Welcome to Mike's Tangents...

Hello there! Welcome to my blog. This online journal covers both professional and personal notes, thoughts, aspirations, questions, and whatever else is going on inside my head and heart, and is intended for you to get to know me just a bit more. Please enjoy, & be sure to visit my website for more info. Thanks for swinging by, & enjoy the tangents...

10.27.2008

happy monday

Happy Monday to you! Wishing your day is great. We have lots on the books today, and look forward to a busy week. Thanks to all of you who commented on the blog and emails regarding our new baby in the oven...I'm excited about another chapter in our lives!

Stay tuned for more blog entries this week with images... God bless!

10.23.2008

SO VERY STOKED!

Alrighty folks, here it is. The good news that's been keeping us a little busier than usual and percolating for a while now will continue to percolate. What I mean is this: The Steelman Family of 3 will soon be the "Steelman Four"! Can you believe it? Yes, we are pregnant!! (Well, Gina has to do the hard part, but still). She's about 2 months along, and we're uber excited to welcome a new addition to our lives next May. I don't think that Jk has fully realized that he's going to be a big brother, but dang can he act! Check out the picture I put together of him below, and be sure to click on it to make it bigger. He's such a rad kid. I can't imagine how cool things are gonna be with another. Wheee! :-)When Gina was pregnant with Judah Kai, we made a website to keep our friends and family posted, and I actually got really involved with knowing the latest developments like fingernails growing, heart beating, lungs developing, etc. How exciting! This time around, we're gonna post it all here on the Tangents Blog, so please keep coming back and watch how obsessed I become with the progress. It truly is an amazing thing, this thing called LIFE. Thanks for letting me share my joy with you!

10.20.2008

The Great Outdoors

Hiya folks! I took the weekend off two weekends ago for a family camping trip with dear friends of ours at Henry Cowell State Park in the Santa Cruz mountains. We figured we'd better go before it gets too cold this year. Gina, Jk, and I showed up last as the last minute to-do's pushed us way back into the evening, but we managed to get the tent up in the dark after some struggles. :-) But there's a very important fact I feel you must know: If we go camping, we go CAMPING. Nathan & Dawn and Sam & Ashleigh had some very cute little tents to keep snuggled in, but a couple of years ago we purchased the Steelman Family Tent, aka "The Ritz in the Woods". Man, did I forget the size of this baby! Our tent sleeps like a zillion people, has a ping pong table, pool, and an espresso machine! Hahaha, okay, so it's just big. I didn't really get a picture of the whole thing, but you can see that Jk found the doggy door, or whatever it was. He loved his own little entrance! Isn't he so freaking cute??We had a blast, despite the campground being under a red flag warning which means NO CAMPFIRE! (Can you believe that? Camping with no fire? augh.) My friends decided to do a very small fire for the girls and smores, because really, what is camping without any smores? Come to find out, if we would have been caught, the fine would have been around $600! (Can you see me smiling right now?)

After packin' up camp, we went down to the Roaring Railroads and snapped a few fun pictures. NOTE: THERE WAS NO IMMINENT DANGER WHEN CHILD WAS ON TRACKS! Just thought I'd let you know, just in case. Haha. Next time we're going on the train ride for sure. They had some type of harvest festival going on, where the kids could make scarecrows, fun silly hats, and what not. We ended this fun excursion with a tailgate party - Yes, we tailgated in the public parking lot with chairs and all, and devoured some mean delicious sandwiches and beverages made from grain, wheat, water etc...
It's a good thing to balance family time for sure, because at the end of the day, what is it that really matters? Who are you going to impress the most? Get out there and go camping. Or something else...and have fun!!

Happy Monday!

Yes folks, it's true...I am blogging! I seem to be in a cat and mouse game with the time monster, but I am on top of it today. I kid around saying that I need a personal assistant, but there is so much truth in it. Please don't get me wrong, my wife is one heck of a supermom, superwife, amazing, wonderous spectacular woman indeed, and a fantastic assistant in life, but I don't want to overload her or anything. :) haha. 


Anyway, back on track, in the attempt to post recent photographs, here is a senior portrait session I did for Jessica. She's the daughter of one of my early-on wedding clients and now dear friends. I love it when it comes full circle. To be the family's photographer is such a title that I do not take for granted. I've said it before and I'll say it again, what an honor. Go ahead, check 'em out. 























10.10.2008

Lots Goin On!

Happy Friday to you! Last weekend I got the privilege to photograph Taylor & Dan's wedding at Chaminade in Santa Cruz, and am excited to share some images with you...more to come, but here's a sneak peak! I'm taking the weekend off to go camping with my family, and am stoked to be able to spend time with them. We're going somewhere in the Santa Cruz mountains, and may or may not get cell reception. But, know that I'll be checking messages here and there, and will definitely get back to you if you're trying to get a hold of me. I look forward to a refreshing and re-energizing time with my wife and son, and close friends! God Bless, and enjoy your weekend!

10.01.2008

Taylor & Dan!

I'm ba-aack! Okay everyone, the long lost blogger has returned from lala land trying to catch up! :) I had the privilege of photographing Taylor & Dan's engagement last weekend, just in time for their wedding this coming Saturday. These two are so cute together...The connection between them is amazing, and it's a pleasure to capture those special moments! We met earlier this year, and I can't beieve how fast time has flown by. I'm really looking forward to their wedding at Chaminade in Santa Cruz, and also a creative bridal session after. For now, check out some of their beauty together...















These shots were taken in Monterey and shot on the cooler side to grasp the raw feeling of the rustic walls and such, yet warm enough to accentuate the lovebirds. Hope you enjoyed!