A Gift Guide for the Artist in Your Life

My friend Justin Hackworth recently posted a gift buying guide for photographers. The guide is titled A Gift Buying Guide for Photographers. It's a great idea and I recommend checking it out. I liked that idea so much that I've decided to write a gift guide for the artist in your life. I'm calling it A Gift Guide for the Artist in Your Life.

So here are a few things I would suggest purchasing for an artistic friend.

Art:

Photo Cards



One word: classy. Give six of these to your friends and family, keep one for yourself and save that last for me. Perfect.

Potter Press Poster



I'm a big fan of pretty much everything that Erin and Nick Potter make. Your artist friend will appreciate your taste in both art and music when you buy them one of these show posters. This one even hangs above my bed.

If you'd like to buy one in person and you're in the Salt Lake area head down to Signed and Numbered to pick one up.

Joao Silva Print



Joao Silva was recently very badly injured while reporting in Afghanistan. A site has been set up to raise funds for his recovery. These prints a beautiful and a very important part of history.

Print:

The Love City Success Story



The Love City Success Story is my zine about photography, journalism and art. It features photos that do not show up online, musings on creativity and #3 even has old film camera reviews.

Artists love old film camera reviews.

Communication Arts Subscription



Communication Arts is the (well deserved) industry standard in creative arts. The day the photography annual comes is my favorite day of the year.

If I were to recommend only one gift, this would be it.

The Art of Looking Sideways



The Art of Looking Sideways is 534 pages of inspiration. When I need a creative nudge I get this book out.

Film:

Exit Through the Gift Shop



Exit Through the Gift Shop is a brilliant and hilarious documentary that follows the strange rise of the artist Thierry Guetta. It is a film directed by Banksy and features many of the generation's great street artists.

Everything good you've heard about this film is true.

(A related item is Banksy's book, Wall and Piece.)

Music:

The Lower Lights



I can personally attest to the greatness of the Lower Lights. In fact, I am purchasing this very album for my mother for Christmas.

(I can say that here because she doesn't check my blog very often.)

Buke & Gass



I first heard Buke & Gass when they were featured on a Radiolab podcast. Their music is quirky, dramatic, startling and totally worth your time.

The Low Anthem



The Low anthem is, hands down, my favorite band. They are mellow, beautiful and still underground (so you can be the person who gets to show everyone this great new band.)

Buy this cd. Place in cd player. Repeat.

Gear:

Timberland Earthkeeper Boot


I love these boots. Love them. They're nice enough for looking good in town and durable enough to handle Utah's outdoors. Timberland really killed it with these boots. Buy these for your artist friend and they will surely be looking for reasons to get dirty, in style.

Last words:

Do you know what your artist friend would appreciate more then all of these things combined?

Socks.

Just kidding, the real answer is your support.

I'm beyond blessed to have the friends and family that I do. This year has been great for me, I don't think I could have done it without the encouragement, support and love that I received. Those are gifts that are both free and priceless.

Utah Headshots - Ashton

This is my cousin Ashton, who is an aspiring actor.

While I was at my family reunion his mother asked if I'd take some photos of him for his portfolio. As you can see here, I said yes.













Are you an aspiring actor? I'm an aspiring photographer.

We should totally hang.

Domestic

Don't let anyone tell you that I'm not sometimes sort of domestic.



Happy Thanksgiving.

At the Coffee Pod

Zac at the Coffee Pod.

Some Cycling Photos

Saturday I celebrated Cranksgiving with some friends from BikeProvo.org.

Cranksgiving is a holiday born out of New York City, it's a street race for charity. Start at the beginning, pick up some food (as dictated by your manifest), race to the finish. After the race all the food is donated to shelters. Everyone has a good time.

Provo's version was a little more mellow (we didn't race), but just as fun (hot chocolate was provided.)

This is what it looked like.

















Now for the serious part. Utah's food insecurity rate exceeds the national rate, with 12.5 percent of the population living in food insecure households.

This must be changed, and you can help. Tell your friends, give some money and lend a hand.

We're all in this together.

Post Processing Illustrated

Monday I posted some photos of the Crylics. Today I'm posting a video that shows what my post processing looks like.

This is the final image.



And this is the image as it comes from my camera.



The difference between these two photos isn't huge. There are changes here and there, but for the most part I typically try to keep a photo pretty close to the original.

I think what this video illustrates best is that most of my changes tend to be subtle. Adjustments are big at first, but I end up coaxing them to where I think they look best.



So that's what an image goes through. What do you think of this post? More like it? Less?

Lemmie know in the comments.

Kids These Days

This article originally appeared in issue #3 of my zine, The Love City Success Story.



This is a photo (left) I’ve always been really happy with. I think it’s an interesting moment. I like the way the tree branch reaches out from the left, framing the scene. I like the gathered clouds and the way the weather causes a diffuse light. I like the positioning of the family, everyone moving forward and only Joe looking back. He seems to be almost wondering.

All things considered it is a pretty strong image. I made it while I was shooting family pictures. When I shoot family photos I get the standard shot of people smiling and standing by each other, it's an important photo to make. I also try to keep an eye on how the family interacts with each other. It’s just as important to document the times when everyone isn’t smiling at the camera, painfully aware of their hair, teeth and clothes.

More often then not those in between images are the most telling.

To get into the Tanner's horse pasture we had to climb over this wooden fence. I thought it was kind of interesting, so I held back to see if I could make anything of the moment. I exposed a few frames and waited for something else. Then the boy, Joe, glanced back and I took the shot you see on your left plus a few more and moved on.

What I think is funny is this photo isn’t as surreal and one might thing. If you look at the next frame you can see that Joe has it apparent that he is wearing Union Jack boxers. Which means his "wondering" look was him just looking back to see where I was. In the left photo notice that his hand is in position, waiting to flash his true allegiance to me. That punk played me.

Which is actually kind of funny. I like Joe, he keeps me on my toes.

Provo Music - The Crylics

The Crylics play at Muse Music in Provo, Utah.

Self Portraits

When I find myself in an interesting situation I usually try to take a self portrait. Lately I have found myself taking engagement photographs in Ikea, shooting personal work at Antelope Island and volunteering my photography skills to document events that BikeProvo has been putting on. These have all been excellent situations in which to try to make an interesting image of myself.

I don't think a self portrait needs to show my face to be good. In fact I usually try to avoid showing my face directly. It's an interesting exercise to try to take a photo that both illustrates place and self, without submitting to the turn-your-camera-around-and-take-a-cheesy-photo-of-you-with-something-important-in-the-background look. (Although I do take those photos from time to time.)

So here are 17 photos I've shoot within the last six months or so. Roll your mouse over the image for a longer description.