the Spiral Jetty

I have been trying to find an afternoon to drive up to my favorite place -- the Spiral Jetty -- and this Saturday worked out perfectly. I made the 2 1/2 hour journey with my friends April, Steve and Katie, none had ever been there before.

While driving there, I always get anxious and excited. Anxious because I always worry I'm cutting it too close and won't make it in time to enjoy the sunset. And excited because during the last hour of driving, the scenery gets better and better, leading up to the spectacular views at the Great Salt Lake. I seriously turn into a crazy nut, running around trying to capture different things, hurrying as fast as I can before the sun goes down. I feel like a child at Christmastime!

I love it there because every time is a new experience: water levels are constantly changing, there's always a new sunset to behold, and the colors in the sky and earth always take my breath away. Plus, it feels like you're walking on an icy lake, but without freezing temperatures....and it feels like you could be on another planet...

This year was awesome because I was able to take long exposure with my digital camera for the first time! The first two images are of my friend April walking around -- I love the motion in them. And, the last image was a 10 minute long exposure. It definitely doesn't hold up nearly as beautifully as film, but it's amazing to see what our eyes can't see once it is dark.

P.S. Thanks to Steve for letting me borrow his fish eye lens! I need to get me one of those...

The Ott Family: Take 2

We were lucky enough to reschedule the Ott Family's session on such a beautiful fall day! Everything was perfect: the beautiful golden trees downtown, comfortable temperature, and cloudless blue sky. Even the smog made a gorgeous, diffused light! I had such a great time with the Otts.

Michael, a rambunctious 2-year old couldn't stay in one spot too long, but it was fun to run around and watch him play and interact with his family. Little Michael is the most easy-going baby I have ever met, just chillin' and taking it easy. He only got fussy at the end because he was hungry. By the end, the sky looked incredible! I was glad that Michael cooperated until the very end :)

Since we went downtown and then out to the Great Salt Lake, there were so many awesome shots! CLICK HERE to watch their SLIDESHOW with tons more pictures. Let me know what you think!

Halloween Pictures Day 2

Yesterday was another great day full of fabulous Halloween Costumes! A big thanks to everyone who came and shared their wonderful costumes with me :)

the Ott Attempt...

On Saturday evening, after my Halloween photo shoot, I was scheduled to take the Ott Family photo. Liz happens to be an old childhood friend. We went to Elementary, Junior High, and High School together, but have lost touch the past few years. How excited I was when she called to set up her session. I hadn't even seen or met her boys and they were darling!

Liz wanted to get some great shots out by the Great Salt Lake. As I was driving out West toward the lake, the sky in the East was beautiful and clear and was creating a beautiful light out West where dark skies loomed ahead. I was hopeful that the rain would hold for at least 30 minutes so we could get in some good shots. Instead of 30 minutes, we got 2. Before we even started, the rain started coming. It was windy and icy, not a good combination for two young boys. We decided it would be better to reschedule....Here are a few of the pictures I took.


This is the picture I took when I first arrived at the Lake (looking out toward Antelope Island) while I was waiting for the Ott's to arrive. Beautiful, isn't it?