Moon Climbing.com

Good friend Wills Young, a Moon Climbing sponsored athlete and company representative, has returned from his extended trip back from the Rocklands. They have posted some my photos from our trip on the Moonclimbing.com photo page. Have a look.

New work featuring Kevin Jorgeson.

Working with Kevin Jorgeson is always a pleasure. I've held long breaths behind the lens on occasion, but I always rest assured that no one is better suited for the head-point style than he. Be sure to check out the full page Asana add in this issue of Climbing Magazine featuring a photo I took of Kevin on first ascent of "The Duel" in Hueco Tanks. The same photo can be seen on their homepage.

Marmot has also recently used an image of Kevin as a header in a recent catalog application. I can't tell you how psyched I still get when I see my stuff in print. Amazing!

Kevin has a new website mixed with some photos we have taken in the past, along with a new journal entry from his travels to Squamish, BC. Check it out!

I cannot thank my clients, or their athletes, enough for the constant patience and (sometimes blind) faith in me as a photographer. Still livin' the dream...

Serving Optics

Because I shoot so often, I am generally a big ball of anxiousness when it comes to spreading the love. I have a good deal of photos to share, and if they don't get picked up right away, I have a habit of burying them, sometimes for good, under gigs of other useless mega-pixels.

So in an effort not to seem too ostentatious, I say, lets make them communal.



Jonathan Siegrist sending Le Diamant E'ternal
5.13b/c, Button Rock Resevior, Lyons, CO.

To read about "J-Star", and to see more shots we've taken together, check his recent interview with Climbing Magazine.

Ahhh, summertime?

At the beginning of June, I got a call from good friend and fellow photographer Brian Solano. He needed some help on a commercial shoot for Spyder Sports. "Sounds cool", I said, "let me throw on my sandals and tank top and lets do this." "Its a ski shoot", he said. Eh? Come again?

So, on a wing and a prayer, we found the love up at around 13000 feet and got the shots. If you tread right (or wrong), you can still find north-facing mountain sides buried waist deep with snow. And at the bottom of the mountain, those sandals and margaritas I was talking about.

I got to say, assisting other photographers, such as Brian, is the best way to learn new tricks or to sharpen those you know. After helping him again last week on a Running Times shoot, he's got me luggin' more this week up in Frisco chasing mountain bikes. I love it though! In a small market, sharing work and being good family is the key to success.

Below: BS working hard at all elevations.

Reel Rock Film Tour Premiere

This summer I had the chance to team up with Josh Lowell and Cooper Roberts at Big Up Productions to help film an opening segment for the upcoming 2008 Reel Rock Film Tour, which premieres September 10th at the Boulder Theater. I jumped at the opportunity having been inspired by Josh's work since first putting on a pair of climbing shoes. From the beginning of their arrival the creativity was at a max and we began working day and night to capture the magic of Daniel Woods and Paul Robinson as they pushed bouldering world standards in South Africa. Believe me, it's HOT! Switching formats from photography to video for a few weeks was very refreshing! Aside from the excitement of being part of something as big as the RRFT, there is no substitute for learning from the best. I hope you can make it to the premiere Sept. 10th. Cheers!

Outdoor Retailer Trade Show

Having just returned from two months shooting in South Africa, the thought of packing immediately back up and going to Salt Lake City for the Outdoor Retailer Trade Show was just a bit much for me. Although it is very important for me to reunite with my clients, troll for new and interesting work, and see my friends, I thought it better this time around to just chill. But of course, chill I have not. After catching up with lost time with my lovely girlfriend and shaking the sand from my shoes, it was back to the grind. Photography is an ever changing medium for me and I must constantly look for new ways to be creative and challenge myself. The limitlessness of still photography is becoming more evident to me. It is time to mix things up!

Despite being away from the show this year, I was happy to hear my work attended on my behalf. PrAna, who released a limited edition poster, Sterling Ropes, who hung a banner above their booth, and Asana Packworks, with their 2008-09 Bouldering Catalog all helped to showcase some of my recent photography at the show. The psyche continues...

Rocklands 2008

I had the golden opportunity to travel to South Africa this summer with many of the world's best climbers. Working endless days and nights in the months leading up to the trip I was able to raise the finances capable of sending myself over for the eight weeks. Among the athletes involved were: Tommy Caldwell, Beth Rodden, Paul Robinson, Daniel Woods, Tony Lamiche, and Lisa Rands (just to name a very few.) I am blessed to be alive, and to have been part of such an eye opening expedition. Each day working among such talent in such landscapes were realized and my lenses worked very hard. Much of my work from the trip can be seen in upcoming pages of Climbing and Urban Climber Magazine, and future PrAna marketing applications. The most important part of my job is it's ability to help me dream big.

Teva Mountain Games

photo: Susanica Tam
Before leaving for a two month shooting trip to the Rocklands, I had the pleasure of staying up in Vail, Colorado for a long weekend on behalf of Climbing Magazine and Untraditional Marketing. The goal: The capture the non-stop craziness that keeps bringing the world's best outdoor athletes together to the Teva Mountain Games each year. Having the opportunity to shoot new adventure sports was masked only by the opportunity to shoot along side so many talented photographers. Here is some of what I saw that weekend. Cheers!

a continuation...

Ahhh, the ever changing blogging network brings me around and back again. I also once had a blog named Dropknee which, if you tagged along, took me from a scrappy little local boulderer and overworked lunchlady and threw me head first into the outrageous world of outdoor adventure photography and film. More recently, the adventure has picked up and continued over at Climbing Magazine.

Never before has a passion such as photography flipped me upside down on my head like it has. My work continues to be a spinning vortex of learning, fighting, amazement, joy, insomnia, sunshine, rain, travel, pain, and pleasure. So yes, no, we're not in Kansas anymore. This year I will once again spend over 300 days in the field shooting and being inspired, and the regiment is strict. I am my own worse boss.

I invite you to tag along with me to some amazing places alongside some amazing people. To share my lens. To be inspired. Thanks, once again, for listening...