Pretty wood.

This is an image that a friend of mine sent me in an email. I DID NOT TAKE THIS PHOTO. I regret that I do not know who to give credit to. However, I thought it was really cool and that the artist - the sculpture artist should get some more mileage out of this.

Hope you like it too.

For those about to rock

My buddy Dylan (drummer) is a rockstar, greasy wrenching hotrodder and genuine stand-up guy. He's recently started a new band (was with Corpse Show Creeps) with some guys here in Minneapolis. I did this shot for them to use as an ad in a Rockabilly magazine.

Check the site for more info and show dates.

You wish you were cool enough to wear leather pants.

This just in...

"Weird, but kinda cool". That is how I would have to describe my being written about in the Star Tribune today.

I am grateful as a self-employed person to have free coverage like this. I am generally the guy on the other side of the news story, the one shoving a camera in someone's face for a story about them. Well the shoe was on the other foot today. I am just glad that getting into the news was not precluded by my being busted for some crime against humanity. Thank goodness.

A lot of people think that I have it made - and lest you think I am an ingrate, I very often feel I have it made too. However, having a fun job comes at the price of uncertain income that when it does come, often does so in small amounts. So, while you may hate going to work at the same place everyday, you do not have to know the stress of the self-employed photographer. Especially one with 3 mouths to feed. The fact that I have made this crazy gig work for so many years is awesome though. I admit it. I love what I do and I hope it shows.

Thanks to Stephen Regenold for not misrepresenting me in the media.

MN 2008 Cycling Images

Minnesota photographer, Robbie Halvorson put together a collection of images from Minneapolis area photographers that showcases the 2008 Cycling season. There were four guys total that contributed - I was one. Robbie merely wanted to give back to the cyclist community a bit by posting this gallery. It turned out pretty nice. Go have a look:

MN Cycling Racing 2008 - Gallery

Fitsok catalogue

Fitsok is a brand of running sock that is relatively new. They make technical socks in several styles. I was hired to shoot some images for their catalogue that will be out very soon. Unfortunately the deadline was in February, which meant we had to shoot in January - cold or no cold. Well it was cold. The images of the girl were taken in about 6 degree temps. She was a trooper and it all worked out. The guy was lucky enough to only have to endure about 20 degree temps.

I have not had a chance to try out the socks, but my wife has and loves them. They are only available in running stores. Check 'em out.

North Shore Fun

This last weekend I was on a quick assignment up in northern Minnesota. We stayed at a great little place bewteen Lutsen, MN and Grand Marais, MN. If you like nice, but not fancy places- consider yourself more into cozy than into cutting edge, then you ought to like the Cascade Lodge. Our room had a fireplace and fold out couch. A few nature paintings tied the decor together. The lodge is sandwiched between Lake Superior and the north woods. I could throw a rock and hit the lake from my porch. Rooms are clean and priced appropriately.

After I was done working, I took the boys out behind the lodge where the ski trails start. There is quite a system of trails up in the north country and had I more time, I'd have rented a pair of skis and dove into them. As it was, I had just enough time to let the kids glide around a bit. It was great though. They are so pumped about gliding down a 50 yard gentle hill. They have these little hybrid skis (not downill or XC, but somewhere in between) that they get around on quite well. They can ascend and descend pretty good in them.

Since I cannot leak the images from the job, here are some that I took of the boys at Cascade. I have a ton of fun with these guys. They are among my favorite adventure partners.

3 random images

These are all images from various going-ons in my life. I ran across them as I was reformatting media cards.

The Geo Tracker driver is making sure we all know that it is actually not a Jeep he is driving. Just another great find in the U.P. - Michigan's upper peninsula. Love that place.

The dog is Lucy, my Pit Bull Terrier. She's wearing my son's sweatshirt and is not enjoying herself nearly as much as we were. She's a great family dog - very patient with all the dumb things we do to her. Very sweet girl. Love that dog.

The kid skying through the air is my oldest son. He's been jumping bikes since he was 5 and will definitely out-ride his dad within a few years. Riding with my sons is in my top 3 favorite things to do. Love those kids.

I'll post some job images soon. I like for them to reach publication before I post images - don't want to spoil the surprise.

Spearfishing in the U.P.

When I first got my assignment details for this job, it mentioned spear fishermen using "decoys", which I thought must surely be an error. Decoys are for duck hunting and turkey hunting - not fishing. So, I was surprised to see that they actually do use decoys- beautiful, hand-carved, realistic decoys.
I've gone ice fishing before and truthfully did not see the attraction to sitting in a drafty "shanty" waiting for some unseen fish to happen along my lure. Had I actually caught one, I might have had more fun. With spearfishing, there is a visual connection to the fish you are trying to catch. And then when you see the one you want, you fling a spear at it, like some sort of indian hunter.
It is by far the most interesting style of fishing I have ever seen.

Do go read Greg Breining's description, which is far better than mine. Greg used to be a staff writer for the DNR's Conservation Magazine, and is especially gifted at writing about all things outdoors. Look for the photo slideshow again too, as it shows more details of the sport - like shots of those decoys I mentioned.

Oh, and for those not familiar, the "U.P." is Michigan's Upper Peninsula. What looks as though it should rightfully belong to Wisconsin, is a wonderfully wild piece of land brimming with outdoor adventure that somehow came to belong to Michigan. It is among my favorite places to escape to. If you go, try a "pasty" They are not gross.

NY Times Article

Orchestra

This week I was asked to shoot several Orchestra performances. I am very uncultured in this area and I felt like a child who is trying to be quiet in church. Every where I look there are people glaring at me because I am a distraction - my faint shutter clicking being way too much for the trained, delicate ears of concert goers. It was not really that bad. I did have one old man shush me and wave his arms for me to leave. I thought it was perfectly classic! Old men are cool!

In the attached image, Pierre Laurent-Aimard is conducting from the piano bench, because he is intermittently playing the piano and then conducting - repeat. Wow.

Anyway, if I have not offended you and driven you away by now, you can follow the link to the article about the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. It is written by James R. Oestreich - who they say is kind of a big deal.

NY Times Article