Cathrine L. Walters: photography

Birdie La Roux of The Cigarette Girls Burlesque

2011-12-10T15:16:00.000-07:00

Birdie La Roux (aka Robin Rose-Rice) of the Cigarette Girls Burlesque was practicing for her upcoming show and let me sit in with her and take a few photos...if her performance on stage is anything like her practice I can't wait for the show!

Chicken Harvest

2011-12-09T17:09:00.001-07:00

We recently harvested our chickens at the farm and I decided to document the process. Tyler had spent the weekend before processing almost 50 at his wife's family farm so he was well versed and showed us what to do. It's always difficult to witness the killing of these brilliantly decorated birds, but something I feel I needed to watch if I choose to eat this animal that was raised in my backyard. It's not pretty. But what is beautiful is knowing that each animal was raised in a healthy environment, free to run and roost and socialize (and squabble) as chickens do. Feeling each bird had a good and free life makes the death, the processing and the meal that much more enjoyable to me.

Warning to the queasy: their are images of dead chickens.

BIKES!

2011-10-19T21:39:00.001-06:00

I have been working with Seattle photographer Jay Goodrich shooting the Doubletree Hotel the past few days when we decided to take a break and see if we could get some riders to do some jumps for us. We had a blast photographing Abraham Jindrich, Alex Bardsley, Kent Billingsley, Snake, and other local rockstars. These kids ride FAST! Here are my favorites-Jay shoots for Bike Magazine so hopefully we'll see some of them in the 'zine soon! Thanks guys!

Abraham on the farm

2011-10-04T23:26:00.003-06:00

Abraham started a farm this spring, using a few acres of land that his father had no use for at the time. Today he and his partner Tyler run a joint venture with pigs, ducks, turkeys and chickens. He drives the half hour from Missoula nearly every night after working all day in town to feed and water the animals. Every week or so a new fenced in paddock is built to move the pigs to fresh grass after they root around all week, naturally tilling up the soil. The old paddocks get tilled in again with a Roto Tiller, seeded and watered for the pigs next rotation. This is Abraham's first year as a farmer. He is dedicated, motivated and excited about the process of this new business and lifestyle it brings. If you ever want to buy some local pasture raised pork I can tell you how to contact him-website to come soon! I look forward to the many years of this adventure and the expansion of it to come...

emily

2011-10-03T14:32:00.001-06:00

Emily's hair color says a lot about her personality...fun, crazy, bold and beautiful! I met Emily a few months ago through another friend and loved her instantly. She doesn't take any BS and tells the best, albeit dirtiest, jokes I know-just ask me about the one about the two whales in the bar sometime. I'll always remember her for her wolf hat that she wore to a costume party one night, not only was it adorable on her but suited her somehow-she had no problem bringing it along and crawling around in the grass for a while!

Her time in Missoula was cut short when her mother came to visit and became hospitalized over an infected tooth that caused problems in her heart. She's driving her back to Ashland, NC this week and after a trip to CA, moving back there to stay. Her big laugh and big heart will be missed.

lauren.

2011-09-28T18:35:00.005-06:00

lauren.

mary

2011-09-22T08:28:00.005-06:00

mary.

The Oink Joint

2011-09-16T14:16:00.001-06:00

The pigs are getting fatter and the gardens are getting fuller! Snoutzilla and Party Pig have already been separated out from Cornwall, Fatty and Brunhilda since they will be the first to be...YIKES! Snout and Party are being grain-finished to pump up there poundage fast for this fall's harvest...they are already sold! I am currently working on photos and creating a webpage for the farm so we can start making more sales and get this business up and running! We are still dreaming up names for the farm...any ideas?!

Here's a few pics from a recent work day out at the "Oink Joint" (that name has my vote!)...

We added a roof on to this old building to store straw for the pigs over winter.

These roosters crow at sun up. and then while the sun is up...all. day. long.

Abe hauls horse manure through the gardens to load onto the compost pile.

Compost pile.

Abe stokes the fire for a hillbilly hot tub under the stars!

We camped out that night and woke up (to the roosters) to cook breakfast over the fire.

Cornwall, Brunhilda and Fatass LOVE my huge zucchini's.

It's a boy!

Tyler presses liquids out of the donated hops and barleys from the new local brewery. Thanks Draught Works!

The expelled juices from the beer gets slopped over the pigs feed, they LOVE it.

Antipasto + Abraham

2011-09-14T16:50:00.002-06:00

{These are two of my favorite things!}

The BoxCutters

2011-09-13T17:30:00.006-06:00

Meet The Boxcutters.

William Birkenbuel: guitar and vocals.

Abraham Jindrich: drums.

Dirty. Rock. Roll.

Last Thursday evening, the Top Hat, Rhino bar and Red Bird got together to shut down its alley and host a first-ever Blues Alley Block Party complete with

live music, local food, cold drinks and a fun crowd.

Here's a few pics from my favorite local band who played that night, The BoxCutters. They play hard, they play dirty, and in between a few of their favorite covers they belt out solid lyrics written by the lead singer, Billy. If you haven't seen them perform around Montana yet, or can't wait to see them again--they're opening for Hillstomp this Saturday at the Top Hat--tickets on sale now at Ear Candy!

Jason + Kelly

2011-06-29T16:15:00.010-06:00

Jason and Kelly live in Oregon but drove back to Missoula to get married in Lolo, MT right on the Clark Fork River. They are a sweet, laid back couple that walked the aisle with two beautiful dogs and Chaco sandals. I was excited to see our mutual friends at the wedding ceremony and happy that the rain held out for the entire day! It was an amazing wedding to shoot with such a fun couple and friends. Congratulations Kelly and Jason! Thanks for letting me be a part of you day...

Tied the knot!

Campaign Portraits

2011-05-26T14:25:00.005-06:00

Need to update photos on your website and campaign materials? For a limited time I am offering a special on campaign photos!

You will receive:

one hour photo session
locations of your choice ($0.75/mile outside Missoula)
as many outfit changes as you want
CD of up to 10 images for your website and materials

Contact me today to book your session! 406-546-2274

The Gifts

2011-03-01T09:03:00.018-07:00

While driving along Wyoming's Hwy 14 I noticed a dark lump on the side of the road. As I sped past, seeking other photographic endeavors and a large rig on my tail, I wondered if it could be the elusive porcupine I dreamed of encountering some day..."no way" I thought, "you never get to see those!".

My interest was piqued just weeks ago when Lynn, Jentel's program coordinator, was telling us the bizarre items some residents request from her for their art. One was a dead porcupine. In all my years of inspecting dead animals--whether through road kill, hunting or other animal kills--I have never found a porcupine. I imagined their rough feet and sharp claws, their beady eyes and coarse fur and then OUCH! Those damn quills. Could they shoot them at you? Critters could...Critters could also roll faster than I could run. Yet I longed for a porcupine. To touch one, to see.

After a few hours of shooting I returned along the same road and slowed down. To my delight, and chagrin, it was indeed a porcupine. I pulled over and walked towards the beast, yelled a few times to make sure he was down, and knelt beside him. He was beautiful. Fully intact. Just a spot of blood around his mouth. He appeared to be sleeping, was curled up on his side, and peaceful.

His right foot was exposed and I reached down to touch it, it was soft yet slightly calloused like a hard-worked hand and was similar to the paw of a dog. And the claws! They were as long as my finger, curled down, strong and sharp.

I moved my attention to his mouth, it was slightly open exposing long yellowed teeth. There was a spat of blood, but not much. I pushed his hair from his face searching for his eye, it was small, round and dark. His head seemed small for his enormous body, and was soft and dark. I caressed his short snout and apologized for his death.

The fur on top wasn't coarse but soft and wispy, it blew in the wind giving motion to his lifeless body. I pressed my hand to his side to get a sense of his girth and felt heat. The process of a decomposing animal.

I moved towards his back where dozens of quills were exposed and broken in half. I assumed this is there the impact was, where the vehicle struck him. I hoped it was quick. The mess of quills gave the appearance of thick straw tightly bundled into his fur. Some fur was slightly matted, like a long haired cat's, but soft and thick the closer to the body you touched.

I reached for a quill and was pricked immediately by his delicate defenses. I turned my hand over and saw where the needle-sized tip had entered my skin. I pulled at the spike and the barb tugged at my flesh then popped out. It was hollow and only firm at the tip and the base. They were delicate and fragile. When I placed it in my hand they would break with the slightest pressure. I feathered through his thick tufts and discovered exposed leg muscle. The impact was worse than I thought.

I pulled a few quills and piled them in my hand, careful not to break them. They freed easily, but were not easily obtained. I shed spots of blood, but a much smaller price than the porcupine had to pay. I bundled the small gifts to share with the other artists, for Abraham and for me. It was the gift of rare encounters, the gift of crossing paths, the gift of discovery and the gift of gratitude. I thanked him for these gifts and left.

Landscapes

2011-02-28T10:05:00.003-07:00

Here's a few more images I have taken around Sheridan...

The Present Absence Remains...

2011-02-26T17:57:00.016-07:00

Next week we are presenting our work to the community of Sheridan, Wyoming during an artist presentation called Jentel Presents. Jentel organizes this event every month so each resident that stays here at Jentel can share their work with the public and talk about it. I was a little nervous at first, but am excited by the pressure it has put on me to focus on my work...

When left to my own devices to do personal work, I am drawn towards vacant, abandoned, partially demolished, dilapidated buildings and landscapes. But why? It makes me feel good. I like the energy. But why? I've struggle with this question often, but while being here at Jentel I have been forced to truly ask myself, without being distracted from searching for an answer. I have journaled, researched, and sat with myself mulling it over in my thoughts. Being drawn to these old buildings, I decided to take a short trip to Clearmont and asked to photograph the inside of the grain elevator. I was too curious as to what was inside. What kind of old equipment and what tools there were, and the general state of being.

"There's really nothing up there, but go ahead!" the silo owner, Tom said. I looked up the narrow opening of the 50 foot silo, and one hand over the other I cautiously clung to the small metal rungs of the ladder and made my way up. As I inched along, the frost layers thickened and my hands became numb. I finally reached the first level but had to take off my camera bag and squeeze it through the opening ahead of me because we both wouldn't fit. As I landed I exhaled a great cloud of air, pulled my camera out of the bag and looked around. The first level was bare…empty. Tom said they chased the pigeons out a while ago so "their shouldn't be too much shit up there." There was a crusted layer of the stuff, but I didn't mind because it added a nice texture and coloring to each surface that it spackled. It was cold but a bright light shone through the tall windows on either side. After a few shots I climbed up to the next level and found equipment that once separated the grain in to a few different compartments, some old light bulbs and wooden ladders. What I was interested in is what was. Who was here, what did they do, why did they just leave all of this here? As I turned around and photographed angles, gears, ropes, windows and doorways I sensed an exciting energy in the place. It was dank, smelled of pigeon shit and freezing cold, but there was a comfortable warmth coming from the space.

As I climbed back down the ladder, out of the building and back into my car the feeling stayed with me. It reminded me of the feeling I had when I went back to Wisconsin after my father passed away. I traveled home with my camera and planned to document his things; tools, tractors, books, watches, shoes. But when I arrived it was all gone. My mom had already packed it up and sold it, Goodwilled it, or moved it into storage. All that was left was empty closets and shelves, vacant barn stalls and cobwebbed corners.

While sitting there in my car those past emotions of sadness, loss and abandonment flooded over me. Sure, what was in that silo was just stuff, but it was him. I wanted to go back inside. It's not that I want to be sad, but I want to remember. I want to feel. I want to be transported back to consuming my thoughts and memories of him. As I drove along the long Wyoming highway, I slowly began to realize though, that I didn't need to be inside of that silo to feel him. I only needed to look out at the great big Wyoming and Montana landscapes, at a single quiet cottonwood tree or at a weathered and abandoned building.

Ultimately, I want those who view my pictures to feel something as well. Whether awe, melancholy or wistful. I want them to be transported back to a deep felt emotion, whether of lost love or gained perspective. For we have all lost someone or something at some point in time, and if we haven't, we will. It is inevitable. And when it happens I hope it is truly felt. Experienced. Processed. And that those that tell you to "cheer up" and "life goes on" will be ignored, at least for a while. Life most certainly does go on, but we need to give ourselves the time to say goodbye, the time to reflect and to really be patient with our incredible human emotions, no matter how brief or enduring they are. I hope my images will transport the viewer back to their time, as they have continued to transport me, back to my father.

Saturdays for a month

2011-02-19T08:54:00.008-07:00

When I wake up in the morning it feels like a Saturday. Every day. I wake when I want, nap when I want and go to bed when I want. Some days I make coffee and drink it all day. Some days I have dinner for breakfast and breakfast for dinner. Some days I run ten miles to the lake and back and some days I bike. No one from the outside world can contact me unless I hike half a mile up the hill to get messages or make a call. Internet is the only communication and I can choose to use it or not. Having an artist residency is like having a month of Saturdays. It was daunting at first, wondering what I would do with all this time. But time...it is so irrelevant here. This is an odd feeling, a good feeling. I am trying not busy myself too much with routines from my life in Missoula. I do feel busy though. Reading, photographing, hiking & running, researching new artists, pouring over books, authors and photographers we discuss at dinner. From a painter, a printer, a photographer, a sculptor, science writer and fiction writer we come from a wide range of backgrounds, geographies and stories that have been fun to share.

I am dabbling with encaustic photography now and happy with the outcomes...it adds a new dimension to my photos and to the emotion that it evokes. It makes me feel like a kid again, playing with brushes, colors, crayons and wax. It reminds me of a photo my mother took of me as a little girl...I was at my grandmothers kitchen table, face down and fast asleep on my coloring book with a crayon still in my hand. I forgot how much I enjoy creating a picture beyond pushing a trigger.

The following are some things I have seen in my first few days here...

Jentel Artist Residency

2011-02-19T08:06:00.007-07:00

I arrived at Jentel the afternoon of February 15th after a long drive from Missoula, MT. I expected a cabin, a woodstove, maybe a shack even but what I received had far exceeded my imagination. 'Where's the cameras?' I thought as I walked into the house of what appeared to the set of Real World MTV. The house was beautiful. The main living area had white leather couches and hard wood floors. Large canvas paintings, photos, drawings and collages covered the walls while pottery and antique chic covered the floors. Natural light poured in from all corners of the building, obtuse corners, because we learned Neltje doesn't like right angles. It was magnificent. Each bedroom had its own patio, each bathroom at least 2 sinks. There was a library of fiction and art books, a TV room of old and new movies, an expansive kitchen with two ranges, two refrigerators and two ovens, a patio with a grill and in the living area a woodstove. Across the parking lot were the artist and writers studios. The door opens into yet another kitchen in case you didn't feel like walking back across the parking lot. Down the hallway were four doors, the one to the left was mine. As my tour guide, Debbie opened the door I literally gasped at the enormity of the space. White walls and ceilings 30 feet high, two desk spaces, a sink, a mirror and a day bed (in case I needed a nap). It was brilliant.

Not only am I and the other five artists given the gift of time--but the gift of a cozy, warm, comfortable soul nurturing space as well. This is a place where your feet can take you up the mountains and across the plains, where you can sit an entire day and your only accomplishment is to watch the sunrise and sunset, where distractions cannot find you, where time seems to stand still. This is a place where your body will relax and your mind will wander. Wander across the hills and mountains and wind through my thoughts and memories, with the hopes that they will return through my camera's lens and into my studio. This place is truly a gift and for that I feel blessed.

The living room.

My bedroom.

My studio.

As Joey Lawrence would say..."Woah!"

Five Steps to starting a perfect day...

2011-02-01T15:29:00.008-07:00

Step 1. Butter pumperknickel toast.

Step 2: Spread butter generously.

Step 3. Spread peanut butter, also generously.

Step 4: Eat.

Step 5: Smile.

Robo Fish Sex

2010-06-17T12:25:00.004-06:00

Artificial insemination. Poisoned lakes. Decapitated cutthroats. It's all part of a paradoxical plan to save the state fish...more.

Check out the Independent's latest feature by Matt Frank, with photos by yours truly.

Missoula Art Museum Auction

2010-03-18T14:21:00.003-06:00

I was looking for an interesting perspective to shoot the Missoula Art Museum's annual auction...after several shots from stage right I looked up and found it. Laura Millin, executive director of the Missoula Art Museum, says the current economy forced the museum to make significant changes to its annual art auction. Those changes included a greater emphasis on the Artini Auction, above, a more casual—and affordable—fundraiser that occurs a week prior.

2010-03-18T14:03:00.000-06:00

Looters ransack archaeological sites throughout the West, but Montana officials notice a surprising lack of in-state incidents. A Missoula specialist, says they're just not digging deep enough. Martin McAllister founded Archaeological Damage Investigation and Assessment in the mid-1980s, a Missoula company that specializes in cultural resource crime.

Stealing History by Alex Sakariassen

Getting back into it...

2010-03-18T13:52:00.003-06:00

Oh my, its been a while since I've posted! Not that I haven't been shooting though-I started freelancing for the Missoula Indpendent in August of last year to help out a photog friend that got in a hiking accident and almost completly severed his hand from his wrist. He's a great shooter and great adventurer and his images have been missed across the pages of the Indy. I was happy to get the call and help fill in some holes at first, but now have been doing the shooting full time for the paper. It's been an amazing opportunity-one that keeps me very busy!-and learning & growing as a photojournalistic style photographer every day.

I want to begin to share some images that get published in the alternative weekly and the stories and events its' great staff reporters write.Doctors diagnosed Hellgate senior Jane Shober with a rare genetic, degenerative and so far incurable eye disease that can leave its victims completely blind. The condition inspired her to organize this Saturday’s “Dining in Darkness” event to raise funds and awareness about the disease.

Blind Ambition by Matthew Frank

Elouise Cobell

2010-01-28T14:13:00.001-07:00

I had the pleasure to accompany Indy staff reporter Alex Sakariassen to Browning, MT to photograph Native American rights leader Elouise Cobell.
After 14 years of litigation, Elouise Cobell recounts the challenges of taking on the United States government in the name of Indian Country.
The Long Road to Victory by Alex Sakariassen

Stocking Stuffers

2009-12-09T14:36:00.000-07:00

Now this shoot was one of my favorites...each Holiday season the Indy does a Gift Guide of local Montana made goods. These goodies were of the most interesting of all gifts and would make great stocking stuffers for that special someone on your Christmas list! Glass blown dildos. They were so beautiful I'd rather place them on my mantle.

Senior Portrait Season!

2009-10-04T22:49:00.007-06:00

It is upon us...its that time of year where Senioritis sets in, a common disease that dulls your cares and enhances your spirit. Its highly contagious, and once it attacks, you accept it and nurture it until graduation day. Its your last year of high school and your last chance for the best. photo shoot. ever. How do you want to be remembered??

Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

2009-04-26T21:42:00.001-06:00

Crap. Now we'll never know...

2009 Rocky Mountain Roubaix

2009-04-26T21:19:00.006-06:00

Today was Montana's annual Rocky Mountain Roubaix cross bike race in Frenchtown. I rode out with my friend (and Missoula's new Hellgate Cyclery owner!) Dave to cheer on the cyclists and take some pics. The course was a total distance of 31 or 61 miles, depending on what category was raced.

Larry & Cathy

2009-04-22T00:21:00.003-06:00

Singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile came to Missoula to play at the Wilma Theater tonight. I had heard of her concert months earlier and wanted to attend but never bought a ticket. I decided, today, that I would attend, and needed to see her bellow her soulful voice across a crowded room. Tickets were no longer on sale at Rockin Rudys and were only available at the door so I figured I needed to get there early. As I rode up on my cruiser and was locking it to a rack a man approached me and asked if I had a ticket, "not yet!" I replied as he brandished one from his pocket. "Do you want this one?" he asked. "How much?"
"Oh, don't worry about it"...

As I entered the concession area I offered to buy this generous angel a drink, food, water, anything. "No thank you." We exchanged names and I gave him a hug, something I felt comfortable giving this stranger.

He told me he was sitting in the front row and if I didn't have any where to sit I could join him since his sister couldn't make it.

After I ordered myself a drink I wandered around the theater looking for familiar faces to sit with. I happened to wander down to where my new friend was and decided to join him. As we began to chat he told me of his job in Whitefish as a train conductor, his sister who lives in town and his family. Eventually we talked of his other sister, the one who recently passed away. He talked about how hard it was, and still is, and how much he missed her. I told him I understood, for my dad had recently passed away, and how much I miss him. As we sat there, searching for another topic he said, you know, my sisters name was Cathy. And I replied, thats funny, because my dad's name was Larry.

I felt a connection to this man who was extremely generous and kind and shared the name of my father. The lyrics, the artist, the song, the crowd, the company became so much more intense than I had expected it to be. I went home that night and smiled, considered that I just may have enjoyed Brandi Carlile with one of my fathers angels.

Missoula Art Museum Juried Exhibition 2009

2009-04-22T00:18:00.003-06:00

The MAM!! I recently learned that I got two photographs accepted into the Missoula Art Museums Montana Triennial Juried Exhibition! FANTASTIC! I was super excited to learn that out of 250 submissions only 60 were selected, and the pieces will hang at the museum all summer starting in June-September 2009. I will keep you posted as to event dates and will post pics of the exhibition when it goes up.

Gallery Saintonge Juried Exhibition 2008

2008-11-03T22:23:00.005-07:00

Last month, Gallery Saintonge put out a call to artists to submit to their 2008 Juried Exhibition. As a solely photographic gallery, only photographers were asked to submit 6 cohesive images that told a story. Final selections were chosen based on “intrinsic merits, in terms of the strengths of the ideas they present and their execution.” The juror, Hipolito Rafael Chacón, looked for work that was “the best of a genre, but especially works that critique, comment on, and/or expand upon tradition.” I was excited to enter the exhibition and didn't know what I should submit. I scrolled through my Lightroom catalog, wondering what recent work I could use, or to get ideas for new work I could start shooting. As I searched I came across the images I had actually posted to this blog earlier this year. They were of my home in Wisconsin. After my dad had passed away my family was forced to sell the house and everything in it. Knowing that this trip would be my last at the ranch, I brought my camera and planned to document rooms and walls, tractors and tools, knickknacks and things...things that reminded me of my dad and our time there. Instead what I found was emptiness. Empty cupboards, cleared shelves, blank walls. The physical absence fanned the embers of the emotional absence I felt in my heart. I stood with my camera and photographed.

Some of what I came up with is in my January blog post you can see here.
I entered 6 of these images, along with an artist statement into the juried exhibition. A few weeks ago I learned that of the 546 submissions, 37 were selected to hang in Gallery Saintonge December 5, 2008 through January 10, 2009. Of those 37 pieces the juror selected 2 of mine!! (#7 and #8 in blog post). I am honored. And I dedicate this work to my father.

Faces of the Pov Exposure!

2008-11-03T22:18:00.003-07:00

Faces of the Pov has gotten some great attention from the press since we exhibited the show in August this year! That's great news for me as the photographer, Kim Anderson the painter, and most importantly, the Poverello Center's clients. This month the Missoulian Magazine published the full exhibit in color. Check out pages 27-31 by clicking here.

Eddie Bauer

2008-08-06T11:02:00.002-06:00

This spring I started photo assisting for a photographer out of London, Philip North-Coombes, who was shooting for Eddie Bauer. In April I traveled to Paws Up Ranch just outside of Missoula to spend 5 days working with a photo crew as an assistant. We shot the fall catalog, which is getting mailed out this week, including shots of all the models and locations I got to work on! It was exciting to see the finished shots online and recall how much fun it was to work on location with my crew, the production team, and the models.

There is a short video online that World Famous from Seattle came out and shot and put together. Check it out!

I'll post some images soon from my perspective being behind my lens, and behind Philips eye.

Faces of the Pov

2008-08-02T13:49:00.009-06:00

I just had my first big art show last night in town! It was a photo project I have been working on since January shooting portraits of folks who stay at the local homeless shelter, The Poverello Center (the Pov). We asked each participant a set of questions we came up with asking about their life and essentially how they became homeless. I would take their portrait, and then another local artist, Kim Anderson, would paint those portraits. The Independent interviewed us and wrote an article about the show, and the Missoulian covered it in Sunday paper (full front & back page! It was fun being interviewed about my work, I was nervous, but it came out pretty well! I was more nervous when I got interviewed on tv! My fifteen...um...seconds of fame.

We had a great turnout for the event, had live music, food, PBR & wine! The show came at a good time for the Pov due to the recent negative press about the proposed new drop-in center which would allow service for those under the influence of alcohol. The Pov currently does not allow its clients to be under the influence.

Our hopes for the event is that people will walk away with a new perception of the homeless, will read their stories and learn about a different community within our community, and maybe see that we are not that different from these neighbors. I think many of us are one paycheck away from becoming homeless, and that we, our family or friends may someday rely on services provided by places like the Pov. I hope people continue to support these shelters, we never know when someone we love may need them.

Hang Gliding!

2008-07-27T19:38:00.008-06:00

Tonight I tagged along with my friend Paul and his flying buddies so I could photograph them hang gliding. We drove west of Missoula to Tarkio with Craig, Rick & Larry and drove up a mountain to the take off site. Paul sits on the take-0ff spot waiting for the wind to die down. The landing is just past the tree line left of the yellow patch of field.

Flags are placed along the hillsides to help the flyers read wind direction.

What an evening! The weather was perfect, the sunset beautiful, the company great...even though I was only one not flying, to sit there and watch each person take-off and to practically hear the smiles on their faces was enough for me.

PBR Art Contest

2008-04-27T14:40:00.006-06:00

Pabst Blue Ribbon began a touring art gallery where folks could sculpt, paint or photograph a can of PBR for a chance to have your image displayed in the touring gallery and some money and free beers. Grand prize winners would receive $1893 with a year of free PBR and runners up would receive exactly 1/3 of those winnings.

Seeing as my friends and I seemed to have plenty of art materials left over from a good weekend, I thought I'd try my hand at the new craft. The following is what I came up with:

The Cats Meow

Fallen Soldier
WINNER!!

Snowman
WINNER!!

True Love

Best Date Ever

And I won!! "Fallen Soldier" was a runner-up which entitles me to $730 which includes beer money for 4 months! Pabst was also interested in my "Snowman" image and asked $250 for that. So not only do I win almost $1000 for a days worth of fun work, I also get my images into their travelling gallery show! Gotta love PBR...

GOBAMA!

2008-04-17T20:59:00.004-06:00

Senator Barack Obama visited Missoula this month and held a rally at the University's Adams Center. Tickets were free so the arena was packed! As I walked through the crowds I felt static from all the electric positive energy in the air. As a volunteering for Forward Montana I originally was going to walk the crowds and do voter registration...instead I got asked to shoot.

At 6:45 am Forward Montana greets, feeds, caffeinates and organizes its volunteers...

Lines snaked back and forth across the University of Montana campus, down streets and across lawns...

The Adams Center was packed and buzzing like a hive

Obama appears and gives a speech (sans notecards) to a hushed room frothing at the mouth for at the possibilty that this man could be our next president of the United States.

President Obama 2008!

HOCKEY!

2008-03-07T17:23:00.005-07:00

The Badlander Hockey Team asked me to shoot some photos of their last game of the season this past Sunday...they won! And took 11th place in the league...that's pretty good, right?
Its a fast sport, so I was moving-a LOT. But it was a fun challenge and I'd love to do it again:

Total Eclipse of the Moon

2008-02-21T20:36:00.005-07:00

Last night most of the world had the opportunity to witness a full lunar eclipse. To think that for a few hours or even if a few minutes, millions of people were gazing at the one same spot as I, struck with similar awe, recalling the beauty and wonder of our home all at the same moment. I continued to stare at the lonely glowing sphere in the sky and thought of my friends and family who were all looking at the same object as I. I found it ironic that something so distant, so untouchable and so lonely could make me feel so close, so comfortable and so warm.

did anybody else see that meteor?? we were lucky...it was almost a direct hit.

moon painting

Roberto: LIVE! at the Badlander

2008-02-20T10:11:00.005-07:00

Last night at The Badlander, one of my best friends Bob (aka Roberto *clap* *clap*) performed his first Open Mic night! He was great! First on the line up for the evening, he was a little nervous, but that didn't show once he grabbed his guitar and got in front of the mic. His 20 minute set list included covers of Gillian Welch, Willie Nelson, Neko Case and other folk artists. I enjoyed my paparazzi role and took a few shots while he performed...

Fan base

Big Sky Documentary Film Festival

2008-02-18T21:18:00.005-07:00

The 2008 5th annual Big Sky Documentary Film Festival kicked off in Missoula this week! Local photographer Tom Fullum has been volunteering his time shooting for the Fest for the past 3 years, and invited me to be his second shooter this year! Opening night we hoped for a crowd, to shoot lines extending outside the Wilma building. Unfortunately the hype wasn't there, or people thought seducing their valentine was more important...so we didn't get the lines the first night, (or the second) but we did get crowds inside! It was fun having access to jump ropes, balance on chairs, run around the theater, and mingle at parties and eating gooooood food.

Parties were held in the Filmmakers Lounge downstairs with food, drink and live music at night, and panel discussions were held during the day. My perk for working was an All Access pass to parties, food and films! The Fest ends this Wednesday, and my work is done, so now I just get to sit back and enjoy the shows...
To watch films featured at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival visit BSide.com! Enjoy!

Senior Portrait

2008-02-11T17:42:00.001-07:00

Last week one of my co-workers asked if I would photograph his son's high school senior portraits...and any chance I can get to shoot portraits of willing subjects is one I would never pass up! When I asked when they were due, he went to school that day and asked and found out they were due the next day! We got together that night and the images below are some of my favorites from our session:

This last image is the one he chose for the yearbook

Robin

2008-01-21T20:15:00.000-07:00

Last week I shot local barista and supermodel Robin for a calendar project! My friend Ernie runs a non-profit garage in Lolo where at-risk kids help rebuild old muscle cars. We used one of the cars in the shoot at a couple locations in downtown Missoula...here's some of my favorites from that shoot:

Homelessness Awareness Project

2008-01-19T17:57:00.003-07:00

This month I started shooting portraits for the faces of homelessness campaign for the local homeless shelter, the Poverello Center. At least once a week I coordinate with Pov staff to photograph folks that stay at the Poverello Center, St. Joseph Center (family center) and Valor House (Veterans Center). The projects goals are to create awareness, and show the community that there are many faces to homelessness. Before each shoot we talk and ask a series of questions where participants talk about their lives and tell us their story. After we meet, small color photos are printed and given another local painter, Kim Anderson, to paint the portraits on a 20x20 canvas. The photos, paintings and story will all be on display at an event coming up August 1, 2008. Details as the show approaches. Below are a few...

Pat, Age 66

Ray, Age 66

Diana, Age 65

Glenn, Age 35

Sawyer, Age 2

Layne, Age 6

Amy, Age 26

Steve

Present Absence

2008-01-06T22:15:00.000-07:00

Last week I drove back to Wisconsin to spend the holidays with my family. I spent a lot of time wondering what my time at home would be like. With dad gone home has never been the same. The fields are overgrown, the gates rusted, the animals sold and gone. His visible absence is enough to make me curl up and sob, but more noticeably, the energy and color he brought to the place has vanished. For the past two years we have been trying to sell the house, to try to move on from the prolonged funeral. And since I don't get home that often I knew that it would be the last time I spend there exploring the farm. I brought my camera and thought I'd capture a few more memories.

I spent my short time there wandering through empty closets, vacant rooms and cobwebbed stalls. I closed my eyes and tried to picture paint cans, tools, shoes and the clutter of life that once lined the shelves and walls. I thought about all the stuff that explained his time there, and thought about what intrigued me to capture his absence. I realized early on that photographing pieces of these moments helps me to grieve, to process and eventually gain strength. I know that it is not only our brightest moments that make us who we are today, it is our darkest ones too. The following images are from my final time there...

The day before I left Wisconsin to come back to Montana, my brother called with the news...sold. And a new chapter begins...

Published!

2008-01-06T12:11:00.001-07:00

I can't think of a better way to ring in the new year than receiving a letter in the mail that one of my images was going to be published! My first paid published piece (yay!) can be seen in Montana Outdoors magazine's January/February 2008 issue. It's their annual photo issue featuring landscape images of Montana...here's the one they used: