Justin Bieber

I've shot some pretty loud shows in my career; Metallica, Foo Fighters, they were loud. Weezer, Papa Roach, Buckcherry, Avenged Sevenfold, all very loud. KISS was loud. Normally when it's a loud act, and especially if I'm shooting from the pit, I'll get an email from the promoter to bring earplugs. I got that email before the Justin Bieber show, which I thought was odd, I'm not terribly familiar with his music, but what I had heard, I wouldn't considered LOUD. When I got into position that night I realized that the promoter wasn't warning me about the sound that would be coming from the huge speakers in front of me, but it would be coming from the throngs of adolescent girls screaming behind me. And since this was a sold-out show, the intensity and decibel level of the shrieks and screams was ear-splitting. I could have used double plugs that night.

And P.S. the first image has been selected as 1 of 8 finalists in the Crowd category in this year's PDN Ultimate Music Moment contest. Winners will be announced early Dec. Fingers crossed!!

Limo

Limo, on NW Westover, prepares traditional Peruvian dishes that are rich in color, texture, and flavor. The space inside is intimate and well laid out. It's small, but divided into little nooks, giving each table it's own space. Limo also has a substantial patio that should please diners well into the summer. The food is authentic and flavorful, with ample portions being served by friendly staff. I'm a sucker for a nice table outside, and since Limo happens to be in my neighborhood, you'll likely catch me there enjoying happy hour fare on a breezy summer evening.

Causa Sampler; Potato mashed with Lime Juice, Aji Amarillo Chilli and Spices, topped with (L-R) Seared Tuna with Cream of Ginger, Octopus with Olive Sauce, Shrimp with Anticucho Sauce, and Fried Fish with Red Onion and Diced Tomato.

Lomito Rolls; Egg Roll filled with Beef Lomo Saltado and Huancaina Sauce.

Lomito Rolls; Egg Roll filled with Beef Lomo Saltado and Huancaina Sauce.

Camarones al Ajo; Sautéed Shrimp with Roasted Garlic and Fried Yucca.

Seco; Braised Leg of Lamb marinated and cooked with Cilantro, Aji Mirasol, Garlic, and Spices. Served with Mashed Potato and Asparagus.

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.

Mount St. Helens

May 18th, 2010 was the 30th anniversary of the eruption of Mount St. Helens. On May 15th I rode up to the Johnston Ridge Observatory with my friends, and fellow photographers, Bruce Ely, and Andy Batt. Bruce is a staff photographer for the Oregonian, and was assigned to make a photo for the paper. The night before, he and Andy hatched a plan to go up and camp overnight (Bruce got clearance from the Forest Service ahead of time), in hopes of being there for the perfect light to make some great photos, fortunately, they called me as well.

We hit the road around 1pm on Saturday, stopped for lunch at Rose's in Castle Rock, and got to the observatory around 4. The afternoon was hazy, with a big cloud bank parked over the crater. It was windy, and a bit cold, and I was beginning to realize that it would be a while before that perfect light showed up, if at all. We all had backpacks stuffed with tents and sleeping bags, rain gear, and whatever else we were going to need to stay comfortable for the night, but we had yet to decide where that would be. All of us had slightly different agendas; Bruce had his assignment, Andy's objective was a time lapse sequence that would run throughout the night, and mine was to make a panoramic of the view. So we milled around a amongst the day tripping visitors, hobbyist photographers, and ham radio veterans, trying to decide where we were going to make our pictures from, and where we were going to sleep.

After weighing all of our options, which (briefly) included hiking down into the valley a bit, or up on the ridge, where we'd be hammering our tent stakes into rock and pumice, we decided to go with the level ground and slight wind protection of the path in front of the observatory. No tents of course, just bags and pads. This gave us the ability to manage and operate our gear in a mostly dirt free environment, and since we were able to set up our folding chairs, it felt a bit like three dudes out car camping, which was nice. We sat and made pictures late into the night, talking about how great, and how challenging, it is to be a photographer right now. We ate freeze dried food from bags, and enjoyed it. And we slept sound, with only the occasional stir from a restless chipmunk (which apparently are vicious according to the signs). We got up at 5am to make some more pictures, packed up our stuff, and headed home, stopping again at Rose's for breakfast on the way. I always learn something about my friends when on roadtrips, this time out I learned that Bruce will get recognized anywhere, even on top of a volcano, and that he likes chocolate milk with his breakfast. And I learned that Andy likes his corned beef hash crispy, and that he always brushes his teeth before bed, even when he's sleeping outside.

That perfect light never quite showed up, though we were given a few windows of opportunity during our stay. Here's ten of my favorite images from the adventure, the first being my pano, which is comprised of five frames, and is 1 foot by 6 feet.

Barenaked Ladies

I always enjoy the challenge of shooting something new, or shooting in a new location, keeps me on my toes. While I've shot at Keller Auditorium several times, I've never shot a band there, only theatrical events. Last night, Barenaked Ladies took the stage and rocked the auditorium. I got very little instruction ahead of time as to where to pick up my pass and who my contact was going to be, so I arrived plenty early. Got all the logistics worked out in time to take a front row seat for the opening act, Serena Ryder, who was great. After that, BNL took the stage, and I went to work. Here's a sample of the images I made.