• Welcome to my blog!

    I love photography! Pretty cliché I know. There is just so much to learn and explore. So many things to try. But the main reason I love photography is this "Photography is about savoring life at 1/100th of a second." - Marc Riboud

    I am a portrait and wedding photographer based in Cedar City Utah. I also love landscape photography, but every great landscape I encounter, I can't help but think how much better the shot would be if I stuck a person in it.

Andi – Cedar City Senior Photography

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010 by Parker Grimes Cedar City Photographer
Featured, Seniors | No Comments

Had fun taking Andi’s pictures. Andi is graduating from Canyon View High School in Cedar City. She actually finished up a bit early.

My goal was to take a familiar location and make it not-so-familiar. In other words, I didn’t want the location to be immediately obvious, although I’m sure it isn’t too hard to figure out. I think as photographers we need to be able to re-use locations and make them look fresh each time. At least that is how I feel and what I try to do. In reality, it is a good skill to have. Sometimes we don’t have a choice where the location is. We may be given a really crappy location, yet still expected to perform (make good looking pictures). Sometimes all you need is 3 feet of background. Think of it in those terms and new locations will start appearing everywhere.

I am not a real big photo tilting fan. I don’t tilt the camera just to look creative. I tilt when it is necessary for the composition to work. For example, if by tilting the camera I can eliminate something in the frame that takes away from the composition, then by dang I’ll tilt the camera. But no tilting just cuz. In this first shot, by tilting I was able to eliminate the edge of a building and still keep Andi’s elbow in the frame. I think it works.

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Parowan Gap

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010 by Parker Grimes Cedar City Photographer
Featured, Landscape Adventures, Parowan Gap | 5 Comments

Can hardly stand to stay indoors anymore. Saturday I loaded the boys into the truck and headed out. I specifically headed to Parowan Gap to try some different techniques for photographing rock art. I’m convinced there is a better way to photograph rock art than I have been doing for the past 8 years. I just haven’t found it yet.

The sky was mostly cloudy with patches of sunlight peaking through the clouds. As we were driving away, I looked in the rear-view mirror and saw this. I pulled over immediately and grabbed the shot. I love it. My favorite shot from the outing.

So every time I go here, I am secretly location scouting for portraits. Although it isn’t very far from Cedar City, a photoshoot out there involving other people will be longer than my typical 1.5 – 2 hour photo session. I will need to find the right subject(s) to take out there. To be perfectly honest, this is the type of stuff I long to shoot. People in settings like this.

So back to the purpose I originally went out there for, rock art. I tried various things. I took a bunch of bracketed shots to see what rock art would look like in HDR. My results failed miserably. Turns out the purpose of HDR is to blend a wide range of exposures. I knew that, but it wasn’t until I tried turning a fairly tight shot of rock art to HDR that I realized it was just the wrong application for HDR. There just isn’t a wide enough range of tones to make it work. Now, if I were shooting much wider and including more sky with the rocks, then HDR might be the trick. Anyway, I scrapped the HDR idea.

Instead I shot some wide angle like this.

Zoomed in on just the rock art itself.

And zoomed in really tight on specific details.

Not sure which I like best. I guess they each have their place. I’m not sure what I’m after really. Ultimately, I want to have a really nice collection of rock art images and hang them on my wall. Which would you rather see hanging on a wall?

5 Comments

  1. Terral Fox - March 30, 2010 - 1:46 pm

    Personally I like the first one because you not only see the rock art itself but the context that it is in. If you’re more interested in art then the others might be fine but I feel like context is a huge part of any type of art. It is what gives it meaning. Have you thought of doing a triptych?

    p.s. Have you ever been to Lions Mouth? There is some interesting rock art there.

  2. MANDIIMAE - March 30, 2010 - 3:50 pm

    I really like number three. Especially in black and white. I think what I like best though is the juxtaposition of the dark, moody mountains to the bright & clear sunlight.

    I can totally relate to what you said about scouting locations and always thinking of a person in the landscape, not just a landscape alone. Though you’re landscape shots are ahhhmazing! :)

  3. Katie - March 30, 2010 - 5:12 pm

    I like the first one (with the shrubs), because I like shrubs and I like the rocks themselves. They make a beautiful canvas for the art!

  4. Emilie - April 1, 2010 - 9:55 am

    I’ve seen a lot of photos of The Gap but never any with such good color. It’s like being there. Thanks for sharing.

  5. John Lisonbee - May 27, 2010 - 6:51 pm

    Shooting black and white out there is a good idea. As you well know I feel the same way about this magical location. I can spend hours out there just watching and waiting for time to pass by. Thanks for sharing your shots and let me know if you ever just want to go out there and shoot with a friend.

The Photo That …

Friday, March 26th, 2010 by Parker Grimes Cedar City Photographer
Behind the scenes, Featured | 4 Comments

Photo taken with NIKON E995, f/2.6 @ 8.2 mm, 1/13, ISO 100

I took this picture 8 years ago with the very first digital camera that I had ever laid hands on. It was a Nikon E995. A point-and-shoot. A whopping 3.34 mega pixels. It was my Dad’s camera. I borrowed it for a trip to Kansas City and Nauvoo Il. I think it had a 64MB compact flash card in it. That got me 131 pictures, which I thought was a ton. That was like 5 and a half rolls of film. Prior to this, shooting more than 1 roll of film on a trip would have been considered a huge luxury for me.

As far as photography goes, back then I knew absolutely nothing. It is kind of scary how little I knew. I actually could hardly believe my eyes when I looked at the tiny LCD screen on the camera. The only thing I had going for me was being able to recognize a moment and clicking the shutter button at the right time. A skill that is still very important and serves me well. That was the beginning for me. I recognized that it was a good picture, but I really didn’t understand why it was a good picture. I really had no idea how to repeat that success. From that point, something inside me was driven to seek out more. Later that year, I bought my first SLR camera. It was digital of course. I was mesmerized by the instant feedback. I bought a Nikon D100 with two kit lenses.

Even with a DSLR, I didn’t really understand photography for a long time. I am almost ashamed to admit that it took me several years to figure it out. Here is the biggest thing I didn’t understand: LIGHT. It seems silly to me now, but for a long time there was no real connection between light and photography for me. Understanding light was a missing link. When I discovered it, it was like turning a key on a locked door. Behind that door was a whole world that had eluded me for so long. I longed to shoot pictures like the one above. Light is a funny thing. It is always there. Even when we don’t notice it. We take it for granted. We appreciate it unknowingly. We respect good light subconsciously. We recognize good lighting without knowing it.

So why is this a good picture? What qualities does it have that make it good? Remember it was an accident for me. I didn’t know what I was doing at the time. It is actually quite remarkable that it isn’t blurry. It was taken at 1/13th of a second, hand held.  Here are the reasons I think it is a good picture:

  • Directional light
    It is natural light coming through an open door of a root cellar. No light source on the inside. Only soft diffuse light (cloudy day) pouring in through the doorway.
  • Shadows and highlights
    Notice the shadows that give him depth, dimension, and detail. The shadows bring out detail in his clothes and face.
  • Catchlights in his eyes
    Notice the big highlights in his eyes. Catchlights are so very important. Zack Arias recently said, “if you don’t light the eyes, you have failed as a photographer.” What does he mean? Catchlights of course. They bring the eyes to life.
  • Expression and pose
    The expression and pose are perfect and natural.
  • Composition
    The subject isn’t dead center in the frame. He is slightly to the left. I would actually prefer that he was a little further to the left.
  • Sharpness
    Overall the photo is remarkably sharp for being shot at 1/13th of a second. There is a little bit of blur in his hand, but his eyes (the most important thing to be sharp) and body are sharp.

These are all things that I didn’t understand 8 years ago when I took the photo. Now that I know and understand them, I can re-produce it every time.

4 Comments

  1. Jennie - March 26, 2010 - 8:34 am

    I love that picture. You should teach a class on lighting.

  2. Katie - March 26, 2010 - 8:49 am

    Hey that’s my baby!

  3. Dottie - March 26, 2010 - 9:31 am

    It is a gorgeous picture that needs to be framed and displayed. It is in my bedroom framed, but its too little. I am going to make it larger and frame it. I love the blog about it.

  4. Heidi - March 26, 2010 - 11:04 am

    yes, a lighting class, I’m in. Teach me the way :)

I love this kid

Thursday, March 25th, 2010 by Parker Grimes Cedar City Photographer
Behind the scenes | 3 Comments

Man I love this kid. He’s so dang fun. He’s mine of course, so I’m definitely biased. I love the many expressions that he gives. I have a private Twitter account that just my family members follow. My wife and I often tweet the funny things he says. Four year olds come up with some really funny stuff. Today he declared “Dad, you’ve been the boss for a long time. It’s my turn to be the boss.”

3 Comments

  1. Kelli - March 25, 2010 - 11:13 pm

    hahaha, he is so cute…I love the things kids say!

  2. Dottie - March 25, 2010 - 11:35 pm

    He is a doll! I need more of him. He is such a cutie! You are a great dad!

  3. Dottie - March 25, 2010 - 11:36 pm

    I’m not sure when you have been the boss. I think he’s always been the boss–of everybody!

My Jarvie Window Experience

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010 by Parker Grimes Cedar City Photographer
Behind the scenes | 1 Comment

As promised, here I am in the Jarvie Window. Thanks Scott! I like it.

Me in the Jarvie Window

This is kind of fun. I caught this photo of Scott and the Jarvie Window in action with my iPhone. The next picture is the result.

1 Comment

  1. Jarvie - March 24, 2010 - 11:53 pm

    not only is it awesome to know who’s who in the pictures and attach them to the twitter friends… but it’s obviously way cool to see the other side of the picture from the 3rd person observer!!

    Thanks Parker!

Andee – Headshots

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010 by Parker Grimes Cedar City Photographer
Featured, Headshots | No Comments

I love Andee’s red hair, very beautiful. Andee has some dance auditions coming up and needed headshots. She has actually made an appearance on my blog before. She was the summer fairy in the recent Cinderella ballet production I photographed. A very talented dancer. During dance performances, most dancers wear fake eyelashes. Something you didn’t know maybe. Well, Andee doesn’t. She doesn’t need to. Check out those eyelashes.

f/3.5 @ 86 mm, 1/250,ISO 200

f/5.6 @ 135 mm, 1/250,ISO 200

f/5.6 @ 125 mm, 1/250,ISO 200

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PhotoCamp Utah – My Report

Monday, March 22nd, 2010 by Parker Grimes Cedar City Photographer
Behind the scenes, Business | 2 Comments

I’m writing down my thoughts on PhotoCamp Utah while they are still fresh on my mind. This is the second year they have held it and the first year I have attended. It was an incredible event. Zack Arias reported that Utah has one of the most active and open photography communities he has seen. Scott Bourne of Photofocus.com has also commented on the Utah photographer community. I feel fortunate to live in Utah, I just wish it wasn’t a 4 hour drive to get to the events they hold. PhotoCamp Utah was attended by 300+ photographers and there were another 400 on a waiting list. The tickets for the event sold out in 6 hours. I heard about it via Twitter and bought a ticket when there were only about 20 left. I’m so glad I did.

The highlight of the day was the keynote by Zack Arias. He absolutely knocked it out of the park and he deserved the standing ovation that he got at the end. The keynote, and other presentations, were recorded and can be watched online right now. Definitely worth checking out, especially Zack’s presentation.

More than anything, the greatest thing about the event was just rubbing shoulders with other photographers. I enjoyed talking to everyone that sat next to me. I got to see the Jarvie Window in action and even got to experience it for myself. As soon as he uploads them I’ll grab mine and share it. I’m curious to see how it turned out.

Jarvie Window in action.

I hadn’t planned on attending the Business Planning session, but I’m glad I did. Zack Arias made a surprise appearance. The session was really great. More than anything, it was a great validation for me. It is good to know I’ve been doing things right. Accounting, business insurance, business license, and taxes were all topics covered.

Zack Arias makes a surprise appearance on the Business Plan Pannel session.

The print display was really cool. It was fun to see the prints. There was some really great work on display. I waited until it was too late to order my print and I wish I hadn’t been so lazy.

Print display.

Several things Zack said really hit home with me. He ended his keynote by picking up his camera and saying, “if at any time, this thing, this stupid piece of plastic, gets in the way of my family I have to give this up…” I am impressed with his love and respect for family. I highly admire that. The other thing that hit home for me was his description of a photo he took that changed him. He described it as a series of tumblers going off inside of him. They all lined up and something clicked. I had an experience like that too with a photo I took about 8 years ago. It was the beginning of my interest in photography and it took 7 more years before I decided to start doing photography professionally.

Zack's photo that set off a series of tumblers inside him.

So, overall I was happy that I made the four hour (one way, 8 total) trip. The event also inspired me to get more serious about organizing a photographer community here in Cedar City. I’m looking forward to it.

2 Comments

  1. Nicolesy Photography: Blog » PhotoCamp Utah 2010 - March 24, 2010 - 12:35 am

    [...] as Life” – dav.d: “PhotoCamp Utah 2010 Recap” – Parker A. Grimes: “PhotoCamp Utah – My Report” – Nathan Marx: “PhotoCamp Utah 2010” – Hooked on Light: “PhotoCamp Utah [...]

  2. Lynsie - March 25, 2010 - 9:10 pm

    That’s really cool. I’m happy for you that you got to go. Go you! on the CC photographer community.

Looking Forward to PhotoCamp Utah

Thursday, March 18th, 2010 by Parker Grimes Cedar City Photographer
Behind the scenes, Business | 2 Comments

I’m really looking forward to attending PhotoCamp Utah this year. It is only their second year (I didn’t go last year) and they seem to be putting together a really great event. I can’t wait. One of the keynote speakers will be Zack Arias. I don’t mean to sound like a fan-boy, but seriously, I really admire him for a number of reasons. First, his photos are killer, some of the best lighting I’ve seen. I would love to attend one of his OneLight workshops. Second, he seems to be really down to earth. He had humble beginnings as a photographer, this is his second go at it, and he has just gradually built his business into something a lot of folks really look up to. Third, he gives fantastic advice. Anybody that is thinking about becoming a photographer (especially for pay), or wants to improve their craft should watch his critiques. There are 12 episodes about an hour each and you will learn immensely. I could name a bunch more, but just go check him out if you haven’t already.

There are a couple of groups in Northern Utah that I am quite envious of, specifically the Photowalking Utah group and the Utah Strobist group. Both hold events regularly and I would have loved to attend every single one of them if it weren’t a 4 hour drive just to get there. There are a few of us photographers in Cedar City that have toyed with the idea of starting our own group. It would be small. We just don’t have the population to pull in groups like they do up there, but it would still be fun.

PhotoCamp Utah is this Saturday. I hope to meet some new people and enjoy a day full of photography goodness. I’ll also report back here on the blog how it goes.

2 Comments

  1. Harley Pebley - March 18, 2010 - 11:40 am

    Don’t let “small” be a factor in stopping you from starting up a photowalking group. Size is less important than the social, sharing and fun aspects of it. Just do it!

    Cheers.

  2. Leah - March 22, 2010 - 8:13 pm

    If 4 hours, you could at least carpool with other local photographers and probably enjoy the drive as much as the events :)

CVHS Dance Company 2009-10

Monday, March 15th, 2010 by Parker Grimes Cedar City Photographer
Dance, Featured | No Comments

The Canyon View High School Dance Company of 2009-10.

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Snowed In

Saturday, March 13th, 2010 by Parker Grimes Cedar City Photographer
Featured, Kids, Lifestyle | 1 Comment

I’ve been inspired by photographer Johnathan Canlas to blog more personal stuff. My personal work is an important part of my photography. It has largely shaped my photographic style. My kids are one of my favorite subjects. They grow so dang fast that I try to take pictures of them on a weekly basis at least. My biggest joy in life is from being a dad. I have two boys and I love spending time with them. I also look forward to the many adventures we will have together. There will be no end to hikes, camping trips, and other adventures that we will go on. Right now they are young, so our adventures are pretty limited, but they happen none-the-less.

This winter has been an interesting one in Southern Utah. We have seen quite a bit of snow here in Cedar City. Our mountains are packed with snow. More than I have seen in the 9 years we have lived here. Most of the storms we have had haven’t dumped a lot of snow at one time, but we have had more frequent storms and many cloud covered days. More than usual. Spring around here is known for being unpredictable, so I don’t think we have seen the end of snow yet. However, we are longing for warm weather and the chance to play outside, go camping or something.

Today was another stay-inside day. The snow fell again. I get really sick of being cooped up inside the house. Cabin fever is raging within me. The snow did manage to draw us outside for a few minutes today to take these pictures.

1 Comment

  1. Lynsie - March 19, 2010 - 9:55 am

    Great writing, Parker. You’re amazing!

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