Small things with great love

Transformative experiences are difficult to convey. I have recently returned from such an experience - a journey into the heart of Calcutta, India with ten high school students and two colleagues. To say that we touched the lives of the destitute and dying is our hope. To say that our lives were irrevocably changed in ways that we could never have imagined or anticipated is a certainty. I am indebted to the compassion, courage and deep, unhindered love of those with whom I traveled. I was a teacher and leader in name only, as the core of my being was daily, hourly, instructed by my cohorts - both the natives of Calcutta and my traveling companions.

The following gallery captures some of the moments along our journey. Of course, the most profound were those that could not be captured on film as they were transactions of the heart.

Waterford in India, Kolkata - Spring 2010

Zion - the place, not the destination

Erin and I recently returned from a short visit to the third most visited park in the country. Having never visited Zion in the summer before, this was a lesson in blazing heat, throngs of international visitors, patience, and surprising solitude. With two days in the park, we took a leisurely stroll up the Virgin River Narrows into Orderville Canyon and spent a stunning day in the Subway. It is decided - we will return soon for more heat, cultural immersion, and long rappels into silent, watery canyons.

I have included highlights from our trip in the latest Featured Gallery on Andrew Cole Fine Art Photography:


Andrew Cole Photography Featured Gallery

Where do we go from here...?

Both of these images were created in a span of thirty seconds, from the same spot, the first looking east, the second west. Therein lies one of the greatest challenges and dichotomies of living in the Salt Lake Valley. High pressure systems invert the valley temperatures, trapping cold air and all of the accumulating pollution against the valley floor. Meanwhile, minutes away in the heart of the Wasatch Range, the air is much warmer, clearer and healthier. Over the past week, the Salt Lake Valley has consistently had the worst air quality in the US. In fact, a group of physicians concerned about the effects of air pollution on general health have predicted that children growing up in the Salt Lake Valley will never be able to compete at an Olympic level in cardiovascular sports due to irreversible lung damage. Indeed, on days like today, being outside for any appreciable amount of time is comparable to smoking a pack of cigarettes. It is easy to forget the challenge of managing the impacts of 1.5 million people when hiking, skiing and climbing in the relative isolation of the Wasatch. But inversions are a stark reminder that the current path is not sustainable for Salt Lake Valley residents - both native and exotic.

The questions that remain are clear - Where do we go from here? And what will it take to motivate action on a large enough scale?

For more information on organizations working to educate and enact reform, visit:

Utah Moms for Clean Air

Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment

Visit the gallery below for more images of an inverted Salt Lake Valley

inverted IMAGES

Windows and Ladders - A View of Santa Fe

Erin and I recently returned from a long weekend trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico. First-time visitors to this mystical region, we enjoyed inspiring art, crystal air, and a connection with those who have gone before. My latest Featured Gallery provides a view into our short, yet vigorous visit.

Andrew Cole Photography Featured Gallery

New Featured Gallery - December

As is quickly becoming a tradition for this blog (and associated website), I have added a new feature gallery highlighting images from December. These images reflect the tempestuous feel of winter on the wild west coast of Vancouver Island and the subtle, moody light of solstice in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah.


Andrew Cole Photography - Featured Gallery

Enjoy.

Small steps...

Thank you for visiting Andrew Cole Photography - The Blog. I am happy to announce that I now have a small representation of my work posted on the Pictureline website, as part of their community of photographers page. Please take a moment to check out the gallery and profile information, along with those of many other local and national photographers (www.pictureline.com). I am currently listed under the "New Additions" section.

Thank you, Andrew.

Happy New Year

Phil, Max, Matt and I kicked off 2009 in style today with a marathon tour up Mill D North. The images above represent the quality of light, snow and skiing. Follow the link below for more images of this fantastic day. Let's hope that 2009 keeps these kinds of days coming...

Mill D North Backcountry Tour Slideshow

And thank you boys for the fabulous reunion tour. This is a tradition waiting to be repeated!

No room at the Inn

Piles of snow litter the SeaTac and Boeing Field runways...and they're out of deicing fluid!


Plenty of time to get creative with the ceiling architecture - Boeing Field airport.


View from our (unexpected) hotel balcony.


Well, actually, there is plenty of room at the Inn - just no timely flights, taxis or ferries. And as such, we are caught, mid-transit, at the Red Lion Inn in Port Angeles - home of the International Transvestite conference (not currently in attendance!) The above images capture some of the brighter moments of this long, long day. Try as I may to get gloomy about this turn of events, Erin keeps reminding me that, at least, we are not stuck sleeping in SeaTac...

OMA I Desktop Calendar for 2009

Dear OMA I Participants,

How are you? I trust that the crunch of exams is not hitting you too hard. We have just had our first big storm cycle of the season, with many inches in the valley and a bunch more in the mountains. Winter Outdoor headed off-campus this week with teles strapped to their feet for the first time! And today, Phil joined us for a great day of smooth first tracks at Alta. Matt's powder stash was all the rage!

If I am eliciting some fond nostalgia, then you might want to check out the OMA I desktop calendar. I was initially going to give each of you one of these fine little ditties for Christmas, but alas, the cost ran too high. Having put in the work to create them, however, it seemed silly not to make them available to you at cost. Follow the link below if you are interested in obtaining a calendar.

OMA I Desktop Calendar

You may also be interested in perusing the Outdoor Program galleries to download screen resolution images or order full resolution images or prints from OMA I. The galleries are password protected (so that not just anyone can view Austin in all his glory at Camp Wilder!). Think program motto - all one word. Email me if you get stuck.

I trust you are all well and look forward to seeing you over the holidays.

Ciao for now,

Cole

Winter has arrived

A wall of 9 degree Fahrenheit weather met me at my front door this morning. The light, however, was fantastic.