Day 191

191/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

This is Austin.

Day 190

190/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

We got up to Mammoth yesterday and it's been dumping. 

Day 189

189/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

I headed back up to Mammoth today to do some snowboarding, but this time I got to make a pit stop. 

Day 188

188/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

I spent most of the day returning Christmas gifts that didn't fit and I ALMOST forgot to take a picture.

Day 187

187/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

Merry Christmas!

Day 186

186/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

It's Christmas Eve and everyone's at Grandma's house.

Day 185

, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

It's Christmas Eve's Eve, and I made my annual journey to see some lights. 

Day 184

184/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

It's been raining for days on end. I've been cooped up inside for the most part and it's finally starting to get to me. I woke up and looked out my kitchen window, hopeful that maybe the rain had let up. It was pouring harder than the day before, but I did get this cool foggy mountain picture, so I guess it's not all bad.

Day 183

183/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

I had a 6 hour photo shoot today. 

Day 182

182/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

It's still pouring rain here and I didn't do a single productive thing today. Normally that would drive me crazy, but today it felt amazing. 

Day 181

181/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

I have never seen so much snow dump so quickly. 

Day 180

180/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

Today was my first day of snowboarding for the season. 

Day 179

179/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

Today I went to Mammoth Mountain to do some snowboarding. It's been snowing since we got here, and supposedly the biggest storm of the year is about to hit. This is the "before" picture, I can't wait to hit that pow-pow tomorrow!

Day 178

178/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

This is my friend Alex.

Day 177

177/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

Every once in a while I realize that I'm getting older, and today was one of those days. Kyle, Austin, and I went Christmas shopping.

Day 176

176/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

It never feels like Christmas when I'm at school.

Day 175

175/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

This is the empty facade of what used to be a coffee shop in Pasadena. Now it's the first step towards my mom's dreams coming true, which is pretty rad. 

Day 174

174/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

This is my brother, Garrett. It's good to be home. 

Day 173

173/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

I took a self portrait right before I started school this quarter, on Day 93. I figured another one was in order to cap things off. I try not to look back too often, but today seemed like a good day for a bit of reflection. 

Day 172

172/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

I'm wiped from finals and I plan on doing absolutely nothing today because my brain is recovering. I'm phoning it in today, but hopefully now that I'll have some free time my pictures will pick up.

Day 171

171/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

I took my last final this morning, and then I went on a hike. 

Day 170

170/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

Today sucked for the most part, but I realized how incredible a good pair of headphones can actually be. 

Day 169

169/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

It's the Tuesday of finals week and I have a double header tomorrow, so I've been doing a lot of studying. I was cooped up inside yesterday and it was lovely outside. Today was just as gorgeous and there was no way I was going to let it slip away from me, so I went and did my reading in a park with an ocean view. It's hard to believe it's the first week of December, it seems like the sun always comes out to taunt UCSB students during finals week!

Day 168

168/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

It's the Monday of finals week, which is never really fun. 

Day 167

167/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

Today Tony, Kyle and I went to Pismo Beach for a commercial shoot and met some really cool people (and some rad dogs). 

Day 166

166/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

After a lot of planning, a lot of obstacles, and a few stressful situations, we pulled everything together and started shooting yet another project today.

Day 165

165/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

Wait, what? All those kids from Day 95 wrote papers and now I have to grade them? But... but... it's finals week....

Day 164

164/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

Today I went to the fall art show on campus, called FUXED.

Day 163

163/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

Today is skateboard appreciation day. 

Day 162

162/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

Today I had a cameo in Tony's road movie. Remember when I told you that Tony is good at talking people into things? Well he convinced our friend Kyle to jump in the ocean. 

Day 161

161/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

I spent a majority of today editing the movie I shot on Day 150. 

Day 160

160/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

Today we took our annual trip to the Christmas tree farm. It's a tradition that I've missed for the last couple of years because I've had finals and whatnot, so this year I got to pick out the tree. It's gonna be a Charlie Brown Christmas! 

Day 159

159/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

Remember how stoked I was after playing football yesterday? Well I've pulled my hamstring, calf, and groin in both legs and I can barely walk. Just getting my jeans on this morning was a task in itself. Still, totally worth it. 

Day 158

158/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

Today I played in a turkey bowl. 

Day 157

157/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

It's Thanksgiving! What was that? No turkey you say?

Day 156

156/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

I came home today for the first time in over a month and I'm super stoked. One top of that, my brother decided to tear apart his truck, so I seized the opportunity to make a pretty cool picture. A lighting walkthrough is after the jump...

Day 155

155/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

Every quarter, the very last issue of the Nexus is dedicated to the photo department. The photo issue, as it is lovingly called, is like a giant puzzle for me. 

Day 154

154/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

I spent most of my day sitting right here, writing my beast of a research paper on early Dada and Surrealist filmmakers, specifically Man Ray and Hans Richter. Click their names for a sample of their films, they're really fun. All said and done, it weighed in at 3600 words, 21 sources, and 2 pictures. It was pure hell, and I'm so glad it's done with.

Day 153

153/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

My friend Jane's birthday was yesterday. She wanted to have a thanksgiving potluck, so that's what we did, and Janesgiving was born. The cool part is that me and most of my friends are up to our nips in our silent film history papers, and in the midst of that chaos we still managed to pull together some delectable dishes. I've never made mashed potatoes before (I've never even really liked them), but that didn't stop me from hand peeling, cooking, and mashing 10 pounds worth of fluffy goodness. Overall, my first of what I believe will be 3 thanksgiving meals was a complete success!

Day 152

152/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

It rained heavily last night (which was awesome) and then cleared up by morning (which is even better). I love how clear it gets after a nice rain, and it was a beautiful day. I did a lot of research in the library today, so before it got dark I took a walk and just enjoyed the view.

Day 151

151/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

Remember that new bike from Day 122 that I was so stoked on? Well it's being a real pain in the ass right now. 

Day 150

150/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

This is my friend Joe. He, like me, is easily talked into things. 

Day 149

149/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

Sometimes when I get super stressed, I just find a nice bench and grab some sky. 

Day 148

148/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

Here's the latest installment of "what the hell is this picture of?" I think this one is a tad easier than Day 106. And again, it's actually a picture of something, the only photoshopping done was a bit of color correction. Guesses go in the comment box, winner gets my undying love.

Day 147

147/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

I saw Inception again today at Magic Lantern. I figured seeing it the second time, it'd make a lot more sense and I would totally understand it, boy was I wrong! 

Day 146

146/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

I had a kind of lazy Sunday afternoon today watching football, followed by another film shoot and work at the Nexus at night. This time it was my friend Joe's movie, and thankfully I was just helping out with some lighting. Dana was (wo)manning the camera, which was nice because my back is still sore from the last couple of days. I went outside to sneakily take this picture, my shutter is so loud that it would actually ruin the take if I was in the kitchen with them. I was starting to think I wasn't going to work on any projects this quarter, now I'm shooting left and right!

Day 145

145/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

Over the last two days, I've pretty much had the camera in my hands nonstop. I'm supposed to help out on another shoot tomorrow, and the last thing I want to do right now is go take pictures. Lately, I've been so busy that my creativity isn't really flowing either. So this is the wall behind my house.  I feel a slump coming on, I'm starting to think photographer's block is a real thing.

Day 144

144/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

Spent another day shooting and we finished up most of Tony's movie.

Day 143

143/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

This is my friend Tony. He's really good at talking me into things. 

Day 142

142/365, originally uploaded by Aaron LaRue.

Remember the torment of Day 124? And the delirium inspired pictures from Day 125, 126, and 127 (which actually make an odd kind of series)? Well they weren't in vain. I got my grade back for what was easily the hardest midterm I have ever had and I'm pretty stoked. Now I get to do it all over again in 2 weeks for finals...