Kelly Point, Time Laspe Photography Project

Kelley Point City Park sits at the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. Including the Native American who called this area home first, these rivers have been major NW regional influences on settlement and trade for 10,000 years.

With walking paths, good beaches and some interesting mid-20th century maritime ruins Kelley Point is a beautiful park to explore. The ruins are mostly left behind by the Port of Portland and include things like old dock pilings and a lighthouse foundation. I felt like a little kid exploring the park and watching the huge ships sliding through the confluence.

Most of the ships are coming and going from the current Port of Portland (there are some very beautiful pictures on this site) just up river from the park. This slow and (mostly) quite display of international commerce inspired me to create a time-lapse photography project.

The following is seven hour time-lapse (scored with original music by me) from an afternoon sitting at the confluence at Kelley Point Park in Portland, Oregon. The end of the old pier in the video basically designates the point where the two currents join together. Enjoy!


Kelly Point Time Lapse from Aaron Schultz on Vimeo.

Montana Road Trip

Last week I took a road trip to Montana. Here are some highlights.

Road Trip Boredom

Catching Bugs

Oops!

Vouching for One's Character

Rock Creek Solitude

The sky was so impressed it created a rainbow.

Best View in the House

The Way to the Reception

A Portland Wedding

Last weekend I had the pleasure of working with Bryan Hoybook Photography. Bryan hired me as a second photographer for a wedding he was shooting.

As a documentary photographer I love being the second shooter at weddings because my basic responsibility is to roam around and document the event. People at big events are a fascinating subject because somebody is always doing something interesting. After a little while one gets synched up with the rhythm and vibe of the event, fading into the background, the only measure of time is the click of the shutter and the growing number on the shot counter.



Of course, Bryan and I plan out each part of the event, coordinating shots so we can get maximum coverage and don’t get in each others shot. As the lead photographer, Bryan has all the responsibility. His focus is to not only get the key shots - bride walking down the isle, the ring exchange, family portraits, etc - but also manage the customer service side by knowing when to step forward and take charge and when to fade into the background. 

Wedding portraits have never been my strong suit. It’s like herding cats with A.D.D. First, you have to get everybody to the same location. Then, pose them (line them, stack them up!) for the shot, making sure the composition is correct and all the hands, hair, jaw lines and background are flattering. Finally, you have to get them all to look at the camera with a genuine smile. Then, trade groups and repeat, again and again.

Bryan pulls this off with amazing grace, at once commanding attention (“right now I need everybody to pay attention to the photographer”), offering rewards (“the sooner we get photos done the sooner you can continue drinking”), and going with the flow (“oh, one of the groomsmen is an hour late, we’ll shoot the bridesmaids first then”).

During the day there are many things that impress me about Bryan, but the biggest is how he handles the portrait sessions. Bryan makes sure they are fun (warming up the crowd) and efficient (he only takes three shots per pose). With so much for the bridal party to do during a wedding, “fun and efficient” are key for all vendors. He’s been photographing weddings a long time and it shows. Bryan Hoybook is truly one of Portland’s best wedding photographers and it was great working with him.

After a 9 hour day (Bryan stayed for 12 hours) and 1100 shots, I head home, mind, body and soul exhausted but euphoric from a massive right brain workout...

Fly Fisherwoman

My friend Sasha on her wedding day.

She owns MAERA (Montana Awareness, Education and Rescue Association) a non-profit horse rescue, education and rehabilitation center. They specialize in two areas. First they rescue and rehabilitate horses. Second, MAERA provides educational opportunities through teaching primitive skills, adventure and therapeutic services to humans.

Sasha is pretty much an all around bad-ass and legend in the making. There's this one story about a blizzard and a wounded deer...

Montana - New York Photo Galleries

This one of a kind art book offers a unique perspective and artist interpretation of our American heritage.

To see the photo galleries from the book and order prints

To see a complete description of the book

Please order your copy of "Montana - New York; Perspective, Form, and Volume" today!

Jim Cooper Auction Services

Last week, during my trip to Montana I had the pleasure of doing a photo shoot and building a website for Jim Cooper Auction Services. Jim is a certified auctioneer born and raised in Montana.

If you've ever heard a live auctioneer then you know how amazing it can sound. Jim is one of the best with two awards under his belt and hopefully a third on the way as he competes this week in the National Auctioneers Association Convention in Orland, Fl for the International Auctioneer Championship title.

Here's a few photos from our time together. Enjoy! And, check out his website!

Pregnency Photography

Last weekend I had the honor of photographing Jay and Mia.

Pregnancy photography isn't just about the baby, it's also about the love and connection shared between two people as they transition between chapters.

I hope these photos communicate the connection and anticipation between Jay, Mia and their new baby.

25% off Prints and Gifts Promo

I am running a promo till the end of April. "Like" my facebook fan page and you will get access to a promo code for 25% off all non-event prints, photo gifts and downloads (i.e. my Portfolio Galleries).

Also, if you book my services before April 30th I'll knock 15% off. My prices are good. This makes them even better!

You get a deal on some stellar photography and I get to pay my rent. It's a win-win!

Thanks for your support!

CASH Tax Help

Today I went to CASH Oregon (Creating Assets, Savings and Hope) for free help with my taxes. They help with small business and personal Oregon and federal taxes.

The appointments are drop-in only, unless you have a have a few years of taxes to do then you get to make an appointment. They also have a representative from the IRS available if you need to ask any questions or look up income statements from past years. If you are fluent in another language (like Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Russian and Vietnamese) chances are they have someone who can help.

As a small business owner and a one man show with very tight margins it great to know that these types of resources are available. And, if you have employees, these IRS certified tax preparers will even come to your place of business and help your employees with their taxes. Finally, they also offer financial coaching, small loans and workshops if you are looking to gain control of your short and long-term personal finances.

All the volunteers were super nice and helpful. I have to say, after years of hacking away at my taxes with a machete and a blow torch, it was great to have somebody else fill forms and figure deductions. I was so relieved half way through the process I bought her a cup of coffee.

So, don't procrastinate. Get help! You'll feel a zen-like relief after the tax beast has been defeated. I certainly do.

Home for the Winter

A few years ago, during my time as a carpenter, I was at a job site in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana. Generally the camera stays home because I don't want it to get dirty or crushed and I am getting paid to bang nails not shoot photos. Fortunately, I had grabbed my camera that morning.

In this shot a rancher brings home his herd from the summer grazing grounds high in mountains and foothills surrounding the valley. This land is usually leased from the forest service in 100 years terms.

This shot is part of a book I am working on comparing the landscape of Montana with the cityscape of New York City. I am currently shopping for a publisher so I'll keep you posted on updates.

Fishing in Montana

A nice shot of a friend as he bates his spin cast on Dailey Lake, MT.

Pump-A -Thon Climbing GIF

2011 Circuit Pump-A-Thon for Charity

All the competitors listen to the rules and regs.

Happy climber! (Maybe a little surprised as well)

Last Saturday the Circuit Bouldering Gym had it's annual Pump-A-Thon climbing competition. This year there were two changes to the classic comp.

First, it was held at the Circuit's second, and new, monstrous location on NE 17 avenue.

Second, the charity everybody bouldered for was Velo-cardio-facial Syndrome Educational Foundation.

During the event I was lucky enough to climb all over the gym and shoot photos. It is a an adult-sized jungle-gym, with 20 foot walls in places and enough boulder problems to satisfy all level of climber. But it's not just for adults as there were kids around every corner showing up the adults and making adults feel like... well, adults.

The Circuit VCFS Pump-a-thon Pics

Here's the quick links to the Pump-A-Thon photo galleries. Thanks for participating!

If you see your friends in the gallery please send them the link and/or the image # so they can find themselves. There are a lot of photos so we all need to help each other get stoked! Thanks!

I will donate a part of the profits to the Velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS) Educational Foundation.


4-5pm comp photos


5-6pm comp photos

6-8pm comp photos 

After Party!!!


A blog post will follow in a few days. Please email me at atravelers@gmail.com if you have any questions.

OISA and Lake Oswego

Chip and his crew saddle up at the top of the Rose city park.

Last Friday I was invited to hang out with head coach Chip Treadwell and his Lake Oswego high school snowboarding crew as they practice for the season. They are part of the OISA (Oregon Interscholastic Snowboarding Association) where the athletes get a high school letter for snowboarding. Chip is also happens to be the President of OISA.

A student dials in a new grab, the classic method.

Practice starts at 9 am at Meadows Ski Resort, which is pretty early for a bunch of teenagers, especially since they had to get on the bus at 7:30. Wrangling teenagers is like herding chickens but, between a supple grogginess lingering from an early start and the fact that they are doing something fun, practice starts on time.

Chip grabs a little one-on-on coaching time.

Ten years ago getting a high school letter in snowboarding was rare if nonexistent. Today, as the popularity of snowboarding grows, these programs are becoming more common, with OISA leading the charge regionally. The Lake Oswego snowboarding team, also known as SOLO (Snowboarders of Lake Oswego), even has a place in the yearbook.

“We want to introduce kids a lifelong passion and athletic recreation that contemporary high school sports can’t offer,” Chip says during an earlier meeting. “How many sports did you play in high school that you participate in now?”

I could totally relate. In the past, if you didn’t like the sports offered you were out of luck and, as a consequence, often on the outside of the “cool” cliques. I played high school sports out of peer pressure but never thought of myself as an athlete (mainly because of the meathead stereotypes associated with term “athlete” during high school) till I started snowboarding in my 20’s.

Athleticism is a quality that transcends hand-eye coordination and good looks. It doesn’t matter if its a slow bike ride through town, a cannon ball contest into the pool or parkour, athleticism is about flow, passion and discovery. Snowboarding can help introduce alternative personalities to this, as it did for me.

A student launches out of the halfpipe.

As an introvert and “free spirit” (more than one conformist has called me this thinking, wrongly, that it’s a derogatory term) I do not like participating in team sports, preferring instead the feeling of accomplishment that comes from setting my own goals and creating my own unique version of happiness. 

Snowboarding gave me framework to challenge and push my limits, a reason to stay fit all year long and a love that’ll last a lifetime. Falling in love with the mountains and a family of lifelong friends are unexpected bonuses. I look forward to teaching my grand kids how to shred and the day they beat me to the chair, which won’t be easy for them.

All day during Lake Oswego's practice, this passion is apparent in the coaches and kids as free spirits soar over kickers and out of the halfpipe, dialing in new grabs and spins, solidifying an affection that’ll thread the rest of their lives.

During the last lap Chip throws a celebration stale-fish.

Creating a Blogger Tab with External Link

As a small business owner with a limited budget I often have more time than money. The range of free services offered by companies like Google really help my bottom line. Regardless, I often burn the candle at both ends to find the answers and then to teach myself how to do it properly.

As a part of my blog series I'll try to share the things I've learned so others can have it a little easier.

Here's the first installment.


After searching for three months on how to create a pages tab in blogger that links to an external site instead of a blogger generated page, I finally found a hack.

I'm very excited because instead of my galleries tab taking you to some crappy page that lists links to my actual galleries, which are hosted on a site different from Blogger, now the pages tab actually takes you directly to my galleries. This makes for a much more professional looking site.

So here's the blogger pages template hack (and the site I got it from) - 

1. Be sure to save your original blogger template just in case something goes wrong. I even went so far as to copy and paste the HTML from my original pages onto Text Edit pages just in case.

2. Go to Blogger dashboard > Design > Edit HTML. DO NOT click on Expand Widget Templates

3. Use CMD + F and look for:<b:widget id='PageList

You'll find:

<b:widget id='PageList1' locked='false' title='Pages' type='PageList'/>


4. Replace the above code with following code:



<b:widget id='LinkList786' locked='false' title='Menu' type='LinkList'>
<b:includable id='main'>
<div class='widget-content'>
<ul>
<b:if cond='data:blog.url == data:blog.homepageUrl'>
<li class='selected'>
<a expr:href='data:blog.homepageUrl'>Home</a>
</li>
<b:else/>
<li><a expr:href='data:blog.homepageUrl'>Home</a></li>
</b:if>
<b:loop values='data:links' var='link'>
<b:if cond='data:blog.url == data:link.target'>
<li class='selected'>
<a expr:href='data:link.target'><data:link.name/></a>
</li>
<b:else/>
<li><a expr:href='data:link.target'><data:link.name/></a>
</li>
</b:if>
</b:loop>
</ul>
<b:include name='quickedit'/>
</div>
</b:includable>
</b:widget>

Save the template. It will say your template does not include Page List and gives you the option to keep the Page List.  Keep it for now.

5. Go to Design> Page Elements and add your links to your new "Menu" gadget. I copied and pasted the links to the blogger pages I wanted to keep and added the new link code for my galleries. (If you don't see your new Menu gadget something went wrong. You can check the html code here.)

6. Finally, click "edit" on the Pages widget and delete. You now have a new set of tabs!

Timberline C-Box Session

Last Tuesday, I had the privilege doing a photo shoot with Ben Beavon. He's a level III Snowboard instructor for Timberline Resort at Mt. Hood, OISA coach and a rep for Still Not Sponsored. His huge heart overflows with enthusiasm and optimism, imbuing everyone around him with positivity. If you ever get the chance to ride with or take a lesson from him you will be a better person for this experience.

He's really progressed as a rider since I met him three years ago, when we worked together as instructors at Bridger Bowl in Montana. I look forward to seeing the evolution of his snowboarding career.

For our shoot we mainly focused on the c-boxes since I've rarely shot them and he wanted to dial in few new tricks. Here are a few highlights. Enjoy!

Creative Website

I found this site the other day - Superior Web Solutions. It's a little over the top but well worth checking out for the experience. It's what the web could be if everybody had a little more time to indulge.

Oregon Coast

I'm spending the weekend at the Oregon coast and saw a beautiful rainbow this morning. What a treat!