Nick Stentzel

Last Post!

2010-09-20T11:39:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

Thank you for following my blogspot over the last two years. In the interest of enhancing your experience with Stentzel Photography, I have upgraded to an integrated blog on my new site.

Check it out at: http://stentzelphotography.com/blog

Or, update your feeder to feed://stentzelphotography.com/feed

Thanks! Look forward to seeing you on the new site!

Canyoneering - San Antonio Falls, Part 1

2010-09-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

Fog

2010-09-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

Southern California is amazing... but there is very little fog. This is sad for a photographer. I want to go back to Carmel!

Ugandan Woman

2010-09-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

Christine

2010-09-13T10:00:00.000-07:00

This is a favorite photo of my most excellent friend Christine! The colors, the location, and composition of the shot all connote how awesome this hippy girl is... not to mention, she's a rad photographer!

Provo at Night!

2010-09-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

Found this recently. Shot it over a year ago. I don't know how many nights I've wandered around Provo, Utah at night.

Portraits

2010-09-08T10:00:00.000-07:00

Pool

2010-09-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Pool

Carmel

2010-09-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

I love Monterey and the area around it!

Alley way

2010-09-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

Alley way in Peru... not quite sure what someone is trying to say with this...

Unhinged Available to Watch Online + an interview

2010-08-30T17:15:00.000-07:00

Unhinged - My undergrad thesis film! Shot on super 35mm. Enjoy!

Sillouttes

2010-08-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

I am not usually a huge fan of these types of shots (crazy huge sun flares), but this one reminds me of the hot sun in Peru we felt one day exploring some ruins after a VERY long bus ride.

Meadow Valley Night Photography

2010-08-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

I saw some of the most stunning shooting stars of my entire life while shooting with my Dad. This is my favorite image from the night. The old gas station in meadow valley is lit by the moon just barely over the mountains. I got really excited that water from the fields had made the street wet enough to reflect light from the sky. Quincy, California and the surrounding areas are really lucky to have such amazing views.

Night in the Plaza De Armas

2010-08-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

I remember that the 11,200 high altitude in Cusco, Peru made me feel a little woozy. So before embarking on our trek to even higher grounds, we took a few days acclimatize a little bit. The time was great for taking photograph's on our adventures.

Cusco Woman, Peru

2010-08-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has been to Peru knows that its famous for selling fantastic Alpaca articles of clothing. If you buy in a reputable shop however, the prices are really quite high. "Thats because its not 100% baby alpaca," we were told. You ask any street vender though and they'll say what they sell is "100%." I, like Switzerland remain neutral and unsure. This woman is standing in front of a famous church in Cusco near the Plaza De Armas. Take a look at the grey stones that make up the foundations beneath the church. They are ancient Inca stones and said to be earthquake proof!

Channel Islands part 3

2010-08-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

We went ocean kayaking around the cliffs Santa Cruz islands. There were beautiful views of Ana capa island as well as Dolphin's and jelly fish that came right up to us. The whole experience made me want to invest in a water proof housing for my 5D. One day... Until then I'll be quite happy shooting landscapes on solid ground!

Scary Bridge at Night

2010-08-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

While shooting this photo, I got a very strong feeling that I was not alone. It was late and probably not the safest place to be. Right as I was leaving I realized that there was actually someone hiding out of view behind one of the mainly pillars my back was facing. I made a quick exit to say the least. Pepper spray is now always in my bag when shooting at night in the City!

"Suicide Bridge"

2010-08-16T10:00:00.001-07:00

I don't get too many chances to shoot night photography in the city. I generally gravitate toward nature. But the very first time driving past "Suicide Bridge" I knew I wanted to shoot it late one night. I love design of the historic bridge near Pasadena. The flares in the bottom photo are a bit disconcerting, but I feel like the photo successfully conveys the scale of the bridge.

Channel Islands part 2

2010-08-13T10:00:00.001-07:00

I shot the photo above of my friend Sam as he rested from the long hike across the island. There is only one dock on island. I believe that there is only one or two boats a day to the island. I loved the isolation and the opportunity to explore with my cameras! More to come!

Channel Islands

2010-08-11T10:00:00.001-07:00

I recently spent some time in the Channel Islands off the coast of Southern California. Surprisingly it is one of the least visited national park in the USA. I loved photographing the landscapes of the island chain that has been nicknamed "the Galapagos of North America." Thats right! There are many species of animals that only exist there! Island Foxes and Spotted Skunks!

Adventure!

2010-08-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

This past week I went up to Northern California. I got to spend time with family, saw old friends, and went to some of my favorite places. I can remember being not much older than my nephew standing in the same spot in Quincy, staring off into the field and wondering what was out there past the fence. Looks like my nephew is pondering some adventures far away one day. I wonder if anyone who grew up in Plumas County recognizes this little landmark...

Street Vender

2010-08-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

This woman was selling candy on a side street in Cusco, Peru. Thought it looked very lonely and felt sort of compelled to capture the emotion that it made me feel. Hopefully I conveyed it well.

Pasadena City Hall

2010-08-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy downtown Pasadena. Great food, shops, culture and art. This was a shot from a really great night I had exploring the area around the City Hall at night.

Undisclosed Location

2010-08-02T10:00:00.000-07:00

This is random, but I promise an explanation eventually.

Beach is nice in all weather!

2010-08-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

I took a long walk down most of Cabarete via the beach. There were very few tourists out and it was nice to see locals being themselves.

Leavin on a Jet Plane

2010-07-31T10:00:00.000-07:00

I've never been one for shooting out a plane window. Everyone always wonders what the heck you are up to. However, its kind of fun now and again.

Dominican Republic

2010-07-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

I've seen alot of beaches in my day, but there was something unique about this one I can't quite put my finger on. This was a random and quick trip shortly after the earthquake in Haiti. It was strange to find no signs of devistation on one side of the island and know how much difficulty the other side was/is going through.

Mountains in Peru

2010-07-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

Along the trek in Peru I kept thinking how I could spend a whole year photographing the mountains there. It was almost painful to only stop for the occasional moment of amazing light and have to move on. What a beautiful country, I have fantastic memories there.

Earthquake Self Portrait

2010-07-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago a friend challanged me to take a non smiling self-portrait and spend no more than 10 min setting up to take it. I got one or two shots off using a self timer... when I was interrupted by a 5.9 earthquake. After the shaking stopped I realized that the self timer had gone off during the mayhem... so the top photo is the best non candid self portrait i got out of the experience, and the bottom is my face during an earthquake when the self timer went off. Enjoy

Seven Teacups Canyoneering

2010-07-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

I had a fantastic time recently with Alpine Training Services. I participated in their CIV class. We went to the Kern River for a few days to learn how to canyoneer in swift water. And wow, the Seven Teacups were really flowing! At the end of the day I felt confident and prepaired for more adventures. Such a cool sport. I can't wait to head back up to Kernville again. Moral of the story: You don't have to drive to Utah for some sick canyoneering; its right here in Southern California's backyard.

Fireworks!

2010-07-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

I can't remember how many times as a child I tried to take photographs of a fireworks display. They almost never turned out. I feel better about these! Doesn't the top one look like a creature you might find in the sea at night?

Canyoneering Shots

2010-07-08T17:50:00.001-07:00

I recently got to do some product photography for Alpine Training Services (ATS). They have a new rappelling device that will be on the market August 2010! I got to hang off the side of a 150 foot waterfall and shoot. Talk about fun! If you DON'T KNOW what canyoneering is, I suggest you check out the ATS page for some great videos and images! www.alpinets.com

IDP Camps

2010-06-30T11:00:00.000-07:00

Some images from the Internally Displaced Persons Camp. This was perhaps the most surreal moment of the trip. This community of people had to flee the country side for closer land near Gulu in order to have some protection from the LRA - Lord's Resistance Army.

If you would like to learn more about the history of Northern Uganda, I suggest you look up the book Girl Soldier.

Africa!

2010-06-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe its been a year since I was in Africa with Kara and Dani! Even harder to believe I haven't shared more of my images with everyone! My self imposed assignment for the week will be to post some of my favorite moments from the trip. The image above makes me really happy. It reminds me that I should always remain as thankful for the opportunity to pursue an education as the students I met everywhere in Uganda were.

Dennis

2010-06-28T10:51:00.001-07:00

Apologies for an absent presence on the blog last week. I ended up going last minute to photograph the Channel Islands. It was a great experience, I can't wait to post some of the stuff soon enough.

The image above is from an old contact sheet that I found. Its one of the first assignments I shot for my first black and white class. (notice the fixer spots) Its also cool to see the snow coming down in the photo. Many who might know Provo will likely recognize Dennis, he could be seen almost daily walking University avenue from River Woods almost down to Town Center. Every time I would see him I'd stop and give him a granola bar and chat for a little while. Perhaps thats why he finally let me take his picture! He has some great stories to tell.

Macro Photography Experiment!

2010-06-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

I have been playing with macro photography recently. This is my first experiment. I used a bellows with a 50mm F1.2 lens. Talk about a shallow depth of field! The makeup was done by my friend Jenny Engard and a really awesome model named Maddie we met recently. I'll be posting more from the shoot with her in a week or two.

Longtime wish

2010-06-16T11:57:00.000-07:00

Since I moved to southern california I have wanted to photograph the Blimp Hangers in Tustin. I used to pass them on the freeway and would say one day I'll shoot those! I was lucky enough to have the chance the other night.

They are massive! Here is some info I googled on them: “This field was originally built as a blimp base in 1942 as Santa Ana Naval Air Station. At first 6, then 12 blimps operated out of the station. The large, all-wood hangers were built to house the blimps and at the time of their construction were and still are the world's largest clear span wooden buildings. The hangars are each more than 1,000 feet long & 300 feet wide.”

Beware!

2010-06-14T16:04:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed seeing this sign the other evening. Still going through the photos. I really loved photographing the colors and textures there. I'm planning on posting some more from this mystery location over the next day or two.

June Gloom!

2010-06-12T12:44:00.000-07:00

I've been hearing about June Gloom in Southern California for sometime now. Most people seem to speak of it despairingly, however as I realized this week June Gloom makes for some great photography! Here is a preview of what I have been up to the last few days. Can't wait to show you the rest!

TWO YEAR anniversary of my Blog!

2010-06-10T14:38:00.000-07:00

Guess what? Two years ago today I started my blog! Might not seem too momentous of an occasion, but I'm dang proud of it. To celebrate I thought I'd do something I rarely do and post the photographs of another artist. Above is a photo of my Dad and below is a photograph that he took years ago that I always loved to look at. He is easily the most talented Artist I know. My parents are and always have been very supportive and encouraging of my siblings and I participating in the arts. Thus in a cheesy, but very sincere fashion, I thank my parents and dedicate this blog post to them! (PS. my Dad doesn't know I am posting his photos... hopefully he doesn't mind!)

Gamble House

2010-06-09T16:55:00.000-07:00

Its no huge secret that I am an architecture geek. A little while ago I got to visit the Gamble House in Pasadena - designed by the famous Charles and Henry Greene. I went at night of course to photograph the exterior. Now I have to go back for a tour of the inside during the day. Not only is this beautiful home a part of the American Arts and Crafts movement, but its also the home in a very famous film... can anyone take the time to guess? No cheating! Post your guesses.

Singapore Night - B sides

2010-06-08T13:33:00.000-07:00

Got a request to post some night city photography this week. I immediately thought of putting up a few shots I took this past January in Singapore as a few days ago I ran into some good friends I made there who are in LA for internships. More night city stuff to come!

Utah Winter Mountains at Night

2010-06-03T23:00:00.000-07:00

Was there any doubt that my second favorite (in the nostalgia sense) place to shoot in Utah is a little snow covered field overlooking the mountains north of Provo. I can't recall ever having explored there during the day. But I have been there countless times at night. Normally by myself, but on occasion with a close friend or two. So many peaceful nights up there. A few years ago my brother bought me a Mountain Hardware down coat. Its bomber to say the least and it has kept me so warm on the often 5 hour long excursions to take photos. So partial thanks for any snow winter images goes to Mr. Mohawk Myke. Thanks for visiting. Check back for tomorrow's post. I promise some awesomeness.

Utah Landscape

2010-06-02T23:00:00.000-07:00

I got a request to post a few of my favorite Utah landscapes. There are so many, so today and tomorrow I am posting two sentimental places. While Utah Lake (above) has been described as shallow, massive, and probably full of pollution... it reflects most every beautiful Utah sunset throughout the year. Definitely a favorite place to go at dusk. Check back tomorrow to see the next landscape!

The many looks of Emily.

2010-06-01T23:00:00.000-07:00

My good friend Emily is always changing her look. This, as well as her outgoing personality makes her always a great subject. If you look back over my blog I am sure you'll see more of her!

Large format memories and... a CHALLENGE?

2010-05-31T23:23:00.000-07:00

I am often reprimanded by close friends and family for having literally tens of thousands of photos that I have never shown anyone - negatives, prints, and digital files... many hard drives full. So I am declaring June to be Blog month. I am going to post 5 days a week, from the wildly random old stuff, to personal favorites or brand spanking new stuff. If you dig my posts, help encourage me with comments and let me know what you'd like to see more of!

The photos above are personal favorites of mine, taken when I was in John Telford's Large Format zone system class. I learned so much in that class (and really all of my photography classes.) The top photo was inside a seemingly ancient wooden train car on the edge of the Salt Flats in Utah. If you look closely in the ground glass, you'll see the image flipped upside down... why you ask? (sorry fellow photo geeks if you already know why) Lenses naturally flip the image, and most non-35mm film cameras don't have what is called a Pentaprism. (a part of the viewfinder that flips the image back the way it should go.) Cue the NBC more you know music.

The bottom photo was taken right before shooting one of the most difficult photos of my life. Why so difficult? Well, you can't tell in this photo that the stairs where I eventually set up the camera on, are very steep and narrow. In addition, they had piles of dirt pressed up against them and well... layers of excrement from either rodents or birds. This made this steps disgusting to walk on, and very slippery. The tripod I was using at the time was broken so that it would almost imperceptibly tilt far enough right to ruin the photo every 60 seconds or so. Also there were some crazy huge swing/tilt action on the film planes with a gnarly bellows extension if you know what I mean by that. Hope to see you back here often throughout june!

Peru Landscape

2010-04-30T15:49:00.000-07:00

As promised, I am going through the rest of the Peru Photos, Still have some rolls of film to develop as well!

Peru

2010-04-24T13:40:00.000-07:00

I recently got to do some photography in Peru. We hiked the Salkantay Pass 4 days till Matchu Pitchu. I fell in love with the light in the Andies. The clouds continually rolled through and the light bounced all over the mountains giving me the problem of having too much good light! I don't know if I have ever taken so many landscape shots during daylight hours! This is our Peruvian guide Joel at the top of the Salkantay pass. The mountain behind him had just erupted with several avalanches and made for a spectacular backdrop. I used my 580EXII and diffuser as a fill flash on him. Many more posts from Peru Photography coming soon!

a few more from Singapore

2010-03-05T11:48:00.000-08:00

Some more random night shots... the first is a slightly abstract one of the water in the harbor, the second a backstreet in Chinatown and the last was near the business district.

Singapore Portrait

2010-02-12T00:40:00.000-08:00

While shooting around the harbor one night I had the opportunity to take a picture of my friend Alvin. He is a producing student at the Chapman campus in Singapore. He was one of the many gracious hosts who showed us around and helped on the documentaries we shot.

Formalism in Singapore

2010-02-04T15:30:00.000-08:00

I thoroughly enjoyed Singapore from an architectural standpoint. I found leading lines and geometric patterns everywhere. This is proof that I still take pictures during the day!

Vertical is the new horizontal

2010-02-02T11:14:00.000-08:00

I suspect that what few people we did run into during our night photography adventures in Singapore already thought we were crazy before I started taking pictures of the underside of a freeway. Sacrifice sanity for art is my motto! I always find it very fascinating that every location I shoot begs to either be almost completely composed horizontally or vertically. I have wondered if it depends on my mood that day or the subject matter. Singapore however is without a doubt, a vertical city. The looming architecture, beautiful trees and always changing sky make vertical shooting seem almost mandatory in every set up. See what I mean!?

Singapore Chinatown at Night

2010-01-31T18:25:00.001-08:00

During the last night in Singapore my friend Chris and I explored the back streets of Chinatown. It was interesting to see the side of the city that so few tourists see, yet walk by every day. We expected to find it completely deserted. The more we wandered we realized there were actually tons of things going on. Restaurants open all night, people stumbling to or from a bar, and workers restocking hundreds of shops. We stayed out shooting till 5am. The best way to discover a city is by seeing it at night! I will be posting lots more all month from the trip!

Meteor Shower in the Fog

2009-11-18T19:58:00.000-08:00

Hit up Laguna (top of the world) for this view. Its quite difficult trying to nail the right moment to capture a shooting star. Lots of luck. This would be one of my favorites from the night. The fog was rolling in and we saw quite the etherial show.

Long Beach - Los Alamitos Night Photography

2009-10-13T01:23:00.000-07:00

The night started off with a random drive, not quite sure where we were headed. We found ourselves at the docks in Long Beach. Peaceful and calm... except for feeling paranoid of having the tripod fall into the water off the narrow dock... or my backpack smelling like barnacles... It was a unique challenge trying to avoid rocking the dock and making waves.

Little Carona Night Photography

2009-10-01T19:40:00.000-07:00

There are many advantages to shooting the beach at night...no people in your shots...experimenting with the moving water...and no coyotes! This was shot a bit after 2am, the tide was coming back in from its lowest point. Once again my friend Mike came along as an awesome guide to the area and help with any "light painting" that was needed. I will post more of the images from the night soon!

Joshua Tree Night Photography

2009-09-29T01:16:00.000-07:00

This last weekend my friend Mike and I took a random trip in the middle of the night to Joshua Tree National Park. It was my first time there and his first time doing night photography. After the 2 and a half hour drive, seeing the landscape and amazing stars, I knew it was worth the drive. It is possibly my new fav place to do night shots. We also were surrounded by coyotes... 4 or 5... really close...Mike asked in a panic if he could run to the car...I appreciated that he didn't just up and leave me without asking...such a gentleman. But we were brave enough to keep shooting through the night...just in a place down the road a bit.

Sou Da Bahia! Multi-Media Art exhibit at BYU

2009-08-12T15:51:00.000-07:00

In celebration of the premiere of the hour long documentary "Sou Da Bahia" on BYUtv nationally and internationally, there will be a conjoining multi-media art exhibit this september 16-30th at Brigham Young university. Paintings, photos, sculptures and film will explore six themes that are uniquely Brazilian. I should be in town for the opening social on the 18th. Come eat Brazilian food and celebrate everything that is Bahia! I have six photographs in the show.

Graffiti, old and new friends

2009-08-12T02:34:00.000-07:00

This is crew 071. (minus one member) Last summer in Brazil this graffiti crew took part in a documentary that I was working on called "Sou Da Bahia". In a very short amount of time we became good friends and learned so much from each other. It was difficult leaving them, unsure if we would ever cross paths again. Strange that a year has passed. More recently, however, I have made some amazing local friends - despite that my days in Provo are numbered few. At times it makes me sad to meet such wonderful people and leave so soon afterward. Was the investment worth it? Become attached only to leave? The answer is yes. Every day is absolutely worth it.

Chasing Light...

2009-08-06T20:23:00.001-07:00

Over the last 24 hours I have spent the majority of time outside in nature. I suspect I am subconsciously soaking it up, anticipating the concrete heat from the city to shock my system. Perhaps thats why urbanites flee to the beach, crowding the sand for a chance to be close to the earth. Photography is light, and photographers have been famously referred to as chasers of light. What else could keep me out until 3am this morn and have me back on the road for the sunrise at 5am? There is a sense of anticipation that comes with the hunt. And I feel like I have been chasing light all my life. But today was odd, I remembered that sometimes you can't control everything. There were clouds, rain, hail, wind, harsh sun and many obstacles bringing frustration. But sometimes when you have gone as far as you can go on your own, the clouds part and the rising moon gently illuminates the scene before you. Last night, the photo above brought back thoughts of all the happy accidents, tender mercies, and moments when the light just comes to you. Thank you if you have ever brought light into my life with your presence.

Restful Brazil

2009-08-05T14:20:00.000-07:00

I miss Brazil so much, and Bahia even more. This photo is a year old. Shame on me for not sharing. However, I will admit something...I envy this guy today. I'm graduating a week from friday. Two majors, internships, ridiculous general education classes, and some insane part time jobs have left me a little tired. I have no regrets though. Friday, after I get that fake diploma (they send the real one in the mail) and before I head off to LA to start all over again in grad school, I am going to lie in my hammock (perhaps the most neglected thing in my life right now) and take the most carefree 20 min nap of my life.

Still Life - Messy Life

2009-08-04T14:51:00.000-07:00

I promised some time ago to post more from my seven deadly sins still life series. Here is sloth. Ever feel like you are stuck with a mess that you didn't make, yet it becomes your problem? The most disgusting roommate I have ever had moved out about 5 months ago...It took Christine and I about 4 hours to clean out the fridge...imagine two bags of rotten ingredients for japanese food. As of late I realize that there are different types of messes that can be left for you to clean up and sort through - not just physical but emotional, social or something much more complicated. We should do like our mothers tell us and leave rooms better than we found them.

Uganda and more fun with juxtapositions.

2009-08-03T12:21:00.000-07:00

I had overlooked these two portraits for sometime now, until i randomly saw them side by side. Something struck me about them. I think it is more than just their confidence, but that both of their countenances radiate total honesty. They hide nothing and exude no shame. I hope that one day I can embody similar traits to such an extent.

Catharsis and Introspection Through Photoshop

2009-08-02T00:26:00.000-07:00

I took these two photos at very different times in my life this summer. It occurred to me that I approached the same subject differently in very subtle ways... What does it mean? Perhaps it reflects my state of mind? Represents the start and end of a journey? A new outlook on life?And if so, have the trees been placed on the wrong sides? What could it be? perhaps...just maybe...the light was different...you decide.

Now for something a little different...

2009-07-26T02:20:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been posting only Uganda and Night photography. I felt like it was time to throw in a random portrait. This is without a doubt editorial in style. Perhaps a pseudo old school Annie Leibowitz with a bit of Diane Arbus thrown into the mix for good measure...and what better subject than the defunct ex-poster boy of Provo's counter culture movement: Byron.

Student Portraits

2009-07-15T14:46:00.000-07:00

We taught the kids in this small Lugazi school how to play the game hangman on the chalkboard. I really enjoyed the energy in the room against the beautiful texture of the wall.

I shot this on my Dad's old 135 prime lens for his Pentex. Vintage lens = very cool. This is one of those magic candid shots that isn't perfect in the technical sense, but has some nice light and a very interesting feel. I have a few more good shots from this day that I will have to add to this post in the coming days.

This picture was taken at a small school on the top of a hill about 30 min from Lugazi. I had just gotten stung from a strange African bee on my thumb. Of course my natural reaction was to get out my camera and shoot until I forgot about the pain, not to mention thoughts that my thumb might fall off. Again, I framed this photo up candid and waited until the second the boy noticed me and snapped before he could react.

Uganda Portraits

2009-07-14T11:50:00.000-07:00

Another in my portrait series. The night I spent with the kids at Gulu I was impressed by their firm focus on religion. Their time in the Lord's Resistance Army seems to have been quite coupled with very interesting beliefs. I have heard stories were soldiers were conditioned to think that holy water could make them impervious to bullets or that they could throw rocks that would function as grenades. I saw a much less fanatical version of them, I was invited to sing songs of worship and pray with them before we slept.

Night Photography

2009-07-13T11:46:00.000-07:00

During the last 6 months or so I have fallen in love with night photography. She is a shy mistress and takes time. But she doesn't sass me and will never leave me or cheat. So I promise to start sharing with everyone more of our romantic nights. Here she is...

More fisheye happiness...

Some of these exposures were as quick as 5 seconds, others closer to 30. The noise does not build up that badly for digital. Although I hope to be shooting on some 35mm later this week for a tight grain structure. The best part of night photography is how peaceful it can be alone in the forest at night. I was reminded of dear Stan Brackage (film theoretician) this weekend. He claims the medium of film allows us to see through new eyes as we wouldn't normally see - for instance, as a baby or a bee might see. In a round about way, night photography validates some of his ideas.

Gulu Portraits

2009-07-10T13:57:00.001-07:00

Out of all my experiences in Uganda, the time I spent in Gulu was my favorite. We spent the weekend with formerly abducted child soldiers at the Laro boarding school. I was invited to spend the night in one of the boy's dormitories. The kids shared experiences of the atrocities that they have witnessed and were forced to take part in. I shot portraits of them with the physical objects that they treasure the most. The boy above said his most prized possession was his Bed - his only personal space.

Uganda continued...

2009-07-08T11:37:00.000-07:00

My hero in photo history is Pierre Verger. He spent his life traveling and focused on African Culture in Bahia, even taking trips to Africa to understand with greater clarity the roots of the Candomble religion. I felt so close to Verger in Uganda, almost retracing his steps and tasting in small bites, the adventures he had. The above photo was on my last day in the country and is strikingly similar to a photo he took. It was an oddly special moment for me.

Uganda Part 2

2009-07-07T14:58:00.001-07:00

I have had a few friends recently ask me how I or any other portrait/doc photographer manages to take photos of so many random people. Do you ask permission for everyone or just shoot and let the person deal with it. How do you get such direct honest shots verses subtle candid moments. I tend to subscribe to the rule of shoot first then apologize/play dumb, if the person notices you: then snap before they can react or encourage them to look into the lens and go for directness. There is no law against public photography in any country I have been too...unless the person has a gun...thats trouble and another story. (Never shoot anything near a bridge in Uganda, this is bad mojo)

Uganda All Girls School

2009-07-06T11:34:00.001-07:00

Finally...my photos from Uganda...at least a small start. These photos were taken at an all girls boarding school on the top of a huge hill in Kampala. For the Girl's safety they were not aloud outside of the gate. Even to watch the soccer game just on the other side.

Portait Series Final

2009-04-18T22:22:00.000-07:00

For the last assignment in my portrait photography class we had to do a series of portraits around a person. (my person happened to be a fantastic makeup artist) I really wanted to shoot some classic Hollywood style monsters in very enobling ways. This is what I came up with.

Color Photography Series

2009-04-18T22:20:00.000-07:00

For my color photography final I photographed interpretations of the 7 deadly sins in still life shots. This is wrath...

Portrait of Laurel

2009-04-18T22:16:00.000-07:00

I'm sad that my friends Laurel and Nate are moving...However I was excited to get the chance to take Laurel's portrait before she left! They are one of the few married couples my age that I can genuinely hang with (perhaps because I was good friends with them separately before I knew them together!) Laurel is an actress and singer!

Location Portrait: Mike and Mouse

2009-03-31T17:56:00.000-07:00

I took this picture with location lights at mike's firestation. Mouse was getting tired when we took it so he was a little restless.

Low key Portrait

2009-03-31T17:20:00.000-07:00

I took this picture of my friend Raphael for a Low Key portrait assignment. My goal was to make it look like an old film noir image.

Mid-Key Character portrait

2009-02-28T12:16:00.000-08:00

For my most recent portrait photography class I decided to shoot an extreme self portrait. My bro's good friend Brad did a fantastic job with the tattoos on the neck. The hair was tricky too!

Analogous Still life

2009-02-27T20:31:00.000-08:00

For my color photography class I turned in this image for the analogous color assignment. Working with live bugs was quite the adventure.

Bridal Portraits

2009-02-17T15:17:00.001-08:00

The first assignment for my portrait photography class is to shoot a full length bridal. Kelsae was nice enough to model for me. Again there are one or two more I will post soon...

High Key Headshot

2009-02-11T10:43:00.000-08:00

My last portrait assignment was to take a High-Key Headshot for an actor. I asked my friends Natalie and Matt from Divine Comedy to sit for me.

Monochromatic Color

2009-02-05T22:21:00.001-08:00

The first assignment for my color photography class is to do a monochromatic image. This is what I came up with!

Divine Comedy Twilight Poster

2009-02-05T21:43:00.000-08:00

Photography and photoshop by Kati Ellis and Design by myself...I look like I got vampire plastic surgery! SO FUNNY!

Divine Comedy Banner

2009-01-28T20:25:00.001-08:00

This is a poster I shot and designed for Divine Comedy advertising.

"Unhinged" at the LDS Film Festival

2009-01-24T23:03:00.000-08:00

Tonight the short film I directed, "Unhinged" played in the 8th Annual LDS Film Festival. There was a big crowd there who seemed to really respond well to the film. At the conclusion of the film there were quite a few gasps at the surprise ending. I even overheard a group of people after the screening talking about how much they enjoyed "Unhinged's" last few moments. The best part of the night was at the awards ceremony when we found out that a panel of judges gave us an honorable mention! Not shabby!

"Unhinged" Updates

2008-12-08T13:43:00.001-08:00

"Unhinged" has been accepted into the Beverly Hills Hi-Def Film Festival. I will hopefully fly down to enjoy the other films and meet people.
Also, we just found out that "Unhinged" won an Accolade Merit award! I will keep posting any news as it comes!

Photo Illustration

2008-12-04T16:46:00.000-08:00

My last photo assignment we were given the chance to do whatever we wanted to show off our photoshop skills. I decided that I wanted to creep people out.

Unhinged Invitation for Photoshop

2008-11-19T22:50:00.000-08:00

This is a mockup for a potential form of advertising for Unhinged during the forthcoming festival season.

Film V. HD

2008-11-08T20:17:00.001-08:00

I love film like I love my wife and I'll never cheat on either of them. I had to shoot HD. I didn't like it. It felt alien. Not natural. Not human. People who don't know film talk about HD like its some kind of secret weapon. But for me the only place digital belongs is in post, where it can help unlock film's potential. Technology is good at making things better. It fails when it tries to replace or synthesize something that's already perfect. The fact is, when you shoot HD you hope it looks like film. No one ever shoots film hoping to emulate HD.
-Samuel Bayer.

New Divine Comedy Poster

2008-11-08T11:11:00.000-08:00

This is the new Divine comedy poster where we spoof James Bond. I shot the images and my friend Katie helped tweak stuff in photoshop.

Interpretive Self Portraits

2008-10-29T22:31:00.000-07:00

The first day of my black and white photography class a year ago I was asked what superpower I would love to have. I chose to be able to handle fire without being burned. This week's assignment in digital photography was to shoot an "interpretive" self portrait. I felt the fire accurately describes my stress at the moment and my hopes to withstand it without being charred.

Daily Universe Newspaper mentions Unhinged

2008-10-24T00:03:00.001-07:00

Check out the bottom of the front page for a picture from the set of unhinged: http://newsnet.byu.edu/pdf/

Select the date 10/24/08

Photoshop assignment

2008-10-23T22:51:00.000-07:00

This week I had to combine several images together to describe what a perfect world would look like. This is what I came up with. All the images used I have taken over the last year.

Digital Photography Assignment

2008-10-14T17:29:00.000-07:00

I had to photoshop some of my work into a magazine cover from scratch.

Divine Comedy Poster

2008-10-12T16:37:00.000-07:00

I "photoshopped" this poster for the comedy troupe that I am in. I took the pictures of the people during practice, the rock on a trip to Zion's, and the sky from Brazil.

Photos from Juaziero

2008-08-29T15:39:00.000-07:00

This older woman obviously was flattered by the fact that I took her picture. As I was shooting I kept wondering what stories she could tell me if we could have lingered there.

During the last few days of our trip we decided to go explore the dry "sertao" areas of northern Bahia. Logically Juaziero was my first choice. This boy lives in a small settlement outside of the city. He is collecting trash to recycle for money. Behind him you can see his family's mud home. The land that they live on they do not own, they simply built there and claimed it as their own.

More Photo Adventures in Salvador

2008-08-20T21:50:00.000-07:00

There is always someone new to meet in Salvador. This week we came across this man, who happened to be skinning a huge eel. Normally fishermen are poor but when our friend saw we were quite impressed he pulled out his brand new cell phone (that puts mine to shame) and showed us a whole folder of pictures of his favorite catches.

Its hard to work when the world around you is so amazing.

Photos from Cachoeira

2008-08-16T05:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to a rather obscure city out in the countryside - Cachoeira or in english Waterfall. There they have a yearly celebration of African roots and Roman Catholic traditions called "Festival da Irmadade da Boa Morte" or "Festival of the Sisterhood of Good Death."

In the middle of the square a large crowd gathered to watch drummers. The presentation was interupted with a sudden downpour of rain that left everyone taking cover from the rain in awkward places.

Walking up the hill to the the Hansen Bahia museum, we came across a bunch of kids flying kites or "Pipas."

We made some friends with some of the kids on the street.

Photos from the Pelourinho

2008-08-06T07:14:00.001-07:00

This woman practices the religion of Candomblé - a mixture of Roman Catholic and traditional African beliefs. The truly unique Bahian lifestyle includes animal sacrifice, spirit offerings, and dances.

This young woman seemed very proud to tell us that not only does she fervently practice Candomblé, but that she loves using Facebook, Myspace, and Orkut.

In one of the more tourist ridden, yet beautiful places in Salvador, we were certainly the only people taking pictures of the local culture rather than the typical sights. There is amazing texture everywhere - This man managed to sleep in such an awkward position a few feat away from the busiest intersections in the area, yet he seems to fit very comfortably into the landscape around him without effort.

This woman sat for a long time in front of the Igreja Sao Francisco - one of the oldest churches on the continent which happens to hold millions of dollars worth of gold encrusted onto its walls. Every few minutes or so she would bang on the door. No one answered.

No comment.

Photos of Graffiti Artists

2008-08-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

A candid kiss between two artists.

We spent the entire day with about 50 different graffiti artists in Salvador. Together they covered an entire wall along the stretch of beach in a short time.

This little boy was the nephew of one of the painters, he stayed within 15 feet of his uncle the entire day and didn't say a single word.