Vrrrrroooooooooom !

This truck really caught my eye recently. I attended a show of cars that were also daily drivers. i couldn't believe that all of these beautiful ladies were still daily functional. I spoke to one of the owners and he was just beaming with pride to tell me everything about his pride and joy, as his wife looked on from afar and just rolled her eyes. I guess having a hobby like this is akin to having a second family. It looked like the wife had reconciled her feelings though !
Anyway, look at that power plant. So thirsty for air to mix with the high test fuel that she gobbles up ! Popa gave her a super charger intake so that she never has to gasp for another breath of air - - -
And yes, she is that electric blue. The hairs on the back of my neck just stood on end when he cranked her up for me to hear. He didnt even step inside. He just leaned in and turned the key and she turned over with one try. The roar and humm was incredibly soothing ! Hopefully you can get a sense of my favorite car at the show and enjoy her a bit for yourselves !

Black and Red - Formal

This is my first attempt at Fine Art Floral Art a few years back. I didnt know where to post this image, so here it is in it's glory.
Hope it engages you as it did I.....

Lagunas Mountains

The setting is tranquil. The cabin is rich in history and charm !
Nestled near the top of the Lagunas Mountains East of San Diego, is this rustic cabin which hosts the Photo Club meeting every year and serves to set the soul free of many of the members while on this awesome journey into the wild !
I have gone several years and found the commune with nature to be priceless. These are just a few pix i have from these times.

Comfort Food

This reminds me of home........................mmmmmmm !!!!

Edible Artisanry !

NOTICE - You really should be sitting in dim lighting and have a glass of some of your favorite wine available to view these delicate sensations for your eyes and soul ! My friend Brandi prepares like a dignitary going to visit a foreign land for the first time. There is drawings, tastings and even the occasional test run in preparation for the sweet treats created by this artisan ! Visually, they are so delicate, but if you are the fortunate few and get the opportunity to view them and even luckier are honored to taste some, you too, will experience culinary ecstasy rarely achieved by mere mortals. Enough of my bugging out -
The next time you have an event and you really want to shower your loved ones with the absolute best. Drop her a note with your idea and watch out. You will be impressed.
Shoot me a line and i'll send her your email.
Oh and she took these pix too ! The lady is talented i tell ya ................
Peace - - -

Take One !

Sometimes, i just want to give my friends a flower, so.............Take One !

More Awesome-Ness from CHOW NOODLE HOUSE

Here are a few more dishes from CHOW NOODLE HOUSE that will keep you going back for more..........

GOLDEN SHRIMP !

Yes, i yelled it. And i'll yell it from the rooftops if i could find one to climb on. The Golden Shrimp at CHOW NOODLE HOUSE are absolutely divine and a sensation in your mouth. Ha, ha, ha...........you still believe that all THAI food is spicy or that it all has peanut butter in it. Arent you misinformed ! You really should try some of our cities most awesome THAI eating establishments and see for yourself that you are missing out on some really fantastic gastronomic treats. It is what i imagine life may have been like in or near the garden of eden because the dishes are all prepared fresh as you order them and the ingredients taste and look like they've been freshly picked out behind the restaurant. Dont visualize that, just go with me here for a moment. At CHOW, the chefs were trained by a chef that formerly attended to the nutrition needs of the Royal Family of Thailand. There is a good chance that the chef knew what was going on ! Look if you will at how the shrimp are delicately held, but not strangled by the delicate crispy noodles !!! Ummm, try the first one without any of the delightful sauce that is ready to dip or drizzle onto the shrimp because you really need to experience the pure essence of the GOLDEN SHRIMP as is first. Then, after you recover from that ecstatic state, please take your time and put just a little of the delicate clear sauce on a noodle and give it a try ! I'll give you a moment to reflect..............

Buttons

Arent these 2 just the cutest couple ever .....! I mean come on. Well, they just had their 4th anniversary and they're happier than ever. Just wanted to pull this one back out because they were such an awesome couple.

RODEO !

"Oh my goodness - WHAT HAVE I DONE", is what i envisioned was going through this cowboys mind right about the time this images was captured. I was fortunate enough to have the experience of attending the Lakeside Rodeo. This is one of the most professional rodeo events that i have been in attendance. It is sanctioned by the PRCA as well. The cows and the broncos definitely had the upper hand this day as many of them did not have to endure a rider for long. Less than half of the participants earned a score. This was simply due to the flight they took shortly out of the gate. The event could have been called "COWBOY LAUNCHING", because there was a lot of flying going on ....... :-) There was also plenty of BBQ (which i think was an attempt at playing a mind game on the bovine in attendance), popcorn and other assorted treats to entertain the children as their parents enjoyed the show. The Rodeo Queens and Princesses were on hand to help with the show and meet and greet the kids as well. They were most gracious and hugged all of the little girls who went to the rail to meet them ! The Emcee for the day actually did his job from horseback in the stadium. It was truly a sight to see and i encourage all who might have been considering it to get out there and check it out whenever it comes back to town ! I had an awesome time.......

NUTS AND BOLTS

.......................so i'm trying to get to the NUTS AND BOLTS of it all. That's right. I'm looking for the meaning of life photographically. I've been the go-to guy for weddings, maternity and family portraits, and while that has been rewarding. I cant shake the feeling that there is more that i'm missing, so .... here goes. An experimental image using just NUTS AND BOLTS to conjure up the metaphorical as well as the metaphysical muse deep within !
Wishing you fruitful journeys !

Mama Mia

This is my niece. Yes, she is a little shy ! Only when you want a second hug though. She is such a sweetheart, and she'll sit there and talk your head off until her puppy Dolce jumps on her and wants to play ! I've had to take a back seat to Dolce, but i understand ! I just wanted to share this pic with you !

My Hero

This is my dad. Herbert Malter. He is the guy that i look to for strength, support and guidance. I often wonder what the world would be like without great dads like mine. Who else would teach us how to fish, swim, trap and raise livestock? Every spring, we turned in the topsoil and set our furrows for the veggies yet to come and by the time we were studying up for finals, there was something on the stalk, vine or in the patch. I thought it was magic. I now understand that it was good planning an almanac and a heap of animal waste. Why, what else can make corn plants grow to 10 feet tall and okra the size of your little finger be the size of a banana by the time you get home from school. I would cringe when i arrived home from school and one of the hogs would be loose, terrorizing the neighborhood. My dad would tell me to put my school bags down, change my clothes and come on out to help get the hog back into the cage. It seemed as if they were waiting on me to do this chore. Well, they were. Once we achieved our goal, my dad would tell me over dinner that putting the hog back in the pen and securing it so he doesnt get out again was just part of being a responsible caretaker. He would also tell me to look back on this moment a year from now, when we were eating the bacon or the pork chops or roasts. The flavor would be that much sweeter ! He was so right. Apologies go out to my vegetarian friends. Trust me i spared you the details, but the story needed to be told. My dad also showed me compassion and caring by example. Whenever we'd pass someone in need, my dad would always go and talk to them and see what the issue was as well as give them some food or even some cash. When i'd ask why he always talks to those folks, he'd tell me "What harm is there in being nice to folks"? He also said "God doesnt like ugly and that he'd probably want us to help his children instead of making fun as we go by". Yes, i put my dad on a pedestal, but i still think he deserves it. Enough for now, but be warned, i have more...................that's for a later date ! :-)

Latino Film Festival San Diego 2009

Could life get any cooler? I dare to imagine......... This awesome film which was the 3rd top grossing film of all time in Columbia, beat out hits like Batman & such.. This film called "PARAISO TRAVEL", premiered in San Diego last night and the stars of the film as well as the director was here to boot. I feel so lucky to have been in the room with them. Then, they all jumped on the interview stage for this rare photo op. Life is good. The dashing gentleman on the left is Ethan Van Thillo, the Executive Director of the festival, next is Simon Brand, the director, Angelica Blandon, the female lead,Yolanda S. Walther-Meade, festival coordinator, Tony Dalton, one of the male leads.
This was truly a moment to be captured. Afterwards the film was screened to audience raves ! If you get a moment before the festival is over, i highly recommend you make time to go see this film. It will be shown a few more times before the festival is over. Who knows, you might just bump elbows with another star of Latino Cinema. Bienvenidos !!!!

Giulia is a baller too !

Check out my little niece ! She is workin it out and i'm pretty sure i saw a little dribble on her lip. Or maybe that was from chewing 2 pieces of Bazooka gum. Nonetheless, she was stompin with the big dawgs, and nobody got to third base without paying a heavy toll. I'm proud of my niece and nephews for dominating baseball the way they do. Much, much more to come - stay tuned............

Vito in the Right Outfield !

This is my nephew Vito. He was making plays and playing ball like nobody's business Saturday ! At one point a foul ball even went into a pocket on his gear-bag . The coaches called him their golden outfielder and they were all going out to buy some lottery tickets, since they were among the luckiest kid in baseball this day.
Save this pic and record this day because you'll be asking for him to sign your ball one day at a Major League game.

I-DO !!!

Christy and Butch are going to do it all over again! When your spouse asks you if you'd do it all over again, do you say yes ? If you're in love as much as these 2 kids you certainly do.......
Keep an eye out for these 2 in the days to come. They're getting hitched again on my birthday, so we're gonna celebrate 2 great occasions !
Talk to you soon
Mark

True Happiness !

This is Ryan and Charisse ! Their wedding was so beautiful and all of their guests were just so happy to have been invited to share their special day with them. It was truly a Rockstar Event in the hills of North County San Diego. The Bernardo Winery was such a perfect place to hold both the ceremony and the reception.
The joy is evident by the look on their faces !

I GET IT, I CAN FLOAT

..... Through the still of the morning came a blood curdling scream. Fortunately, it was a scream of joy. As i focused to see my daughter jumping up and down in the pool, it finally hit her. She actually can float and even better when in motion and she actually will not sink straight to the bottom of the pool. Armed with this epiphany, i think we've got a swimmer on our hands. She was so excited, and we were excited for her !
All through lunch, we couldn't get in a word edgewise. As you can imagine, that is how we celebrated our holiday. Listening to her rant about how she's gonna break records and may even become a rescue swimmer. Maybe that bit was brought on by a coincidental viewing of "The Guardian". It just happened to be on, but she is certain that she can do it. How sweet it must be to be 12 years old. I have vague memories of those days. Astronaut, policeman, architect.......were just a few of my dreams. Ahh, those were the days ........!!

July Wedding at the Bernardo Winery !

Amongst the vines, with the wind gently rustling through the trees and the bouquet of recently corked bottles of the vineyards finest ! Ah yes, i'm so excited to have been asked to capture the wedding memories of my friends Charisse and Ryan at the Bernardo Winery in a few weeks. They have utilize so much time and resources to plan their perfect day. Of course, i will share the choicest images with you ! The ceremony is on Sunday the 13th, so look for the images the following week.

Swim Class

Well, they turned the lights off in the ice skating rink, so i didnt get any shots of the girls ice skating. It was over 90 degrees outdoors, so really, i was just happy to be indoors.
Instead, i went with the girls to swim class today. I was barely able to capture anything because i was in a fit of laughter. Not due to their swim skills or lack thereof, but of their adoration to their very handsome instructor. They could barely concentrate because they were just staring at him. He was only a few years older than them and chiseled. I felt bad for the 12 year old girls really. They had no idea what their bodies were going through.
They actually got in a few minutes of productive swim training as well. They are overcoming their fear of the water and hopefully, will be swimming confidently in a few more lessons.
I'll keep you posted.

SPICY !

These habaneros reminded me of the spicy treats i used to cultivate in south Texas ! The first time i tried them, i think i cried for 2 hours. These babies can get to some crazy heat levels. I just had to share this picture with you from my trip to Mexico last weekend. This was the first vision i had at the Mercado Hidalgo in Tijuana, Mexico. We stopped there on our way to Ensenada. I will post other images in coming days of the trip as well. Since you only live once, you have to try a habenero at least once. Take it slowly though - and god forbid, dont touch any part of your body with that hand until it is thoroughly washed. Think scrubbing for surgery ! :-)
Watch out for more Mexico pix soon.

San Diego Ice Skating in June !

Wonders never cease to amaze me. I am going to a birthday party for a 12 year old this evening. Well, she'll be 13 today, but anyway ......... It amazes me that in 90 plus degree weather that you can keep a building full of ice in San Diego. It will be funny to see the kids slipping around on the ice. I plan to get a front row seat to capture some images. Hopefully all of the kids will be upright in the images, but i cant make any promises. My lens is has a gyro or something in it, so if someone falls, it will likely go there and capture the moment. I embrace Henri Cartier Bresson's principle of "capturing the moment" when i photograph children. Because, even when they know you are photographing, they still behave innocently ! Well, I'll try to post some of the ice skating images tonight !!!
See ya then.

STAR TREATMENT

WOW ! I attended a seminar that was hosted by a local group that i belonged to and feel so very refreshed and inspired to achieve ! It was like a tiny Tony Robbins was in the room. She was tiny but oh so powerful ! This is my first entry into my blog in over 6 months because i lacked a sense of direction, but hang on tight for the ride my friends. I have several events coming up and photo ops galore, so hope you enjoy the entries.
Please comment if you visit - (at least once)
Merci Beaucoup !
AuRevoir - -

Bryan and Tasia November 10th

This great couple tied the knot on Saturday ! The event was quite spectacular. They start their lives together as a married couple now in wedded bliss ! Inspirational .....................

August Image of the Month !

These guys are just horsin around wrestling over who's gonna get to slime the tomato next !!!! It's refreshing to see them just foolin around like that.
Hope this image provides a source of frivolity to your day........
Let me know what you think !
Thanks
Mark

I call him LARRY !

I met this young lad on the shore of a lake one day and we had the oddest conversation. He wanted to know more about me and I wanted to know more about him. Oddly enough, nobody got a word in edgewise !
Mark

July Image Of The Month

This beautiful teardrop of Grapes is hanging in a private micro winery in Chula Vista California. It still amazes me how much character is available in San Diego just below the surface.
If you are ever on telegraph canyon road just east of the 805, please stop by and check out the grapes when they are in season.
Au Revoir
Mark

Thank Goodness it's Friday

I'm so glad it's Friday. It also happens to be the middle most friday of the calendar year, so rejoice....... I dont know why i said that. Anyway, i gotta find out where the Pechanga tribal grounds are because there is a Pow-Wow out there this weekend. I attended my first pow-wow last year, and now i'm sprung. The colors and tribal traditions are just awe inspiring to witness ! Anyway, here's to your weekend as well - Cheers !!!
The weather here in San Diego promises to be awesome this weekend, so hope to see you out and about. Maybe at the farmers market in Del Mar tomorrow, or maybe at the Vegan BBQ at whole foods - who knows.
Peace -

Mark

Same Brown Pelican - Different Flight

I was in awe at the majestic way this birdie just commanded the sky!!!

Brown Pelican in Flight

I found this fine feathered friend in the bay of Ensenada.

June Print of the Month !

Here is the June Print of the Month. La Bufadora on the southern end of Ensenada ! My goodness the water put on quite a show for us. If you havent had the opportunity to witness the majesty of this wonder, please make plans to do so. You wont be let down.

Enjoy the image.

Mark Malter

May PRINT OF THE MONTH

Here it is. May's Print Of The Month ! This is the gateway to summer. Open it up and drink it in.
Enjoy - Mark Malter !!!