Bia Wun "Jelly Beer" at Whiskey Soda Lounge

Bia Wun, thai for "Jelly Beer", at Whiskey Soda Lounge in Portland is sure to become a summertime favorite for eastside evening strollers. 12 or 22 ounce Singha bottles are submerged in a refrigerated barrel filled with ice, water, and a touch of salt. All swishing back and forth like a washing machine. The salt, and motion, keep the water from freezing, even though the temp drops below 0ºC. After a few minutes the beer reaches the perfect temperature. A server taps the bottle on the ground a couple times to activate the slushing action, and inserts a straw. The beer turns soft and slushy, but not icy, perfect for sipping on a warm summer evening.

Craig Snazelle

Jazz Bassist Craig Snazelle came in for some marketing/promo shots, and he brought his beautiful upright bass with him. Craig is a talented musician, a long-time friend, and a recent cancer survivor. Our objective for the shoot was simple; just some good promo shots, nice light, simple. Craig later told me that, without really knowing it at the time, we ended up creating a few images that really summed the way he now feels about life, music, and his bout with throat cancer: Grateful. The last couple images are examples of that.

Tasty & Son's

John Gorham, of Toro Bravo, has a new spin on brunch. It's called Tasty & Son's, and it's good. I recently dropped in to do photos for a review in Willamette Week. I've photographed John before for an article in Portland Monthly, and he's also the father of one of my kid's classmates, so working with him was more of a pleasure than business. The space on N. Williams is open and bright, with a large window up front that floods the dining room and open kitchen with natural light. Parked next that window is a large farm table, perfect for big groups or the solo bruncher that enjoys a communal dining experience. It was also ideal for shooting food. After I was done with my shots of diners, and portraits of John, I asked him to send out a couple specific plates, and said that it would be fine if he wanted to include a couple choices of his own as well. Out came five plates of various colors and textures, and since the light was so nice, I was pleased to shoot them all.

The lighting setup for the plates was Large Window to camera left, 1 Speedlite backlighting the subjects, and a Gold Reflector directly to camera right and slightly above.

Shakshuka; Red Pepper & Tomato Stew with Baked Eggs.

The Breakfast Board; a Hard-boiled Egg, Viridian Farms Strawberries, Carlton Farms Double Applewood Smoked Bacon, Pickled Beets, Chicken Liver Mousse, and Lebna.

The Bambino; Fluffy Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Biscuit, and Heather's Honey Butter. Pictured in back are Chocolate Potato Doughnuts with Créme Anglaise.

Chocolate Potato Doughnuts with Créme Anglaise.