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!

American Fork Canyon

We went down to American Fork Canyon over the past weekend with some good friends of ours, the Olsons. I hoped the colors would still be pretty and there was a little waterfall i had seen while dirt biking with Joe and Dacia that i wanted to explore. Plus, Jen wanted some fall family pictures. When Sara and Aaron arrived at our place i decided it would be a good idea to put together a quick BBQ lunch. So we brought our little portable grill and some burgers. Too bad we forgot the matches! But after driving around for a few minutes at the canyon we found a kind soul who was willing to part with some matches and a part of his striker cut from the box. i wasn't disappointed either; the colors were still rather spectacular and the waterfall was pretty neat too.

Which Bond...

And just in case you wanted to know which Bond you are (as opposed to Bond villains)...
Your results:
You are Daniel Craig

Daniel Craig 62% Timothy Dalton 45% Roger Moore 44% George Lazenby 40% Pierce Brosnan 32% Sean Connery 24%

The sixth actor to play Bond in the movies promises to be a more realistic, down to earth and not so perfect James Bond, while still being a sexy womanizer.

Click here to take the James Bond Personality Test

The COOL Personality Quiz

What is up with all the lame, girly "personality" quizes. Here's the real deal:

Your Score: Scaramanga

You scored 25 Size, 40 Evilness, 76 Charm!

Every hit cost 1 million dollars. You only use a custom weapon made of solid gold, and the bullet is 24 carrot as well. You are a legendary marksman and feared by all, you are Francsico Scaramanga. No one has seen your face, but they can tell its you by the third nipple. You don't need to worry about bills because the Chinese government gave you your own island with a solar gun to ward of intruders, in exchange for a random favor of course. Scaramanga is extremely charming but has been corrupted by is talents of killing. You are this way to, only you don't kill, you manipulate. Scaramanga can be found in The Man With The Golden Gun.

Link: The James Bond Personality Test written by squee8174 on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Take the test here: James Bond Personality Test

Big Al's ABCs

Normally i wouldn't start a tag like this. I'd wait for someone else to do one, and then patiently wait to get tagged so i didn't appear too girly. Ya know, "alright fine, i'll do this stupid tag, but only because i have to..."
Actually, i'm just kidding, cause, uh, one of my other blog friends tagged me, so, you know, i really didn't have a choice...
But i decided this was a great opportunity to not tag Emily.

• A - Attached or Single: Most assuredly attached, my wife, Jennifer, and children will attest to that.
• B - Best Friend: aren't we a little old for that? This just singles one person out so your other friends can be sad it's not them. i like to think all my friends are best friends. Yeah, i know, that's a bunch of bull, but i'm not talking. Besides my bff is Jen!
• C - Cake or Pie: Oh, that's a tough one. It depends, if there's vanilla ice cream involved, definitely pie.
• D - Drink of Choice: No question: Izze. Harmons doesn't carry it anymore, but i think Albertsons does. I love those things. All natural juice with sparkling water added. You should definitely try it, they remind me of Germany.
• E - Essential Item: Oi, i don't know. My computer, my camera, but the one thing i rarely leave home without, as sad as it is, is my phone. Granted, i don't think life would be very fun for me without my mountain bike.
• F - Favorite Color: Forest Green, but i like just about any color found in the forest.
• G - Gummi Bears or Worms: i love those sweet and sour worms sprinkled with sugar. I mean... no, i don't, i hate candy.
• H - Hometown: Army Brat, i never know how to answer this question. I was born in Logan, Utah.
• I – Indulgence(s): Ice cream and long hot showers.
• J - January or July: Even though July is too hot, i prefer the summer months to the winter. It's much harder to mountain bike in the winter. Not that it made a difference this summer.
• K - Kids: Two, and i think i'd like to keep it that way. But if Jen has anything to do with it (and unfortunately she does), it'll be at least three.
• L - Life is incomplete without: nature: mountains, streams, alpine lakes, slot canyons, forests. Life is incomplete without the beauty and wonder found in nature. And even though it's always there, your life is incomplete unless yo ufind yourself there frequently.
• M - Marriage Date: Can i remember... sometime in the winter of 2000, i was going to say January, but that's Anya's b-day. Yeah, i had to look it up, it's Feb. 26 - doh!
• N - Number of Siblings: 3 younger sisters and 1 additional very young sister, plus a bunch of great in-laws!
• O - Oranges or Apples: Apples, i like oranges too, but don't like peeling them.
• P - Phobias/Fears: death; something bad happening to me or a member of my family.
• Q - Favorite Quote: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
• R - Reason to smile: life, health, safety, prosperity, family, beauty
• S - Season: Fall or Spring, but in Utah they're both too short and wet. Spring is typically nice weather, but it's either raining or there's still snow or mud in the mountains which prohibits much biking, so Fall. PLus fall colors are so beautiful.
• T- Tag Three: I tag Jen, Dacia, and Alysia (seeing as how the Bug hasn't blogged in over a month!) Basically, i tag anyone that isn't Emily (he he)!
• U - Unknown Fact About Me: I don't like being dirty, even one grain of sand on my bed will drive my crazy. Dirty floors drive me crazy too. I have having crap stuck to my socks, which is why you'll rarely see my without my shoes on, even in the house.
• V - Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animals: i wish i could be vegetarian, it seemed i was much healthier back then.
• W - Worst Habit: biting fingernails.
• X - X-rays or Ultrasounds: i don't know what this means. Yes, i know what an x-ray and an ultrasound are, but i don't know what this question is asking. It's probably for girls or something. So does that mean i shouldn't even be doing this?
• Y - Your Favorite Foods: Mexican, lasagna, roladen (sp?) - it's a wonderful German dish that only a truely wonderful wife will prepare for you (it takes a while to make it).
• Z- Zodiac: Cancer