(Feature image, left to right: Karyann Hoopes, AJ Buruca, Alan Fullmer, Rory Wallwork)

A few weeks ago, prior to the public open house of the Meridian Idaho Temple, a small group of temple photographers spent the weekend capturing the magnificent temple and its grounds. We came from all over the country for the occasion: AJ Buruca from Boston, MA; Alan Fullmer from Cedar Hills, UT; Karyann Hoopes from Queen Creek, AZ; and Rory Wallwork from Clinton, UT. Each photographer always brings a unique perspective to a trip like this, so it’s fun to see similar shots from each person.

Meridian Temple by AJ Buruca

While the location is always changing, our agenda generally remains the same. For our recent Meridian Temple trip, we spent the first few hours of the evening photographing the temple and its two reflecting ponds, the water fountain, the walkways, and the beautiful grounds. Once the sun goes down, we continue to shoot for a while as twilight sets in. Then we have the pleasure of enjoying a dinner together and then retire for the night. The next morning comes early as we’re back on the temple grounds before the sun rises, hoping for clouds in the sky and wonderful sunrise. This particular morning was special as we watched the fog roll through the area and add a whole new and beautiful dimension to our photos.

We love getting together like this! As you may or may not know, this small group is part of a much larger group of around 20 friends and temple photographers, made up of four women and sixteen men from all across the country. We’ve had dozens of meet-ups like this at many other temples, and it’s always a very enjoyable experience. The idea of competing artists working together has been considered “magic” as the connections and friendships grow.

Meridian Temple by Karyann Hoopes

What makes our group even more unique is that each of us is basically competing with each other, selling much of our work on the same websites (like this one) and other physical locations. How is it that competitors can be such close friends, capturing the same images on a trip like this, without having animosity between them? Well, our passion for photography is more important than competition. Our love for the temples and the Savior is greater than monetary gains. We’ve formed a bond where we can learn and grow from one another and help each other strengthen our talents. It’s rare to find such a situation where competitors help each other grow, but we’ve done it and we’re just getting started!

Below are a few more photos that were captured during our trip:

Meridian Temple September Peace by Rory Wallwork

Meridian Temple Spire by AJ Buruca

Meridian Temple – Autumn Glow by Rory Wallwork

Meridian Temple by Alan Fullmer

Meridian Temple Summer Sunrise by Rory Wallwork

Meridian Temple – Gateway To Eternity by Rory Wallwork

Many of these beautiful Meridian Temple pictures are for sale. You can find photo prints, canvas wraps, and framed photos in a large variety of sizes. If one of these above pictures caught your eye, just click on it or let us know!