Vacation - Tuesday

Pin It This evening I had the opportunity to have dinner with my cousins and aunt at this little Mexican restaurant. I’d never been there before, and the food was pretty good. It was fun to talk and rehash old memories. My aunt was adamant that I had broken their tire swing when I was a kid. To this, Josh and Danni both made known that I had. I strained my memory to consider this particular moment from the facedly jaded recollection of moments I seem to have as of late, however, I drew up a blank. Later though, I suddenly remembered climbing on their tire swing and distinctly remember that as it swung back, right before it was going to go forward, the tire simply fell to the ground, and I along with it.

I couldn’t believe it, it really had happened and I had completely forgotten about it! It amazes me how many things we forget in our lives. Take two nights ago…I was listening to a book on my mp3 player as I drifted off to sleep. When I awoke in the morning, my iPod was missing! I panicked just a bit, and began to scour the room I was staying in. I soon found the player sitting on the dresser, with the cords neatly wrapped around it.

Hmmmm…now that was odd. I didn’t remember turning it off, unplugging it, and putting it away so nicely. I was sure that somebody was playing a joke on me, however, nobody would fess up to it. I am forced to conclude that Ralph, the nighttime stuff mover, had paid me yet another visit and this time, instead of moving my car keys, he’d decided to move the ipod.

Anyhow, Josh & Dani both said they thought I’d broken their tire swing on purpose and—for a while—hated my guts for it.

Soon it came time for us all to go our separate ways. As we all climbed into vehicles and began to leave I suddenly remembered my camera. Though I’d brought it along, I didn’t think to take a photo of our group until that moment.

Curses!

Luckily, I’m pretty computer savvy, and with the advent of technology, I was able to compile the composite of our group this evening.

I know, it’s pretty realistic, isn’t it?

Vacation - Monday

Pin It Instead of boring you with a play-by-play of what’s gone on, I thought it might be a bit more exciting to instead show images I captured. However, just be forewarned that I hadn’t planned on doing a photo essay day, if I had, I’d have taken photos of myself whilst the moments were proceeding. Ah well, a blog for another time, right?

First off, on Sunday night I captured these two images while out on the mesa above Hurricane:

Then I headed out at 5:45 the next morning to get to Grafton, an old ghost town, and get some morning shots. I did capture a few of the sun coming up and an old stone house I passed on my way…

I arrived at Grafton just as the sun was rising and began to take photos. It always amazes me the images which the early morning light is able to produce:

Being a ghost town, I’d naturally have the chance to photograph some ghosts, right? Whoa, I never knew ghosts were so good looking…

Next I headed up to Kolob Canyon and the reservoir. In the fall of last year, I photographed three small cabins which date back approximately 150 years. I wanted to get a few summer shots of them too. These cabins are where the sheep and cattle herders would stay during their ‘cowboy’ time. The cabins are really small, but it’s amazing just how good of condition they are still in, even after all these years.

I did get talked to by ‘4-Wheelin' Billy’ who did let me know that I was on private property. Though he was cordial, I could tell that he wasn’t thrilled that I was there, even though I am a photographer


Kolob.



I love the speed limits out here in the middle of nowhere.


Now, you can imagine my surprise when I was leaving Kolob and came across this...




I thought I was a goner for sure, however, they just wanted to pass and go on their merry way. I did have some trouble with my new camera...the batteries weren't charged up all the way and I ended up having to take several photos with my old camera. I am glad now that I decided to keep it as a backup. It allowed me to take numerous photos I'd have not had the chance to get had I not had it.

When I got back to Hurricane (badly sunburned), Michelle's friend, Amy, came by. She left her car running when she ran inside to talk to Michelle. I did what any good friend would do...

I turned on the heater.

A few minutes later, Amy left and a few minutes after that, Michelle's phone rang. It was Amy.

She said that I was dead.

When the Monks and I headed out for dinner, I arrived back home to find this...




I must plan a counterstrike...

Hot

Pin It I think this photo sums up nicely what it is like here in Hurricane, Utah. I am wondering if I'll even want to head out deep into the desert...probably not, after all, I'm pretty sure I saw a person melt today. All I know is one minute they were there, the next there was this blotchy puddle with burning clothes in it. By the way, when I say ‘hot’ I’m referring solely to temperature...not my physical appearance.


Tomorrow morning (before sunrises) I'm headed up to a ghost town, as well as Kolob Canyon. I plan to be gone the whole day, however, I will merely do what I feel tomorrow. Today was a day like this, and though I took several photos, attended a birthday celebration, and had a fun time visiting with friends, I also took a nap (something I haven't done in a long time) and slept away12 of the last 24 hours.


I guess it was sorely needed.

Did I mention that it is hot here?

Photography - Website

Pin It

I have been working on a new photography website for the past week and have found myself reawakened into the workings of Fireworks and Dreamweaver. I am impressed with just how much I have forgotten over the past year since I took classes geared toward teaching me to build a website.

After a bit of frustration with a dab of annoyance, I was able to construct a simple website which would serve as the template of sorts for my ultimate creation.

I did, however, want to implement a few suggestions from avid fans (okay, friends who’ve seen the old website). A few of these general thoughts were to have a better ‘breakdown’ of categories, instead of just two, a way in which to show the photos without having to scroll down the screen, and to revamp the site so it looked a bit more professional. All of these suggestions were good and, after all, it’s all about impressions, right? If I can let somebody see an impressive website, it makes a powerful statement long before they ever meet me.

So, along came the arduous task of designing and building a website which, I admit, I took on with an energized vigor—with the sort of anticipation a child has when their birthday is the next day and they are sure that the party is going to be beyond their wildest dreams.

Well, the hours spent working on said website quickly moved from single to double digits. However, I was undaunted, and felt within me a determination to complete the website as quickly as I could.

Photos were an entirely different thing…having to go through them all, sort them, and make some painful decisions as not to include some while giving others the go-ahead. In a sense, I felt like I often do when asked to give the Hope of America award each year at graduation. There are so many which deserve that award, but only a few which can only get it. My photos were the same…though this one was impressive and worthy of showcasing, that one was just a bit more.

So, the process of deciding which should, and which should not, get the honor of being on the website is a daunting task which is still laid out before me. However, in time it will be completed.

I did want to thank those of yout who made suggestions as to a web domain name. I had many responses, and even a few texts, phone calls, and emails in regard to possible names. I will say that I have made a decision.

I’ll tell you what that is later.

If you are interested, and would like a sneak peek as to what the website will look like, you can see a working copy HERE. Let me know what you think about it so far.

Leaving

Pin It I have decided to leave.

Where am I going?

I don’t know.

When will I be back?

Not sure of that just yet.

Will I blog while I am gone?

Probably, provided that there is Internet access where it is I end up going. If it’s out in the desert, probably not. If it is in Hurricane, Utah, it would be undoubtedly so.

Until then…

Z

Photography - What to do?

Pin It

Okay, an S-Corp is now underway with the official name of my “company.”

Backroads

I went up to Hoffman & Company this morning to sign the paperwork. As I did I discovered that I am the major stockholder of my company. I am also the treasurer, vice-president, president, CEO, and just about every other position in the company including the custodian.

It felt strange to be signing all of these forms, and hearing about everything I need to do to now that this is up…opening a bank account in the name of Backroads, keeping certain receipts and expense logs, keeping a book of mileage from now on, and other various and sundry items.

However, now there comes a dilemma. I don’t want to have people finding my photography site by typing in: http://www.classroomofchaos.com/photography/photographyhome.html

That, to me, is just a little over the top, and hard to put on a business card. “Oh, where’s the site? Just type in classroom of chaos—by the way, that’s just one word with no spaces or hyphens and no capitals either—and then type dot com and then add a backslash…yeah, I’m pretty sure that it’s a backslash. Then you’ll need to type the word photography with another slash and then word photographyhome…yeah, I know it’s actually two words, but it has to follow that pattern to get you to the right site because that’s what I named the page. Well, after that you just put another period, and then html. That’s all there is to it!”

Yeah, and here’s your map and three day supply of food. Hope you survive.

So I went online to find a domain name because I am planning on revamping my photography website (and updating it too) as well as give it a good, easy-to-remember address. Unfortunately, backroads.com is already taken.

So, here’s the question…what should the address be? I thought of thereandbackroads.com but nobody seems to like it. My sister suggested oldbackroads.com. My roommate offered up something like picturesthatIhavetakenthatarecool.com, however, I don’t think I’ll go with that one…a little too good if you know what I mean.

So, are there any suggestions for an address?

Oh, and by the way, you can check the availability of these fabulous addresses HERE.

Bring it on

Pin It One might argue that it is time to turn on the AC in your home when you rise from your leather couch and you hear a sound which is reminiscent of a plunger being unplunged after a lavatory ‘emergency.’ One also might add that when you go outside and it definitely feels cooler than inside it would be time to turn on that lovely air conditioning unit.

However, I had made a vow not turn on the AC until the 4^th of July, and I would be strong. After all, what are a few more degrees of heat? Last night it only got up to 87 degrees and I managed that well enough.

Bring it on, summer. I thought to myself. I can handle whatever it is that you are so intent on dishing out.

Well, it’s now after 11:00 PM and I am lying on my bed, realizing that, if I wanted to, I could probably bake cookies while I sleep…if I could fall asleep.

I am not going to give in. I can do this. I can handle whatever…

Hmmmm…

Did I say the 4^th of July? I must have been mistaken, I’m positive now that I had said the 1^st.