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Incase you're trying to reach me, I most likely have no phone or email service until Feb. 2nd.
I believe in working hard, and playing hard. Over the last 6 months the wedding season has been so busy I haven't done a great job at the playing part - SO - after a vacation in the Caribbean with some Nashville friends I'll be back in Guatemala for a little over a week shooting Domingo + Kara's wedding.
I first met Domingo at the Summit conference held by Food for the Hungry last February and was incredibly impressed with his passion for his work against poverty in Guatemala.
I was incredibly excited when I found out I got to spend a week with him last September touring his country with him as an advocate for FH, shooting pictures and video to show the power that Child Sponsorship has in those areas of extreme poverty.
Now, our friendship continues as I tour the country with him and his fiance Kara. Her and her family are from Canada so we'll be touring the beauty that Guatemala has to offer during the week, then their wedding that weekend.
I'm excited to be shooting photos for them of all their experiences, and especially the wedding.

If you're on here because your wedding is this year and you're looking for an incredible video to remember your day, please email me at mikevarel@mac.com (or use the contact button at the top) and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
2010 dates are filling up quickly - I Iook forward to meeting and working with you, or referring you to some of the other incredible photo/video friends of mine!
I believe in working hard, and playing hard. Over the last 6 months the wedding season has been so busy I haven't done a great job at the playing part - SO - after a vacation in the Caribbean with some Nashville friends I'll be back in Guatemala for a little over a week shooting Domingo + Kara's wedding.
I first met Domingo at the Summit conference held by Food for the Hungry last February and was incredibly impressed with his passion for his work against poverty in Guatemala.
I was incredibly excited when I found out I got to spend a week with him last September touring his country with him as an advocate for FH, shooting pictures and video to show the power that Child Sponsorship has in those areas of extreme poverty.
Now, our friendship continues as I tour the country with him and his fiance Kara. Her and her family are from Canada so we'll be touring the beauty that Guatemala has to offer during the week, then their wedding that weekend.
I'm excited to be shooting photos for them of all their experiences, and especially the wedding.

If you're on here because your wedding is this year and you're looking for an incredible video to remember your day, please email me at mikevarel@mac.com (or use the contact button at the top) and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
2010 dates are filling up quickly - I Iook forward to meeting and working with you, or referring you to some of the other incredible photo/video friends of mine!
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry:
Out of the country till Feb 2nd
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100
Here's an update to an earlier blog about Help Portrait.
Check out their website to hear what it's all about, but basically a bunch of great Kansas City photographers joined in with over 6,000 photographers worldwide and gave away professional portraits to those in need on December 12th.
Studio 132 in downtown hosted our event, one of several in KC that day. Thanks to all the photographers that donated their equipment, time and money to help in this incredible cause.
Thanks to Jason Domingues for helping coordinate the event, edit all the photos and handle the printing process!
Here's Jason's shot of me filming:

Also thanks to Digital Labrador for donating the lenses and Zacuto video rig that helped make this video possible:
Check out their website to hear what it's all about, but basically a bunch of great Kansas City photographers joined in with over 6,000 photographers worldwide and gave away professional portraits to those in need on December 12th.
Studio 132 in downtown hosted our event, one of several in KC that day. Thanks to all the photographers that donated their equipment, time and money to help in this incredible cause.
Thanks to Jason Domingues for helping coordinate the event, edit all the photos and handle the printing process!
Here's Jason's shot of me filming:

Also thanks to Digital Labrador for donating the lenses and Zacuto video rig that helped make this video possible:
Natalie:
This is great, and makes my heart happy. Great job on the video Brother!
(12.16.09)
Sean Berger:
Mike -- I'm so proud of you for participating in Help Portrait. This makes me so completely happy. The video just told the best story ever. Duuuuude.
(01.12.10)
Amy W:
Ok, so yes, the video made me cry. I am incredibly proud of you my friend for all the work you did and are doing with Help Portrait. We are so blessed to be able to have family photographs taken on a regular basis and know how precious they are to us and the generations to come. Thank you for serving His Kingdom in this way.
(01.15.10)
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry:
Help Portrait
. TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://mikevarel.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/99
97
So, this last minute, like a week away, but I'm teaching a class next Tuesday night at Digital Labrador.
It's one of my favorite places because I rent lenses and fun gear from them all the time for all my weddings. I've even covered the shop for them a few weekends while they've gone to Mexico or the Flint Hills for one of their awesome photo workshops.
So Brud, one of the awesome guys up there approached me one day and said "what do you know about shooting video with a Digital SLR camera?" Well gang, quite a bit.
I actually used the Canon 5D Mark II shortly after it came out to film for a Food for the Hungry video early in the year, did another marketing piece with it, and I recently bought a Canon 7D for all my corporate marketing and wedding videos next year.
So - are you a photographer or videographer wanting to know the basics of shooting video with one of the coolest things in the video world right now?
Swing by the Digital Labrador site and check it out under the "Learn" tab.
There's some exciting new things happening in the photo/video world with these cameras - come learn about shooting video, composition, creative shots, dealing with audio and later editing - I look forward to meeting you!

It's one of my favorite places because I rent lenses and fun gear from them all the time for all my weddings. I've even covered the shop for them a few weekends while they've gone to Mexico or the Flint Hills for one of their awesome photo workshops.
So Brud, one of the awesome guys up there approached me one day and said "what do you know about shooting video with a Digital SLR camera?" Well gang, quite a bit.
I actually used the Canon 5D Mark II shortly after it came out to film for a Food for the Hungry video early in the year, did another marketing piece with it, and I recently bought a Canon 7D for all my corporate marketing and wedding videos next year.
So - are you a photographer or videographer wanting to know the basics of shooting video with one of the coolest things in the video world right now?
Swing by the Digital Labrador site and check it out under the "Learn" tab.
There's some exciting new things happening in the photo/video world with these cameras - come learn about shooting video, composition, creative shots, dealing with audio and later editing - I look forward to meeting you!

Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry:
Teaching
. TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://mikevarel.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/96
87
So it's nearing the end of wedding season and I'm off to do another project that I'm very passionate about before all the October weddings kick in.
After an incredible photo & video wedding on Sunday, I'll be heading out bright and early Monday morning to the beautiful country of Guatemala.
One of the ministries Heartland Community Church and the Gathering introduced me to is Food for the Hungry. They are an international organization seeking to end physical and spiritual poverty in the world. They do that in many ways, but a big way is through Child Sponsorship.
The Gathering is made up of 300-400 college & post-college folks sponsoring over 350 children in Ethiopia.
Over the last couple years I've had the opportunity to do a handful of videos for Food for the Hungry and now I have an opportunity to do my first field assignment for them.
I'll be spending a week in various communities in the country interviewing, filming and taking photos of the work they are doing there in order to create a Child Sponsorship video.
All that to say - if you try to call or email me before Saturday night the 26th, I won't be getting it. I'll be glad to return calls on Monday.
On a side note: I'm pretty much completely booked for 2009 now and dates are filling up quickly for 2010, so feel free to email or call me soon!
And just because my nephew Grady is hilarious, here's a recent pic -

After an incredible photo & video wedding on Sunday, I'll be heading out bright and early Monday morning to the beautiful country of Guatemala.
One of the ministries Heartland Community Church and the Gathering introduced me to is Food for the Hungry. They are an international organization seeking to end physical and spiritual poverty in the world. They do that in many ways, but a big way is through Child Sponsorship.
The Gathering is made up of 300-400 college & post-college folks sponsoring over 350 children in Ethiopia.
Over the last couple years I've had the opportunity to do a handful of videos for Food for the Hungry and now I have an opportunity to do my first field assignment for them.
I'll be spending a week in various communities in the country interviewing, filming and taking photos of the work they are doing there in order to create a Child Sponsorship video.
All that to say - if you try to call or email me before Saturday night the 26th, I won't be getting it. I'll be glad to return calls on Monday.
On a side note: I'm pretty much completely booked for 2009 now and dates are filling up quickly for 2010, so feel free to email or call me soon!
And just because my nephew Grady is hilarious, here's a recent pic -

Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry:
Food for the Hungry - Guatemala
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84
Hey all -
I want to take a second to tell you about this really great project called Help Portrait.
On December 12, 2009, photographers from over 20 countries around the world will be shooting portraits for those in need. From amature to legendary, any and all photographers are invited to get involved.

Do you know someone that could use a portrait? Maybe a family in need? How about a Christmas portrait for a family that doesn't have the money to afford getting them made this year? Even better, how about a family that has never had the money to have a good portrait made of them?
Swing by Help Portrait, follow them on Twitter, and find out how you can help.
Personally, I can't wait to be a part of this. I'm talking with several KC photographers about how we can do this. Email me if you want to a part, or do your own thing, then let's talk!
I want to take a second to tell you about this really great project called Help Portrait.
On December 12, 2009, photographers from over 20 countries around the world will be shooting portraits for those in need. From amature to legendary, any and all photographers are invited to get involved.

Do you know someone that could use a portrait? Maybe a family in need? How about a Christmas portrait for a family that doesn't have the money to afford getting them made this year? Even better, how about a family that has never had the money to have a good portrait made of them?
Swing by Help Portrait, follow them on Twitter, and find out how you can help.
Personally, I can't wait to be a part of this. I'm talking with several KC photographers about how we can do this. Email me if you want to a part, or do your own thing, then let's talk!
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry:
Help Portrait
. TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://mikevarel.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/83

