The video contains 23 photos in total. Each one is very special to me. Some I may be proud of for the technical execution of the shot, while others contain imagery of people, places, and things that remind me why I love photography in the first place.

This is a chart showing the path of my Mouse Cursor while editing this project. It represents a 6 hour session.

Taking photographs is only half of what drives me. The other, is sharing these images with friends, loved ones, and strangers. It’s an experience, and a form of communication that says more than my words ever can. What’s more, is that 2011 has been a very monumental and important year for me. I hit the metaphorical rock bottom at the beginning of the year, but it forced me to eventually pick myself up and become stronger than I’ve ever been, with the help of many loved ones around me of course. I’ve grown more as a person in all aspects over these last 12 months then any of the previous years of my life, and I can’t imagine any future year will come with as much life as this one has. Then again, I may one day laugh at that statement.

I hope you enjoy these images even just a fraction of how much I do. I hope they inspire, entertain and provoke positive emotions. Also, if you enjoy the video, I would love for you to share it on Facebook. Thanks again everyone. Feel free to leave any feedback, or questions!

Jace

Anyway, it’s so good to be back writing. This blog has been somewhat out of commission for a few weeks. I’m always trying my best to make time for it, but time has been hard to come by lately. I have somewhat of an update to share with you. In a previous post titled “Anxiety and What’s Next” I mentioned that I was working with a very talented filmmaker here in Utah named Jeremy Miller. He has been hard at work on many projects, and I have been lucky to lend a hand on one of these pieces. The title of this film is “Elevate 2″ and covers the sport of Motorcycle Hill Climbing. It’s truly a breathtaking sport. Jeremy is the perfect person to capture it’s true nature. Having the chance to shoot footage for such a project has been a privilege for me.

“Desolation is a beautiful place”. Taken in Wyoming while filming rider Jason Smith.

The final film is scheduled to be released in November. Below you will find a teaser trailer for it. If you look close enough you will see me in a few shots doing what I do. If you are like me, and had no clue what Motorcycle Hill Climbing was, I urge you to check it out. Human beings are always surprising me with ways of pushing the limits of what we think our capabilities are. This sport is definitely one of those.

One of Jason’s many toys.

Okay, so here it is! Watch, enjoy, share. Thanks again for reading, and I really hope to be posting articles more often!
-Jace

ELEVATE 2 | OFFICIAL TEASER from Jmills ENT. Jeremy Miller on Vimeo.

Devin was contacted by a Utah company called Vooray who liked the videos on his Channel. So they hired him to shoot something fun for them. Devin asked me to help film the project so of course I was all in. It was an exhausting day. We ran around filming all day long, and rarely stopped for any reason, but this is what I love about doing what I do. I could literally do it all day everyday. I get consumed by it. I simply love every aspect of film making.

This particular video is somewhat of a milestone. It marks almost exactly one year since the first video I worked on with Devin. I can’t believe how time rushes by so quickly, but what’s even more unbelievable is how much I’ve learned, and how far I’ve come since that time. I have a lot of people to thank for that though. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I can’t wait to see what next year brings!

Okay, I’m done blabbering (I was surprised to see that “blabbering” was an actual word). If you have made it this far down in the text I applaud you, but now you can do what you came for and watch the video below!

The Wedge

Going to Hawaii wasn’t just a random excursion of work and play. It was a lot more than that to me. I learned more about myself in 4 months, than I have in 27 years. I had to overcome many personal weaknesses before I was able to take this step. I’m sure most of you think that sounds crazy, and that going to a tropical paradise isn’t exactly a difficult decision to make, but for me it absolutely was.

I’ve had an anxiety disorder since I was just a small kid. It wasn’t until I got into high school that it really started to manifest itself. Needless to say it has been a thorn in my side, keeping me from living the way I wanted to ever since. I let it control me, and I took a backseat while it had a firm grip on the steering wheel. Something as simple as going to a movie in a theater with friends became nearly impossible. Relationships with friends, employers and significant others were negatively impacted as well. So when I was offered a job to move to Hawaii for months to work on a documentary you can imagine I was torn.

At this moment in my life I had to make a decision. I was either going to let anxiety win yet another battle, or I was going to face it head on and take control or die trying. This is why my experience in Hawaii will always be a clear turning point in my life. It presented a situation where I really had to determine the person I wanted to be, and with the help of fantastic friends and an amazing family I was able to take the steps necessary to metaphorically punch anxiety in the face. For the first time in my life I now feel like I am in firm control of how I live my life, and the anxieties that have weighed me down for so long are now shriveled up in a corner, lacking the fuel they require to efficiently have any effect on me.

My battle with anxiety will be a life long journey, but I will continue to fight it, and try my best to help others who also experience this debilitating brain buster. Everybody has something that they have to battle. Depression, anxiety, loss of a loved one, irrational fears, eating disorders, dark secrets, and the list is essentially infinite. The good news is we have people all around us who either share these same challenges or have a set of their own. The bad news is that most of us don’t like talking about it, and do what I did for my entire life. Bottle it up, put a bandaid over it, and live a life that is controlled and dictated by these hurdles. For some reason it feels easier to stand idle with our feet firmly planted on the ground, but I can now say that while jumping certainly isn’t easy, you will thank yourself when you land safely on the other side.

I’m excited to move on with this new found approach to life. I have already had such an amazing experience in Hawaii and know that it’s just the beginning. I have some really cool projects lined up and I’m eager to get started on them. I will continue to work with Devin Graham as much as I can, he’s a good friend, and equally as good to work with. My new roommate Brad, is a former co-worker of mine that I met when I started my job for a Video Marketing Company 2 years ago. He’s a film nerd like myself, and has probably taught me more about the craft than I learned in College. No joke. It’s great to reunite our nerd powers. I have also been offered the chance to work with Jeremy Miller, a guy who’s ability speaks for itself, and works on so many amazing projects. Just to get a sense of his talents I am posting his 2011 Reel below.

JMILLS ///2O11 SHOWREEL from Jmills ENT. Jeremy Miller on Vimeo.

I don’t know how I have been able to meet and work with such a talented group of people, but I’m thankful for it everyday, and hope my talents and flavor will have a positive impact on them.

Now that I’m a bit more settled in, I should have more time to keep updates coming more regularly! Thanks again for all those who like to follow along.

There is a Guard stationed at the bottom of the stairs who’s job consists of turning away any eager hikers. I found this out the hard way, twice. Yes, that’s correct, I tried this hike twice previously last week and both times arrived too late only to be turned away by the guard on duty. This was super disappointing because just getting to the stairs requires going over, under, and through fences, stomping through bamboo forests, navigating small beaten paths, and did I mention this is all done in the dark? The only way to avoid the guard is to go very, very early.

So as my time here on the island comes to a close, this particular hike quickly shot to the top of my “must do list”, mainly because it had thwarted me twice previously. Determined and motivated I decided to give it one last shot. Only this time I was going to leave at 1 a.m. in order to guarantee not being defeated yet again by the the man in the uniform. So I enlisted a group of friends, none of which had every done the hike before and we set off.

The cast included my roommate Austin, an eager 19 year old who likes hot pockets almost as much as I do. My friend Melinda who I knew previously from Provo and is currently here going to BYUH. Melinda’s roommate Lani, a girl you want to bring on every hiking trip because she literally thinks of everything, and is more prepared than any elite boyscout. Also, my good pal Carlos Mozo, little brother to Jon Mozo, the man who’s life is being made into a documentary that I have been very lucky to work on. And Finally a very good friend of the Mozo family, Dillion. Needless to say it was definitely a good looking group of people.

Close look of the Stairway structure.

So the Six of us set off on our Journey at 1 a.m in the morning. We arrived at a small neighborhood where you can park your car and cross over the first of many fences that are littered with “NO TRESPASSING” signs. The benefit of attempting this hike twice the week before was that I now knew the path of finding the stairs like that back of my hand. So getting to the beginning of the stairs quickly is no problem. After navigating our way to the base of the mountain where the stairs begin I was elated to find no Guard on duty! Finally, the term “3rd time is a charm” was actually applicable to a situation in my life! So there I was, standing at the bottom of nearly 4,000 stairs that had evaded me twice already, but this time there was nothing stopping me, except myself.

Only two more fences had to be crossed, and we finally set foot on the first stair at roughly 2:30 a.m. At this point the excitement and adrenaline was all I needed. I quickly realized I was going to need a better flashlight solution than my current tool which was my cell phone. This is where Lani comes in very handy, she didn’t have a flashlight, rather she had TWO flashlights. So i stuck one in my mouth, grabbed the railing and started my way to the top.

It begins.

Going up these stairs you quickly realize they are like nothing you have every climbed in your life. Almost always steeper than a 45 degree angle, these 8 foot segments, although rusted and missing a step every now and then feel amazingly sturdy for the most part considering they are nearly 70 years old. Wide enough for just one person to fit, your arms are just as important as your legs as you pull yourself up each step. The stairs literally turn into a ladder in a few spots as they go completely vertical scaling the face of rocky cliffs.

Years of wear and tear taking a toll.

I’m not sure if it was the adrenaline wearing off or the lack of food in my stomach but after climbing for 20 minutes I became very sick. At one moment I thought I was going to have to turn back, and felt throwing up wasn’t a matter of if, but when. So we took a break, I sat down, leaning against the railing trying to decide what I was going to do. Certainly I couldn’t turn back now. Luckily, this gave Lani yet another chance to show off her preparedness skills. She was like having a mini convenient store following behind me. She not only had an apple for me to eat, but some ibuprofen as well. After about 10 minutes I felt much better, and our adventure continued.

I wish I could accurately describe the magnitude of these stairs, and I hope these pictures are able to do them justice somewhat. Looking at them as you climb is intimidating to say the least. They are built on the ridge of a mountain where in many cases you are standing in areas where these narrow stairs barely fit with 100 foot drop offs on either side of you.

As we climbed, the rain started to fall. This made me nervous at first, because the last thing I wanted was another obstacle to deal with. Climbing a set of soaking, wet stairs isn’t exactly preferred in a situation where if you fall, you are not going to stop for a very long time. However, the rain felt good and cooled us off as we climbed. It did cause the stairs and rails to become very slippery but was not enough to make us turn around.

Stairway to Heaven.

There are basically 4 main platforms that you encounter on your way to the top. These are flat spots that feel very rewarding to get to. The first one is by far the most difficult to reach, but eventually we arrived, and it felt great. We still had thousands of stairs to go, but hitting this first platform filled me with all the motivation that was just sucked out of me trying to get there. After a short break we continued to the top.

First platform. From left to right: Dillion, Carlos, Lani, Me, Austin, Melinda, and Tripod.

Built by mad scientists.

At this point I had my second wind, and sort of hit my stride. The obsesive compulsive disorder inside me was busy distracting me as it had me counting each and every stair I was going up. I lost track of time and position. Before I knew it, I had got quite a bit ahead of my friends. I kept going until I hit a realitively flat spot. This is where I had one of those moments that we live for, and never forget.

Surrounded by clouds, with light rain falling around me. I leaned against the rail and looked out over the valley. I could barely see the lights from the towns below glowing through the thick mist. I closed my eyes and took a slow deep breath realizing this may be the purest breath I had ever taken in my life. I felt the cold air rush into my lungs and imagined the oxygen being mixed into my blood hitting my heart and being pumped through my body. Standing there, on a mountain in Hawaii in the middle of the pacific ocean breathing this air is something that will stay with me forever.

Beautiful.

The group caught up to me and we made it to platforms 2 and 3 rather quickly. We could feel that we were getting close. The weather continued to get worse. This wasn’t the Hawaii you imagine in your head. Far away from sandy, sun soaked beaches where 85 degree sun rays tan your skin. No, we were some 2,000 feet above sea level at this point, surrounded by rain clouds dumping water on us. With the temperature somewhere in the the lower 40′s, I felt like I was right back in Utah.

Continuing on.

Finally, our destination was just a few hundred steps away. Climbing up, the giant radio station with two large satallite dish like structures on top came into view. We had finally reached the end of this amazing staircase. We were cold, tired, and hungry but the sense of accomplishment was enough to distract us from these discomforts. At least for a few minutes anyway.

Getting to the top doesn’t exactly reward you as you might think you should be for climbing a near 4,000 stairs. You feel like there should be a hot tub at the top, and a buffet filled with your favorite foods. What you get though is a rundown concrete building complete with wet floor, rusted metal, and grafitti all over the walls.

I climbed to the top of the radio tower. Fighting the wind, rain and cold in order to get this shot. Worth it.

Hanging out at the top, inside the graffiti covered radio tower.

This is the part I tell you to buckle up because I’m about to throw a crazy life changing analogy your way where I compare a hike to the grand scheme of life. But that’s exactly what it was. Life really isn’t about the beginning or the end. Rather the experiences you have getting to the end that matter. We get so focused on where we want to be tomorrow that we forget to enjoy where we are today. Don’t rush through life too quickly because the only thing waiting for us at the end of our earthly life is a six foot hole in the ground. What comes after that is another journey in of itself, but you might as well pull as much out of this one as you possible can. Take a minute to stop and fill your lungs once in a while with the air around you.

Ascending the staircase.

Carlos facing his fear like a man.

Our trip was only half over and we still needed to climb back down. This proved to be a bit quicker than going up, and with the sun finally peaking over the ocean we could now take in all the beauty that was around us. My pal Carlos wasn’t too happy about that, because he isn’t exactly the biggest fan of heights, but like a champ he pushed through it with a clean pair of shorts. Stopping periodically to take photos we eventually reached the bottom where the guard was waiting for us.

Luckily he was very cool about the situation, and he even warned us that cops had arrested people the day before, and he recommended we take a different path back to our car to avoid the same fate. So back through the bamboo forest we went, making it back to the car in one piece.

7,844 stairs later I can finally scratch this hike off the list. What an amazing way to say goodbye to such a beautiful place. But at least I know this isn’t goodbye forever, as I will hopefully be making many more trips back to this wonderful place.

More Photos from the hike.

What, you thought I’d climb 4,000 stairs and NOT bring a slinky? You’re crazy.

Staircase full of misfits.

Melinda giving her best Richard Nixon impression.

My point of view while coming down.

Carlos shooting the mountainside.

Just when you think you’re done… it keeps going.

Carlos through the overgrown plant life.

The Aftermath

Partners in crime.

Bonus Video:
The song in the mud fight video is by a guy named Kyle Andrews. His music rocks. I helped film a music video for one of his songs (You always make me Smile) last Summer. I highly recommend watching it, and I definitely recommend buying his music.

Kyle and I after shooting the music video.

Some of you probably caught it on Facebook or YouTube, but I really wanted to share it on here so anyone who might have missed it would have the chance to watch. I make a few cameos swinging a golf club and throwing a Frisbee. I have to thank my Jr. High PE coach, Coach Thompson for teaching me how to chuck a Frisbee like a pro. I’m pretty sure my Ultimate Frisbee team won that year because of said skills? Yes. Yes we did.