Zion Flowers

One thing about living in the desert is that spring is beautiful but its quick. I really enjoyed shooting the flowers this year around town but they are now long gone. It was a pleasant surprise when driving through Zion to see wild flowers and the cactus in bloom again. Here are a couple shots that I took. Its hard shooting pictures in the middle of the day but as I have said before sometimes when you get the chance you just have to jump on it.

Ideal Trip

One thing that I have found is that there is the plan (what I would like to happen) and then there is reality. If I could plan the ideal photography trip to Zion this is how it would go. I would be there about a half hour before the sun rises. I would have the perfect spot all picked out and no one else would be there(tourists - other photographers). There would be nice big billowy clouds in the sky and as the sun rises it would just kind of hang there casting an orange and pink glow over the sky and canyon walls. My equipment would work flawlessly and every shot would be a keeper.

OK now back to reality. Its the middle of the summer, I have my wife and three kids, and its the middle of tourist season so every hike, pullout and rest area is packed with people. However this is life and I love it so you manage to make the best of it. And, in my opinion, I still walked away with a couple great pictures. Would you have known that I was packing my one year old son on my hip on about every picture in this post?

I guess my point is, is that you can plan and plan and plan but really its just about getting out there when ever you get the chance and just take pictures. If it wasn't for my wife saying just pull over and we'll do a little hike, let the kids stretch, and you can take some pictures none of these pictures would have happened. So I guess the real point is hope that you have a supportive spouse or not much will happen...

Zion

This weekend we headed up to the cabin for the holiday weekend. We had a great time. On the way home we went through Zion. We did a little hike and I was able to take some pictures. We were actually headed out and just about out of the park when I took these pictures. With the way the sun was hitting the mountains and the clouds I had to jump out and take a couple more pictures. We were in and out of a storm all weekend but it made for great pictures when the rain wasn't coming down. I will post the rest of the trip when I get time....

Summer Time

Things are starting to warm up. It has been hitting the hundred degree mark for the last couple of weeks. The spring flowers are dried and gone and the green grass from the spring rains have surely turned yellow. As the weather has changed I have had less opportunity to get out and take photographs. The garden is consuming more and more of my time and I think that the summer brings added energy to the kids. However every once in a while I still get to take a few.

The Nikon is serving me well and I am trying new things in photoshop every chance I get. Lately I have spent more time shooting pictures of the kids than I have of anything. I have never really been a fan of shooting people but with the wife's encouragement we have had quite a few successful shoots with the children. I always enjoy trying new things.

Around Town

One thing that I enjoy about living in Logandale is that there is always something to shoot. Last night I was kind of getting nervous because I hadnt taken pictures for a couple days. I jumped in the truck and headed down to the local museum and pioneer cemetery. Luckily it was a beautiful night and i was lucky enough to get a couple pictures. I am also trying out some new techniqes out in photoshop so let me know what you think.

Western

My Kids

Just love 'em
h

t

Equipment

The last couple of weeks has been cray so I haven't had time to take many pictures so today's post is about equipment. Most of the time when you talk to people about photography they ask what camera do you have and how many pixels does it have. To answer this question I have a Nikon D40 and it has 6 mega pixels. In today's technology 6 isn't a very high number. When I tell most people it only has 6 they say in a kind of let down tone, "Oh well that's cool." I am not ashamed of my camera with only 6 mega pixels in a day when most camera now have 10 or 12. It's not the technology that makes a great photograph. There is way more to it than a fancy camera. My theory is that a photograph is 10% technology and 90% being there.

So today's post is more about what it takes to be there. Two of my most important pieces of equipment are my four-wheeler and my four wheel drive truck. These are the tools I use to get me where I need to be try try and get a good shot. I don't make good pictures sitting in the house(I can spice them up in photoshop, but you still have to have a picture to start with).

I am not saying that a camera is not an important pice of the puzzle but really it is just another tool in my bag that helps me create a piece of art. That is what photography is to me is art. Well that and another excuse to be out in the hills.

Sheep Camp

10 years ago dad and I set off on an adventure. We were headed out for the Grand Wash country. We ended up at the bottom of Grand Gulch. Now if you know that country you know that it is not passable in a truck(well at least if you care about your vehicle). There was a sheep hunter that was set up at the base of the canyon and had a canvas walled tent pitched. We visited with him for a bit and then headed on back down the road. We got to visiting and ended up in a place we had never been. There was a big pump, remnants of a wind mill, a sheep wagon and some tools laying about. We got out, milled around, I climbed up to the top of the wind mill and then we headed back on down the trail. It was kind of mysterious because if you know that country you know how huge it is and to have a operation setup there is kind of remote at best. Well we have always talked about going back and finally we did. Again we really just happened upon it because the turn that we were planning to make we missed, due to deep discussion, but we didn't feel like turning around so we kept rolling. After a few miles we found remnants of a faded trail and took it. As soon as we dropped of the edge of the knoll we dropped into the sheep camp. This picture was as we dropped down in. It was evident that someone was still working the place. There was a wheeler there, fresh tire tracks, the pumps were full of gas, and the sheep wagon had fresh food and was being slept in. However unlike the three bears we did not find Gold locks sleeping in the bed. Maybe that better though. So needless to say the mystery of the place is still, well mysterious, so dad and I have planned yet another adventure back out.

There are two things that I never get sick of. Pictures of the cactus's in bloom and pictures of Mustang. If I'm in view of Mustang I know I am in good country. Enjoy the pictures and I cant wait till the next time i get out here to shoot some more. I think that I am about to wear my camera out taking pictures of the beautiful desert in the spring.

Pakoon Country

Dad and I were able to slip out into the back country this last weekend. The wild flowers were everywhere. The rain that we have been getting the last couple of months has been great. This first picture is of Pakoon. The pond shown in the picture is where they caught the alligator. You can believe the story or not but just like the BLM boys founds out when they bought the property, its true. The story is that the feller won it in a poker game and just let it loose in the pond back in the 70's. When you use to go out there, back before he sold it, he had alligator crossing signs up and no swiming sings. Most people thought it was a joke but again it was not. When they caght Clem he was 8 ft 3 inches. Since the federal government has taken over the ranch it has really gone to hell. It really is pitiful to see my tax dollars so mismanaged and abused. It makes me sick to see what they are doing with the place but I will save that post for a different time. Anyways enjoys the pics and I will post the rest of the trip when I get more time.

A Little More Spring Goodness

These are the second half of my arrow canyon trip.

A Little Spring Goodness

This year has just been fantastic for the wildflowers. This was a little trip up Arrow Canyon. I have a few more that I will be posting up when I get a little time. Between kids, the fair weekend, birthdays, Easter and my day job life gets filled up quick.