Temple Square Stereoscopics and GIFs

Tweet

by Scott Heffernan:

On a recent trip to Salt Lake City we stopped by Temple Square. The temple grounds have always fascinated me. I often feel a strange aura there. There's the cheerful families and tourists that give it a sense of levity. At the same time there's sort of a ghostly air filled with esoteric symbolism, deep longing, and moodiness. I took some photographs on our visit not intending to put them together like this. However, I noticed later on that pairing some of them up created that quirky combination of mysticism and frivolity I experience at the Salt Lake Temple.

Scott Heffernan is a graphic designer and photographer in Seattle. He works on the creative team at Archie McPhee doing all manner of strange things. He grew up a child of the ‘80s in Salt Lake City, served a mission to England/Wales, and got a degree in American Sign Language from the University of Utah. After marrying his sweetheart, they moved to Seattle and had three beautiful baby boys together. He loves toys, skateboarding, and thrift store shopping and has impeccable Modar. Twitter: @ScottHeffernan. Tumblr: ScottHeff.tumblr.com.
Images: Scott Heffernan (used with permission).

Photo Essay: Gilgal Gardens at Night

Tweet

by Scott Heffernan:

If you live near Salt Lake City, Utah, you've probably at least heard of the Gilgal Sculpture Garden (or Gilgal Gardens). If you've never been to this stunningly strange spectacle, I highly recommend a visit.

Growing up in the 1980s, we knew this place as Mormon Land. We didn't know much else. We'd go in the middle of the night and had to hop a fence to get to it. With our flashlights we could make out a sphinx with Joseph Smith's face, some creepy quotes, and a guy wearing brick pants. It felt very spooky, dangerous, and thrilling!

Gilgal was built by an eccentric Mormon Bishop named Thomas Child starting in 1945, purchased by a neighbor upon his death in 1963, then in the year 2000, sold to a group whose mission is to preserve and restore the garden. Gilgal Sculpture Garden is now a city park and open to the public.

I took these photographs in 2005. I shot the garden at night because I wanted to recreate the mystery and angst that surrounded it for me as a kid. Very long exposures brought out the peculiar purple color of the sky.

7 Religious Stock Photos That Make You Go Hmmm: 2nd Amendment Edition

Tweet

by Kyle:

Due to popular* demand I bring you the second installment of the crazy, the whacky, and the awesome that religious stock photography has to offer. (See the first one here.) This time a little faith mingled with the 2nd Amendment, because…

'Merica!

#166219986 / gettyimages.com

Do you hang both of these above your bed or keep them somewhere easily accessible?

#184858365 / gettyimages.com

More Thrift Store Finds

Tweet

by Scott Heffernan:

I previously wrote about how Instagram has saved my marriage. I do a lot of thrift store shopping and want to buy every weird thing I see. My wife hates clutter and will probably divorce me if I bring home one more piece of junk priceless treasure. Taking pictures of these items and sharing them on Instagram has been the perfect compromise. (I still buy a modest amount of bric-a-brac.) Here are some of my latest finds.

Deceased Grandma angel wears socks and sandals, still needs glasses.

7 Religious Stock Photos That Make You Go Hmmm

Tweet

by Kyle:

I love photography. I love how it can tell an entire story in a single image. How it can capture a moment that happened in a split second and preserve it forever. I could go on and on about the wonders of photography, but that's not what this post is about. This is about how sometimes, that story in a single image, or that split second moment in time can be a little ... off. Maybe their message is just lost in translation. Or it's a little creepy. Or even just down right "wut?" It is in that spirit that I've searched GettyImages to bring you the best fails in religious stock photography. You're welcome.

---

Let's just say that a certain religious video presentation could be enhanced with this version of Adam and Eve ...

#85636412 / gettyimages.com

This is the thing that my nightmares are made of. When I was a young kid I remember visiting the Church Office Building. In the lobby at the time, they had a giant painting of President Benson. As we walked past this giant painting the eyes on President Benson followed me. Just to be sure, I walked backwards, and yup the eyes followed. It has haunted me to this day ...

#200474111-003 / gettyimages.com

There's nothing religious about this at all other than this caterpillar is called the Common Mormon. Its mimicking bird poop. Seriously. That's what it's doing.

#476856997 / gettyimages.com

Creepy Uncle Lloyd calling from prison. The other inmates made him wear the halo and wings. He doesn't want to talk about it.

#468877621 / gettyimages.com

Um ... okay, well this is embarrassing. The Apostle Peter tried this once and it didn't work out so well for him, but this lady seems to have the whole faith-to-walk-on-water thing down pretty good.

#479631835 / gettyimages.com

High-five for Jesus!

#102102584 / gettyimages.com

Assassin's Creed or praying monk ... you decide.

#467638101 / gettyimages.com

Dear Seattle Fog

Tweet

by Seattle Jon (bio)

You make my commute a slog.
You cause people to lose their dogs. (or chickens in my case)
You'd make it easy pickings for Smaug.
You'd look better over a bog.
You make some not want to jog.
I might enjoy you more if I were sipping eggnog.
Oh, and now you made my blog.

(pictures below from our current foggy streak of seven days)

The Uses of Simple

Tweet

by Bradly Baird (bio)

That Tree, photography by Mark Hirsch

It is raining at our house today. It is a gentle rain made up of large friendly droplets that 'smoosh' against the pavement in a nice way. They hit cars and make an engaging rhythm, they fall through the leaves of a nearby tree and run down its branches in gentle rivulets. This inviting scene compels me to step through our front door and onto the porch. I feel a rush of cool air and fight back the urge to strip down, run barefoot up the street, and splash about in the large puddles and streams forming over the pavement.

I don't really put any effort into fighting the temptation and it very quickly overwhelms my mind. I start to pull off my shirt and unbutton my pants (don't worry, the entire neighborhood is at church while I stay at home to nurse my sick wife), when a movement catches my eye. Between a couple of cars about fifty yards away, I catch a glimpse of something red moving about. I readjust the focus of my eyes towards the moving object and notice a young girl with a red umbrella dancing about.

She holds the umbrella above her head and spins, while her feet tap an unknown rhythm in shallow puddles. I cannot clearly see the details of her face because of the distance, but this is the happy dance of an elated child who understands the joys of playing in the rain. I am certain she does not know that I am watching her, but I doubt it would matter. She is so consumed with her joy at finding a perfect childhood moment that nothing else matters. I am entranced by the scene, and after a few more minutes of watching her spin like she's imitating Gene Kelly, I realize that I am smiling broadly and laughing quietly.

The Flying Heffernan Brothers

Tweet

by Scott Heffernan (bio)

Here is a little project my family and I have been working on. We have been making our children fly in various spots around Seattle. We've all loved taking these shots. Every family member is involved and each one is happy and eager to participate. It's been fun to let the kids in on some of the magic we try to create for them. I plan to continue this as an ongoing project throughout their childhood and hope to add more sites and aeronauts as we have more kids. See the rest here.

I also did some animated GIF versions.

The Princess Bride: 25 Years Later

Tweet

by Scott Heffernan (bio)

Fact: Mormons love The Princess Bride. Why? I don't know exactly. It's romantic without being overly sexual. Adventurous without being violent. And funny without eliciting loud laughter. It's good, clean, wholesome fun that can be enjoyed by all ages. The Princess Bride is the go-to mainstream movie for seminary, Young Men/Young Women, or anywhere else Mormon youth gather. Anyway, in honor of the recent 25th anniversary, the original cast got together for a reunion photo shoot. Enjoy the inconceivability! (More pictures after the break.)

30 Strangers Exhibit & Reception

Tweet

by Seattle Jon (bio)

The 30 Strangers show is at the BYU Auditorium Gallery and has been up for a month, but a special artist's reception is happening tomorrow, October 4, 2012, from 6 - 9 p.m. Photographer Justin Hackworth will be there, of course, along with many of the participants that were photographed this year. And, you're bound to see other people you know, too.

The best part of the night will be at 7 p.m., when they'll have a short program in an adjacent auditorium. Four of the best writers in the state will read essays: Amy Hackworth, Kacy Faulconer, Lisa Valentine Clark, and Courtney Kendrick. There will also be music by Cherie Call. This sounds like a fantastic night, so head over to see the show!

What: 30 Strangers Exhibit & Artist's Reception
When: Thursday, October 4, 2012, 6 - 9 p.m. (readings and music at 7:00 p.m.)
Where: BYU Lee Library, Auditorium Gallery, 1st Floor

How Instagram Saved My Marriage

Tweet

by Scott Heffernan (bio)

Here’s the thing. I have hoarder tendencies. I’m not a hoarder, but I do lean towards collecting things and saving items that have sentimental value. My wife, Aimee, has the opposite problem. (And yes, I do say problem.) She is the anti-hoarder. Have you ever sent her a thank you card? Do you know how long she kept that card? She didn’t. It did not go on the mantle, it did not go in a keepsake box, it went in the trash. Immediately. Don’t take it personally — she doesn’t. (Bam!)

This personality difference has made for an interesting dynamic in our marriage. Here’s how it plays out. I love to shop at thrift stores. I buy lots of old toys and lots of shoes. I have a somewhat twisted sense of humor so I also look for things that are just plain weird. The problem is that these things that I buy occupy space — space in our home — and we don’t have an unlimited amount of space in our home. While I do “plan to sell” many of the items I buy, it can be frustrating to Aimee to have a house full of (what she sees as) useless junk. And it can be frustrating to me to seek out (what I see as) great hidden treasures of priceless value, only to feel too guilty to buy them and bring them home.

9 Eyes

Tweet

by Aimee (bio)

Have you ever peeked at Jon Rafman's Tumblr, 9-eyes.com? He collects artistic, interesting, random images from Google street view. 9 Eyes refers to the nine directional cameras to capture the 360° views on each of the google maps vehicles. I am amazed at what he finds and posts. Can you imagine all the still shots he must weed through to find some of these gems? His work is an act of love just so I can get a little eye candy every time he posts in my Google reader.

Whenever I see a Google car I get excited. I so rarely see one that when I do I declare it my lucky day. Have you ever street-viewed your house? My father-in-law made it into their street view which thrills me every time I look. 

The raw world as art. Lovely, no? Here are a few of my favorites from 9 Eyes. For more images click here. 

And as a tribute to my childhood and because I wish I could still get away with toilet papering ...

Remembering Memorial Day

Tweet

by Scott Heffernan (bio)

Images by ScottHeff.

30 Strangers Portrait Project: 2012

Tweet

by Seattle Jon (bio)

via Justin Hackworth Photography

MMM tries to highlight worthy causes, especially if they are somehow related to one or more of our contributors. Examples have included The 5000 Days Project, an LDS Philanthropies project for single mothers and the recent fundraiser for Luciano. Justin Hackworth's 30 Strangers Portrait Project is now officially on the list.

I've written about this project before - my wife and daughter were chosen to be photographed in 2011 - but now it's your chance. Visit Justin's blog to read more about the project and the institution being supported, and if you're available for the shoot, leave a comment and maybe you'll be picked as one of the Strangers. The deadline is tonight, so hurry over!

Toy Boats

Tweet

by Scott Heffernan (bio)

One of my very first posts on this blog was sharing some of my photographs of Miniature Cemeteries. Here are a few shots from a similar series involving water. The tilt-shift effect is intended to make the boats appear as toy models. Enjoy. And if you really like them, you can purchase them here.

LIFE

Tweet

by Clark (bio)

Happy, exciting and sad all at the same time ...

The Goodwin Project

Tweet

by Clark (bio)

I just came across this little teaser video about a young family embarking on an around-the-world trip over the course of this next year. They are a surfing family from Kauai with a knack for finding the good in the world. I must say I'm jealous of their project and wish I could join up and be some type of film crew helper-outer or something. So far they have hit up Iceland, Ireland and Israel. Follow them via their blog. I'm looking forward to the finished project but in the meantime their travel blog will tide me over. I need to find me a wife that is down for this sorta jazz. I can't think of a better way to see the world. Disagree with me all you want but I'm as serious as a heart attack.

Vintage Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Photos

Tweet

by Scott Heffernan (bio)

I happened across this cool old photo of a Superman balloon from the 1939 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It inspired me to search out a bunch more. Here are a few favorites that I found. Enjoy.

Superman 1939, Fish 1941

Pinocchio 1937, Mickey Mouse 1934

Dragon 1931, Tin Man 1939

Hippo 1948, Eddie Cantor 1934

Cry Baby 1934, Spaceman 1959

Modern Seattle Backyard

Tweet

by Seattle Jon (bio)

Our backyard was highlighted last week on Stephmodo.com. Check it out, and look for a post on our chicken coop in the near future.

Kinfolk Magazine

Tweet

by Clark (bio)

Kinfolk is a thoughtful guide for gathering together as friends and family to spend worthwhile time in one another's company enjoying good food and constructive conversation. It's about staying in and creating your own atmosphere and experience rather than heading out to a restaurant and letting others make the moments for you. It's the ultimate creative source for tips and ideas on entertaining small groups, but its also so much more. I'm lucky enough to know several of the people behind the effort, including the editor. I've experienced first hand the creative abilities of these people and their goal of bringing others together. Head over to Kinfolk and take a gander at what's going on. You'll be glad you did.