Amanda Anderson Photography

The McPolin Farm

2009-05-21T09:53:00.000-07:00

I drove up to Park City this morning, stopping at The McPolin Farm. I have always wanted to stop here and shoot but never have had my camera with me when I've been able to. The last time I was in Park City there was still snow, but now it is so green and beautiful. I walked the trail that leads to the farm, then hiked up the hills behind it. Small streams run through the surrounding hills, and I stepped in a lot of muddy, soggy grass to get the shot of the horse!

Shrine

2009-05-12T07:27:00.000-07:00

These candles are a shrine to the Virgin Mary tree downtown. Eleven or twelve years ago someone discovered what they believed to be the face of the Virgin Mary actually shedding tears. When I was a kid my family went and waited in line to see it. At the time it did resemble the Virgin Mary, and appeared to have some water coming out of it. I am pretty skeptical of these things normally, and because it wouldn't be all that astonishing to have a watery substance seeping from a tree, I can't say that I believe it. However, I am always intrigued by other cultures and beliefs, and I can say that they must have dedication because this shrine has been there ever since.

Portfolio of Daiquirri

2009-05-06T19:35:00.000-07:00

Day at the Park

2009-05-04T17:20:00.000-07:00

Today I saw my friend Courtney and her two kids, Jessamee and Lincoln. Courtney and I have been friends for over 10 years, so it is really neat to see her with kids. She is a great mom and her kids are beautiful and very well behaved.

Jessamee is so chunky, I love it!

Daiquirri

2009-05-01T18:43:00.000-07:00

Today I photographed Daiquirri. It was a nice day, with an overcast sky that as we left finally dropped some rain. But we had a couple of hours of nice shooting...that is before we both got eaten by bugs. Where we were, next to the Great Salt Lake, there are a lot of mosquitos and other things that like to nibble on skin, but I had forgotten the number one rule of How Not To Attract Mosquito: Don't Wear Purfumed Lotion!

If you could have seen us running back to my car at the end of the shoot, Daiquirri in her dress and heels and me with my gear and backpack swatting at ourselves, I'm sure it would have been hilarious.

By the way, Daiquirri should be a model because she was a natural at her poses and was game for anything....like climbing into the old rotting trolley car and changing clothes in my car next to the freeway.

Marmalade Hill

2009-04-27T06:44:00.001-07:00

This is my newly discovered favorite area of Salt Lake City, Marmalade Hill. The homes are older, like those in the Avenues, but with more character and just totally beautiful.

It actually is just Northeast of my house, but an area I hadn't really explored until just recently.

"Obey" on the streets of Boston

2009-04-20T05:37:00.000-07:00

When I was in Boston in February of this year, I kept noticing a face of what looked like a comic book character on the side of buildings, stickered on stop signs, and in just the most random places. And then, as I was walking near the pier, I picked up a small weekly publication, that had the face on the front page that described the history behind the face, and I found it very interesting.

Created by artist Shepard Fairey, the face is Andre the Giant.

The time element of his "Obey Campaign" plastered across the city, coincided with his gallery showing of his work at the Institute of Contemporary Art. His arrest took place at the premier of the showing, where he was arrested for outstanding warrants for Graffiti.

One can argue whether graffiti is art (however I would have to strongly say yes), especially after having viewed his gallery at the ICA.

Jordan Anderson

2009-04-12T19:23:00.001-07:00

Right before they locked the gate and said I had to leave

2009-04-12T19:06:00.000-07:00

Hillside

2009-04-11T09:50:00.000-07:00

Tamron AF70-300 mm lens

2009-04-11T09:40:00.000-07:00

I hiked up the side of Ensign Peak Park to get this angle of the state capital. The road in front of it is State Street. I used my new tele lens, which was at 300 mm for this shot.

Mother Nature is two-faced

2009-04-11T09:33:00.001-07:00

Both of these were shot today, it appears Spring time only exists in my backyard.

Shadows

2009-04-08T22:32:00.000-07:00

Desert Gem

2009-04-08T22:22:00.000-07:00

Supposedly this artwork changes all the time. I don't know who does it, or why this building has never been torn down, but i'm glad it's there.

10:20 pm

2009-04-08T22:17:00.001-07:00

I just shot this out of my window. It's dark, so I had the shutter at 3 seconds. The scene is nothing beautiful, but I was pleased to use the non-flash setting on my camera, in the dark, for the first time.

Abandoned

2009-04-06T18:26:00.000-07:00

I have driven past this site several times. It is located off of a side road next to the freeway, heading West on Interstate 80. I have always wanted to stop and explore it, but it seemed a bit scary. Like maybe drug dealers hang out there. Or the person who wrote "Cunt" on the trolley...

I ran into a rather nice couple who gave me some good advice when I climbed into the trolley: Stay on the metal beams. I saw what they meant..there were several holes in the wood on the floor when people learned that advice the hard way.

La Caille

2009-03-24T16:32:00.000-07:00

Leaf

2009-03-19T10:43:00.000-07:00

The architecture of the Salt Lake City Public Library is one-of-a-kind. This was at the top of a circular staircase as I made my way up the the roof today.

Going Down

2009-03-19T10:28:00.000-07:00

Foothill Drive

2009-03-14T09:01:00.000-07:00

Emmigration Canyon

2009-03-14T08:54:00.000-07:00

Gaussian Blur

2009-03-02T10:24:00.000-08:00

Lately I have been tackling another side of Photography: editing. I really have known nothing about Photoshop, except for the random bits I have picked up when clicking around in it. It has been really fun learning the tools. I feel like I have so much power! My favorite blogger, Dooce, uses the Gaussian Blur Filter in a lot of her photographs. Here it is in a photo I took:

Rachelle, before:

Rachelle, after:

Sun Setting on Q Street

2009-02-25T14:52:00.000-08:00

I really enjoy walking around the Avenues. It is an older side of the city, just east of downtown. The houses have so much character, and when I discovered this Cafe nestled in a neighborhood, I couldn't resist shooting it.

I really have a thing for framing shots with tree branches, and as I hav been looking back through my Film contact sheets, I realize I did the same back then. I think it adds nice texture.

Memory Grove

2009-02-23T14:53:00.001-08:00

Luke

2009-02-23T14:44:00.000-08:00

Boston

2009-02-11T19:32:00.000-08:00

I think it is a pretty known fact that New England is unbelievably cold in the Winter time, but one doesn't understand how true this is until you experience the temperatures bordering on freezing, mixed with a cutting wind.

I must say, it did add to the experience. Although two days in Boston doesn't allow for a very objective opinion of the city, I was glad to find the "T" (the subway system) to be easy to navigate, and people to be quite friendly and glad to help a map illiterate girl from Salt Lake City.

Photographing the city was challenging, however. The first day the sun was so direct, and the air so cold that my fingers felt stiff. The second day a lovely overcast helped diffuse the light, and that is when I felt like I got a few nice images. I must say, it was a good experience to have the challenge of shooting not-so-isolated subjects.

Elena & Richard

2009-02-02T06:50:00.000-08:00

Elena & Richard had me shoot their engagement photos when I was studying film photography in Arizona. I was so nervous, as I couldn't see how well (or not well) I did until after the rolls were processed.

Overall the shoot turned out well, and I gained a new appreciation for the beauty of desert landscape.

Outside of the City of Salt...

2009-02-02T06:44:00.000-08:00

This is the Great Salt Air, where I went to my first concert, located between Salt Lake City and The Middle Of Nowhere.

Learning

2009-02-02T06:23:00.000-08:00

This is Dad in his office at his home, surrounded by his books. My dad has always encouraged learning, which is something that I have always carried with me no matter what life has thrown my way. I remember being a young child, opening another book to read, feeling excited about the adventure that was in front of me.

I have been thinking so much lately about what empowers me. With stresses and decisions to be made day after day, how do we as human beings, and also ourselves in our own unique situations, remain hopeful and optimistic about the future when sometimes it all seems like so much? What empowers me is strengthening my knowledge, to feel educated maybe by just reading a book on my own, or pursuing an interest academically that I feel passionate about. Armed with this, I feel resilient.

Wondering if it Cuddles...

2009-02-02T06:15:00.000-08:00

San Francisco

2009-01-26T10:11:00.001-08:00

Antelope Island

2009-01-26T10:02:00.001-08:00

Can almost touch it

2009-01-21T10:50:00.000-08:00

This is one of the first photos I took with my Canon Rebel XSi, and I was so pleased. When I loaded it to my computer I felt like I could literally reach into the computer screen and touch that single flower in focus.

Before the Snow Fell

2009-01-20T09:36:00.000-08:00

Rachelle

2009-01-17T08:21:00.000-08:00

Reflections of Paradise

2009-01-12T17:49:00.000-08:00

Last Summer I had the opportunity to travel to Fiji with my boyfriend Jason, as well as New Zealand. It was the most amazing trip I have ever taken.

Papa

2009-01-09T17:32:00.000-08:00

It's hard to say for sure how I will feel about life when I am 81 years old, but I do hope that I can reflect back on a life of accomplishment, adventure, family, and friends. I do now appreciate my time with Papa more than ever.