Blog Archives - Page 3 of 26 - Thewmatt Photography

December 22, 2023

Alpine Theatre Project’s “Yuletide Affair 20” at Whitefish Performing Arts Center

Each season one of Alpine Theatre Project's mainstay productions is that of "Yuletide Affair." A production I describe as a Christmas/Holiday-themed variety show. Though I suppose it doesn't have a lot of 'skits' and is mainly music performances by insanely talented musicians and Broadway actors. There's lots of humor and pointed references to our local zeitgeist, and it's just a great time I look forward to each holiday season. 2023 marked the 20th such year ATP has put this on, and I hope it continues for another 20 years.

Published by Matthew Wetzler in Blog, Music, Theatre

Tags: Alpine Theatre Project, Live Performance, music, Theatre, Yuletide Affair

December 10, 2023

Whitefish Family Photographer, Morrison-Walrath Families

I've been fortunate to work with Betsi, Luke, and their twins Gabriel and Elijah several times, but never for some laid-back family portraits. It's always been theatre performances and studio headshots.

Betsi's brother and his family were in town over the Thanksgiving holiday and I was able to make time for some quick portraits. It was so much fun meeting the whole family and documenting the occasion of everyone being in one place at one time.

Published by Matthew Wetzler in Blog, Family Photography, Portraits

Tags: family, family portraits, whitefish

December 4, 2023

Whitefish Theatre Co.’s Production of “A Christmas Carol the Musical”

Who knew Ebenezer Scrooge can sing?! Apparently whoever wrote the musical version of "A Christmas Carol" I suppose. This was a real joy to watch—more than photographing it because Ebenezer himself was out of commission for rehearsal—and featured so many of my favorite faces from past WTC productions as well as younger actors I've photographed in Alpine Theatre Project productions.

Published by Matthew Wetzler in Blog, Theatre

Tags: Live Performance, Theatre, whitefish, Whitefish Theatre Co

November 24, 2023

Fall Wedding at The Lodge at Whitefish Lake, Dakota & Quinn

I've said it before and I'll probably say it evermore, but it takes a hearty, self-assured couple to choose a Fall wedding in Northwest Montana. I firmly believe it is the most beautiful time of year here, but is also the time with the most fickle weather imaginable. And it will often be cold and rainy.

That was certainly the case for Dakota and Quinn at The Lodge at Whitefish Lake this November. The reception and accompanying dance party were naturally held in one of the ballrooms, and there was a secondary ceremony location set up in another ballroom as a plan B, but these snowboarding enthusiasts had no intention of holding the ceremony inside. Plan A was the only option for these two, out on the pavilion platform with Whitefish Lake in the background. I only call out the snowboarding detail because these two were my third couple this year who snowboard, and went full-send on holding the ceremony outside no matter the weather. And I am here for it.

Venue and Catering: The Lodge at Whitefish Lake / Planning, Coordination, and Florals: Hawthorne House / Bakery: Bakes and Cakes by Brie / DJ: Sidecar Audio / Photobooth: Pixelated Gigs / Videography: Treasure State Entertainment / Second Photographer: Porsche Jean Photography

Published by Matthew Wetzler in Blog, Wedding

Tags: Fall, Hawthorne House, Montana, Montana Wedding, The Lodge at Whitefish Lake, Wedding, whitefish

November 20, 2023

Winter Engagement in West Glacier, Kristina & Casey

Another day, another astonishingly beautiful day in West Glacier. Kristina and Casey are getting married this summer just outside the West entrance to Glacier National Park and were in town meeting up with their planner Big Day Celebrations and other wedding vendors so it seemed like a perfect opportunity to grab some engagement portraits in the same area they'd be getting married in!

Published by Matthew Wetzler in Blog, Couples Portraits, Engagement, Portraits

Tags: couples portraits, Glacier National Park, Montana, West Glacier

November 17, 2023

West Glacier Engagement Photographer, Abby & Kyle

When Abby and Kyle first booked me for their wedding and added an engagement session, we always planned on scheduling it in the Fall. Partially because the Fall colors in Northwest Montana are amazing, but also out of necessity. Kyle is a Wildland Firefighter, and during the summer his schedule can be extremely volatile.

Thankfully, things worked out tremendously weather-wise. We did have a heavy dusting of snow that provided a lovely contrast with the Fall colors. I am so looking forward to their wedding this spring.

Published by Matthew Wetzler in Blog, Couples Portraits, Engagement, Portraits

Tags: couples portraits, engagement, Glacier National Park, Montana, Portraits, West Glacier, Winter

November 15, 2023

Glacier National Park Adventure Engagement Photographer, Lauren & Wade

Lauren and Wade's wedding is this coming summer, but they wanted some portraits taken in Glacier National Park for their save-the-date cards. If you saw my last blog post, you already know what the Fall colors look like right now. As luck turned out, Going-to-the-Sun Road closed until next year the day before our session. No worries, it encouraged us to explore a handful of less-traveled areas, and it meant we practically had the park to ourselves. As soon as the road closes for winter, the crowds truly disappear, and it's a really special time to be in the park.

Cannot wait to get these two married next year.

Published by Matthew Wetzler in Blog, Couples Portraits, Engagement, Portraits

Tags: adventure session, couples portraits, engagement, Engagement Session, Glacier National Park, Montana, Two Medicine

November 13, 2023

2023 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix for Texas Highways

I was fortunate to once again have the opportunity to travel to Austin to cover the 2023 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas for Texas Highways magazine. When I first had the assignment of covering the race in 2015, I figured it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Somehow, whether through pure luck, manifesting it, or just maybe some skill I've not attended the Austin-based race eight times as credentialed media. It gets more challenging every year to get creative, but such an amazing experience very time.

Below you'll find mainly outtakes from the published photo essay, which can be found here: "F1 in Austin Makes History With America's First Sprint Race"

Scuderia Alpha Tauri's Yuki Tsunoda climbs the "Big Red" hill towards turn one during the Grand Prix.

MoneyGram Haas F1's Kevin Magnussen rounds the tower complex during Saturday's Formula 1 Sprint Race.

The back of Red Bull Racing's pit wall command center with the main grandstand in the background.

McLaren's Lando Norris exits turn one in the early stages of the Grand Prix.

Fictional racing legend Ricky Bobby poses with a longhorn outside the paddock entrance prior to Sundays race.

MoneyGram Haas F1's Nico Hulkenberg speeds down the start/finish straight.

McLaren's Lando Norris overtakes Ferrari's Charles Leclerc at the first corner of the 2023 Formula 1 Lenovo United States Grand PRix.

Scuderia Ferrari's Carlos Sainz passes the COTA Observation Tower during Satruday's Formula 1 Sprint Race.

Scuderia Ferrari's Charles Leclerc speeds up the hill towards "Big Red"—the first corner of the racetrack named after one of the initial investors, Red McCombs—during the Formula 1 Sprint Shootout.

Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team's Fernando Alonso—a two-time F1 Drivers Champion—stops at the end of the pit lane at the start of the Sprint Shootout on Saturtday aftertnoon.

Kim Reimer—the "Ferrari Hat Guy"—hails from Florida and has been to numerous Grand Prix including Montreal and Miami, and makes a new hat every season. This year's rendition is his 20th such hat. He likes the United States Grand Prix here in Austin because the track provides numerous excellent vantage points where you can see the track action for a good duration, versus the slivers of track many other racetracks offer.

Scuderia Ferrari's Charles Leclerc is interviewed after finishing third in Saturday evening's Formula 1 Sprint Race.

Racing legend Jackie Stewart—Sir John Young Stewart OBE formally—speaks to attendees in the paddock area behind the team garages.

Members of the University of Texas Longhorn Band flash the horns before hefore heading out onto the track to perform prior to the race.

A very Texas-sized welcome greets visitors as they enter the Grand Plaza area at the circuit through the main entrance gates.

In a bit of deja vu from the Sprint Race the day prior, Max Verstappen also won the 2023 Formula 1 Lenovo United States Grand Prix on October 22, 2023.

A large homage to Austin's Mexican Free-Tailed bat population on the mural outside the main grandstand.

The Porsche Carrera Cup Norht America is one of the support races being run during the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix weekend in Austin. Here, a competitor heads towards turn three during the qualifying session Saturday morning.

A performer does lasso tricks on the councourse outside the main grandstand during Friday's track action.

Scuderia Ferrari's Charles Leclerc navigate the second qualifying round for Sunday's Grand Prix.

Scuderia Ferrari's Carlos Sainz navigate the second qualifying round for Sunday's Grand Prix.

McLaren F1 Team's Lando Norris crests the hill at Turn 10 with the massive Texas state flag and COTA tower looming in the background.

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team's Nico Hülkenberg stops to take a selfie with a fan during the team's unveiling of a special livery for ithe United States Grand Prix.

A new mural to th eleft of the main grandstand outside the circuit depciting the three primary race series that COTA hosts, as well as items from the Austin skyline.

Oracle Red Bull Racing's Sergio "Checo" Perez navigates the tower complex during free practice one.

Juan Marin, visiting from Houston, is attending his second United States Grand Prix, after having grown up watching it. He couldn't pass up the opportunity after living just a couple of hours away.

Prema Racing's Chloe Chong takes part in free practice one of the F1 Academy series, and all female series meant to serve as a pipeline to the elite levels of motorsport for women.

A view from the back of the Turn 19 grandstand while fans take in the first Formula 1 free practice.

At the United States Grand Prixc, Formula 1 as a whole—and the teams individually—have long embraced what people in other countries view as U.S. culture in general and Texas culture specifically. Here, Scuderia Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz play a friendly game of corn hole in football-styled team jerseys, cowboy hats, and face mustaches.

Alfa Romeo's Valtteri Bottas arrives at the track in cowboy couture.

Race preperation presents itself in hundreds of different ways, not the least of which are teams accounting for their tire allocation for the weekend, and makig sure they're inflated to the requireed specifications.

Published by Matthew Wetzler in Blog, Motorsport

Tags: austin, Circuit of the Americas, COTA, Editorial, Event Photography, F1, Formula 1, Motorsport, Texas Highways, United States Grand Prix, USGP

November 10, 2023

Fall Glacier National Park Adventure Portrait Session, Lindsay & Brady

When is a "day after" adventure session? When it's five months later. Lindsay desperately wanted some portraits done in the mountains, in the Fall but also wanted more predictable weather for the wedding day itself. The solution? A June wedding with a Glacier National Park portrait session in late October was the obvious answer. And while we were constantly getting spitting rain as we traversed Going-to-the-Sun Road, the Fall colors were popping off everywhere. It could not have been more vibrant, moody, and more in line with what they were hoping to accomplish.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Glacier is a cheat code for photographers, and I am not mad about it.

Published by Matthew Wetzler in Blog, Couples Portraits, Portraits

Tags: adventure session, couples portraits, day after session, Glacier National Park, Montana, Portraits

November 6, 2023

Austin Senior Portrait Photographer, Holden, Class of 2024

This past fall I was delighted to receive an email from a former coworker from my very first job after school. Her son—who was just starting elementary school when we first worked together—was entering his senior year in High School and she was wondering if there was any chance I'd be in Austin over the next six months or so for a senior portrait session! After I got over the shock of feeling super old I was happy to report that I would be in town that fall. I was able to piggyback that portrait session on my time in town to cover the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix.

We met up at a county park closer to their house and then headed into downtown Austin where we used the more urban environment as a backdrop and took advantage of sunset on the skyline.

Published by Matthew Wetzler in Blog, Portraits, Senior Portraits

Tags: austin, downtown austin, Portraits, Senior

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