Willamette Week Bar Guide - 2 Covers in 1

Willamette Week asked me to shoot not one, but two covers for their 2013 Bar Guide issue, and several billion bars around town (ok, I exaggerate...). Needless to say, it was a blurry week. Victory Bar was the place to beat this year, christened Bar of the Year. I dig Victory, and their laid back, easy drinking feel, but runner up, Hale Pele has a special place in my heart (and the cover). Maybe it is the thunder, rain and smoke that randoms emits from the walls, or that fact that it is located in a strip mall next to a nail salon. However, if you are looking for a place to take your Dad (if your Dad had his Kerouac phase) then I recommend runner up #2, the Blue Diamond, where folks from age 22 to 72 can be found shaking what their momma gave 'em.

Other bars to add to your list of places to get tastefully drunk at are: Barwares, Moonshine, Bar Dobre (booze and kielbasa!), Free House, The Tannery, The Rookery, Sauvage and Velo (get your bike fixed while drinking beer, brilliant).  It is an amazing thing, this town's propensity to birth bars like Kate Gosselin.

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.

Aids in India on Hunger.tv and Feature Shoot

Both Feature Shoot and Hunger.TV recently featured a profile of some work I did about AIDs in India.  Done for my Master's Project and supported by a Fulbright Grant, I lived in India for six months, documenting their epidemic and drinking heavily.  It was a topic I feel fortunate to have brought to life, in however small a way, but it was often hard to sleep at night.  And that's probably enough about that, read the interview for more. If you don't know, Feature Shoot is a great place to see new and fresh work and if you ask, they will deliver it all quite tidily to your inbox everyday. HungerTV is this edgy British web site and magazine that had the brillant idea of combining Art & Culture, Fashion, Music, Film and most importantly, photography....but not just celeb or fashion photography. They have a whole section devoted to documentary work, which features not only upstarts like myself, but also Martin Parr, and Magnum photographer Rene Burri. Not a bad crowd to run with.

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)

When Millenium's and Politics Collide

One man, one place, one light, (my new kick ass Canon 600 EX RT), one hour, 4 setups.  Ready, set, go.  This was my first adventure as a newly minted Canon photographer, and I have to say, things weren't pretty.  Getting used to totally new gear, where everything basically turns the opposite way that you think it should, made my brain hurt.  But Andy Welsh, my subject, was patient and one of my personal mottos isn't "Fake it til you make it," for nothing. When I am tasked with shooting a portrait fast, I always make sure to scope out my surroundings; looking for doorways I can shoot through, interesting angles, unique light, anything where I can make something out of nothing. Plus I pay close attention to any natural gestures that the subject makes to include his hands to give the image interest and a feeling of intimacy.  Finally, I like to do at least three or four setups, cuz' I want the New York Times to know they are getting their money's worth (they are).  And that's how the magic happens (or not).  You can read the full story of why Andy thinks politicians suck, HERE.

Ok, ok. the last one has two lights, I admit it.

On Assignment with Portland Monthly: The Synagogue Sampler

So in love with the layout that Portland Monthly did for my March story on synagogues, The New Shul.  One thing I was really intrigued by was the different ways the religion is interpreted.  On one end of the spectrum you have a female Rabbi, Ariel Stone, leading the congregation at Shir Tikvah (they even share a space with a Gay-friendly church).  On the other end is Congregation Bais Menachem, an ultra-Orthodox Chabad Shul where men and woman are not allowed to touch.  And in the middle was Shaarie Torah and Rabbi Zucky, a former Israeli soldier who owns not one, but two purple suits and a pink felt pool table that holds a place of honor in his office.  One thing all these places did have in common was how welcoming everyone was.  The assignment was a swirl of bagels, sacred scrolls, elaborate stories and open arms.  A fabulous blend of down-to-earth-sensibilities mixed with mysticism.  Perfect for a girl born to a Jewish father and a Catholic mother.

Read about Powell's... In Swedish

The Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter contacted me to photograph Portland's world renowned bookstore, the ever fabulous, Powell's.  As a girl who spent a lot of her youth at the library, Powell's gives me that same warm and inclusive vibe.  Maybe it is that slightly used, cozy smell, which the guy in my photo below seems to be drinking in.  Or maybe it is the homeless people.  Regardless, Powell's is one Portland institution that everyone can agree is pretty amazing.  And just one more reason I love this city.  And Sweden agrees!  Or at least I will assume so, because, hey, I can't read Swedish.  

On Assignment - Wall Street Journal - Crabbers struggle with late starting season

The day after Christmas in Newport, the docks sat full of idle boats, as crabbers from northern California to Washington waited for inspectors to give them the go-ahead to fill their holds with the meaty Dungeness crab, the jewel of Oregon's seafood industry. I joined Wall Street Journal reporter and old skool music junkie Joel Millman on a trip to the coast to report on the crab season. For the second straight year, the eight-month crabbing season is starting late, after inspectors determined that crabs along a stretch of Washington coastline needed more time to get to 'meat' size.  The gods of sunshine and of reporters that have to work on holidays took pity on us and we had some gorgeous weather and some very tasty seafood (I had clams, not crab).  See the slideshow online at the WSJ.com

Marriage, it's not just for straight people anymore.

The WSJ called and asked me to shoot all the gay marriages that are sweeping across the fair state of Washington thanks to Referendum 74.  So heartfelt to see couples together for 30 years or more (and with grown kids in tow) finally being able to make it legal.  You've come a long way baby!  And I did almost cried, I admit it.  Thanks to Equality Southwest Washington for organizing many of the weddings.

Shot Show

What do you get when you combine the world's largest shooting trade show with Vegas and little ole' me? Very little sleep and a whole lotta guns. Oh, and scroll to the bottom where you can see my photo about ten feet tall at the Danner boot display. Though it did get a little post processing love from this guy.

Lessons on Being Grateful

Recently did a pretty intense shoot for the New York Times. I work for the paper probably once a week, as they seem to have a love affair with Portland, OR. And while I enjoy shocking people with how low their day rate is (don't ask) they do give me amazing assignments that take me all over the Northwest. Last week I spent a couple of days with some folks in danger of losing their home aid service. As states are trying to balance their budgets anyway they can, it has come down to slashing care givers for the disabled and elderly. Unfortunately, the result is that many of the folks who could get by with 20 to 40 hours of help a month are going to end up in nursing homes once that help is gone. It's a pretty sad and ironic tale of dealing with budget cuts in a no-win situation.

Enter Ken Poe, a former pilot who suffered from Polio as a child and as a result has trouble walking and standing. His house reminded me of a episode of the TV show Hoarders. Boxes, papers, and books formed a maze while a 25 foot oxygen tube snaked throughout the room. Ken agreed that while it looked like a tornado had touched down, in reality everything had its place and it was his way of "wall surfing," using the stacks to help him navigate around his house.

Throughout the day Ken told me bits and pieces of his life, how he got sick, what he studied in school, his escapades flying around Mount St. Helens right before it blew. Everything was told in a matter of fact manner, and Ken remained upbeat while I clicked away as meals on wheels delivered his lunch and old Perry Mason episodes played in the background.

At one point Ken wanted to move to his bedroom to lie down and needed my help. He could rise to a standing position but because he can't raise his arms more than waist high he needed me to take his hand so he could stand up right. It was almost like a dance, with both of us bowing and then rising at the same time.

I think Ken had fun that day. He had someone to listen to him, someone to pay attention to him. It makes me feel like I've given something then, something to Ken who allowed me into his fragile life where being able stand is reliant upon a pile of papers being placed just so. I love the work I do, I just hope that it makes some small difference and that I leave things a bit better than I found them.

After our time together I thanked Ken and went to my car to smoke cigarettes, cry and remind myself to always be grateful.

Goonies: Just one nonstop Truffle Shuffle

I really do have the best job in the world.  It's true.  At least that's what I thought when I got a call from the Washington Post to photograph the 25th anniversary of the filming of the movie Goonies.  You remember this movie... pirate's treasure, bank robbers, Sean Astin and the scary yet ultimately lovable guy named Sloth who kept eating all the Baby Ruth candy bars.  Well, even if you don't remember it, at least 16,000 other people do and a few weeks ago they all descended upon the town of Astoria, Oregon where the movie was filmed.  The 3-day event was packed with bus tours, trivia games, movie museums, costume contests..enough stuff to keep me perpetually glued to my "Goonie Weekend" schedule guide. I spent a fair bit of time snapping away at the autograph signings...watching Corey Feldman endlessly plug his band "Truth Movement" and the-now-slim-and-somewhat-foxy Jeff Cohen (the dude who played Chunk) shamelessly flirt with me and coyly repeat over and over, "Don't judge me!  Stop judging me."

Fans waited in line for five hours to have cast members sign autographs, their hands clutching old VHS tapes, action figures, and even a Goonies board game, for the actors to scribble on.  One guy had driven all the way from Buffalo, New York (granted this guy was wearing a handmade latex "Sloth" mask) and another group who had flown in from France...France, people!

I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.

This was some serious Goonies business and though I loved the movie I couldn't quite figure out what it was that had elevated it to cult status.  Endless childhood?  Endless possibility?  Whatever the case, it was pretty awesome to see so many folks unashamedly geeking out and throwing themselves headfirst into ridiculousness.

And that is something I can always respect.