Tag: EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM

Utah Holi Festival 2011

Made another trip to the Holi Festival at the Krisha Temple in Spanish Fork, Utah.

There wasn’t a big organized group of photographers, but there were of course plenty there anyway.

This time I also brought along the family. My five year old was especially excited to go. He had a great time, especially when he realized he could throw the colors at anyone he wanted, and that we encouraged it all the more when the person didn’t have any color on them yet (below left) 😉

Overall there were quite a few more families then last year which was awesome to see. It is a great family event. I’d love to see them do a throw dedicated to families to encourage more to come out, where they wouldn’t get run over by all the college guys as much.

Full Holi Festival gallery here

This year was quite a bit colder then last year. It was overcast the whole time. It had rained and snowed the day and night before, and the normally grassy hill turned into a lot of mud. Which of course people took advantage of and it was soon a mud slide that people would go sliding down.

Sometimes people would get colors put on them, and sometimes they’d do it themselves

A few more faves. The first being my son, which of couse is my most favorite of all 🙂

Pretty sure this is the back of Sulley from Monsters Inc

It was an awesome event, and can’t wait to do it again next year!

Full Holi Festival gallery here

Holi Festival 2010

For the last two years I have wanted to go to the Holi Festival at the Krisha Temple in Spanish Fork. Each year something came up.  This year I wanted to go extra bad after seeing all the pictures from the past years.

A photographer friend, Scott Jarvie, has been shooting the Holi Festival for the last few years.  This year he had the crazy idea (for most mortal men, not for him) to organize a dozen photographers to shoot the festivities.  I quickly volunteered.  In the end we had around 10,000 photos from the 12 photogs.  As of this writing they are still being uploaded (that’s about 100gig worth folks) but they can be seen here.

The baby powder like colored powder is naturally an enemy to expensive camera equipment.  I spent some time the night before to seal up my camera and lens.  The short version is that it was some gallon ziploc bags and some tape.  It worked perfectly.

The day of was very long.  I showed up around 9 and left about 5:30. Which paled compared to Scott and Pete Stott that were there longer then I was. I was sore and tired by the end of the day, but wow it was fun.

Seriously. Fun.

So many amazing photo ops. So many people willing (and excited) to have their pictures taken. It really helped me to step out of my normal comfort zone and get into peoples faces.

I’m really worried about next year though.  I’m not sure if I will want to participate or take photos.  It looked like a lot of fun. 🙂

I know, shut up already and get to the pictures.

Full Holi Festival gallery here.

Special thanks to Scott for being his normal over ambitious self and organizing the outing.  I would have tried to go out anyway, but it was more fun to hang with other photogs and be a part of something bigger.

Even more special thanks to my family who puts up with my regular photo outings. I was out at a conference for a full week just a week and a half ago. Photocamp Utah last Saturday. Now this. Thanks for putting up with me guys!

Provo Freedom Festival 2009: Flag Retirement Ceremony

Announcements

Monday night I went to the Provo Freedom Festival flag retirement ceremony.  I have attended this many times over the years, and appreciate the reverence the American flag is given during it.  For any who may not know, burning the flag is the proper way to dispose of a flag when “it is no longer a fitting emblem for display” (US Flag Code Section 176)

Honorably Retired

At first glance a photo like the above may conjure up the opposite feelings then it is intended.  Usually you see the flag being burned in protest of the USA and the images are fairly offensive.  But when you think about it, where would you want this flag that you hold dear to end up? Crumpled up in a pile of smelly garbage?  That thought just doesn’t sit right.  The fiery end to the flag conjures up images of a Viking funeral (and sadly a few scenes from Star Wars) where the fiery end of individuals is seen as showing great respect.

Boy Scout Salute

I love seeing the Boy Scouts assisting in the ceremony.  I was able to assist in one when I was a boy scout and remember it giving me a greater respect and sense of patriotism.

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Each time after placing a flag onto the fire (they had dozens to retire) the scouts that carried it would stand and salute for a few moments.

Full Flag Retirement Ceremony set on Flickr

Hill Air Force Base Air Show: 2009

P-51 Mustang

Canon 40D, EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM, 1/800, f/6.3, 200 mm, ISO 100

It’s been a while since I’ve been able to go out and take some pics (the broken glass situation was naturally a fluke). So it was great to get out and take some pics at the Hill AFB Air Show.

I missed a few cool things while taking my son around to see some stuff, but that is also where I was doing my best work (being a Dad). I did get to see plenty of fun things though, and it was well worth the long drive, sunburns, and traffic to get out.

Hill Air Force Base Air Show 2009 Full set

More favs:

Thunderbirds at Hill AFB Airshow 2009 - Touching Tails

Thunderbirds at Hill AFB Airshow 2009

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Trash the Dress

Canon 40D, EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM, 1/60, f/4, 200 mm, ISO 400

Another shot from the Great Salt Lake Photowalk where Heidi wore a wedding dress out into the water.  I talked to her at work the next week and she said that after 3 times through the washer and a spraying it out in the shower it is none the worse for wear.  Doesn’t even have that lovely funk from the lake any more 🙂

Photowalking: Great Salt Lake

Canon 40D, EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM, 1/800, f/5.6, 153 mm, ISO 400

Taken at the June Photowalk out at the Great Salt Lake with my father’s day present to myself (with the wife’s permission) of a new Canon 40D (review to come later).

The phtowalk was great fun.  I didn’t come out with as many winner’s as I would have liked, but I learned quite a bit for any future similar situations (sunset shooting at a lake).  For a truely stunning collection of images go check out the work of the rest of the photowalking utah group.