Michael Ririe is a fellow student of mine at UVU. I first met him when I went to Italy a couple summers ago. While we were the only two photo students in Italy, he was definitely farther ahead of me (and even helped me pick out a new tripod when the cheap one I brought died!) Mike is an immensely talented photographer, and I've enjoyed having classes with him since study abroad.
This past summer, he also exhibited a show both in Provo and Orem, images entirely focused around an organization that helps provide intensive physical therapy to children. The organization is known as "Now I Can", and their goal is to get children to a level of independence they wouldn't have otherwise.
After watching my brother-in-law work through this kind of therapy after an accident that left him paralyzed, I can't even imagine that being the only life a child knows. Seeing the images was heart-wrenching and inspiring. Mike managed a beautiful balance of the best and the worst of this experience for the kids--the moments where you can see they'd rather stop, and those where the success has been achieved. The entire purpose of these exhibits was to raise local awareness about Now I Can in hopes of getting them more support.
Now Mike is trying to raise the money to create a photographic book of these images. All proceeds will go directly to Now I Can as well as some of these books going to places where the organization can raise funds to help more children. I encourage all my friends to check out the photo essay on Mike's website as well as go to this link to donate to get this book going. I can't think of a more worthy cause for you to donate to this holiday season!
Friday, November 25, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Giveaway you should check out!
My friend Chessie is having a giveaway on her blog HERE. It's a $25 dollar gift card for Trendy X-change.
For more information check it out!!!
For more information check it out!!!
Monday, November 14, 2011
Childhood Games
Do you remember those little rhymes and songs you used to play as a kid? How about this one:
"Hi... my name is Joe... and I work in a button factory..."
Well, I'm here to testify that you never know when such vital lessons will come in handy for you. Yes, I said that Joe (who works in the button factory) is both vital and handy for you, personally.
Tonight I was trying to get a shot of dancers moving. While my tripod and remote shutter release helped time this, I decided I needed another light... which meant I needed to hold another thing-a-ma-jig called a "flag" to make the image how I wanted it, and I still needed to hit the little button that would set the flash off.
This left me holding up a big black "flag" with both hands, pressing the release with my thumb and balancing on might right foot as the big toe on my left foot pressed the red button that made the lights go pop.
So I can say, my dear friend Joe, that I know how you feel... but some seriously awesome things come when you know how to push all those buttons :)
A BIG thank you to Melanie, Jaclyn, and Hannah for making this picture possible!
"Hi... my name is Joe... and I work in a button factory..."
Well, I'm here to testify that you never know when such vital lessons will come in handy for you. Yes, I said that Joe (who works in the button factory) is both vital and handy for you, personally.
Tonight I was trying to get a shot of dancers moving. While my tripod and remote shutter release helped time this, I decided I needed another light... which meant I needed to hold another thing-a-ma-jig called a "flag" to make the image how I wanted it, and I still needed to hit the little button that would set the flash off.
This left me holding up a big black "flag" with both hands, pressing the release with my thumb and balancing on might right foot as the big toe on my left foot pressed the red button that made the lights go pop.
So I can say, my dear friend Joe, that I know how you feel... but some seriously awesome things come when you know how to push all those buttons :)
A BIG thank you to Melanie, Jaclyn, and Hannah for making this picture possible!
Friday, November 11, 2011
The Older I become...
... the more I know there are certain things I couldn't just "join up" on if I were to get married.
For example... if I married someone who enjoyed snowboarding... you would not see me getting all geared up to hit the slopes. Nope. I would, however, go along in a cute sweater and with a good book, waiting like a good little snow bunny at the lodge with a large mug of cocoa.
Or if I married a sports fanatic... don't expect me to be sitting in the stands with my face painted and getting to know the names of the players, their stats, the names of their families and dogs and exercise routines... But I will make sure there's finger food ready when a game is about to come on as long as he knows I'm going to spend the duration of the time at a bookstore or holed up in a crafts room.
And if I were to spend the rest of my life with someone who loved video games, you won't see me grabbing a controller and leveling up. I'd kiss him on the cheek and head off to enjoy some chick flick and dinner with my friends.
See? I'm great at compromise.
For example... if I married someone who enjoyed snowboarding... you would not see me getting all geared up to hit the slopes. Nope. I would, however, go along in a cute sweater and with a good book, waiting like a good little snow bunny at the lodge with a large mug of cocoa.
Or if I married a sports fanatic... don't expect me to be sitting in the stands with my face painted and getting to know the names of the players, their stats, the names of their families and dogs and exercise routines... But I will make sure there's finger food ready when a game is about to come on as long as he knows I'm going to spend the duration of the time at a bookstore or holed up in a crafts room.
And if I were to spend the rest of my life with someone who loved video games, you won't see me grabbing a controller and leveling up. I'd kiss him on the cheek and head off to enjoy some chick flick and dinner with my friends.
See? I'm great at compromise.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Midnight Self Portraits
There's really nothing worse than carting around photo equipment, making four trips from my car to the dance studio, only to have no one show up and have it all have been for naught. As much as I need the exercise, I could have gotten that in half the time and with an even smaller fraction of irritation.
I got home and got to thinking that I needed to do SOMETHING with said equipment. If for no other reason than to make me feel better about having checked them out. So I did something radical... for me at least. Self portraits!
Yes, yes, I know I don't make for the best subject, but I've been trying to step outside of my box lately. And, hey, I didn't mind how these turned out. Which says something.
I only wish someone had been here to take pictures of my roommates' faces when they saw me rearranging furniture and setting up lights at 11:30 at night. Good thing I don't have class until 2:30 tomorrow!
I got home and got to thinking that I needed to do SOMETHING with said equipment. If for no other reason than to make me feel better about having checked them out. So I did something radical... for me at least. Self portraits!
Yes, yes, I know I don't make for the best subject, but I've been trying to step outside of my box lately. And, hey, I didn't mind how these turned out. Which says something.
I only wish someone had been here to take pictures of my roommates' faces when they saw me rearranging furniture and setting up lights at 11:30 at night. Good thing I don't have class until 2:30 tomorrow!
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