Pano of palmyra peak near telluride with the yellow autumn leaves and a dusting from the first snow 2022/2023 winter season

Fall in Telluride

November 4, 2022

Fall in Telluride could be a title for me crushing bones biking or hiking but in this case it does refer to the explosive color that happens just once a year. That fleeting last hurrah before white monochrome winter.

It almost felt like the whole summer I kept telling people, “oh yeah Telluride only gets better when the trees turn yellow and snow falls” having no real experience of this of course. That is until this last month when the season changed to fall, though now that I am a “local” in a mountain town, I know better. It’s a time when all the aspen leaf painters are hard at work and the snow dance is performed by every Telluride local only in the darkness of their basements (sheds work too) when no one is looking.

Anyway, regardless of how the leaves get their color and the mountains their snow I went out a couple days and took photos when I could. I wish that I had the leisure I usually have to plan compositions, choose the best weather conditions and load out with both film and digital. But this year between work and visiting with Catherine and friends in Chicago I took what I could get. Namly shots through gondola windows and snaps before beers at the Oak St. bar. While I’m happy with what I made happen with this constraint, I very much wish I could have just ran around all day taking pictures.

Fall picture from gondola plaza mountain village toward snow and yellow aspen leaves

When I post I most often organize by when they were taken as it makes sense in my head, time unfolding. This time around I flipped my regular organization. That’s because my favorite picture came from the day I got back from my trip. Flying in that day I saw snow was here, clouds were still sticking around, and everything was at full peak. Sadly after +12 hours of travel all I wanted to do is see my new mountain bike (a post coming soon undoubtedly). But I did get this one snap through the gondola glass when everything was just right. Though to my disappointment after that one day all we got was blue sky and the baking melting sun… still wonderful but nothing quite as beautiful as my first day back.

Scott on the “main event” on our way back to the car. (Fuji X100s)

First Via Ferrata (Telluride, CO)

September 27, 2022

Early morning meet up spot outside main street Patagonia. (Fuji x100s)

It’s about time I made it on the now popular via ferrata that straddles the back of Telluride’s box canyon. This route has been around for a long time but has grown in popularity as more via ferrata routes round the state (Ouray, Arapahoe Basin, etc.) and country are being installed. While these “iron trials” are relatively new in the states these routes comprised of metal steps, rails, and bolted cables are common in the European alps as a cross somewhere between rock climbing and scrambling. The idea is to have a fully protected route (or in the case of Telluride’s partially protected) that incorporates technical mountaineering skills and exposure that a hiking trail wouldn’t otherwise have.

As you may have gathered this was my first time clipping into the cables of a via ferrata and I’d argue that Telluride may offer one of the most stunning views so I felt like I had to share my experience for anyone who maybe interested in doing it. While you may not want to just walk up and do one of these things it is really meant to be accessible to most. In other words if you are comfortable with heights and are a hiker wanting to gain some crazy exposure then this is the trip for you and it won’t be a back breaking all day affair either! Just make sure you have the right gear. I’ll explain our experience so as to offer some local advice and cautions:

After hastily planning the day before, we met in front of the main street Patagonia store at 5:15 am just as the sun started to lighten the sky that morning. Piling into my land cruiser we headed down main street to drive up past Bridal Veil Falls on the lower switchbacks of Black Bear Pass (where there’s still two-way traffic permitted) to park at the via “trailhead” one turn from the falls pullout. After gearing up we headed up into the via ferrata and went out and back so as to get open our shop by 10:00am. This trail is technically one way so unless you’re the only group on the trail (we were) abide by the rules of the local guides, more information here.

Telluride’s via ferrata is known for its not entirely protected route with high exposure, loose single track downhill to cliff areas (no fall zones), and areas with climbers below. There are multiple places where some may want to clip in but there won’t be a place for it, test areas, there are two near the beginning of the trail that will filter out the people who may not want to continue. There is no easing into this trail but you’ll know if it’s for you early on. This via ferrata takes at most 3 hours but most could probably finish in about an hour in a half. Once you’re done with the ferrata you will need to hike back up the road to the car to get back.

Heading up the loose rocky switchbacks up to the first cable section. (Fuji x100s)

Looking back over at Black Bear Pass and my land cruiser parked at the “trailhead” from the first clip in point. (Fuji X100s)

There were only the three of us on this trip which made things very easy. The first person was Scott who is the local knowledge and guide in town and Erika, my boss and general outdoorsy person. They both had experience (and gear) that made me feel better on my first time out there.

Via ferratas are quite simple as all you need is a helmet, climbing harness, and some kind of leash or teather. Ideally the tether is shock absorbing with two locking carabiners (Petzl Scorpio Vertigo, below) or some places allow dynamic rope and wire carabiners (Scott’s set up to the right). Either way the two clips allow for a redundant system so that you can be secured to the cable at all times. Falls can happen but they should always be avoided if at all possible as this is afterall just protection not intended to be used. The advantage to having a designed tether is the shock absorber that would protect your body, in the case of a fall, from shock load which could be fatal. So if you are worried buy an approved tether or just make sure not to fall ; ).

Scott at the bench getting ready for the “main event” (Fuji x100s)

Petzl Scorpio Vertigo with locking carabiners, elastic leashes, and shock absorber. (Fuji X100s)

While this trip went quickly it was an absolute blast to start the morning on iron ladders with friends. If I could give any advice it would be to do it in the morning to see the light hit the peaks and to avoid windy weather. You also really don’t need a whole lot of other gear a backpack with more than water and snack is definitely not needed.

Preliminary Review: Minox 35 GL

August 31, 2021

As I have confessed in the past, one reason I love film photography is the gear. I love spending hours on deep dive explorations of film related gear whether that’s antique large format lenses, discontinued expired film, cheap plastic point and shoots your grandma probably owned, or just dreaming about that Contax G1 or Leica… well anything. And after the million or so hours I’ve spent doing this I like to think I’ve seen it all. But, just as you think that your friends goes, “Hey look at my new film camera.” *points at little black box in the cup holder that looks more like lame toy then anything else* And after 15 minutes of discussion I learned that I would eventually, definitely add this small toy like camera to my collection, the Minox 35 GL. (Thanks Tyler Truksa)

The Minox 35 GL was introduced in the 1976 shorty after the first iteration of 35mm film cameras from Minox. The German camera manufacturer was known for its small 110 “spy cameras” and the Minox 35 GL definitely fits pretty well into this category. Interestingly enough between 1974 and 2003 there were 30 different iterations of this camera sold and all have just slightly different options and colors. Being that it was an automatic camera (aperture priority) and small it became a very popular consumer camera; even won the hearts of famous artists like Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock.

So why did I cave and buy this weird plastic camera that makes you guess focus (more on that later)? Well, for me it ticks every mark I have for an everyday walk around film camera. It’s small, light, easy to carry, shoots 35mm, comes with a flash (at least mine did), and has a great lens. On top of that, it looks cool and if I keep it closed no one would have a clue that I’m even carrying a camera. I also really like that it’s aperture priority and therefore easy to just point, check your shutter speed and shoot!

The Minox 35 GL open with the leather Minox cover which let you add a camera strap. The strap is an old climbing sling I picked up used.

With all of this awesome potential there must be some downsides and there definitely are some, especially if you’re just getting into film this camera could cause some extra anxiety. First, the battery in the later models isn’t made anymore and the most readily available batteries (for mine 4 357s silver oxide coin batteries) are slightly higher voltage causing the meter to be off. For my GL the meter is off by at least 2 stops which is a lot considering it under exposes the film by that much (though you can just set the ISO dial to compensate which is no big deal). Second I’ve read the magnetic shutters can be unreliable, though Minox does say that all of their products, even discontinued ones, can be repaired.

One of the biggest reasons for buying this camera is the lens. According to the internet it is one of the best point and shoot lenses out there beating the Olympus X models and even rivaling Contax glass. Being that I scan on a Epson V550 I’m not sure I will be able to see that sharpness, but when I get back to WUSTL I will definitely put a frame or two into the Hasselblad X1 to see how it compares to the Nikon 50mm F1.8 ais which is my other 35mm lens. But, from what I can see it a pretty good performer given the sized and design.

Jump Creek ID 2021. Minox GL, Fujifilm C200 shot at box speed, V550 scan using negative lab pro. — Jump Creek ID 2019. Minox GL, Fujifilm C200 shot at box speed, V550 scan using negative lab pro.

The test rolling I’m sharing are from a trip up to Stanley and Jump Creek with a great new friend. I never really need an excuse to go out and explore, but a new camera and a curious mind to coexist with sure makes it easy to escape for awhile. As I tend to do when I meet people like Eleysa is I get lost in conversation, focused on them and me in that moment. Usually this means I hike 20 pounds of gear which I never use and I get distracted from being present everytime I reach into my camera bag. But, I found the Minox allowed me to be fully aware of the possible images around me and allowed me to enjoy my time to a fuller degree then I usually would. In fact this was the only camera I took when I went to Pine Flats Hot Spring and I think it was a good choice.

Stanley Lake ID, 2021. Minox GL, Fujifilm C200 shot at box speed, V550 scan using negative lab pro. — Minox GL, Fujifilm C200 shot at box speed, V550 scan using negative lab pro.

Galena Summit just outside Sun Valley ID, 2021. Minox GL, Fujifilm C200 shot at box speed, V550 scan using negative lab pro. — Minox GL, Fujifilm C200 shot at box speed, V550 scan using negative lab pro.

Lunch and map sesh on Galena Summit just outside Sun Valley ID, 2021. Minox GL, Fujifilm C200 shot at box speed, V550 scan using negative lab pro. — Minox GL, Fujifilm C200 shot at box speed, V550 scan using negative lab pro.

Camp on Nip n’ Tuck road looking at the Sawtooth Range ID, 2021. Minox GL and FC 35 Flash, Fujifilm C200 shot at box speed, V550 scan using negative lab pro. — Minox GL and FC 35 Flash, Fujifilm C200 shot at box speed, V550 scan using negative lab pro.

Mt. Hayburn and the first Bench Lake ID, 2021. Minox GL, Fujifilm C200 shot at box speed, V550 scan using negative lab pro. — Minox GL, Fujifilm C200 shot at box speed, V550 scan using negative lab pro.

On another note, I think these images are my favorite from this summer. Not only was it a new shooting experience with a great new camera, but I realized that what makes images good in my book is more than color, sharpness, and composition. It’s the ability to share life with others, to be an observer and recorder of time passing and the relationships, friends, and places that build context for living. Recently this is what has been missing from my work, people to share it with. If you ever read this thank you so much Eleysa for sharing time with me and letting me fall in love with making images again! I think I’ve thought about this trip and our time together more than just about anything this summer.

Hot Springs ID, 2021. Minox GL, Fujifilm C200 shot at box speed, V550 scan using negative lab pro. — Minox GL, Fujifilm C200 shot at box speed, V550 scan using negative lab pro.

First impressions, I can’t get enough of this camera! It’s easy and honestly fun to frame through the little plastic finder and press the button. I find that I don’t mind guessing distance because I really do shoot further than 20 ft away often and I find that I can stick to a smaller aperture to maximize depth of field when not 20 feet away. I also find that it helps me slow down, giving me that slow process and intention I love film for. The other thing I like is that it is really not so intimidating to hand to a friend, I know the camera will do the hard work and being so small people don’t shy away from it like they do with the Pentax or other cameras I own. Finally, I just love that it is smaller than the size of my hand, literally. As I’ve mentioned before I love the form factor of the Fuji X100s and that is really why I still own and love that camera, but the Minox 35 GL is even smaller! All in all it will be great fun to have this camera around, can’t wait to keep playing outside and elsewhere with this in my pocket.

Technical side note:

The weird flair that sometimes happens when shooting toward the sun. Minox GL, Fujifilm C200 shot at box speed, V550 scan using negative lab pro. — Minox GL, Fujifilm C200 shot at box speed, V550 scan using negative lab pro.

This was my first test roll and I just want to share what I learned and what I’ll change going forward. First things first, the lens does seem to be sharp but you do need to hit the right distance to see it! What I mean is that the hyperfocal distance scale on the lens will give you an “acceptable sharpness” not tack sharp so going forward I will make sure to guess the distance not just put infinity at the hyperfocus line on the lense. I’ll also make sure to put the film through the Hasselblad X1 to really determine the sharpness. In short, not sure my copy can rival Contax glass but it is perfectly fine for what I use this camera for.

The second thing I noticed is some unflattering flaring from the lens. Being a Canon shooter I love my sun stars that you see when shooting stopped down. Sadly there are no sun stars with this lens and I even found that the lense produces some colorful patterned flair that can really reck and image like this image in the forest. It’s not the end of the world but not ideal for sure.

Finally, the exposure seems to be really quite good! Way better than most aperture priority cameras I’ve used especially other point and shoots. I also love the x2 exposure switch, I believe I used that on the hammock shot and it really made a big difference. To really put it to a test I think the next roll I put in will be a roll of Provia 100f slide film, this will allow me to really test the sharpness and the ability of the meter!

Snow in St. Louis

January 30, 2021

A couple days ago we got a nice snow storm and I knew that I had to go out and shoot some images. On my walk back from lab I took my plastic Canon Snappy LXII to take some images with the on camera flash in the chucking snow. I’m excited to see how these images turned out, but after the short walk I decided I needed to bring some real cameras. So I loaded up the Pentax 67 with some expired Velvia 100 and nabed the Fujifilm x100s to go out to see what I could get. The flacks were big, the contrast low and there were a couple images I know would look amazing on the 67 with punchy Velvia film. The images I’m sharing here are all from the x100s and the film will be developed in probably a year, I hope you all enjoy.

Canon 7D Mark II with a Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 on Manfrotto tripod with FLM ball head: 20 sec F2.8 ISO 800

Late Night Adventures (No Business Fire Lookout)

July 22, 2020

This summer I’ve been dipping and dodging important things, like finding a job, getting over a past relationship, and figuring out what I really want to do with myself. With the free time and privilege to spend the summer this way I have been doing as much as I can to take advantage. I’ve spent time writing representatives about fish conservation, support of BLM, and volunteering my time to help better the place I love. The past week I have staying up in Donnelly enjoying the mountains and lakes in central Idaho. One thing that I’m spending time on is discovering new wonderful places here in the place I’m living.

Each morning I’m there and the lake’s surface is glassy smooth, air cold enough for steam to rise I wobble out of bed and drag a kayak off the dock for a paddle. What’s nice about the morning is the silence, only the sound of dripping water off the paddle, a swush for every stroke, and the clear skies. On these paddles among seeing families of otters and golden eagles I have always spotted a small white dot garnishing the top of a Northwest mountain.

At the top of No Business Mountain (West Mountain I think) lies a fire lookout built originally in the 1920 and renovated in 1967. I’m pretty sure that it is inactive currently as I couldn’t find any current information about it, though we did spot some people spending the night there. Anyways, through binoculars I knew I need to get an up close to have a look. So this last week on of my goals was to take the forest service road to the top.

Now with COVID getting worse, especially in Idaho, and being in a town where a bunch of people who don’t believe in COVID drive through I shouldn’t have done this but… I met an new friend who lives in Donnelly and since I had never been up this road before and I was going to do it in complete darkness I thought I should have another person with me. Also when I say a friend I really mean two new friends one a super cool human and the other a cute little kitten named Ginko. After being turned around at the first shorter road we wrapped around the other direction to go the longer way. We missed sunset and we arrived just as true darkness fell with NEOWISE starting to show along with the center of the milky way.

Canon 7D Mark II with a Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 on Manfrotto tripod with FLM ball head: 25 sec F1.8 ISO 1600 — Canon 7D Mark II with a Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 on Manfrotto tripod with FLM ball head:
25 sec F1.8 ISO 1600

There are many things that I truly appreciate about the world and it was amazing how many things came together that night. Plans getting changed halfway through, a bumpy Land Cruiser ride, dark sky with some extra-terrestrial object visible from earth, a bright milky way you could mistake for a cloud, wonderful company/conversation, and time with an adventurous little kitten. I don’t usually just invite someone (and their kitten) I’m not super familiar with on late night trips like these, especially now, but I’m sure glad I did this time!

“Late night adventures with new friends are memories I will always cherish. Motion blur, sage brush, fire lookout, star studded skies, NEOWISE, and a little kitten named Ginko.”

Volunteer Trail Work With the Sawtooth Society

July 8, 2020

Dalton in his favorite spot near the top of Boundary Creek Trail. A truly perfect view of the Sawtooths.

Over the fourth of July I was invited up to stanley to camp and see a bunch of old friends from college. If you know me at all you know that I’m actually obsessed with this place. Whether it is the mountains, the cold nights, the memories made there, I seem to be addicted to landscape and wilderness here. Two of my good friends Dalton Warr and Kit Foster are one of the trail crews in charge of clearing the trails and maintaining the this beautiful recreation area. So when I got invited to tag along and clear the trails I was all in.

Both Dalton and Kit work for a non-profit called The Sawtooth Society which was created in 1997 to exclusively: serve as the advocates for the Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA), preserve the open spaces, enhance the recreation facilities and services, and facilitate stewardship and volunteer projects in the SNRA. Since 2013 89 volunteer projects have happened with a total of 900 participants logging nearly 7500 hours of volunteer time. These people are really the stewards of the Sawtooths and it was fun being able to do some trail work and capture the work they do.

Among the many amazing things the Sawtooth Society does, the most notable impact they have, in my opinion, is clearing the trails in and out of the wilderness boundary every year. With steep elevation grades and lots of deadwood due to fire and disease this maintenance takes a lot of work from devoted people. During the two “short” days I spent with them we did both tree clearing and maintenance of the drainages on two popular trails.

The first day we spent at Stanley Lake clearing a section of the Alpine Way Loop that stretched in between Iron Creek and Stanley Lake. The major job on this trail was the downed timber scattered across the trail. Since the Alpine Loop is in the wilderness area no mechanical machinery is allowed at all, this poses a problem when there is a two foot thick log on the trail. For this the forest service uses large 6+ ft crosscut saws from the early 1900s. Not only are they completely hand driven but actually quite efficiently and are great tool to replace any chainsaw. You may ask why are they from the early 1900s well it’s because the machinery/forges to make these don’t exists anymore. It turns out that after the chainsaw was invented these forges were melted down and there is not enough demand to make them again. The saw the we used was actually one of seven found in some guys basement and restored by a special group of people in the forest service that still know how to sharpen and services these old blades.

The second day, which I truly helped with, was up Boundary Creek Trail a steep 2.9 mile trail with about 2600 ft of elevation and we had around 120 drainage steps to clear. It was a steep hike but with 8 people the work time was cut to just 3.5 hours which helped Kit and Dalton a ton. It was truly a gift to be able to give back to this wonderful place. Ever since I took the Winter Wilderness Class I’ve been trying to get back and do more than just hike and take pictures. I hope to make a tradition of going up to Stanley and doing a day with this special crew. For more information or if you are interested in volunteering yourself click the box below to get to the Sawtooth Society website.

Learn more

Bouldering Idaho Basalt and Being Back

June 29, 2020

Being back in Idaho has had some real ups and downs. I love being in this part of the United States where I can climb, bike, hike, and see family. But what I didn’t count on was the rush of memories from last summer. My experiences and memories are heavily based on place, where I was and where I am. Being back in Idaho has brought back these complex feelings, memories, and connections which feel lost in time. Last summer in many ways felt like the best of dreams and being back now in the context of COVID, looming school, and anxieties manifested from what was; I’m having a hard time settling in the way I usually do.

There’s not much I can do about these feelings and I know like all things there is an ephemeral cycle. Last summer was a peak and I’m glad and fortunate to have had amazing people and relationships around me to help me get there. Now is different and that is ok, I still have great people around me and I’ve reconnected with many of those I didn’t see last summer. While I’m not at the peak of my cycle I’m trying my hardest to take advantage of the time here and now.

Nature has always been a release for me, a privilege that I want to share with as many people as I can. Yesterday I decided to go

and boulder with a good friend from school. We went out to a new place for me called Swan Falls just outside of Kuna, ID. The basalt boulders sprinkling the landscape here came from the high walls carved out by the river below. It was an uncharacteristically cool day for June in the Idaho desert creating an inviting environment to scramble the deep dark rock boulders and meet some new climbers. After cutting our hands on the sharp volcanic rocks and feeling the heat from the sun, the weather rolled in. It was a pretty amazing site to see the dark ominous clouds roll over the cliff edge, to feel the wind build up into tiny droplets, and to escape to our cars just as the rain got strong. Overall a great day.

Fixing Your Own Clothes

May 7, 2020

I posted an Instagram story the other day and if you follow me on Instagram you know my stories are 50% interesting and 50% random pictures I took with my camera that I just chuck up for people to see. (It’s nice to share work that doesn’t necessarily have a direct purpose) Well my clothes story literally came from when I was productively procrastinating by fixing the holes I found and saw some nice light on my bed. I would say that I get a little impulsive when there is good light so I set up a little composition and took some images. Long story short (short story shorter) I got a lot of responses on my story about the idea that I fix my clothing and so I figured I’d elaborate a little here.

First of all I got the impression that people don’t fix their clothes which leads me to believe they either throw them out or well I’m not sure….. Personally, I’ve always been the person who finds some clothes I like and the day they die I cry because I will “never replace such a perfect garment.” That is why I started to fix my clothes, yes a perfectly justifiable self serving reason of being afraid of losing the only pair of pants or a shirt that I like and not wanting to find another. I also realize that this is not how most think about the clothes in their closets so the labor of fixing that sweater you wore twice and will only where two more times might not be worth it.

I have realized that it’s not really self serving it’s the way I buy my clothes. I only buy clothes that I know I will wear to the ground, I think about how versatile it is and if I can wear it with a wide variety of my pants and short. I also make sure it’s going to at least attempt to last adn come from some company that I trust. If I can sum up the way I buy clothes now it is this:

“Buy clothes worth fixing!”

I probably stole this from Patagonia Worn Wear (definitely did) but I don’t think they will mind. If you buy your clothes with the intent to fix them you not give yourself an excuse to say no to that floral kimono that you’ll wear only once but you will also find you’ll be happier with your clothes. By doing this you are helping consume less and not taking part in the sensational fashion problem we currently have. So how do I choose clothes worth fixing?

Buy clothes you love, for me that’s clothes from outdoor companies like Patagonia and Prana who also have the sustainable focus I find important. For you it could be certain fashion or other reasons but these are still absolutely valid.
Buy used. Yes this means going to thrift stores and finding things the look similar to what you love for the fraction of the cost. Try different places around where you live you never know what gold you’ll strike.
Number 2 doesn’t always work so what I do is spend an hour or two every month on Ebay. If you are on Ebay regularly with the knowledge of what you want you can often get killer deals. I got a Fitz Roy Parka from Patagonia for $100 (go for $450 new) and found Timberland Company Oxfords, the hand made ones, for $40 (go for $350 new) just to name a few.

Now that you have clothes worth fixing, how do you fix them? Well all you have to do is buy yourself a sewing kit which a can be found almost anywhere and learn to sew if you don’t already know. YouTube is a great resource as well as DIY websites. I swear people who don’t know how to sew are fishy people that can’t be trusted.

The Jewel Box

March 10, 2020

It’s spring break and I finally had time to get out for a bike ride around forest park. This art deco green house was a spot that I wanted to see for a really long time. It was a sunday so it wasn’t open to go inside but I definitely waited around for the light to get good. What I love about this structure is the tall windows gilded in turquoise copper siding, it’s really a sight to behold. At some point a reflection pond is filled and water lilies and tulips line the path up to the greenhouse. My hope is to come back later this spring and capture the same images but with clouds and a long exposure.

India

January 18, 2020

Now that classes have started and my jet lag is officially gone I can start reflecting on the trip that I took this winter break to India. As part of the McDonnell Academy Global Energy and Environment Partnership (MAGEEP) we attended lectures, visited labs, and connected with students from December 28th to January 8th to better explore the global contexts of engineering problems/topics. Specifically we stayed in New Delhi just across the way from the India Institute of Technology (IIT) where we spent a majority of our time. It was exciting to see the research going on at this school as well as see how research from Washington University St. Louis was influencing their programs. I personally got excited with their air monitoring and clean air center of excellence. I always thought that water was the resource I wanted to work on but air and aerosols have definitely become a topic of interest.

The technical part of the trip was definitely fun but what I was really excited for was the cultural exploration part of the trip. For me if you miss the context for what you are studying then you miss the problem you are solving all together. If we were not explore this diverse culture then there would have been not point at all in understanding the technical. While we were there we visited Agra to see the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. We also spent the whole weekend there exploring just about every site to see in Delhi. My hope is to share some more detailed stories and images as time goes on. But, as always school is a real bummer sometimes.

For now here is a thought I had:

If you just sit and observe, you will see how restless your mind is; especially in this place. The noise, smell, motion, the cacophony of color and people force your mind into a dizzy spin. But, after some time you refocus and see the beauty in the complex energy created here. It’s completely overwhelming to those who are only visitors but, must be the fountain that fuels the frenzy of life.

Review on Saal Digital Professional Photo Book line

December 7, 2019

Last month was really busy with tests and school. As usual I was finding ways to use the creative side of my brain and as luck would have it I got an opportunity to make a book from a german company, Saal Digital! I have been working on a book depicting the time I spent in the Sawtooths last January for sometime and it finally got done.

This is my first photo book that I’ve made and I definitely learned a lot in the process. Being that I only had a month I am honestly impressed with what I made. But, there’s definitely plenty that I would change the next time around. All I can say is that I appreciate all the help from Saal Digital.

First and foremost this book looks absolutely beautiful and very profesional! This specific book is the 8 x 8 inch professional line photo book with matte photo paper option and the white linen wrap cover. I love the look and feel of this book and the layflat pages are quite nice. There is definitely no complaints on the look and craftsmanship of this book! I like the almost waxy feel of the canvas which makes me believe it might be gently cleaned if needed. Also, the paper is impressively heavey to the touch as well as resists fingerprints pretty well.

There are two things that I noticed however, and I’m not sure if it was my fault or that of the company. The first of which is in the darker areas of the two page spreads there is a slight blue line on the fold of the pages. Now it is very faint but I would say that it is noticeable in the right light. So I would try and make the fold areas on those spreads lighter if possible. The second, is with the rendering of stars in the images. In print there is very little to no definition of the stars which is frustrating when compared to the images on screen. This could totally be from the definition of the printer and possibly from the smaller size of the image, but I still feel like it should have done a better job.

I really loved working on this book and writing the excerpts that are all throughout. One of the things that I would change in the a future copy is using smaller sized font. For the most part it looks fine however I think it looks a bit corny with how large it is and with the paper’s matte finish. Finally, I definitely need to work on soft proofing and better understanding how to get the images printed to look the way they do on my screen. Soft proofing is a technique that involves color profiles and link/paper simulation in the attempt to make your pictures look better in print. I decided that the next time I make a book I am definitely going to get a proof made so that I can catch some of these issues before I get the final copy.

All in all I am very happy with the results and the help from Saal Digital to make it possible. I’ve also gotten some requests for a book and since this one set me back a pretty penny I’m going to start designing a soft cover version that will hopefully be more affordable.

Fall Break

October 24, 2019

School has never been such a dynamic experience for me. Sure everyone has hated class before and liked others but this semester it has truly been hard to nail down why I am in the place I am. I feel that now is a crossroad, a time in my life that I need to decide, not necessarily know, what I’m going to do. Engineering has brought me some impressive opportunities and new friends but it hasn’t sparked a flame like I thought it would. I know that I need to wait and decide when I’m not taking 18 credits of math courses but at the same time how will I ever know what’s out there if I miss opportunities doing something I don’t particularly enjoy.

Photography has always held a special place in my life a time where I can focus creativity, try new things and express my thoughts. It is a way to get through times that seem unsure a way to remember the things I’ve been through. It will be interesting to see where things go from here.

Fall break this year was absolutely too short. Being used to the week long College of Idaho break, only having a measly two days was a bit hard. That being said, it was totally welcome. Having 7 tests spread in three weeks before this short getaway was a very nice reminder of the place I’m now in.

The original plan was to camp for two days in the Mark Twain National Forest and meet with friends for a hike to a waterfall. But, plans fell through and we settled for a day trip to the area. We hiked a short 1.5 mile there and back trail to Mina Sauk Falls. With little rain and a hot summer the water coming down was a sad piddle of the roaring water that comes in the spring. The trees were starting to turn and the air was brisk as we began the hike that morning. Breathing “ the mountain air” was helpful for the mind and seeing the brilliance of the sun through the colored trees was something new.

Powder Skiing Continued

July 25, 2019

I was thinking about skiing the other day and all I could think about was getting those fresh turns in Stanley this past January. It’s so very hard to find any feeling quite like it and all I want is to do is get back to this place and make some fresh turns.

The crackle of white dendrites hitting your hard-shelled jacket and the cold penetrating your core means the snow is falling and you’ve been blessed with another extraordinary powder day. As you skin up the mountain through the Douglas Fir and Lodgepole Pine being buried in crystals, your inner child oozes through the oppressive goo of the realities of life. Worrying about grad school, homework, relationships, or even the day to day noise created by living dissipates as your lungs start burning, climbing, climbing up through the mountain air and into the blank monochrome forest. It’s only there where you can be so precisely played by gravity and snow. It’s only there one can truly understand the addiction to winter.

Being in the moment amongst the storm in the wildness of winter is more than challenging the innate human instinct to reject logic. It’s even more than being able to ski fast through the trees and thick banks of snow or being blinded by the pulsing waves of white as you turn. It is all of these things, but skiing powder is so much more because it is one of those times where one can focus so precisely that everything makes sense. A beautiful paradox of nothing that’s something, an out of body experience that can only be recreated in similar conditions. Deep light snow is not only rear but exceedingly fleeting a brilliant diamond that melts away almost as soon as one can start to appreciate it.

People run their lives around this stuff. Living in the back of cars, eating only noodle cups cased in Styrofoam and plastic it’s a dream for some and unbelievably stupid to others. The closest feeling of flight while still grounded to earth is worth uprooting your life. Dodging reality for just moments in the deep powder snow can turn the smartest of people crazy trying to fuel this endless addiction. Being in the backcountry being a slave to the element’s, crazy starts to make sense a virus just waiting to infect the next person on skis ready to climb 2000 feet vertical for just minutes of downhill freedom.

The crowded mass of people waiting to catch the cable line to the top of a manufactured mountain serves no purpose more than a guilty convince. Merely a pitiful pleasure grounded on a foundation of consumerism, perpetuated by the shameful ease at which powder snow can be skied. This is what the winter wilderness has done to me. It has opened my eyes to another experience that I did not see before, out of focus till I tipped my skies down a hill that I hiked up.

I was raised skiing in bounds dropping more vertical than anyone could hike in a day, but now when I sit in a chair in the mountain air, I feel something missing. Maybe it’s the risk that comes with the wildness of winter, a shared bond between friends catalyzed by tele turns, or even a longing to push yourself to a physical and metal limit. I will be forever changed by the winter wilderness and long for its claws to drag me in again.

Spring Trip to Smith Rock

June 19, 2019

There are so many things that make me happy and I’d say 9 out of 10 thing that take me outside. One of the most recent new outdoor activities that I found recently is climbing. I’ve always enjoyed climbing indoors and even did some sport climbing in the beginning of my college career, but this is the first time I did any climbing with the outdoor program. This year I actually took a rock climbing class with a guy named Kordo who taught us how to make basic anchors and belay outside.

With this new knowledge I decide to go on this weekend trip to Smith Rock Oregon and get some real outdoor climbing in. It was utterly a blast! We spent three days there and got some good climbing in. The first day was filled with a long hike to crags that were already taken, but it was nice to get a lay of the land env though we didn’t get any climbing in. The next day after weathering some rain gave us a nearly full day of climbing and I even topped out on a 5.10c. I felt like it was the perfect balance between hard and still having a lot of fun on the rock. I really cant’t wait to get back some day. As always it was guided by the College of Idaho Outdoor Program director Bix who at some point deserves his own blog post.

Powder Skiing

March 12, 2019

As most people how are close to me know I am not the biggest fan of writing creatively on my own. Words for me have always be harder to create then an image, but after the winter wilderness course I saw the importance of this skill. Sometimes words can achieve higher levels of thought then even a perfectly composed images. So here’s my go at explaining skiing in powder accompanied by a picture of my good friend Beth Mixon getting pitted on a 24in bluebird powder day at the Glades near Stanley ID.

The crackle of white dendrites hitting your hard-shelled jacket and the cold penetrating your core means the snow is falling and you’ve been blessed with another extraordinary powder day. As you skin up the mountain through the Douglas Fir and Lodgepole Pine being buried in crystals, your inner child oozes through the oppressive goo of the realities of life. Worrying about grad school, homework, relationships, or even the day to day noise created by living dissipates as your lungs start burning, climbing, climbing up through the mountain air and into the blank monochrome forest. It’s only there where you can be so preciously played by gravity and snow. It’s only there one can truly understand the addiction to winter.

Williams Peak Yurt

February 10, 2019

So hopefully a lot more blog posts will be put up when I have time. Real brief this is what I was up to during the month of January: a one month trip to Stanley Idaho, backcountry skiing nearly everyday, literary analysis of creative works, learned about local history and land policy of the area, hot springs at night, journaling, great food every day, and a yurt trip at the end. That’s where I’ll start at the end of our trip up at Williams Peak Yurt.

The whole experience was absolutely unforgettable and had altered the way I think about the places I’m in. The approach was pretty impressive since the yurt is in the Sawtooth Wilderness Area everything for the two nights had to be packed up the six mile and 1500ft vertical foot skin track that follows a steep marian. With near 50 pound packs and weather so thick you could barely see, it became a true adventure. When we were just feet from the yurt we couldn’t see it and actually ran into the director of the National Sawtooth Recreation Area and the owners of the Sawtooth Mountain Guides (SMG) who pointed it out to us.

The reason for going to this amazing place was two fold: to live in actual defined wilderness and ski the unbelievable backcountry that exists nearby. On the full day two guides from SMG came to lead us to the top of Skiers Summit which is a flat spot just underneath Williams Peak. From there you could see the entire valley and the sharp granite that make the tallest peak of the range, Thompson Peak. The way down was fun passing through variable snow on the run called Garry Garcia and picking up some amazing snow on Tortilla Flat just above the yurt. It was truly an experience I’ll never forget.

There was a myriad of other things we did up at the yurt like building a snow fort to sleep in and a toasty sauna to bring you closer to friends. But the memory that I do not have images from was the full moon ski we did that night. It was one of those times that you must do without camera something you do with good friends to draw a tip to a close. We had no clue that the moon would even rise for the skin up, but as we got on our way in the pitch black night became bright as the yellow disk rise above the White Clouds. When we got to the top of Tortilla Flat the full moon lit the snow like a muffled sun. A magical experience with amazing people!

December Ski Events

December 18, 2018

So one of the things that I absolutely love about living in Colorado is that there is so many things going on in the ski industry here. I mean if you know the right people and are a true ski bum this month could literally be non-stop alcoholism and nice turns. Being from Colorado this sounds like the ideal lifestyle (especially when pitted against being a poor college student stressing about quantum physics) so whenever I come home I make sure I do everything I can. And this year was more than ever before and some amazing experiences.

The first event that I was able to attend was the primer of a new ski movie that was sponsored by Picture Organic Apparel called Zabardast. This film was absolutely terrifying and an impressive adventure of six people, a director, an athlete, two guilds, and two camera men all with the goal of skiing this shark fin shaped mountain in the remote high alpine of Pakistan. Getting to hear from the director and by sitting behind the athlete’s family we got a true one time experience. We also met with the marketing director of a cool company called Oyuki who makes gloves and hats all tested in Japan. Exciting stuff!

The next night my brother and I decided to hall up to the Breakenridge for the 19th annual Powder Awards. This is an event that was always something that I watched on Powder’s website but this year we got VIP tickets from some connections my brother has. All I can say is seeing athletes like Tanner Hall, Henrik Harlaut, and Elyse Saugstad was pretty darn neat. We also had an Olympic gold medalist passing us free drinks from there table. The thing that was most amazing to me was first how impressive the women are how won awards, the speeches they had and wisdom they shared was really amazing. And Second I really enjoyed how the photographers, editors, and athletes all shared a stage.

First Day Skiing

December 15, 2018

So this year Bogus decided not only to buy snow guns but to make so much snow they were able to open before Brundage! Opening the whole mountain just last saturday I instead of being smart and writing essays I decided to go ski with my friends. There was fog and the snow in the trees was heavy but it was hands down the best first day I’ve had in Idaho. It also helps to have a good group of friends to drag you up durn the last days of finals.

Oregon Trip Day 2

November 8, 2018

The second day of the trip I had two hikes planned in the Washington side of the gordge. After some great pancakes and french green tea we left early that morning to start our day. I was a warm cloudless day with some smoke in the shy to create some great atmosphere. The first destination was Panther Creek Falls and after a short walk it was obvious that the trail down to the falls was closed, which was a bummer. The upper part of the falls was full of light coming in from the trees making the images hard to get. Luckily I found one composition for a long exposure before it too was ruined by light.

The second destination was Falls Creek, Falls which was a place I had no clue about until the night before. Being that it was a real hike about 2 mile mostly straight up my drive to get to the end was a bit lacking but my goodness was it worth it. These falls are un real. There’s two positions to view the falls from the first is from far away including the lower falls and the second is at the bottom of the upper falls. Absolutely a stunning place.

Oregon Trip Day 1

October 21, 2018

I usually fit all of a trip into one blog post but I think that this one deserves one fore each day as I feel like I accomplished a lot in only three days in a place I’d never been before. That being said the first day driving to Portland I did what probably everyone and their mom does going that direction, and stopped at Multnomah Falls. That whole part of the highway had been marred by a wildfire but I was surprised how green everything was despite that.

This post will pretty much be all the images that I captured from that location. Something that I find interesting as a person who started an Instagram early on is there are location you see all of the time and this is one of those. The challenge was to get something I enjoyed that others haven’t done and all I can say after being there is there’s not much original you could do. Not to say there was nothing just it was difficult. So much so I ended up dropping off my LowePro bag and going back a second time with only me and my Fuji to see if I could get something interesting.