Rising Sun Fire Escape

Shutter Speed = 1/50th sec, F-stop = 1.8, Focal Length = 50mm (canon fixed 50mm), ISO = 6400, Handheld

This photo was taken 8-2-11 in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma. We were in a pretty shady area behind a bar when I saw this. I took the photo while standing next to a passed out homeless guy. It was an extremely low light situation, and my tripod is still in California, so I was forced to bring the ISO up to 6400 when I try to not ever go above 1600. Fortunately it didn't end up too grainy. I also wish I could've straightened out the side and the top so they are even, but the perspective I was at made that impossible, and all crop variations i tried made it look worse. This photo is probably going into my top 10 favorite pictures I've taken. It reminds me of the Japanese Rising Sun. There is a little bit of color correction done in post.

Ryan Nyquist at Post Office

Shutter Speed = 1/640th sec, F-stop = 5, Focal Length = 128mm (sigma 70-300mm telephoto), ISO = 400, Handheld

This photo was taken 4-18-11 at the Post Office Bike Jam in Aptos, CA. I felt like it was time to post another picture from this event. This photo is of Ryan Nyquist, one of the best contest riders in the history of BMX. There is some post work done to color correct and vignette. 

Reflection

Shutter Speed = 1/250th sec, F-stop = 11, Focal Length = 50mm (pentax-a fixed 50mm), Film Speed = 400, Handheld

This photo was taken 7-4-11 just outside of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This photo was taken on an old 35mm film Pentax k-1000 slr. There is also no post work done to this photo. I took several shots of these trees in the pond on a DSLR, and I took only one shot on film. This is that one shot, and it came out much better than any of the digital ones did. The true whites and true blacks in this photo create a super high contrast.  

Santa Cruz

Shutter Speed = 15 sec, F-stop = 11, Focal Length = 6.5mm (opteka 6.5mm fisheye), ISO = 1600, Tripod

This photo was taken 7-9-10 in Santa Cruz, CA. On the left is the pier, and on the right the lighthouse. I am positioned on the cliff between Seabright and the Boardwalk. I like how the long exposure made the white water on the shore look like a thick fog. It also has the same pastel look as "Davenport Rails".

Davenport Rails

Shutter Speed = 45 sec, F-stop = 3.5, Focal Length = 18mm (18-55mm canon kit lens), ISO = 800, Set Down On Ground

This photo was taken 7-21-10 in Davenport, CA. It is of a railroad track that runs along the beaches of Highway 1. It was about 3 in the morning when this shot was taken. I really like how it has a very pastel feel to it. It also has a low angle that provides a pretty cool worms eye view.

The Avid Golfers

Shutter Speed = 1 sec, F-stop = 11, Focal Length = 6.5mm (opteka 6.5mm fisheye), ISO = 400, Handheld

This photo was taken 6-9-11 on the golf course we live on in Bixby, Oklahoma. It was about midnight and we were extremely bored and for some reason not tired. My brother Nick and our friend Travis Delamore got in their golf outfits and we took some shots. The lighting is pretty harsh but i think it adds a pretty cool effect. I also love how vibrant the colors are in contrast with the true black background. It's not an amazing photo but its still pretty cool.

Electric

Shutter Speed = 30 sec, F-stop = 5, Focal Length = 21mm (18-55mm canon kit lens), ISO = 400, Mini Tripod

This photo was taken on 6-23-11 on the banks of the Arkansas River in Bixby, Oklahoma. We were launching fireworks and wheelin when we noticed the lightning storm to the west of us. I got out the camera and the mini tripod from my backpack and set them on the roof of my friend Lee Crandall's truck and took this shot. I really like the yellowish orangish glow on the clouds from the Tulsa city lights. I also like the silhouette of the power tower. I feel like most pictures of lightning have a ton of negative space and the power tower fills that in nicely. It is way more hard to photograph lightning than i ever anticipated, especially since I left my tripod in California, so I am also super stoked that I actually got this clear of a shot. 

Double Backflip Sequence

Shutter Speed = 1/2500th sec, F-stop = 4, Focal Length = 70mm (sigma 70-300mm telephoto), ISO = 800, Handheld

This photo was taken 6-25-11 at Jack Creek in Booneville, Arkansas. It is a sequence of a double backflip thrown by my friend Lee Crandall. The rock is probably about 40 ft high. There is a little bit of color correction done but not much else. 

Oakland Temple

Shutter Speed = 1 sec, F-stop = 3.5, Focal Length = 18mm (18-55mm canon kit lens), ISO = 1600, Handheld

This photo was taken 10-7-09 and is of the Mormon Temple in Oakland, CA. There are many aspects about this photo that I find really cool. The detail in the riverbed and trees looks awesome and adds a lot of texture to the image. The temple itself is overexposed, but by doing that it has a seamless and flawless look, and it also gives it a really cool glow. The orange clouds in the sky also contrast really well with the true white of the temple.

Humphrey Bogart Recreation - Eric Hicks

Shutter Speed = 1/100th sec, F-stop = 4, Focal Length = 27mm (18-55mm canon kit lens), ISO = 1600, Handheld

This photo was taken 5-27-10 in San Jose, CA. It is a recreation of a photo of Humphrey Bogart for the movie "The Maltese Falcon". The subject is my senior year photo teacher Eric Hicks. He is an awesome man that taught me a lot of very helpful and useful things that I use on a daily basis. I love the intensity on his face and the very directional lighting. It gives it a very cool shadow, as well as amplifying the true blacks and true whites. It obviously isn't dead on with the original but it is pretty close, and it still is one of my favorite portraits.

Stare II

Shutter Speed = 15 sec, F-stop = 3.5, Focal Length = 6.5mm (opteka 6.5mm fisheye), ISO = 1600, Mini Tripod

This photo was taken 7-1-10 in San Jose, CA. It is the second version of the photo I posted last night, Stare. This one is not cropped, a lot more grainy, and the trees on the side are not lit, they are silhouetted. This photo shows alot more of the fine detail, such as the texture on the road and in the stonework of the staircase. It sort of has an HDR feel to it.

Stare

Shutter Speed = 15 sec, F-stop = 3.5, Focal Length = 6.5mm (opteka 6.5mm fisheye), ISO = 1600, Mini Tripod

This photo was taken 7-1-10 in San Jose, CA. The subject is my best friend Ian Guner, and the house is one of my really good friends, Michelle Habash's, neighbors. It was probably 11:30 at night after hot tubbing and swimming. I had never really payed attention to this house before but for some reson I noticed it that night and realized how cool and futuristic it looked. The only light I had at the time was a pocket flashlight from my truck so for the entire exposure i was waving it over Ian, the house, and the trees. I really like how everything looks really smooth and soft, yet sharp at the same time. I love the color the of the sky too. There are two versions of this photo. I will post the other version tomorrow.

Tiny Turtle

Shutter Speed = 1/1000th sec, F-stop = 10, Focal Length = 214mm (sigma 70-300mm telephoto), ISO = 1600, Handheld

This photo was taken 7-5-10 at Stoney Ford OHV park in Stoney Ford, CA. It was after a long day of riding and we were swimming in a river we were camped by. This little turtle swam past us so I grabbed the camera and did an impromptu macro shoot. I like it because the depth of field is so short, and the focal point is ridiculously sharp.

Abstract Spiral

Shutter Speed = 1/60th sec, F-stop = 5.6, Focal Length = 30mm (18-55mm canon kit lens), ISO = 1600, Handheld

This photo was taken 11-1-09 at my house in San Jose, CA. I love this photo for many different reasons. It is very interesting to look at and it will make any person wonder what the subject is. They are actually DVD cases stacked in a spiral. The backdrop is actually just a mat that I sleep on. The light is also the natural light coming from the window on the south side of the room. It also has true whites and true blacks, which are not as common as most people think. 

Grand Canyon

Shutter Speed = 1/250th sec, F-stop = 10, Focal Length = 18mm (18-55mm canon kit lens), ISO = 100, Handheld

This photo was taken 8-22-10 at the Grand Canyon in Arizona. I like this photo because it has a little bit of an HDR effect in the clouds, and there are a lot of different colors in it. Its a pretty generic photo of the Grand Canyon but I still like it.

Capital Hill

Shutter Speed = 1 sec, F-stop = 5.6, Focal Length = 300mm (sigma 70-300mm telephoto), ISO = 200, Handheld

This photo was taken 9-23-10 in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is of the tower on top of the capital building. I like this photo because of how sharp the focus is, especially since it was a handheld shot. I also like the street in the background and how the street light create lines in the road.

Mangled Roots

Shutter Speed = 5 sec, F-stop = 3.5, Focal Length = 18mm (18-55mm canon kit lens), ISO = 400, Mini Tripod

This photo was taken 4-15-11 at Wildwood Park in Saratoga, CA. I like this photo for many reasons. The tree is in super sharp focus and lit by a white street lamp. The light coming through the trees and reflecting off the water is coming from an orange street lamp. The two different colors of light coming from opposite sides created a really cool look. I also like how the long exposure made the water flowing over the rocks looks so smooth when they are actually rough. 

Peeking Though

Shutter Speed = 1/250th sec, F-stop = 10, Focal Length = 18mm (18--55mm canon kit lens), ISO = 1600, Handheld

This photo was taken 9-7-09 during a hike through a random part of Mt. Uhmunum in San Jose, CA. I like this photo because of the way the sun comes through the trees in seemingly individual rays. I also like how there are small speckles of red and orange in hidden in all the green.

Count Your Blessings

Shutter Speed = 1.3sec, F-stop = 3.5, Focal Length = 18mm (18-55mm canon kit lens), ISO = 1600, Handheld

This photo was taken 5-4-10 off of Almaden Expressway and Mckean Rd. in San Jose, CA. It was just after my good friend Jared Sandoval flipped his truck. It is a 70's Chevy so it does not have seat belts. He was ejected from the vehicle and somehow ended up with just a couple bumps and bruises. I like this photo because it has very interesting lighting from passing cars, police lights, street lights, and the natural dark blue of the night sky. It also reminds me of the important things in my life, how quickly things can change, and how thankful I am that things didn't end worse that night.

Tiny Beauty

Shutter Speed = 1/1250th sec, F-stop = 13, Focal Length = 300mm (sigma 70-300mm telephoto), ISO = 1600, Handheld

This photo was taken 5-8-10 at Almaden Lake Park in San Jose, CA. Aubrielle Ramirez picked this small flower during a service project. I love the contrast and sharpness, and how it has a natural gradient in the background that didn't have to be photoshopped in. The thing I love the most about this photo is how it shows that even the smallest and most easily neglected things can still be beautiful.

The Mean Bull

Shutter Speed = 1/250th sec, F-stop = 4, Focal Length = 92mm (Sigma 70-300mm telephoto), ISO 6400, Handheld

This photo was taken 5-28-11 at a Will Rogers Stampede Rodeo in Claremore, Oklahoma. The bull pictured was deemed the mean one, as the sequence clearly shows. This is 2 photos stitched together (if you look closely you can probably see the stitch point). I am actually very pleased with how clear and not blurry the photos turned out. It was an extremely low light situation so I had to work everything I could to get pictures not completely blurry or dark. More from this event will come later.

Despair

Shutter Speed = 1/125th sec, F-stop = 8, Focal Length = 30mm (18-55mm canon kit lens), ISO = 1600, Handheld

This photo was taken 10-4-09 at the mouth of the Guadalupe tunnels in San Jose, CA. It was taken the same day as the photo from the previous post, and this is my second favorite of everything that was shot that day. It portrays a mood of despair and hopelessness. I love how much negative space there is in this photo. Typically it is a rule of thumb to not have a ton of negative space but for this particular photo, the negative space is what makes it interesting.

Lonely

Shutter Speed = 0.6 sec, F-stop = 3.5, Focal Length = 18mm (18-55 canon kit lens), ISO = 1600, Set Down On Ground

This photo was taken 10-4-09 in a drainage tunnel that runs under downtown San Jose, CA. The person pictured is Tony Russell. We were bored that day so we decided to go on a photography adventure. We found this tunnel downtown and started exploring it. We ended up taking several photos that all depict a mood of loneliness, since there wasn't really any other mood that could be portrayed by that tunnel. Out of all the photos, two really stood out to me and this is one of them. 

Fade To Black

Shutter Speed = 1/320th sec, F-stop = 1.8, Focal Length = 50mm (canon fixed 50mm), ISO = 1600, Handheld

This photo was taken 7-3-10 while camping at Stoney Ford OHV Park in Stoney Ford, CA. I love the extremely high contrast in this photo. It has true blacks and true whites, which aren't as common as most people think. I also like that it takes something as simple and ordinary as a campfire, and makes it look so cool and dramatic. The ground fades quickly to black as the light from the fire dissipates.

Intensity

Shutter Speed = 1/1000th sec, F-stop = 11, Focal Length = 300mm (Sigma 70-300mm telephoto), ISO = 1600, Handheld

This photo was taken 4-23-10 at Almaden Meadows Park in San Jose, CA. This photo is cool because i feel it captures the intensity of the bird really well. It also captures something in a position that usually happens too fast for us to see in real life.

Spiral Architecture

Shutter Speed = 1/80th sec, F-stop = 3.5, Focal Length = 6.5mm (opteka 6.5mm fisheye), ISO = 1600, Handheld

This photo was taken 8-22-10 at the Grand Canyon in Arizona. It is inside some random tower thing that overlooks the east end of the canyon. I like this photo because it is very sharp, it has deep focus, and there is a lot of good contrast. There are so many different shapes in the photo that it makes it very interesting to look at.

Sloozey With a Gun

Shutter Speed = 1/60th sec, F-stop = 4, Focal Length = 18mm (18-55mm canon kit lens), ISO = 400, Handheld, Speedlight 430exii at -3 with a Gary Fong Lightsphere (collapsable)

This photo was taken 5-23-11 in our apartment in Bixby, Oklahoma. We were bored before work and my brother Nick was shirtless as always. I had just purchased the .38 special/.357 magnum Rossi Lever Action Rifle he is holding, and we decided to take a few pictures. This one ended up being my favorite. There is some post-work done to add grain, vignette, and burn/dodge a little.

Serenity

Shutter Speed = 1/60th sec, F-stop = 5, Focal Length = 18mm (18-55mm canon kit lens), IS) - 1600, Handheld

This photo was taken 9-7-09 on a hike through a random part of Mt. Uhmanum off the side of Hicks road in San Jose, CA. There is alot about this photo that is beautiful to me. The colors of the fall leaves on the moss covered rocks and trees and a nice color contrast against the mostly neutral colors of the rest of the scenery. The ripple in the pond is only coming from the small waterfall in between the rocks, so it doesn't just look like regular turbulent water. It is a very calm and serene photo that shows how beautiful even the small stuff is in nature.

Casa Loma - Ian Guner

Shutter Speed = 1/50th sec,  F-stop = 3.5, Focal Length = 6.5mm (Opteka 6.5mm fisheye), ISO = 1600, Handheld

This photo was taken 2-2-10, on the side of Casa Loma Rd in the Santa Cruz Mountains in CA. The subject is Ian Guner, and today is his birthday. Happy Birthday Ian. I really love the fisheye effect on the trees and how you can see the ground and the tree canopy all in the same shot. There is some post-editing done to alter the colors of the ground and trees that give it a little more surreal look which fits the fisheye effect a little better.

Shutter Speed = 1/100th sec,  F-stop = 3.5, Focal length = 18mm (18-55mm canon kit lens), ISO = 1600, Handheld

This photo was taken 9-14-09 at Boulder Creek Country Club in San Jose, CA. This tree is actually growing out of the boulder in the bottom of the frame. I like this photo mostly because of how colorful the sunset was that night. 

Brian Gradwohl of The Halflings

Shutter Speed = 1/400th sec, F-stop = 11, Focal Length = 18mm (18-55mm canon kit lens), ISO = 1600, Handheld

This photo was taken 1-26-10 behind a supermarket in San Jose, CA. I was with some friends and we were working on a portrait project for our photo class. Brian just happened to be at the supermarket so we did a really impromptu shoot. A couple of the photos actually turned out really cool. 

A Confident Walk Into The Unknown

Shutter Speed = 1/250th sec, F-stop = 9, Focal Length = 18mm )18-55mm canon kit lens),  ISO = 1600, Handheld

This photo was taken 1-12-10 on the IBM property in San Jose, CA. It was raining this day and we didn't really have anything to do. Ian and I went out exploring and we stumbled upon the place. I told Ian to go down by the creek so I could take a picture. I randomly snapped this photo as he was walking away and it ended up being my favorite of the day by far. It is still in my top 10 favorite photos I have taken.

Downhill Lean - Garret Evans

Shutter Speed = 1/320th sec, F-stop = 13, Focal Length = 28mm (18-55mm canon kit lens), ISO = 1600, Handheld

This photo was taken 10-10-10 at Sundance Ski Resort in Sundance, Utah. I had just moved in to my new apartment and I noticed some dirt jumps in the parking lot. Every time I passed them, I thought about how I wanted to find the kids riding them and take some pictures. One day I finally passed by while they were riding. I met Garret Evans, and he said he was down for a shoot, since he needed some for his sponsor, Demon Dirt, anyways. This was my first time photographing Downhill biking, and I am pretty pleased at how they turned out. I will definitely be looking for more opportunities to shoot downhill in the future.

Stairway To Heaven

Shutter Speed = 1/250th sec, F-stop = 10, Focal Length = 18mm (canon 18-55mm kit lens), ISO = 1600, Handheld

This photo was taken 8-5-10 on the hike up Half Dome in Yosemite, CA. There are so many things about this picture that are absolutely breathtaking. The waterfall in the background, the rough stone staircase, the back of Half Dome in the background, and the streaks of light coming through the mist from the waterfall. The colors are vivid and detailed, the scenery is beautiful. Its just a beautiful photo.

Stephen Hall

ShutterSpeed=1/60th sec, F-stop = 11, Focal Length = 6.5mm (opteka 6.5mm fisheye), ISO = 6400, 

Handheld

This picture was taken 11-5-10 in Moab, Utah. It is a spur of the moment portrait of Stephen Hall. We were exploring a tunnel in Moab while camping, and I had a speedlight 430exii on my Canon Rebel T2i. Randomly I took this picture of Steve. The fisheye lens and the corrugated steel of the tunnel ended up having an awesome look that I would never be able to get with any other lens. My flash was diffused by a Gary Fong Collapsable Lightsphere, and as you can see it does an amazing job of lighting everything evenly and reducing those harsh shadows.

Water Droplet

Shutter Speed = 1/4000th sec, F-stop = 5.6, Focal Length = 300mm (Sigma 70-300mm telephoto), ISO = 400, Handheld

This photo was taken 2-20-11 on the balcony of my apartment in Provo, UT. It had just snowed that morning and this droplet was the result of a leak in the gutter running just above the balcony. In the droplet you can see the trees, picnic benches, and river that are in the middle of the complex outside my apartment. Water, just like smoke, is an extremely fun thing to photograph. You can do so many different things with it, it has a completely unique personality, and it almost never will turn out the same.

Secluded

Shutter Speed = 22 sec, F-stop = 4, Focal Length = 27mm (18-55mm canon kit lens), ISO = 1600, Set on a picnic table

This photo was taken 8-1-10 in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This is my friends jeep and I was bored so I started taking some long exposure photos. I noticed a truck up the hill that was going to drive past his jeep so I quickly set up the camera on a nearby picnic table. I set it to bulb, and with a remote, held the shutter open until the truck had passed. It ended up looking pretty cool. I got extremely lucky with focusing because this was manual focused at midnight with no light other than a small flashlight, and it ended up being focused perfectly.

Enveloped

Shutter Speed = 1/200th sec, F-stop = 18, Focal Length = 55mm (18-55mm canon kit lens), ISO = 100, Handheld

This picture was taken 11-4-10. This was the first thing I did to test out my new cowboy studios wireless triggers for my 430 exii. I took several variations of this "smoke from a match" setup, some of which I will eventually post. This one is definitely my favorite of the batch. I love taking pictures of smoke because it has so much personality. It will never make the same pattern or shape, there is always extremely high contrast, and it never produces a photo that isn't interesting in some way. The way the smoke is enveloping the matchstick and drifting off in to the wind, truly is beautiful.

Michael Belligan - Tail Grab

Shutter Speed - 1/1600th sec, F-stop = 13, Focal Length = 149mm (sigma 70-300mm telephoto), ISO - 1600, Handheld

This photo is of Michael Belligan wakeboarding. Its was taken at Calero Reservoir in San Jose, CA on 6-21-10. Of all the pictures from that day, this one is my favorite. There are pictures of him doing all sorts of ariels and whatnot, but I personally think that as far as wakeboarding goes, usually the grabs look best in photos, and the ariels look best on video. I also love the framing of this picture. I feel like it makes this photo much more aesthetically pleasing than if he were centered in the frame.

Superbike Lean

Shutter Speed = 1/1600th sec, F-stop = 13, Focal Length = 300mm (sigma 70-300mm telephoto), ISO = 1600, Handheld

This was taken 5-15-10 during the superbike races at Infineon Raceway (formerly Sears Point Raceway) in Sonoma, CA. It is of an unknown rider in a deep left lean coming out of an S turn. There really isnt that much to say about this picture. Its not some amazing photo or anything, I just like how sharp the rider is, the slight motion blur on the pavement, and how much the color pops from his bike and his leathers.

Epic Sun Ray Vs. The Lone Tree

Shutter Speed = 1/320sec, F-stop = 4.0, focal length = 108mm (sigma 70-300mm telephoto) , ISO = 400, Handheld

This photo is in my top 10 favorite photographs i have ever taken. Everything just fell perfectly in place. I had just hiked half dome in Yosemite, CA and this was on the way down. Exhaustion and dehydration were setting in, and then I saw this. The sun peeking perfectly between two mountains created a spotlight effect on this lone tree. Its shadow cast perfectly against the mountain behind it. There is no burning or dodging done to this photo. Yes, that is legitimately the natural sunlight. Everything about this picture is absolutely beautiful to me.

Cam McCaul - superman backflip

Shutter speed = 1/1600th sec, F-stop = 4.5, focal length = 31mm(canon 18-55mm kit lens), ISO 800, Handheld

This is a picture of Cam McCaul throwing a huge superman backflip. I took this photo at the Post Office bike jam in Aptos, California on 4-18-11. Since this is a once a year event that takes place after the Sea Otter Classic downhill competition in Monterey, I feel extremely privileged to have been around to photograph an event so epic. Some of the best freestyle riders in the world come out to a dirt jump park next to the US Post Office in Aptos and throw there best tricks all day long. This is one of many pictures I will eventually post from this day.

Sf Bay Bridge #2

Shutter Speed = 0.6 sec, F-stop = 3.5, Focal Length = 18mm (canon 18-55mm kit lens), ISO = 1600, handheld

This is my favorite picture I have of the Bay Bridge. It was taken maybe 10 minutes after the first picture I posted of this bridge. I personally think it is a much better, and much more interesting photo. The camera was angled so that the bottom of the frame paralleled the cement pylons in the water. As I was taking this photo I was thinking "this is probably going to look stupid." I was greatly mistaken. Years later, this is still in my top 10 favorite pictures I have taken.

SF Bay Bridge

Shutter speed = 0.4 sec, F-stop = 4.5, focal length = 34mm (canon 18-55mm kit lens), ISO = 1600, handheld.

This picture was also taken in the first few weeks of owning a DSLR. This is the Bay Bridge in San Francisco, CA. To me the Bay Bridge is much more photogenic than the Golden Gate. It may have something to do with the fact that I have never had the opportunity to photograph the Golden Gate at night, but I always seem to get better results with the Bay Bridge. This day we were actually in SF as a family for my Moms birthday. I bring my cameras with me everywhere and since I had them, we stopped to take a few shots. They ended turning out pretty good.

The Purpose

The purpose of this blog is to force me to be involved with photography constantly. It will also give me something to do with all the pictures I take. I love everything about photography; waiting for just the right moment, fine tuning all the manual settings for that perfect exposure, post-editing and being able to play around with things that are unimaginable to most. Photography for me is a passion, a way to channel my creativity, and it is truly something I love. I will be posting pictures from time to time with a brief description or story about it, and hopefully somebody out there will be able to appreciate it. This is one of the first Pictures I ever took. At this point I think I had my Rebel XTI for just a couple weeks. This was taken handheld at 55mm on the kit lens. F-stop = 5.6, exposure time = 1/13th of a second, ISO = 1600. This spot is also the host of many other decent pictures that I have taken over the years. It was definitely inspired by straight photographers that I have studied about in my first photography class back in High school.