Golfing with Dad

This summer I was able to spend a great morning with my dad out on the golf course. Golf is definitely not my sport. But taking photos is. And I thought it would be a great way to spend time with my dad and get some shots of something I'm not normally around. I got a new appreciation for the sport and it was a lot of fun watching someone who actually knows what they're doing out there. My dad was a good model and he put up with my shutter noise during his swing. Thanks dad!

Emily & Adam

This marks my first attempt at doing any sort of wedding or engagement photography. Emily and Adam were a great couple to work with. They had a few locations picked out that they wanted to take shots at and we did some improvising along the way. They added an extra element by bringing along their dogs, Coleman and Kalli. I must say that they were very well behaved and once they got over the initial excitement, they were natural models. Thanks you guys, for giving me this opportunity. We had a fun morning despite the sun not appearing and made the most of it.

Photo Notes: I now have a taste and appreciation for those that do this for a living. It's not easy to take photos and direct your models at the same time, but these two made it easy on me.

The Start of Summer

Yes, the summer solstice is actually June 21st. But with the long Minnesota winters and the warm spring we had, it's safe to say that summer officially began on Memorial Day.

We're lucky that we were able to spend such a wonderful weekend with some great friends at a great place. This is the first Memorial weekend that I remember the water being warm enough to enjoy. And we took full advantage of that! Thanks to all of you who made this such a great weekend. It really couldn't have been better.

Photo notes: I tried experimenting by utilizing the tripod on the boat. You're going to end up with the same old pictures if you are sticking to your same old methods of shooting.

The "Project"

Rock climbing is meant to be done outdoors. This past weekend, we finally got out of the gym and headed to Red Wing, MN to get a taste of what real climbing is all about.

Every climber has their nemesis. That one route that always gets the best of you. The one that you can't quite complete without multiple attempts and coincidentally, numerous falls. This is what becomes your "project." Sure, you'll climb other routes, but you keep coming back to this route until you can finally conquer it with a clean climb.

Here, Ryan Angelo works on his current "project." He reached the top, but it wasn't clean – with no falls and a single attempt. He'll soon get this route. But he'll always have a "project."

Trey Anastasio Band

"Music is sort of the last pure thing on earth. We've kind of always seen it as a thing where it's an escape. You can let go with the music and lose yourself." - Trey Anastasio

When the lead singer for Phish announced he was taking his side project on the road, I hoped I would be able to see a show. When he announced he was stopping in Minneapolis, I hoped I could obtain a photo pass. Through some contacts at GlideMagazine.com this dream became a reality. Being able to combine my passion for photography with my love of music made this a night I will never forget. Thanks to all that made this happen and helped me along the way. Hopefully I've just begun my adventures of live music photography.

Photo notes: Standing against the stage, taking it all in. Not knowing what to expect or how things will turn out. Then the lights go out and the crowd erupts. I have roughly 15 minutes to get my shots. Then I'm done. Somehow I managed to change out 3 different lenses without missing a beat.

A Vertical Endeavor

"The best training was to go to the pub, drink 5 quarts of beer, and talk about climbing."

— Ron Fawcett.

Sometime back in September a group of friends decided to go to Vertical Endeavors climbing gym and try some rock climbing. The next week they brought more people. The following week, two more people came. What started as a random Saturday afternoon at the climbing gym soon became a multiple trips per week obsession. I can't explain what brings us back week after week other than the drive to make it to the top of the one route that you couldn't quite conquer last time.

Photo notes: Trying to capture the essence of climbing while hanging from a rope yourself can be challenging. 

Full Moon Fishing

"Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after."

- Henry David Thoreau

Sometimes... well, most times a good fishing trip can be had without actually catching that many fish. And this is what brings us together a lot of times for ice fishing. Typically, people don't understand why we spend hours and hours on the frozen waters. Yes, we are fishing. But there is so much more to it than that. It's a time for us. For us to be together, unwind and pass the coldest months of the year with what we call "fishing."


Photo Notes: Most photos were taken during the middle of the night with little or no light. Long shutter speeds were used to capture the ambient light provided from the moon.