Working with a legend.

Not sure that He's actually a legend just yet, but he is to some. Jeff Riedel, a NY based photographer was here this month shooting an ad for NIKE. I was called to assist him. Please understand that I took no photos on this job - I was there to help with lighting and what not. It was really great to watch him work. We photographed a Minnesota Viking running back in the Metrodome locker room. Don;t want to give away too much info just yet. I will post an image when I see it though. The shot above is an ad Jeff did for Adidas.

It was a pretty neat experience. Do people still use the word neat? I do.

Go see his work. He's shot a lot of athletes and celebrities. You have likely seen his work before. Oh, and on top of being immensely talented, he is a gentleman to boot. Do people still say "to boot"?

Jeff's Site.

The value of art.

I have a few sites/blogs that I follow each day. They are all art related, or photo related. Every morning I check them and get a little creative boost for the day. I used to check out art/photo books in college for the same reason. I feel like it is a duty of mine to stay sharp and find images/creations that inspire me or challenge me to think in a new way. Plus I like it. Some of the vintage photos are so great!

These are a few images that I really liked. Being a bike dork, I obviously loved the bike sculpture. I want it. James Micheal Starr built it. Graham Hobart shot it.

The kid is just amazing! I dare you to find a cooler photo! I want to hang out with this guy. He's probably old enough to be my dad by now. This image captures little boy behavior so well. Yep, amazing.

I'm also a big fan of graphic art - especially older stuff. It boggles the mind that people did such great work so long ago. Really dig this "Umph" piece. Good motto for all of us, eh?

Our new president seems to value art, as he has pledged a great deal of money to it. Read about it as well as the first ladies thoughts HERE.

Not saying tax money should go to it - nobody lambaste me. I like to see it valued though. food for thought, peeps. Enjoy the images.

Is this a sign?

So, I took 4 days off of work to go on a turkey hunting this month. I awoke early, well before the sun was up, and hiked into the valleys and ridges of southeastern Minnesota. I was wearing camoflage from head to toe, and carrying a 12ga shotgun. I looked pretty official. Truth is, I am not so official. I have taken on a quest to kill and eat a wild animal to see if I can truly deal with the realities of what it means to be a carnivore.

You see, the meat we eat is almost always prepackaged in a bloodless styro-foam tray, or maybe it comes already cooked. It looks nothing like the animal is was pulled from. So, I am seeing if I have what it takes to do the "dirty work". If not, then I think it is hypocritical to eat meat. I like meat, so I am not wanting to give it up, and have no real intention to. I just want to prove to myself that I can do it.

So, I've entered the woods for 2 seasons now, hunting both turkey and deer. So far nature is kicking my butt. No creatures have fallen under my hand.

However,while hiking those bluffs this year I did stumble across another of natures bounty. The illusive morel mushroom. I in fact stumbled across several. Now, I am not sure what to do to them to transform them into the delicacy they are rumored to be, but I will certainly find out. For now they are dried in a canning jar. If any of you have a great recipe for them, drop me a note.

Here is an image of the ones I found. So far, it seems that perhaps all the woods wants me to have is plant life. I'm no quitter though. Watch yer back wildlife!

I lied, and more Velodrome.

Well, I didn't so much lie as spread a rumor. Escapes (NY Times travel) will continue, but will do so in a shrunken form and will be located in another section of the paper. So, it will not be the same, but will not actually go away. So, please forgive my hasty comments about its disappearance.

Also, I shot the National Sports Center Velodrome promotional stuff this last Sunday afternoon. We had beautiful weather and cooperative volunteers and it went quite well. I do not know exactly how they will be used just yet, but it should be fun.

I got to realize a dream of mine that I have had since 2006. I was able to shoot from the back of a motorcycle while racers rode inches away from me. It was great! I loved shooting this way and it helped us create some unique images.

Here's a sample.

4,600 mile hiking trail!

I'm a bit misty eyed as I write this. Today may mark the last day that my photos run in the NY Times "Escapes" section. I have heard a nasty rumor that the section is slotted for removal by the paper. [ Curse you economy! ] I'm not really too upset. If this is the end of 3 years of getting paid to sail, camp, mtn. bike, climb, hike, ski, mountaineer, snowboard, etc... I think I can learn to cope. It has been absolutely amazing and I am grateful for each of the dozens of assignments I have been called on to shoot. So, farewell, old friend... you will be missed.

Today the article on the North Country Trail ran. This trail is kind of amazing. It will be all the more so when it is completed. I'll give it to you in a nutshell, but you need to go read the article for yourself. The trail starts in NY and (at this point) ends in North Dakota - making it twice as long as the Appalachian Trail (also the grandfather of N. American trail systems). Lace up yer boots!

Go read: NY Times article

Velodrome Season is back!

Of all the new things I have tried in the last few years ( yoga, criterium races, archery, maple syrup-ing, blogging, to mention a few) racing on the velodrome in Blaine, MN is among my new favorite things to do. If you have never seen it, I urge you (again) to visit the velodrome on a Thursday night sometime this summer.

I will soon be neck deep in a new photo project at the track. Stay tuned for shots from that. Till then you will have to make do with these regurgitated images from last summers' Fixed Gear Classic race weekend.



Seriously now, go watch some track racing.

Ragnarok Report

Me, about 1/5 of the way through the course.





Whew. Really glad to be done with this race and off my bike for a day or two. It turned out to be a fantastic day to race. Highs about 70 degrees and almost no wind. The dry, fast course made for some fast finish times. The winner blitzed the 105 miles in barely over 6 hours. He was hauling.

I managed to finish in 7.5 hours, which I felt really good about. I came in 25th overall and 4th in the single speed category. My bike set-up was really good and allowed me to climb almost all of the hills - though a few times I thought I might pop. The last 25-30 miles was a mental battle. I knew I could finish, but my body really wanted me to stop. I think a lot of people were dragging by that point, because only one person passed me in the last 25 miles. I felt like I was grinding to a halt and that everyone behind me would come whizzing by any minute. Not so, gladly.

I'm posting a link to a site that Scott Haroldson (Minneapolis wedding/portait shooter) maintains. He and a few buddies shot a lot of images. That is where I got these. If you'd like to take a look at more, go here: Ragnarok Photos.

Thanks to the race organizers for a great event - for free! I hope that I can do it again next year.

Off to rest now.

The Ragnarok 105 race

Tomorrow I am leaving my home at 5:00am in order to get to Redwing, MN in time for the start of the Ragnarok 105. It is not a very conventional race. It is as much an adventure race as a bicycle race. Riders must bring enough water and food for the duration of the race and cannot accept outside support in any way. It follows as many gravel roads (especially hilly ones) as the race directors could find. So, it is neither a road race, nor a mtn bike race. Racers are given "tulip" notes - a sort of simplified map to follow, and all of us are really hoping not to get off course. Every mile you ride in the wrong direction must be retraced. Add that to the 105 miles of normal race course and you get a REALLY long ride. Last years winners finished in a little over 8 hours. I hope to finish within 10. I am hopefully not as slow as that goal suggests, but am riding a single-speed bike and will cover ground a little slower than those with a full set of gears. Think - Tortoise and hare.

I am going to carry a small camera and hopefully get a few shots of the race course. It should be beautiful! Southern, river valley Minnesota is easy on the eyes. Lake City is like a little paradise tucked away in the hills. I just hope that the blinding pain will subside long enough for me to take a few images. I will post whatever I end up with sometime later this week.

To learn more about the "Race", click here.

Skiing Lutsen Mountain - Northern Minnesota

I love my job. I've said it a lot, but it bears repeating. One of the most fun days lately was going to Lutsen Mountain up on the north shore of Minnesota. It is a pretty large ski resort for the midwest - larger than I expected to see. It is known for its gondola lifts - not something you see too much of east of the Rockies. It was a great time. I am not a highly skilled boarder, but I make it work. Jim Vick, marketing director for the resort was kind enough to show me around the place and carry my bags, telling me " I haven't fallen in years". My equipment was much safer on his back. Thanks again, Jim!

Go read ski writer extraordinaire Stephen Regenold's first hand account of his times at Lutsen Mountain. Don't forget to watch the Slideshow too.