Archives : Photography

Cover Photography For the Alternative Newspaper “The Source” In Bend, Oregon

Last week I was able to spend some time shooting for Bend, Oregon’s local alternative newspaper The Source. Today it hit the newsstands so now I can talk about it and show you the photos.  The article is about who was chosen “Woman of the Year” by the publication, so the newspaper’s art director Elise and I first spent some time getting studio images of the runner-ups.  During another shoot we met with Holly Hutton who won the coveted label and spent some time at her house to capture some really cool images of her in a more personal setting.  Holly is the Deputy Director for NeighborImpact, a very important nonprofit serving the economically disadvantaged people of Central Oregon.  I had a great time working with Holly and was really excited today to see how well the photos looked on print.  The photographic creativity that goes into working with others is an amazing experience and every day I am so thankful I’m able to share my enjoyment and passion with others. Cheers-

Live Music In Bend, Oregon From “The Strain”

While waiting for the wedding season to pick up I seem to get photographic inspiration in the most interesting places.  My friend Mark calls me up and tells me his band “The Strain” is playing at a local spot called “Players” in town.  Not knowing that he was even in a band let alone what he played (he’s the lead singer and an excellent photographer in his own right), I needed to see this first hand and now you all can check it out!  From what I heard, The Strain plays a mix of hard rock verging on metal/punk tones and guitar riffs.

Kubota Photo Bootcamp of Infinite Wisdom

The week I’ve been waiting for eight months has come and gone and all I can say is WOW! I’m speaking about Kevin Kubota’s photo Bootcamp, held twice each year in Bend, Oregon, that works on improving literally every skill for a photographer, with or without intentions of running a small business. Rubbing shoulders with one of the leading authorities regarding image post-production techniques was a lifetime experience that I know will play a major role in my future success as a professional photographer. I had met Kevin several times before but didn’t know the depth of his experience in photography and can say confidently that his reputation is no joke. This workshop overloads and humbles many people, however I feel that within only a week my confidence has grown further than what I could have ever imagined within such a short time. Below are some photos I shot at Bootcamp during a mock wedding photo shoot. Some of the images are shot with only available light and one or two are with one SB900 hand-held behind a circular diffuser. With the Nikon D300, I’m using my pop-up flash to trigger the speedlight through the infrared syncing of Nikon’s (CLS-Creative Lighting System). This is one area (probably the only, other than weight) that the lesser priced cameras have on the D3. Since the D3 doesn’t have a pop-up flash you need either a transmitter or SB800/900 on the shoe as the commander. Ok, really a small price to pay for a camera that set a new benchmark in digital photography. I can’t wait to get one but the D300 is equally amazing in it’s own right.

8th Annual Kubota Family Photo Day in the Park-Bend, Oregon

Last Sunday I had the opportunity to work with a number of talented Bend, Oregon photographers, including the world renowned digital guru himself-Kevin Kubota, to support our awesome community. Kubota Photo Design organizes a day of free portrait sessions for Central Oregon families that are in need or in crisis. A free 8×10, two 5×7 prints, and a CD of the photographer’s favorite image are given to those who would not otherwise be able to afford a professional photo session. Photography is such a powerful medium to us as humans and to have families tell me that the photo I took was the first of their children since they were born reminded me that a career in photography is an important responsibility never to be taken lightly. Here are some photos I shot from that day and a photo of the crew (I’m sitting on the left).