Snow and Science Double Dip - On Assignment for the NYT's

A funny sort of twist of fate that I ended up on two section fronts for the Sunday New York Times last week.  One was the Travel Cover, which ran a story I shot last year about backcountry skiing in Oregon.  This involved me learning to backcountry on the job, while attempting not to kill my cameras (this is a mission I failed). Huge thanks to Three Sisters Backcountry for ensuring I didn't die. The second was for Sunday Business, a profile of intel's director of user experience research, Dr. Genevieve Bell.  Not everyday you get to a bond with a robot and roam the halls of Intel.

Two very different projects, both ones that pushed me as a photographer.  Which is what I love about working for The Grey Lady. Plus, I'm not gonna lie, seeing your pictures printed huge is kinda cool too.

MusicFest NW is Rubbish - Willamette Week Cover

You never exactly know how it is going to go with celebrities.  Perhaps spending your life with people that never tell you no can have a warping effect. Thankfully this diva mentality was delightfully absent from Fred Armisen, of Portlandia fame.  I can never decide if that show is funny or not and if audiences from Mid-Western states would want to hug me or shoot if we were ever to meet. Fred showed up as his alter ego, 70s-era punk rocker Ian Rubbish, for the shoot.  At first I was afraid that he was going to talk in a British accent for the duration.  In which case I'm afraid I would have had a hard time keeping it together, persistent giggles making it difficult to push the shutter.  But no, though dressed as Ian, Fred played himself, a very sweet, laid back guy, who was game for whatever wacky things I could think of.

Totally Tubular

So many people I have talked to rave about surfing the Oregon Coast.  Not too crowded, nice waves, quaint little towns.  All I can think about is the cold.  Even dipping my toes in that icy water makes me dream about senior beach week in Ocean City, Maryland.  But I digress.

I appear to be the only one who has those issues though, as the go-to-spot, Short Sands, is littered with very hip looking crowds, swathed in neoprene.  And I was more than game when long time friend and writer Lucy Burningham told me she needed a picture taker for her very first adventure into the waves.

Oh, and did I mention the Wall Street Journal wanted to hear all about it?  We grabbed Christopher to shoot video and our merry band of journalists headed West.

As typical of the coast, we were blessed with perpetually changing weather, but after a lesson with Lexie Hallahan of Northwest Women’s Surf Camps we witnessed Ms. Burningham ride her very first wave.  Almost made me want to jump in.  I said almost.

If you are feeling like you may want to take a dip and a trip yourself, read the article.

Lucy and I first worked together for Imbibe Magazine in Croatia, where we found ourselves racing around the country chasing down truffle hunters and infused liquors.  If that doesn't make for permanent bonding, I don't know what does.  Check out another one of our adventures involving sauerkraut here.  And if you are someone who like to bike and drink beer (this perhaps maybe everyone I know), then be sure to grab Lucy's fab book, Hop in the Saddle.

Learning to Surf on the Oregon Coast, with the Wall Street Journal from NashCO Photo and Video on Vimeo.

Bad Habit Room - Saraveza - Portland Event Space Photography

A good friend of mine Mickey, who is the party planner guru at Saraveza in North Portland asked me to photograph their fabulous event space, Bad Habit, for their new website. My partner in crime, Christopher Onstott and I photographed the space empty and then again for an engagement party.  And since we ended up falling in love with the place, stay tuned for our upcoming party there!  Maybe we'll put you on the list...

Making Marriage Work When Only One Spouse Believes In God

Back in January NPR asked me to drive up to Longview, Washington to photograph Maria Peyer, Mike Bixby and their family for a story about interfaith couples with the lovely print and radio journalist, Deena Prichep.  They were such a wonderful and thoughtful family, makes you realize you don't have to have the same type of relationship with God (or even one at all) to love and respect each other. (Listen to the story here)

Olympic Provisions | A well-lit haven of meat.

Recently photographed Olympic Provisions in the SE industrial area of Portland for the Finder section of Willamette Week.  They have bequeathed themselves with the title "American Charcuterie."  Oh, I love the hipsters of Portland, never taking themselves too seriously.  I will say that it is a beautiful space, the food is quite fancy and tasty and owner/Salumist Elias Cairo is a doll.  He let me into the super secret and protected back area to check out the shiny and pungent meat.  The only requirement was that I had to wear a white jacket and a rakish sailor style white paper cap (that I got to keep for my very own).  Who knew sausage could look so fabulous, plus OP is Oregon’s first USDA certified meat-curing facility, so that's pretty cool too.