Christmas Tag

1. Favorite tradition: Without a doubt, my favorite Christmas-time tradition is setting our shoes out for St. Nicholaus. But i also enjoyed caroling back in the day when we had all the parts covered. I really like singing Christmas songs.

2. Least favorite tradition: I'd have to say that my least favorite tradition is ragging on Santa Claus. But granted, that's not my tradition, it's other peoples'. As much as i like caroling, sometimes i don't feel like going, so then it's also my least favorite tradition.

3. Favorite holiday treat: i don't know... i typically enjoy Christmas cookies, but only if they're soft. I always enjoy turkey, of course. But i'd have to say my favorite is probably hot chocolate, or eggnog... Oh, or this really good Apple Cider that we get through the Co-op, but hopefully that won't be limited to just the holidays.

4. Favorite holiday meal: i don't remember this being a tradition, except for turkey. i enjoy a mini-Thanksgiving meal for Christmas.

5. Favorite decoration: When it can be kept safe from little mischievous hands, i love setting up my "Christmas" train. Granted, it's not very Christmasy, but that's my favorite thing to put out. That and stockings.

6. Most memorable Christmas: i don't know. None of them really stick out for me.

7. Most missed tradition: i remember back when i was a kid Santa would always have extra presents for us that he forgotten that he would leave on the night of the 25th. i think he only did it a couple of times, and then maybe he realized it wasn't a very good idea. But that was always a lot of fun.

New Work Area

Oi. That's all i can say. When i have the opportunity i like to browse family and friend's blogs and am always mildly (very mildly) annoyed to see that people haven't updated their blogs for quite some time. But then i just realized i haven't posted anything in over a month. Like i said, oi! You may have ready from my wife's blog that we recently moved our office downstairs to the "master suite". We just added a walk-in closet to the bedroom and recarpeted the basement. Go figure, we had just barely reconnected everything and gotten the office all set up when the water heater quite literally blew up all over the place. Of course it ruined our brand new carpet (or at least the carpet pad) and made me quite frustrated. I can't remember the last time i was so just plain angry and frustrated. I shan't say more, because it'll just get me riled up and you probably don't want to hear it anyway. Anyway, Jen felt bad for me so she got me a new desk. I love it! Of course, i love my wife more, but i still like the desk a lot too.

American Fork Part Two

Naturally, i wouldn't be myself if i hadn't taken these pictures quite a while ago and then taken forever to touch them up and post them.

In my defence though, i've been busy working on our closet and my sister just got her proofs back from her photographer after over TWO months. I don't think it's been that long quite yet.

If you can't tell, i LOVE waterfalls. I love water in general, it's so fun to photograph. Got a stupid waterspot on my lens on one of these shots though. Took forever to get it off, hopefully you can't tell which photo and where the spot was. Granted, now you'll analyze every pic and find all sorts of stuff wrong with them.

Dacia and Joe showed up for a little while, but had to leave fairly quickly for Joe's family pictures (which, of course, he did NOT ask me to take - something to do with me wrecking his dirt bikes all the time).

Okay, before you get started, no, i do not like Dad, and Karen more than everyone else. It's just that little kids tend to be a pain to photograph, especially with longer exposures like these (to blur the water fall). So i posted a bunch so they could just pick which picture of Rachel they liked best.

Alysia and Topher also showed up (like two hours late!). They, of course, wanted a ton of pictures. I say "they", but really it was Alysia. But that's okay, i lover her and at least she knows what she wants. Alysia, don't worry, there are more pictures of you.

Alysia really wanted this pregnancy picture. Or at least i think she did. Can you tell she's preggers? Yeah, me neither.

Of course Jen didn't like any of these. She never likes the family pics i take. I believe it's a conspiracy so she can go to a "professional" studio. I think it has something to do with the fact that i always say i'll take Aaron or Anya's x month portraits and then never get around to it, but still never let her go to a studio. Doh! i like them! i think i have a super cute family (except me, of course).

This is one of Karen's friends. She probably thought i forget or that i was a slacker. Well, i guess she was right on at least one count.

My son, the future dentist.
Also, don't forget that none of these pictures are suitable for printing. These are internet quality pictures, if you try to print them they will look awful, and it won't be my fault. It will be yours because you never visit me so i can actually give you print quality pictures and because you didn't listen (cause you tried to print them, remember).
Oh, and keep reading, the post below is new too!

Who Da Slacka?!

That's right, it's still me. I should've posted these a long time ago, it's not like they haven't been on the web this whole time. Anyway, i'm too lazy to figure out where in the world i put these stupid photos so i can link back to them here. And even if i did know (which i might), i'd still be too lazy too repost all of them, so why not head over to my site (alanjphoto.com) and look at Brenda's Quinceanera Portraits?
(BTW, i've had a change of heart, and i've decided to post just a few of my favorites - which i suppose is the point of this site anyway, but you should still check out my other site!)

For those of you that don't know, a Quinceanera is pretty close in importance to a wedding in the Latino community, at least as far as i can tell. This thing was all out! Brenda is Misty's sister-in-law, and Misty was kind enough to refer me (again; she also referred Wendy).

If you've looked though my photos before you already know i like to shoot out at the Great Salt Lake. There's a dilapidated building there that i've always wanted to shoot at, but haven't had any willing brides yet. i figured Brenda was young enough that she'd appreciate the grunge style. And plus she didn't really speak English, so it wasn't like she was going to say no. Granted, i speak enough spanish that i probably would have understood no.

So take a gander at my site and tell me what you think of Brenda's Portraits. Hopefully one day, i'll get around to touching up the rest of those photos and posting some favorites here. I guess i should post the pics from her ceremony and party too, eh? Back to work then i guess.


Somehow the first few pictures that i took, i didn't notice that i had somehow gotten a huge piece of something on my sensor. I had taken 10 shots or so, and was reviewing them a little more closely and noticed something in the middle of the picture. Sure enough, i pulled the lens off and actually saw something fall out of the camera. i keep hoping it wasn't something i needed. But either way, it was a pain getting the thing off of the pictures i had already taken.

There are supposed to be a few cool places in Salt Lake with graffiti, but i haven't found them yet.

We shot first in the building, and then when we were wrapping up, i wanted to get some wind shots in the doorway, but of course, there was no wind. So we moved over to the train car, and then wind picks up and totally messes up her hair. Go figure.

Thanks, of course, are due to Misty who keeps referring all these great people my way. Thanks Misty!

Alright, time to really get back to work on these other photos. Especially since i need to post some other pics from American Fork still too!