In like a lion...

"A student attempts to stay warm and dry as she makes her way down snowy steps on the campus of BYU, Thursday, March 4, 2010. Snow and rain entered Utah County early Thursday afternoon and continued dumping through the night. The weekend will be cloudy, but warm with temperatures near 50. There is a chance of precipitation on Sunday."

Oddly enough, the weather here in Utah has been great. Everyday for the past month I feel like my temperature gauge in my car has displayed in the lower to mid 50s.

But now it's March.

The saying goes, "In like a lion, out like a lamb" and that's holding true. The other day, out of the blue, it began snowing. And snowing. And, well, snowing.

My day was slow and I thought I'd go make a standalone video. But after the desk decided my traffic art (third one this month!) wasn't worthy of the center piece, I was sent out to find a feature.

I thought it was funny. Here I was excited to go out on my own and spend an hour or so making a visual video for our Web site. I was eager to get out there.

The snowflakes were huge, and it was really coming down. Not to mention, I've been dying to make a new multimedia piece.

But after being assigned to shoot a real standalone, my moral lowered and I felt pressured. There was an added weight on my shoulders. Why I then felt that way I have no idea.

Alas, I've been meaning to play around with the "huge stairs" on the campus of BYU, and stood there in the dying light, cold blowing snow for 35 minutes before walking back to the office and heading to my next assignment.

Now where is this lamb?

Love or leave it

"Eyeing up branches that need to be trimmed, Genaldio Rodriguez prunes cherry trees at 200 S and 1050 E in Pleasant Grove, Friday, Feb.26, 2010."

Love it or hate it, we all do it - we all shoot silhouettes.

To me, if the light lends itself to one, I'll shoot it to either get it out of my system, see if it works or just open my mind creatively.

With that, it seems as if the light was always lending itself to them last month. So what did I do? I shot them.

While I may not always turn them in, I have been throwing them into the system. Not as my top frame, but at the end of my edit, in case an editor wants something artsy.

And of late, maybe one has run in print. All the rest, typically online.

So when I was out searching for a standalone the other day, and stumbled across this tree pruner, I forced myself not to shoot a silhouette - but I did anyways.

I couldn't pass up the cool tress and thought if anything, this standing alone on the page would be nice eye candy.

And while I was forced to turn in other frames, it still ran in the paper.

But I finally got called out: "No silhouettes for three weeks."

From Haiti with love

"Tia Simpson shares affection with Collin, her newly adopted 22-month-old son from Haiti, at her Lehi home, Wednesday, Feb.17, 2010. Simpson is one of small number of families in Utah County that have recently adopted children from Haiti following the tragic earthquake."

As previously mentioned, Heidi Toth and I have been working on a package, series on a group of families in Utah County who have recently adopted babies from Haiti.

I had fun getting to hang out with these pair of families, while they enjoyed the new ways of life with a new family memeber.

Although one family declined to be interviewed and photographed for the story, we still made with the time we had. I wish I could have shot these two families more than just a couple hours, but I am happy with what came out of it.

Not much more to say. But you can read the article here.

Enjoy.

Perfect

"Springville guard Nicole Ramon (center) celebrates with teammates after defeating Timpanogos, 62-49, in the UHSAA 4A women's basketball state championship at Salt Lake Community College, Saturday, Feb.27, 2010. With the win, Springville capped a perfect, 23-0, season by surviving a spirited contest with Timpanogos."

Last weekend I sat baseline as I covered back-to-back women's high school basketball championships.

Not much to write home about, despite having some great arena lighting and a little balcony to make for some nice overhead frames.

However, the action in both games was lackluster, or maybe I just didn't put myself in the right places at the correct times? Alas, I didn't walk away smiling.

I was frustrated, possibly because I love and couldn't stop thinking, not only my jube shot from last season in Maryland, but the story that went behind it, too.

Anyways, I liked the above more than the more literal frame that ended up on A1. In addition, I liked it a hell of a lot more then the "trophy shot" (that the sports desk loves to remind me countless times to get every championship game) that landed on the sports front page.

Hopefully I will be able to focus on nailing the real emotion (win or loss) instead of worrying about a phony-emotioned "trophy shot" as I head up to Ogden to shoot the conclusion on the men's season today.

God speed.

Puppy love

"Lori Rosenlof's newly adopted Haitian son, Nathan, shares a kiss with the family dog, Divot, at their home in Lehi, Thursday, Feb.18, 2010. Rosenlof is one of small number of families in Utah County that have recently adopted children from Haiti following the tragic earthquake."

A reporter and I have been working on a package, series on a group of families in Utah County who have recently adopted babies from Haiti. We were suppose to follow three families around, but the last family bailed: twice.

So we ended up sticking with only two families.

It's been endearing to see how these kids act in a world they are not used to. It's also, without a doubt, amazing what these families are doing for the children.

Anyways, this little boy, Nathan, kept making out with the family dog. As in literally, opened mouth, dog licking inside his mouth. Gross, yet cute.

The first time it happen I snapped away (above picture). The second time I tried to nail it, but the Mom got upset, pushing the dogs away. The third time it happen, as we all laughed, she put the dogs in a different room.

They were awesome people, very open and friendly. They understood I was doing my job and that it was funny, but I think the mother grew to be upset that I was shooting the photo. The father on the other hand thought it was hilarious.

With that, I completely understand why they wouldn't want someone abusing the reoccurring moment, and I respected that, although I really wanted to make the picture again as it continued to happen throughout the night.

Alas, I really wanted to nail it because it was so comical, and doubt I'll see something that ridiculous for a while. Of the couple frames I witnessed this occurrence, I didn't have a great angle or timing with all of them. This is my best of the moment.

I highly doubt it will even fit in the story edit, which is due to run this weekend, but wanted to share the moment.

Shred the gnar

"A snowboarder makes their way down Amy's Ridge trail at Sundance Ski Resort in Utah, Sunday, Feb.28, 2010."

I finally hit the slopes for the first time since moving to Utah.

It’s been more than five years since I’ve skied in Colorado and was terrified that maybe I had forgotten how to get down the mountain.

Halfway through my first run I realized I was golden.

Thanks to co-worker Mark for the encouragement to not only come out to ski with him, but to hit the back bowls at Sundance. I had a blast and can’t wait to get back out on the mountain. My wallet on the other hand is not looking forward it! Renting and lift passes aren’t cheap.

Here is one of about 10 snaps (and another) I shot with my Canon G9 while on the mountain.

Red eye back to Baltimore

"With morning sunlight seeping through the blinds, Kate lays in bed Monday, Feb.22, 2010."

Kate surprised me with a visit the other weekend.

It was a fun, but too short of a visit. While we didn't do too much "touristy" type of stuff, we still had a blast eating some new foods and hanging out.

Until next visit...

Cupid's plunge

"In front of the crowd, Kyler Daybell of Salt Lake City leaps into the frigid water during the 2010 Polar Plunge at Pelican Marina in Saratoga Springs, Saturday, Feb.20, 2010. More than $4,500 was raised for Special Olympics Utah."

This is my second time covering a polar plunge in two months and I was really debating whether or not to do it this time around. And despite being scared, yet saying I was still going to do it, I didn't.

Last time it was cold. Really, really cold. I am talking single digits. This time however, it was about mid 20s, but yeah, still frigid.

Speaking of seconds, this is the second time in a matter of months where I should have done something on my assignment that I've never done before, but backed out.

I have the best job in the world, I get to meet new people every day. And with that, I get to experience something fresh, too. Not people have that luxury with their profession.

A couple months ago I covered a new police dog. They demonstrated his attacking, take down skills with the huge bite suit. Afterward, they asked if anyone in the media wanted to try. I really wanted to, but backed out.

And last week, I really wanted to try the polar plunge. But again, chickened out.

So that's my new goal for the year.

If I am on assignment and I am offered to try it (after shooting what I need of course), and there is a photographer there who will document it, I am trying it.

Lobbyist in the lobby

"A passerby makes his way through the Utah State Capitol, Tuesday, Feb.16, 2010."

At the end of my shift the other day I found myself up the street from my place at the state capitol for the general session of the Utah Legislature.

The session is about halfway over for 2010 and I've only been up the hill twice.

This time I was there to cover a bill our reporter had to following that would force insurers to provide more favorable plans for Utahns with prosthetic limbs.

While it passed the House Business and Labor Committee, 9-3, despite being put there initially because it was thought it couldn't pass, it wasn't an easy day.

Well, easy if you can figure out how to burn four hours.

That's right, I got to the capitol around 1:30 p.m. as my assignment called for a 2:00 p.m. shoot in the committee.

But since they had a lot of prior bills, I sat from 1:30 p.m. until about 5:00 p.m. when my subjects plead their case.

So I played on my iPhone, read the news, resorted to taking pictures of my credential on my iPhone, and, oh yeah, shot some features.

Hoops

"Provo Daily photo intern, James Roh, shoots hoops between assignments in the paper's parking lot, Friday, Feb.12, 2010."

Couldn't resist shooting pictures in the golden light last week.

The intern, videographer and I all had about an hour of downtime between assignments and thought we'd take advantage of the uncharacteristically warm temperature.

Now only if that weather would return...