What the Desert holds....

First Storm Chase of the Year

2010-07-28T13:46:00.000-07:00

In my ever expanding love for photography, I always look forward to this time of the year. The time when midday hints that there will be a stormless night, and to the contrary, a storm comes that floods the entire city. Now that I'm self employed I have put aside this time of year to do what I love most about my job, travel and chase storms. As of yet, I haven't been too lucky this year, but yesterday I made the decision to chase a storm up near Black Canyon City, for those of you who don't know where that is, its on the I-17 about 30 miles North of Phoenix. I saw this storm building on the satellite and I knew that I had a chance to intercept and get some good shots. Very quickly I grabbed my gear and took off.

40 minutes later, I pulled up over the hill and was staring face to face with this black giant looming in the air. The mountainous geography gave the clouds shapes and colors that The Valley never see's. The Sun was emanating rich, vibrant colors onto the clouds that I haven't seen in over a year, it was beautiful. But the ominous storm was threatening to overtake the beautiful sunset. My AM Radio was crackling and cutting in and out due to the unseen lightning up above. I knew this was my chance to get the shots I wanted.

I pulled off on this beat up dirt road and headed towards a mountain so I could climb it and get a little elevated to strengthen my shot. So I grabbed a towel and my gear, ran up the hill and started setting up. Like a slap to the face, the front of the storm hit me before I could even get a shot off. I held on to my tripod and towel with a death grip in hopes to not get blown away by the 50-60mph winds that overcame me.

I thought of retreating back to my car at first, but knowing how storms work, I knew that the wind would stop as the front of the storm passed me by.

Just as I thought it did, but soon to follow was rain. I had about a 2 minute window to capture the fleeting light form the sunset. The feel of rain drops told me my time was up.

In flip flops, shorts and shirt, I felt one drop, then two, before I could take another breath the flood gates opened up. I had no choice but to throw the towel over my camera and run for the car. This storm was serious.

Heading up was easy, but running down a makeshift trail burdened with rocks and small cliffs in the rain with flip flops made this move dangerous. I repeated in my head, don't fall, don't fall. I could bare a broken arm, but breaking my camera would be miserable. I made it down to the car just in time. I was soaked, but the worst was yet to come.

A little disappointed from not getting a lightening shot, I waited out the storm patiently in my car where I was able to get a few last shots of the sunset.

The rain never let up, my spot was perfect, I got there at the right time, but unfortunately the storm got there with me too, and I wasn't prepared for the torrent of rain.

But the sunset shots were great and I'm more than enthused to go out again and try my luck with the next passing storm!

The Secrets of the Desert

2010-01-11T10:26:00.001-08:00

The Secrets of the Desert

How many times do we as Arizonans just drive some place and not really understand what the geography truly holds? We just drive through appreciating what we see from the road and keep going. Being one who has lived in this desert my entire life, and one that was raised well outside the city limits of Phoenix, I can truly say that I have spent many years admiring the deserts beauty. It seems like a lifetime ago when I lived in Maricopa, but the power of the desert has never left me.

This weekend I decided to go down to Tucson to spend some time with some old friends. My friends, both avid big game hunters, and like-minded appreciators of the desert took me on what they call a “Antler Walk.” They live dead smack in the middle of the Saguaro Nation Park, where in my opinion is some of the most beautiful scenery that Arizona has to offer.

We drove only about 3 miles from their house to reach a destination in the park that they wanted to walk in to see what we could find. Knowing we couldn’t get too far into the desert with the amount of light we had left, they deemed this to be a “shorter walk.”

We took one step out of the vehicle and the next into the pure beautiful desert where the animal kingdom dominated the land far more than any human can imagine. There were mule deer, coyotes, javelina, rabbit, fox and rodent tracks everywhere to be seen. But even more prevalent was the trademark plant life that in the Arizona Desert.

Now, being one who has lived in the desert my entire life, I have come to understand much more than what meets the eye. Tracks from wild animals can be seen for months after they were there, but one thing I have never learned is how to read animal tracks to tell me what the animal was doing at the time. Doing what I have been trained to do in my time at ASU as a photojournalist, I observed the actions very closely on my desert expert leader. He showed me how the specific tracks in front of me were of a mule deer who was either spooked by a predator or another deer. He knew this because the deer planted his feet deep into the ground and stotted, or jumped with all four legs high into the air and landed nearly 10 to 15 feet away.

Walking further into the desert we came across a prickly pair cactus that had been the food of some animal within the last 24 hours. All around the base of this plant were footprints and rabbit droppings.

He told me that this is pretty remarkable. The dry arid conditions and the unusually dry monsoon season have brought the desert animals to the edge. They are eating things, which they normally don’t to get the water needed to survive.

The evidence of animal activity was everywhere. Something that I was used to seeing, but analyzing, evaluating and piecing together all the evidence to make a story of what happened to the area was absolutely fascinating to me.

The main point of the desert walk was to search for the mule deer’s antler sheds. Every year, mule deer will drop their antler’s only to grow them back longer and stronger for the following year. It is a great way to track the health and population of bucks in the area. However with as much ground shrubs, cactus, and general bramble that litters the desert floor, it takes a trained eye to spot out these antlers. If the eye is trained, the desert holds the evidence left by the deer to lead you to the right place.

White Thorn Acacia trees are apparently the tree of choice for bucks to rake their antlers within its bramble to make an incredible amount of noise. It is believed that it is an act of territorial dominance to other nearby Mule Dear, however with White Tail Deer, who participate in the same actions, do it for a completely different reason. A colony of scent glands are at the base of their antlers and “rubbing” their rack marks territory via sent. The trees that are rubbed are literally torn to shreds with braches thrown many feet away.

5 minutes after finding one of these rubs and about 2 miles into the desert from the road, we came across our first antler shed. Probably 8 months ago, this piece of history was laid down untouched by a majestic beast that wore this rack proudly. It was really cool to see it sitting there being a part of the desert floor.

My expert then went on to explain to me the importance of these antlers and how they can be used to piece together the character and health the deer holds.

Nearly 2 miles into the desert and so much already learned the Sun finally broke through the overcast evening and turned the shadow covered desert into a vibrate, radiant array of colors.

Immediately I was brought back to all the days I spent riding around on my quad in Maricopa. When I was 16, I drove out every night during the summer to photograph the amazing sunsets the desert has to offer. They will never leave my memory even though they were so many years ago. We needed to get out of there quickly before our light left us. So we about-faced and high tailed it out of the desert.

The desert had one last secret to show me for appreciating its majesty. One of the most beautiful sunsets I have experienced in a very long time.

I learned so much in such a short time. I cannot wait until I get another chance to walk in the desert and witness what secrets lie waiting for me to uncover…

"Ethereal Nomads" - Episode 3: The Journey

2009-08-03T12:55:00.000-07:00

There is so much noise, so many distractions here. I need to find peace, solitude, and isolation. I need to go away.

“One of those days Jesus went out to a mountain side to pray, and spent the night praying to God.” Luke 6:12.

I immediately knew where I needed to go. He was calling me to the North, close to the border of this place we call home. He was calling me to one of His greatest creations on this earth, the Grand Canyon.

But why is he calling me there? Why do I have to drive so far just to listen? I do not question any further and prepare my trip.

I start my journey, I know it’s going to be long, but He wants me to do this. He wants me to find Him and listen to Him. I can see the Ethereal Nomads, all throughout the state from my car.

The drive is calming, but right in front of me is the largest Ethereal of them all. He is waiting for me. Lightning strikes the ground 40 miles from my position. His girth excites and giddiness takes over knowing that I’m coming right for him.

I drive right through his heart, he rumbles, flashes and spits at me as I make my way to the other side. Then he speaks, reminding me of how Jesus accepted God’s will.
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Luke 22:42

I now know why I’m up here, to lay myself down to His will; the Canyon is the place where He will speak to me again.

I emerge from the Ethereal on the other side to witness his trail. Big beautiful clouds following in his wake, shining brightly against the deep blues of the bright summer sky. I continue on my way.

Hours later, I come upon the Grand Canyon. Thousands of people have found their way to this place long before I came. I need to find a place where I can find peace and isolation.

Four hours – it’s all that it took to feel like my problems have disappeared. Everything that hurts, all the confusion, and uncertainty that I feel in town was left there. The sight is so beautiful; I can’t take my eyes off of it.

I find a cliff, a place where not many people can reach, I ignore the “if you’re not careful, you will die” signs and hike a little ways into the canyon. I sit inches from certain death. One wrong step in any direction will lead to a 3,000 ft drop straight to the bottom of the pit. But I feel safe and comforted. My rock is sturdy. The wind cools my skin from the hot sun, it must only be 80 degrees. A juniper tree to the left of me howls from the wind blowing through.

I found my solitude. I can hear the many people that are here far behind me on the trail, but we are here together for different reasons. They are tourists, I am here to heal, grow, learn, forget, understand, listen and believe.

The canyon is so vast, it doesn’t look real, like a painting that I can reach out and touch. But as the sun makes its journey across the sky I can see the shadows dance across the cliff’s telling me that what I am seeing is real.

In Psalms, David states many times of how much he longs to hear God’s word.
“I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer. Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes. Keep me as the apple of eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.” Psalm 17:6-8

I want to hear God’s voice, He told me to come up here. The Nomad told me to lay myself at His will. I’m patient and wait for his words to come to me.

I can’t help but to think of how many people have come to this very spot to talk with Him. A condor flaps his wings high above me and soars off behind the canyon wall. The storms far off to the North seem to be sneaking closer in. Are they coming for me?

Just then, I was taken hold of by a blanket of warmth that took control inside of me. I inhaled deeply closed my eyes and like the darkening of a movie theatre, and the widening of the screen; all attention was directed to Him.

A whirlwind of emotions grabbed me. I felt euphoric, like a spiritual buzz. I wanted to stand up and fly. A tear ran down my face as control was taken from me. This episode stayed for 2 or 3 minutes.

I opened my eyes, totally forgetting where I was. The beauty before me overwhelmed the senses, even more so than when I first arrived. I gasped.

Then His message, the one I drove 4 hours to hear was prepared for its delivery. Without thought or knowledge of what was happening I turned directly in my bible to Philippians 3.
“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14.

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we trust in the Lord, our God.” Psalm 20:7
“My eyes are forever on the Lord, for he is the only one who can release my feet from my snare.” Psalm 25:15

The ride ended. He let go of me.

For 2 hours I sat there motionless, staring into the void. Clarity came, answers came, and I was at peace.

Finally, it was time for me to leave.

I said goodbye to the Grand Canyon and left with peace of mind knowing things are going to be different. He came directly to me, not using any of his messenger’s. The feeling was overwhelming and the message has been ingrained.

My growth with God is never ending, everyday I either get better or worse, but through it all, I choose the Lord. What has happened in the past cannot be changed, I can simply look upon my history, learn from it and be prepared to be a better person in the future.

Sometimes everyday life get’s in the way of what He wants us to do, and seeking solitude far from the reach of your establishments can be the only way get a better understanding of His will.

Thank you for your support.

“Ethereal Nomads” – Episode 2: The Passage

2009-07-22T08:13:00.000-07:00

The Voice of the last storm resonated in my head all day, it was all I could think about. I woke up with the sense that today another messenger was going to come into the desert with force. I looked with anxiety online as to where I would confront him. The forecast told me that he wasn’t coming, but I didn’t give up hope. He had a message for me already packaged and on it’s way. I waited patiently with little response until finally, like a warrior emerging from under his blind to make his charge, he appeared out of thin air. He was big, much larger than his sibling from the night before. He approached with such animosity and anger from the Northwest. I had to go and receive him.

He was so large and demanded respect. Where would I go to meet him? Fountain Hills? No too many low points and he could wash me away. North Scottsdale? No, his presence was already felt as a dust storm was choking the desert, and flooding there was imminent. I needed to find a place with altitude, some place to receive him without compromising his purpose.

I grabbed Trigger, my beloved camera and drove with great anticipation to hear his message. I know he is dangerous and can hurt many people. The radio told me to hunker down and stay off the roads, but I respect him and I found my way to the point higher than the barren desert floor. I arrived there just after him. He was in full force. I sat there and listened as he blew my car around and dumped what seemed like gallons of rain on me. What was he saying to me? What was his message sent by the Commander? He was angered, thrusting gales of wind trying to blow my car off the road. The wind was so unrelenting! A crack of lightning struck as the sun ceased to penetrate his dense canopy. His girth had already spread well South of me creating more dust storms in Phoenix. Night came early.

After enduring his assault, silence came. The wind stopped, the rain subsided. He granted me access to him; I escaped from my car, and looked to the West to see the sun’s last gasp before it took its plunge into darkness. It’s radiation splashed onto his underbelly warming his appearance, intimately attracting my gaze. I sat on a rock, with Trigger between my legs wrapped in plastic. The wind began to pick up again. I endured the pain of sand and debris slashing my side as I protected Trigger. I captured his last radiant moment before he continued on his tyrant into the valley under the cover of darkness. He gave me 5 minutes to sit in awe of his hidden beauty. At this moment, his message was delivered.

I sat and listened. Words came to me, like a feeder tube into my brain. The message was received.

“Listen to this passage carefully, these are my Commander’s words.”

James 4:1-3 “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You cannot have what you want. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive; because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

James 4:17 “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.”

“Go now, leave this place and report your findings, we will be waiting for your return to us.”

I turned my gaze to the South as he left me and he continued his path down into the valley where he drenched the arid, sand slashed desert city, I sat and watched him as he wreaked havoc on Phoenix. A few transformers blew and let out orbs of blue light visible for miles.

With this, the Western skies parted and the most amazing array of colors radiated as the sun fell behind the horizon. A few stray bolts of lightning highlighted his finest features. I stood there, numb to all senses but one; vision. He came, he made me endure his wrath, he spoke, then he showed me his beauty in the end leaving me with wisdom and peace.

This ends episode 2 of Ethereal Nomads, during this journey across the state I look forward to seeing amazing scenic views, and the majesty that is God through these storms. Despite the apparent danger that comes with chasing storms, I find peace in them and safety around them. By respecting their every move and knowing when it’s time to leave them alone, I feel confident in the safety of my pursuit.

Please pray for me during this time of discovery.

"The Ethereal Nomads" - Episode 1: The Voice

2009-07-20T09:04:00.000-07:00

A disturbance is felt in the air, something is not right. Somewhere off in the distance, he has awakened, He is coming to me. I look out my window and the sky is stained with red, the setting sun calls out a warning. I part my gaze from the West to the South, my eyes see the start of an eventful night – I can’t see him behind the blinding haboob, but his mass is building and billowing up to the heavens, standing tall above all else, showing his size and stature to all of those in his way, his every move picks up more dust off the desert floor and spreads it to distant lands far from it’s home.

The dust blinds the city, choking it’s every breath and creates anxiety to the masses not knowing where his first step is going to fall. As the day concedes to the night, the air thickens with the taste of dirt and moisture. His first step sends a crash through the valley. He has announced his presence - He has arrived.

My first encounter of the summer with one of the Ethereal Nomads that travel thousands of miles from unknown lands to call the Southwest their home for two and a half months has started his journey.

His celestial chemistry is very unstable and unpredictable. His footsteps set off car alarms and brighten even the darkest of night. The abandoned apartment’s closet door to my left swings wide open with his first gust of wind and knocks my gaze away from him. I turn back and look up in awe as he notices my interest in him. He takes another step, very close to me. He knows I’m here. I close my eyes and take in a deep breath that is saturated with his aroma, the shock of his footstep shakes the very ground beneath me. I welcome him to me. His presence is soothing.

He came to me with such authority, moved from the South to the North in the matter of an hour. He approached me, I stared at him, not shying away. He showed me his power, I showed him respect and admiration. He tried to scare me, but I did not falter – I stood my ground. I passed his test. With a sign of mutual respect he turned from me and walked away stampeding off to the East.

As he left, a gust of wind from his change in direction whispered to me. “Follow my brother’s this summer, they are bigger, more dangerous, and demand respect.” “Do not be afraid, pursue them, for we want you to tell the world our story.”

I stood there with my eyes closed, camera in hand. Another footstep shakes the ground. I acknowledged his voice, a started photographing his magnificence as he dissipated off to the East. He had completed the mission from his Commander. His journey was over.

This starts my mission, my freelance goal for the rest of the summer. Chase down these nomads and be a messenger for them to the world to photograph their journey and write their story. As I come to them, you will know their message.

Back at it with the Academy

2009-06-18T18:20:00.000-07:00

I got a real itching for Silhouettes last night and got a couple of really cool shots with the sunset last night. Here are a few from the shoot last night.

Recent portraits

2009-04-28T14:39:00.000-07:00

Mexico - only 1 more trip hopefully

2009-04-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of shots from my last trip down to Nogales - actually saw a group prepare to cross the border. The gentleman here was doing the "Arpaio Dance"

Devil's Chasm 2 day hike

2009-04-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted in so long. What can I say - I've been lazy. No excuse.

A couple of weeks ago I went on a adventure with Gilbert Zermeno and a bunch of his videographer buddies to produce a show that will be airing somewhere in the near future called Lost Arizona. This show will show its audience the mystery and magic of civilizations of ancient Arizona long since lost and forgotten. "Z" invited me to go on this trip which took us out about 30 miles East of Roosevelt Lake (North East of Globe). After 22 miles on a dirt road and driving through Cherry Creek - we reached our destination. The trail itself was a little less that 2 miles. But the time it took to complete the trail - there and back. 12 hours. The first day as we backpacked in we only got about .7 miles! After that we decided to drop the gear set camp and leave our stuff there for the hike the next day. We woke up in the morning and after about 2 hours of ascending waterfalls - treacherous 1500 foot dirt mounds we finally made it to the lost civilization of the Ancha Indians. The cliff dwellers build the ruins in about 1300 and only stayed there for about 25 years. but their building remains.

NEW WEBSITE!!!

2009-03-25T11:42:00.000-07:00

GUYS CHECK IT OUT!

www.lowmanphotography.com

Recital Poster

2009-03-09T22:44:00.001-07:00

So I got an opportunity to make a poster with my shots for these ladies' horn recital in April, it was a fun little gig.

9th Place in Hearst's Sports and General News!!

2009-02-11T15:57:00.000-08:00

These photos landed me 9th place in Hearst Sports and General News competition where 69 Entry's were accepted and between Bettina and I Arizona State University was placed 6th in most points earned for a University. She earned 7th place in this award so congrats to her! I am very ecstatic to be apart of the Hearst competition and actually win some money for it.

Portfolio - please critique

2009-01-29T13:04:00.000-08:00

Alright guys, I've never posted my Portfolio, but i'd like your comments and tell me what I could add or make better! Thanks guys.

Payson night.....a starry one indeed.....

2008-12-29T19:43:00.001-08:00

For the Longest time I have wanted to get out of the valley and take some photos of the night sky....I really need an intevelometer, but can't afford one at the moment, but this photo really gives you the idea of how many stars are truly out there! This photo was taken at f/2.8 ISO 1600 at 30 seconds....I ran it through noise ninja and did a small color correction to get rid of the orange tungsten looks of the trees a bit.

PAYSON!!!!! SNOOWWWW!

2008-12-29T19:38:00.000-08:00

So my girlfriend extended an invitation to go up to Payson with her family. Of course I went, there just north of Payson in Christopher Creek was a nice 6 inches of snow to have a grand time in. We stayed in their cabin and enjoyed a nice evening in the cold! here I have some photos of the fun during the day.....My next post will have my photos of the night! OOOOOOO!

Turkey Day storm

2008-11-28T08:39:00.001-08:00

So for a lack of a tripod but an awesome 5d that I'm quickly starting to love....I just laid my camera down where ever I thought it was flat and just popped a couple of images of the stars and the storm.....Hope you enjoy!

Announcement photos from Saturday

2008-11-22T21:34:00.001-08:00

Well, its that time of the year again, and I got an opportunity to shoot a very pretty thing that is graduating in December. Here is a few of my favs!

Starting off November right!

2008-11-06T13:06:00.001-08:00

Ok guys, 6 days into November and already I have a couple of proud shots. I would like to share them with you!

Best of-for October

2008-10-20T15:09:00.000-07:00

I have been so super busy guys and I can't talk to much about these shots, so I am trying to post more and more but I've been so damn busy.....Enjoy them and tell me what you think!

Deanna: Once photographer - Now model!

2008-10-17T11:13:00.001-07:00

Oh wait...nevermind she just helped out for a class!

THANK YOU SO MUCH D!!

Ride along with Tempe Party Patrol

2008-09-27T14:19:00.000-07:00

After about 6 hours on patrol with the Tempe Party Patrol this Friday the 26th, I realized now it isn't worth it AT ALL to drink underage at a party that is starting to get a little loud. I witnessed these cops issue MIC's and MIP's to at least 20 people. One party we went to was full of under agers, everyone of them got cited. One of the kids there was 19 had a gun on him and was arrested because of a warrant for his arrest he had.

The biggest action that happened last night was breaking up the Snow Devils party. We had 2 runners, 1st - a little 19 year old girl that didn't want to lose her scholarship, she's in jail now - 2nd a guy that decided that he wasn't going to get caught, that didn't work out to well for him, he ended up getting tackled on the Asphalt by 2 members of the Tempe Action Team that resulted in a busted up face and hurt reputation.

Another girl was found passed out in the bathroom who blew a .000 on many different breathalizers - she was unresponsive and was sent to the hospital to find out what the heck was wrong with her - I think it was a ruphee or something.

I found out that just don't lie to cops, they hate that, and they will find out. If your going to use your brothers information, make sure you know it even after you blow a .107.

what a night....11 - 5 witnessing people walk out of houses in grass skirts and bikinis, glazed over eyes, the smell of puke and weed, bloody faces, girls crying in hand cuffs.

OHHH and the biggest thing, the cops were great with me carrying around 2 huge cameras. Everyone in hand cuffs was like "Who the hell is the camera man." and "I have rights, I don't want my picture taken" as they were sitting on a sidewalk in public property. The best one of the night "I have rights and I don't want my picture taken" (cops says) "oh why is that?" Cause its embarrassing and he doesn't have the right to take my picture!" Well don't look like a drunken idiot who just ran from the cops, hahah ooohh great stuff.

ASU football 2-0!

2008-09-08T08:53:00.000-07:00

I thought I was a super genius shooting from what my camera looked to be a truer color. But after seeing it on the computer, ew. Never shoot daylight white balance in that stadium. I know just saying it doesn't make sense, but yeah.....ew. Enjoy ASU vs. Stanford!

My first slide show with the AZ Republic!!!!!

2008-09-06T16:03:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, so my internship has finally started and I'm on the ground running. Today (Saturday) I did 2 assignments and yesterday I covered First Fridays in down town Phoenix. You can see the slide show here at azcentral.com

Dreaming big and having fun at it!

2008-09-01T22:34:00.000-07:00

After my shoot with my brother (pictures from the previous post) I was looking through them and found one that kind of looked like my brother was flying. I know its stupid, but then I started editing the photo and found that if in fact my brother played for the Atlanta Braves and was their ace pitcher AND if the Braves had even a remote chance of making the playoffs this year - because of my brother's unbelievable -almost supernatural powers - than this (in my mind) would be the photo that would be in Sports Illustrated, or ESPN Magazine. Ahh sigh, I can dream big can't I? To shoot for a major publication such as that is a goal I strive for, and who knows maybe one day it will come true!

It can be fun to make up stories for your images and make them come to life with a single caption.

My Bro and Studio Lights

2008-08-31T20:39:00.001-07:00

Today I got an opportunity to go all out with a bunch of White Lightning 800's, umbrellas, snoots and reflectors. I asked my brother to model for me and he didn't mind at all...So I took my rare opportunity and ran with it. I really hope that I get to use these lights again in the future because I had a ton of fun with them and now understand why everyone who likes light wants to use it more and more! Click here to view my images

Welcome back football fans - its the fall semester WOOT

2008-08-31T14:13:00.000-07:00

So here is another season of ASU football, and another potential year of greatness for 2nd year coach Dennis Erickson. I was able to shoot this game being an assistant to Jason Wise. Hopefully the coming weekends I will also be at Sun Devil Stadium as a Intern photographer for the Arizona Republic. I have yet to start that adventure but it is soon to come. All last year I shot mainly the action side of the football game, being a assistant or second shooter, I kind of split the bunch and tried to go for more feature stuff. So I tried my hand at that and was more or less impressed with what I got. So here is a link to my favorites of the bunch. Hope you enjoy

The beautiful big puffy clouds from 26th!

2008-08-26T22:08:00.000-07:00

As I was leaving school today from downtown I was cursing myself all the way to my car as I didn't have my camera with me. The big tall sky scrapers with the amazing sky we had today was just screaming at me to take its picture. So I decided to make it up to myself and treat me to a small adventure to the edge of civilization just past Riggs and Dobson. As I shot the tumbleweeds across the desert I started to miss the beauty (I think its pretty) of the desert we live in. If any of you never went out to Maricopa then took a small 40 minute ride to Gila Bend going through highway 238, you are missing out on a truly beautiful sight especially right after it rains. I was truly blessed to have lived out there for 12 years and experienced what it was like to live where cell phones, ipods, and the next model of shoe werent so important.

falling in love with HDR!

2008-08-24T20:10:00.001-07:00

In my perpetual quest to gain experience in photography, I came along HDR (High Dynamic Range) images - You can edit these photos in 2 different ways - for a more realistic type photo - like one of the crane - or a detail enhanced way like the 2 water fall ones. an HDR image is made by layering 3 bracketed images together and by doing so the detail and color is amplified to get a broader range of color, making an incredibly vibrate photo.

DIY Beauty dish hard at work

2008-08-19T20:14:00.000-07:00

So good ol' strobist taught me a thing or 2 about DIY and now I have a very beautiful Beauty dish for my Speed light! I spent about 2 hours (it should have only taken 30 minutes) going to the store getting an 18" planter bowl some screws white and black paint for plastic, then jumped on over to Staples and got myself a case of 50 blank CD's (I needed some) and I the case they came in. Then I jumped to Auto Zone and got myself a 3.75" convex mirror - threw them all together and Walah! a beautiful beauty dish. Here are some photos that make me happy! lol this is my 13 year old cousin helping me out in my needs to test it!

A new way to shoot lightning

2008-08-18T11:49:00.000-07:00

I have recently just discovered the power of many photos and I have been captivated by the motion of the clouds and the intensity of the lightning can all be captured in many photos. I am looking forward to adding more "movies" like this in the future. Look at the stars moving in a westerly motion and the cloud sheering and the formation of the clouds moving eastwardly, then for some reason just head due South.

Rompin' in the destert in search of the allusive meteor shower

2008-08-13T09:42:00.000-07:00

My initial idea for this rare opportunity was on a clear stary night go out to Table Mesa Road North of Phoenix and point my camera at the North Star and get the rotational affect on an Hour + exposure with lines going through it due to the shooting stars. But clouds and the moon had other ideas for me. We went offroading on the trail in a jeep and got about 2 or 3 miles off the main road up there....Where we stopped there was the river that feeds into lake Pleasant. We walked over that found some cacti that was going to make for a good foreground. So as we waited for the clouds to go away I decided to see what I can do with the moon and this is what I got.

Wedding in Texas!

2008-08-02T22:27:00.001-07:00

Well, I was hired to be flown out to Texas for the marriage of Sarah and Chris. They had a beautiful ceremony and a great team to produce the wedding. I had my hands full as the only photographer there, but the party was awesome with me and gave me all the time and room I needed to get the shots I wanted. Here are a select few of the days activities, and I'm sure Sarah and Chris are going to love these!

Night Sky

2008-07-29T23:41:00.000-07:00

I shot this one night while I was shooting lightning....I thought it was kind of interesting with the clouds screaming by, this was a 25 second exposure at f/2.8 as ISO 200. The shot kind of gives me a perspective that no matter what nature throws at us, it can and will never affect what goes on beyond its reach. Kind of humbling I guess.

I love monsoon season!

2008-07-24T21:35:00.000-07:00

Well, even while I'm a little under the weather, I love being right under the storms. A cell coming in from South East gave me plenty of opportunity to get some decent shots. For whatever reason this night was way more productive than any other to date. In about an hours time I was gifted by the storm with about 4 incredibly strikes that lit the sky up with crazy random bolts going through the storm! Here are a few that got my attention.

If I only left earlier.....

2008-07-21T21:43:00.000-07:00

Well, every photographer will tell you, being there is half the battle. I saw the storm develop right over my house, and I thought it wouldn't produce anything interesting. Then as soon as the sun went down I could see that this storm was lit up like a christmas tree inside. I stood and watched for about 10 minutes before I realized this storm had some really good potential for decent shots. I raced home to grab my gear, and headed out. By the time I reached my site to shoot, the storm lost most of his energy and was only producing mostly cloud to cloud strikes. On the way to my gear and to my site to shoot, I had a spectacular view of a very entertaining small lightning show. But because I waited too long at my dads house, I wasn't able to get what I wanted. :( boo on me! but enjoy everyone

My Cousin playing in the pool

2008-07-20T18:52:00.001-07:00

So after cruisin' the strobist web site I was inspired to just play around with some off camera flash. Luckily I had a live subject which for the sports minded like myself makes for a fun activity. My cousin Kyle who is I believe 9 or 10 loves to swim in the pool and play basketball with me, so I felt it would be a fun thing to shoot. First thing I did was gaffer my flash to the top of the backboard after I put it in a zip lock bag to protect it from water. Then i sat right underneath the hoop and he did slam after slam. I set the zoom on the flash to 80mm to really focus the light just on him and once I figured out the best area to sit, I just watched him time after time and had a great time together!

Academy: Behind the show.

2008-07-10T20:31:00.000-07:00

Here is a montage of photos compiled by me that gives you an idea of what its like to be in drum corps. I hope you guys in enjoy. Check it out here

Academy's practice before they head out across the country!

2008-07-09T10:09:00.000-07:00

I took the personal initiative to make a photo story on something that is near and dear to my heart - drum corps. I have already posted a photo gallery on a show that was in Glendale. In that post I described what drum corps was. I participated in this activity for many years, and I have fallen in love with everything that the activity stands for. Now that I have an opportunity to stand on the other side of the horn, I wanted to take a day and create a photo story that could capture the work that goes into a show. Please enjoy these images as the members of the Academy work hard everyday to entertain thousands across the United States. You can view the photo gallery here

Yet another fun lightning shot right by the house.

2008-07-06T10:20:00.000-07:00

You should expect to see many more lightning shots to come down the road. Every night I love seeing what this monsoon season will bring to my front door. If gas were cheaper, I would travel to get my shots, but unfortunately I'm forced to be stationary. The strike was right over the San tan mountains South of Gilbert. The exposure was f/10 at 10 seconds at ISO 200. The shot was actually pretty far away for my 16-35mm lense. So I had to crop a bit for this image. Fortunately it still turned out to an enjoyable image.

A shoot in some miserable heat!

2008-07-03T10:41:00.000-07:00

In a total naive thought that the evening in early July would be a totally great time to shoot some portraits out by Tempe Town Lakes proved to be a setting for incredibly hot and muggy conditions. There weren't any clouds but still the smoke from the Lane 2 fire burning up near Crown King. It was the only thing I was hoping on to save the sun from being so powerful in my background. I happen to get a few good images out of the shoot, and still had a great time with the shoot as well, despite the constant stream of sweat running down my face. On the road to learning the tricks of the trade, I will log this one under - Keep in mind what time of the year it is, and where you want to shoot. View the images here.

Natural fireworks on the eve of the Nation's birthday - Nightmare on the playground.

2008-07-03T10:30:00.000-07:00

This shot came on a very eery setting. I just got out of a movie and was looking forward to go home, but once I stepped out of the theater, I heard the crack of thunder and the light flash all around. Luckily I did some portrait photography earlier that day so I had my camera with me. I jumped into my car and headed off to where it was going. I knew it was headed West and so I hurried on the 10 and moved my Elliot road and took that as far West as I could. When I got there it was raining so hard I had to set up my tripod in my car and just hope for some decent shots..No luck. So After it stopped raining I decided to head to a park and there was a kind of an eery setting at a playground. This shot kind of reminded me of a scene from the mind of Tim Burton.

SouthWest Corps Connection at Glendale Community College! DCI!!

2008-07-02T10:47:00.000-07:00

First you might ask what the hell is DCI? Well its actually Drum and bugle Corps International. It is a league of (professional) marching organizations that contains only Brass, Color Guard (flags, rifles, weapons, and dance), Battery (marching percussion and pit.) Unlike high school and university marching bands, there are no wood winds (saxophones, clarinets, flutes.) Each corps is comprised of 150 members and travel all around the country competing against each other in competitions at high schools, colleges, and professional football stadiums. These members are from the ages of 13-22 and devote their entire summers to this activity. You can think of it along the lines of a major league baseball team on a 3 month road trip. Take out the nice hotels, free drinks, and soft beds and put in hot gyms, cold showers, unpredictable weather and field conditions for practice. Despite the expensive price for tickets to see a show (up to $150!) these performers are not paid. In fact, they pay to do this activity, and quite handsomely. These shows that they do are nothing short of spectacular. A normal marching band show may consist of 50 drill sets. A drum corps show can have as few as 160 all the way up to 250 or 300 drill sets! The music is of the highest level and the expectations on a nightly basis of these performers surpass those of a University football team! Now that you have an idea of what Drum corps is, here are a few photos from a very hot night at GCC where The Academy of Tempe, AZ hosted Phantom Regiment from IL, Santa Clara Vanguard, Velvet Knights, and Mystikal, all from CA. Check out the photos here

Photo Shoot with my brother.

2008-06-29T10:58:00.000-07:00

So in efforts to grow in experience and just get my camera out of the bag, I offered to shoot my brother and his girlfriend in a nice portrait setting. We headed out to Val Vista Lakes Club House on Val Vista just South of Baseline. There is a very nice lake just on the West side of Val Vista where I have always wanted to shoot. I arrived there around 6 p.m. A storm was threatening to ruin the shoot with high winds and the smell of rain in the air, but luckily no rain fell and the wind died down after about 20 minutes. What was initially a very daunting storm, transformed into an absolutely amazing Arizona Sunset. Jesse and Courtney arrived just in time for us to maximize what little time we had. I am continually trying to better my skills and experience as a photographer so each time I get my camera out I try to act as professional as I can, (even if it is with my brother and his girlfriend.) Anyway in my opinion the shots turned out beautifully and I can't wait to get back out there and photography my next client! Click here to view the shoot