U-Pick Photography

Abrenya, Aflive, Tuanikope, Obane.

2011-05-20T05:06:00.000-07:00

Spending my summer in Ghana is perhaps one of the best decisions I have ever made, perhaps second only to my decision to come here the first time.

I love Ghana. I love the children I get to work for. I love Empower Playgrounds.

Check out their site here, and my travel blog here.

Surprise!!!

2011-03-29T21:28:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun this week with my mom here! She dropped by to surprise my brother on his 30th birthday and then we got to go play around town. She's always been the "fun mom" and I even heard from a few friends (Michael Lewellen in particular) that she was the "hot mom".

I'll let you be the judge of that, just remember, I know where you live...

2011-03-14T19:04:00.000-07:00

So, I realize this is not my typical post, but I was in the mood so indulge me. I was surfing the interwebs while on the phone today and started planning my apartment. This is the "could move anywhere and had unlimited funds" apartment of my fantasy. I love the feel, the broken in-ness of it all, and the pieced together classy eclecticism. Maybe I'm just feeling old and want to plan out my life for some sense of mature security, maybe I'm just feeling lazy and don't want to actually take and edit my own pictures, you be the judge. Perhaps this will be a new facet of my blog, creating my life, one room at a time.

2011-02-24T23:02:00.000-08:00

I Love California. I Love California. I Love California.
Is there a better way to escape a Utah winter than a trip to Disneyland, The Getty, Santa Monica, China Town, Little Tokyo, and LA? I think not...
Overall I had a great time with great friends, enjoyed some amazing food, and fell in love with a clock.

2011-02-14T18:11:00.000-08:00

Waxing Philosophical...
I'm usually more of a factual blog post-person. "I took this photo at this place at this time, here ya go." But for some reason today I was looking back over 2 years worth of photos and it hit me that I've been to some pretty cool places, done some amazing things, and had a lot of fun. These good times seem to make the difficult experiences from that same period melt away. Maybe it's just the valentines candy talking, I do have enough of those chalky conversation hearts in my blood for insta-diabetes, but I'm happy for the experiences I've had because they've brought me to where I am today.

2011-01-22T18:13:00.000-08:00

I've been told that I "never" post enough pictures and that I take "forever". So in an attempt to fix both of these shortcomings, here's a record 7 pictures. And my car is still warm from my drive out to the Great Salt Lake. No more whining! You know who you are...

2011-01-05T16:08:00.000-08:00

So I'll be the first to point out, I hate winter. The cold and the snow and the getting stuck in it are not on top of my "fun to do" list. But winter time does lend itself to some beautiful scenes and fun drives, albeit a little frigid, this day was no exception.

2010-12-24T19:07:00.000-08:00

A Foggy Christmas at the Beach

Morning walks on the beach are not the usual holiday activity, but that's why I love Texas!

2010-10-03T20:23:00.000-07:00

My camera's finally out of the shop and doing great! Sunday drives, oh, how I've missed you...

2010-08-16T21:39:00.000-07:00

Just returned from another great trip to Montana. This time to big sky country included camping, fishing at Cow Bone Lake and the best chicken and dumplings I've ever had, seriously.

2010-08-05T21:43:00.000-07:00

I love a good storm, especially one that hits before the rain sets in. I stayed (mostly) dry, and except for a few dozen mosquito bites, escaped unscathed.

2010-07-27T17:12:00.000-07:00

Introducing Brad and Leah. Wonderful couple. Wonderful time. Wish them the best!

2010-07-04T22:44:00.000-07:00

I love summer.
I love Sunday drives.
So naturally a Sunday drive in the summer time is just ideal.

2010-07-02T21:40:00.000-07:00

"I know what I have to do now. I gotta keep breathing, because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring."

2010-06-17T16:44:00.000-07:00

I love Montana. There, I said it. I have been to the Big Sky state a few times and after each trip I am amazed at how beautiful and inviting the state can be. I'm not exactly Grizzly Adams but I feel refreshed and energized each time I return home.

2010-06-09T19:22:00.000-07:00

I love driving the Alpine Loop, it's on of the few thing that gets me through the winters in Utah. I have been driving up past Sundance every weekend for months waiting for the gates to be opened so I could meander through its beautiful curves. Enjoy the pictures and have fun in the great outdoors!

2010-05-27T18:14:00.000-07:00

I just got home from a trip to Ghana with Empower Playgrounds Inc., check them out here. The work EPI is doing is just amazing as they bring electricity, education and opportunity to rural villages. Besides being a beautiful place, Ghana is full of happy and friendly people, many of whom I now considered great friends. I look forward to returning soon. Enjoy and check out EPI.

2010-04-25T09:15:00.000-07:00

Picasso had his blue period, I guess this is my pink period.

2010-04-11T20:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I got to help my good friend Rachel with a couple's engagement portraits. It was fun to work with another photographer and see the different shots we got of the same thing. I guess I need to tag along with her more often.

2010-04-05T10:54:00.000-07:00

Sepia Tone Easter
I spent this past Easter weekend with some friends and their fantastic families in Montana. Its good to be in a small town for a while where everyone seems to enjoy life and take things a bit slower and where family is still number one on holidays...well, everyday of the year for the Staley's! Thanks to them for a much needed break from the busy life.

2010-03-15T08:59:00.000-07:00

These pictures were taken a few days ago for a great family I know. This kid has to be one of the cutest kids ever, I mean ever. He was a little leery of me but we got some good shots.

2010-03-13T07:32:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I had the amazing opportunity to volunteer with Kaiizen and meet these kids. They all live at the El Sauzal Orphanage in Mexico and are adorable. The work that Kaiizen does is centered around helping the children see a brighter future and letting them be kids. Along with those goals, many other projects like reflooring a play room, painting walls, building furniture and a killer program are put on. All this is done by donations, something they could definitely use more of. Please go to their website and get more information, and donate to this wonderful cause so that kids like Violetta, Isabella and others can have a better life.

2010-03-10T08:06:00.000-08:00

This post is about new things. I discovered the grandeur of the BYU library. Did you know that they let you check out books over a century old, and do whatever you want with them? I will be scouring the shelves for more treasures soon. These other two are from my travels as of late. I had the great experience to go to Mexico and visit an orphanage with Kaiizen. If you don't know who they are you should check them out. I also got to drive around the cool farms here, one of my favorite past times.

2010-01-23T12:17:00.000-08:00

American Fork Revisited

It's funny to go back to a place that has, at one time or another, had a huge impact on your life. This week it was a small park in American Fork. The first picture was taken in 2005, it's the picture that made me fall in love with photography. My equipment has changed since then, but my love for photography and the excitement of taking pictures has only increased since that first visit to a small park in American Fork.

2010-01-17T07:41:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a great day! No cell phone, no watch and lots of stuff with that certain "patina" that I like. I posted the tree picture and the shoe picture on Facebook for a vote, and the tree won to my dismay. Normally this would be fine, but I really like the shoe picture. I guess beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.

2010-01-14T15:17:00.000-08:00

These are a few of the pictures taken at Steve and Melissa's wedding. It was perhaps the most genuine and sincere wedding I have ever been to. I wish them the best!

On another note, I'm trying to make posting pictures a habit. So watch for weekly updates and if you don't see them you have my permission to hound me until they are up, starting now.

2010-01-09T07:49:00.000-08:00

These are some old pictures taken in Michigan. It's a beautiful state so I'm sure more will be trickling out soon as I play with my new logo.

2009-07-16T12:15:00.001-07:00

These are some of the pictures taken at the Tipp's wedding on June 27th.

2009-05-19T13:54:00.000-07:00

Life has been a little busy as of late. So its taken me more time then usual to add more pictures, but dont worry, they're worth waiting for. These were taken in Italy. I stayed in Rome and Venice, well worth the jet lag and confusing time change stuff.

2008-12-14T19:16:00.000-08:00

Ashley's Bridals

Saturday we had scheduled these bridals in Provo outside, but it snowed, so we were forced to move indoors and an hour north to Salt Lake. These were taken in the Joseph Smith Memorial building which was a bit dark and crowded but we got a few pretty shots.

2008-12-01T14:25:00.000-08:00

I got a new lens baby today and took it out to play around, I'm a big fan!

2008-12-01T13:54:00.000-08:00

I spent the Thanksgiving break with my room mate and his family in Montana. It was a fun trip with lots of opportunities to take pictures. Most of these shots are from Bannack, an old mining town outside of Dillon or in the mountains near Dell.

2008-11-19T19:51:00.000-08:00

Wallsburg

2008-11-15T15:47:00.000-08:00

I went to Wallsburg today to take some pictures and get a view of some rural towns up Provo canyon. The town of Wallsburg is tiny with only 1 small store and lots of...nothing. I stopped at the store to get a drink and asked where the road went that lead out of town. One of the locals in the store said that the road went to springville, just south of Provo, exactly where I wanted to go. Then he asked what I drove, never a good omen, It told him I had a Tacoma. He said that I could probably make it if I had 4 wheel drive, a shovel and a few days. I decided I had the time but lacked the shovel, and I was wearing sandals, so I took the road back to the highway after snapping a few pictures.

2008-11-07T16:23:00.000-08:00

2008-11-04T12:41:00.000-08:00

2008-11-04T11:59:00.000-08:00