While I was attending school in Indiana, ski movies provided a much needed escape from the cold and gray Midwest winter days. Thoughts of dropping out, heading West, and flipping burgers to pursue my lust for bluebird powder days were a daily occurrence. However, I managed to overcome my ski bum aspirations, graduated, (in 4 years no less) and have relocated to sunny Utah. But today is just one of those days spent stuck in the doldrums, behind a computer, once again longing for face shots and sunshine.

Fortunately, we still have ski movies. This clip from the film Signatures by Sweetgrass Productions is one of the best ski movies I’ve seen in a long time, and a perfect escape from days like today. Unlike a lot of films, Signatures isn’t about pushing boundaries and going bigger than the last guy; but instead the film manages to capture the true soul of skiing. Not to mention that the soundtrack is the best yet to be featured in a ski movie.

So without further ado, take a minute to enjoy this ridiculously drool-worthy powder segment from Sweetgrass Productions. It might just be the best four minutes you’ve had in a while.

The ski season is upon us. At least if your willing to work a little for your turns. Last Sunday Jake and I headed up Little Cottonwood Canyon for some photo-shootin’, complete with plenty of bootpackin’, face shots, and of course some obligatory cussin’ & sweatin’. Not bad for a mid-November lazy Sunday afternoon.

To view all the shots head on over to the Flickr gallery. Here’s a little preview to get that buzz a stokin.

A big thanks goes to Jake for making some picturesque turns as well as putting up with my slow ass trying to make my way up the hill. Be sure to check his blog: JakeCast.

Ever since I’ve been shooting digital I have used the Bridge CS4 + Photoshop combo for all of my photo managing and editing needs. Since I work as a designer, I know my way around CS4 and Photoshop pretty well, and didn’t particularly want to have to teach myself a new software and workflow. Plus I tend to do a lot of post-processing, and love the control that working with masks and layers in Photoshop offers.

I’ve always kind of regarded Adobe Lightroom as a glorified iPhoto, but curiosity got the best of me and I decided to give Lightroom a whirl. All I can say is that if you have been on the fence between Bridge or Lightroom… go with Lightroom. It’s a no brainer. Lightroom really shines by letting you organize and classify photos without having to create duplicates. Which when you are dealing with lots of RAW files, is a huge space saver. Additionally, it makes it effortless to tag photos and export to a number of different formats, including uploading straight to Flickr.

I could go into a more detailed pro vs. con scenario, but there’s already plenty of analysis available by using your friendly searchbox. Just take it from a fellow photog that whether you’re a pro or amateur, Lightroom is a great tool for managing photos and making minor adjustments, and it plays well with Photoshop. Lightroom does everything Bridge can do and when combined with Photoshop is a necessary tool for the digital photographer.

This past Saturday a beloved member of the family passed on. Making it to a ripe old 84 in dog years, Hayden will be sorely missed. Whether he had his head the window of a fast moving automobile, or was wallerin’ around in a mud hole, Hayden set the standard as Man’s Best Friend.

It’s official… Fall is upon us. Winter’s just around the corner which means it’s time to outfit yourself with a fresh new Church of Powder Day Saint-T. Printed on the ultra hip and comfy American Apparel Track shirt, it’s yours to be had for a limited time price of $15 buckaroos. Support your fellow ski bum and pick one up in the shop.
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Apologies for all the shameless self-promotion, but hey, it’s my blog. Got lots of new work for everyone to check out over on the portfolio page, as well as some new shots up on the Flickr account.
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These guys just keep getting better and better. The Avett Brothers hit another one of the park with their latest I and Love and You. Pick it up on vinyl at your local record shop or stream it online until it’s official release next Tuesday.

The day’s are getting shorter, temperatures are dropping, and the leaves are turning, which means Winter’s just around the corner. Not sure if I am quite ready for it… i still need to get in some more quality time with the bicycle. However, I was fortunate enough this summer to make it down South of the equator for a taste of Winter and logged some summer turns. Head over to the Flickr page to see all the shots.

1. Strobist – Any photo related post that doesn’t mention Strobist is not much of a post. David Hobby of Strobist has set the standard for creating a knowledge bank around off-camera lighting. A must read for any aspiring photographer.

2. Fotozine – While I don’t visit the site much, I follow Fotozine on Twitter and he always manages to publish a wealth of great photography links. A must add to your Twitter feed.

3. PhotoResource – Another Twitter contact, PhotoResource is a great source for learning about the business side of photography.

4. PDN – While it’s a bit more journalist oriented, Photo District News is another great resource for finding the latest news from the photography world.

5. Ed McCulloch – A Utah based photographer with definitive style. Ed shot the latest Utah Travel campaign and has a mastery of light and color.

6. Making Tutorials – Perhaps one of the most versatile tools in Photoshop, Layer Masking is a must-know for processing photos. Learn how to effectively use masks with this very in-depth tutorial.

7. Yulia – Another great photographer with a distinct style. For some reason I find her photos very visceral, and am a sucker for her color manipulation.

8. Max Wanger – I have never had any sort of desire to be a wedding photographer. In fact it seems quite a hellish profession. However, photographer Max Wanger has managed to create some stunning wedding photos that break the norm, while truly capturing the essence of marriage.

9. Pulp – Pulp is a collaboration between model Joni Harbeck and photographer Neil Krug. A sort of throwback to 70’s-esque B-movies and grungy theaters. Nevertheless, I am a sucker for beautiful women, cars, and guns.

10. Heidi Johansen – I first discovered Heidi by purchasing an album with one of her photos on the cover art. Much like Yulia, she has a very desaturated, film-like feel to her photos.

Head over to my flickr gallery to see all the shots (and the moose).

Price, Utah – Population: 8,402

Green River, Utah – Population: 10,860

Moab, Utah – Population: 5,200

Telluride, Colorado – Population: 3,202

Big thanks to Kristi and Billy for the hospitality. To see more photos from the trip head over to the Flickr page.