Check it out! Got my mug up on the Survive & Thrive sponsored page for the documentary film Wrong Way To Hope for Canada’s Young Adult Cancer support. I answered a few questions about my involvement… feel free to read ‘em. Thanks Mike and Aaron!
Mar 032011
Alston Adams passed away in September.
Our time on the Owyhee River adventure in 2009 was memorable . On the overnight solo I had the chance to spend time one-on-one with the participants, as I briefly photographed their portrait. I brought Alston up from his campsite on the river bank and we chitchatted as we walked to my set-up. It was a good moment for me, as I thought this trip was a gift. We had the amazing opportunity to participate in the adventure, and we could document the collective experience to remember. I now realize that it may have been the last opportunity for Alston to be photographed at a time in his life where he viewed his health with confidence and hope. That is meaningful to me as a photographer. I did not think that he would pass away so soon. But I had become very aware of that reality as I spent 9 days with the group talking about cancer, statistics, and their challenges as they battle a life with disease.
Death, in a way, can be joyous when you have lived the way Alston did on the river; where adventure has purpose and the search for God is important.
TO WATCH THE DOCUMENTARY IN SEATTLE: Wrong Way to Hope at the Varsity theater (Jan. 27 @ 7pm; doors open at 6:30pm)
EVENT FACEBOOK PAGE WITH DETAILS
Jan 052011
Oct 112010
Its comes as no surprise to my friends and family that I love Oregon’s North Coast. It holds so much raw wilderness and potential. It has maintained its isolation well and for good reason. I feel that posting about the area won’t reveal its great secret, because if you haven’t discovered it by now, it must not be the kind of place you would enjoy. If you know about it, you can appreciate these images taken last week, from what seemed like the last week of summer (albeit October). These images speak of North Coast beauty; its renewable industry, a connectedness between resident and land, and an inspiring wilderness about as far west as one can get in the continental US.
Sep 172010
One of my goals for my photography business was to have an image published with National Geographic Adventures… It was the first magazine where I started noticing a niche that I wanted to be a part of. I started researching credit lines and down I went, into the rabbit hole. The first image that inspired me to pursue outdoor adventure photography was a cover image from Crater Lake. Last December, the magazine folded and published it’s last edition. But the name continues online with a blog through NG. Today, I discovered that one of my images from a Youth Dynamics guide training trip was selected for a post. And like before, success looks different than what I thought. But I think success is really just being happy about what you have accomplished. Maybe it is being content, but to me it is more than that.
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It was a sweet summer. Somehow, in the coastal mountains of British Columbia, we squeaked by with maybe a week’s worth of rain. The rest of our days volunteering for the adventure program called Beyond Malibu was sunny, warm, dry and fulfilling. My wife and I spent June-August bringing groups of teens and adults into the mountains to summit peaks and to grow as a community. We are processing our experiences and looking forward to next season already.
Until then, I will be shooting and continuing the art of photography. I have images for sale on my website, and details about purchases on the link above called ‘Buy A Print, Send Me To Beyond.’ There are a handful of people who are on a list to receive a special online gallery of unseen images for printing. If you desire to have that portfolio sent to you by email, please let me know. My email is located on my website contact page. Here is a reminder about costs for prints:
Print Options & Prices: *note: standout examples are seen below
- 16×20 w/ 3/4″ Standout $150
- 24×30 w/ 3/4″ Standout $366
- 30×40 w/ 3/4″ Standout $435
- 16×20 Canvas $193
- 24×30 Canvas $240
- 30×40 Canvas $342
Last May, I spent a week in Moab, UT with family and friends on one of the best biking trails called the White Rim. Located in Canyonlands National Park, and tallying a combined vertical gain of 4,000 feet in 100 miles, it is perfect for beginners. If you want to go about it with a more serious approach then you can do it in a day, but I don’t recommend it. Having the opportunity to look around during the 3-4 day ride was great for the mind and the exercise was good for the body. This multi-day adventure required a support vehicle with 4×4 capabilities. There are some difficult parts to navigate and high clearance would be advisable. You also have to pack a ton of water as there are no fill-ups on the route. I was surprised at the options for campsites that were maintained by the park. It allowed for some flexibility in our itinerary. No matter where we camped, the views were beautiful and never disappointed. Here are a few images to enjoy!
Apr 282010
A few days ago, I went climbing for the first time. Initially, I just wanted to shoot some stock of my friends climbing, but they wanted to give me a chance to experience this great route that would be challenging and perfect for learning. It was great to be taught something new again. Seems like that is the season of life that I am in. Lots of new stuff to tackle. These images were taken at Beacon Rock and Horsethief Butte on the Columbia River. Had a great couple of days visiting some of my favorite parts of the Northwest with good people.
Apr 252010
I sometimes enjoy the perspective of what was happening behind the scenes on a photoshoot or film project… I think it tells a lot. I wanted to share some images that most people didn’t see from the river trip (see previous post). These fellas from Hands On Film are creative thinkers, extremely athletic, capable adventurers, and full of integrity. It was awesome to work with such a crew and I wish all my shoots were with people of the same caliber and under similar circumstances. I wish some of these shots were included in the photo essay or elsewhere on display. But this blog will have to do…
Freddy harnessing evening light.
Aaron getting right in the middle of the poop tubes.
Expensive camera in a dry case on tip of Aaron’s kayak… not the one I splashed.
Precarious situations for the crane (heavy crane).
Apr 222010
My 9 day adventure with 8 young adult cancer survivors from across Canada last July was a transformative time for everyone involved. I was the photography part of a full media team that documented a kayak trip down the remote Owyhee River in Eastern Oregon where every participant was dealing with serious side effects from treatment AND had never kayaked before. Youth Dynamics did an amazing job guiding the group and making sure everyone was safe. Survive & Thrive Adventures organized the trip and provided daily discussions that would help the participants evaluate their cancer experience so they could go back home and positively impact others who are going through similar battles with cancer. Hands On Productions filmed the trip and will be releasing a full length documentary this summer that will tour Canada’s independent film circuit, as well as enter into the Banff Mountain Film Festival. It was an exciting project! Below are the people who have survived at least one bout with cancer.
You can view my photo essay of the trip here to get an idea of what was experienced.
The Owyhee is one of my favorite rivers and I am already beginning to miss the opportunity to disconnect and spend a week afloat.
