REI Tucson Grand Opening

REI Tucson

Store manager, Eric Piper with REI CEO Salley Jewell

Some of the first customers in the store.

REI Tucson

More photos from the REI Tucson Grand Opening coming soon. Keep checking back.

Tyler Gates
Good Life Photography

People

unknown man; Fuji Provia 120

This man was at one of my favorite places for breakfast, Frank and Francisco's. He is definitely a regular, sitting in the back of the restaurant, having friends come and go. But he felt so out of place to me. For me I pictured him at the Coffee Hut, a tiny breakfast shack at the docks of Barnegat Light. With other fishermen coming in and out all morning after getting back from an early day at sea.

More from Tucson

Sorry the updates have been a little spread out lately. As I take on some more work, and get outdoors to shoot less, I haven't been able to produce as much for the blog. I did however just get a new scanner to scan some film, finally. I've been shooting a few rolls with an old c.1952 Ansco Ventura 66 Deluxe. As the name implies, it shoots beautiful square 6x6 frames on medium format film. Despite being over half a century old, completely manual, and not even top of the line of it's day, it takes amazing photos. In college I shot a series documenting the disappearing farms surrounding Philadelphia, exclusively with this camera. The final prints were 15x15" prints, blowing away the idea that you have to spend a lot of money to get clear and sharp 12o negatives. Oh yeah, the camera cost me about $20 on ebay, including shipping! Anywho, I've been shooting with it again, and plan to actually start shooting some climbing with it. In the mean time here is an addition to my on going shots from Tucson's interesting architecture.

Tucson, like most of the land making up this country between LA and NYC, using large crazy landmark signs for businesses. This is the sign for Vactor Ranch, a gated community at the bottom of the Catalina Mountains. If you've ever been to Sabino Canyon Natl Rec Area, than there is a very good chance you've driven past it. I know I have too many times. Everytime saying to myself "one day when the lights right, I'll get a shot of that." This time seemed as good a time as any.

Enjoy
Tyler Gates
Good Life Photography

Tucson

I've seen countless shots of the city of Tucson from some vantage point, and never really knew where they were shot from. I thought I had an idea, but it would've involved a pretty long lens. I was finally introduced to Sentinel Peak, better known as "A" Mountain. A small peak just to the south east of downtown Tucson, with a huge letter "A" made on the mountain out of painted rocks. Either way, it has a great, easily accessible view of the city and the Catalina Mountains. Here's the city I live in, and the mountains that I play in.

Enjoy
Tyler Gates
Good Life Photography

Climb Spree 5.11+

Prison Camp is a climbing area in the Catalinas here in Tucson. It isn't very far up on the Mt Lemmon Highway but its a canyon that runs east/west for the most part and doesn't get too much sun and has a pretty decent body of water flowing through it, so it's great to climb in even as we hit triple digits out here. The area got its name from the prison labor that was used to construct the original Hitchcock Highway that went up to the top of Mt Lemmon. It's since been renamed with a more "politically correct" name, Gordon Hirabayashi, but the climbers still know it as Prison Camp. The climbs there range the gambit from 5.7-5.12d, and everything in between. There is a north facing wall, about 45-50ft tall that has a selection of sport and trad climbs that are all in the 10-12d range, it makes a great test piece.

Here are a few shots of Mike "Danger" Cutshall, and Derek Anderson sending Climb Spree(5.11d). The route is sustained 5.11+ climbing with a 5.12- start, and is now on my to do list.

Enjoy
Tyler Gates
Good Life Photography

Just A Reminder

...Gri Gris are not auto-locking devices. The cam in the device is just a brake assist, you must always keep at least one had on the brake end of the rope. With that said, accidents happen in climbing, like we always hear, "climbing is an inherently dangerous sport." We do it, and we all accept the risks, and no one is ever to blame when accidents happen.

Today was a great day of climbing. Some great photos were taken, two of my friends sent a new route each, and I continued a project of mine. However, there was a accident at the end of the day, when we were all beat. Luckily everyone is alright, and will climb another day.

Climb hard, climb safe,
Tyler Gates
Good Life Photography

Clouds

"I'd finally do something I had in mind for years. I'd make a series of cloud pictures. I told Miss O'Keeffe of my ideas. I wanted to photograph clouds to find out what I had learned in 40 years about photography. Through clouds to put down my philosophy of life— to show that my photographs were not due to subject matter—not to special trees, or faces, or interiors, to special privileges—clouds were there for everyone—no tax as yet on them—free." -Alfred Steiglitz

I've seen Steiglitz' series on clouds in person. They are quite amazing. Like he says, anyone can shoot clouds, so it is a good gauge of your ability to photograph. Since seeing his work I have continually photographed clouds, or at least kept my eyes on them. But it wasn't until the other night, when I was standing on top of "A" Mountain, here in Tucson, that I looked at the clouds, and was instantly awe struck with their beauty. I took a ton of shots, this is what came of it. Hopefully there will be more to follow.

Enjoy,
Tyler Gates
Good Life Photography

REI Volunteers with the SCC

So to help facilitate my outdoor adventure, and to supplement my photography income, I have taken a job at the local REI that is about to open. REI is a pretty impressive company for many reasons, one of which is that they pay their employees to help out with local stewardship causes. This past Saturday the employees of REI went out and helpws the Southwest Conservation Corps with a trail building project they've been working on for 5 weeks on Sentinel Peak, locally known as "A" mountain. The group helped move boulders, level trails, clean trash, and move around slash piles of brush. I was there to help and document.

Enjoy
Tyler Gates
Good Life Photography

Just a Reminder

I know a lot of you check out my blog, but have you seen my website? It's true that the latest is on my blog but there are hundreds more on my website. Feel free to look through the galleries, as well as the "For Sale" galleries for prints you can order right through my website. You can pay securely through PayPal with either a PayPal account or with a credit card. Shipping for the prints is a flat $5. Also, any of my images are for sale, so if you see one on the blog, or in a gallery on the site, just let me know which image it is and an approximate size and I'll let you know what available and for what price.

Thanks for checking my stuff out.
Tyler Gates
Good Life Photography