I'm a Winner, but no Chicken Dinner

Remember how I rebelled blogging for a couple of weeks? Well during that time I won a couple of photography contests. It was for the Photographics Society at BYUI. Before you go thinking I'm ready to take on Ansel Adams- there weren't that many entries (probably around 20 for each category, edited and unedited). Shocking, I know. They have a contest where everyone in the Society votes on their favorite, and then a second contest where real photographers in the community (I think) judge. So you have the opportunity of winning multiple times for the same photos. That's what happened to me. I won 2nd place for Society choice (the vase pic). The best was that there was a three way tie for 2nd place for the judges competition and two of my photos won for 2nd place. I told them I had never been in contest with myself. I'll have to try it more often. Here are the two photos that got me $30 each, and the vase got me an additional $10-so $70 all together. I know I've already posted them, but just in case you forgot:



The park bench was entered in the non-edited category and didn't win anything, but hey I love it like the rest of my photo children. Let's be honest, it didn't bring in bacon, so actually it's towards the bottom of the totem pole. And if you couldn't guess, the contest was "nights and lights" hence the million night/light pics I've been posting. I guess it paid off. Literally.


You might want to know what I did with that money. Well that, combined with the fact that my birthday was around the same time, I bought Dreamweaver- Adobe's software for making websites. It's pretty cool and I'm glad I have it. I'll be a web desiging pro in no time. And no time=who knows how long. But I'm off to a good start.

Jellystone Without Peanut Butter

I've been rebelling the whole blog thing- I need to rebel in some aspects of my life or I don't think I'd feel human. And we know we're here to have a human experience. But to what you really wanted to hear about- my adventures in Jellystone National Park. Did you know that it actually used to be called Jellystone until 1992 when they found out people had a negative connotation of the word "jelly" so they changed it to Yellowstone? True story.(On a side note, is there a certain quota of lies you can tell until you're really thrust down to hell? Nothing relating with the above fact).
We were pretty darn close to these female moosen. When I changed lenses I did something funky to my camera (sorry, my father's camera) so the first couple of pics turned out weird but then we fixed it. One of them was going to let me ride on its back, but it didn't want to offend the other tourists. Right after we got in the car and I was slowly pulling out into the street and stopped because there was this old couple walking in front of us. They gave me the dirtiest looks and were saying something with their mouths, I think it was "Why, what a nice car full of youngsters. Too bad our grandchildren aren't nearly as good looking". To say the least I tried to hit at least one old couple at every place we went.

This is called "Medusa Geyser" as seen by the violent eruption of redhair.


How could we not go see Old Faithful? Or the man in the blue shirt.

Yes, this is a bird. No, it is not talking to Madison. Yes, I did capture him/her in its nest.

This is one of the prettiest/most photographed hot pools in Yellowstone. It's called Morning Glory. I don't know why it's one of the most photographed- I'm not there to enhance its beauty.


My two favorite named geysers. I think they named them after me. Touching.

I Need Help

Well, we all know I need help. But specifically, with my brand spanking new website. I'm pretty proud of it. Even though it's not finished, this little bun is baking quite well in the oven. And no, I'm not pregnant.

The thing is, there is just something missing on the home page. I don't know what to put in the black hole. I need suggestions. I've tried some photos, but it's a touchy sensitive easy to get offended design. Please offer advice. Be my muse.

Hence why I haven't gotten to the blog in awhile- finals are coming up and I'm beating my head into a peecan shell doing this website. Why I don't throw something easier together- well I may have taught myself to ease up on the perfection, but some things cannot lack perfection. This being one of them.

Maybe the person with the best idea will win some of my amazing chocolate chip cookies. Or a pet penguin. Haven't decided.

The site is (it's a no brainer) ElissaGator.com. Thanks!