Some out takes from a travel assignment…we found some thrill seeking Canadians rock climbing at Smith Rock in Central Oregon. People come from all over the world to hit the routes engraved in these rocks. After avoiding a decent sized rattle snake with a dangerous baby rattle on its tail, we made it an area near a rock formation called Snoopy. There’s really no other way of saying this, rock climbers are f**king crazy.

Why haven’t you posted on your blog in awhile?

The short answer is that I don’t like blogging all that much. It was sort of an experiment in the beginning. Blogs were the latest trend and a good way to share work. The more I did it, the more time it was taking away from…well, life. I made a pact to myself 10 years ago that my time on earth would be about experiences and maintaining a good quality of life. Going forward I don’t expect to write all that much but when I feel there’s something important to write about, I’ll post it.

Are you still shooting?

Yes.

Can I assist for you? I’ll do it for free.

No. I have a good team in place. Most of my work is outside the state of Oregon and I use what is locally available.

Will you shoot my wedding?

No. But I can recommend one guy for you. Benjamin DiCaprio. He has an interesting first name, a better last name and I’ve known him for years. We share new ideas quite a bit. It’s probably the closest thing to a wedding I would shoot for you.

Will you shoot head shots of me?

No. There are people who do this for a living. They will do much better than I can do for you.

Will you shoot my family portraits?

No. There are people who do this for a living. They will do much better than I can do for you.

How long do you anticipate being a photographer?

I will continue shooting for a living until I don’t like it anymore, so maybe 5 years from now, maybe . It’s hard to imagine doing this 10 years from now. I have other interests. The life of an artist can be fickle and short lived. What bands are still together from your childhood compared to how many started bands? The Rolling Stones…Madonna…U2. Not many. I think you need an incredible drive, business smarts and the ability to adapt to changes over time. I don’t have any of those qualities but have still been very fortunate…damn lucky really. But there are kids to be had and a special person to marry. I’m also a complete and utter nerd. I like physics and learning about behavioral psychology. There is a vast world of knowledge out there to be consumed and a vast world that still needs to feel my footsteps.

Is there hope for me becoming a photogapher?

The photography market is moving along cyclically with the economy. In other words, it sucks compared to what it used to be. But that’s the nature of the business. You have to change with the times. Many have moved on to video or changed careers or have moved back to assisting. Some of the greatest photographers I grew up admiring are holding weekend workshops because their old staples like magazines, ads, corporate reports, stock photos don’t pay what they used to. So in some circles, the best of the best are floundering. Look at the number of workshops out there now for your answer. It appears that for some, selling the dream of photography is more lucrative than actually living the dream.

I won’t tell you whether to go into it or not. I think it has been the greatest decision of my life and molded me into the person I am. I would never give up what I have experienced as a photographer. Never. However, I will tell you that it is one of the worst business models out there. As you know it costs very little to get started, it is very easy to get started and the cost of equipment is significantly lower than it used to be. All of these factors culminate into very low barriers to entry and high competition. Unless you are an ultra-specialist in your area and have a difficult business model to follow you’ll have a hell of a time.

All of that said, the ride is incredible.

My favorite model: Thom.

I’ve never photographed a beauty queen, but like most people I had a preconceived notion on what she would be like. I imagined she might only concerned with looks, maybe she would be shallow and lacking character and whatever else you might take away from what you see in the media. Stephenie was none of those things. She has a genuine personality from small town Oregon with a passion for service. She loved being in front of the camera pretending to be from her favorite era, the Victorian. This was my favorite from the shoot.

Donate to her cause here: National Human Trafficking Resource Center