Archive for July, 2009

My Philosophy on Photography — Humble Beginnings

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

Wind Swept (1986)

Wind Swept (1986)

I first discovered a fascination with taking pictures when I was a young child. A family member had given me a box camera and I shot two or three rolls of 120 film. The resulting images were a disappointment. The expense of film and developing prevented me from going much further with it at that time; but the seed was planted.

I was a teenager when I truly discovered my passion for taking pictures. Unfortunately, photography was not offered as an elective at my high school, but I’m sure that had it been, I would have enrolled in the program.

I got my hands on a 35mm Pentax and started taking it everywhere I would go. At that time, even though it as difficult to get developed, I preferred shooting with black and white film. In fact, the only time I resorted to using color film was when I couldn’t locate something monochromatic.

Sel Portrait (1985)

Sel Portrait (1985)

A few years later I would put photography aside when I decided to pursue another of my interests, music. I couldn’t afford to invest in equipment for both. As the years passed, I kept many examples of my photographs around, even adorning my walls with a few pictures I had taken back in my youth. Often times people would ask me why I didn’t continue taking pictures, as they looked over one of the framed images.

When I finally put my pursuit of music aside it was nearly as much the echoes of those voices as my former passion that encouraged my return to photography.

For several years I shot only with film, but in 2002, I started shooting digital and in 2003, I purchased my first Digital SLR. Since that time, my 35mm SLR has been seeing less and less use. Within a year of that eventful purchase one of my images saw publication.

Another image I took in 2004 was picked POW (Photo of the Week) on Photo.net. It’s quite a prestigious honor and the image has been viewed well over 1.7 million times. Later that image would see publication in two separate magazines.

Bridge into Silence

I began shooting occasional professional work in 2005. Since then I have taken on more and more work as a photographer and earlier this year I decided I would open a studio and pursue it full time. In April, I found a space at 985 Lincoln Way, Suite 204 in Auburn, California. The studio is now open and you are welcome to drop in anytime Monday through Friday. I take appointments on the weekend as well. The phone number is (530)885-5375.

In my next blog I will discuss elements of life’s experiences and the manners in which people communicate and the impact I feel that both have on my Philosophy of Photography.

Colfax Independence Day Parade

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

Soapbox Derby!

Soapbox Derby!


The Independence Day Parade in Colfax this year, which took place on July 3rd, turned out to be a lot of fun. It was a little frustrating to have to wait for the train to pass before the festivities could begin, but once it got rolling things quickly looked up.

Highlights of the parade were the Quinn Family Clowns, lots of free flying candy, a little campaign stumping by Scott Owens and plenty of kids and family friendly fun.

Capping off the entire event were the fireworks later that evening. We were there, but I decided not to take pictures.

Check out the gallery of what I did take here.

The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly

Thursday, July 2nd, 2009

Scarecrow Audio Book

Scarecrow Audio Book

The Scarecrow
by Michael Connelly
read by Peter Giles

Everyone’s a critic, right?

When I first started this blog I reviewed audio books whenever I had the chance. Now that I have my studio open I haven’t had time. I still listen to the books each and every morning on my drive to work. I just haven’t been writing about what I have listened to.

One of the reasons is that I haven’t found anything all that great. Being a Michael Connelly fan I was excited when I heard he had a new book out called, the Scarecrow. I immediately put in a request for both the print and audio versions, respectively.

At the library it sometimes takes months to get a book, but usually you end up getting the audio book within a few weeks at most. The Scarecrow was no exception.

I had no idea what the scarecrow was about and I never read the jacket to find out. When I plugged in the first CD I was secretly hoping it was a Harry Bosch novel. When I heard the voice of the narrator I knew that it was not.

I recognized the voice, but wasn’t sure who it was. I was sure who it wasn’t and that is the reader who has read the last few Harry Bosch novels. I waited until about the second or third CD before I finally had a look. The reader was Peter Giles, who you might know better from one of the more recent Batman movies where he played Two Face.

Peter does a respectable job. I enjoyed his voices and he was a good choice for reading a character such as Jack McEvoy, who Connelly fans might remember from an earlier novel called, the Poet.

McEvoy is a writer from the LA Times and while he is on the hunt for the serial killer, the Scarecrow, we are also introduced to what many writers at newspapers are facing these days; downsizing. I like the way Connelly threads this into the plot. I know two journalists who have recently faced this grim reality, and it’s no surprise that one was laid off and the other is still barely hanging on.

The other part of this story is pretty much standard fair, which is not to say I didn’t enjoy it. But it seems like more and more of these stories are becoming too predictable. I knew what was coming long before it happened.

In a Harry Bosch novel Connelly can get away with this and I wouldn’t think twice. But that’s because of the main character. Bosch is Harry and he’s got depth and grit. McEvoy is a newspaper writer that has the balls of a cop, but seems to be dulled by years of continuously writing everyone else’s story and forgetting to live out his own.

What it comes down to is that I enjoyed this story more than many of the recent books I have listened to, but that isn’t saying all that much. I’ve been going through a dry spell for two or three months and am yet to come across a story that really moves me for quite some time. So for the time being I guess I’ll have to keep looking… or wait until the next Harry Bosch book comes out later this year.