"To Move Or Not To Move...That Is The Question"

Every time I travel to a photography market larger than Denver (I just returned from a two day shoot in Chicago) I starting thinking about making the move to a different city. Right out of college, I had big plans that required moving to Los Angeles or New York and competing with Annie Leibowitz and Richard Avedon, but I thought better of that idea and settled into the Denver metro area. Thankfully, I get to travel on business and pleasure as often as I do. Besides, my real dream is to move to Hawaii, Australia or Brazil and surf until I drown or get eaten by a great white shark.....seriously!
Google Images/Copyright-Unknown

"Children of Winter"

I haven't surfed in over two years and I went snowboarding only three times last year. Operating your own business requires a lot of time and money. As a teenager, I set a few, not so important, goals. I wanted to surf the North Shore of Oah'u, Hawaii, fish the Sea of Cortez and heli-ski in Alaska. 2 out of 3 is not bad and Alaska is next on the Bucket List! Go see Children of Winter. The film reminded me of why I moved to Colorado in the first place. Silverton Mountain, Crested Butte, Steamboat, etc.. Let it snow, let it snow...let it snow!

Montezuma Bowl - Arapahoe Basin Video

Loveland Pass - 04/08 Video

"But I Voted"

A friend sent me this video and I thought it was very clever.

"Happy Halloween"

Maddog's annual Birthday/Halloween party was a blast...as usual.
Live music was performed by Velvet Elvis and The Aquasonics.
Great food, tasty beer and expensive tequila. Happy Halloween!
Left to Right -Jonnie, Maui, Maddog and Me (Joe Dirt)
"Man, I am going to miss Polaroids!"

"I Voted Today"

Now I can bitch and complain about whoever is elected!

Made In China poster by Perrin Norrander.
"Don't Vote..things are fine just the way they are."

"RESTROOM NEEDS CLEANING"

Is this a warning or a reminder? I was standing in line at the Wal*Mart customer service desk when I happen to glance-up and read this unusual sign, RESTROOM NEEDS CLEANING. I understand why the sign exists, but why is located on the ceiling above the customers heads instead of behind the counter or inside the managers office? Is it there to warn customers of impending danger? Or was it subliminally suggesting I buy cleaning supplies? My restroom could use a cleaning.

"...this is going to change everything!"

I would imagine that anyone with a television has viewed the new iPhone commercials with the voice-over that states "and that's when you realize, this is going to change everything." I was born in 1966 and "survived" the days of corded phones, analog television and typewriters. For the past twenty years, I have wondered when the hell engineers were going to invent the Star Trek Communicator. You know...that gadget that pretty much did everything for the crew of the Enterprise. From what I understand, the Star Trek Communicator was the inspiration behind the iPod and the iPhone. Although hundreds of the iPhone/iPod applications are simply worthless, many are freaking out-of-this-world. The application SHAZAM has the ability to listen to a song, recognize the artist then download the music and the YouTube video onto your iPod or your iPhone in a matter of seconds. I use this application pretty much everyday. When I was 18 years old these gadgets weren't even perceived. Apple has tapped into a cultural phenomenon with the iPod and the iPhone and they along with TBWA/Chiat/Day are definitely "changing everything."

"Sky Diving Cabo San Lucas"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAr11FmEJZg

Check-out this awesome sky diving video by my good friends, Greg Foster and Astrid Illmer who live and work as sky diving instructors in Cabo San Lucas, MX.

I love my iPhone...ouch!

Yes, I bought and broke an iPhone this September.
Special note: if you drop a $600 mini-computer/cellphone it is going to cost you at least $250 to fix...protective case or not. People are actually selling their broken iPhone on ebay rather than paying to have them fixed. Insurance? Apple Care is intended for computers...NOT cell phones. How many people carry their laptops around in their hands or pull them out of their pocket 100s of times a day.
Come-on Apple....wake-up!

P.S. I will NEVER...I repeat NEVER go back to an Apple Store.
I have visited an Apple Store maybe 7 times and every time has been a nightmare. 30 employees....28 of which know nothing and can DO nothing...
"You'll have to wait for a tech, sir. Have you signed-in?"
What? Is this a !@#$% restaurant? I need a reservation? Good-bye.
I walked into a AT&T store, straight-up-to the counter and they fixed the iPhone in 30 minutes flat.....APPLE STORE....you suck!

Hurricane Ike - Okaloosa Island

Hurricanes in Florida are similar to major snow storms in Colorado, but instead of snow blowers and 30 lb. bags of ice melt the commodity is chain saws and 5000 watt gas generators. Thankfully, the Redneck Riviera was spared once again.

Video by Ozzy Osborn

Hurricane Gustav - Okaloosa Island

Okaloosa Island Pier

Okaloosa Island Pier

The Boardwalk

All images and video by Andrew "OZZY" Osborn.

My brother-in-law sent me these images and video of Hurricane Gustav coming ashore at Okaloosa Island, Florida some 200 miles east of the hurricane eye. The east-side of a hurricane typically carries the strongest winds and causes the highest tidal surges so forget New Orleans.....let's worry about those people in Mississippi, Alabama and NW Florida.....locations that are not protected by huge amounts of marsh land and government-built levees.

Camping & Fishing at Green Mnt. Reservoir

greenmountainreservoir.com

Went camping and fishing with Jason Hayes, Michael Martin and friends at Green Mountain Reservoir. There are incredible views of the Gore Range at Green Mountain, in fact, the 40 acres of land that I wish to purchase is only a few minutes from the reservoir. We fly-fished for brown, rainbow and cutt-throat trout. I caught 14 assorted trout during 3 hours of fishing in the reservoir and 2 rainbows and 2 browns (each at least 16 inches) from the Blue River later that afternoon. Too much fun! All fish were released.

GREEN MOUNTAIN RESERVOIR is located in north central Colorado in the Lower Blue River Valley. Approximately 70 miles west of Denver and 20 miles north of I-70. Built in 1943 as part of the Big Thompson Plan. Its primary purpose is to replace water that is being diverted to the front range. The spin-off effects is what attracts many visitors each year. WATER SPORTS and MOUNTAIN ACTIVITIES.

Ft. Walton Beach for the 4th of July

Levi's first 4th of July

Kayak fishing off Okaloosa Island

Landing a King Mackerel by Kayak

(L-R) Jack Crevelle, Amberjack, Nurse Shark, Largemouth Bass

This is how Levi rolls!

I spent the first 9 days of July in Fort Walton Beach, Florida on a much needed vacation visiting friends and relatives. I spent most of my time fishing from my kayak in the Gulf of Mexico and hanging out with my sisters. Other activities included going to the movies (Hancock), eating authentic fried gulf shrimp, hushpuppies and coleslaw while drinking sweet tea (The Crab Trap). We played miniature golf (Goofy Golf) and of course no trip to FWB is complete without a trip to Wal Mart. On the evening of the 4th, my family and I watched fireworks down by the water-front with some 3,000 other residents and tourists. On the 5th, a large group of us went bottom fishing for Snapper, Grouper and Amberjack on a boat called the Destin Princess. Each time I visit the Ft. Walton Beach/Destin area, I find it just a little harder to leave.
*All fish were released unharmed

Recent Colorado Sunsets

(Top to Bottom) Looking west from Aurora Reservoir during mountain wildfires, Bear Creek Lake sunset, Quincy Reservoir colorful sunset. *All images have been captured with a water-proof point and shoot compact digital camera and have not been retouched.

Props to my buddies !!

Greg Foster base jumping at Dead Horse Point, Canyonlands, Utah. Greg works as an skydiving instructor in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and is one extreme son-of-a-bitch. Love you, brother!


Doug Hebert carving it up at K 92 Secret Spot, Baja, Mexico.
Inventor of the Pickle Wax Remover, recent University of Hawaii architecture graduate and world traveler, Doug Hebert and his beautiful wife Virginia are truely some of my best friends. Mahalo, Ohana !


JD smith grinding across Robbie's Ramp in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida.
This guy is like 50 years old now and still ripping it up with no pads! Crazy bastard. JD and I published a skateboard magazine called Gulf Coast Skate Review back in the 1980's, a time in my life that I will never forget. Skate safe, bratha.

Spring is Here !!

Spring has officially arrived, but as usual, Colorado is in March mode. 70 degrees one day, snowing the next. Crazy weather, but I love the fact that I can snowboard in the morning and go mountain biking, fishing or just lay in the sun during the afternoon. Definitely, one of the best times of year to live on the Colorado front range.


Vail Pass Backcountry Colorado

Loveland Pass Backcountry Colorado

I love mountain biking. Climbing sucks, but hauling-ass downhill rocks! Check out the video my buddy and I put together.....not! One of the most intense mountain biking videos I've ever seen.



I can't wait to go fly fishing for big trout and bass here in Colorado. Smallmouth and Largemouth bass are a blast to catch on a fly-rod..especially sight casting to them. One day I will win a Bass Tournament fishing with a fly rod...mark my words. Of course I haven't casted a fly rod in 5 months. Ouch! The ice is finally melting and the rivers and reservoirs will start allowing boats and other water craft on the water. Guess I better patch the holes in my boat.


Smallmouth Bass

Rainbow Trout

I also can't wait to go saltwater fly fishing. Man, I was missing out all those years. I lived in Florida, right there on a bayou, fished almost everyday, and still never picked up a fly rod. Anyway, I can't wait until the July 4th holiday when I travel back to Florida to catch some tarpon, ladyfish, redfish, and whatever chases my fly.



Fly fishing for bonita off Jack Dunmyer's boat in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Fly fishing for Ulua with Diamond Head in the background. Oah'u, Hawai'i.

Fly fishing off the island of Espiritu Santos, La Paz, Baja, Mexico.

If only Colorado had an ocean so I could go surfing!! But then Colorado would be over-populated and crowded like California. Oh well, I can wait for Hawaii and Mexico trips....I think. I better learn to white water kayak this summer. But then again....NOTHING compares to surfing in my opinion....o.k., maybe a steep and deep power day.


Surfing with Doug, Virginia and the North Shore crew. Oah'u, Hawai'i

Snowboarding at Arapahoe Basin/Loveland Pass Colorado

Great news, Arapahoe Basin has finally opened up Montezuma Bowl which adds about 70% more terrain and definitely makes A-Basin more attractive to me. I always thought A-Basin was a little small. Steep, but small. Now there is plenty of room to carve around without having to hike out of bounds.

Florida/Georgia for Christmas & New Years

For Christmas and New Years, I normally go back to Ft. Walton Beach, Florida to visit my two sisters and their families for the holiday season. Lucky for me, some seasons many of my close friends from high school and childhood visit to spend time with their families, as well. I have posted a few images from a great New Years Eve party that I attended with friends, Doug and Virgina Hebert, visiting from Hawaii and Eric Hebert visiting from Cincinnati.


(L-R) Myself, Doug Hebert and Virgina Hebert. Doug smoking a cigar. Virginia keeping warm. My brother-in-law, Ozzy Osborn, my sister, Karen Osborn, and myself at another party.


Time-lapse of fireworks. Navarre, Florida. New Years Eve. 2007-2008.


Levi. Lakeland, Georgia. Between Christmas and New Years, my sister Karen, her family and I traveled over to Lakeland, Georgia to visit my sister Deena and her family. My niece, Alexa has a new born baby named Levi and he was just a blast to photograph.


My sister, Karen, my niece, Allison and I were walking out of an afternoon movie when this unusual scene caught my eye. Destin, Florida.

What's PETA Thinking ?

Can you believe this? Daddy kills animals? Are you serious? I believe in the ethical treatment of animals, but really. Is Peta trying to scare the hell out of kids and make them believe their fathers are murderers?