When the Gateway Mall opened in late 2001, its brand-new twelve screen Megaplex theater made our little multiplex in Bountiful that much more irrelevant. It opened back in the early '90s, during that unfortunate window between when builders started making multiplexes and when they decided things like stadium seating and surround seating were essential. I remember taking dates to the theater, and seeing movies like "Sleepless in Seattle," but a real movie experience was pretty rare. The theater shut down for several years, through the time I wandered over to take this shot, but eventually the place was remodeled and reopened. I'd hoped for a convenient dollar theater, but instead the Gateway 8 still offers first-run movies, but at a slightly discounted price.
Visiting the far north end of the Bountiful Cemetery is always a bittersweet experience. The graves always have twice as many decorations as any other spot on the property, and the balloons and pinwheels and decorative toys always have a special life to them. Of course, knowing that these decorations have been set out for young children who have passed years before adulthood puts a somber tone on things. On Christmas night 2015, my family was visiting my dad's grave nearby when a man asked us for some help jump starting his car. I'd noticed that he and his family had been visiting one of the graves in the children's section, and it was heartbreaking to think of the insult added to his injury. Luckily we got them started and on their way.
As I first began to cultivate my interest in photography, I made a point of seeking out interesting imagery in everyday situations. Rather than add to the sprawling portfolios of national park images, I'd find the beauty, or at least the meaning, in overlooked locations. Hence my afternoon visit to the West Bountiful Landfill, where Utah's state bird roams free among piles and piles of Davis County's refuse.
