Photographed Jenn Louis, Chef-Owner of the Lincoln Restaurant and Sunshine Tavern (love me some frozen margarita) for the New York Times Dining Guide United States of Thanksgiving. Okay, I guess I didn't actual photograph her, but rather her cranberries. Cranberry sauce with Pinot Noir to be exact...because it is a plain simple fact that everything tastes better with Pinot Noir. Turns out after doing some serious research that the best way to photograph cranberry sauce is when it is backlit. Otherwise things could go horribly wrong.
photography
Carmen Peirano for Via Magazine
in eat and drink, in print, instagram, people
Via Magazine recently did a story on Carmen Peirano, the badass heir apparent to Nick's Italian Cafe in McMinnville. Pretty easy to take a good picture when your subject is a gorgeous chef, a cool apron always helps too. Question: How many photos can one take of the same space, using different angles? My answer appears to be at least 4.
As a side note, I am a big fan of downtown McMinnville, it really has that small town, quaint feel, not to mention some great places to eat and shop. Though maybe I'm biased. Carmen also runs a salumeria next door called Fino in Fondo, making Oregon a burgeoning meat empire. I personally just like to say the word salumeria.
KungFu Live on Buzzfeed!
in on assignment, people, reportage
Portland Urban Wineries for the NYT's
Somewhere along the line I have become the de facto, "Portland food, lifestyle and travel" photographer for the New York Times. And if you've read the NYT lately, you realize that is a job that keeps me rather busy. People in Portland now joke about it, when I mention who I'm working for, "Oh, man, they are doing another story about us?" is the response I get. And I understand that. Sometimes I feel that living the good life Portland is a secret I'd rather not share. Unfortunately, I think the cat may be out of the bag. Damn you, Fred and Carrie. Below are some outtakes from a recent Urban Wineries shoot I did for the paper which included stalking the tannin soaked halls of the Southeast Wine Collective, Clay Pigeon Winery, ENSO Urban Winery and Tasting Lounge, and Sauvage at Fausse Piste. Gotta love that urban terroir.
Portland Timbers' v. Sounders for the NYTimes Travel Section
in in print, on assignment, people
Last fall Christopher Onstott, Jan Sonnenmair and I all banded together to shoot a little NW soccer action for the New York Times Travel Section. Those Timbers Fans are not messing around. Many of them slept in line overnight to be the first ones in the stands. Not to mentions the costumes, the Timbers Army, the green smoke and those ubiquitous scarves. In some ways the fans are way more interesting to watch than the soccer itself (and way more fun to photograph). The game we shot they ended up beating the Sounders 1 to 0, which means the green smoke was flying. In a city with not a ton of professional sports options (and the Blazers will break our hearts every time) and not a ton of what I would call your typical sports fan, it is so amazing to see Portland rally around soccer.
Farm to Table, Pop-up Restaurant with Will Priesch for Portland Monthly Magazine
With just 10 stools and a rented kitchen, Will Preisch presents a pop-up vision of high-end eating: casual, personal, and thrilling. Want to make it to one of these amazing feasts? Called holdfast dinners, Will describes them as such, "holdfast is a “pop-up” restaurant operating out of kitchencru, a commissary kitchen and culinary incubator in nw portland. holdfast is a refined dining concept - not refinement in the sense of luxury - just pared down to what we consider to be the essentials of a wonderful meal; great food and drink, with excellent and unobtrusive service in a casual atmosphere. this is our opportunity to cook and feed people outside of the trappings of a traditional restaurant. clean. thoughtful. primitive. modern." Looked pretty delightful to me, and Portland Monthly.
The Visually Impaired get hands on with a Tiger
in in print, on assignment, people, reportage
Did a fascinating and crazy story awhile back for the Wall Street Journal about the Oregon Zoo. In seems the zoo anesthetizes its tigers every few years to do check ups. Well someone had the idea to add a bunch of visually impaired children to this scenario. I can just imagine the conversation where someone pitches this idea. But somebody pitched and somebody agreed and the result was both amazing and surreal. Swarms of people touching the paws, whiskers, even the tongue, of a 235-pound Siberian named Nikki. Meanwhile the big cat is being shaved, having blood drawn, getting its temperature taken (and yes, you are correct about where the thermometer was placed). Really a once in a lifetime experience not only for the children, but for myself. Oh, and the tiger.
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.
The Traveling Cantor, Jack Falk - For the NYTs
in in print, on assignment, people
Photographed the charming Jack Falk for the New York Times for a story on traveling cantors. Congregations that are too small to have their own will bring him in for the High Holidays. Jack kept me entertained with jokes and even sang for me a bit. I was basically loving life until I was dive bombed by wasps. Clearly camera shy, they were not interested in having their picture taken. My hand blew up to about hulk size. Fortunately, Jack's wife was nice enough to give me a poultice to take the swelling down and I was able to carry on. It's rough out their sometimes, even for God's chosen people.
The Artist Known as Joe Sacco
in in print, on assignment, people
Joe Sacco let me invade his home for a recent portrait for the NYTimes.com. Pretty amazing to say that your job is a cartoonist, I mean, who actually has that job besides him and maybe Charles Schulz. Love that light cutting across his face from the blinds and it is always tickles me how many different images you can take from the same room. Joe just smiled indulgently and told me stories of his father while I circled him. Joe started in journalism, which, as a recovering newspaper photographer, is near and dear to my heart. Just recently crashed his house again for a holiday party, where Joe was DJing and making a mean hot toddy. What a renaissance man.
Happy Campers, Pickathon 2013
in lifestyle, on assignment, people
Every August for the past 15 years a magical event called Pickathon takes place just outside of Portland. Four days of music, camping, beer drinking and general good times spill out onto Pendarvis farm. Not only is there amazing music at 6 stages tucked all over the woods but it is also the only large outdoor music festival in the United States to eliminate single use dish ware, cups (thanks to Klean Kanteen) and utensils. Plastic free since 2010 they also compost and use renewable energy. I was given the official job of photographic 'roamer' which basically means wander around and shoot whatever makes the event cool. See ya there in 2014.
Shooting Bikes and Brew for Travel Oregon
I spent a sunny day chasing down bikes and brews in Portland for Travel Oregon. Not sure which this town is more obsessed about. But while contemplating this I managed to hit three breweries before the sun went down....Coalition Brewing Co., Hair of the Dog, and Apex Bar with more than 50 beers on tap. Hey, it's a tough job but someone has to do it.
