Elk Ridge Springs

I took a trip last week up down near the Abajo Mountains with members of the Grand Canyon Trust, the Ute Tribe, and a few professors and research students from Utah Valley University. The purpose of the trip was to go to the locations of several possible springs, check their status, and also perform a few water quality tests that UVU could then use to map the groundwater. As an aspiring environmental chemist, IT WAS AWESOME. 

Here are a few random photos that I took during the trip. 

This is a photo of the entire group planning the night before we hit the field. Not a glorious photo, but helps set the scene. 

After spending a lot of time in the desert, it was awesome to see some green. 

Duck Lake

Details

I've been trying to figure out what to capture. This hasn't been a problem for me in the past- I kind of just shoot whatever I want. But here in Utah everything is perfect and should be photographed.... and I am worried that if I don't pay attention to my surroundings I will miss an opportunity. 

Here are a few photos that I have taken when I slow down to really focus on the little things around me. These were all taken along Huntington Creek up in Manti-La Sal National Forest. 

4th of July Fireworks!

Loads of rain near Moab on the 4th of July meant that we didn't get a chance to see fireworks. However, I'd say this is the better option anyways. 

Controlled Burn

Hello, world!

The great thing about this summer is that I have already taken thousands of photos. 

The not so great thing about this summer is that I have limited internet access and it is difficult to share them. 

So here we go on trying to catch up....

A week or so ago I had the opportunity to go to Manti-La Sal National Forest in the Abajo Mountains. I was assisting with a project on exotic and native grass species in landscapes comprised of primarily ponderosa pine. One of the locations that we went to had recently had a controlled burn. This left the landscape with some incredible, detailed carvings from coal. I had a blast shooting some of these marks, broken down trees, and intricate patterns, and decided to make it into a black and white photo essay. 

Enjoy!