Poetry?

Given time and distance enough you can look back on yourself as a different person. Yesterday I looked back on a guy who studied poetry in college for 4 years. Strange, eh? Sounds a bit like a waste of time to me, but who am I to judge?

An interesting side-effect of moving is that I've had a chance to dig through boxes of memorabilia (read as "crap"), trying to decide what to keep and what to toss. Last night I came across a folder containing the poems that I wrote in college. I read through them and discovered something: I used to be a pretty decent poet. Did it do me any good to write poems for 4 years? I'll let you know in another 10.

I've decided to give some of these poems a second chance on this blog. Expose them once more to a potential audience of the whole world and an actual readership of...well about 3. Let me know what you think.

I'll start off with one that I believe is the truest that I've written. The names, places, objects, and events have all been changed to protect the innocent.

Compensating

It all comes down to the fact that I'm not great at anything.

Sneaking out behind the high school to have a smoke with Jim,
green-faced and weak-stomached, sucking in the cool.

Racing cars that we liked to think were fast down
Interstate 15 at 2 A.M.

Green-eyed blondes in short black skirts who say they are
my weakness,
but they have never seen my shoe collection.

Blue-eyed girls, brown-eyed girls, blue-eyed girls
and those other girls too.

The strut, that stupid swagger that chases me around
and trips me now and then.

A black leather jacket.

A quiet argument with my grey-haired dad
in his tie and spectacles and half-frown
and soft hands
and maybe just slightly wet eyes
and words.

And a half-assed begging apology.

Life is Good

So, I'm sitting here at work, and I'm smiling. Yeah, I'm kinda strange. I'm OK with that. I'm sitting here smiling, because Mirabel just called and said that she saw the baby on the Dr.'s TV. Mirabel's adorable, my pregnant wife is adorable, and I'm sure that thing on the TV that probably looked nothing like a baby is adorable as well. Life is good.

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Roni Bridals

For the most part I love it when a bride comes to her bridals knowing exactly what and where she wants. The pictures usually have a more personal, meaningful touch that way. Once in a while, however, I also love it when a bride comes in and says, "whatever you want, Nic." Such was the case with Roni. I was especially glad this time, because there was an old truck in a field just a couple of blocks away from my house that I'd been eying for quite a while. The truck turned out just as beautiful as I imagined it would. Roni looked even better. I love the red in her dress. Definitely something different.

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Crazy Pali Family

Nate Pali was one of my best friends in high school. He's moved to Provo since then, and since I'm afraid of Provo, I don't see him very often. It was great to get together with him and is whole family. It's amazing to me how much all of them have changed. Not only have they changed, they all have kids. It's a little freakin strange to me.

This first shot was taken by the lovely and talented Mirabel who was working as my assistant:

From Blog

From Blog

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"little stinkers"

Ok not really but the girls shirts say 'little stinker' on them

Organization/Confusion

From Blog

I read once that your IQ is a measure of how well you organize information in your head. I immediately dismissed that fact, reasoning that I was a fairly intelligent person, but was the least organized person that I knew. Although I have become arguably less intelligent over the years, I haven't become any less organized. I haven't become any more organized either, and that is what this rant is about.

My garage is a mess. My desk is a mess. My other desk is a mess. My other, other desk is a mess. But, I do know where everything is. If you need a screwdriver, there's one on the top left corner of the filing cabinet. If you need a screw, there's one in the second slot up and third from the left in the organizer (I use the term loosely) in the center draw of my desk. If you need my second period's last essay, they're near the top right corner of my work desk, right underneath last Friday's newspaper and a portable hard drive, but on top of the "Studio Photography" magazine from two months ago. It may look like a mess, but everything seems to be right where it should be according to me.

Am I happy about this? No. I want to be organized. I want everything to have it's own specific place where I can find it every single time that I need it. I've wanted this for a couple of years now. Wanting doesn't seem to be enough. Any suggestions?

PS. If you'd like to post a comment, click on the little icon at the bottom of this post that says "0 comments."
PPS. This picture was taken by the lovely and talented Mirabel at age 2. She's going to make me a millionaire some day.

One Week Down

The before picture. Stay tuned for a guided tour of the after pictures.

From Blog

We moved into our new house one week ago (thanks go out to all the slave labor that helped us move!), and after one week I have a few observations:

1. Light switches are never where you think they should be.
2. The things that you need are never in the box that you think that they should be in.
3. In fact, I'm still not sure if the things that I need even made it into a box.
4. Packing is much easier than unpacking.
5. Putting things together (beds, blinds, tv's) is also easier than unpacking, but has the added benefit of making it appear to your wife that you are indeed trying to be a productive member of society.
6. Old crap in a new house looks exactly like old crap in a new house. Problem is the money is long gone and it will very likely be a long time before paycheck - house payment = anything more than zero.
7. That's enough for now.

The strangest part about the whole thing is that I really mis my old house. We lived there for seven years. It was kinda starting to feel like one of the family.

Thankful for...

From Blog

From Blog

I like turkey. In fact, I wish that it didn't find itself pigeonholed into this one little holiday. I think we should get together as families and cook a big freakin bird at least once a month. Turkey's yummy.

I don't, however, need to eat turkey to remind me of what I'm thankful for. Mirabel and Amber top my list, even when I'm grumpy with them, and I haven't forgotten it yet. I don't plan on forgetting anytime soon. I do, however, plan on adding one more thing to that short list in early March.

That's it for now. Amber's watching Iron Man and right now I'm especially thankful that there's room on the couch for me to sneak in next to her and pretend to watch it as well.

By the way, you guys without kids, your life sucks. Sorry, but it's true.

New Post! (for Brooke)

From SilverStreet Photo

I suck at this blogging game. Well, it's not so much that I suck, more so it's that I became disenchanted and chose to suck. Blogging for me had become a sales pitch. I'm not big on sales pitches so I quit. I quit posting to my blog. I quit reading the blogs of other photographers. I even quit making my students create their own blogs.

I'm over that now. I've been reading many blogs lately. No photography blogs, just the blogs of friends and family. Mainly Mirablog on which my lovely wife posts things that I already know about my lovely daughter, but I love reading them over and over again, and confessions of a rookie, a blog where an old friend from college rambles on about girl stuff that I probably shouldn't find interesting, but I do. It's mostly because of the rookie's blog that I'm typing this. She's very inspiring in her own way. Thanks Rookie.

I've decided that I have a couple of things to say again. Things that probably aren't important to anyone but me, but the act of typing them seems like a good thing right now. I'll still (well, I'll start to post again) photos, but I think I'll give someone out there (possibly just me) a little insight into what it's like to be me.

So...until I think of something good to say...?

WILD HOGS... Vegas Chapter

I would like to apologize for those Brides and Grooms who had to deal with me last week while Nic and his friends went gallivanting across Utah, Arizonia, and Nevada.

After 4 days and 1223 miles, our local version of Wild Hogs finally returned home safely but not before visiting St. George, Mesquite, Las Vegas, Hoover Dam, Bryce Canyon, Zions National Park, and In and Out burger.

Nic is the 'cool' one on the right on the bullet bike while his two friends are sporting Harley Davidsons.

The open road

Hoover Dam

Bryce Canyon

At least I know they took a bath.

Aren't all you Bride and Grooms thankful for combs and the fact that Nic spruces up a bit before shooting your wedding. YIKES he can be scarey in the morning.

It took Nic a few days for his butt and legs to stop hurting from this adventure. And I think I heard him say he wont be riding his bike for a little while.

***Also our lovely daughter feed Nic's phone a blue popsicle so it is currently out of commission right now. If you need to talk to him please call my cell at 801-388-4277 or email him at silvernic@gmail.com.***

Big Little Helper

Mirabel is a big but little helper. We have invested in her own Disney (fake) camera so she can take pictures like Daddy. She will walk around with it and say 'Cheese'. Once she even helped in the studio and climbed up on a stool behind Nic who was taking pictures and started to take her own and told Julie and Andy to say cheese.

She was even invited to a wedding luncheon. That is where this picture comes from. She has big shoes to fill but she definitely is following in Nic's foot steps.

Carousel

With a carnival themed wedding, how appropriate that their engagement session was done at a carousel in Salt Lake.




For their invitations Nic designed them to look like canival tickets. They turned out really cute.

Bryan and Hollee

There is something about a bride getting ready, making that transformation, that appeals to
Nic. He usually gets some of his favortie pictures that way. (Just a side note: I am pretty sure the photographer at my wedding would never have thought of that let alone come early to document it)

If you remember Hollee and Bryan are our junk yard Bride and Groom. Nothing about their wedding was normal. While waiting for them to come out of the temple Nic called and said it was raining and was worried about the weather. (Not that it can be controled but still) Later he said it stopped right before she came out and if anyone could pull that off it would be Hollee.

Her younger brother and sister hanging out waiting for the happy couple.

I love this shot. After it stopped raining the sky was perfect, all but fake looking.

Hollee and Bryan

Just one more amazing shot of Hollee and Bryan. I love the lighting.

Sneak peek for what's to come

As a general rule of thumb Nic doesn't like to post bridals in case a groom comes across them before the big day. When he came back from his shoot with Tracy he just kept saying that it was so awesome and he got a lot of shots that he was really excited about. So now that the wedding is over I can post one from your Bridal session.

Watch for more

Under New Management!

I have officially taken over Nic's blog for the summer. He has been crazy busy with weddings, bridals, engagements, seniors, going to dinners, and family shoots. Not to mention finishing two bedrooms, getting our house ready to sell, building a new one, and watching our lovely all-but-two year old daughter. It might not be the same high quality blog that Nic delivers but I will try my best to keep up on his fabulous pictures that he is taking. Plus it will give me the opportunity to brag about Nic's skills. Keep checking back because the this is just the beginning.
Nic's wife
Amber

Hillary and Brian: Love in Black and White

The Salt Lake City Temple is crazy on Saturdays in June. I think that they said there was something like 65 weddings there last Saturday. It's easy to get lost in all of the hoopla there, so I thought I'd keep things simple here and post only some of my black and whites from the day. I love black and whites!!! Hillary and Brian, you colorful people rock! Even in black and white!


All sorts of "Next Top Model" attitude here:





Fierce Baby, Fierce!






I just had to post this shot of Brian's grandpa. Something about this guy was catching my attention all night long. Some serious wisdom hiding behind those piercing eyes.

Happy Birthday to Me!

It's official. I'm now in my late 20's :(
I'd like to take a minute to thank all the people who helped me to get here (well, I guess that's just Mom and Dad, but also thanks to everyone else for not killing me). And, of course, I'd like to give my thanks to the academy. Peace out.

And for my birthday, one of my favorite shots of all time:

Lane

What can I say ladies? He's sexy and he's an official high school graduate. You better get some of that while the gettin's good! (Hope that helps, Lane.)