NoDak portrait

First off, I'm really excited to be immersed in intense photojournalism world of EAW as I don't normally operate there, though my work is documentary in nature.

I'm going to continue with our theme of picking an image that speaks to us now, rather than an all out favorite. I've been thinking a lot about environmental portraiture lately and I keep thinking about this image I made in February. I took this shot of a farmer in North Dakota while I was covering some adventurers and their snowkite traverse of North Dakota (promoting wind energy along the way). I've been focusing on editorial work and that story was published in Outside.

It's has a very quiet tone, and allows the viewer ample time to gaze. It's the light, the visual context, the texture on the subject mirroring the texture on the ground. It's slightly more formal, but occurred in the spur of the moment (while trying to capture the snowkiters with the last amount of light, I glanced over and saw an image I had to get - "Can I take your picture real quick? OK - stand there. Thanks").

I'm developing a project where I'd like to shoot more pictures like this and interested in the relationship that happens once you break the line of merely observing. Alec Soth comes to mind and I just came across a project by Jonas Bendiksen (Magnum) documenting people urban inhabitants in some of the most densely packed places on the planet.

from the magnum site:
"I love working on stories that get left behind in the race for the daily headlines - journalistic orphans. Often, the most worthwhile and convincing images tend to lurk within the hidden, oblique stories that fly just below the radar."
-Jonas Bendiksen

I'm going to go find more of his stuff now.....

NoDak portrait

First off, I'm really excited to be immersed in intense photojournalism world of EAW as I don't normally operate there, though my work is documentary in nature.

I'm going to continue with our theme of picking an image that speaks to us now, rather than an all out favorite. I've been thinking a lot about environmental portraiture lately and I keep thinking about this image I made in February. I took this shot of a farmer in North Dakota while I was covering some adventurers and their snowkite traverse of North Dakota (promoting wind energy along the way). I've been focusing on editorial work and that story was published in Outside.

It's has a very quiet tone, and allows the viewer ample time to gaze. It's the light, the visual context, the texture on the subject mirroring the texture on the ground. It's slightly more formal, but occurred in the spur of the moment (while trying to capture the snowkiters with the last amount of light, I glanced over and saw an image I had to get - "Can I take your picture real quick? OK - stand there. Thanks").

I'm developing a project where I'd like to shoot more pictures like this and interested in the relationship that happens once you break the line of merely observing. Alec Soth comes to mind and I just came across a project by Jonas Bendiksen (Magnum) documenting urban inhabitants in some of the most densely packed places on the planet.

from the magnum site:
"I love working on stories that get left behind in the race for the daily headlines - journalistic orphans. Often, the most worthwhile and convincing images tend to lurk within the hidden, oblique stories that fly just below the radar."
-Jonas Bendiksen

I'm going to go find more of his stuff now.....

2XtM - To Cross the Moon Expedition

North Dakota Wind Potential.

Land Arts Atacama Lab

I participated in the Atacama Lab land arts program, which was a collaborative effort between the University of Texas and INCUBO, an art oriented organization in Chile. After a conference in Santiago, we ventured on a 10 day field work class to the Atacama.

cleaning the fridge

I spent a few days in Phoenix, AZ with two long-time friends (Jeremy and Bob) and had a great time. Unfortunately, their refrigerator needed some cleaning. I noticed a lime (though I wasn't sure what it was on first inpection) and thought I'd try my hand at some improv food photography. Appetizing, eh?

bicycling in Central America

there are plenty more pictures, stories and all of the above at www.spinningsouthward.com. The 1000+ miles that I covered pales in comparison to my friends who are going from Alaska to Argentina and raising $50,000 for the National Brain Tumor Foundation. A few highlights below...
southern Nicaragua was a breeze

climbing up into Monteverde - no words, just lumpy roads, hills, and lots of pushing - perfection

crossing into Nicaragua at sunset on a nice bridge donated by the Japanese

push on Mike - about another mile

crossing the Rio Rincon, a place where bull sharks like to spawn


Favorite dish: Gallo pinto con hueves fritos y queso fresco. Oh, y uno cafe. ("spotted rooster" - rice/beans with a fried egg and fresh cheese. Also, a coffee) This was fuel every morning in Costa Rica. Sometimes at lunch and dinner too.
Best meal: landing the elusive nacatamales in San Jorge, before catching a ferry to Isla de Ometepe. The extras we purchased stayed warm for dinner.
Worst meal: Two days later, our last meal in Nicaragua, was laden with greasy pork and countless shards of bone. (or the fish soup that was actually fish head soup - no body, just pure fish head and broth)
Best bargain meal: 5 beers and dinner (although a skimpy one) for under 5 US dollars in Las Lajas, Panama
Craziest camp site: amidst trash and overly damp grass behind a run down convenience store 40km from Panama City (the generators still worked and the pumped noisily at 4am)
Scariest moment: getting clipped and runover (just the trailer) alone at night in Santiago. While worried, I was helped by many kind strangers.
Surreal time: Diving into massive waves at night under an ominous sky - storms in the distance. Flashlights and a search for a body on land.
Superman?: Harold the German we met who biked from Alaska to Panama City (and onward to Argentina) in Levi's jeans. No shorts. No other pants. Just Levi's.

TCs Lounge

out on the east side of Austin, TX at TC's Lounge; cheap beer, free food, fantastic blues, thin walls, pool tables, and no A/C
shot with Delta 3200 (actual film)

Intro to this new technology

To appease all the fan(s) out there, this will be a place to keep you all posting on my picture taking. There are quite a few backlogged stories that I hear people craving for. They will come in due time.. They will come.