Emerald Bay Photography News and Updates

So I got myself a ring flash not too long ago, and finally got the chance to try it out on a client shoot.

Here are the yummy results!









I love how it glosses and tones the skin. I tried a couple of different backgrounds, and found a flat black painted, smooth wall in the gym to be ideal.

Try this at home!

Labels: Bend Oregon photographer, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, editorial photographer Bend Oregon, fitness photography, sports fitness photographer Bend Oregon

In this economic age of steep declines in new home building, a lot of home owners are choosing to remodel instead of building new homes (always a good idea too to have contents insurance on your building though!). The building contractors that have tapped into that trend are currently experiencing brisk business. So it may come as a surprise that only very few of them have the foresight to take pictures of the projects before the alteration.

Yet - "before" and "after" images are the most powerful and valuable tool these companies have to increase their business for the future. There's nothing like pulling out a portfolio in a client meeting, snapshots of outdated, crummy areas right next to the professional images of updated, modern and fresh spaces. As cliche as it may sound - but not even the best verbal sales pitch in the world carries the power of those kinds of images to convince a new client that a remodel is the right thing to do, and to get them dreaming about the possibilities.

So in conjunction with the launch of its new website, Nautilus Construction recently hired me to shoot an "after" portfolio of a kitchen remodel. The home owner had "before" shots on hand I was able to match angles to.



Above and below images shows just how much modifying the overbearing bar was able to improve flow and traffic around the kitchen...



... and how much counter space was created by adding a shelf for much-used appliances and treasured cook books.



In addition, a slim new opening between the existing cabinets and the new shelf was harnessed to insert a pull-out spice rack. The hardware was updated to enhance the new modern look of the kitchen.



So whether you're a satisfied home owner, a remodeling business, or a finish carpenter - it's always great to have those "before" and "after" shots. And not just for insurance purposes, or to revel in the memories of what once was.

Note: In the interest of full disclosure I must mention that Nautilus Construction is a finish carpentry company in Bend, Oregon, owned by none other than my hubby - but for the purpose of this blog post, I think it's still a fine example of the point I'm trying to make.

Labels: architectural photographer Bend Oregon, architectural photography, architecture, Central Oregon photographer, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, interior architectural photography

One of my biggest and most stout resolutions this fine new year will be to EAT LESS, eat more modestly, and consume food with greater attention paid to nutrition and calories.

For example, my breakfasts will likely look like this every day (eggs = protein. protein = good):



Something like this for lunch will probably address my nutritional needs (I see fiber in there! I swear I do...), in conjunction with also looking pretty:



And me thinks that a serving of protein such as this will be appropriate for my dinners. Oh, yes, it will.



In closing: Thanks for humoring me. I'll go back now to gnawing on that side of bacon. Mmmmm. Bacon.

Dishes created by the talented and fabulous Chef Adair and photographed by yours truly.

Labels: Bend Oregon photographer, Bend photographer, Central Oregon photographer, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, food, food images, food photographer Bend OR, food photography

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the fun I had shooting the Deschutes Brewery's annual Fresh Hop Tasting.

Last Saturday, I went back to the fabulous Mountain Room. This time to get some shots for the brewery as they were getting ready to host a fundraiser for the Bethlehem Inn. The venue had gone from casual to elegant in a snap...



...and the food accompanying the affair was equally sophisticated:


Entree One - Fresh Pacific Prawns Crusted with Quinoa, Served with Causa Morada & Sofrito. By Hola!


Entree Two - Rack of Lamb, Stuffed with Spinach, Feta & Fennel. Served with Lemon-Oregano Roasted Potatoes and Wilted Chard. By Deschutes Brewery. Paired with Jubel Ale.


Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding with Caramelized Bananas and Toffee, by Jody Denton @ Merenda/Deep

And then there was beer too.

Need I say more?

Oh - and in case you haven't seen it: check out the brewery's rockin' new website! The videos are particularly cool. Way to go, DB!

Labels: beer, Bend, Bend Oregon photographer, Bend photographer, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, Deschutes Brewery, food, food images, food photographer Bend OR, food photography, product photography

Truly good food is a little bit like a symphony: Elegant. Graceful. Sophisticated. Eloquent. With bold notes and delicate undertones. Sweeping, and yet demure. It can make your head swim, your heart flutter, elevate your mood, and help you forget your everyday life.



Science has tied the chemical dopamine to food - a stimulant your brain releases upon receiving a rewarding experience. Most commonly though, dopamine is associated with love.

So do love and food replace eachother? Maybe. Doubtless however is the fact that when the two meet, something extraordinary is created. Someone who cooks with passion can spawn something far superior than someone who may be educated and skilled in the culinary arts, but is just going through the motions.



And every so often I come across someone whose cuisine is imbued with that passion, that devotion, that intoxication with food. Her name is Lisa Glickman, and she is a personal chef, right here in Bend. I met her on a food shoot last March.

I'll never forget the first time I tasted her food. It rocked my world. Steaming, home-made ravioli were filled with the most delicate and flavorful mushrooms, embraced by simple white truffle oil and delightfully crunchy pine nuts. The lamb was cooked to perfection - impossibly tender and juicy. More like butter than anything else. The red-wine poached pear with the vanilla bean creme fraiche was sweet, but at the same time light and awash with complex flavor.



I left the party that evening with a swing in my step, taste buds that would dance the conga for hours to come, and the certain knowledge that I would worship Lisa's talent for a long time. Ok - make that "all eternity".



If you ever have the pleasure to taste her food, you'll know from the first bite that you just got lucky. As for myself - did I mention that I love my job?

Labels: Bend photographer, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, food, food images, food photographer Bend OR, food photography, photography, product photography

Gleaming metal. Clean lines. Sharp glass. Shadow and light, working together to create unexpected and dynamic patterns. Harmonic colors that enhance eachother, play off eachother, contrast and produce an environment of simplicity and grace.

These are the things I live for when doing architectural photography. Yes, I admit, I'm a junkie - my favorite fix being contemporary buildings.

So here's a good example I recently shot for an architect client:









Mmmmm. Mmm. Mm.

Labels: architectural photographer Bend Oregon, architectural photography, architecture, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, interior architectural photography, photography

I'm so terribly behind in posting fresh images to my blog - a side effect of being always on the run and working, I guess...

But - I recently had the privilege and delight to shoot a portfolio for a company that specializes in concrete floors and countertops, and I thought I'd post some shots here. Not in the least because there's a special - and surprising - beauty to concrete that made me personally abandon my previously held (wrong) conception of cement as a rough material, suitable only for rudimentary construction uses.



Over the last few years, concrete has experienced a surge in interest as the versatile, clean and modern material that it is. Refined with color and in the hands of an artist concrete contractor, it can be turned into a thing of true beauty. It is nearly endless in its uses, highly customizable (with inlays and custom shades of color), easy to take care of, and stands up well to the test of time.





Wikipedia educates us on this interesting tidbit also: "Cement should not be confused with concrete as the term 'cement' explicitly refers to a dry powder substance. Upon the addition of water and/or additives the mixture is no longer referred to as 'cement' but 'concrete', regardless if aggregates have already been added or not."



And did you know? Unlike with a granite countertop, you're never locked into a certain color with concrete. Want to remodel that kitchen, but the new look doesn't jive with the current color scheme? No problem with concrete. You can simply have a new color applied over the old one. Cool, eh?

Look in the Sept/Oct issue of Concrete Decor Magazine for more of my shots.

Labels: architectural photographer Bend Oregon, architectural photography, architecture, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, concrete, countertops, floors, product photographer Bend Oregon

I don't even think I need to elaborate past the headline ...





More options on how to delight your palate in the Home Cookbook section of Bend Living, out on newsstands now.

Labels: chocolate, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, food, food images, food photographer Bend OR, food photography, photography

In the world of magazine publishing, working a few months ahead of the print deadline is nothing unusual. So the results of the assignment that took me to San Francisco last July only just hit the newsstand last month.

You can check out the article "Sushi Quest in the City by the Bay" in the March/April issue of Bend Living Magazine - or, given their rather meager selection of images from that assignment, take a minute and indulge in a sort of "extended version" of the adventure...

Truth be told - at first, the idea of a quest to find the best sushi in a city, awash with some of the freshest seafood on the coast and a selection of great restaurants featuring it, seemed rather intimidating. For me personally however - as a sushi aficionado - the promise of spending 3 days reveling in raw fish approached a small slice of heaven.

Oh how very, very, wrong I would be.

Between some rigorous net research, recommendations from friends and my editor, writer Vi Ho and I settled on three restaurants to check out: Blowfish, Sudachi, and Kyoya. With swing in the step, elated tastebuds, camera gear and notepad ready in hand, we arrived at the first place, Blowfish.

Now - to make raw fish look attractive and appetizing, you sometimes really have to work hard. That goes for both the chef and the photographer. Blowfish however really had the presentation down, which made things decidedly easier for me:





Maybe it was the combination of dishes, maybe it was the sashimi - my small intestines didn't really care to make that distinction. They only knew that a short while later, they were very, very unhappy. And not being able to ignore them, so was I. Because in effect it prevented me from being able to enjoy the sushi - and any other solid food, for that matter - served up to me in the following two days.

Talk about being in a depression situation. Here I am - in one of the world's greatest seafood cities, a veritable plethora of choices tantalizing me at every turn, and kind chefs and restaurant managers serving up a seemingly endless procession of (free) dishes. And just the mere thought of tasting a piece of fish making my stomach squeamish.

Mostly I felt bad for the restaurants - they worked so hard to accommodate us and make a good impression. So I tried to be a trooper, indulged in the offered miso soup and edamame, smiled and nodded, and instead of salivating over the offerings, focused on making their food look good.

Sudachi's miso was indeed memorable - but (I was told) even more so were their unusual combinations of sashimi and exotic oils and condiments:





Kyoya shone with their exquisite presentation skills, but Vi proclaimed that their Shrimp Tempura roll was quite other-wordly too. How I wished I could have tasted it ...





After all was said and done, we returned to Bend - satisfied with our quest, and loaded with great story material. Even my intestines had arrived at a place of peace again. Alas, I'm still waiting for that subtle sushi craving to return.

Labels: commercial photographer Bend Oregon, food, food images, food photographer Bend OR, food photographer San Francisco CA, food photography, photography, sushi

Life is challenging without sugar.

Trust me. I know.
I'm going through withdrawals as we speak.

Such is the sacrifice you make when doing a little Spring cleaning on the ole carcass. But hey. I know, it's temporary only. Luscious chocolate cakes, covered with thick shiny coats of couverture and adorned with ripe sweet raspberries loom in the not-too-distant future...

In the meantime, I have to satisfy my cravings by chewing on a low-fat cheese stick - while convincing my discriminating taste buds that it's really a Snickers.

For the rest of you, there is this:



Yepp, it's a berry cobbler with home-made whipping creme - photographed on a recent shoot for Bend Living magazine's "Home Cookbook" section. For the recipe, check the May/June issue.

Labels: commercial photographer Bend Oregon, food, food images, food photographer Bend OR, food photography, photography

In Bend, the name Blacksmith Restaurant has for years been synonymous with exquisite cuisine, an elegant atmosphere and above-average service. Now they've added something else to their arsenal: a hipper-than-thou bar, artfully lit by a dazzling, alabaster-like counter.



A few weeks ago, they hired me to shoot that new space, its fabulous drinks, appetizers and some of their signature dishes. Such as ...


... this deliciously spicy Habanero-Pineapple-Basil Martini. You're guaranteed you won't find another drink like it anywhere this side of the Cascades!


... or my personal fave: The refreshing Blackberry Collins.


These unsuspecting little corn dogs are actually stuffed with buttery, melt-in-your-mouth lobster and make great appetizers ...


... but if you sport a bigger appetite, consider the Blacksmith's tender and juicy "Cheese Steak".

I've tried it all, and I know I'll be back for more.

Labels: commercial photographer Bend Oregon, food, food images, food photographer Bend OR, food photography

Fresh herbs and vegetables are oftentimes what truly makes or breaks a dish. Choice tomatoes, tender basil, aromatic thyme, earthy sage - they all are essential ingredients in many fine recipes.

For a chef to grow his own garden is practical, omits a trip to the store, guarantees freshness and quality, and can ultimately save the restaurant or catering company quite a bit of money.

If you're lucky enough (like my client Chef Adair in Sonoma County, CA) to live in a climate where a garden can be kept year-round, the question doesn't become whether to grow something, but rather what to grow.

Maybe some lovely thyme ...



... for delicious roasted potatoe wedges?



Or how about some tender chives ...



... for a melt-in-your-mouth lobster sandwich?



Ahh. Yes. The choices...

Labels: commercial photographer Bend Oregon, food, food images, food photographer Bend OR, food photographer San Francisco CA, food photography

Rolling right along with my recent food photography obsession ...

crostini [kroh-STEE-nee] 1. Meaning "little toasts" in Italian, crostini are small, thin slices of toasted bread, which are usually brushed with olive oil. 2. The word also describes canapes consisting of small slices of toast with a savory topping such as cheese, shrimp, pate or anchovies. 3. Sometimes crostini refers to the equivalent of a crouton used for soups or salads.

In this case however, the crostini has been topped with a delectable homemade spread of kalamata olive and sundried tomato, adorned with a dollop of Creme Fraiche and a tiny taste of fresh thyme. Courtesy again of Chef Adair.

Labels: commercial photographer Bend Oregon, food, food images, food photographer Bend OR, food photographer San Francisco CA, food photography

One of the finest, most highly-priced ingredients in cooking: the Black Truffle.



A member of the fungi family, the truffle reveals its subtle nutty flavor best when thinly sliced. On a recent photo shoot for Chef Adair, I had the pleasure of shooting the fabulous truffle and letting a piece melt on my tongue.

Yum.

More information about the truffle and its legendary qualities right here on Wikipedia.

Labels: Bend Oregon photographer, Bend photographer, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, food, food images, food photographer Bend OR, food photographer San Francisco CA, food photography

Sighted at the BendFilm 2007 Sunriver Realty party:



A chocolate-covered strawberry, dusted with edible gold ... how novel!

More goodies from Cafe 3456...

Labels: BendFilm, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, food, food images, food photographer Bend OR, food photography

Don't blame me if you suddenly have an irresistible craving for scallops and fava beans ...

I'm just the messenger.



This delicious dish (and many more to come), brought to you by Chef Garrett Adair.

And yes. I got to eat it too.

Labels: Bend Oregon photographer, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, food, food images, food photographer Bend OR, food photographer San Francisco CA, food photography, scallop

Freshly back from my trip to chocolate-infused Switzerland, I got the opportunity to shoot some really yummy sweet treats during an event at Balay in downtown Bend.



They were tiny delicate cups of chocolate, filled with silky mousse. And lush, juicy strawberries, dipped in dark chocolate and decorated to look like tuxedos. And did I mention the heart-shaped truffles?



And yes - after I shot them, I ate them (thank you to Sweet Tooth for letting me take some home too. They didn't last very long ...).

Being Swiss, I'm very picky about my chocolate. But this stuff rocked. And it reminded me of why I love to shoot food. Because I get to eat it afterwards.

Labels: Bend Oregon photographer, chocolate, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, Editorial Photography, food, food images, food photographer Bend OR, food photography, photography

Last Saturday night, the annual Drake Awards were held at the Tower Theatre in Bend, Oregon. The event is put on by the Advertising Federation of Central Oregon and honors the best of last year's creative efforts in the advertising arena.

While I had entered the Obsidian Stock website for my own company (props for the kickass design go to my biz partner and designer Lance Hardy), another one of my photographic projects ended up winning a Silver Addy for best "Consumer Website" in the Interactive Media section: the Tigerlily Home site.



Yay! Good job, Kristi - and congrats to Mindy.

What's really rewarding for myself is that after shooting product for the site in many, many sessions over the span of last year, Mindy ended up with a website that is not only visually interesting and functional, but also exudes a luscious, tropical feel that perfectly fits the wares she sells. Kinda like browsing through a Thai market - only that it's located online (and downtown Bend)...

Labels: Bend Oregon photographer, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, product photographer Bend Oregon, product photography

Anybody who remembers Mt. Bachelor's West Village Lodge two years ago, and for some unknown reason hasn't been back since (uhmmm - me? because I don't ski?) - get ready for a pleasant surprise:



That's right - the interior of the lodge (which previously had a bit of a strong nolstalgic 70s feel to it ...) has been completely updated. Large, modern steel beams now rule the spaces, rugged floor tiles add color and texture everywhere, and open, light areas invite to linger, rest, snack or warm up with a drink.



The formerly cramped and lackluster bar area has been completely transformed into a hip, inviting space with neon signs, Bachelor-branded chairs and lots of open room.



And in a nod to the environment and green building, modular panels out of recycled wood now protect the walls - and once they are banged up pretty good by the crowds, they can be easily replaced with new ones (as can the floor tiles).



Overall - a very cool remodel. And a fun shoot too.

Labels: architectural photographer Bend Oregon, architectural photography, architecture, Bend Oregon photographer, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, Mt. Bachelor, photography

As our world grows more visual every day, some of my clients are starting to look for new and innovative ways to incorporate my photography into their marketing.

One such client, Pilates Center of Bend, has just set foot into the brave new world of the web's latest darling - podcasting. By producing a series of podcasts, showcasing specific pilates exercises, and posting them for free on iTunes, they are hoping to attract not only virtual admirers, but also real-world clients.



Cleverly - and to keep their presentation dynamic - they have incorporated some of the photos I took for them into their own iTunes page and at the beginning of the podcast.



The first in their series of presentations - demonstrating the pelvic curl - is now available in iTunes or as a Quicktime movie via their website.

Want to even stay tuned to new pilates episodes as they hit the web? Easy. Just subscribe to them via iTunes!

Overall - very cool. And a refreshing way for me to see my clients utilizing photography.

Labels: Bend Oregon photographer, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, editorial photographer Bend Oregon, Editorial Photography

Normally, winter is a time for me to kick back a bit, relax, collect myself again for the busy Spring/Summer shooting season. You know - catch up on reading those great books you've been saving all summer, go out snowshoeing, organize your office, prepare your taxes - fun stuff like that.

Not *this* winter, however.

I suppose that's what happens when you're finally so sought after in your field that you can (have to) work all year round... Or when you decide to pull a second business up by the bootstraps, make yourself CEO and photo editor of it, and end up having the thing take on a life of its own.

Serves me right. I should have known better. That's what I get for being so damn ambitious. Hahaha.

To sum up the past 3 months though:

• My clients know that I love a challenge. This residence certainly was just that. Contemporary homes are hard to shoot because they tend to be very uncrowded, with simple, clean and stylish lines. That makes it hard to find things to fill your frame with. But I was actually very happy with the resulting images - look for a full portfolio and an article on the residence and its unusual family dynamic in the March/April issue of Bend Living.
  
• Speaking of Bend Living: Their beautiful coffee table book hit the stores and shelves last November, just in time for Christmas. Given that I was one of the 27 photographers chosen to participate in the project, I'm very happy with the finished book. Yay. And a big thumbs up to Tiffany at Bend Living for making her way through 9000 images to choose just the right ones. Nice going!
  
• Another project I recently shot that is worth mentioning: the St. Charles Heart Center in Bend. This is actually an amazingly elegant, non-sterile space for a hospital. I wish all my commercial architecture projects were this interesting!
  
• Couple of editorial assignements that were fun: shooting Patrick Kruse, CEO of Bend dog product company Ruff Wear, with his dog Otis. And Redmond mayor Alan Unger - both for the Oregon Business Magazine. Look for the shots in this February's issue.

So there. That's the reason why I haven't really blogged in a while. Just in case anybody was wondering ...

Labels: architectural photographer Bend Oregon, architectural photography, Bend Oregon photographer, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, editorial photographer Bend Oregon, Editorial Photography

The past few weeks have been delicious.

Mostly because I got to spend a week in the California Wine Country, just north of San Francisco, shooting a couple of food assignments.

One of them was for my good friends at Canape Catering - and the combo of my new Canon 5D camera and the kick-ass 100mm, 2.8f macro lens produced some seriously stunning results.

So strap on your bibs, folks - because the following images might make you drool so hard, it could short-out your keyboards ... ;-)











Didn't get enough yet? Check out all the images from the shoot ...

Labels: Bend Oregon photographer, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, food, food images, food photographer Bend OR, food photographer San Francisco CA, food photography

As I had promised yesterday, the PDF of that story I wrote and shot for Log Home Design Ideas Magazine is now resized to something a bit more sane.

Click on the small versions below to see the full-size jpegs (at 72dpi):












Note: While LHDI did a bang-up job on the layout - thanks, Dave! - the original story was quite a bit longer and more detailed. Hence, if you actually go ahead and read it, and it ends up sounding a bit cut up, then that's why.

Addendum: It's always wildly interesting to me just how and why photo editors choose the images they do. I personally had some real favorites from shooting this stunning home that didn't make it into the final article. If anybody is interested to check out the rest of the shots, they can mosey on over here and here.

Labels: architectural photographer Bend Oregon, architectural photography, Bend Oregon photographer, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, editorial photographer Bend Oregon, Editorial Photography

I love surprises. Especially when they're ... uhmm ... pleasant.

Working with national magazines who have a 12-14 months leadtime on an assignment or article, you sometimes loose track of exactly who is going to publish what, where and when. Especially when they've already paid you for it long ago too.

So it was that only a few days ago I remembered that the feature I had written and shot for Log Home Design magazine last year was going to run in this June issue.

And upon checking the mag out online - looky here! - I was surprised to find that one of my shots had actually made the cover! Weeee ...



Alas, the swift publishing pace of the mag has already pushed the magazine off the shelves at B&N in Bend and replaced it with the July/August issue. Luckily, the kind photo editor at LHD sent me a huge PDF of the article, so once I have that resized, I'll post it here for people to check out.

Cool though. A milestone for sure.

Labels: architectural photographer Bend Oregon, architectural photography, Bend Oregon photographer, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, editorial photographer Bend Oregon, Editorial Photography

A few months ago, Grant Ellis, a freelancer writer for the Canadian Globe and Mail newspaper, interviewed me for an article about food photography, and the new tech infatuation of people whipping out their digicams before their fork at the restaurant.

Cruising around on Google today, I found the article got finally published, and it's indeed quite interesting - and at times hilarious.

I quote: I'm reminded of my own trip to China two years ago and the moment when I started taking pictures of my food. Afterward, I had trouble reasoning with myself. Why had I just taken a half-dozen photos of a bearded Shanghai crab, soon to be dismembered and devoured?

Eating I understand, but why did I feel the need to immortalize this transient, perishable subject? After all, by the power and pleasure of my consumption, I was essentially just conspiring to turn the thing into poop.

Thank you, Grant. I really needed this most inspiring mental image for my next assignment ...

Labels: Bend Oregon photographer, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, food, food photographer Bend OR, food photography, photography

Ok, I admit it - I have an unreasonable obsession with angles and lines. But in my chosen profession as architectural photographer, after all, angles and lines are everything. To me, it doesn't even matter if they're straight, curved, upsight down, crooked, wiggly - as long as they're exciting to look at.

Take this house, for example.



A few weeks ago, I shot this residence for a local Bend architect.



As even the untrained eye can see, the angles on this home are exquisite. The combinations of straight lines with leaned beams, cool glass with warm wood, tinted concrete with natural rock, are beautiful. And unlike 99% of homes here in the area, this one isn't elevated some 30 feet above ground to take advantage of the mountain views (which is does have in abundance) - rather, it is nestled into the ground to blend into the environment and shelter its occupants from the at times strong winds.



And despite its sizable square footage, you never feel like you're in a very large home. It's always intimate, cozy, inviting.

Very cool.

Labels: architectural photographer Bend Oregon, architectural photography, architecture, Bend Oregon photographer, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, photography

Recently photographed at Scanlon's Restaurant:



And yes, I got to eat it too. It was fabulous. Look for the recipe in the December edition of Bend's own Gusto Magazine and for more images here.

In other food-related news: Grant Ellis, a freelance journalist writing an trend article on the rise of amateur food photography for Canada's national newspaper, the Globe and Mail, noticed the article on food photography I wrote a while back for O'Reilly (no doubt due to its kick-ass Google rating) and interviewed me for it. I'll be posting a link to the finished piece when I get it from Grant.

And last, but not least - my favorite sushi restaurant (and one of the all-time best on the entire West Coast, in my humble opinion) Sushimotos in Sunriver has changed owners. The original chef, Ed Metcalfe, is heading back to the Bay Area to start a new sushi bar. His talents will no doubt be sorely missed by regional sushi-afficionado, but I hope to get down to his new place soon - and maybe even do some food photography for him while I'm at it.

Labels: Bend Oregon photographer, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, food, food photographer Bend OR, food photography, photography

There comes a time in (almost) every freelancer's life, when things start to click, start to fall into place. The past few weeks have been like that for me.

Work has been good and steady (so much as a matter of fact, that the last thing I've wanted to do after-hours is spend more time on the computer to blog), my calendar is satisfyingly covered with crazy scribbles of appointments and gigs, and there are a few very exciting new things on the horizon - which I cannot just yet brag about, but will be able to hopefully soon.

Yet today is special. A day when the Gods of the Publishing Industry are nodding and smiling down upon me. After working as a pro for 2 years now, this is the day I've gone national for the first time - with a 2-page (56 & 57) spread in the August issue of Money Magazine (Circulation: 1.9 million).



That so many eyeballs will see my images is exciting stuff. Hats off to the magazine and its fabulous editor for choosing the images they did and for reproducing them so beautifully.

So go out, buy the magazine - and be happy that Bend, Oregon didn't make the magazine's Top 100 list of "Best Places to Live". Otherwise there would be a resounding sigh so loud going through the Central Oregon home buyer community, you could hear it all the way to New York ...

Labels: architectural photographer Bend Oregon, architectural photography, Bend Oregon photographer, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, editorial photographer Bend Oregon, photography

Whoever said product photography had to be done in a studio, with a white seamless background and a ton of 500-watt lights?

Well, when the program chair of the High Desert Museum's upcoming Sagebrush Auction asked me to photograph some items for the western-themed event, I couldn't think of a better place to shoot them than in her own house (which happens to be a gorgeous log home I previously shot for an upcoming issue of Bend Living Magazine).





The August 13 auction is the Museum's single largest fundraising event and promises fabulous food, "frontier" fun, music, and live and silent auctions, featuring dozens of unique items (like the ones above). Proceeds from the Sagebrush Rendezvous support the Museum's educational programs that serve more than 12,000 children throughout Central Oregon.

So if you're a photographer or artist and would like to donate a print or two (tax write-off, folks!) to the auction, contact me, and I'll hook you up with the right person.

Labels: commercial photographer Bend Oregon, photography, product photographer Bend Oregon

For some inexplicable reason, I'm terribly fond of this image:



Or is it just me? Does anybody else like the almost painterly quality of this image? The way the chair, hat, painting, old indidan leather jacket, logs, and set of fireplace pokers come together? How the single spotlight casts this interesting light on the scene?

It was taken on a recent furniture shoot, almost as a sidenote, for no particular reason really, and just because to me, the scene seemed so saturated with Cowboy romance.

I just found out today that two images from this shoot are in consideration for the cover of the updated version of the book "Cowboy High Style".

I somehow hope it's gonna end up being this one.

Labels: architectural photographer Bend Oregon, architectural photography, Bend Oregon photographer, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, photography, product photographer Bend Oregon, product photography

I love my job.

Especially when I get to shoot assignments that take me to beautiful homes, let me meet wonderful new people - and give me a slice of education I would have never gotten otherwise.

Take for instance a recent shoot I did for a high-end reproduction maker of Molesworth furniture in Cody, Wyoming.



Molesworth who, you ask?

Yepp, I posed the same question. But in preparation for the shoot and to get a feel for the image style of the book (as my images will get featured in the updated version of the book), I read up on this interesting icon of Western style in Cowboy High Style by Elizabeth Claire Flood.

To quote the author: "Bow-legged cowboys, buffalo silhouettes, bucking horses, Indian teepees, an antlered elk - all icons that symbolize the rugged West. These, plus sensuous natural woods, vibrant leathers, and colorful woven fabrics are the raw materials of western casual elegance.

The western decorative style first became fashionable in the 1930s and 1940s, when dude ranches and lodges were among the most popular tourist destinations. Many of these retreats were outfitted by Cody, Wyoming furniture maker Thomas C. Molesworth, who worked mainly with swollen burls, rich leathers, and vibrant Chimayo weavings, to create the sturdy, streamlined furniture for which he has become famous. By adding romantic western and wildlife motifs through detailed wood carvings or paintings, Molesworth promoted a high style of furnishings that captured the spirit of the West."

Indeed. Shooting these beautiful furniture pieces, I started to really appreciate the smooth woods with their characteristic burls; the soft, supple leathers in their rich tones of red, and the intricate hand-carvings of arrows and teepees.

I'll be forever grateful for the education this job provided me - never mind that it also spoilt me for all eternity. I will never look at my furniture the same way again ...

Labels: architectural photographer Bend Oregon, architectural photography, Bend Oregon photographer, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, photography, product photographer Bend Oregon, product photography

... because some of my pictures are featured in there. :-)

I photographed this splendid house in Bend for the magazine's "Home and Garden" section, and was blown away by what the owners had done to the circa 1950's house. It had gone from a mediocre house on a nice Aubrey Butte lot to a simply terrific craftsman-style home that was able to take total advantage of the awesome location.

But don't take my word for it - go read the article and see the pictures for yourselves.

Labels: architectural photographer Bend Oregon, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, photography

Log homes are the stuff dreams are made of. Who wouldn't want to live in one? They symbolize ruggedness and the outdoor spirit - the very essence of the place we live in - and yet a lot of today's log homes have a definite air of sophistication about them.

One of Central Oregon's most glorious log homes has just recently been finished, and I had the chance to go out to the Crosswater Golf Community and photograph the mansion.

Take a look at the resulting images. Would *you* want to live here?

Labels: architectural photographer Bend Oregon, architectural photography, architecture, Bend Oregon photographer, commercial photographer Bend Oregon, interior architectural photography, photography