Blue Powder Days!!

Sometimes you have to get away. You have to drive far and wide to see some new things and experience the wonderful world around you. Some friends and I went to Brian Head, Utah for the weekend. We were blessed by the powder gods with blue skies and deep fluffy powder. Three days away from cell phones and email in a beautiful cabin resting on the slopes recharged my batteries. We rode a lot those three days and even built a jump next to the cabin. You can see my friends in action in the photos above. Klye Fitzpatrick (top), Matt Mcnulty (middle), and Jordan Villasenior (bottom) seen here in the photos, rock the jump. The time flew by and it seemed like Sunday came to quick but the trip was one for the record books. I don't know if I'll ever have a better ski trip.

Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures

Have you ever been in an area that is unfamiliar but you needed desperate help? Sometimes these places are void of people to help. When you are in these places you are on your own. These are the times when our survival skills are tested. We can either cower inside ourselves or muster up and face the challenge. Can you walk down that dark alley to get to that service station pay phone? Will you put up your car title for money to pay the light bill? Are you going to go down to the Bail Bonds, pay the money to get your cousin out of jail at three am? This is the time to decide. Now is the moment when you will know what you are made of.

Solo Kicks Down 66

This last semester I took a night photography class. It was an advanced class so it was a lot of field shooting. One of the trips I planned was to the Salton Sea in southern California. We planned to go during a nice moon to get some nice moonlit landscapes with the mannequin I had just acquired. It was over the Thanksgiving break so we had plenty of time. As break grew nearer less and less people were able to make the trip. It was like an Agatha Christie novel. With a stubborn spirit I decided to make the trek alone. I loaded my mannequin, Harold, in the car and headed south on Hwy 95. I caught I40 west and decided to scout some spots on old Route 66. The old highway runs pretty much parallel with 40 for a long way. It was nice to have the total free time to stop when ever I wanted. As I worked my way southwest I went through Twenty Nine Palms. I was photographing a boat when Dan came up to me asking what I was up to. You have to love a neighbor looking out for one another. After we talked some photo talk, Dan figured out I was semi-harmless. I spent the next hour talking with Dan as he led me through his property scattered with old cars, military vehicles, and other assorted implements of destruction. A wonderful detour that I might not have gotten otherwise. I piled back in the car and bombed through Joshua Tree Forrest, Mecca then the Sea. Since I was shooting night stuff I went and scouted for a long time. Long enough to arrive to the spot I wanted to shoot with storm clouds in the sky. My moonlit landscape idea was toast and the wind was too crazy, even with a tripod. So I called it a night and grabbed a room at a motel. I woke up the next morning to rain. With one more night scheduled in Salton I decided to pack it in and admit defeat. Just for kicks I committed myself to take the Old Highway the whole way home, or as much of it as I could. The choice was a great one. For the next twelve hours I chased the clouds that the previous night ruined my moonlit landscape. After the storm the clouds had reduced in size and were perfect for scenic skies. I took some of my favorite shots I've ever shot on that trip and nothing went to plan. The trip was surprising and full of American wonder. I'm glad nothing worked out.


Amboy Roy's


Amboy School


Twenty Nine Palms Harbor


Dan's Frontyard, Twenty Nine Palms


Dan's Bulletnose, Twenty Nine Palms


Bombay Airstream, Salton Sea


Pamela's Beauty Salon


Dead Gas Station


Desert Market


Temple House

Scouting Animal

I am always getting scouting reports on cars around town worth shooting. Sometimes I feel like Weegee getting tips in the form of voice mail from my sources. Lucky for me I don't have to pay for my tips like Weegee did. Sometimes I feel like I should. Like when I meet Animal. He is the owner of this Ford. It was his first car he bought when he was fifteen. Without my tipsters I could of never taken this shot. Thanks guys and keep them coming.

Getting Caught Up...

For the last couple months I have been with out a computer to edit my images on. Well my dark days are over, I finally bought a new laptop that is a data crunching machine. For the next couple days I will be posting some work that I shot over the past semester. Also I am going to throw in some Polaroids I've been working on. I will space it out so it's not a ton of crap thrown down at your feet. To start the flood of images I present a test shot from one of my Polaroid shoots. This is a digital test shot. The Polaroid I was shooting was called Fade to Black, and I will post a scan of those soon to come. For now enjoy Paper Hats and Polaroid...

Remember The Titans

Today I am remembering those who have blazed the trail before us. Those who braved the worst that planet Earth could offer. I remember and I am thankful for their sacrifices.