andydduncan

[andydduncan]

Sharing here, because it’s relevant to past photographic projects, influencing a new body of work I’m brainstorming, and it says what I’ve always inherently known or felt about Nature.

[andydduncan]

I took the boys camping Thursday night up Left Hand Fork Canyon. We tried to camp there back in the Spring, but the weather was just a bit too nasty, so we just played in nature for a little while before we returned home. Gina had a meeting for work in Logan yesterday, so the boys and I tooled around in the mountains for most of the day before we came into town and met up with her for dinner. It was the first time I’d been in Cache Valley since our failed attempt at camping earlier. It was good to be back, but something strange happened just as we entered Brigham City yesterday afternoon. Rather, I felt something I didn’t expect: I was returning Home.

Cache Valley was my home for 13 years. I moved down from Idaho Falls in July of 2008, and then I, Gina and the boys moved to Brigham City in June of last year (2021; not sure if this parenthetical is necessary, but whatever). When we moved we were in the middle of settling details for buying our house. We signed our contract July 2, closed August 2, then took possession of the house August 24, and finally moved in October 30 after day after day of working on the necessary updates beforehand. Despite living there for 13 years (from age 28 to 41); despite meeting and dating my wife there (and Idaho Falls, where she lived at the time, and Brigham City, where she’s from); despite both of our boys being born there, Logan never felt like Home to me. I don’t think I really and truly felt a sense of belonging there. Not to say that I didn’t like Logan—I like it. I even loved it there. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that when I moved to Logan I was only supposed to be there for three years (for grad school) and I never really had a mindset of permanence. But I didn’t really realize that I felt that way—not in a conscientious way—until yesterday as I was traveling down 200 South, nearing the turn to our street.

Brigham City has been a lovely place to call home—we’re close to grandparents (Gina’s parents), cousins; it’s a quiet, quaint town; we are part of a wonderful ward. Our house is amazing. Gina and I have said that the only other time we’re moving out of our house is on a stretcher—in many, many years down the road. We’re here to stay.

We’ve taken a lot of trips this summer—much more than I thought we’d take with gas prices being what they are. We’ve been to Island Park, Idaho Falls a few times, Pocatello a few times, Twin Falls (which was cut short due to an ear infection in one of the boys). At the end of each trip as we neared Brigham City, and then turning on to our street, I knew we were returning home, but I think it took visiting a place I’d lived in for over a quarter of my life to really realize that Brigham City is my Home. Our Home.

[andydduncan]

Out for an evening stroll with Tommy. I’m pretty impressed with the iPhone 11 Pro’s low light capability. #walking #iphoneatnight #cachevalley #utahatnight https://www.instagram.com/p/B43ooQUApNZ/?igshid=1a1bxq4nliosz

[andydduncan]

Idaho sunsets are my favorite sunsets https://www.instagram.com/p/B4YrNgeAZUj/?igshid=1bj1uo6jsnbp7

[andydduncan]

Virgin River, Zion National Park #zionnationalpark #utah #andydduncan #exploreutah #amazinglight (at Riverside Walk, Zion National Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/B30qRwmggxw/?igshid=1b69mzp159txg

[andydduncan]

Logan River at Trapper Park 1: December, 2018 2: September, 2019 #cachevalley #loganriver #changeovertime #utah #closetohome #PIPfeatures #post_evidence #flakphoto #foammagazine #aintbad #phroommagazine #humbleartsfoundation #photographmag #myfeatureshoot #fstopmagazine #somewheremagazine #pupilsphere #subjectivelyobjective #contextnotebook https://www.instagram.com/p/B3A_BmfAptu/?igshid=5tk4izqs81u9

[andydduncan]

Hyrum Gibbons Mount Logan Park #parks #urbanforest #playground #logan #utah #cachevalley #post_evidence #flakphoto #foammagazine #aintbad #phroommagazine #humbleartsfoundation #photographmag #myfeatureshoot #fstopmagazine #somewheremagazine #pupilsphere #subjectivelyobjective #contextnotebook https://www.instagram.com/p/B2krz_hAGaX/?igshid=jd373dq9e0um

[andydduncan]

I wish I could have spent more time exploring this landscape this morning than the few seconds it took to take this quick frame. The most in the air and the morning sunlight was pretty magical, even on a construction site. #morninglight #sunrise #construction #fog https://www.instagram.com/p/B2UQlHHAj0p/?igshid=1kk5uvh0mltlz

[andydduncan]

Tommy and I went for a #walk #trees #clouds #shadows https://www.instagram.com/p/B2QNsD1g7mF/?igshid=1cve83ezyfooy

[andydduncan]

Pretty little #cloud last night at Gray Cliff Spring #utah #getoutside #campingwithTommy (at Cache National Forest) https://www.instagram.com/p/B2HZYAUgINF/?igshid=13qlyc78g1n1g

[andydduncan]

These two shafts of light stopped me in my tracks while wandering through the Lodgepole Pines and Aspen in Island Park several weeks ago. They looked so resolutely defiant against the shadow that was slowly engulfing this little meadow as the sun set. . #lightandshadow #light #lodgepolepine #islandpark #idaho #idahoexplored #blackandwhite #post_evidence #flakphoto #foammagazine #aintbad #phroommagazine #humbleartsfoundation #photographmag #myfeatureshoot #fstopmagazine #somewheremagazine #pupilsphere #subjectivelyobjective #contextnotebook (at Island Park, Idaho) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1y41D4g0W3/?igshid=162s1gbc52rys

[andydduncan]

Tommy gathering rocks from the lake bed at Tony Grove Lake a few weeks ago . #throughtommyseyes #throughtheyesofachild #toddlerhood #atplay #magicofchildhood #learningthroughplay (at Tony Grove Lake) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1kAqByACuI/?igshid=1xi2dqfhjsxpm

[andydduncan]

Jones Neighborhood Park, Logan, Utah . #theurbanforest #parks #publicparks #landscapearchitecture #post_evidence #flakphoto #foammagazine #aintbad #phroommagazine #humbleartsfoundation #photographmag #myfeatureshoot #fstopmagazine #somewheremagazine #pupilsphere #subjectivelyobjective #contextnotebook https://www.instagram.com/p/B1j7LIagU-u/?igshid=lsn9l851w28s

[andydduncan]

Tommy’s dirty hands. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of photographing this little boy’s hands coated with dirt or mud or sand. . . #dirtyhands #hikingwithtommy #hiking #throughtommyseyes #atplay #learningthroughplay #toddlerhood #throwingrocks #themagicofchildhood https://www.instagram.com/p/B1Bmj-Dgqzd/?igshid=1osd8ifzb9gi8

[andydduncan]

Four Moments Along Spring Hollow Trail. Exploring possibilities for a project. . . #trails #hiking #walking #10000steps #post_evidence #flakphoto #foammagazine #aintbad #phroommagazine #humbleartsfoundation #photographmag #myfeatureshoot #fstopmagazine #somewheremagazine #pupilsphere #subjectivelyobjective #contextnotebook https://www.instagram.com/p/B0-BUNzgjIG/?igshid=4d779f6tqzhv

[andydduncan]

#Idaho #skies are my favorite https://www.instagram.com/p/B092PN-gwFg/?igshid=1v9eli5d2wnlp

[andydduncan]

#moody #sky on our #walk this #evening (at Logan, Utah) https://www.instagram.com/p/B0aCz2XAoNJ/?igshid=1xr2o5b3elwoi