Recent Projects - CA Bank & Trust

Recent project with MJE Marketing for CA Bank & Trust.



Behind the scenes at Helen Woodward Animal Center



Behind the scenes at Roel Construction



Behind the scenes at Panera

Rio Nuevo

I stumbled upon this scene during my travels along of the US Mexican Border fence a few weeks ago. I was crossing a small bridge just west of Old Calexico and this structure in the water caught my eye. So I pulled off to find the best vantage point. When I photograph I tend to be pretty focused and in my own world. Especially when I work with my older film cameras. But there’s always a part of me that is conscious of where I am and what’s around me. Survival instinct, self-preservation, whatever it is, it’s always there: floating around in my sub conscious whenever I’m shooting in an unfamiliar locale. As I’m framing up this shot and trying some different angles I become aware of a low rumble from a pretty beefy engine. Not that I would notice this sound in and of itself, but I realize it’s been idling somewhere behind me for a little while now. It’s not an unusual sound given the terrain. It’s just there and I’m aware of it. So I get back to my task at hand. Eventually I’ve got something I like and I start to head back to the car. On the way I notice a super cool old rusty gear lying in the dirt. I pick it up to check it out and continue walking back to the car. Just then, I pick up on the sound of the engine again because it was now coming toward me. Instead of running back to the car like a total freak I turn to acknowledge the driver. Now if you’ve ever been to this area there’s one thing you’ll notice immediately. The US Border Patrol is omnipresent. And that’s exactly who was keeping a watchful eye on me. As he approached in his low growling SUV I wasn’t sure what to expect. Was I “allowed” to be shooting there? Was I shooting something sensitive to immigration? The officer rolled up slowly and I walked over to greet him.
“Where are you from? Are you from around here?” he asked.
“No. San Diego. I’m a photographer,” I said, waving my hand westward and stating the obvious.
“Do you know about this river?”
“No, should I?”
“They say it’s the most polluted river in the US. It flows directly north from Mexico. I wouldn’t touch anything around it,” he said, looking at the rusty gear in my hand.

It turns out this is the New River (Rio Nuevo) and it does in fact flow directly north out of Mexicali into the United States. It is referred to as the most polluted river of its size in the US. The river flows north through Baja California into the US (at this point) and another 66 miles into the Salton Sea. The New River’s flow is composed of waste from agricultural and chemical runoff from the farm industry, sewage form Mexicali, and manufacturing plants operating in Mexico.

I kept the gear anyway. I just scrubbed it, and my hands, thoroughly…

All Children are Artists

Here's a link to my inaugural post for Black Star Rising:

All Children Are Artists; Here’s How to Stay One

Saylor Rogo Easter Brunch

Max's Basket


2 Classics from our Kitchen


Cindy's Apple Coffee Cake


Pete's Trifle


Centerpiece

US Mexico Border Fence

Took a little road trip last week to explore old Historic Route 80 right here in San Diego County. There were a few interesting stops along the way, but what ended up developing was an interesting study around the US Mexico border fence. The fence, in it's many forms....


RR Tracks along Old Historic Route 80


Jacumba Airport


All-American Canal


Calexico, CA

My Book

Thanks to my friends at Wonderful Machine

Opening Day

Everyone's an optimist on opening day...

Black & White Spider Awards

I did this shot in the courtyard of our studio during my 366|08 project. I really liked the shot a lot, but have had mixed reviews. Some people weren't that crazy about it...others shared my affinity for it. About a year ago, Dec '08 I believe, I entered it in a photo contest called the Black & White Spider Awards It looked like a prestigious contest with lots of great B & W work and a nice line-up of judges. Well contest season came and went in 2009 and I had forgotten all about this...then I got a google alert last night that my name had come up. It was for an Honorable mention in the abstract category of the Black & White Spider Awards. Well, lo and behold, I won an Honorable Mention in the Professional Abstract category. It's funny because I never got any kind of notification. Crazy...

The Untouchables

Circa 2010

Presidio Little League Fields

I was out shooting between the storms this afternoon. It was actually really nice. A nice break form the days of rain we've had. As baseball (Little League) is starting up this caught my eye immediately. Actually, my oldest son pointed it out to me this morning on the way to school when the rain was still coming down pretty good. Unfortunately the Presido Fields are right in the San Diego River Basin. It looks like their about 3 feet deep....

Happenstance Show

The Happenstance Show with over 30 San Diego Photographers donating prints to help support The Monarch School raised over $2K last Saturday. Thanks to the guys over at Subtext for putting on the show and to all the great photographers who donated their work!














Max enjoying a Candy Cane and some great art...


Frank doing his thing...

Bio-IT World

I've shot number of jobs for Bio-IT World over the years. They've always been great to work with. Good ideas, great creativity, an always a lot of freedom to create great work. This was shot for the Nov/Dec '09 Cover. It was a fun collaborative effort from AD Mark's very cool idea. And to make it even better, the subject, Steve Philpott, is the CIO at Amylin Pharmaceuticals, one of my favorite clients here in San Diego.

Happenstance

I've been working with my friends over at Subtext Gallery to put together a great One Night Only photo auction and charity show this Saturday night, December 5th. The Auction will benefit The Monarch School. This is a not to be missed night of photography with just about every great San Diego photographer participating!!! Check out the details here. I hope to see you all there!

Bovine Portraits

To culminate a great week of Blog Posts and in honor of Halloween (whatever that means) I present...

Bovine Portraits!

CA Roadtrip - Windmills, Windmills & more Windmills

CA Roadtrip - Occidental Arts & Ecology Center

I toured the amazing Occidental Arts & Ecology Center recently. The constant rain and drizzle that day couldn't dampen the beauty and amazing energy of the grounds. 80 acres of the most amazing gardens, orchards and wild growth. The property has changed hands a number of times over the years, but in 1994, with long-term stewardship of this land in mind, Sowing Circle, the Sonoma Land Trust and the Warsh-Mott Legacy (the previous landowner) collaborated to author and endow an Organic Agricultural Easement to protect in perpetuity the organic gardens and orchards from any development or any use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
I learned just enough about Permaculture Design to pique my interest and leave me wanting more.


Michelle Vesser, OAEC’s Assistant Gardener and Production Manager, on her third stint here at the gardens.


Thanks again to Brock Dohlman, with the carrots, for hooking me up!


Muddy Onions

CA Roadtrip - Coleman Valley Road

Encounters (in this order) on Coleman Valley Road in Sonoma County...

7th Annual APA/SD Portfolio & Website Review

Shot this image for the 7th Annual APA/SD Portfolio & Website Review coming up on Saturday November 7th. It was great to team up again with super talented Mike and Steve at Savacool Secviar Brand Communications. Great work guys! The posters and E-Blasts look awesome!
For a list of the must see reviewers, more info, or to sign up for the review go to the APA/SD Website.

CA Roadtrip Teaser

Just got back from a week on the road in CA. So many images to go through and edit...in addition to all the Portraits from the Bioneers Conference, which I'll have to scan...So here's the teaser image with much, much, more to come.

Dow Agro Science