Welfare Square

This week I was asked by Mormon Newsroom to capture a visit by President Trump to Welfare Square in Salt Lake City, Utah where he met with leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This visit extends a tradition of US Presidents meeting with Church leadership as they travel through Utah. 

Welfare Square is one of dozens of locations across the world that provide food at not cost to needy families and individuals. Volunteers and some employees at these facilities produce bakery, dairy, pasta and canned goods.

One of the unexpected highlights of the day was meeting the White House videographer. The White House has two full time videographers that follow the President daily. This work dates back to the Reagan Administration and I've research and used the footage in the past for documentary projects. It was interesting to talk to the videographer and learn about the process they have in place to capture, log and eventually deliver the footage of the President to his future Presidential Library.

Here is the video news release I put together with Mormon Newsroom and a few photos from the visit. 

Photo courtesy Intellectual Reserve Inc.

Photo courtesy Intellectual Reserve Inc.

Ronald Reagan visited a welfare facility in Ogden, Utah when he travelled to Utah in the 1980's. Photo courtesy Deseret News.

Ministering in Santa Rosa, California

This past weekend I had the opportunity to travel back to California to do another story on the recent fires. Once again we visited the destroyed Coffey Park neighborhood in Santa Rosa, then drove a couple hours north to the small community of Loma Rica, where homes had also burned. We were in California to accompany Elder Ronald A. Rasband and Sister Joy D. Jones, both from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was inspiring to watch these two individuals minister to those effected by the recent fires. They have very caring hearts as you will see in this video. You can read the print story at mormonnewsroom.org.

Tim and Jenny Sjoden had their home destroyed in the fire. After EPA workers removed propane tanks and other dangerous items from their property they were able to return and "sift" through ashes in search of surviving objects. 

I still found it humbling to walk through this neighborhood a second time. One person on our team said he felt a "reverence" there.

Santa Rosa, California

Last weekend I was able to travel with Mormon Newsroom to cover stories in Santa Rosa and Napa, California. These two areas have recently been hit by devastating fires that destroyed thousands of homes and structures. We visited two local Mormon congregations, one of which had opened their church up to locals who had last or been evacuated from their homes. I was inspired to see church members there form their own ministry and open up their hearts and church to people they didn't know. Throughout the day I watched volunteers bring in bedding, toiletries and home cooked meals for people staying at the church. Here are two stories we produced on the trip and a few photos.

Most of the areas destroyed by the fires were still closed to the public and home owners. One afternoon we were given media access to visit a Santa Rosa neighborhood. It was unbelievable to walk through an area where hundreds of homes had been completely destroyed. All that remained were burnt out vehicles, large metal appliances and fireplace shafts that resembled cemetery headstones.

Images courtesy Mormon Newsroom

Saint Thomas, Caribbean

Last Thursday I had a last minute shoot come up that took me to Puerto Rico and Saint Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. I was asked by Mormon Newsroom to gather footage and produce a short news story on a visit President Henry B. Eyring, of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was making to members of church affected by Hurricane Irma. 

Flights to and from the Caribbean are super scarce so after a red-eye flight with two connections I finally made it to San Juan at 11:30 on Friday morning, then flew on a chartered Cessna flight with President Eyring and others to Saint Thomas.

The island was hammered from the hurricane. Trees and power lines were down, buildings destroyed and debris were everywhere. President Eyring was taken to a local church where he gave a short devotional. It was inspiring to watch his care for the people there. As I was getting ready to begin filming he commented to me, "Now remember, we are not here for the news, we are here to help the people here." I appreciated that, because it made me feel like a part of the relief team.

After only a couple hours in St. Thomas we got back on our plane and returned to San Juan, Puerto Rico, where President Eyring gave another devotional that evening. 

Here is a short video that was created for the press release put out by Mormon Newsroom. You can read the entire press release at mormonnewsroom.org.

Cathedral of the Madeleine Bishop's Dinner 2017

Since 2004, I've had the opportunity each Fall to produce a short documentary for the Cathedral of the Madeleine's Bishop's Dinner. The films have been used at the annual event to raise funds for the Cathedral's upkeep and maintenance. 

This year the Diocese celebrated the arrival of a new Bishop, The Most Reverend Oscar A. Solis. As a subject for this year's video, I focused on the Cathedral's role as the "Mother Church" for the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City and the greater Utah community. During production, I had the opportunity to travel with Bishop Solis to two Catholic Parishes, one in Salt Lake City and another in St. George, Utah.

It was a joy to watch the Bishop interact with parishioners! Before celebrating a confirmation mass for teenagers at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, the Bishop asked if the youth knew the rules during the Mass. Several teens shouted "Don't be on your cell phone!" The Bishop replied, "Yes, that would be nice, but the most important rule is don't fall asleep! And if you do fall asleep, don't snore." He has a fun sense of humor that the Parishioners enjoy.

Here is a clip from this year's Bishop's Dinner video that shows the Bishop's travels along with a few images of the Bishop's visit to Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Sacred Heart Catholic Church located in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Bishop Solis met with youth prior to celebrating the Confirmation Mass.

Accra, Ghana

I spent the last two weeks in Freetown, Sierra Leone and Accra, Ghana capturing stories for Mormon Newsroom. The first story covered the community open house for the new Ghana Missionary Training Center. The new building can accommodate up to 320 missionaries who will be serving in west Africa.

The Missionary Training Center has several beautiful indoor and outdoor spaces designed to provide a good learning environment for missionaries. (Images courtesy Mormon Newsroom)

The Missionary Training Center sits on the same campus as the Ghana Temple, Accra Stake Center and West Africa Area offices. The mayor of Accra commented that this campus is one of the most well kept areas in the city. 

The second story covered a "Face to Face" broadcast in which teenage youth were given the opportunity to ask questions to an Apostle from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Elder and Sister Renlund answered questions on two broadcasts, one in English and a second in French. 

The broadcast was recorded in the cafeteria of the new Missionary Training Center.

Youth from Ghana and neighboring countries traveled up to twelve hours by bus to attend the broadcast in person.

Two hosts presented youth submitted questions to Elder and Sister Renlund.

Eyes Toward the Past

Next week I have several documentary shorts that will be featured in an art exhibit held at the Union Station Museum in Ogden, Utah. The exhibit, called "Eyes Toward the Past," features twenty paintings that were commissioned forty years ago for the United States bi-centennial celebration. The paintings showcase imagery of events in the history of Northern Utah. The exhibit runs from July 24th to the 28th. 

Here are a two of the paintings that will be featured along with their accompanying short documentaries. 

"Chief Pocatello at Brigham City" by Gary E. Smith  (Image courtesy Weber State University)

"The Goodyear Horse Drive" by Farrell R. Collett (Image courtesy Weber State University)

The Rights of Nature

Last week I returned from a trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. I spent a week researching, gathering interviews, and filming b-roll concerning a piece of environmental legislation that was passed in Ecuador several years ago. "The Right of Nature" is a legal concept similar to the Endangered Species Act, but focuses more broadly on entire ecosystems. Since its adoption in Ecuador, the concept has spread to Europe, North America and the South Pacific. I'll be working with Hal Crimmel (Chair of the English Department at Weber State University) and Dr. Valeria Berros (A professor of law at the University of Littoral, Argentina and a researcher at CONICET) to create a documentary on the "The Rights of Nature" this coming year. Here are a few of the people we were able to meet and interview on our trip to Ecuador.

Arturo Izurieta is head of the Charles Darwin Foundation Research Center on the Galapagos Islands. Izurieta did his doctoral thesis on the threats faced by indigenous peoples in Australia and gave us insight into why "The Right of Nature" legistlation started in Ecuador based on the needs of their indigenous population. This interview is shot on a patio outside Izurieta's Galapagos Islands office. Nice view!

Alberto Acosta is the former head of of the Ecuador Constitutional Assembly and was a key figure in bringing forth "The Right of Nature" legislation. His role would be comparable to the United States Speaker of the House. 

Valeria Berros is a professor of law at the University of Littoral and a researcher at The National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) of Argentina. She has been researching the impacts of "The Right of Nature" legislation for several years and was recently awarded a fellowship at the Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society in Munich, Germany.

“What I find interesting about the rights of nature is that they provide a new perspective to try to generate new ways both to avoid pollution and to protect certain natural areas. In fact... we started thinking about extending rights beyond the human limit.”

— Valeria Berros

Telitha E. Lindquist College Graduation

In February I was asked by the Telitha E. Lindquist College to produce a documentary style video for their Spring Graduation. The College selected seven students, one from each of their departments, to be included in the video. We interviewed the students and captured b-roll of each in their field of study. I particularly enjoyed recording Aman, a photography major from India who is experimenting using screen printing to reproduce his photographs. Here is a link to the video and few stills from the video. 

Don Busath: Portrait Photographer

This past week Don Busath, a master photographer and someone who I consider one of my mentors passed away. I met Don in 2010 when Becca and I moved to Salt Lake City. Our first Sunday there, I sat down in a pew at church felt a soft tap on my shoulder. When I turned around to see who it was, Don introduced himself and his wife Donna. 

During the next few years Don was very gracious to assist me with photographs and interviews for three documentaries (Salt Lake City: A Downtown Story, Brigham Street: Salt Lake City's Grand Boulevard and Temple Square). I enjoyed getting to know Don during this time and was inspired by his images and personal history.

“I was pulled into getting my first camera from my uncle. I’d been admiring his slide shows and photo albums that the family had for years. I went out on my lunch hour and bought a role of film at the Kodak store that was on the corner of Richards Street and South Temple. I walked up to Memory Grove, past the Capitol Building, retraced my steps and came back and dropped that role of film at that Kodak store. And the next day picked up that film and I was hooked for life.”

— Don Busath

Don and Donna Busath outside their South Temple photo studio in Salt Lake City.

Don grew up in Salt Lake City and was introduced to photography as a teenager by his uncle. At age 18 he purchased his first camera and was hooked. After getting married and starting a family, Don worked as a ventilation mechanic in a downtown Salt Lake City office building and played trombone in the evening to support his family.

With what spare time he had, Don did freelance portraits for friends and neighbors. From his first roll of film, Don always saw himself as a professional and worked like one. Eventually Don was able to get a job working for Hal Rumel at his photo studio. This relationship lasted fifteen years and gave Don experience doing a variety of work including portraiture, aerials and commercial photography.

Eventually Rumel retired and Don and his wife Donna opened their own studio on State Street in Salt Lake City. Later the studio moved east a few blocks to a historic home on South Temple. 

“I collected everything having to do with photography that I could study and learn. In my home I cleared out a dark coal bin and built a darkroom. And I was a photographer. There was no doubt in my mind that that was what I was doing. When I finally had a good resume of photographs I went to this guy named Hal Rumel. He looked a my resume of photographs that I had taken. And I had groups and I had lot of good variety. He says you go out tomorrow and he gave me an assignment list of what he wanted me to photograph. And then he gave me 12 sheets of film, 8x10 film. Most people pick up their point and shoot camera and they take 12 pictures before we even clear our throat! Well anyway, I very carefully followed that assignment and came back the next day with twelve sheets. He looked at the films and I had job.”

— Don Busath

Don was well known for his ability to tell a story in a single portrait image. When I interviewed Don in 2012 for my documentary "Brigham Street," I asked if he'd stay an extra hour and let me ask him questions about his photographs. Since that time, I have approached each documentary interview I do like one of Don Busath's portrait sessions. I ask myself where I can I place my interview subject so that the viewer is not only able to hear their comments, but get a glimpse into their personality and life.

Here are several of Don's photographs and a short video I created from Don's comments about his portraiture style and passion for photography. 

“I was raised in an era of magazines and newspapers and photographs on walls... and what I’ve rediscovered is when that shutter clicks, that moment in time cannot be repeated. Wow, that blows me away because a photograph with any importance in terms of subject matter and place, cannot be repeated and that’s exciting!”

— Don Busath

“It’s incredible what imagery you can get if you interested in beautiful imagery.”

— Don Busath

“This is a language that I can use... and I considered it a thing I had to do. I enjoy that capture of that slice of time as much now as I ever did.”

— Don Busath

Bill Critchlow

The last few months I have been producing a series of videos about an artwork collection that was created during the 1976 United States Bicentennial. The pieces illustrate significant events in Utah history and were commissioned by Bill Critchlow. This month 20 of the paintings are being displayed at 2017 Weber State University Story Telling Festival. 

Archival images courtesy Union Station Archives, Utah State Historical Society, Weber State University Archives, Weber State University Special Collections

I was asked to interview Bill Critchlow and create a short documentary on the history of the collection. Eric Swedin, Gene Sessions, John Sillito, Kathryn MacKay, Richard Sadler and Sara Dant did historical research and wrote scripts for an additional 20 short videos that would play as part of the Story Telling Festival's exhibit. Union Station Archives, Weber State University Special Collections and Weber State University Archives were a huge help getting us historical images. 

Here is Bill Crichlow's story on how the bicentennial art centennial art collection came together and one of my favorite short videos that shares the history of Lagoon.

Rodney Brady

“This institution is here for the students; no question about that. Our primary responsibility is to see that students that attend here…receive the finest education they could possibly get.”

— Rodney Brady

Last year, I had the opportunity to produce a documentary on the history of Weber State University. One of the people I enjoyed getting to meet and interview was Rodney Brady, who passed away this week. Brady served as President of Weber State from 1978 to 1985. He is remembered by many alumni and faculty because of his goal to form Weber State into a superior undergraduate institution. Brady worked hard to inspire faculty and give them tools and resources to excel.

After leaving Weber State, Brady served as President of Bonneville International and later as President and CEO of Deseret Management Corporation from 1996 to his retirement in 2009. 

When I interviewed Brady in his home he was quite ill from alzheimer's disease. His family had even prepared a short written statement for him to read because of his lack of stamina. However, when we started recording, it was apparent that his love for Weber State was still very strong. When the time came, Brady steered away from the prepared script, and with what seemed to be all the energy he had, delivered a sincere, unrehearsed message of appreciation for his time as President of Weber State.

Here are a few photographs of Rodney Brady during his tenure at Weber State. Above you can watch a short clip about Brady taken from the documentary I produced last year.

Brady is remembered as someone who championed teaching excellence. Today Weber State University gives out the annual Brady Presidential Distinguished Professor Award to outstanding faculty. 

One of Brady's hobbies was running. He ran many marathons and enjoyed putting on events at Weber State where he would race alongside students. 

Photos courtesy Weber State University Archives and Lori Memmott Brown.