Jul 27, 2010

Amadea Bailey

Some photos of Amadea Bailey in her Venice, CA studio. Besides being a wonderful person, Amadea is an amazing artist. She says: “I paint as an explorer going on a journey. I disappear into the unknown and dig for what will unravel and reveal itself: new images, new relationships, new ways of moving paint. Scraping, scratching, wiping, adding, subtracting. Inviting drips, stains, layering, accidents.” Her paintings feel so effortless to me, almost like an extension of who she is. Truly inspiring!

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Jul 08, 2010

Mid Century Modern

Some mid century inspired interior photos I took for Los Angeles based designer Julie Maigret. And scroll down to see the cutest doggie you’ve seen in a long time!!

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Jul 03, 2010

Desire to Inspire

Some love comin’ my way today via “Desire to Inspire”. Check it out!

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Jun 28, 2010

Saarloos & Sons

I was in Solvang, CA last month on assignment and ventured over to Los Olivos to check out Saarloos & Sons, a chic wine tasting room decorated with modern vintage furnishings.  I completely fell in love with it and asked if I can take some photos. Here are a few of my favorites!

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Jun 18, 2010

Red and Gray

Kelly Lanza of  Notable Inspiration posted one of my interior shots in her latest inspiration collage. I love how the design of an interior space can be translated into personal style and even a wedding!!

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Jun 16, 2010

Natural Home

Check out this month’s issue of Natural Home to see the Purely Elizabeth packaging that I shot! You can also see the online article here.

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Jun 12, 2010

PDN – “Promos I kept”

A couple of years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Ilona Siller, one of the nicest and most genuine Art Buyers I have met thus far. She called in my book after she saw my work in the PDN 30 issue. We bonded on many levels, including our love for photography, the fact that we were both pregnant at the time, and both of us had moved to the US from Eastern Europe in our youth (she from Russia, I from Romania).  It’s not every day that you meet people you connect with, so needless to say, we kept in touch and I have always thought of her more like a friend than an Art Buyer at an agency.

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About a year ago, right after the new year, I sent out a promo to previous clients, Photo Editors, Art Directors, and Art Buyers, Ilona being one of them. It included a big white mug, a package of  organic hot chocolate powder and three of my food photography promos. Within minutes of receiving it, Ilona emailed me to say how much she loved the package. I saved her email, because I was so thrilled that she took the time to write such a nice message.

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Fast forward to a couple of days ago when I got an email from Ilona saying that someone at PDN magazine was interviewing her for an article called “Promos I kept” and she wanted to talk about MY hot chocolate promo. So here it is, the article that was posted on the PDN website yesterday. (The photos below were posted under the “Photo Gallery” on the website along with the article.) If you have a PDN subscription, you can also view the article on the PDN website.

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May 05, 2010

Before and After

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a sucker for good design. I live for my monthly Living Etc and Dwell mags. I usually go for the modern aesthetic,  but I love a hint of the old and pieces that add character. I love to photograph pretty things, if you couldn’t already tell… and my rep, Jacqueline says that my photos are ‘the best version of real life’. Now, I know this is just a bathroom (MY bathroom!), but to me this is the best version of what it could be. It makes me happy, and that is what design should be. happiness.

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May 04, 2010

Summertime in the winter

Yummy summery recipes from the May/June 2010 issue of Weight Watchers mag! Funny to think that I shot them one day before the biggest snowstorm of the winter. Kudos to Anna Elisa de Castro, our food stylist, for finding such amazing looking strawberries in the middle of winter and making all of the food look delicious!

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May 01, 2010

The whole picture

I find that the photo industry loves to categorize photographers into specialties. If you do food well, does that mean that you can’t do portraits or interiors, kids photos, etc., just as well? I think that what’s most important is having a style that photo editors and art buyers can recognize as being your own. Los Angeles based Tia’s Bakery hired me to do it all: food, packaging AND portraits and I couldn’t be happier!

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May 01, 2010

Live Simply

Some new work I did for Tees For Change, an inspirational apparel company dedicated to spreading positivity, making a difference and giving back. For every tee they sell they plant a tree!

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Apr 13, 2010

Lunch

Sometimes when I’m hungry, I wish I could go back in time and eat specific dishes that I’ve shot. Case in point. It’s lunch time and all I can think about is this amazing looking salad!

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Apr 09, 2010

Remodelista

A few months ago I photographed a NYC apartment that had a wonderful little brick fireplace that was painted white. It wasn’t being used for anything other than decoration, but it still served as an anchor to the room  and provided a sense of warmth (not literally!) to the apartment.  Remodelista, a design blog, recently featured my photo of the fireplace. Check out the entry here!

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Mar 23, 2010

GO

The new Spiriva campaign that I shot is finally out! I’m sure you’ve seen the TV ads, and now here are the printed brochures that supplement those ads. The campaign shows a revived lifestyle for people with COPD. This was such a fun shoot! We had to match the feel of  the cover photos to the interior stock shots, so the art direction had to be very precise. A big ‘thank you’ to our prop stylist Stephanie Hanes who did a fantastic job with the props!

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Jan 25, 2010

Sneak Peek: Nina Gotlieb

Design Sponge featured some of my photos for a Sneak Peek inside architect Nina Gotlieb’s country house, in upstate New York. Nina did an amazing job designing it! The house is full of character and soul. One of my favorite things about the house is that it’s situated away from the main road, so unless you know that it exists, you would never know that it was there. It’s like a hidden treasure!

Click here to get a Sneak Peek inside the house.

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Jan 12, 2010

easy, delicious meals

Two of my photos are in the latest Real Simple book easy, delicious meals. The dishes ARE indeed delicious, so I thought I’d post the recipes below. Bon appetit!

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real simple

easy delicious recipes

Halibut with Lentils and Mustard Sauce

Serves 4Hands-On Time: 30mTotal Time: 40m
Ingredients2 tablespoons olive oil1 large onion, chopped2 cloves garlic, chopped1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth1 1/4 cups green lentils, rinsed (1/2 pound)kosher salt and black pepper4 6-ounce pieces halibut fillet1/4 cup Dijon mustard1/4 cup dry white wine1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
Directions. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 6 minutes.. Add the garlic and sweet potato and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broth and lentils and simmer, covered, until the lentils are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the fish with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side.. In a bowl, whisk together the mustard, wine, and tarragon. Drizzle over the fish and lentils.

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easy delicious recipes

Roasted Chicken, Apples, and Leeks

Serves 4Hands-On Time: 10mTotal Time: 55m
Ingredients8 small chicken thighs and drumsticks (about 2 1/2 pounds)4 small crisp apples (such as Empire or Braeburn), quartered2 leeks, halved crosswise and lengthwise6 small sprigs fresh rosemary2 tablespoons olive oilkosher salt and black pepper
Directions1. Heat oven to 400° F. On a large rimmed baking sheet (or in a large roasting pan), toss the apples, leeks, rosemary, oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper and nestle, skin-side up, among the apples and leeks.2. Roast until the chicken is cooked through and the apples and leeks are tender, 40 to 45 minutes.

Serves 4
Hands-On Time: 30m
Total Time: 40m
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/4 cups green lentils, rinsed (1/2 pound)
kosher salt and black pepper
4 6-ounce pieces halibut fillet
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
Directions
. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 6 minutes.
. Add the garlic and sweet potato and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broth and lentils and simmer, covered, until the lentils are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the fish with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
. In a bowl, whisk together the mustard, wine, and tarragon. Drizzle over the fish and lentil

Jan 08, 2010

Quiet corners

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Dec 29, 2009

Shape Magazine

Check out my photo that was used in the Jan 2010 issue of Shape mag! The article is a perfect reminder to finish up any loose ends and start the new year fresh.

Check back for more new work in the new year. For now, take a look at my site for some recent updates www.mihamatei.com

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Dec 28, 2009

Perfectly grilled

Simple grilled rack of lamb with creamy polenta and sauteed spinach, topped with a lamb jus.

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Dec 27, 2009

A little fun for the holidays

My friends David and Allis asked me to take a photo of them for their annual holiday card and I couldn’t resist! How fun!

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Dec 05, 2009

Viva Vegan

I’ve been really looking forward to trying out recipes from Viva Vegan, by Terry Hope Romero (Ten Speed Press). I shot the cover and the book is finally available for preorder from Amazon. The book won’t be out until April 2010, but it will be worth the wait!

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Nov 22, 2009

Tips on Food Photography

Kodak recently asked me to contribute tips on food photography, for their “Tips from the Pros” section, a monthly initiative which is geared towards photo enthusiasts and consumers. Food photography is usually a very a fluid process for me and  I know when a shot feels right, but after giving this assignment some thought, I realized that there are certain rules that I, too, follow. View the article here, as well as others from photographers such as Peter Guttman, Isabel Lawrence photographers, Amy Postle, Michael Crouser, June Harrison and Pep Bonet.

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Nov 08, 2009

Ashe+Leandro

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Ashe + Leandro, one of my favorite interior design/architecture teams, on several occasions. I love the unique sense of style that they bring to all of their projects. I would move into every one of the residences that they designed, in a heart beat!

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Nov 05, 2009

Animals in photos

One of my favorite things about shooting interiors is candidly getting the resident pets in the shot. They’re uninhibited, curious and somehow always make their way into the scene. Even a trained cat wouldn’t have mastered such a dynamic moment!

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Nov 02, 2009

Have Your Juice and Eat Some Too

I started working with BluePrint Cleanse, a company that offers a line of cleansing juices. They recently introduced “Juice ‘Til Dinner”, a new program of two course raw food meals per day that accompanies their juice cleanse. They’re fresh, made to order, preservative free foods that help detoxify their body. Zoe, the owner of the company was looking for simple and graphic photos that reflect the BPC brand. I love shoots that are all about the food!

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Oct 17, 2009

Product Photography

There’s something wonderful about taking photos for packaging. It lends itself to simple, clean photos and it’s always so rewarding to hold the final product in hand. I recently started working with Purely Elizabeth, a line of gluten free baking mixes using nutritious whole grains and superfood seeds (hemp, flax and chia), free of sugar, dairy, wheat and gluten. Liz, the owner of the company, had seen my photos and liked my “pure, fresh, and simple” approach to food photography. When we first started shooting, we tried to have the main ingredients, blueberries, apples and cacao accompany the muffins, but in the end decided to let the muffins speak for themselves and shot them as simple as possible, on a white background. The photos work well with the design and the overall result perfectly embodies the earthy, simple flavors of the product.

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Sep 29, 2009

Corals

Sometimes we forget to really look at the nuances that make this world such an interesting place. There’s so much beauty in the colors of the sea. Here are a couple of photos that incorporate corals, from a recent shoot that I did. 

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Sep 26, 2009

Organic Gardening

 Two of my photos are in the Sept/Oct issue of Organic Gardening mag. I love being involved in projects that enrich my life and give my work purpose. I’ve never had a (bright) green thumb, but if my photos can inspire others to garden and lead healthy lives, then I’m happy as can be!

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Sep 15, 2009

New Website!

I’m so excited to be able to share updates about my work and whereabouts! I’ve had a busy summer with work, taking care of my son, Medby and lovingly updating my website, and can’t wait for the projects that I have in the works to be up here soon! I am going to be in LA for a few days in October on a work assignment, but will also take some time to relax. I’m looking forward to the amazing California light, as well as seeing old friends! Say ‘hi’ if you’re out there!