Last Train Home - Lost Prophets - The Best Song Ever Recorded

2010-11-15T10:44:00.002-07:00

This is a list I just made about why Last Train Home by the Lost Prophets is the best song/video ever.

1. Photography brings them together.
2. This video makes me feel like I did when I was in 9th grade.
3. I could listen to this song unironically every day for the rest of my life.
4. Dreadlocks-headphone-chill-skate-guy is featured. I love that guy.
5. The "beat up car, but we don't care because we have friends" ethos is strong in this one.
6. For some reason they play a show on a truck bed.
7. Gratuitous use of BMX*.
8. A train is only featured once in this video, which is way more subtle then you'd expect.
9. Seriously, this song just rules.
10. Keyboardsinger.
11. Surburban industrial low-class wasteland.

BONUS: There are some students sitting right by me, not even knowing how hard I'm rocking out right now. They can't even imagine.

I'm going to go home and look up some art I made during 8-9th grade now. Expect a lot of Photoshopped self portraits.

*Any use counts and gratuitous.

Banksy did a Simpsons intro - but it's actually kind of dissapointing.

2010-10-10T23:06:00.000-06:00

They Keep Doing It!

2010-10-10T04:08:00.002-06:00

You know Gap itself hasn't actually changed. Just the logo. I know that it's a bummer that it looks like the American Apparel logo, and I'm super proud of all those eagle eyed font jerks for being able to recognize helvetica out in the wild*, but seriously: It's not that bad.

In fact, I'm not really annoyed with these companies rebranding their image. I do it about once a year**. What does annoy me is this. It's the irate, even palpable rage that surfaces when whatever name + another name design firm fails to please the armchair design experts our internet seems to be brimming with.

So on that note of hostility I bring to your attention, another bad redesign. It seems that MySpace in all it's blood filled coughing, 2004 wet dreaming, mascot Tom abandoning, being owned by a evil media company hell bent on spewing black sludgly nonsense into our gulf of information/celebrity gossip, wisdom. . . has deemed it right to fit the site with a new logo.

A (dreaded) redesign.

Get it? Because, it's like, a space where the "Space" would normally go.

Ouch man. Here's a TechCrunch article about it.

*Well, no I'm not. They made an entire movie about it, and you'll earn no points from me for having seen it.

**I don't have a professional graphic designer AND about once a year I change what kind of photography I want to do. (These days it's the kind where I get paid.)

I Mean Damn

2010-10-09T04:42:00.002-06:00

Isn't that a great boot?

I mean, damn.

The Timberland "Earthkeeper" Boot is even environmentally friendly. Which is great, because I love both the environment and friends.

F Stop Watch

2010-10-09T04:34:00.003-06:00

This is a watch that does not have the sequence of numbers that one is normally used to.

Awesome, isn't it? It's called the F Stop Watch.

For those of you who are not versed in photography, this watch features only common apertures as numbers on the face.

If you're into that kind of thing, it's hilarious.

Playboi

2010-10-05T20:04:00.002-06:00

Because I'm starting to feel someone who posts too much on Facebook, I'm going to start posting more links on this* blog.

This is an article about spending habits on Playboy.com. If you're not into naked(ish) chicks on the internet I recommend browsing with your images off.

(Firefox = Tools / Options / Content / uncheck "Load images automatically")

Anyway, I think I'm going to change my pricing structure a bit to better take advantage of these findings. So there.

*This blog sort of only exists so I can own things related to my name.

iloveyou1

2010-10-01T00:39:00.000-06:00

This is a list of commonly used passwords.

Check out the MySpace ones. You can really tell the demographic.

RadioLab

2010-08-30T00:05:00.006-06:00

Editing a full wedding can take up to 8 hours, so I'm always on the lookout for stuff to occupy the parts of my brain not being used to edit. RadioLab tends to fit that description pretty well. It's informative, smart and for whatever reason I usually know a little about what they're talking about-so it's not too hard to follow if I'm not paying my full attention.

I downloaded the episode titled In Silence thinking I was going to get another bout of science learning from Jad, Robert and WNYC.

This episode came out early April, right before Easter and Passover. To commemorate the time, Robert Krulwich recorded a sermon. In the sermon Robert talks about obedience to God and what it must have been like for those tasked with being prophets. He talks about what silence means and touches on mans relationship with God.

It's a beautiful talk-I've listened to his sermon three times since downloading it last week. As there is with much religious discourse, a firm answer isn't presented. Some things are just inexplicable. Sometimes we're just left to wonder.

I guess one has to be able to take comfort in the process, rather then the result.

FeMissionaries*

2010-08-20T02:04:00.002-06:00

I love girls who go on missions. No lie.

Of course broad statements are almost always false (or at least have an arguable counter-point) but seems that girls who go on missions are across the board pretty with it.

Typically a girl goes out for the right reasons (not because the parents said they'd buy you a Jeep if you stuck it out,) they're willing to put up with the less than desirable things a mission has to offer and they have their life figured out enough to think putting everything on hold for a 1 1/2 years is a good idea.

Even girls who consider going on missions I tend to like more. Since there generally isn't the social pressure for girls to go out into "the field" just the fact that a girl considered it reflects well on them.

Don't get me wrong-there's girls out there who waste everyone's time, no doubt. But in my experience XX-RM's are all sorts of smart, level headed and mature.

So in conclusion: I back chick missionaries, 100%.

*If this post surprises you, then your are being too damn judgmental.

Colorado, Part 1

2010-07-26T15:45:00.009-06:00

The Christensen side of my family had a reunion last week. My mom was too sick to go, so my dad and I made the trek alone.

Most of my cousins are married with children, so facilities that can hold our 4 generation, 90+ member family are in the minority.

This years fam-straviganza was at a YMCA in Estes, Colorado. Because Estes is surrounded by mountains, it was easier to get there via Wyoming.

Wyoming isn't that bad, it's just, you know, hellishly boring.

I dealt with sky country by reading You Just Don't Understand by Deborah Tannen, sleeping and taking pictures out the window.

Anyway, here is what getting to Colorado looks like.

My dad made a joke about this being a windmill farm, and how they were growing windmills.

I did not laugh.

Stayed a night at a Motel 6.

We stopped to look at this big crane, called a dragline excavator. The cab was probably three times the height of that truck on the right.

Made it.

2010-07-04T20:12:00.001-06:00

Justin's 30 Strangers show.

Ok, I Can Do This

2010-06-30T05:59:00.002-06:00

It's 5:59 AM.

I'm going to go lie in bed until I fall asleep. Then I will wake up at 12:00.

And find a job.

Ok, I can do this.

Yup

2010-05-03T01:53:00.001-06:00

My cousins rule.

Alot

2010-04-15T09:27:00.001-06:00

If you have not read this, you obviously should.

A somewhat productive blog post

2010-04-13T00:20:00.012-06:00

I had a somewhat productive night last night.

As a photographer I am constantly struggling with the question "should I bring a camera?" For the first few months of owning my first DSLR it was an enthusiastic "Yes!" I figured if anything interesting happened I'd be prepared or if I got bored I could at least whip out the cam and take a few shots.

But after a while keeping even a light DSLR gets annoying, and as a person who doesn't like to be annoyed I started not taking my camera on outings.

Recently I have found myself giving into my nearly unquenchable thirst for more light-tight boxes*. Lucky for me my addiction is easily appeased by a steady stream of $4 thrift store cameras.

Even though these film cameras are 1/4 of the size of my current DSLR, they still prove to make an uncomfortably large bulge in my pants whenever I pack one for a traipse around the town. (But I'm still happy to see you.)

So the same age old question again arises, and until now I have been none more able to answer it then when I was crying, squealing mess, gasping for air and covered in birthing fluids**.

Enter my (self declared) ingenious solution. I spent about 2 hours last night rigging up a way to keep a small film camera under my seat.

Rasta colors tell you I'm a free spirit.

With a re-appropriated old Volcom backpack buckle and a belt I've had lying around I sewed some straps onto the bars underneath my bike saddle.

The adjustable buckle is on the right side so I can reach it with my right hand. This makes it so I don't have to stop when I want to take it out/put it back in. The black strap underneath is elastic so it gives tension for the camera.

It's not perfect though. Those straps are actually sewn on to the saddles architecture, so if I ever buy a new saddle the straps are not easily transferable.

Anyway, while I had my sewing kit out I figured I'd sew on a patch I've had kicking around for a few years. It's the logo for the photographer Ed McCullouh.

(Click the image to get your own patch.)

I've sent Ed a few emails asking him some questions and he's always been cool about helping me out, so I'm more then happy to rep the guy.

Ed.

I'm getting pretty stoked on this shirt. I feel like a cool-guy bike messenger/mechanic when I wear it. Like I'm taking on the world, with style and grace!

Puck knows a styleOG when she sees one.

ONE OF the ways that I'm taking on this both styleless and graceless world is to (where I can) ride my bike instead of driving. The weather is starting to allow for day-lit excursions and it's great because I get to illustrate how eco-legit I am (remember, I REUSED some stuff to make a camera holder) to those square, square gas enslaved motorists.

One of the things that us style-filled eco-photographers do to let you know that we're eco-photographers (filled with style), is to roll one pant leg up. It's practical (keeps my pants out of my bike) and seductive (shows of ones muscly, toned calve(s)). It also shows off my newly shaved leg(s)***.

I gave into the curiosity last week and took the silky smooth plunge.

Let me tell you something about having baby soft legs. I do not like it.

Sheepishly owning now shaved legs is a really odd experience for me. I have learned a few things:

1. I'm a lot more partial to my leg hair then previously realized. As a highly evolved human male I have very little upper body hair. Make no mistake, I like it this way, but that once possessed leg fur did remind me of my neanderthalesque Republican roots.

2. Shaving your legs is a pain. I know that last sentence isn't going to make it into any major news cycles, but still, I now posses a knowledge for myself that shaving ones legs quickly becomes tedious.

(And before any caps-locked Riot Bloggrrs start revving the male hate engine let me say this: I've never told you to shave your legs. Aim the XY hate ray as some other blogsticles.)

3. That whole "everything feels softer" line is not true. It turns out my leg hair was like unto a multitude of lower extremity(d) whiskers. By cutting it all off I've just deadened my senses. Everything feels smooth if you don't have many nerves.

Of course the the most important lesson I've learned is actually in the form of a question: Why do other men chose to do this?

I do not understand why a man would willfully decided to shave his legs. Listen, if you're a girl and you think your legs look better shorn then I support that sexy decision****, but if you're male and your leg hair isn't like, repugnant, then why would you go through the hassle? Smooth legs culturally bring femininity to mind, and while I don't want to propagate any harmful gender stereotypes by buying into a hairy/smooth male/female dichotomy, it seems to me that it's good to embrace your genders natural features*****.

Be it hair filled or not.

*There aren't really any cool slang terms for cameras. Skateboarders are lucky, they have cool names for everything. For example: Skateboard = Stuntwood, and you know a nickname is top notch when it also works as a porn star name.

**Ah high school!

***Because of initial time constraints for a few days only my right leg was shaved. I was hoping at some point I'd be able to tell someone it was so my leg hair didn't get caught in my bike's crank-side gears. Alas, no such opportunity arose.

****LET IT BE KNOWN THAT I SUPPORT ALL SEXY DECISIONS.

*****Full disclosure: I'm circumcised.

2010-04-01T02:04:00.001-06:00

Dumb things I learned in church #2

2010-03-29T01:58:00.003-06:00

"The harder you work on your mission, the hotter your wife will be."

Told to me by the Deacons Quorum leader who had the hottest wife of all the leaders.

A friend told me that they tell girls the same thing, only instead of "work hard on your mission" it's "the more you pray".

Running

2010-03-12T18:10:00.007-07:00

I ran 12 miles yesterday. I was going to try for 13 but I had to cut it short because around mile 10 the bottoms of my feet started hurting.

I ran from University Mall to a few blocks past center street, then home. It was a good run and my favorite part was the long road between the Mall and Provo. I like just pointing in a direction and just going, no turning or anything.

I listed to NPR the whole way (2 hours). Morning Edition is on an hour loop, so I heard a story about chicken gonads not once but twice.

Here are a few photo I took of my feet after. There's not much to see really. I've got a few blisters on the edge of my toes, but you can't really tell.

The only real difference is that my feet are more veiny then they usually are.

Also, this is a funny picture.

Not funny "Ha-ha" though. Maybe it's just a photography joke.

You know what else is funny (but not funny "Ha-ha")? Natalie is the only person who can read this blog right now. Aren't you glad I added you? For photos of my feet?

Besties

2010-02-08T23:14:00.002-07:00

Dumb things I learned in church #1

2010-02-02T14:03:00.009-07:00

I once had a Teacher's Quorum leader tell me that he liked to:

"pray for adversity, so that I can become stronger."

I remember being mildly uncomfortable with that statement, but I was 14 and it's likely that the lesson was boring anyway. Besides, I had Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 waiting for me at home.

Looking back on that moment I think that if Bitter Twenty Year Old Trevor had been in that room, I'd have had a minor fit.

Ahem

Really? You REALLY praying for adversity? When you get on your knees and open your heart to God do you say ". . . and please bless me with lots of really hard trials. I don't know if you've heard, but I want to get stronger, so hit me with your best shot God!"

Do you pray at night to be hit by a bus? To become paraplegic? To become orphaned? To have your wife cheat on you? To have a crisis of faith?

Wait, what? You don't? Because, listen. That's real 'adversity'. That's the stuff that really makes you stronger.

It's also the stuff that ****s you up. But that's the key, real problems, stuff that really hurts does **** you up. If you've never had doubt, had the thought that "maybe I really can't get through this" then you probably haven't been through a real storm.

People think adversity is about holding you're head up high and never losing sight of the goal.

And listen, I know you're about to say "But Trevor that is what it's all about!"

No, it's not.

Holding your head up high is what we strive for. It's the ideal. But it seldom happens.

Do you know why?

Because we aren't perfect.

Anyone who's been through real pain, real anguish will tell you straight that they wouldn't pray for it. And that it's ugly, and miserable. And we raise our heads when we can and when we can't we try to keep going.

What my leader was actually praying for is hardship that looks pretty. Stuff that's manageable. Things like cars breaking down and not being able to buy a big TV and your crappy basketball team not winning. You can make a joke about those 'trials' in testimony meeting, and everyone will laugh and that's fine. But don't confuse that with a real trial.

When I was 12 my mother went in a coma for two years. She almost died.

Those two years will probably be the hardest time in my life, and I'm thankful that they're over. I'm also thankful that I've learned a lot from those two years, but I wouldn't ask to go through them again. And if I could, I'd save myself from them outright.

I wouldn't wish that sort of pain on anyone and I wouldn't go asking for it ether.

The moral is this: you shouldn't go out looking to suffer to get stronger. You should pray for strength to get through the pain.

Alice

2010-01-30T10:54:00.000-07:00

Again, another awesome Alice In Wonderland video.

Star Wars Song

2010-01-27T05:14:00.000-07:00

Takes me back.

It's 2010

2010-01-01T14:32:00.000-07:00

And my camera is broken.

Everyone

2009-12-24T19:18:00.004-07:00

Everyone has something to say.

One just has to listen.

Done right

2009-12-22T19:36:00.004-07:00

There's a lot of bad skate photography out there. I used to be on a skate photography forum that while interesting, seemed to preach photo teachings that I didn't subscribe to. You'd post a photo and everyone would comment on the rim light and if there was enough fill and really just miss the point.

Of course this is all my opinion. My documentary work is all natural lighting. So of course I could care less about bringing in outside light.

Anyway, my point is that while there is a lot of boring skate photography, there's also a lot of awesome stuff. Ryan Allan could not have nailed this shot any harder.

This is the truth.

Hoodies and Miniskirts and Aldric

2009-12-08T01:51:00.009-07:00

At one point in my high school career I was an intern for xok clothing. (Due to poor communication skills on my part) this internship was short lived, but I did eventually get one design printed.

Yes, that is a robot with a shadow of blood. I was in high school, give me a break.

Anyway, I just saw that Volition Mag (Utah's Online Flux Capacitor!) did a photo shoot that featured one of my designs.

So yeah.

Anyway, Aldric and I decided to take a trip through time* to check out some of the first comments on our MySpace pages.

I thought this was apropos.

High school, right?

*And space!

Art

2009-12-07T23:09:00.003-07:00

A Parallel Image by Gebhard Sengmüller is pretty interesting.

Also reminds me of Daniel Rozin's Wooden Mirror.

A doc about babies.

2009-12-04T17:38:00.001-07:00

"THE BABIES ARE COMING" it a lame catchphrase, but otherwise this looks like it could be interesting.

words are lost

2009-12-03T04:12:00.002-07:00

I have two of the three shirts that I need to create my own personal holy trinity of kickass shirts. I didn't even realize it, but I'm on a quest to unite the three, so that they may glory in my presence, and I theirs.

I have this shirt.

And this* shirt.

But.

I do not have this shirt.

Yet.

(Hint, hint.)

*Shout out to Katrina, who knows how to please a man. Get your mind out of the gutter.

I'm reading this book right now.

2009-11-27T19:06:00.001-07:00

Most of you already know this.

2009-11-17T03:44:00.008-07:00

But I think I'm pretty funny sometimes.

Also, I've been organizing my photos lately. I have an excess of 220 GB of photos on my external drive. I know right?

There's lots of photos* I could get rid of, so I'm going to try to half that number in the next week, but still. Ugh. I'm going to need to figure out an online storage solution.

*These are not examples of photos I intend to get rid of.

College Photographer of the Year.

2009-11-15T04:54:00.005-07:00

I'm working on putting one essay in every issue of the Love City Zine, so photo essays are on my mind. These are all winners of the College Photographer of the Year contest. Check them.

This essay is a beautiful look at the life of Isaac Maccombs and his parents. I find myself proud.

Hunters Point, 'We Out Here'. Gang stuff. Good. Sad.

The Way We Live. Drug use & families. Again, good and sad.

Check out the rest here.

No swine

2009-11-14T05:20:00.002-07:00

The worst thing about having been sick for so almost a week is that I can't get up and run whenever I'm in the mood.

A surprising amount of times this week I've wanted to go running very early in the morning (like three or four or five A.M.), but haven't been able to because I knew it would (somewhat literally) kill me.

Anyway I'll have a job soon, so I wont be able to wake up at two and decided to see how far I can run that day.

Whatever, I need the money.

Christopher Anderson, you just blew my mind

2009-11-11T16:05:00.002-07:00

"A single image gets weighted down by its literal information. When you put two of them together, some other sort of emotional power can come out of that."

- Christopher Anderson

Via A Photo Editor

This is interesting

2009-11-10T21:41:00.000-07:00

Information.

Blatant

2009-11-09T18:41:00.005-07:00

If you're looking for free online storage or a good way to transfer files above 10mb then I suggest Dropbox. Ars gives it a thumbs up (which is good enough for me).

Why am I writing about this? 1. Dropbox is a really great program. 2. If you sign up by using the Dropbox link, I get extra storage.

PLEASE SIGN UP FOR ME.

Love City Zine

2009-11-09T12:04:00.002-07:00

Issue 2 of the Love City Zine is now out. Sometime this week I'm going to leave a few around the downtown Provo area. I'll let ya'll know when I do. Until then you can download the .pdf here.

That's my sister.

2009-11-06T03:18:00.001-07:00

Don't mess.

I'm not really a fan of Slate Magazine, so I enjoyed this.

Three Six Mafia - Smokin on the Dro

2009-10-30T15:34:00.002-06:00

(This isn't quite a perfect example, but it'll do.)

Every one in a while I'll see a music video that makes me like a song I previously did not.

Dont' think twice, it's alright

2009-10-28T13:18:00.003-06:00

Perception is funny. We have no other way to experience the world then through our own eyes. The things you know about people are true, until they're suddenly not.

My sister makes a concerted effort to not assume people are LDS. Suddenly she goes from everyone having about the same beliefs and morals to very few being like her in that respect.

The first time I realized that other people see the world differently then I do, I was blown away. I had a friend in high school who was very bitter and convinced the world was against her. I couldn't understand how she could see things that way, but because she did, that's how it was.

I used to worry about what the world was really like if everyone saw different things. I still do sometimes. People who who are absolutely convinced that they're doing everything right, when I can plainly see the miss steps taken. Those are the people that worry me now.

If you believe in God, you can at least say to yourself “They'll get their just reward after this life.” but if you don't believe, then it's likely nothing will happen. Justice is a construct of man and has no place in nature, bad people do bad things and get away with it.

Look people in the eye, shake hands with a firm grip and be good to the women in your life. Everything else works itself out.

Climate Change

2009-10-27T20:14:00.004-06:00

This is an interesting article on Ars Technica.

(Emphasis added)

"There's an inevitable problem with trying to find trends in data that is subject to a great deal of random variability: unless the most recent point was a record high, it will always look like there's a downward trend."

"We're currently seeing that happen with the global temperature record, where the warmest year ever recorded, 1998, is receding into the past. As a result, reports of "global cooling" are appearing in the popular press, and smaller percentages of the US public are confident that the globe is warming. Unfortunately, all of this seems to be a misdirection; the Associated Press has performed a statistical sanity check on the claims of global cooling, and found that there's little to them."

I'm not trying to start a debate on climate change, all I'm saying is this is a good example of the media we absorb. Make sure you're getting your news from sources with integrity.

PBS and NPR are a good start. U.S. News if you want a conservative lean, Newsweek if you want a liberal take. Ars Technica if you like computers.

(Fox and CNN can suck it.)

The Spiral Jetty

2009-10-26T18:47:00.014-06:00

We went down to the Spiral Jetty Saturday.

Here's a photographic rundown.

Allison pretends that she doesn't like it when I take her picture when she's driving, but all I see is a smile.

Allison read us an essay by Robert Smithson aloud before we walked to the jetty. The actual essay wasn't that good, but I like that Allison brought it.

I tried to think of a funny caption for this one. NOPE.

I post photos like this for Natalie.

Natalie: "Keut!"

Allison is O.G. No lie.

It was pretty windy and there was lots of foam. It made for an interesting scene.

The foam reminded me of seals. Really big, dumb, floppy seals.

Even though the crop on this photo is off, I still like it a lot.

When you're walking on the spiral, it's important to make sure that you stay on the path. It's a journey, not a destination. (Landon.)

Allison will say she looks bad, but everyone else in the whole world will say she looks cute. Especially Natalie, who will say it almost like I'm in trouble. "Trevor! She looks so cute!"

I'm so artistic.

I'm SO artistic.

I'M SO ARTISTIC.

The thing about this photo is, I didn't even tell Allison to stand like a model. That choice was made my her.

Must be in her blood.

There was supposed to be a rainbow in the background of this photo, but I overexposed the shot.

So that's that.

I do not like him

2009-10-17T17:13:00.002-06:00

Shepard Fairey is lame. And I don't like him.

PDN on the other hand is pretty legit.

FUN

2009-10-15T15:07:00.002-06:00

A post in which I brag

2009-10-12T00:26:00.001-06:00

Yep, still got perfect color vision.

Check it.

Boil the Ocean

2009-10-10T16:23:00.001-06:00

If you're like me and you like skateboarding and thinking about skateboarding then you'll like this post.

And if you're not then you can go to hell.

Mom

2009-10-07T01:20:00.002-06:00

My mom grew some carrots this year. Isn't this sweet?

Mom knows what's up.

Star Wars uncut

2009-10-06T16:46:00.001-06:00

Star Wars: Uncut Trailer from Casey Pugh on Vimeo.

This could be so cool if done right. Moreover, I'd love to film my own 15 second clip, I just don't have a camera.

Anyone down to make this happen?

My father

2009-09-25T13:32:00.003-06:00

I stopped by my parents house the other day to have my dad teach me to fix my bike.

He's a pretty rad guy. All I really want is to be like him when I grow up.

VOTE OR DEATH

2009-09-24T00:29:00.004-06:00

I entered this photo in the PDN/Billboard Ultimate Music Moment contest.

I'd really like it if you voted for my photo.

You can do so by clicking here, or on the photo.

Thanks!!!!!!!!!1

Hypno

2009-09-18T22:07:00.001-06:00

http://fleischfilm.com/.

Just had my mind blown.

College

2009-09-08T10:59:00.005-06:00

Some things that will have to happen before I go to college:

1. Rest.

One of the biggest reasons I have no desire to go to school right now is even thinking about it makes me tired, emotionally and physically. I see how hard my friends work and I don't think I have the strength for that right now.

2. Money.

I need to figure out how to pay for it, which I suppose means that I need to find a job that I could stand working while I save.

My current job does not fit that bill.

Also, student loans really, really, really scare me. Really.

3. Research.

I want to go to school for photography - this much I know. Pretty much everything else is up in the air right now. I don't know if I should go to art school or a university, I don't know how my portfolio stacks up against other applicants and I don't even know what part of the country I'd like to be in.

4. Enthusiasm.

This is, by far, the most important ingredient that I'm missing. Once I get excited, I can force myself to make the other things happen. But right now the prospect is more daunting then exciting.

Anyway, this is a short list I've come up with. As I write this, here at work, I'm thinking about how I'd much rather be in a photography class then talking about PCI compliance, and that gets me a little excited about the idea of school.

So, is school in my future? I truly have no idea. In the mean time I'm working on my portfolio and trying to figure out how to get more work and exposure.

So, you know, I guess we'll see.

Fuji Chikara

2009-08-30T09:36:00.002-06:00

Got a bike yesterday.

Light up your lighter

2009-08-26T11:50:00.003-06:00

In an attempt to fight off the swarm of wasps that was preventing us from playing basketball, Trace, Aldric and I lit our basketball hoop on fire.

It didn't really work, but the neighbor kids think we're totally cool.

Dickhead-In-Provo

2009-08-19T12:53:00.003-06:00

Since I've been working on my SEO skills and trying to write better posts, my other blog has been steadily increasing in readership.

Because of these two things my images are starting to show up more on Google Image results. Type in "Provo Critical Mass" and a quarter of the images on the first page are mine.

So what's my point?

If you cross me I'm going to make sure typing in "Provo Douchebag" brings up a photo of you.

Watch your back.

Things that make me want to be a better person

2009-08-01T20:05:00.002-06:00

This blog. (Rules for my Unborn Son)

And this video.

In red or black or rusted yellow

2009-07-31T14:43:00.003-06:00

So I'm selling my motorcycle to raise money for a vehicle.

More accurately a truck.

(Specifically a Toyota.)

One that will say "YO" on the back.

My 8 year old self would think I am so cool.

Lakai

2009-07-26T12:01:00.002-06:00

I like this video so much I have plans to rip it off in the bro–vid* Trace and I are making.

Also, my friend Allison wrote a blog post that mentions me. And I thought I'd pass it along cause everyone is down for me, right?

*It's more then likely that this bro–vid will never exist. Be a boy can dream, no?

What it's like to be a girl.

2009-07-24T21:24:00.004-06:00

When I'm shooting people I periodically ask them to hold my camera. Sometimes it's because I need to get to a different position, sometimes it's because I have to get something from the car.

When I leave the camera with someone unattended the temptation often proves too great and they inevitably* take a few photos.

Only after I upload the photos on my computer do I see their transgression.

It's kind of like a fun surprise.

Anyway, this is what I imagine it's like to be a girl.

*I would too.

The Plan

2009-06-23T21:28:00.003-06:00

This is the plan so far.

I'm going to start saving up for a car. Preferably a Saab, but I fully intend to buy a car that runs well first and looks good second. So we'll see.

After the car purchase I'm going to save all the money I can. Once I've got 2 - 3 thousand in the bank I'm going to quit my job and become a wedding photographer full time.

Right now I have a very low overhead. Rent, food, gas & insurance + little stuff.

So to get by I really only need one wedding a month. How hard will it be to get that? I have no idea, but I'm willing to try.

The worst thing that can happen is that I'll run out of money and have to move home and get a real job.

The best thing that can happen is that I'll never have to have a real job again and I'll get to sleep in a lot more.

I'm just so damn daring it blows my mind.

Six Miles

2009-06-16T13:37:00.000-06:00

They're going to blow up the moon.

Guarded

2009-05-27T11:08:00.002-06:00

While talking to Trace the other night it came up that I'm a pretty guarded person. While I'd not really pondered the topic much before, it was instantly clear to me that it was true.

I'm sure there are many reasons why I'm pretty closed off to the general public, but a big reason is because I just don't respect people who wear their heart on their sleeve.

It's not like I don't respect people who are more open then I am, but it sometimes seems like genuine, real pain and 15-year-old-boy-angst is properly distilled.

Moving out

2009-05-02T12:28:00.001-06:00

It sweet.

But listen. It's Saturday, and I don't have anything to do. WTF.

The first girl I ever kissed is getting married.

2009-04-20T23:42:00.002-06:00

And all you get is this lousy blog post.

Congratulations Char and Blair.

Guess.

2009-04-11T18:12:00.003-06:00

Who's nose this is AND WIN A PRIZE!!!!

Microsoft WTF?

2009-03-26T23:58:00.000-06:00

It's weird this video is funny.

(Ha-ha wierd).

Can't wait.

2009-03-25T23:12:00.001-06:00

Daily Universe

2009-03-24T18:16:00.005-06:00

I got a text from a friend who works at BYU's newspaper The Daily Universe asking if I would like to have one of my photos run in the paper.

After finding out that I wouldn't get any compensation for it I declined. (The boys at W&W should be happy to hear that.)

I feel like I made the right decision. If I'd opened up that paper with my photo in it, I would have been pretty bummed that the paper was making money off it.

No free lunch BYU. My goal is to make a living with photography, and this is not the way to do it.

I'm not sure if this is the exact photo they wanted, but it's from the shoot.

Things that are not scary anymore.

2009-03-20T11:00:00.001-06:00

Spiky hair.
Sunglasses.

You Provo bands are all the same

2009-03-13T11:04:00.003-06:00

Dealing with bands can be frustrating. Well, no that's not true. Band are fun, it's dealing with money and bands that sucks.

Just like your guitars cost money, your van needs gas and your drummer needs a haircut CAMERA STUFF COSTS MONEY TOO.

Listen, bands: there are two options.

1. Get a good photographer.
2. Get a craigslist photographer.

Option one involves getting good photographs that wont make your band look like shit. IT ALSO INVOLVES PAYING MORE THEN $45 FOR SOME DAMN PHOTOS.

For option two you pay $25 bucks for "FIVE* PROFESSIONALLY** EDITED*** PHOTOS**** OF YOUR CHOICE" "GIVEN TO YOU ON A CD" "WITH FULL RIGHTS TO THE IMAGES".

So as a band you're thinking "Oh shit well, we don't really have any money right now, and we just need a few simple shots." Really? Really man? Out of the whole band you can't get $30 from each guy?

Ok, not every band is out to make it big, that shouldn't be the point of any band. But if you're looking for photos then you're obviously thinking about advertising and promotion to some degree. You know what really wont draw fans? Boring photo of your band. When they're looking at the 100th page of bands on MySpace yr not going to stick out.

SO.

In conclusion.

1. Save your money for a good photographer. Shop around to find someone whos style you like. You wont regret it.
2. Don't get a craigslist photographer, they're a waste of your time.
3. If you REALLY, REALLY can't afford some good photography then get someone to draw something sweet for your band. Pay them too.
4. Ok. So you REALLY, REALLY, REALLY can't afford to pay anyone ANYTHING? Then fucking work on you music.

*The only five that were in focus.
**The work "professionally" is used very loosely on craigslist. People seem to think that if you've EVER made money from photography then you are a professional. Hell, if you PLAN on making money as a photographer you're considered professional.
***"Edited" meaning hey I got's real good at Photoshop filters over the summer + I can turn this shit BLACK & WHITE or SUPER SATURATED or MAKE ONLY THE RED PARTS OF THE PICTURE IN COLOR.
****Not photos you'd want to use to advertise your band though.

Sambas

2009-02-25T10:19:00.002-07:00

I bought Sambas the other day.

While I like these shoes a lot, I've found they've caused a small crisis in my life because I can't skate in them.

WHATTHEHELLAMIGONNADO?

Photography thought #1

2009-02-09T08:46:00.003-07:00

The difference between documentary photography and candid photography is this: good documentary photography isn't about people. It's about ideas. Whatever elements are in that photo are only there because they serve to illustrate an idea.

Candid photography is where you trick a kid into smiling at a ducky.

Mark Romanek

2009-02-04T16:47:00.006-07:00

This video is by Hillman Curtis. He's done a lot of short documentary's on artists. Others featureLawrence Weiner, Milton Glaser and David Carson. All of them are very good and I highly recommend checking out the rest of the work on his site.

But this post isn't actually about Hillman Curtis, it's about Mark Romanek.

There are many things that can make a music video bad. Poor concept, lame song or boring direction are common causes. The conceptual freedom that one has when creating a music video can be both its greatest strength and biggest weakness.

This is where he shines.

Romanek's video for 99 Problems by Jay-Z is relatively simple. It's Jay-Z rapping into the camera with scenes of prison & ghetto life interspersed between.

The video I've just described could easily suck.

But because of the photography, direction and overall tone it doesn't. It's a dramatic, interesting and beautiful interpretation of Jay-Z's work, a video worthy of the song.

Little Trouble Girl by Sonic Youth is somewhat more conceptual, but the visual of the alien-like girl exploring an empty office building is still somewhat grounded.

My favorite shot from this video is the chair as a light is turned on. The light streams across the leather. It's golden.

Can't Stop by the Red Hot Chili Peppers is on the far side of the conceptual scale. Some could describe it as random* but I prefer the term spontaneous.

Featuring florescent backpacks, an packing peanut/guitar orgy and a luminescent dance, the video for Can't Stop is bright, visually appealing and weird in all the best ways.

For a documentary, commentary & to own these and more music videos you can buy Director's Series Vol. 4 - Work of Director Mark Romanek from Amazon.com.

*Because of the negative (read: stupid) connotations with the word random.

Stereotypes at my work.

2009-02-03T13:18:00.005-07:00

I got a job at a credit card security company last week. I'm training right now and have been jumping from person to person for one on one time. If you know what I mean. Anyway it feels a little like a movie how hardcore some of the stereotypes are here.

Fuck, having a real job is odd.

Cop Guy.

Heavyset, spiky hair and always exaggerating, Cop Guy is always down to brag about how knowledgeable he is. He went through police academy but didn't end up joining the force because his wife wouldn't let him. He had one experience involving having a gun pointed at him when he was a cadet and talks about it endlessly.

He's what's called a "Scan Tech". That means that he explains the security scans that Security Metrics does. He thinks he's hot stuff knowing about open ports and cgi scripts, but I heard him asking how to install Firefox on his home computer the other day.

Also, he's named after a character in General Hospital.

Motivational Seminar Kid.

22 and ready to make money, Motivational Seminar Kid has a plan. He's always going to seminars involving business and money. He carries a binder around with him all the time containing quotes, papers and dark secrets.

By his desk is a sheet taped to the wall with quotes about paths of least resistance and business metaphors.

Money is success to him, but he doesn't want to be too rich. A cap of 20M is fine for him.

32 Year Old Guy Who Always Sounds Like He's High All The Time.

Yep.

Almost Everyone Else.

Wears PHAT skate shoes and shirts from ether Hollister/A.E. or Skin Industries. Backwards hats are the norm and ping-pong is a way of life.

So that's a brief survey of the people who I work with. Everyone is pretty nice and tech company's are pretty boss to work for, so it could be worse.

A hardcore ska band, Modest Mouse covers and I Met the Walrus.

2009-02-02T04:29:00.001-07:00

I originally started listening to Iron Horse as a joke, but it turns out I really like bluegrass Modest Mouse covers. Of particular liking is Trailer Trash.

Speaking of Modest Mouse, my favorite song by anyone is So Much Beauty in Dirt.

If you're like me and your musical interests have dabbled in both ska and hardcore - then you still might not like this band. But it's an interesting idea none the less. A Billion Ernies is a hardcore/ska band.

I Met the Walrus is a fantastic animated short set to an interview Jerry Levitan made with John Lennon. Jerry was 14 at the time and John was staying in hotel beds to promote peace.

Also worth checking out is the mp3 on kidsandexplosions.com.

Ok last thing. I like Jake Chessum's bio page. Interesting execution.

Keep it real. Katrina does.

I mean this empty space.

2009-02-02T03:16:00.000-07:00

It's the nights like this that I really enjoy – or at least used to before I had work.

Yes, it's only been a week that I've worked at Security Metrics but it's the principal of the matter. The thing is: it's 3:11 am right now and I feel like I could go on a roll. I've decided to split up Love City into three different blogs and I want to get working on that.

But.

I have to sleep. Curse you cruel world.

On the bright side, working a job like this (while I enjoy learning about Linux & working with 90% cool people) has made me remember how much I don't want to do anything for a career but photography.

Anyway. This is the first post of the rest of my life. Soon I'll be eating, then in bed. You, however might be interested in my photography portfolio website.