What I Saw Today

MonaVie's Back Yard

Last week I finally did something I have been meaning to do for months.  From my office, I have a view of the Jordan River, which is quite beautiful all year.  Frequented by deer (not on the day I finally grabbed my camera and went for a walk), geese, ducks and other wildlife, I finally got some shots that I share here.

Sugar Bowl Photo

The following are some favorite photos from my recent trip to New Orleans to see Utah beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.

The most remarkable thing about the following photo is that I was there to take it.  History was made and I got this photo.

The following photo was taken in a neighborhood in the "lower ninth ward."  The only evidence of the home that was destroyed by Katrina was the stoop left behind--a not infrequent sight today.

We also took a tour of a swamp.  Too cold for alligators, but it was interesting.

We also enjoyed roaming the French Quarter, which deserves its ribald reputation.

Blackberry Report from Japan

I returned yesterday from Japan.  I spent four days there on business.  The only camera I took was my Blackberry phone camera.  It isn't much, but I have a hard time not taking photos.  

In Tokyo, I stayed in a beautiful hotel with a fantastic traditional Japanese garden.  I wandered there a bit and took some photos.

The remarkable thing about the photos is that they don't completely stink.  I so wish I had taken a real camera, but it was great to at least have some way of recording what I saw.

A Walk Through Salt Lake City

This evening, Gail and I took what may be my favorite walk.  We leave our downtown condo and walk up Main Street through the Main Street Plaza at Temple Square and then head up to Memory Grove and City Creek Canyon.  In just about 1.5 miles, we walk through the center of downtown, pass through the sanctuary of Temple Square and then find ourselves in a beautiful little canyon with virtually no evidence of civilization.

Bryce Canyon and the St. George Temple

Over the weekend, Gail and I visited our condo in St. George and made a couple of sightseeing visits.

First, we stopped by the St. George LDS Temple to take some evening photos.



The next day we visited Bryce Canyon National Park:

Lightning over Salt Lake

Last night as I watched  a storm roll across the Salt Lake Valley I grabbed my camera and ran up to the roof to shoot a photograph.  This is what I came back with:

Cedar Breaks National Monument

Last weekend I visited Cedar Breaks National Monument with my wife, Gail. 

It was wonderful to discover that the visitor's center is located above 10,000 feet of elevation, meaning that it was 40 degrees cooler than at our condo in St. George (where it was 109 degrees).

Take a look at these photos.

Alaskan Cruise

I've posted hundreds of photos from my trip to Alaska on my family blog.  You can also see them all on my Picassa page.

We saw some amazing things.  In Skagway, Alaska we took a train ride to Canada that we really enjoyed.

The next day, we visited the Endicott Arm Fjord and saw the Devil's Glacier.

Finally, in Prince Rupert, British Columbia we went whale watching.

While watching the whales, we ran across this bald eagle.

San Diego

On Wednesday evening this week, I arrived in San Diego to attend a the Bio Conference.  It was great as conferences go.

On Friday afternoon, my wife Gail joined me for the weekend. 

As usual, I took a lot of photos that were unremarkable.  This was my first trip with my new Canon Rebel. I clearly need some better lenses (and maybe some talent, a class or two, some practice, etc.).

We saw the America's Cup winner Stars and Stripes, several air craft carriers, sea lions, pelicans and a lots of palm trees.  We visited the Cabrillo National Monument where I took the photos above and below.  From a photographic standpoint, that turned out to be the highlight of the trip.

Snow Canyon State Park

Snow Canyon State Park is smaller than Zion National Park or Grand Canyon, much smaller, but no less beautiful.  I love this park because it is so close to St. George and admission is only $5 per car.  The park is full of trails for walking and hiking and spectacular scenery.




Above is a music video I built with Animoto and below is a simple slide show of the photos from the visit.