Somewhere

I honestly can't remember exactly where this was taken. Driving back from Yosemite a little over a year ago, we pulled over on the side of the road somewhere in Nevada to sleep. No city lights, or any signs of civilization of any kind for miles. We had brilliant starry skies and only had to deal with the occasional car driving by. This was what I found when I woke up in the morning.

Dock to the West

This is an older image that I apparently never got to. I drove by this location at Utah Lake last week and noticed that the dock had been removed. Noticing its absence reminded me that I had photographed it in the past. ( I even remember falling flat on my back due to ice while photographing it) I went back through my archive and found the image and decided it was time to give it some life…now that it has passed on.

Winter Clouds

It has been a couple years since I have taken my 4x5 out to Utah Lake. It has been too long. I was able to make it out almost every night for a week. Hopefully I can keep up the momentum. Needless to say I hope I have a few more pictures worth sharing in the next little while.

U.S.S. Arizona

These are detail shots I took while we visited Pearl Harbor and the U.S.S. Arizona monument. I do find the monument quite beautiful and tranquil. If only it could be appreciated alone and without the obnoxious distraction of tourists. (I am aware I qualify as being part of the tourist demographic here, don't focus on that pesky little detail)

Mokoliʻi

Surf on the Rocks

North Shore

The Surfer

Leaves, Petals and Lava

The Virgins Grave

In the Saleaula Lava Fields there is a spot known as the Virgin's Grave. Basically a hole in the lava that now has plants filling the chasm. Legend has it that the village taupou - which literally translates to the high chief's daughter who is a virgin - died of tuberculosis as a teenager. The name in the legend is due to the idea that she was so pure that the lava flowed around her grave, without touching it.

P.S. this is pretty much the last of the color film I shot so don't get used to seeing color on my blog.

Satoalepai Sunset

Towards Upolu

This is one of those rare moments when I look at a scene and can't see it any other way than in color. This was our last sunset before the storms set in and almost stranded Clark Goldsberry and myself on Savai'i. The color and simplicity still bring me a sense of calm. Truly the calm before the storm.

Church and Fale

This scene is typically what you would expect to see in Samoa. There are a lot of churches and the other buildings that look like pavilions are known as a Fale. These are traditional structures that come in many different sizes and functions but are symbolic in design and based around the social organization of the communities.

Haunted

Clark Goldsberry and I decided to rent a kayak and go play around in the waters of Savai'i, Samoa. The only instructions given was not to row out to a small island…because it was haunted. Now what kind of a photographer would I be if that didn't perk my curiosity. So we started to row out towards it. We planned on snorkeling, but in that general direction obviously. Our kayak somehow sprung a leak and capsized us. We went back to shore and I settled on taking this picture of the island instead.

New Growth

The Fires of Hell Win This Round

The Saleaula Lava Fields are from an eruption of Mt Matavanu on the island of Savai'i from 1905 to 1911. It was a slow moving lava flow that destroyed the village of Saleaula. Here are the ruins of a church where the lava entered through the windows and stopped when it got to the other side. The church was fully destroyed other than the huge stone walls used in construction.  

Calming

Is it weird that I traveled almost half way around the world (Samoa in case you were wondering) and one of my favorite photographs could have been made in my back yard? (In approximately three months when the snow melts and things start to grow) I love finding beauty in the simple things.

Profiling My Dad

How often does your dad turn 70? I figured a milestone like that was deserving of more than just one picture posted.

Dad

I decided to create a few portraits of my dad in honor of his 70th birthday. Here is one of my favorites.