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New Dawn Amongst the Rubble

As I finally make a move to update my website I have begun scouring my dusty collection of DVDs and other files that have accumulated on my hard drive. I'm looking for images that might make it to my new site. In this process I have started to uncover a few gems that had have been hidden amongst the rubble... I have also come across quite a bit of "almost there" images... frames that were good at the time, but merely just a step in the learning process. And one of the biggest things I've come to realize I am in need of some serious organization. So I even bought a hard drive to help me make some sense of these things. So here goes! Ugh! I hope to have this together by next Christmas.

The Traveler

I came across this photo of a traveler I ran into at the Reno Airport in the summer of 2003. I was on my way back from the Truth With a Camera Workshop and stopped in to shoot my friend's wedding south of Carson City. I have no idea who this guy is or what he is doing in Reno. I remember grabbing my things at the airport seeing this guy and needing to take his picture. That is the beauty of the camera... an excuse  to be more than just curious but to engage with the unknown.

CSU-Monterey Bay Basketball

I shot CSU-Monterey Bay Basketball Vs. CSU-Stanislaus last Friday. Bouncing a set of strobes off the ceiling. The game was pretty awesome with CSUMB pulling ahead in overtime to win the game. Here are a few of my favorite images.

These students showed up in pajamas for the men's game. 

At this point CSUMB had locked in the lead in the final seconds and everyone was holding their keys up. Something like "have a nice drive home' was being yelled.More images can be viewed here

Cannery Row

I just spent some time photographing on Cannery Row in Monterey. And I have to say that amidst the tourist attractions are some interesting folks, doing interesting things.

These first couple of photos are of Dick Crispo at his studio on Cannery Row. To the right is the Monterey Peninsula Art Foundation which Crispo helped form. He also painted murals inside prisons. He is an interesting guy!
I met with a few of the new and older folks who have set up shop on the street John Steinbeck made famous.

I shot photos of a dog chasing a stick at McAbee beach nestled between the hotels and restaurants. A homeless man once told me between sips on his 40-ouncer that the rubble of the old canneries at the other end of the beach was a good place to fight.

I also met up with Daren Warnick, owner of the Cannery Row Sardine Company who was nice enough to wheel his giant can of sardines out of his shop and onto the Row. He is selling sardines that are from the USA which is unique.

And finally I just walked around a bit at night and tried to envision the place covered in fresh sardines and with some of the grit that Steinbeck wrote about.

Ps: sorry about the images I am trying to figure out how to post from my archive.

new project

Here is a portrait I shot today of surfer and concrete worker Ken Donahue. The image is a kick off on a project that I have been meaning to start for way too long! More images to come soon.

Steinbeck House

Here is a photo from an assignment covering the house where John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California. I was blessed with some great natural light in the "Blue Room"

Caption: Steinbeck House Valley Guild volunteer Karma Nilsen sets a table inside the Blue Room at the Steinbeck House in Salinas, Calif. on Wednesday September 30, 2009. John Steinbeck's sisters Esther and Beth lived in the room until the upstairs was finished in 1906.