Buildings Behind Them

2009-11-30T06:37:00.001-06:00

1 November 2009 #59 / #61

More St. Louis Crab Apple Trees

2009-11-24T06:34:00.000-06:00

1 November 2009 #145 / #108

I'm enjoying including a bit more of the background in these tree photographs. A pine tree or a house blurry in the background can make a difference in the mood of the photo.

Nephews Are Awesome

2009-11-22T17:04:00.004-06:00

Can you guess which brother was trying to wreck the other brother's photo?

St. Louis Crab Apple Trees

2009-11-21T06:29:00.002-06:00

1 November 2009 #129 / #101

Crab Apple Trees in St. Louis along the parkway by Grandma Dixie's. These trees are similar in feel the the Mpls trees, more so than the Chicago trees. I love them all.