• A meet and greet with Olympian Lindsey Vonn.
    13
    Dec

    Are you a Director or a Photographer?

    I was setting up in a hurry for a meet and greet. It was a generic hotel ball room, subdivided into bland breakout rooms.  Airwall to the left, airwall to the right.  Airwall in front. There were a few round tables scattered about, with slightly stained hotel tablecloths hanging a bit askew.  A few chairs […]

    Read More
  • Photographer Mike Gatty, Owner of US Event Photos, photographing in Baltimore during the COVID-19 Pandemic
    02
    Nov

    When you are sitting next to a president, Chapter 4

    It was an exclusive executive party in Orlando, Fl.  An early spring had sprung, and big, puffy clouds scooted overhead.  The brick courtyard stretched in back of the five-star hotel; French doors spilled participants onto a manicured garden. High top tables with tiny tea candles and long white cloths dotted the patio, and a portable […]

    Read More
  • Arnold Schwarznegger as Mr. Universe
    26
    Aug

    What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger

    As the months tick by under the shadow of COVID-19, and schedules are still on hold, it’s easy to think our time as event professionals has ended.  It’s hard to remain hopeful when you look at the news.  Daily your bank account shrinks, and politicians either focus on their re-election, or worry about the postal […]

    Read More
  • Phoenix Convention Photography for General Mills
    21
    Jul

    Photography and Story Telling

    On Monday morning, bright and early, I was interviewed by a Ahron Glazer for his Executive Talk Podcast series and Blog.  It was a great interview (if I do say so myself).  We discussed strategies for marketing your business during COVID-19, building trust with clients, and brand as the soul of your business. But my […]

    Read More
  • US Event Photos COVID19 mask giveaway in Baltimore
    27
    Jun

    The Business of Photography: Building Your Brand During COVID-19

    Last September, Matthew and I moved to inner-city Baltimore.  A “transitional” neighborhood, we’re blocks from John’s Hopkins University Medical Center on Baltimore’s East side.  Our neighborhood is economically deprived with lots of struggling people. The primary mode of transportation in our neighborhood?  City bus.  The second most dangerous way to travel in the age of […]

    Read More
  • 10
    Jun

    Photos that Define Moments

    She sat quietly, off to the side of the booth, softly crying. My mom noticed her.  She was in a wheel chair, staring at her photo.  She was crying.  Nobody was around her.  Mom was worried. “What’s wrong?” Mom asked quietly, “why are you crying?” “This is the first photo of me in a very […]

    Read More
  • 01
    Feb

    Photography Lighting: An LED Update

    This year, US Event Photos hit the ground running.  I can easily remember in past years where our first event was over Valentines Day; this year, I’m in my 6th city in four weeks, with other events completed in Las Vegas and Washington, DC by mom and Melanie.  That means we’ve done 8 cities this […]

    Read More
  • 27
    Mar

    The Importance of Team, Part 2

    In the last blog post, I ranted about my team — and how each of us brings something different to an experiential photo execution.  The union of those different benefits is one factor that makes our team so strong.  I said, for example, my mother brings decades of experience and vitality to her shoots, Melanie […]

    Read More
  • 27
    Mar

    Building your photography business: Part 1, Teamwork (With Tourrette'sNotes!)

    I know it’s been a while since my last blog post, and that’s because I’ve been so damned busy I don’t have time (to pee) to make my own bed (like I ever do, hello! Hotels!) let alone write a blog post. But these past two weeks have really driven home (hit me over the head) […]

    Read More
  • 28
    Jan

    May 15, 1972

    Event Photography is all about capturing our personal history.  This week’s been a quiet one; I’ve taken a little personal time to spend in my new palace with my mom, who is visiting. I learned during this visit that my personal history was a bit more interesting than I thought. **** It’s time to enter […]

    Read More