cascadia - mark mcinnis

Abandoned (or not).

2012-01-29T22:11:00.000-08:00

I love rummaging through abandoned places. Back in the day, my best-friends and I would search Central Oregon far and wide for eerie, deserted, buildings. Along the way we tapped into movie theaters, mills, houses, rock quarries, you name it. All in the name of adventure. These days, when I find myself poking around in a forsaken structure, it's exactly how I remember it nearly a decade ago: scary as hell.

Today was no different.

After a pleasant drive through secret nooks and crannies of the Pacific Northwest, my love and our favorite soul mate happened across one very dilapidated, two-story, farm house. It took all of 30 seconds to decide who was going in and who was staying. Game on.

Once we walked up three of the surviving six stairs and across an old door used as a bridge over the rotting porch, we entered one sinister piece of property. Decaying doesn't even do the place justice. It had all of the familiar sights I have come to expect from unoccupied premises: busted windows, graffiti, smashed bottles, exposed beams, trash, broken porcelain, and that feeling. We poked around for 5 minutes or so and as we were about to leave, I said aloud, "Where are the stairs?" If it wasn't for this innocent moment of curiosity, our day would have been a lot less disturbing.

"Maybe behind that door in the kitchen?"

"Let's check it out."

Sure enough, that closed door in the kitchen led us up the stairs, through the darkest of attics, and into one of the creepiest scenes I have ever scene with my own two eyes.

A small bed, partially made, definitely slept in and well used, was tucked in the corner of what can only be described as a nauseating setting. A children's backpack strewn on the ground. A dozen 2-litre bottles filled with black sludge lined the floors and hung from twine on the walls (what was that anyway?). A hundred discarded string cheese wrappers. An old 1960's tube television. Another mattress or two over the windows for protection from the elements, or inquiring minds. And a plastic Safeway bag, dangling from the wall.

"Mark, we need to get out of here. Now."

Say no more sister!

Hours later, I'm sitting here by myself, arm hair raised, replaying the events in my head. Something tells me that we weren't alone in that putrid piece of shit. The way the bed was made. It seemed as though somebody had heard us come in and had thrown the sheets off in a hurry to hide. The door from the kitchen was closed for a reason. Privacy.

That one little hallway in the attic was pitch, pitch, black.

He was right there.

Breathing down our necks.

Self Administered Writing Exercise

2012-01-23T15:05:00.000-08:00

I woke up. I drank coffee. It was good.

I woke up this morning, had some coffee and it tasted delicious.

Once I finally awoke this morning, I dragged myself to the kitchen and made some coffee. It tasted exquisite and provided the spark I needed to get on with my day.

After a slow rise, I hesitantly left the warmth of slumber behind, trading it for the bitter sting of the chilly wood floors. With blurred dreams keeping a chokehold on my brain, and a hankering for a jump-start, my next move was all too natural. Standing in the kitchen, wiping sleep from my eyes, I dropped four tablespoons of Indonesia's finest fair-trade java into my French press and brought the yellow teakettle to a boil. As the hot water met its mate, the aroma alone was enough to spark my senses. Four minutes later, the liquid fell from the mouth of the stylish glass pot and into my trusty Polish coffee cup. One-step closer to full consciousness. With a tender puff of breath, the steam gave way to a black sea of delectable joe. I raised the blue cup to my lips, knocking it back with an uneasy hand. As it hit my taste buds and wound down to my belly, I felt my heart gain pace and my pupils dilate behind closed, satisfied, eyes. Just what I needed. Good morning, planet earth.

Solo Session

2012-01-20T11:43:00.000-08:00

I would say that 99% of the time I feel comfortable surfing solo. There are certain spots, or days, or times that spook me out more than others. Surely we've all experienced a little spook before. It's normal. However, what you fail to see in this shot is the abundance of sea lions directly out of the frame. And I don't use the word abundance loosely. A colony would be an appropriate noun to describe the astonishing amount of blubbery sea dwelling pinnipeds basking in the sun on this mid-summers day. Therefore, one would have to assume, if a certain predator of said pinnipeds was looking for an afternoon snack, he -- or she -- might be in the general vicinity waiting for one of these delicious treats to enter the water. With all of these factors coming into play, I have come to the conclusion that the human you see standing on the beach, that had just come in after a fast and fun looking left, is an absolute nut job. No thanks. I'll pass. Enjoy your illusion of a solo session as I guarantee you're not alone. Heavy.

Corduroy

2012-01-14T20:31:00.000-08:00

In the words of Mr. Pipeline: "Surf is where you find it."

And how true it is.

Manmade lefts looking perfect.

Last Resort

2012-01-12T19:49:00.000-08:00

When it gets too dark to shoot normally, it's always fun to practice a little speed blur.

The Little Engine that Could

2012-01-10T16:46:00.000-08:00

I've been spending a little less time on the road these days. $2.18 in your account tends to keep you pretty grounded. Things are bound to turn around though. I'm working on some really cool projects outside of my usual realm that are keeping me busy. And with a trip to O'ahu and Maui in the near future, the camera is destined to be put to work in and out of the water. Can't wait to trim some trees with Ash, surf some secret North Shore reefs, get some new portfolio images and visit my Maui family. February is going to be one for the record books ladies and germs . Until then. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...

Dane Anderson - Rhythm

2012-01-09T08:18:00.000-08:00

This is my good friend Dane Anderson. He rips. Rhythm Livin'.

THIS ISNT SURFING | DANE ANDERSON from || RHYTHM LIVIN || on Vimeo.

What Does it Mean?

2012-01-08T20:12:00.000-08:00

It's amazing what can happen in 60 minutes. For better or worse.

Nuggets

2011-12-23T11:32:00.000-08:00

Whether you scored oodles of surf over the past three months or none at all, the fact remains that Autumn delivered.

Lucky for us, Winter looks to be keeping the dream alive. For now.

Blog Thievery Part Deux

2011-12-20T22:59:00.000-08:00

Saw this on a buddy's blog and had to share. Reminds me of a few roads I've driven down and a few hikes I've taken to go surf. This is truly what it's all about and this guy is absolutely stoked.

And so am I.

Multiple Choice

2011-12-06T18:38:00.000-08:00

A. This beach has no name.

B. This beach is difficult to access.

C. This beach has no surfers.

D. This beach has barrels.

E. All of the above.

Your guess is as good as mine.

Rip Curl Search SF Recap

2011-11-25T20:25:00.000-08:00

It was such a treat to be a part of this event. Watching this makes me a little sad that it's over and I don't get to do it every year. Amazing event. Amazing Surfing. Amazing city. Absolutely loved it.

Trust In What You Love

2011-11-25T16:16:00.000-08:00

I think, in my life at least, that it is important to stand strong for who you are. Deep down in our core, we have a set of values and ideologies that we believe to be true, right and just. Because of this, I seem to idolize few people and even fewer congregations. The belief that we are equal and can all accomplish greatness to some degree, keeps my view of the human populace fairly level. Some of us make 8 figures a year playing ball games while some of us make peanuts working our asses off. No matter. We are just people. A species. Flesh and bones. Blood and guts.

However, there are always exceptions. Right? For instance, there is an artist out there from West Cornwall that I seem to admire. He has a profound and sincere view of the world and it happens to be a view that I share and admire. I'd like to have some tea and crumpets with this chap. Mickey Smith.

Enjoy.

Do Trust In The Things You Love

If Only

2011-11-16T11:16:00.000-08:00

If this shot was taken somewhere else, can you imagine how hollow these waves would be? But it wasn't. It was taken...well, it doesn't matter where it was taken. It's on a stretch of coast that is known largely for mushy, weak, closeouts. Unfortunately, even with 15kt offshore winds, that's still the case. If only...

Emptiness

2011-11-15T11:33:00.000-08:00

They say that to make a wave look good you need to have a fancy foreground or background or this or that and stuff and whatever.

But sometimes they look beautiful all by themselves.

Please? Thank You.

2011-11-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

It's amazing what I would do if $6,800 happened to fall in my lap. I should probably tuck it away, get some health insurance, pay my bills on time each month and take my lovely lady out to a fancy schmancy meal. Ok, you got me, I'd probably do the latter, but I'd also buy this. Immediately.

Method Worldwide

2011-11-04T09:07:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited to be included on the website Method Worldwide. It's an honor to be featured on an already stellar list of photographers and athletes. You can check my profile page HERE.

Thanks Jeff and Jon!

SF

2011-10-31T21:24:00.000-07:00

Hosting the Rip Curl Pro Search at Ocean Beach in San Francisco, CA could be the worst call any company has ever made in terms of where to hold an ASP World Tour event.

Or...

It could be the best.

As usual, only time will tell.

However, a few things are for sure: The best surfers on the planet are on hand, we're in one of the world's best cities, the current is gnarly, it's an extremely difficult place to shoot alluring photos, and Kelly's going to seize his 11th title.

A few things are not: The fog, the sandbars, the wind, the swell, and the weather conditions in the next 10 minutes.

The bottom line is, if Mother Nature delivers a solid swell and the winds go offshore, we're about to see one hell of an event.

The Grind

2011-10-29T11:34:00.000-07:00

Out There

2011-10-19T08:07:00.000-07:00

Great Scott

2011-10-12T15:56:00.000-07:00

Greenery

2011-10-02T17:48:00.001-07:00

'Tis the Season

2011-10-01T08:30:00.001-07:00

My Favorite Shoots

2011-09-30T09:52:00.000-07:00

Megs and I did this shoot over 3 years ago on a whim. It was a moody spring evening and she was wearing this bright floral print dress that I loved. I remembered a great burnt down building that I wanted to shoot so we just combined a pretty lady with a not so pretty structure. The juxtaposition worked well. Still one of my favorite shoots to date.

Quiet and Chaos

2011-09-20T18:48:00.000-07:00

Here's a few more shots of my buddy Jeff Lukasik.

We scrambled up the hills of San Clemente to try and make some portraits happen with this insane sunset, but we were a bit late. Got a few, but this silhouette really stands out.

I also enjoy the feel of this air from behind the wave at Lowers. Unfortunately, I think there is too much spray in the foreground for it to be published anywhere. Next time.

I think you will be hearing his name a lot in the not so distant future. The kid rips.

Enjoy.

All Things Weird

2011-09-17T10:28:00.000-07:00

The city was aggravating me. The concrete and brick were acting as a catalyst to the sun's merciless rays forcing me to perspire indoors. 97 degrees isn't my idea of a comfortable, functioning temperature.

So I left.

I knew the swell and wind forecast from routine research and decided to check out a new zone. Off the beaten path and heavily depressed, this area was sure to be one of those fickle regions where the chances of scoring are virtually nil. However, I had to get the hell out of Dodge. With a paper bag full of food and a newly configured iPod, I hit the road in search of some surf.

I got skunked.

Duh.

However, I did get in the water. Therefore, the trip wasn't an ultimate skunking. But all I did was throw myself over ledges and into the pits of dark brown close out barrels. It's always nice to get "the view", but sometimes the beatings you get in return remind you of just how powerful shoulder high waves can be when they are hollow and dumping into three feet of water.

An hour of that was enough.

So I went exploring. Which, to no surprise, was much more enjoyable and productive. Within 30 minutes of hanging out on a mysterious beach, I saw a dead fish, a dead dolphin (this made me very sad), two bald eagles, a plethora of starfish, and a bear. I was indeed "out there".

All in all the quick trip was fun and refreshing, but with a serious lack of surf on a decent swell with favorable winds, it will be a good long while before I head back.

Plus the sites, the towns, the beaches, the trees, the roads, the food, and most importantly, the people, are all a wee bit weird.

Weird.

Sea.Hear.Now -- Asbury Park Boardwalk, New Jersey

2011-09-15T17:46:00.000-07:00

I'll have a few photos on display for this installment of Sea.Hear.Now.

If you're on the East Coast and know anybody that might be interested in checking it out, be sure to let them know.

The last one sounded like it was really cool and a huge success.

Rock 'n' roll.

SEA. HEAR.NOW. RETURNS TO THE ASBURY PARK BOARDWALK!!
THREE DAYS AND NIGHTS AND OF MUSIC AND ART
SEPTEMBER 16, 17, 18TH


The legendary Asbury Park Boardwalk will play host to the return engagement of the pop-up art gallery, SEA.HEAR.NOW. Now a weekend installation of ocean and surfing related art and music, SEA.HEAR.NOW will take place from September 16th-18th at the Fifth Avenue Pavilion.

SEA.HEAR.NOW again feature both acclaimed and up and coming photographers, painters and mixed media artists, hailing from Hawaii, California and the Jersey Shore.

SEA.HEAR.NOW. will feature the photography of Surfing Magazine’s master lens man, Steve Sherman (San Diego), and the Aloha State works of acclaimed cinematographer/photographer Dave Homcy of Haleiwa, Hawaii.

The surfing related works of world renowned rock n’ roll photographer Danny Clinch (Toms River/NYC) will be on display in a way that has never been seen before, glassed into a longboard surfboard. The one of a kind piece of art was shaped by the internationally renowned surfboard maker Travis Reynolds of Santa Cruz, CA.

SEA.HEAR.NOW will also feature the work of the late Jack Meyer, an influential Jersey Shore surfer/artist/athlete, who claimed both the Aloha State and the Garden State as his homes.  A unique collaboration between Surfing’s Steve Sherman and Asbury Park’s Knowledge Bennett on a silkscreen of surfing legend Andy Irons, who passed away in 2010.

SEA.HEAR.NOW will feature beats on September 16^th by DJ Prestige (Brooklyn/Ace Hotel NYC ) and up and coming Jersey Shore musician Thomas Wesley Stern will bring the house party on September 17^th. On Sunday the 18^th, Asbury Park‘s Rebearth Art Supply and Point Pleasant’s Epic Shirts will have a Sunday Funday party from 3-6pm.

SEA.HEAR.NOW. is sponsored by Rhythm Clothing and by Asbury Park retailers Rebearth Art Supply, Langosta Lounge, Lightly Salted Surf Mercado, Pabst Blue Ribbon and Madison Marquette.

SEA.HEAR.NOW is highlighted by the participation of local artists: Puddin’ Aylward (Wanamassa),Knowledge Bennett (Asbury Park), Sean Bernhardt (Manasquan), Becky Burt (Brick), Paul Cali (Spring Lake), Ann Coen (Long Beach Island), Conrad Cote (Forked River), Donald Cresitello (Manasquan),  Tyler Heffernan (Seaside Heights), Arthur Kill (Ocean Grove), Doug Parent (Ocean Grove), Ryan Struck (Long Branch), Sarah Statmiller (Ocean Grove), Scott Szegeski (Asbury Park).

SEA.HEAR.NOW is produced by Tim Donnelly, Brett Schillaci of Rhythm Clothing, Tim Sramowicz and Damien Hiller of Rebearth Art Supply.

Life is Good

2011-09-07T11:27:00.000-07:00

Last week I was stoked to get e-mail from Canadian surferNoah Cohen asking me to tag along to San Clemente, CA. With a solid south swellsmashing the entire West Coast, San Clemente seemed to be a good call. As thehome to Trestles, T-Street and a handful of wedging beach breaks, this zone wassure to deliver.

We met at LAX on a Thursday afternoon and waited for Noah’sgood buddy – and local San Clemente ripper – Jeff Lukasik to pick us up. He wasstuck in traffic. Go figure. So Noah and I sat on a bench outside of LAXtalking about golf, surfboards, contracts, secret Canadian point breaks andwhere to surf while in the land of bolt on breasts and ridiculous attire and haircuts.

And then, with a gigantic, welcoming smile on his face, Jeffpicked us up.

We cruised down the 405 in Jeff’s Ford Explorer with acracked taillight, two doors that fail to open, a missing passenger siderearview mirror, squeaky brakes and a film covering the car that was referredto as vomit. Smelling like old wetsuits and a few nights spent in the backseatwith a girl that has an overprotective father, the ol’ beauty gets Jeff and hisbuddies from his humble San Clemente home to the waves and back. As all surfersknow, that is all that matters whenit comes to a vehicle: getting from A to B. On second thought, I suppose that backseat realty ispretty important too.

After arriving safely, we washed the filth of travel off ofour bodies with a hot tub and a few Bud Lights, or, as Noah calls them, B.L.smooths. Jeff told us about his surf at Uppers that day and how it lookedreminiscent to Jeffrey’s Bay. With that, we hit the sack with excitement forthe surf to come.

Over the next 5 days the boys surfed and I shot. The swellwas big and burly and not as clean as we had originally hoped for. We didmanage to get a shot or two, but the wind would blow it out and the tides wereoff, so we spent a lot of time driving around and talking story. Which isalways fun in it’s own right and allowed me to get to know Jeff and Noah fairlywell in just a few days.

As far as Canadian surfing is concerned, you don’t get muchcooler than Noah Cohen. He is so hot right now. Noah is living the life any22-year-old free surfer from Tofino, BC dreams of: golf tournaments,all access at Vancouver Canucks hockey games, partying with ridiculously hotpromo girls, getting paid to travel, chill and surf. With major sponsorshipfrom O’Neill, Monster Energy, Oakley, Vans, On A Mission and Storm Surf Shop,this kindhearted Canadian lives up to the hype. Noah is a beast in the water.With stylish rail-to-rail surfing and an aerial attack on point with today’shighest paid pros, it’s clear that Noah takes his career seriously and is in itfor the long run.

To make matters even better, Noah has built this career allon his own. With elders like the Bruhwiler brothers and Peter Devries pavingthe way, it didn’t take long for Noah to get noticed and garner thesponsorships that allow him to live the life. With a pre-dawnregimen and surf all day attitude, Noah’s work ethic is second to none and itshows. Check out his most recent Innersection part for proof. The kid rips.

Jeff Lukasik is an anomaly in the Southern California surfscene: polite, friendly, honest and humble. However, the 22-year-old SanClemente native absolutely kills it on a surfboard. A trait that would fillmost kids heads with hot air. With the Lowers left as his training ground, Jeffhas a new school style and the maneuvers to boot. Don’t believe me? Look at hisaccomplishments and tell me otherwise. Jeff nudged out Granger Larsen, TorreyMeister and Kyle Ramey to take the Rip Curl Grom Search title in 2005. Heplaced 11^th in nationals and has won over a dozen regional andnational contests. If that doesn’t tell you something, go watch Jeffsurf in person. You will be glad you did.

What baffles me is that Jeff has yet to acquire a contractfrom a major sponsor. His board adorns the stickers of Etnies, Nixon and FCS,but these companies do not have him on any sort of salary allowing him totravel and compete in the WQS. He has a proven track record of winning contestsand just happens to be one of the coolest, most down to earth young surfers inOrange County. And with a plethora of mind-bending maneuvers, what gives? I’lltell you what. Dough.

Jeff comes from humble beginnings. He’s not a kid thatdrives around in a Range Rover that his Dad bought him with his head in theclouds, collecting allowance and paying for photographers to go on trips.Unfortunately, those types of kids are the ones that get the sponsorships. Why?Because their parents pay for most of the shit that the company would have topay for if they signed somebody with a few hundred bucks in their bank accountversus a few hundred thousand. No matter how you look at it, the surf industryis a multi-billion dollar corporate world where everything boils down to thebottom dollar.

Furthermore, being in Orange County makes it harder for Jeffto stand out. Although he is no doubt one of the highest caliber surfers in thearea, the whole county – and all of Southern California in general – is chalkfull of young talent scrapping for a sticker on the nose of their board. Butlike his Canadian cohort, Jeff has a strong work ethic and I’m hoping Etnies,or another solid company, steps up to the plate and gets this kid on the WQS.He deserves it and I'm confident he has a long and successful career to look forward to. In fact, I guarantee it.

While hailing from opposite ends of North America’s WestCoast, these two young surfers have a lot in common and a lot to look forwardto. With bright careers on the horizon, make sure to keep an eye out for JeffLukasik and Noah Cohen blowing tail and lofting airs at a peak near you.

Hunting Season

2011-08-30T16:07:00.000-07:00

There is a really good sandbar out there somewhere. You simply have to go and find it.

Dear Purple Blob,

2011-08-18T16:07:00.000-07:00

Hey there buddy. Yeah, I see you down there, just kickin' it under New Zealand. Looks nice. Hey, I wanted to give you a quick shout to let you know that we'd really appreciate if you delayed your trip for a few days. Not that we don't want to see you our anything. We can't wait. However, we've had a real lackluster summer. There have been a couple days here or a couple days there, but overall, blah! So, if you don't mind, park it there for a few days. Cool? I know, this unexpected news will surely piss you off, but that's what we want. Just hang tight, get furious and slowly jaunt northward. We'll welcome you with open arms.

Sincerely,

Cascadia

SBC Surf

2011-08-10T11:05:00.000-07:00

I've got to say, that our neighbors to the north have a damn fine surf publication.

If you have failed to check it out, why don't you just go ahead and spend the measly $18 to subscribe. Oh, and it's actually just $16 if you take a brief survey about the mag. Easy.

Not only are you doing good for yourself and your level of stoke, but your also helping a great publication, ran by a great bunch of people, stay afloat in these unpredictable times.

Subscribe HERE.

Flora & Fascia - Jeff Proctor

2011-08-05T17:33:00.000-07:00

My good buddy and unbelievable artist, Jeff Proctor, has a solo show at the The Breeze Block Gallery in PDX on NW 6th between Everett and Flanders.

It's awesome stuff. If you're in the city, don't miss it.

the art of flight

2011-08-05T15:27:00.000-07:00

Snowboarding fails to excite me like it used to. I'm just burnt out on it. Unless there's over 6" of dry, fresh snow and decent visibility, I'm kinda over it. However, this trailer revitalizes my snow stoked a little bit. Insane stuff.

On a side note, I'll be heading to Montaner this winter to add a bit of snowboarding to the ol' portfolio. Pretty stoked about that.

Luke n Dane

2011-07-28T11:07:00.000-07:00

Just a few shots that never got used from the Baja trip.

Epic time and more to come.

Enjoy.

F-Stop

2011-07-21T12:11:00.000-07:00

One of the coolest things about my job is that you never really know when a certain photo might fit perfectly somewhere. For instance, the shot below was taken in February of 2010 and has been a print on my fridge, the desktop on my monitor and sent to various people in the industry without a lot of feedback. Nonetheless, I always knew it was a shot that I loved and a place that I love even more. So I'm glad Surfline picked it up and used it in this months F-Stop feature.

Stoked.

Slides

2011-07-19T14:18:00.000-07:00

Picked up some slides today with quite the gap between the beginning of the roll and the end of the roll. There are a few pics from our trip north from Baja and then some stuff from June when my buddy was in town. It's nice to forget what was on the roll and then be pleasantly surprised by what you find. Sweet memories.

Also, I've noticed that the expired slide film tends to have a magenta hue to it, primarily in low light. Interesting.

Sunday's Best

2011-07-15T11:05:00.001-07:00

Kita Kita Kita Kita Dog Dog Dog

2011-07-12T18:47:00.000-07:00

My good buddy and one of my all time favorite people came to visit for about a month. He also brought his beautiful dog, Kita. The three of us had a ton of fun, got some super fun surf and went for some wild runs on the beach. The title of this post is the love song I wrote for Kita. It's pretty complicated. I'll miss having them around.

Speaking of visitors, we had a rad Swiss -- not Swedish -- chick named Lea come and visit for a short while. She's been traveling around the world for the last 5 months and stopped here in the Northwest based on a mutual friends recommendation. We're sure glad she did. I took her to Multnomah Falls and then to a super secret bridge jumping spot. The sun was out in full and it was good to spend a day hearing about her travels and her life back in Switzerland. What an amazing adventure she's on. Stoked for her.

Anyway, as usual, I had the ol' Pentax in tow.

Enjoy.

Gary and Babs

2011-07-12T18:44:00.000-07:00

What a Weekend

2011-07-11T23:16:00.000-07:00

Nature hikes, hatchet throwing contests, cooking over open fires, lost fishing lures and loads of laughing were just a few of the fun activities that took place for my best bud's bachelor party this past weekend. Instead of doing the stretched limo, strip club, black out type of party, we opted for the "you'll still remember this next weekend" ordeal. So ten of us packed up and headed into the woods for some good ol' fashioned camping. The spot was ideal and everybody had a really great time. I shot a few photos for good measure. Surprise, surprise.

Mirage

2011-07-11T22:45:00.000-07:00

A Day in the Mountains

2011-07-07T23:07:00.000-07:00

As a photographer, I've had paid gigs and a few photos published here 'n' there, but up until two weeks ago, I had never been given an assignment. So when Surfline asked me to get a shot of some snowy mountains, reflected in the lens of some sunglasses with a surfer carrying a surfboard in there somewhere, I was stoked. A bit reluctant, but stoked. I knew where to snap such a shot: Bend. The mountains. So, Surfline overnighted the shades and I left the coast, headed through the valley, over the mountains and landed in the high desert on a beautiful, late Saturday afternoon. Based on the weather forecast, the next day was to be superb. And it was.

My buddy and I woke before the sun and headed high into the Cascades to an ancient lava flow that generally has an ice cold, pure, transparent stream running at it's base. Alongside the stream is a mossy trail that leads to some incredible views of The Three Sisters, Broken Top, Mt. Bachelor and the whole of Central Oregon. However, due to late snowfall and an abnormally wet spring (Oregon's second wettest on record), our creek -- and trail -- was still buried in snow. Furthermore, we came prepared with jeans, hoodies, tennis shoes, ankle socks, hardly any water, no food and a pack of cigarettes. Any other day our next move would have been a no brainer: head back to town and grab an early breakfast before the yuppies fill the cafe's to the brim. However, with my assignment in mind, we headed up the sharp lava rocks, unsure of our route and final destination. Sometimes you just gotta go. And we went. Ascending up the rocks, we joked about our interviews for the TV show, I Shouldn't Be Alive. We were ill prepared to be hiking over snow covered ridges, regardless of the season, and there were a couple times where things got a bit intense. Oh, and keep in mind that I'm carrying a camera around my neck, two lenses in my pockets and my Saucony tennies are soaked to the brim after the first 20 paces. My cohort is carrying a surfboard. In the mountains. It truly would have been the most comedic episode of I Shouldn't Be Alive ever. Well, at least the intro.

After 3 hours of hiking, talking, speculating, laughing, cursing and hoping, we approached the base of another ridge that guaranteed to have the view that I needed. Unfortunately, this was the steepest incline we had encountered yet. And if you slipped, there would be no hope of recovery. It was inevitable that the slide down to the open snow field would leave your palms bloody and your ego crushed. Falling was not an option. At first look, climbing the thing was out of the question, but I had come too far to turn back. We had to press on. So we grabbed a few branches that looked like ice axes and started carving little "steps" into the snow. One by one we worked for another hour until we reached the top. As intense as the climb was, nothing could have prepared us for the intensity of the view -- or the cougar tracks -- from atop this ridge. It was breathtaking. We set up the shot and had it nailed in less than 10 minutes. Done deal. Job complete.

The hike down was lighthearted and full of laughs and silly scenarios about our reality TV episode. I had a pretty good tumble down some lava rocks and really dinged my board and destroyed my fingers, but they're healed now and the board will be soon. As we approached the parking spot we had a choice to go around a chilly stream or just plow right through it. I am sure you can guess what we did. Those shoes have been retired.

There's really nothing better than following your dreams and making a decision to make a career out of something that you love. Photography allows me to have days like this from time to time. Some people may think that I'm just cruisin' all the time, taking a few photos here and there and building a bankroll like RO$$. Nope. Sorry. Not the case. Truthfully, the life of a freelance photographer isn't nearly as glamorous as it seems. It's more e-mailing and sitting in front of a computer than you'd ever believe. Every month is a guessing game as to wether or not I'll be able to pay my bills on time or have enough money to put gas in the tank to get anywhere. Seriously. But sometimes you get to have days like that. And it makes all the driving and all the mundane tasks and all the crappy days worthwhile. I'd never trade this path for anything in the world.

Thank you to those people that support and value my dreams. Your encouragement means the world to me and you know who you are.

Stoked.

Let's Hope So...

2011-07-07T18:02:00.000-07:00

Fun Interview

2011-07-06T23:40:00.000-07:00

I was shooting on the beach in Ventura one day, minding my own business, chatting with a surfer's dad and out of nowhere comes this girl that starts firing off question after question about photography and this and that and whatnot and whatever. It made me laugh on the inside because I finally understood what it must be like for people to talk to me. I've always been told that I ask a lot of questions. Anyway, that girl was Sharleen Rydie and she's a killer photographer that's currently living down in Ventura. A month or so after that blown out evening at Emma Wood, Sharleen sent me a series of questions via email. A month after that, she posted the interview on her website.

HERE

Also, be sure to take a gander at her photos.

Killer stuff.

On the Rooftops

2011-07-05T08:45:00.000-07:00

On Set

2011-07-05T08:40:00.000-07:00

Some film shots from the ManRock video shoot.

The Easy Season

2011-06-21T22:55:00.000-07:00

Girls, Girls, Girls

2011-06-15T09:09:00.000-07:00

The Black Dahlia Murder - Ritual

2011-06-14T22:00:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if any of you are fans of super fast death metal, but if you are, The Black Dahlia Murder's new album, "Ritual", is streaming over HERE and it's a doozy!

Good-Epic Surfline

2011-06-14T12:52:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad this image made it somewhere. Like I mentioned before, this shot, the day it was shot, the trip I was on when I shot it, just the entire experience that goes along with this picture makes me feel good.

Enjoy!

http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/good-epic-west-coast_47874/

Long Overdue

2011-06-12T14:06:00.000-07:00

You might recall that I received a handful of film from a buddy a few moons back. Most of these rolls are expired. Like, super expired. The examples below are from two rolls that were supposed to be developed in '84. So, we're talking 25+ years these pups have been lyin' around waiting to be used. I waited to use these until I was positive that I would be somewhere photogenic. The trip down south was perfect and the results were pretty cool.

Family

2011-06-10T11:06:00.000-07:00

Family is important. For most people, myself included, family is what keeps you grounded. Family keeps you comfortable through highs and lows and family supports your ambitions, dreams and goals. And, personally, I don't feel that family is necessarily bound by blood. I have brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts, parents, grandparents and cousins that, truth be told, lack any of my DNA. The point is, family is important. If I consider you family, you already know and thank you for being there.

Now, let me take this next line to say thank you to RHYTHM for welcoming me to theirs.

http://www.rhythmlivinusa.com/family/art.html

Please support this brand HERE and HERE.

Stoked.

Sunday Streets SF

2011-06-09T17:59:00.000-07:00

On my way down south I was fortunate enough to stop and meet Marcus Sanders, the editor over at Surfline, at his humble abode in San Francisco. Luckily for me, it was a Sunday and his neighborhood had been transformed into a crazy, bizarre, awesome San Franciscan street fair. I grabbed the Pentax and shot some film of the event.

Here's the link to Sunday Streets for more information. If you get a chance, be sure to check it out. It's a must for anybody who happens to find themselves in The Bay on a Sunday.

Current

2011-06-08T09:54:00.000-07:00

The Baja trip was a success. Not only did I get to spend time with my woman and two of my best-friends, but I also got a lot of work done. Here are a few links to some articles and blogs about that feature the trip.

Many thanks to Luke and Dane for being hard workers and the family over at RHYTHM and LRG for sending Dane and Luke down. So stoked!

Enjoy!

http://matuse.com/media/news/luke-rife-in-cabo-san-lucas/

http://www.surfermag.com/photos/almost-summer-2/

http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/a-monthly-showcase-of-surflines-finest-photos_56095/

http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/west-coast-south-swell-photos_56008/

http://www.surfline.com/forecast/north-pacific-summer-outlook-2011_56329/

Roberts Surfboards Shop with Film

2011-06-08T00:12:00.000-07:00

When I was in Ventura during mid-May I did some photo work for Robert Weiner at Roberts Surfboards. While at his shop one afternoon, I grabbed the ol' Pentax and shot a bunch of film. I used expired Fujichrome 100 and had it cross processed for development. The results are interesting and I'm quite a fan.

Many thanks to Robert, his team riders and his crew at the shop. Great guys doing great things.

Also, I have all kinds of film shots from my trip that I'll be posting up over the next few days. Lots of weird, interesting stuff.

Enjoy!

Burkard Photo is Live!

2011-06-07T07:51:00.000-07:00

Head on over to BURKARDPHOTO.COM.

Chris has been my mentor and friend for the last two years and his work speaks for itself. The dude is, in my humble opinion, one of the top 3 surf photographers in the world. And I think you'll agree after perusing his site.

Enjoy!

Lost

2011-05-14T22:50:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it's best to be lost.

And sometimes I'll get a shot that will most likely never run anywhere, that will most likely only sit on my hard drive and be a desktop every so often.

Well, this is one of those shots.

For some reason, I just love it. Maybe it's the feeling of freedomI had when I took it. Maybe it's the way the sun was warming my face after a brisk morning drive through roads shaded by redwoods. Or maybe it's the fact that I couldn't go play on this wave because it was private property. Something about this shot just makes me feel good.

You know me, always the dreamer.

Still dreaming.

The Zone

2011-05-12T11:08:00.000-07:00

I've been shooting like a lunatic the last few days. Santa Barbara and Ventura counties hold some great surf and some great surfers. I was lucky enough to link up with Surfing Magazine's 2011 Shaper of the Year, Robert Weiner, last August. We met through mutual friends and talked story about surfing and photography. Well, I was amped when Surfing named him their shaper of the year for two reasons:

1) I had just met him a few months previous and was so stoked that the industry had recognized his work as being top-notch.

2) He came off as a really genuine human being. The kind of guy that has everybody's best interest in mind. And that is the type of guy you want toting around the Shaper of the Year award for the year to come.

So, heading south from the PNW, I hit him up to see if he had any team riders that needed/wanted some shots. Luckily Robert has a great group of guys to work with and, like I already said, I've been shooting them like crazy the last few days. Mike and Matt McCabe are ridiculous progressive surfers and Sean Hayes has the perfect blend of stylish power surfing combined with new school flare. It has been a real treat to see -- and shoot -- these guys surfing.

The waves weren't stellar by any means, but I managed to get a shot here and there. The California mornings and afternoons hold some of the best light in the world. The mood alone made the waves less of a factor as the light took over and blessed me with three days of beautiful golden mornings and vibrant glowing evenings.

All in all, this part of the trip has been a major success. I'm a few hours shy of meeting Robert at his shop to pick up my new 6'2".

Stoked.

Also, on a side note, I met Dane Reynolds randomly the other night. I was pulling into a state beach and there he was, crew and all, getting ready for a surf. I just went and introduced myself, said hey, and that was that. He was super mellow and seemed like a real nice guy. I was kinda starstruck though, fumbling over my words and what not. I guess being from up north, I don't get a chance to mingle with any of the world's best surfers. He gave me a nice smile and a huge shaka as he bailed. ~~Good~~ Great memory.

Frozen Moments

2011-05-04T19:08:00.000-07:00

The Brazilian surfing magazine, Hardcore, picked up that interview by Luciano Burin for their website.

Stoked.

INTERVIEW

Surf & Cult Interview

2011-05-02T16:39:00.000-07:00

After my Magic Bus feature (below), I was contacted by a nice Brazilian named Luciano Burin of the Brazilian website, Surf & Cult. He asked if I'd be interested in being featured on their site and asked me to answer a few questions. Since the blog is in Portuguese, here's the interview.

Enjoy.

1 - Where are you from, how old are you and where do you live at the moment?

I am 30 years old from the west coast of the united states.

2 - What are your most memorable surf/photo sessions?

I recently took a trip with Raph and Sepp Bruhwiler (two amazing Canadian pros) and that was my first trip with professional surfers. It's so amazing to watch guys surf that are on that level. Even though I also love to surf and often times wish I was in the water as well, it's a great learning experience not only to shoot surfers of that caliber, but to learn from their surfing. Another memorable photo session was at a long right-hander in Hawai'i. It was sunset and guys were getting these long, perfect, little head-high barrels. I was there visiting family and just happened to head up that way with my girlfriend. We were stoked to see the locals putting on a show for the two of us.

3 - In your opinion, what makes a great surf photograph?

A great surf photograph is entirely subjective. However, to me, a great surf photograph is when you capture the precise moment that the surfer puts it all on the line. And that doesn't necessarily mean throwing a huge tail blast or air. It can be something as simple as a surfer hanging ten on a little peeler or somebody getting tubed on an alaia. Also, borrowing words of wisdom from my friend and mentor, Chris Burkard, a great surf photo is timeless and free of sponsor logos, identity and corporate influence. A silhouette of a round house at sunset, or something like that. Another type of shot that I enjoy is the pulled back perspective. I love it when the surfer is the smallest subject in the image; a little human in a big world.

4 - Who are your main references in surf photography?

As mentioned, Chris Burkard has been my friend and mentor for the last few years. He would downplay his role in shaping my career, but that's just his style. Also, Jeremy Koreski and Peter Taras have been huge influences and given tons of support and encouragement.. My hats off and eternal thanks to those guys. They are all three phenomenal photographers and the best guys around. Also, as far as styles and what not, I think Morgan Maassen is absolutely killing it right now. He has a unique eye. I also really look up to East Coast photographers Nick LaVecchia and Brian Nevins. I think those guys take unreal shots and are simply passionate about photography. Yazzy is unreal too. He travels to all of these un-surfed arctic zones and comes back with the most amazing shots. Ok. I'm rambling, but I could go on and on: D.Hump, Jeff Divine, Nate Lawrence. I could literally go on all day. The talent pool in surf photography is unreal.

5 - In what countries have you done surf/photo trips so far? Have you ever shot in Brazil?

I haven't traveled to shoot and surf as much as I'd like, but that will change soon I hope. I've been to Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica and Hawai'i. But I'm dying to go to Norway, Iceland, New Zealand, Alaska, just anywhere desolate and frigid. I've done numerous trips covering the entire west-coast though. From Vancouver Island all the way down to the tip of the Baja Peninsula. Taking off in my truck and just going is something I live for.

6 - Tell us a bit about your passion for german cars?

Cars, cars, cars. My guilty pleasure. I grew up in a "car guy" family and followed suit. I had no choice and I'm glad that I didn't. It sounds weird and kinda foofy or whatever, but German cars -- specifically Porsche, BMW, Audi -- are truly beautiful to me. From the lines of the car all the way down to the welding of the frame, I find them fascinating. So, it only seemed natural to photograph those as well. It's a nice break from surf photography too. I usually don't get paid to shoot cars, but that's destined to come some day. I mainly shoot them strictly for the love of the car. Plain and simple.

7 - What does surfing represent in your life?

Surfing represents freedom. To be able to live the surfer lifestyle takes dedication that a lot of people couldn't muster. It's a lifestyle void of rules and regulation, but one full of life experience and happiness. Even though I'm not the drop-everything-go-live-in-a-bus surfer, I still feel like a bit of a gypsy and get joy out of trying to live the simple life with my girlfriend, friends, cameras and surfboards.

8 - What are your future plans regarding surfing and photography?

My future plans are just to keep on this path and continue doing what I'm doing. I'd really like to make a name for myself and start to do some trips with pro surfers. I'm still learning every time I go shoot, but the momentum I have with my career as a surf photographer is going strong and as long as I keep moving forward, I'm destined for good things. I'd really like to go up to Canada to shoot the Bruhwilers, Noah Coen and Pete Devries. All of those guys rip. And there is a lot of talent down in Santa Cruz that I'd like to tap into. I really enjoy the surfers that are as passionate about cold water as I am. It's so nice to work with like-minded people. That being said, I'd love to come to Brazil and shoot as well as El Salvador and Nicaragua. Also, there is a lot of hardcore localism and an anti-picture mentality where I'm from so it would be nice to leave home alone for a while and go shoot a bunch of other places. I've got a lot of people pissed at me for shooting in my own backyard, but as long as I'm here building a portfolio, I have to work with with I've got. I'd also like to shoot in the water a lot more, but where I live we don't have a lot of good waves and even when it turns on there's a ton of current and the waves still don't throw top to bottom. So I'm looking forward to heading down south or up north or wherever to shoot some barrel shots. I've also been shooting a ton of film lately. I have a vintage 35mm camera and have been experimenting with all kinds of film. I fell in love with analog photography years ago and it has been so nice and rewarding to revisit it. I doubt if I'd ever use film for a job, but for personal stuff, there's nothing better.

T.M.B.C.

2011-04-27T10:33:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to be featured on The Magic Bus.

This is a great community of surfers, hikers, climbers, photographers, dudes, chicks, dogs and frogs.

Add it to your bookmarks and come along for the magic bus ride.

Fun with Flare (and Film)

2011-04-25T20:45:00.000-07:00

I'll be the first admit that I don't think film takes a "better" picture. It just takes a different sort of picture. It looks different. It feels different. It's just different. Sometimes that's good. Often times that's bad. It takes a lot more effort to get a good looking photo with film than it does with digital. At least in my opinion. What I truly love about film is the anticipation of getting it back. It usually takes me a few weeks to burn through a roll of film as I really try to save it for good shots or good light or good something or other. So, since it takes weeks -- or more -- to go through a roll, I often forget what shots I took on that particular roll of film. It's great. I get it back from the developers and see shots I totally forgot about. It's always a surprise. It's like Christmas every few weeks. I got 9 rolls of expired film from my buddy "Doc" last week. Two of the rolls are circa 1985. Can't wait to put those bad boys to use and see what sort of shots they produce. Stoked.

On a side note, those U-Down guys are everywhere! I used to see it all over O'ahu, but have seen it here in Oregon a lot lately. As you can see in the stop sign picture, they're great with placement. Hoping to see more of their stuff around the state.

Ain't That the Truth

2011-04-25T11:05:00.000-07:00

The Twins

2011-04-24T13:08:00.000-07:00

I grew up skateboarding. Between the ages of 8 and 18 my wallpaper was shots from Thrasher, Skateboarder and TW Skateboarding. I was never that good though. I could kickflip a small stair set or work my way around a mini-ramp, but I never got crazy with it. I just enjoyed rolling around and getting into trouble with my friends. At 13, when I made the switch from skis to a snowboard, the skateboarding shots on my wall became intertwined with big Alaskan powder fields and dudes throwing huge airs in the snow. I lived, ate and breathed snowboarding during my teen years. In fact, I skipped a math final one time because the mountain had gotten 15 inches of snow the night before and the skies had cleared up allowing the backside of Mt. Bachelor to be open for the first time of the season. It was a no brainer. Now, as a 30 year old, the last decade of my life has been enveloped by surf. After growing up part-time in Maui, I have always had a great connection with the ocean and always loved being in it. It has always consumed me in one way or another. But this is permanent. Waves are now a huge facet of what I truly live for and surfing is my life. Period. However, I still love a good powder day and a couple of my best buds have a private mini ramp that I often shred alone. My roots are intact and watching the video below reminded me of how good growing up as a little skateboarding punk was. These kids are destined to feel the same someday.

The Twins from skatefairy on Vimeo.

Years Ago

2011-04-22T16:09:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning thinking about Pipeline for some reason. I lived on O'ahu a while back and had a few opportunities to shoot the place. This was before my skill set for shooting waves had been somewhat refined, but just looking at Pipe is good enough.

Also, while I was rummaging through photos I found a shot of AI getting out of the water from the Reef Haleiwa Pro. I didn't even know I had it until today, but I'm glad I do.

Trent's DTM Audi A4

2011-04-13T23:58:00.000-07:00

Sometimes things just come together perfectly and this shoot with Trent's A4 was no different.

We were e-mailing back and forth this morning about getting together for the shoot and I jokingly said something like, "well let's get together today or tomorrow if the weather clears up." I was kind of chuckling to myself because it was nothing but dark gray skies and intermittent rain showers. However, around 3 or so the skies broke apart and we were graced with a partly sunny afternoon.

So, needless to say, Megan drove me around while I shot this absolutely stunning A4.

I'll let the photos do the rest of the talking.

Expired Film

2011-04-12T15:05:00.000-07:00

Well, I picked up my first two rolls of expired slide film today and it wasn't quite what I was expecting.

These rolls must have been stored in a cool dark place because the color still seems fairly accurate without much discrepancy for film that is 8 years expired.

Here are a few results.

SBC Surf

2011-04-11T20:12:00.000-07:00

It's always a good day when two copies of SBC Surf show up in your mailbox. And, to make things even better, I got a quarter-page shot of Sepp Bruhwiler published on the contents page. Stoked.

It's an absolutely incredible issue with all kinds of cool stories and amazing imagery. My buddies Jeremy Koreski and Chris Burkard both have full features from Nova Scotia and New Zealand, respectively.

Subscribe HERE.

The Shiny Sea

2011-04-08T09:35:00.000-07:00

I'm ecstatic to let you know that my buddy Malcolm Johnson has just updated his website and is back on the posting train.

Malcolm is the editor of SBC Magazine and an all-around awesome dude.

Check him out HERE

35mm

2011-03-31T00:46:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, I'm addicted to film again.

Never would I solely use film for a job of any sorts, but for personal stuff it's the best.

With digital photography being the go-to medium these days, convenience has taken over while the true art and original element have been thrown to the dogs. But there will never be anything like film. The anticipation while waiting for it to be developed is incredible. Like stated a few posts back, I'm not the most patient person. So I'm always psyched to get a roll of film back. If it's supposed to be ready Thursday at noon, well, there won't be any confusion as to my whereabouts around noon on Thursday.

Megan snagged this roll for me today and e-mailed me the scans since I'm out of town.

This is the first roll of black and white film I have shot in close to, if not over, a decade.

I'm pleased with the results.

Part of me feels guilty for abandoning analog cameras and film for so long. It's what I fell in love with back in the day and I'm glad to have reconnected.

Mmm Hm...

2011-03-29T23:59:00.000-07:00

Some photo shoots are much more enjoyable than others.

This being one of them.

Love this bod.

Censored for my own peace of mind.

And this is our deaf son, Kitten, after a very difficult bath.

Back to Baja

2011-03-25T11:06:00.000-07:00

I should probably go somewhere else. I should probably drop the cash and head to New Zealand or Iceland or Jeffrey's. I should probably e-mail my ass off and try to get a crew together in hopes of making an article that some publication might -- but probably will not -- want to buy. I should probably get a steady paycheck. I should probably do a lot of other things. But ya know what? I'm not going to. Not right now at least. Instead...

...I'm going to Baja.

The month of May is fast approaching and it is then that I will head south. Lupe needs a tune up, a clutch adjustment and a new windshield, but she's already amping to go. She loves the Baja and pretty much any long stretch of dirt road. One of my best friends and surfing comrades will be joining me on the trip. Stoked on that. And last but most certainly not least, my beautiful girlfriend and her/our great and lovely friend will be joining us boys for 8 days of fun in the sun at the end of the road. I am very excited about that last part. Megsa has heard about and seen photos of my numerous Baja trips, but never had the opportunity to go on one herself. It will be awesome to have her company in and out of the water.

I'm stoked to say the least.

Oh sure, there's the multiple homicides, hangings, car-jackings, faux police stops in the wee hours of the morning, to hell with 'em. Once you get past that 100-mile corridor of danger, stench and paranoia, you're free. Free as the wind blowing through your hair at dawn on some washboard road leading to an unnamed point break. And that's what I love about Baja.

Freedom.

However, in all reality the Baja experience is practically the same as surfing anywhere in the states. The major differences being that A) you're not in the states so you better have the common sense to acknowledge that fact, B) most of the roads leading to my favorite spots down south aren't paved (yet), C) depending on the length of your adventure, you can almost always be guaranteed at least one session in trunks and D) post surf sessions are around an open air fire next to tents, shovels, propane stoves, sandy toes and a cooler full of Pacificos (Ballena's of course).

Sure there are more differences than the four listed above and there are plenty of similarities too. It just feels different down there. It's wide open and rugged, deserted and lonely, bare and beautiful. It's just awesome and although maybe I should be going to New Zealand or Iceland or J-Bay, I can guarantee that I won't regret a minute spent in Baja. Never have, never will.

Hasta pronto mi amor.

Spring Cleaning

2011-03-18T18:06:00.000-07:00

I'm an incredibly impatient person. Well, I mean, I can wait for a few things: a set wave, just the right moment to shoot and for everybody around me to sit down at the dinner table before I start eating. That's about it.

After a shoot, I come home and immediately edit the select shots, completely neglecting to delete the throwaways. If I was patient, I'd do that, but I'm not so I don't. Therefore, I'm painfully going through old folders deleting all of the files that are sitting in limbo on my hard drive.

Whenever I take on this task, there are always a few files that I had forgotten about. It's awesome. I'll come to a shot and go, "Oh yeah! I need to do something with that." So -- because of my impatience -- I throw it into Photoshop and get to business, completely neglecting the rest of the files that need to be thrown away. So be it.

So, 3 hours and 177 gigabytes later, here are a few of the survivors.

Film Fest

2011-03-15T16:55:00.000-07:00

I just picked up my most recent batch of slides today. There were a few keepers and a few to mess around with a bit. Film is addicting.

I have a roll of black and white in my camera right now. We'll have to wait and see how that turns out.

Also, I just purchased 11 rolls of expired film via eBay and can't wait to mess around with those. Google the term "expired film" and go to "images" to see the different looks of film that has been used past it's expiration. Hopefully mine turn out just as wacky.

Enjoy.

The Old Smuggler

2011-03-07T21:36:00.000-08:00

Short Sands. Smuggler's Cove. Oswald West. Mushburgers. The Dump Hole. Purgatory. No matter what you call it, the most frequented beach on the coast has many faces. I can't even tell you how many times I've walked up the trail, face red, cursing and promising myself, with every fiber in my being, that I will never surf there again. It's inconsistent, it's crowded and the waves are mushy and soft. But, just when you think the place is done, finished, dead, sure enough, a stream will open up, some sand will move around, the conditions will come together and the little bay will turn on. And when that happens, there's hardly a better venue to share some waves with your buddies.

Shorties is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful spots on the coast. With jagged headlands to the north and south, the view from the beach and the water alike is nothing short of dramatic. There's usually always a waterfall spilling down the rocks on the north side and, after a good rain, you'll get a cascade down south too. Also, it doesn't hurt that you hike next to a river and through a lush old-growth forest on the way to and from the water. Again, truly beautiful and a staple amongst surfers and beach-goers of the Pacific Northwest.

Good luck scoring it though. It seems as though the place gets moodier and more fickle with age. Hence the long walks up the trail trying to adjust my post-surf attitude. But last night, though far from legendary, there were some peaks serving up long lefts for the late crowd (first 3 shots). It showed a little glimpse of potential and we were amping to surf a pushing tide this morning (last 3 shots). In typical Shorties fashion, the waves were there, but not nearly as good or plentiful as the night before; you can tell by the body language.

Until it's good, I'll never surf there again. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what I like to call the Shorties spiel.

Blog Thievery!

2011-03-01T19:48:00.000-08:00

I thieved this from Burky's blog, who thieved it from The Magic Bus, who thieved it from the creator,Jesse Rosten. And what a thieve worthy piece it is. More people should thieve it and share it with other blog thieves!

Growing is Forever from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.

Morning View

2011-03-01T11:34:00.000-08:00

Guadalupe and I did a little trip a few weeks back and on our way home I awoke to this. It was a great morning to say the least.

Jewelry by Amber PDX

2011-02-17T18:35:00.000-08:00

Megs' client, Amber McLellan, makes some really cool jewelry. Last time they saw each other Amber asked Megan if she'd post some photos of her pieces on Amber's facebook page. Well, I couldn't let Megs post just any ol' photos, that would be ridiculous. So, this afternoon, while the sun was peaking out from behind the clouds, we had an impromptu photo shoot. I thought they turned out pretty cool and we had a lot of fun doing the shoot together. In fact, Megs took the first two shots and edited all of 'em. It's rad to see her take an interest in photography and editing. I'll have my own personal editor here pretty soon. Stoked! Be sure to check out Amber's site HERE and her Etsy page HERE. You can also buy locally at Urban Waxx.

Boredom

2011-02-17T11:03:00.000-08:00

My favorite PB & J

Ingredients:

Dave's Killer Bread (best sliced bread around).
Earth Balance or other butter substitute.
Organic Peanut Butter (creamy or crunchy).
Organic Jam (any flavor i.e., strawberry, grape, etc.).

1. Get two pieces of Dave's Killer Bread.
2. Butter both slices with original Earth Balance
3. Spread peanut butter on one side of bread.
4. Spread jam on the other side of bread.
5. Place two pieces of bread together.
6. Eat.

Lefts, Rights, Closeouts

2011-02-12T11:21:00.000-08:00

Even if you know the surf is going to be good at home, sometimes it's fun to gamble and get a change of scenery, get a change of state, just get a change. Glad I did.

Get In The Van

2011-02-05T15:03:00.000-08:00

If you're one of those unfortunate souls not familiar with the photography of Nick LaVecchia and Brian Nevins, well, the time is now. Check out their site, Get In The Van, for frequent updates and some amazing imagery. It makes me wish we had snow on the beach. Enjoy!

Happy Hour

2011-02-05T14:46:00.000-08:00

Coastal Morning

2011-02-04T15:53:00.000-08:00

I woke up the other day to some great light and a gigantic swell bashing the coastline. It was dramatic all around.

More Film

2011-02-03T15:53:00.000-08:00

I've been shooting a ton of film these days with my Grandfather's old Pentax Spotmatic. Unfortunately, Raph ran it over. Actually, he ran over all of my photo equipment. However, truth be told, it was entirely my fault that my gear got squished. Luckily the Pentax was the only piece of equipment with any damage at all; a miracle to say the least. While the little bugger is in the repair shop, here's a collection of film shots from the past couple of months. Enjoy!

Namo the Great

2011-01-28T13:02:00.000-08:00

I had some fun sessions over the last couple of days. Two on my surfboard. The other with my camera. You get to experience the latter. This beach was heaving and I probably saved a few hundred bucks by going over the falls (numerous times) vs. going to the chiropractor. The ocean gave me a proper adjustment. Anybody else met Namo? I can't stop laughing every time I see that twisted little freak. Gross and inappropriate? Yes. But funny enough to use on this blog? Absolutely. Long live Namo the Great!

Bottom Turns and Boiler Makers

2011-01-24T07:55:00.000-08:00

I was lucky enough to have Raph and Sepp Bruhwiler invite me up to Canada for this last big swell. We shot a lot, but the weather was pretty much grey the entire time, so the shots ended up being a little bland. But we still got a couple that are pretty cool. I learned a lot from those guys. Like why they enjoy shooting with Jeremy and Burky all the time: shoot the entire wave, start to finish. There were a couple money shots that I missed either because I was out of position or because I was too focused on a certain aspect of the maneuver, like the fins free blast, so I spaced shooting the bottom turn. Sepp's pretty good at reminding you that you blew it, so shooting the entire wave is now a part of my repertoire. After I was out of position and missed what would have been a great bottom turn shot, all I heard was bottom turn this and bottom turn that, so I had to redeem myself so my reputation amongst Canada's best surfers wasn't tarnished forever. I think I did ok. Even though we're technically from different countries, there's something to be said about people from the Pacific Northwest. I feel like the majority of us are down to earth, fun loving, true individuals. And the Bruhwilers and their friends are no different. As soon as I met them and started hanging out, I felt right at home, like I'd known them for years. They're a great group of guys and really a ton of fun to be around. It was a great trip and I'm looking forward to heading up there and shooting our friendly neighbors to the north real soon.

Food for Thought

2011-01-17T19:25:00.000-08:00

Nobody could ever make a living documenting the surf in the PNW full-time, regardless of the medium. But the world, although big, has all kinds of nooks and crannies that produce rideable waves. I want to see 'em all. Impossible? Yes, but there's always somewhere to go surf and shoot. I'm not trying to solely document the PNW. It's just home. It's where I'm comfortable. It's what I love. It's where my heart is. I'm not trying to "blow it up". I don't name names. I don't give directions. I purposely lie about locations of shots. Sure, the surfing communities have grown a lot in Oregon/Washington in the last 10/20/30 years, but it isn't because people are seeing the point or port orford or the north jetty on surfline, in mags or in films. It's because the industry as a whole has gone, and continues to go, more mainstream. And the more mainstream it gets, the more people want to surf. Furthermore, wetsuits get better and better, allowing people to surf in colder, less-crowded, locales. Places south (and even north) of here are shoulder to shoulder. Have these spots been documented? Yeah. These places, I'm sorry to say, are no secret. SSP is no secret. I don't know why this is a surprise to anybody anymore. On the right day it's literally the best left-hand point break in the states. Maybe even the northern hemisphere sans Pavones and Mundaka. The only reason it feels the way that it does is because there's a local contingent that seriously holds it down out in the lineup. And I mean seriously holds it down. More power to 'em. I've been in the water at the tip of Baja and on three separate days have had guys from South Africa, Australia and France ask me about that spot.

"Is it really that localized?"

"Yes."

"Are the locals that heavy?"

"Yes."

And so on and so forth. I hope it stays that way. Even if that means getting yelled at or kicked out of the water or called names. It's nice to know that a spot can still live up to its reputation. I actually helped the other day. I was suiting up and I saw some kid walking around with a a camera and thought I'd help him out before he got snapped on.

"Careful with that camera around here," I said kindly, with a smile.

"Why?!" snapped the young foreigner with an unrecognizable accent.

"Because this is a very special place and a lot of people don't appreciate people taking pictures of it," I replied.

A scowl of confusion and distrust came across the guys face. Then a weird smirk. I was officially annoyed.

"Oh. Ok," he said sarcastically as he continued onward.

With his back toward me I threw in one last piece of advice.

"Hey, I tell ya what," I said firmly, the stranger now looking at me again "if you don't believe me, why don't you walk right over there to that gravel lot (pointing) with that camera hanging around your neck and come back here to tell me I was wrong."

That seemed to get his attention.

He and his buddy walked to the end of the parking lot, turned around and continued towards town.

So even though I'm the supposed problem, I still help when I can, local or not. It may be hypocritical, but I don't want anybody else shooting it either. And again, it's absolutely no secret. It has been documented over and over and over. The bsc is no secret. It has been documented over and over and over and it's probably the most fickle spot in the entire state. The SoJDF (find Burky's blog) are no secret. They have all been written about, shot and surfed for decades or more. Everywhere has. Well, maybe not everywhere, but most of the notable spots have all ran in print publications. Yet you can still go out and score most of these places with your buddy and only a handful of people, if that. If these spots were in imminent danger of blowing up, well, wouldn't they be crowded? There's a reason 90% of my shots are of empty waves: hardly anybody surfs 'em. And, as far as I can tell, that isn't changing.

The surf here is very "blue collar". The best dudes in the water rarely wear vans, slim jeans and have stickers on their boards. I like that. And speaking of the local communities, I don't see the future of our coastal communities being overrun by surfers and the surf industry. Look at what is going on in the local communities: nada. Sure, Lincoln City, Seaside, Newport, etc., etc. will always (hopefully) have their heads above water. But for a place to blow up, it has to be much fairer weather, much more consistent and much more alluring. The traveling surfer(s) may come through a few times a year, but, again, I don't see a lot of people moving to the coast and blowing it all up anytime in the near future. I don't think there is enough industry on our coastline for that to happen. People from Portland and Eugene and Bend will continue to learn how to surf and come over in the summer and on the weekends and crowd the lineups, sure, that's just life. But, as we all know, the best surfers in the water are the ones catching the waves. Furthermore, I know a lot of you ditch your "life/work" to go score a clean swell on a Wednesday. Keep it up. It keeps the stoke alive. I'll be seeing you out there.

I'm writing this from my little studio south of Seaside. It's rainy, windy as hell and completely unsurfable. It takes a different breed to do what we do up here. I think we'll be safe from hoards of people for quite some time.

I could be entirely wrong. Only time will tell.

Hype!

2011-01-17T14:11:00.000-08:00

It's about to get colossal! Hopefully the forecast holds true. I'll be stoked to get out there and shoot some more big-wave stuff. It's always a blast being out there with the crew. There's so much energy and adrenaline running through your veins, you can't help but feel fully in-tune and completely alive. Now, just getting through that beach break...

Skunked!

2011-01-06T20:14:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, when you're looking for waves, you just get flat out skunked. There's nothing you can do about it either. If you're skunked, you're skunked and that's all there is to it. Hopefully this spot we've been getting skunked at turns on one of these days. It has loads of potential and, to my knowledge, is rarely surfed. It definitely gets surfed, just not all that often. We like spots like that. So we'll keep checking it. And we'll keep gettin' skunked. Until we score.

Film

2010-12-31T16:25:00.000-08:00

Life is so rad sometimes. I had been hinting to Sweetie that I wanted an old 35mm camera to add to my collection. Well, I didn't get one for my birthday. I hinted some more. I didn't get one for Christmas. No worries. One will come along and the rest of my presents were amazing anyway. I wasn't stressin' it. Then, when I went home to Bend for the holidays, my Mom nonchalantly says, "Honey, go downstairs and see if those cameras I put down there have any value. Feel free to sell 'em for some extra money."

"What are they?" I replied.

"Oh, just some cameras and an old SLR."

I sprinted downstairs and there, at the bottom of a little paper bag, discarded as a junker, was a late 1960's Pentax Spotmatic. It was my Grandfather's camera that he had used and then gave to my mom when she went to Europe in the mid 70's. I was stoked. Anyway, I threw a new battery in it and fired off a few rolls since Christmas. Shooting with film and an old camera is so fun. You never know what you're going to get.

Haters Gon' Hate

2010-12-31T10:58:00.000-08:00

I was so stoked on this shot. I'm glad it got used.

Hopefully the beginning of 2011 dishes out more conditions like this. It's looking promising at this point.

Founded by the Germans in 1904...

2010-12-29T18:03:00.000-08:00

...they named it, San Diego. Which, of course, in German means, "A Whale's Vagina."

Megsalicious and I are off to said location tomorrow morning to ring in 2011 with some good ol' fun in the sun!

Stoked.

However, I must say, the forecast is looking better at home. It never fails. Whenever I leave, it turns offshore. You're welcome. Sure, I'll get some waves down south, but there's nothing quite like scoring at home and that's exactly what I'll be missing. But it's all good! We still have January and February to look forward to. So cheers to more high pressure, clean swells, favorable winds and the start of what's sure to be a phenomenal 2011!

Yeeeow!

Happy New Years everybody.

Be safe out there.

Abandoned Frames

2010-12-22T09:58:00.000-08:00

Going through old files and folders is crazy. When I'm out shooting I usually have a goal in mind. Whether it's to snap a pulled back lineup or the dew drops on a pinecone, I generally have a good idea of what I'm trying to accomplish. But that doesn't mean I'm solely focusing on the end objective. There are always a lot of distractions that are worth shooting. Sometimes my favorite image from a shoot will have absolutely zero to do with what I had gone out trying to do. That's always fun. It's surprising. It's fresh and exhilarating. But when I come home and throw the images onto the computer, my focus always seems to shift back to that end goal and a lot of really cool images might not ever see the light of day because I simply forget about them. Well, here are a few shots that I really enjoy that have been surprising, unintentional and kept in the dark for far too long. Enjoy.

Around Town

2010-12-21T10:15:00.000-08:00

It's funny how a new city inspires you. When I moved home to Oregon from Hawai'i in April of 2008, all I wanted to do was shoot. The spring was awful that year and the city was dark and grungy, but I liked it. It was such a change from the tropics. Instead of swaying palms and spitting a-frames, I was surrounded by concrete, clouds and rain. If it wasn't pouring outside I was on my skate, pushing around town with my gear strapped to my back, just shooting photos of anything and everything. It was a good time and I felt inspired. However, as time goes on our surroundings become commonplace and what once was awe inspiring is now simply standard. But I do love Portland. I love that it is the "big city" here in Oregon, but it's still small. I decided to rekindle that inspiration the other day. I just grabbed my gear and drove around shooting this and that. Here's a small sample of an imaginative city. Enjoy.

Gross!

2010-12-20T09:27:00.000-08:00

Stern Carnage from marti paradisis on Vimeo.

***disclaimer: my buddy sent me the link to that shipsterns video and the words below were my reply. it was 12:54am and i was a few deep. hence the lack of grammatical insight. ***

i don't even know what to say in regards to that.

i mean, that wave is just...

i don't even know.

gross.

icky.

kaka.

dangerous.

scary.

disgusting.

retarded.

bizarre.

it's unlike any other slab we - or, i, rather - know of at this point.

but think about it. you know there's some other mental slabs like that in norway or greenland or nova scotia or the faroe islands or the kuril islands or the falkalnd islands or reunion island or mauritius island or haida gwaii or alaska or soooooooo many other places, it's ridiculous. it's unreal how many undiscovered waves there are. isn't it? i want to go find them. i need a couple million dollars and then i can just go and fund the f'n craziest trips for waves ever. i'll hire some gnarly forecaster from surfline and i'll get dane and keith and the long brothers to come with and just go find the most mental waves ever and constantly be the first to be shooting the most psychedelic waves on the planet. seriously. with a few milly i could do that, easy. but i don't have a few milly. i just have some camera gear and a very flat, reefless/pointless coastline.

well, that's not entirely true.

we have some gems. i want to name them all (like i did in the e-mail), because it's kind of funny and/or sad that it's just a handful of spots and sandbars. and, to top it off, a couple of them i would never surf. but they don't need to be named. not here. you know all about them anyway. there are no secrets anymore. it's weird up here. we're weird. weird surf. weird spots. weird people. weird animals. weird stuff. it's just weird. and so am i.

Where Young People Retire

2010-12-17T09:42:00.000-08:00

Interview with the Champ10n

2010-12-16T20:33:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't wanna spend thirteen minutes with the king of surf? Great interview over on Surfline.

wanderer(s)?

2010-12-07T11:24:00.000-08:00

it's hard to detach or leave things behind
oh, look at me, baby, i'm losin' my mind.
maybe i'm wrong, maybe you'll stay
oh, stay here to wander beside me.

those in the know, whose colors are true
it's just 60 more miles, baby, i love you
i'd spill my guts if i had your trust
oh, believe me, you'll always leave me crushed.

Father ---> Son

2010-12-05T23:12:00.000-08:00

Kick You in the Dolls

2010-11-30T00:47:00.000-08:00

I forgot about these until minutes ago. One of my all time, most favorite, best buds worked on this for our creative advertising class back at U of O. Needless to say, they're instant classics. Enjoy.