Snow Day Snowball Fight | For Reuters

Total insanity does not even begin to describe the madness that this event had in store for attendees and photographers alike. A parking lot, fenced off and filled with nearly 6,000 (probably drunk) people hurling frozen iceballs, served as a recent assignment for Reuters. While it was not the family-friendly winter wonderland I was expecting, I had a good time making pictures. Enjoy, knowing that I am still a bit bruised...

A field of 5,834 attendees launched handfuls of snow in unison to officially break the existing Guinness Book of World Records for the world's largest snowball fight in Seattle January 12, 2013. The snowball fight was held as a benefit for the Boys and Girls Clubs of King County.  REUTERS/Jordan Stead  (UNITED STATES)

Brad Bambusch, right, cocks back to hurtle a powdery projectile during an official attempt to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the world's largest snowball fight in Seattle January 12, 2013. The existing record was broken. The snowball fight was held as a benefit for the Boys and Girls Clubs of King County.  REUTERS/Jordan Stead  (UNITED STATES)

Groups of attendees took to their recently built snow forts for cover during an official attempt to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the world's largest snowball fight in Seattle January 12, 2013. The existing record was successfully broken. The snowball fight was held as a benefit for the Boys and Girls Clubs of King County.  REUTERS/Jordan Stead  (UNITED STATES)

Groups of attendees took to their recently built snow forts for cover during an official attempt to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the world's largest snowball fight in Seattle January 12, 2013. The existing record was successfully broken. The snowball fight was held as a benefit for the Boys and Girls Clubs of King County.  REUTERS/Jordan Stead  (UNITED STATES)

Heather Hughes, center, puts the finishing touches on her team's snow fort preceding an official attempt to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the world's largest snowball fight in Seattle January 12, 2013. The snowball fight was held as a benefit for the Boys and Girls Clubs of King County.  REUTERS/Jordan Stead  (UNITED STATES)

Paul Hines puts the finishing touches on his team's snow fort - modeled after the Seattle Seahawks' CenturyLink Stadium - preceding an official attempt to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the world's largest snowball fight in Seattle January 12, 2013. The snowball fight was held as a benefit for the Boys and Girls Clubs of King County.  REUTERS/Jordan Stead  (UNITED STATES)

Joanna Wheeler, in green, was joined by her friends for a picture as she hoisted a Seattle Seahawks umbrella preceding an official attempt to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the world's largest snowball fight in Seattle January 12, 2013. The snowball fight was held as a benefit for the Boys and Girls Clubs of King County.  REUTERS/Jordan Stead  (UNITED STATES)

One attendee blocks a snowball from another participant during an official attempt to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the world's largest snowball fight in Seattle January 12, 2013. The record was broken. The snowball fight was held as a benefit for the Boys and Girls Clubs of King County.  REUTERS/Jordan Stead  (UNITED STATES)

Wearing a husky hat, Hannah Houlihan, 27, center, sends a text to a friend preceding an official attempt to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the world's largest snowball fight in Seattle January 12, 2013. The snowball fight was held as a benefit for the Boys and Girls Clubs of King County.  REUTERS/Jordan Stead  (UNITED STATES)

A plaque is presented to a crowd of 5,834 attendees after breaking a Guinness Book of World Records attempt for the world's largest snowball fight in Seattle January 12, 2013. The snowball fight was held as a benefit for the Boys and Girls Clubs of King County.  REUTERS/Jordan Stead  (UNITED STATES)

Late October | Ballard, Washington

After extensive moving and travelling, I'm settling back into the Seattle vibe. Enjoy some miscellaneous pictures from around my home.  Expect more of these kinds of posts; having gone full freelance with The Emerald Collective as of two months ago, I rediscovered the freedom of making pictures with no purpose but for simple personal content. Enjoy.

The Eddie Adams Workshop XXV | The Final Edit

The Eddie Adams Workshop has long been one of the most coveted milestones in a photographer's career. Every year, thousands apply from all over the world, sending in a 20-image portfolio under the simple guideline that is both elusive and mysterious in nature: what is your personal vision? After months of deliberation by a group of the industry's top editors and photographers, only 100 lucky individuals (50 student, 50 professional) are granted access to the workshop's week-long experience in early October in upstate NewYork. Who judges?! How do they judge?! Why did _____ get in, but I didn't?! Questions such as these plague photographers that miss admission, just as I had after my first year's submission.

Yet, in 2012, with the help of The (Provo) Daily Herald's photo editor, Mark Johnston, I crafted an 18-image portfolio that later admitted me to the 25th anniversary of the workshop in the professional's bracket. We edited on images that immediately grabbed the viewer; no quiet moments or overly detailed images - just shock and awe at its most vivid. As I look back over the edit, it's almost less about the images now and more so about the ordering.  Many, many hours were spent to craft a flow that moved from picture to picture in a pleasing way, either by mood, color or subject body language. The thing that rings truest for me is the fact that these images spanned almost every photographic experience I have ever had. Multiple internships, long road trips and pivotal life moments all came out to play.  The result, shown below in three screenshots of six images each, is my attempt to shed some light on the mystery of being admitted to the workshop.  Please feel free to contact me about anything EAW-related - I would love to help as much as possible... even though it probably won't be much.  If you missed admission this year, make sure to apply next year! Upon my return from the workshop in mid-October, expect a reflection and work share from my time at Barnstorm. Enjoy! Oh, and... go Team Turquoise!

BYU wins national rugby championship

Approaching something from another angle - both figuratively and literally - can result in the worse decision you have ever made as a photographer or be one of the most rewarding moments on assignment. That being said, taking unnecessary risk at BYU's national championship rugby game adds further insult to injury when it comes to trying for something outside of the box. Luckily, it paid off. When the clock hit zero after BYU had pulled ahead, I darted out onto the field with a legion of other photographers. The team swarmed each other (like teams always do when they win stuff), and I heard the shutters start to go off. Rather than sticking around on the BYU fan side of the pigpile, I quickly navigated around to the other side. Lo and behold, the senior player, captain and game MVP had collapsed onto his back in a mixture of exhaustion and happiness. As far as I know, I was the only shooter who got such a picture, and it ran five columns wide on A1 the next day. Sometimes taking a risk for a different picture can pay off. Enjoy.

BYU's Mikey Su'a collapses onto the field while being swarmed by his teammates after winning the national rugby title against Arkansas State 49-42 on Saturday, May 19, 2012, at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah. A crowd of media and sidelined teammates rushed the field at the sound of the final whistle as BYU field players hoisted the winning plaque skyward. As a medal was later draped around Su'a's neck, the faint glimmer of tears shone in his eyes.

BYU players rejoice with their trophy after winning the national rugby title against Arkansas State 49-42 on Saturday, May 19, 2012, at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.

BYU players do The Haka war dance after winning the national rugby title against Arkansas State 49-42 on Saturday, May 19, 2012, at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.

Jason Alexander of "Seinfeld" visits Utah Valley University

I about lost it when this popped up in the assignment list for the day. Over the years, I've been lucky enough to photograph some icons of our age, and this man is - without question - an icon of simliar sorts. Ask anyone anywhere if they know what Seinfeld is...  I think you know what the answer is going to be.

A group of acting students and faculty enjoyed the first of three days of conversation and critique with television star Jason Alexander, right, of Seinfeld fame, on Monday, February 27, 2012, in the Noorda Theater at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

Night At The Museum

If you've ever had the chance to catch the Ben Stiller cinematic masterpiece, "Night At The Museum," you know it sucks. Yet, in real life, this idea - complete with a live T-Rex, a smart-mouthed mummy and a basket of free obsidian chunks - is undeniably cool. I was especially drawn to a young dancer that had seemed to come alive in her "painting." Childish wonder with a touch of adult organization behind the scenes almost always means fun pictures. Enjoy!

Callie Sweeten, 9, and her sister, Malena Sweeten, not pictured, twirled and danced in what appeared to be a framed picture as part of the first of three evenings of the annual Night at the Museum event Thursday, February 23, 2012, at Hutching Museum in Lehi, Utah.

Utah Jazz vs. San Antonio Spurs | Action & Features

NBA experience number two is in the books. It felt great to get back to the EnergySolutions Arena with a little knowledge of the lay of the land this time around. In addition to game action, which can found on the Daily Herald's website, I took some time at the beginning of the game to make some features. Enjoy.

Utah Jazz mascot, Bear, encourages the crowd to make noise at the start of a game against the San Antonio Spurs Monday, Feb. 20, 2012, at EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah.



Paul Millsap, left, of the Utah Jazz, body checks and cocks back to shoot over the arms of the San Antonio Spur's Matt Bonner, center, during the second half of a game Monday, Feb. 20, 2012, at EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Spurs won the game 106-102.

The Utah Jazz starting lineup takes a moment to huddle before the arena lights rose for the start of a game against the San Antonio Spurs Monday, Feb. 20, 2012, at EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Daily Herald staffer James Roh gets LASIK

The man has been waiting years for this moment. Thankfully, I drove the guy to and from his surgery, which gave me the chance to sweet-talk my way into the operating room for a couple pictures of this monumental event in the history of Roh's eyeballs. The experience brought me back to my seven-hour stint shooting a tummy tuck several years back... except this time, it didn't smell so barbecue-y. James is now referred to around the office (by me) as Eagle Eyes and/or Major Lazer.

Caution, one of the pictures below gets a tad graphic in a Clockwork Orange kind-of-way.

"Push It" Gym

While the concept was simple - "shoot some features on this new gym in Springville" - the challenge was a (challengingly) typical one for a newspaper photographer: make something especially cool out of something of everyday occurrence*.

*Cue the beauty of high vantage points, punchy color and graphic aesthetics.  Enjoy!

Instructor Kristin Mackey, upper right, leads a group of women through a rigorous morning of exercises and conditioning drills Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012, at Push It Gym in Springville, Utah. Mackey opened the gym in 2010.

All-Stars Wrestling

I did it.  I took the advice from my good friend, John Lok - a staff photographer at The Seattle Times and an incredibly positive guy - to request strict sports duty once I got to Utah.  In less than a week, I have shot a number of games and matches in all different sports from high school to college level, and, with any luck, NBA will be in the near future (i.e., with the Utah Jazz). To start off the sports train, enjoy a couple frames of young high school lads giving each other the beatdown at an All-Stars wrestling tournament at Utah Valley University.  Thanks for looking.

Welcome | Goodbye?...

As time surges forward, change is needed.  After showcasing my work as a blog on Flickr for many years, it is officially time for a change in the way my images are viewed.  Bigger is always better.  So: hello, Blogger.

If you wish to meander through old work, please visit: The Ol' Flickrstream.

Thank you for making your way here.  The internet is a big, scary place.  Stay a while and enjoy the view.

• Jordan Stead /// https://www.jordanstead.com/