Kira and Cam and a little relocation

You know how I kind of dropped off the face of the earth for a while and ran off to Europe?  Kira was one of the lovely friends I lived and worked with out there, and she's getting married to Cam soon!  

 

I had the fun opportunity to take their engagement photos before leaving - yes, I said leaving - Utah for the foreseeable future.  I relocated to Austin, TX for the time being, a couple hours from Kira's home town.  Now I'm available to shoot in the Lone Star State, or anywhere else if you really want to fly me there.

Dual post from 99 days: People I know.

 I know I have plenty to catch up on, but as I write this, I am preparing to leave Brussels to see Ireland and Spain before returning to the USA.  I don't know how often I'll have internet access or how much time I'll have to edit and share, but I figured I could get this up before I go.

Below you will see a good many of the people who I have been around for the summer... as well as a few I just met.  These are people who are a part of the LDS JA group (young adults) in Bruxelles.  Interestingly enough, I'm only aware of two or three of them being born and raised in Belgium.  Bruxelles is a very international city, so we have friends from France, Africa, Serbia, Russia, the US, China, and the Philippines. You might also recognize the other BYU students I've been traveling with.

On my last day, I surprised them all with my camera equipment, and everyone cooperated well (you know, it can be scary to get your picture taken when you're not prepped).  This is a great group of people.  I suggest you get to know them.

Promise I'm still alive - and a little tidbit

It seems like forever since I've given a proper update here, but that's because the Ninety and Nine blog is where I've been posting all of this summer's events (as fast as I can post them, anyway).  Be that as it may, here's a little teaser from Bastille Day in Paris.

Just hanging out in Europe...

In case you were wondering, I decided to make the 99 days thing into a separate blog, which you can find here.

Meg and Eric Engagements... and updates

Preparations are well underway to leave the country, and I've still been trying to shoot amidst minor chaos.  For example, this lovely couple graced me with the opportunity to help them publicize their upcoming nuptials ("nuptials" is a funny word).

The three of us even got a ride on the merry-go-round.

In other news, the countdown has officially shortened to a fortnight (two weeks) before I leave to Europe.  The possibilities are thrilling - I'm exited for the new experience.  The number of things I have to get done between here and there is about a mile long, but it'll all work out somehow.  And then... back to regularly scheduled posting.

Gourmandise, take II

Two more sugary pictures.

Gourmandise Bakery, SLC

Spent the morning in a bakery.  Gourmandise - The Bakery to be specific.  The management and staff were all super easy to work with.  The sheer number of offerings there was a bit overwhelming, but I had enough time get a few worthy shots.

I spent some time watching them do prep work, then eventually hid myself in the back to photograph a few pastries properly.

Now to go through, sort and edit.

Why is there always editing to do after?

(small sampling below)

I don't know why, but I love this last shot beyond reason.  That's not even how I shot the other pastries.  There's just something sultry about that cake and the heavy shadow.

My cupboard

One day I felt like photographing all of the dried bulk foods in my cupboard.  Here they are.

Beginning top left: Black beans, brown rice, garbanzo beans, popcorn, lentils, quinoa, split peas, whole wheat rotini.

Now you know what I eat.  I think we've bonded.

Just playin' around

Trying my hand at design for my roommate's recital poster

Motivating concept? Fun.

No, that is not her natural 'stache.  (I know you were wondering)

99 days of awesome photos... provided I have internet access

This adventure will be preceded by a long, cramped, trans-Atlantic flight.

I don't even remember when I took this.  Sometimes I get bored and play with photo booth on airplanes.

Unless something goes horribly wrong with my life plans between now and the beginning of June, I will be living in Belgium for three months during the summer.  The flights have already been booked and I realized that I will be traipsing around Europe for exactly 99 days.

"99 Days in Europe"

Doesn't that sound like a fun set of blog posts to follow?

Although much of my time will be spent in Belgium doing practical research-related work, I will have time to hop across the English Channel, take the train over to Paris, and towards the end of the trip take a couple of weeks to live like a nomad and see how much of the rest of Europe I can take in.  While I may not have internet access while hopping between hostels and such, I hereby vow to to share this summer in the form of a minimum 99 distinct photographs (and hopefully distinct blog posts, where possible).

Get ready...

The Getty Museum

Oh, my new favorite museum.  When you can be just as thrilled by looking at the buildings as you are by looking at the art, you know they hired the right architect.

 

 

Cafe La Boheme tidbit...

I ate this less than two minutes after this photo was taken.  Yes, it was divine.

Food by Chef Christine at Cafe La Boheme.

The Griffith Observatory

Yes, I'm still in Los Angeles.  The trip is just about over, though, and I'll be back in Provo in no time.

Over the last few days my time has been limited.  I have plenty of images to post, but since I'm prepping for another shoot the time it would take to pull together a really meaty post needs to be spent on getting model releases printed and testing a lighting setup.

But here's the Griffith Observatory for your enjoyment.

I wish I could have gone in for a proper visit (it was full of adorable nerdy displays about space and science), but I only did a quick walk-though.  I did, however, get a good angle of it from the Hollywood Hills with downtown LA in the background.

Crazy downtown LA architecture, numero dos

Went downtown again.

The tower on the Ramon C. Cortines School Of Visual And Performing Arts.  Makes you want to go to school there, doesn't it?

And the front end of the Walt Disney Concert Hall, as promised!  I just might be developing a taste for Gehry architecture...

What?  I need to be awake in six hours for my next shoot?  Oh dear...

Alive and well and in Los Angeles

Even though I've been slacking on the blog posts, I swear I'm still around and still making photographs.  At the moment, I'm making photographs in LA.

I've already shot at one location - Glen Ivy Spa - but I'm sorting through the photos still.  In the meantime, here are some photos I took in downtown LA of the Disney Concert Hall and surrounding buildings.

I have to admit, I find Gehry architecture a little over-the-top, but it makes for excellent abstracts.  I'm hoping to get around to the front entrance on another night while the light is still good.