THE RIGHT PLACE, THE RIGHT TIME

James is a photographer's assistant and works on the sixth floor of the American Legion Building in downtown Spokane, Washington.  He has been attending a local community college studying photography, however,  for many discovered and undisclosed reasons, he feels he doesn't fit in.
Also, last year, he lost his girlfriend to breast cancer.  Now, he has decided to quit his job and travel.  Spend some time alone and search for a new love and a different life.  He says, "Things have got to be better than this, but somewhere else."

Rose is a licensed architect and registered to practice in three states.  She works on the fifth floor of the same building where James works.  Presently, she is not in a relationship because she has been involved in several large projects that have dominated her personal and work life.  However now, those projects are coming to a close and she is looking forward to taking some time away from work and in spending quality time with friends and family.

Rose knows James's boss and has heard from her about the things that James has gone through and is still going through in the past months.  When Rose has seen James in the building's corridors, elevators and the small coffee shop on the second floor, she has always wanted to say something but has resisted because she thinks it would be awkward.

James has noticed Rose from brief encounters while going to and leaving work in the building.  He thinks she is beautiful, however, he hasn't introduced himself and most times he too reasons that it would just be too awkward.

Rose and James will never meet; like many of us, they weren't able to recognize the the right time or acknowledge when they were in the right place.

Tomorrow James leaves for Vancouver, BC and Rose is attending a small birthday party for her niece in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.  James is heading north and Rose is heading east.

As humans, I find that we continually look for happiness in places other than where we are.

Summer Work

I wanted to post some of the images and projects I've been working on over the summer.  I've rented a large studio in our downtown area and I've enjoyed the opportunity to photograph in this wonderful historic building.

Model:  Julie Suchanek

Model: Julie Suchanek

Model:  Victoria Carding

Her Coastline

I want to live by the ocean.
Women that I have loved in my life, have always been able to take me there.  In their eyes, their smile and their touch.

Her Coastline

You have always been

a path

to the ocean.

I move into your mist,

I love the taste of salt, 

the air,

your skin.

Down your smooth

cliffs--

descending porcelain stairs

and past shallow beach pools,

I travel through waves of sierra grass

and brush against drifts

of your blond hair.

One Act Play

Relationships and decisive moments in those relationships have always been of interest to me.  I've written a few one act plays that try to show those moments; the happy and good ones and the not so good ones.

In this photo, I've attempted to capture a moment in a woman's married life where she really doesn't know what to do or what to say.

I've also tried to capture this image in a poem;

One Act Play

We play opposite each other.
Try to rehearse our moves.
I stand and step two places
stage right,
turn to say I love you, but
the words fall not soft,
and now,
your silence,
cuts me open.

The Pretty White Dress

For the past several years I've volunteered as a case worker for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate), an organization that advocates for children subject to abuse, neglect and abandonment.  As one might suspect, many of the cases involve domestic violence and drugs.

I was inspired to write the following poem from my experiences with this worthwhile organization:


The Pretty White Dress


I remember the day we bought it, we were at Nordstrom's
at their half yearly sale.
We had just eaten lunch at Chili's and after a few beers
we were almost drunk and
we were so in love and when you saw it in the window,
you said, "Rose,
you'd look great in that."
I tried it on and you said I was beautiful,
and I believed you.
We bought it and went home and made love,
then fell asleep on the couch.

So much has happened since that day.
All the pushes and shoves; starts and stops.
All that we've said and wished we could take back or
maybe forget.

And now all I hear you say, as they take you,
"I can't believe this--I barely hit the bitch."

Fashion Shoot at The Riverside Event Center

Recently I was afforded the opportunity to photograph a model in an emulated fashion shoot of the 1960s.  Myself and my crew chose to photograph on a stage located in The Riverside Event Center that was constructed in the early 1900s in Spokane, Washington.  One of my major influences on this project was Irving Penn and his use of stark black and white with very simple compositions.

I had already picked the model and wardrobe I was going to shoot, however, I had no idea of the exact set until I arrived at the Event Center.  We were able to find in a storage area a post modern living room set right out of the 1960s with this wonderful occasional chair.  

I wanted to photograph the model in a large hat so the lighting was somewhat lengthy to set up and still maintain the light and shadows I wanted on her beautiful face.

These are my final three images:

Model: Julie Suchanek

Wardrobe from "My Fair Lady"
Spokane Civic Theatre

100 Steps With My Father

I love to spend time with my father.  He is 91 years old and he enjoys going along with me on my photography projects.  Recently, we came up with a little game we play when I'm out with him photographing:  He picks the place we go and the camera and lens I'm going to use, then once when we are at our destination, I can choose the direction I walk in, but I'm to take 100 steps and then take a photograph.  One week he will pick my iPhone, the next week he will pick my 4x5 camera.  I haven't told him yet, but last week I bought a Holga.

Below are some photos from our last adventure; we had

visited a local park that is located not far from my father's home.  In a few weeks I'm going to bring along a camera for him so he can join in the fun.

A Tortoise shell plant

An access door to greenhouse fan cabinet

The fabric webbing in the greenhouse ceiling

The Fence-line of a house in a neighborhood near the park

Early Spring growth inside the greenhouse