Adrian Klein Photography

Glimpse of Winter Photography

2011-03-15T06:16:00.000-07:00

Every year most of my photography efforts fall in the seasons of Spring, Summer and Fall. And every year I get excited for winter and have hopes that I will get out for more winter photography than the year before. One of these years it will happen but for what seems to be different reasons year after year I don't get out for as much snowy winter travel or photography as I hope. There is always next year, right?

For now here are a few images from one of my few outings this winter with my friend Kevin McNeal. It was a very cold morning, probably around 8 degrees. Yet if you are wearing the right clothing it can feel great to be out there like it was for me. We traveled first to a local meadow at the base of Mt Hood and then headed over to the Hood River Valley where you can see the clouds came in quick. We went from completely clear skies at sunrise to snowing on the way home, in no time at all. Hope you enjoy these and that you were able to get out for some excursions of your own this winter as I post this on the first day of spring.

Photo Cascadia Newsletter Debut

2010-12-01T20:27:00.001-08:00

Hey folks, I thought I would take a moment and let you know that Photo Cascadia is going to be getting out a newsletter every couple months. We plan to highlight recent trips, blog updates, PC member news, photos and more. Feel free to add your name to the mailing list if you are not already on it. Here is our debut newsletter that came out this week. I would like to thank PC member Sean Bagshaw for putting it together. I only had to add the photos, which was the easy part!

To sign up for the Photo Cascadia mailing list click here.

Time Lapse Photography - TimeScapes and Baraka

2010-11-20T20:54:00.000-08:00

Baraka. Do I need to say anymore. Have you seen this film? If you have not seen it and you are into nature or travel photography then this is a must. I still remember when I started dating my wife and she mentioned that we should go check out this movie called Baraka at a local theater. Not the mainstream Regal Cinemas but a local place that plays mainly indie, older and just plain different films. She had seen it and knowing how we were into the outdoors and my highly advanced point-n-shoot photography, she knew I would like it too. Boy did she nail this one. I loved it.

I can remember seeing that film as if it was yesterday. I walked out of the theater and it was for sure in my top 10 films, still is. It's a movie of mainly time lapse work filmed in 24 different countries showcasing tribal people to big cities to desolate landscapes, and here is the kicker, no words. Only the sites you see and natural sounds which allows your thoughts and emotions to flow as they like. Why I went into more single frame photography and did not explore time lapse more I do not know. I guess it kind of lost interest after the buzz from the movie wore off and I went on to figure out more about the single frame world and less about movies or time lapse.

Fast forward almost 10 years and now there is another time lapse movie coming out that holds serious promise to be another winner. Tom Lowe appears to be putting together quite a film that has me ready to see the full feature after only a two minute trailer that had me from the start, check out Rapture. I have tried a little here and there with time lapse since seeing Baraka yet nothing more than a few tries that did not go far. I have to say after seeing Tom Lowe's work it is really getting me to think about photography and exploring the time lapse side. Very inspiring to say the least.

Use It or Loose It

2010-11-18T21:21:00.001-08:00

In this day and age of letting technology try and do everything for us we need to step back and remind ourselves that we don't want to do that. Technology advances are great for us and our world yet we still need to remember and keep our mind engaged and active from time to time. If you don't use it you will surely loose it, this includes your mental awareness as we age.

I go into this more in the podcast. Basically a recent article my wife sent my way talks about GPS use and how some folks are becoming "GPS Zombies" from over using their GPS to guide their way around. These units have a purpose and I have one for hiking that I enjoy but we should not be using them on a daily basis for places we can remember to get on our own with a little bit of brain power and memory. I still have a map and atlas that get used many times a year. I guess that is old school to many.

I also mention photographer Eric Curry. Although it's more conceptual with the significant setup in the field, many lights used and extensive processing it is some amazing and impressive work.

Rangefinder / Eric Curry:
http://www.rangefindermag.com/storage/articles/RF0910_Curry_Jacobs.pdf

GPS Addict? It may be eroding your brain:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40138522/ns/health-mental_health/from/toolbar

No Casino In The Columbia River Gorge

2010-11-07T13:43:00.000-08:00

As a landscape photographer from the Northwest I feel strongly that certain natural areas need to be preserved for future generations. I want others to be able to experience the beauty we get to enjoy today that seems to be slowly eroding. One proposal that some of you may already be aware of is building a Vegas sized casino in the heart of the historic Columbia River Gorge in Cascade Locks. This is a battle that has been going on for quite a few years now.

Yet after much effort the supporters have worked to get the proposal to the desk of Secretary of Interior for a supposed final decision coming later this year. I am not anti building or development, change in certain respects is inevitable. However a change of this magnitude to the Columbia Gorge is something that will hurt the visual beauty, bring sound and light pollution, and not benefit the area in the long term. If you agree please take a moment to visit this link where you can send an email to Secretary and Assistance Secretary of State to voice your concerns.

In case you are not from the area and wonder what kind of fine art imagery can be had right in the area where they plan to build this casino, here is one such image. This is an image I took last winter that I would not have been able to take had the casino been there. Behind the foreground trees would have stood part of the casino complex.

Thanks for allowing me to interrupt the normal stream of photos and useful photography info for a subject of importance like this.

Friends of the Columbia River Gorge

Pushing The Limits of Artistic Photography

2010-10-15T13:34:00.000-07:00

Here is my latest podcast episode. The topic I cover this time around is one I am hoping to hear feedback on. Today in the digital age of photography the relative ease of processing images that are more fine art but look very real is something attainable by the masses and is done on a larger scale than ever before with more and more serious photographers out there everyday.

As I mention in the podcast this is a topic that can easily be discussed or debated for many hours. The opinions out there will differ as to what we each feel is okay even within the fine art realm. One photographer may believe you need to uphold certain methods and processes in order to communicate the reality of the scene while another photographer might be more concerned about pushing the limits of processing to attain their final photographic interpretation which may involve extensive processing or manipulation.

Photography for art purposes is much different in my eyes than photography for documentary or editorial purposes and with that I enjoy that photographers are constantly looking to change and broaden their horizons in the processing space. Whether I like the work or agree with the methods is not for me to decide. It's art and as long as you enjoy it and it provides you with satisfaction producing the work and seeing the final product, that is what is important. Follow your passion.

Play podcast below or visit click the icon above to subscribe.

F-Stop Photo Gear Sponsorship

2010-10-11T17:01:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of F-Stop Camera Bags before? Well if you have not I encourage you to check them out. I admit I had not heard of them until earlier this year. That said I am really liking their gear already. My main Lowe Pro bag is now my backup bag. Why you ask? Well, although many camera backpacks can do well in keeping your gear padded for protection most are just simply not comfortable. F-Stop changes that with camera backpacks (and other bags) that are functional and more comfortable for hiking and long excursions. If you purchase from them please use the following link: F-Stop

As a side note all participants that sign up for a workshop or private tour with myself or any of the other Photo Cascadia members will be able to demo out a pack or two, plus receive a discount to purchase any of their products.

Photographing Jefferson Park Wilderness

2010-10-04T09:49:00.001-07:00

In case anyone viewing this did not get over to the Photo Cascadia blog I wanted to post a link to my write up on photographing the Jefferson Park Wilderness here. A beautiful alpine destination located about 50 miles from Salem, Oregon. See the link below for more photos and information.

http://photocascadia.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/photographing-jefferson-park-wilderness

After The Summer Off

2010-10-03T11:42:00.000-07:00

After taking the summer off from any podcasts I have a new short one recorded and online. I don't delve into any deep intense topics for this round. I talk about a few things to see or do photography related and about my break over summer to be with my family (wife and kids), lead photo tours, personal trips and professional development. Happy listening.

PS - I had to record this on a different computer than all the prior podcasts. If it does not sound right let me know and I will make adjustments for the next one.
Play podcast below or visit my website to subscribe. Thanks!

SALT

2010-09-27T13:20:00.000-07:00

If you know exactly what the title of this post is without reading on then you surely have seen this short film already. If you have no idea what I am talking about then I encourage you to view this film.

This summer I was getting ready to head for bed one evening when I figured I would watch a few minutes of TV before calling it a night. There are not many shows I watch and considering our TV gets about 13 stations you can tell our house is not big on TV watching. That said a couple stations I do enjoy from our wide assortment includes OPB and Discovery. That night I clicked on OPB and was immediately engulfed with what was on...which I found out afterward was the the short film SALT.

Murray Fredericks is a landscape photographer that has made many extended trips to the vast and open landscape of Lake Eyre in Australia. I highly encourage you to check out this movie if you are into remote travel or nature photography. Although I did see it online and on OPB I plan on getting a copy for my DVD collection as well. It's really something to see; the stills he captures, the cinematography and the story of his dedication on his remote solo trips.

The End of Nature

2010-09-10T09:04:00.000-07:00

I know I have been absent from blog posts for many months now. Time to break that streak to mention a recent book I finished up is 'The End of Nature' by Bill McKibbon. I have not read any of his work until now but plan to read more especially his new one titled 'Eaarth'. This was his first book and one of the first for a general audience on Climate Change, published in 1989. I saw it in my local book store and thought it would be interesting to read an environmentalist’s perspective from the early days of true global awareness of climate change and our human impact. He is correct in how he talks about the end of nature. We really have advanced very rapidly as a human race in such a short amount of time allowing us to create, consume and live as never before.

The wild untouched nature we dream of does not truly exist on our planet now. We go to places that are 'wilderness' yet the influence we have on the planet has us impacting everything from the weather to how and when plants grow. You may not agree that the climate change is anthropogenic caused. I don't believe it's 100% human caused as change will always happen to some extent with or without humans, but surely we are having a significant impact. How can we not have an impact with the size of our population and how many of us live our lives the way we do. The majority of us purchases products, take warm showers, heat our house, commute to work, buy food at the store, use a computer, heck I am typing this on my computer right now! With that list I have not even got into iPods, cell phones and the like which many of us would not give up and use everyday. These are things we cannot necessarily do away with or change greatly overnight, they have become the way of life for most of us. So the question becomes how can we lessen the impact and still get to enjoy life. I believe as a human race that we will overcome these concerns to make our planet livable in a positive way for future generations.

When this book was written I was barely a teenager and surely did not have a care for the environment that I do now. The way I acted when I was much younger does appall me looking back at it... throwing out plastic bottles and aluminum cans, cigarette butts out the window, leaving lights on all over the house and the list can go on. And there are many things I enjoy today that I am not willing to give up but I am thankfully not acting anything like I did when I was younger without a care for the world, literally. Now with that said I am not out to make this a doom and gloom blog post. I do agree we have serious issues facing our planet. And as someone that loves nature and the outdoors it does concern me. I know I can always do more even when I am making strides to make this a better planet. I like to believe the glass is half full. Here is a quick list of 10 things I have done in the last 10 days that I feel are pro-environment and green. I encourage you to do the same. This helps to see what we are doing right and much different than the way many of us lived only decades ago. If you cannot come up with at least 10 then start thinking of what small changes you can make that will be positive for Mother Nature.

10 things I did in the last 10 days that are environmentally friendly.

1. Biked to my favorite local coffee shop to get fresh bags of coffee.

2. Using reusable cloth diapers for our baby.

3. Taking my travel coffee mug with me on the road/plane to drink my cup of joe.

4. Walking to the store (with reusable bags) to pick up the short list of needed items.

5. Bringing my Klean Kanteen water bottle with me in the car, to the gym and elsewhere.

6. Put left over vegetable, fruit and other scraps in our compost bin.

7. Avoided watering our lawn, we typically let it go brown in summer for sake of water reduction.

8. Did not turn on the A/C in our house despite getting in the mid 80's multiple days. We try to avoid it unless it's near 90 or warmer.

9. Turn off computer monitors when I ever I walk away from my PC.

10. Eat various produce that was locally grown.

I could have listed recycling the newspaper, yogurt cups, milk cartons, etc but that should be 'standard' part of the consumption cycle now for most of us, at least from my standpoint. I was trying to list things outside of that realm.

Interview with landscape photographer Chip Phillips

2010-05-19T13:34:00.000-07:00

Alright, I was finally able to record another podcast episode and this time it's an interview with Chip Phillips from Chip Phillips Photography in Washington. I have been fortunate to have become friends with Chip over time and asked him recently if he was up for a short interview. I think you will find it to be a worth while interview with interesting and entertaining stories. Caution: One of the stories may cause the itch factor to go up. I won't say anymore, you will need to listen to it and then decide if it made you itch or not.

If you don't know about Chip Phillips and his work this is a good intro to hear him talking about his photography and numerous pointers of what you can do to improve your work in the field and in the digital darkroom.

And finally I want to thank Chip for taking the time for the interview. I know he tends be shy about talking about himself so it's much appreciated that he opened up and was willing to do this for the podcast and all the listeners. Thanks Chip!

Here are several images from his excellent portfolio of work, that are discussed in this podcast. Click the player below to listen or visit my website to subscribe to the podcast for your iTunes player. Happy listening!

What Will Your Photos Mean In the Future? - New Podcast

2010-04-29T06:27:00.000-07:00

I am not sure any of us can answer this question. None of us know what the future will hold for the photographic images we capture today. As I mention in the podcast I got to thinking about this with an Ansel Adam's photo I was viewing. This particular image taken almost 80 years ago of San Francisco Golden Gate before the Golden Gate Bridge. I can only imagine he had no idea at the time the future impact his work would have. Just as we don't know how work will be looked at decades from now in a photographic world that has significantly changed with the advent of digital. Not to mention the digital era is only it's toddler stage. Who knows what it will be ten years down the road. Regardless of the medium used to capture images it's safe to say there is likely not going to be another Ansel Adams anytime soon. And by that I mean a photographer that everyone knows by name regardless of whether they are into photography or not. I think of many well known photographers today from Art Wolfe to Peter Lik but even then they are not known on the scale that Adam's is.

I have tested this theory a number of times. When people have come to me that are new into photography (just bought that first DSLR) I get talking to them and throw out some of the names of well known photographers around today. Most of these new photographers haven't clue who these people are, and I was one of them when starting at as well. But I pretty much knew who Ansel Adams was back before taking my first darkroom class in Junior High School.

Ok, getting back onto topic. Another reason I was pondering this topic is the reverse of building of structures that mixes man & nature and alters the landscape to more man than nature. For those that don't know Olympic National Park is about to undertake one of the largest dam removal projects in our nation. Two dams with one built almost 100 years ago will be removed. Almost all the images taken now and in the past will show these places with dams, becoming the opposite of the Adam's image I mentioned. This does give hope that not all historical photos will be of places before structures came and permanently infiltrated the land. It is possible to go in reverse and bring more nature into view. A positive thought for the future.

Ansel Adam's "Golden Gate Before the Bridge, San Francisco, California, 1932"
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/ansel/gallery/pop_ansel_01.html

Olympic National Park - Elwha Ecosystem Changes
http://www.nps.gov/olym/naturescience/elwha-ecosystem-restoration.htm

Play podcast below or visit click the icon above to subscribe.

Columbia River Gorge in Spring

2010-04-15T20:18:00.000-07:00

The Historic Columbia River Gorge is a beautiful place any time of year. Yet each Spring it transforms and comes ‘alive’ making it one of the best times to visit if you only are able to come once. The many different flowers from Lupine to Balsamroot in the drier and more open vistas of the Gorge to the dense deep jungle feeling forests with lush carpets of moss, cascading streams galore, rushing waterfalls and green foliage abound. It really is a sight to see if you have not had the opportunity yet. Ask many that live here and they will most likely agree that it rivals many National Parks and Preserves in its scenic diversity and postcard beauty. This marvelous landscape is not a secret as you will easily see on any sunny weekend in spring or summer (even though overcast and a foggy drizzle is better in my book, at least for being in the forest).

Nonetheless there are always those spots that receive much less traffic than others, allowing you a slice of solitude to visually soak up the scenery and sniff the natural aroma of the Gorge. I know I have covered the Columbia Gorge in the past on my blog and elsewhere but I never tire or grow bored of the area. Even though I have hiked hundreds of miles over the years in this area; I know there are still falls, streams and hikes I have yet to experience on both the Oregon and Washington side. It really is almost endless. Here are just a few images I have captured the Spring of 2010 on a few different trips to the area. These three images are as different as can be but all in the same general area no more than 20 miles apart. If you are planning on coming out and are interested in a photography tour, I normally offer group and or one-on-one workshops / photo tours in this area.

“Forest Rain” – A lush mossy backdrop with fast flowing stream photographed in the pouring rain. To capture this photograph I did need to stand in the water which is pretty ice cold this time of year. Not to mention on this day there was a spring season winter storm that had snow falling only about 1,000 feet above me. I could see the snow line before walking into the Forest. This is normally not a busy place but on this day it was completely void of people. Very peaceful it was.

“Early Spring” – One of the first signs of Spring is the presence of the Grass Widow (Sisyrinchium douglasii) which is seen normally in early March, however the peak bloom was very early this year. In Fact this photograph was captured early February and they were at their peak then, about a month earlier than 2009. Photographing flowers in the Gorge is never easy. Even when the bloom is good the sunrise/sunset might not be and the wind seems to always blow in the open areas where the landscape scene is usually best. Yet on this morning the sunrise was pleasant and the wind only a subtle breeze.

“Hiding” – This is one of those images that speaks about the art of nature as much or more than a landscape with a blazing sunrise sky, at least to me. While out exploring with my friend and photography peer David Cobb, we came across this scene. Both of us commented how we wanted to photograph this area but never had, despite passing it many times and the fact it is not some hidden far off location (it sits within view of the highway). We sure were glad we stopped to see the potential. This image is of Alder trunks blending in with the landscape of the rock wall behind it. A gem of a find for any photographer in search of abstracts.

Air Travel With Your Photo Gear May Cost More

2010-04-06T19:05:00.000-07:00

Airline Ticket $29, Flight Fees $229, cost to travel on the flight you purchased an additional $49. You laugh yet the odd changes continue.

Well, this should not amaze me at the nickel and diming the airlines do already. If this catches on, and I truly hope it doesn’t, you will pay extra to bring your photo gear on every trip. I have only one question, when will this madness end? I know all businesses need to make money, nothing wrong with that. Personally I find it a little strange the way airlines are doing things today but that might be only me that sees it like this.

This is how I see it going down next time I am at the airport… “Excuse me sir, that jacket looks kind of bulky that will be $15 charge if you would like to wear it on your flight today.” These extra fees are out of control. Include them in the ticket price, that goes for the ho-hum meals of the past, and call it good. Ready for takeoff…

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10298394

Podcast Episode 8 - Looking Beyond The Subject

2010-03-30T06:33:00.000-07:00

The most recent episode of Northwest Nature Photography Podcast is a short story about why it’s not always best to get caught up on the subject of the photo and how it can keep you from enjoying other fine points of a print. I should add that we all can get hung up on this from time to time and this story covers how that can impact us in a negative way. Of course the subject is important, no doubt about it. Is it always the most important element that can make or break an image? No. Can other elements be just as important but not properly digested by the viewer because personal judgments on a subject become a roadblock? Yes. To understand what I mean here you will need to listen to the podcast. Happy listening.

And to give you folks reading some background on the photo I reference in the podcast here is the story behind how it was created. The photo, seen below, is called “Hood’s Early Light” is of the lonely high peak of Mt Hood and created almost 5 years ago. It was one of those moments being in the right place at the right time with little, make that very little, time to act. I was actually on Mt Hood doing field training for a mountain climbing class I was taking. I figured even though I would not have time to wander on my own, that taking my DSLR and one lens would be good in case I got a break or wanted to capture shots of our class. You just never know. We arrived at Timberline around sunrise to make a short trek up in the same area you would go for the climbers trail. Of course the mountain was completely obscured with what seemed to be a death grip of clouds and fog. Sometimes we could not see more than a couple hundred yards let alone the whole mountain. I was attached to the rope for practice routines we were doing but we were taking a break and I happen to notice the mountain peeking out very briefly here and there through large gaps in fast moving clouds. I quickly unclipped my carbineer from the line and ran for my camera about 50 ft away. With my rip rockin’ Canon 10D (back when going to 6mp was an upgrade), the Canon 28-135 IS lens and eBay “special buy” no-name polarizer… I grabbed only a handful of shots in less than a couple minutes and then the mountain was completely covered again for the rest of the outing. This was a handheld shot, no tripod. Who needs a tripod! Ok that is definitely not true. They are usually needed for great landscape images, that is when you have time to act and here that was not an option if I had one which I did not. Fortunately a slight bump to ISO400 and fairly bright conditions I did not need one. This is pretty much as shot. Hardly any processing from the file outside of removing some dust spots and converting to black and white. It was one of those moments I was truly happy to have my camera nearby because as I said, you just never know.

"Hood's Early Light" - The arrow points to climbers on hogs back that can be seen in larger prints.

Podcast Episode 7 - Abstract Nature Photography

2010-03-02T22:19:00.000-08:00

I also posted this podcast on the Photo Cascadia blog but it appears I am having some technical difficulties in getting the podcast to play in the blog like it does on my personal blog (here). Basically the same widget I use here is not liked by Wordpress interestingly enough. Anyway, this latest epsiode is on abstract nature photography. The below images are mentioned in the podcast for your reference pleasure. Enjoy!

"Snow Line"

"Desert Lizard"

"Stubborn"

Photo Cascadia Anncouncement

2010-03-02T22:14:00.000-08:00

I want to announce a new website that Zack Schnepf, Kevin McNeal, Chip Phillips, David Cobb, Sean Bagshaw and myself are announcing. It's Photo Cascadia or www.photocascadia.com. I could list all the info about the site here but I will let the website do the talking here.

http://www.photocascadia.com/

New Podcast Episode, The Oregon Coast and More...

2010-02-22T18:55:00.000-08:00

Wow, that long since my last blog post, almost two months! I did take quite a break off from the podcast, social networking, processing images and more. Even when you love something as much as I love photography a break can be good, whether planned or not. However, it does feel great to be back. Some updates in general...

The workshops for 2010 have been filling up, most of the spots were full in 2009 and I want to thank all of the folks that have signed up already. I look forward to meeting everyone and having some great workshops. We do still have some openings so contact us if you are interested.
http://nwphototours.com/

Some recent award recognition that I am happy to share includes:
- Professional Photographers of Oregon 2010, Highest Aggregate Score Illustrative Division
- Professional Photographers of Oregon 2010, Court of Honor
- Photooftheyear.net, 2010 Top 10 finalists for Professional Category

Here is an image from a seascape outing over this winter along the Oregon Coast. Proving there is shooting options even during the overcast mid-day light. There has not been much worth while shooting in the local mountains with drier and warmer weather than normal the snow pack is definitely suffering on Mt Hood and other areas in the Northwest.

Also, I know there has been quite a gap since the last the podcast and the drought is over now. Here is the latest episode. I talk about the never ending quest of balancing family life and being a nature photographer. Let me know if these ideas are helpful and would be glad to hear what else you know of that works or doesn't.

A Look Back, Naturescapes 2009

2009-12-24T11:28:00.000-08:00

As the year is coming to a close it's time to reflect back on 2009, something I am sure we all do in one way or another. As cliche as it may sound it gives me a chance to be thankful for my health, happiness and family. As we slowly stumble out of one of the worst economic climates since the Great Depression the little things are more important, or at least we are more aware now, more than maybe before of how not to take them for granted. Without my health I would not be able to get out enjoy hiking, biking, backpacking and the type photography I truly enjoy most. And happiness because if you are not happy or can't pursue happiness then it sure makes humming along in life pretty tough. And as for family that should be obvious, they are fun to be around, supportive of my endeavors and make for both exciting challenges and good times. As much as I love traveling for my photography and personal exercise for sanity, coming home to my family after any trip is what it's all about and can't imagine a better way to end my outings. I hope your 2009 was all you wanted, and that 2010 is that and more. All the best this Holiday Season!

In regards to my family special thanks to my awesome wife Molly which many of you may have experienced communication with this year, she helps out immensely with the business. And even my son Logan gets a big thanks too for helping me get the podcast off the ground and making the music for it. He is very creative.

And of course I want to thank all of our clients in 2009 from the wedding and portrait clients, to all the folks that participated in the photo workshops. Without you we would not have a photography business, yet another reason to be thankful.

Here are some of my images that I was fortunate enough to get out and create in 2009. It's about a 4 minute slideshow. Please be patient, it takes about 20 to 30 seconds to load. Enjoy!

Click here to watch slideshow large:
View Slideshow

Knowledge, Chance and Luck - NWNP Podcast Episode

2009-12-18T21:03:00.000-08:00

As you can tell by the title this latest episode of Northwest Nature Photography Podcast is about knowledge, chance and luck and how they play a role each time we head out to capture images in nature. We all like to do our homework before we head somewhere new, making sure we get to the best spots for the best images. Yet in the end not even the best laid out plans will always ensure you come home with amazing photography. Planning is good yet remember to be flexible and you will find you have more photographic opportunties than you might have imagined. Listen to the podcast to get the full low down of this topic.

Also, I do reference a specific image and photographic desitation in this episode and this image from that outing to help can some insight as you listen to the podcast. This photo is taken on the Oregon Coast at Arch Cape. Some really fun and interesting shaped rocks.

NWNP Podcast - Interview with Sean Bagshaw

2009-12-03T21:43:00.000-08:00

Recently I had the chance to interview Sean Bagshaw for the Northwest Nature Photography Podcast. I would type out more here but I will let the podcast cover it all. Thanks again Sean for being such a great guest. Please note I was hoping to make this an enhanced podcast and unfortunately that did not occur. You can reference the two images discussed in the podcast of Sean's below or on his site http://outdoorexposurephoto.com/

You can listen to the podcast here or visit my website http://adrianklein.com/ to subscribe. Just click on the red music note icon and it will subscribe to iTunes.

More of Zion National Park

2009-11-27T07:46:00.000-08:00

Here are some more from my 2009 Zion National Park trip in late October going into early November. As mentioned in a prior post it was only less than three days of actual photography yet it was pretty productive overall as you can see. The image with the cascading falls is on the hike to the Subway and the other image is the ever so popular Watchman which can be shot from standing on a bridge. I know it's a tad more saturated and processed overall than much of my work. Being that I was shooting with 30+ other tripods this evening I wanted to work to give mine a little "uniqueness" even though I know some folks may not care for it. Zion in the Fall is a must to see, photographer or not. I hope you find time to visit in the future.

On a different note I do plan to have another podcast episode of Northwest Nature Photography coming up soon. Thanks for all of you that have subscribed already.

Photographing Iconic Destinations - Podcast

2009-11-15T15:25:00.000-08:00

The 3rd episode of Northwest Nature Photography podcast is now available. I had hoped for this to be an interview with another photographer but due to technical difficulties that will be coming up in the next couple episodes. After my recent trip to Zion National Park I had some thoughts crop up that I have experienced before and I thought would be interesting to cover for a podcast. Basically I talk about how it can be a different mindset and process to photographing iconic locations than lesser known and lesser traveled areas. Also posing the question are some places like icons over photographed today. I believe everyone deserves their own take and chance to photograph these natural wonders. Yet there are a number of things to think of when photographing them depending on your intent for the final image. Listen to the podcast for more...

Zion National Park - Fall Visit 2009

2009-11-15T15:04:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks back I set out for a short yet fun trip with my peer and friend Kevin McNeal. We flew into Vegas, drove out to Zion for a few days of hiking and shooting. Needless to say anytime is a great time in Zion but I think Fall is now my favorite and not just because of the colors. The temps are much more pleasing, although some might say too cold, and it's not nearly as busy as the summer months. I have been here once on Memorial Day and there is nothing like a crazed atmosphere of human beings in nature than a National Park on a National Holiday!

Anyway, Kevin and I enjoyed the time with some other photographers that we knew which also made for a more memorable experience. I do like to travel by myself sometimes but traveling in small groups does add to the experience in a different way, usually a good way, at least that is the hope and in this case it did. Here are a few images from this trip which included a hike to the iconic Subway.

The Traveling Landscape Photographer

2009-11-01T21:37:00.001-08:00

The Traveling Landscape Photographer is what I cover in the latest episode of Northwest Nature Photography Podcast. I appreciate all the feedback I have received already and the many subscriptions. Let me know if you have any ideas for future episodes and I will do what I can to incorporate them. Happy listening!

On this topic that the podcast is covering I should disclose how bad I felt from a recent trip to Zion I took with my good friend Kevin. We were staying at a hotel for a couple days and my thermostat in my body must have been WAY off. The A/C was on the whole time we were there (or not there) and it was not warm outside. Kevin said he could not turn off the A/C when we arrived but I truly thought he was joking as I was unpacking my stuff, since I was comfortable. I heard the wall unit but I assumed it was just the fan running and not the A/C. To make a long story short it was left on the three days we crashed at this place and the manager commented at check out how odd it was that we had it on the whole time. They rarely see that this time of year in Zion. The cleaning crew I guess were freezing when they went in there. I am still a little bewildered why the cleaning folks did not turn it off on the first day. I know I would have. Anyway, even though I was comfortable in the room with temps outside in the 30's and the A/C on (ya, I can't figure it out either but Kevin said he was cold!), I feel bad from an environment standpoint as I would not have done this, especially while not being in the room. We hardly use our central A/C here in our own home when it's 50 degrees warmer!

Note: Please bare with me as I get the audio improved. I just purchased new equipment that should make the 3rd podcast even a little cleaner sounding.

Mountain Light Interview with Kah Kit Yoong

2009-11-01T21:06:00.000-08:00

Recently I was asked by Kah Kit Yoong to do an interview for the Mountain Light group on Flickr. In case you are not aware this group does showcase some of finer nature work on Flickr plus some other great interviews with the like of Guy Tal, Michael Anderson and more. Definitely worth taking a look around and spending a little time reading. Here is the link to the interview I had with Kah Kit, who by the way is an excellent landscape photographer from Australia.

Mountain Light Interview with Adrian Klein

In Search of Fall Foliage - Mt Hood Oregon

2009-10-23T21:11:00.000-07:00

I spent a couple days recently cruising the main and back roads around Mt Hood in search of fall color. A couple shots were larger scenes but most were more intimate moments of the forest and the vibrant fall foliage. When you see a great image or print of a forest realize how tough they are to pull off well. Even the best photographer can spend hours or days searching for the right scene. I did find some that I liked but none that I truly loved. They are tough for sure. My fav from the day ended up being one that I did not expect, go figure! That is why it's hard to judge when you are out in the field. I always need to remind myself to not get too excited or disappointed about images from a trip until I get home. Sometimes you just know but that is not on every outing. Anyway, the image below with the reflection and mystical lighting turned out to be my favorite. Some of the other posts came from the same day. All were taken in the Cascades in the Mt Hood National Forest area. Thank you for dropping by.

Northwest Nature Photography Podcast

2009-10-19T19:50:00.001-07:00

Well, this has been on my list to do for some time now. I finally got around to recording the initial episode of the Northwest Nature Photography Podcast. I will try to keep this blog entry brief since I can let the podcast do the talking here! In a nutshell I want to record podcasts primarily geared to the nature photographer. I hope you find this of value. Happy listening.

Or can click on one of the below icons to subscribe. Just one click away from adding to iTunes and have it on your iPod to listen while you are on the go!

Above The Clouds and Manifest Destiny

2009-10-16T22:07:00.000-07:00

Photography is normally a still life viewing event, except for watching your images in a slideshow or capturing time lapse work. With that said I must say it was rather interesting to watch one of my images in trailer for what looks like will be a pretty interesting film. Justin Chambers is a student finishing up his degree in cinema work at Columbia College in Hollywood. He contacted me last year about using one of my images in the movie he is producing for his class. I looked through his work and could tell it was for real but had no idea how serious this was. His trailer for the final film looks way cool and and I can't wait to see the final movie now. Feel free to check out the trailer where you will briefly see this image brought to life with a bird flying through the scene.

www.manifestdestiny-themovie.com/trailer

Jefferson Park Wilderness

2009-10-01T21:19:00.000-07:00

On a recent weekend just at the beginning of fall I had a chance to do a short backpack trip with a long time friend of mine Josh. We decided to head up to Jefferson Park Wilderness in the Cascades just outside of Detroit. It's a beautiful place and was eagerly awaiting what mother nature was going to show us for the weekend. High up in alpine country the color turns quickly. Before you know it the summer wild flowers are frail wilted foliage and the fall color comes roaring through to take them over.

Well, the fall colors were prime in some spots, not quite the majority of the area yet (maybe a few days off from that) but we did find some nice bunches of color. And although the weather was great for backpacking, warm enough for multiple dips in the lakes, there was not one cloud in the sky all weekend. Yet that does not always make or break good images, especially in fall time. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy.

Broken Top Mountain Hike by Moonlight

2009-09-18T06:34:00.000-07:00

Over Labor Day weekend I headed with my son down to Central OR. I figured this would be my best shot at decent conditions with the rainy outlook at home. We arrived at the trailhead in cold almost winter like conditions. 20 minutes before we got there I was shooting in t-shirt, Teva's and shorts thinking it was not that cold (see tree image below). I guess it was colder than I thought as the wind started whipping up, the dense fog rolled and the wet snow and sleet starting flying. We were not prepared for overnight camping in this weather (my son does not yet want to camp in the snow). Regardless I wanted to stick out the storm at the trailhead and hope it would break before morning. About this time Marc Adamus pulls up next to me in the parking lot, as everyone is making a mass exodus from this stormy weather. This normally very busy trailhead was dead on this day when the weather got bad. I should know by now Marc will go running for for this weather. Anyway, we were going to join him up high but could not due to the lack of winter clothing for my son. After a couple miles in the stormy weather we said have fun to Marc and slowly made our way back to camp, the car. In the last couple years I have ran into Marc traveling for shooting and hiking more than anyone else I know.

The next morning I woke up at 4:50 and it was beyond beautiful. The clouds had mostly cleared and it was a full moon. I could see Broken Top from outside the car in the bright dancing light of the moon, sifting through the fast moving clouds. Of course this was after opening the almost frozen car door. My son stayed back to sleep, I would not try to coax him anymore and let it be. It took me almost no time to hit the snow line walking up with the moon setting to the West of me and the sun starting to rise from the East. Not even 12 hours prior you could not see more than 50 yards, now the sky was clear, the wind calm and the snow fresh, what a change. This is one of those mornings I could care less what I got photo wise. I enjoyed being up there and soaking up the sunrise with a fresh dusting of snow. While enjoying this sunrise I found this thirsty turtle drinking from the stream. Ok, not exactly. I give the credit to others for the photo title. I then hiked up to top near the summit of Broken Hand to soak up all three sisters coated in a fresh dousing of powdered sugar. A fantastic late summer morning in the mountains was had. A fiery sunrise would have been nice but hey I will take what I can get!

Setting up the "Thirsty Turtle" shot required that I get my boots in the water somewhat. I wish I would have brought a towel and I would have removed my hiking boots and went into the ice water barefoot to get this exactly how I wanted it. I don’t like being in water when the temps are freezing but the conditions were right this day I would have been willing to do it. Instead I stretched my legs wide with the stream passing between them to try and get down and take this image of the glacial lake on the backside of Broken Top in the Three Sisters Wilderness. Oh and here is your tip for the day, always remember to leave the tripod open to dry before closing it up when it’s 30 degrees out! I know better yet I had a senior moment and it did not take long for one of the legs to freeze up and not want to come back out. Thanks for stopping by.

First Cup - Fine Art Display

2009-09-10T18:00:00.001-07:00

Just a quick blog post to let everyone know that I have a half dozen new images up at the First Cup Coffehouse for display and purchase. These are different than anything I have displayed before as the prints are displayed on metal. Yes the photo is printed right onto the metal and can be dispalyed with no framing. A much different way display fine art photography. Images will be on display until the end of September 2009.
http://firstcupcoffeehouse.com/

Glacier National Park in Summer

2009-08-13T20:04:00.001-07:00

Aaaahhhh, Montana! Recently I had the chance to spend about a week in MT with my family. Although Molly reveled in a 3+ week stay I am glad for the one week I had. Not to mention the 3 days in Glacier National Park with just Molly and I. Our first multi-night trip with out the kiddos in over 3 years. As Molly knows I miss those outdoor adventures we took on a regular basis a number of years back. Can anyone say backpack honeymoon in Europe, I sure can.

Anyway, after a whirlwind successful workshop on the beaches of the Oregon Coast I headed straight to Missoula for my week in Montana. I did not touch the camera while in Missoula just focusing on some family time and reading, it was a nice break. Oh and of course my spinach and cheese croissant from Bernice's Bakery. If you haven't, you must, they are worth the 550 mile drive! In Glacier I did some photography but it was limited. I wanted to make sure Molly was enjoying her time. Fortunately she understands the passion behind photography, being a photographer herself, and was not bothered by my occasional stops to get images here and there. I hear from peers and friends in the business how hard it is to mix family trips and photography. Often the spouse is not supportive or understanding. I am lucky though not with just Molly and I. We get to enjoy our love for nature, each other and photography. It's a great thing! We even enjoyed the time despite the insane summer crowds, the worst we have seen in Glacier. According to Molly's ranger friend Josh the gate traffic this summer is up 33%. Add that with construction on Going To The Sun Road and you have one busy park!

And as for the huge gap in blog posts, well that is life right now over here. The once a week blog posts are gone for a while. There are a number of photography projects taking my time not to mention other things. I appreciate everyones understanding.

Enough chit chat for now. Here are some images from Glacier National Park a couple weeks back. The images are the vibrant turquoise Avalanche Creek, St Mary's Lake with an ominous storm and St Mary's Lake on a nice calm and peaceful morning just after sunrise.

Portraits and Weddings

2009-08-12T21:29:00.000-07:00

We just want to get a quick blog post out about portrait and wedding work. Molly and I truly enjoy portraits and weddings. We have many great clients from the years we have been doing it, some even have become good friends of ours. However, for a number of reasons we started referring new portrait sessions and wedding inquiries to our peers. Our business for the time being is moving to focus on the aspect of Adrian's fine art nature work which ranges from workshops to fine art prints to stock work.

If you do need a referral though for portraits or a wedding just let us know and we have many great peers in the business that will take excellent care of you. There may be a time in the coming future that we will take weddings and or portraits on again so don't hesitate to keep us in mind down the road.

Thanks for your understanding during this time of change for us!

Adrian & Molly

Showing at Blue Kangaroo

2009-07-01T21:19:00.000-07:00

In my rather hectic schedule as of late I forgot to mention that I do have a display with about half dozen large prints. It's actually at Blue Kangaroo Coffee Roasters in Sellwood and only has another week, they have been up since May so I know this is rather late but wanted to mention it regardless. Images include a canvas of The Painted Hills Oregon and the rest are seascapes from Hawaiian Island of Kauai.

I would like to thank the generous and kind staff there for hosting my work the last couple months and helping to promote my workshops and photo tours.
http://www.bluekangaroocoffee.com/

PPO Summer Seminar 2009 - Sunrise Workshop

2009-06-19T21:39:00.000-07:00

I want to thank PPO for asking me to lead and speak to another great group of photographers for the Professional Photographers of Oregon summer seminar in Bend at Mount Bachelor Village Resort. My portion of the 3 day event was a sunrise workshop at the majestically beautiful Sparks Lake just off the scenic Cascade Lakes Highway outside of Bend.

The program read that we would start at 5 am, boy was everyone in for a surprise when I said that was too late! We left Mt Bachelor Village Resort by 4 am to make the 30 min journey with some pre-sunrise time to spare. I was pleasantly surprised to see about 15 folks get up this early and attend. I truly have to say I could tell almost all of them enjoyed their time and realized what they miss when they sleep in and pass the golden light in the morning.

I had photographed Sparks Lake the prior couple days and I had no real amazing sunsets or sunrises, then on the morning we had the workshop it was great which I know makes everyone happy. Although I was there helping everyone that wanted it I did manage to get some shots off myself. It's a delicate balancing when teaching a workshop to help out others and shoot yourself but more than one person commented this time that it's important that I photograph as well since seeing me work is just as important in the learning process which I have to agree when I think back to when I was first starting. Here is one of the images I processed from this serene sunrise on Sparks Lake.

Keep California Parks Open

2009-06-06T06:35:00.001-07:00

I must say when I heard the Governators recommendation to close over 200 parks in California it really concerned me. I know we are in some unprecedented financial times, everyone of us has been directly affected or knows someone that has during this down economy. However, closing one of the most cost effective vacation and trip destinations available to folks these days seems to be the wrong approach. Americans and people in general need to be connected to nature, more then ever today in our fast pace iPhone, Facebook, Fast food world. Taking that away is moving us in the wrong direction. It's a grave underestimation if politicians think closing the parks temporarily will be only temporary. Closing this many parks will take many years if not a full decade to bring them back up to full running order and the communities around them. Do think someone that has a small business near a park that relies on those visitor dollars to help float the business will stay around? I am sure if they can make it they will, but they may not and then they will leave. It's a change that impacts more than just he many acres in the parks themselves.

There are many unanswered questions that I don't see online anywhere, so like most stories there only seems to be part of it available to the public. I would like to see the full proposal. Will the parks be maintained at all or left to blend back into nature? Can people walk into the parks but not drive in (there will need to be security costs here if so)? Is there not an option of privatizing some of the parks, selling to the highest bidder (not sure on this but I am open to hear all options)? I truly believe there is other pork in the political budget to cut before closing almost 80% of the parks in one of the most populous states.

If you agree on not closing the parks feel free to check out more on this at the California State Parks Foundation site: http://ga3.org/campaign/budget_may09

More Columbia River Gorge

2009-05-15T05:52:00.001-07:00

Since I am lacking on time this immediate moment and have traveled to the Gorge a lot this spring I figured I would post some more work from this year. And of course I will be traveling there again in the coming days to pick up my Subaru, that should be fixed and hopefully ready for many tens of thousands of miles more without any issues!

Images are as follows: Fairy Falls - the full scene, Fairy Falls - the intimate scene, Rowena Crest on two different yet wonderful sunrises.

Columbia River Gorge - Spring Workshop

2009-05-06T19:58:00.000-07:00

Sorry for slacking on the blog lately. Things have been been busy around here. One recent event was a 4 day workshop Kevin McNeal and I lead in the Columbia River Gorge last week and into the weekend. It was great and we had a group that was so eager and hungry to learn, and just get out photographing the sights that there was little downtime. Everyone was around the same level out of the gate which helped moved things along as well.

On a side note we all know Murphy's Law "Anything that can go wrong..." well I had this happen just before I was to meet Kevin and our group of participants. Driving in the Gorge just outside of Mosier my Subaru overheated out of nowhere which left me stranded on the side of I-84. Ended up warping a couple head gaskets is what I would find out a day later. This happened only 45 minutes before we were supposed to start and I was 30 miles in the wrong direction! I have had this car for 3 years and over 50k miles and this is the ONLY time it has failed me. Go figure! Everyone was really understanding. What could I do anyway. Kevin picked me up at the tow shop and we got things underway 1.5 hours late. We made up for it though with a great time!

Speaking of great time I will post a testimonial we received from one of our participants, Miles. I could not have come up with a more humbling and grand testimonial if I hired someone to write one. It means a lot to me when we can really make a difference like this. Here his experience in his own words followed by a couple images of his taken during the workshop and one I took of the group photographing in the Columbia Hills, Washington.

"Several days have now passed since our Columbia River Gorge Workshop has ended, and I've barely taken time out from editing the images to sleep. There are events in life that become epic memories based on their ability to be educational, inspirational, and completely fulfilling. When my family and friends ask how the workshop went, I tell them that it was one of the greatest experiences of my life.

When we all first met, you asked us what our goals were for our photography. Several of my fellow students indicated an interest in becoming professionals. My goals were perhaps less ambitious, but certainly no less lofty, considering my meager talent. All I wanted was to improve enough to be published on an extremely high quality fine art website. This may sound trivial and basic, but to me, it is what I have chosen to use as the benchmark to let me know that I've become a "good" photographer. My previous 20 submissions had all failed miserably, almost all rejected out of hand, without making it through first screening. It is with an incredible amount of pride that I can announce to you that one of the images you helped me learn to capture got published this morning.
http://1x.com/v2/#photos/latest-additions/24630/

It is only now, that I've gotten that obsession out of the way, that I can truly appreciate how valuable your Workshop is. You have taken me to some of the most amazing scenes in the world, right here in my own back yard, that I would NEVER have known existed. But arriving at these beautiful vistas doesn't mean much if I can't capture it with my camera to bring back and share with other people. To be immersed in photography with two Masters of the craft for 4 days is an experience worth FAR more than the extremely reasonable fee I paid to go on the Workshop. I had limitless questions, and each one was answered... carefully, thoughtfully, and enthusiastically. The willingness that you both showed me to share your ample tricks of the trade left me speechless - and a MUCH better photographer. I always felt safe, I always felt happy, and I could actually sense how much I was learning. Probably the best compliment I could pay you is that I came home and immediately signed up for the Oregon Coast Workshop you are running in a few months.

Thank you doesn't really begin to cover the things I want to express to you about our experience together. You are both world-class photographers; that is evident from your portfolios. But what people can't see from looking at your pictures, and what they wouldn't know if they didn't go out on a workshop with you, is that you are world-class teachers as well. I could not be more pleased with the results from the workshop, and for the first time in my life, I'm truly proud of the photos that I've taken. Thank you for giving me that experience.
All the best,
Miles"

Boys Adrift

2009-04-16T18:26:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I want to veer off the topic of photography in this blog and this is one such time. Although in a way nature photography and the outdoors does play a part even in this post. I read on a regular basis and I hope you do too. There is no substitute for books. Magazines are nice as well as newspapers but they are not the full meal like reading a good book. Almost all books I read are non-fiction from business to self-help, photography related or real life adventures stories. Recently I wanted something to read about in relation to teenage boys covering mainly concerns about too much time playing video games and or Internet surfing, basically what is the concern for too much time in front of a computer and not enough time outdoors. I take my son out with me as much as I can and as often as he wants to come, which has reduced a bit now his teen years. I had a friend recommend the book Boys Adrift.

This is a must read I feel for anyone that has a male 0-30, or if you are a male in that age group! Dr Sax covers many topics on why some male youth today lack the motivation that many elders have. There are five main topics including the type of schooling, plastics we use, over medicating for ADD, poor role models and of course video games. I will let you read it and decide for yourself. However, one thing is true and I believe cannot be disputed in my opinion, and that is we rely too heavily today on teaching and educating our kids via computer screens or virtual simulation. In other words too much time in virtual world and too little in the real world. I don't mean Real World MTV style! That type of teaching and free time does have a role to a certain point but they can never replace the real thing. It was good to read this as I know what it feels likely personally when I spend too much time in front of a PC and not enough outside running, hiking, etc. I have to get out into nature as much for my photography as for my peace of mind and recharging my batteries. And with that, happy reading and I am heading out for a run!

The Columbia River Gorge

2009-04-11T18:38:00.000-07:00

The Columbia River Gorge is starting to see the signs of spring from the lush green filling in around the streams and falls to the wonderful wildflowers on the East end of the Gorge in the Mosier and Rowena area. I never tire of this area and have already been here several times in the last few weeks. One day I went out for sunrise, returned back to Portland and rototilled the garden and then back out for sunset. Some of the recent outings have been by myself and others with some great local photographers I know. One part of a weekend was spent with Sean Bagshaw and David Cobb. We had a blast scouting out some locations and getting wet in the ice cold Gorge water. I hope to see you on the trail in the Gorge this spring!

Photographing Oregon

2009-04-08T17:31:00.000-07:00

A guide to the natural landmarks of Oregon. This is a must have if you are looking for great places to go photograph in Oregon. Greg Vaughn did an excellent job of putting this book together. Why am I listing it here on my blog? One I am glad to promote a fine resource for photographers living or planning to come to the area. The other reason is my photo was picked to represent the Alvord Desert area in SE Oregon. I am glad to have my image picked for this region since it's such an amazing place to photograph that I can't wait to return to. Other great local photographers I know contributing to this book include Darren White, Sean Bagshaw, Zack Schnepf and Jesse Estes.

You can visit this link at Greg's site to order the book. Another option is to email me. I have half a dozen copies and will send one out for $24 including shipping and will sign my image for a personal touch. Here is the image that was selected, dawn on the Alvord Playa in spring.

Old School and Old Hills

2009-03-24T15:48:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was a chance to escape from the urban dwellings to the hills and mountains of the less traveled. Our mode of transportation was our Subaru, the state automobile for the state of Oregon. Maybe that is not exactly the case but they are everywhere you look so I would say if Oregon had a auto represent it, like we do for birds, flowers, etc the Subaru would be it.

Saturday morning came and Logan I left by 5:30 am to get well down the Columbia River Gorge in time for sunrise. I will give my teenage son credit, at 14 he has become mostly reluctant to get up early and spend hours traveling to locations for photography whether we are in car or hiking. On this morning though he got up with ease and we were out the door in no time. He will appreciate these experiences in the future. In Mosier we met up with fellow pro nature photographers David Cobb and Kevin McNeal for some early morning shooting. The clouds moved in pretty heavy just an hour before sunrise filling the sky a dark flat light. Not what we wanted for this scene, mother nature is in control though, not us. No sunrise shooting this morning so off to get coffee and breakfast. After that we travelled lonely back roads to photograph old school houses. David was nice enough to take us along to these special finds. The conditions were not ideal yet we enjoyed the outing and more importantly my son enjoyed seeing these places too. A reminder for you teenagers that there is life beyond the Internet and video games.

Then in the early afternoon Logan and I headed south to the Painted Hills National Monument in the John Day Fossil Beds area. My hope was for drier weather heading to central OR. Normally this proves true but not on this weekend. Photography and hiking was little as the rain showers were heavy and frequent. We did get a break right at sunset as you can see with the photo below, yet it was not a magnificent scene photographically. We ate dinner in the peace and quiet right off a back road outside of the Painted Hills. Not a sound except the light breeze and the birds. The smell of wet fresh juniper filled your lungs, rejuvenating for sure. At night the rain poured. Enough that we had a puddle in the tent the next morning. Sunrise was a bust. We ate our oatmeal and drank our coffee in the secluded peaceful setting. Packed up the wet gear and then headed for the main road.

I decided it would be fun to take some back road that we had never taken before. It would be 36+ miles of dirt/gravel road. It started out fine for the first 10 miles or so, a very well kept gravel road. Felt nice to be off the beaten path. Then we reached a section with a sign that said "Not An All Weather Road" referring to what was ahead. We kept going but quickly realized it was not the place to be right after a rainstorm. The mud was so soft that my tires were sliding around, using the AWD to maintain traction, and kicking up mud like the Bigfoot truck at a monster truck rally. My tire tracks, the only ones around. Nothing serious but was equivalent to being on a slick snow covered road. Then around a corner came a creek crossing. I stopped immediately. I know Subaru's can handle this but in conditions like this I was hesitant to go on for fear that it would be extra soft around the edges of the creek and thus would get stuck. At this point the road was all dirt, or really soft mud, and no small rocks or gravel. I like adventure but you must balance that with safety and reality, at least for me. We turned around and headed home on the main road. A wet, muddy and fun outing with my son.

Amazon Dragons Paddling Club

2009-03-14T21:07:00.001-07:00

Once again we had a fun filled day in the studio with team members from the Amazon Dragons Paddling Club. In our quest for great shots to fill the calendar they working on designing and marketing as a team fundraiser. They are such a great group that we enjoy working with. A thank you to both my wife Molly and Peter for assisting. And thank you to Peter who who loaned us his large over sized black backdrop. And last but for sure not least is a big thanks to Joni of Kabana Photography for the use of her amazing studio space.

Coming up when the weather cooperates we will have an outdoor session which we look forward to. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for their calendar please contact them directly. I believe they still have some spots available. The sponsorship will help pay for photography, design and printing.

Fine Art Show - Tualatin Heritage Center

2009-03-12T15:35:00.000-07:00

First Annual Photography show at the Tualatin Heritage Museum located at 8700 Sw Sweek Drive, Tualatin OR 97062. http://www.tualatinhistoricalsociety.org/calendar.html

Paul Sivley and myself are having a fine art show from March 12 to April 3. Between us both there will be plenty of photos on display from Paul's traveling in many foreign countries from India to Peru to my landscapes from the amazing ocean to the majestic mountains. The center is open weekdays from 10-2 and for special events and workshops. Please join us on Thursday March 19 for an opening reception which will include wine tasting. Now who wants to pass up wine! See you there...

Below photo: The Steens Mountains at sunrise at the edge of the Alvord Desert Playa (right behind me). This was on a local ranch which I asked the owner if I could roam his property. He was very kind in letting me do so since his cattle was not grazing in this portion of his ranch. I found this area after scouting around for a bit but not without the idea from a similar image Marc Adamus took here some time back.

5 Year Anniversary - Timberline Lodge

2009-03-11T20:35:00.000-07:00

Molly and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary in February. Things were busy that week, when are they not, and we post-poned heading out of town until this last weekend. Molly booked a night for us at Timberline Lodge. For those that don't know we were married at Silcox Hut above Timberline. I wanted to get married on the summit and since Molly does not climb mountains that was out yet we met in the middle by getting married over half way up Mt Hood. It was an amazing day and weekend, and seems unreal that 5 years has come and gone, a very fun and good 5 years I will add.

The snow covered trees photo is our window view last weekend during a spring snow storm that was dumping snow while we were there. It was funny watching our hair get frozen over and turning completely white as we sat in the hot tub. The other image is of us standing outside Silcox hut on our wedding day. We do need to give much thanks to Soren of Coughlin-Glaser Photography. He photographed our wedding, brought us into wedding photography under him and is the reason we are doing weddings today. Thank you Soren!

On side note on our way up a snowy Timberline Road we were seconds away from being the car that would have been wrecked bad if not totaled. Traveling behind a Saturn VUE we noticed as we were heading towards the next corner a Subaru came sliding out of control and it smacked straight into the front of the Saturn. I felt very sorry for the guy in front of us yet thankful it was not us. No one was hurt fortunately. Remember.... 4 wheel drive is not 4 wheel stop!

Extraordinary Expressions Photo Contest

2009-03-07T08:51:00.000-08:00

Many of you remember our photo contest we had last year partnering with the great and unique children's boutique Spoiled Rotten. We will be doing it again this year! Last year we filled up so call early to secure your session. Hundreds of dollars in prizes from both Adrian Klein Photography and Spoiled Rotten. Sessions from 4/3 to 4/11 and only $29 + 3 cans of food for the food bank. Only sessions on 4/3 and 4/4 will be at Spoiled Rotten, the will be at home studio of Adrian Klein Photography. Click here for more info or call 971-275-2116 to signup. Event will also benefit the Oregon Food Bank.

PPO Convention 2009 - Best Illustrative Division

2009-03-01T11:34:00.000-08:00

Another great Professional Photographers of Oregon convention has come and gone. It was a fun and educational time as always despite this time missing some of it because of a miserable sinus infection. In the photography world today you have to take the time for continuing education seminars and conventions a couple times a year at minimum. The world changes and it's either jump on the moving train and enjoy the ride or stand and watch it fly by. Although sometimes it's tiring and you want to slow it down. Fortunately we enjoy the ride!

During the annual PPO convention we also have a print competition with many fine awards. I was fortunate enough to have the image "Hypnotize" accepted into the Court of Honor and picked as Judges Choice (this photo is below and was taken at Cape Kiwanda, Oregon). Additionally, I received the award of Best Aggregate Score Illustrative Division for all of my prints combined having the highest score in this area. A nice honor that I humbly accept. Below are all four prints that I submitted this year. Congrats to all the other photographers that won awards, many fine photos were present this year as usual!

Kahli - On The Farm Senior Session

2009-02-27T12:02:00.000-08:00

Winter in the Northwest here can be rainy and wet for days on end, but sometimes you get a nice break for some great portrait photography. Winter does not mean all sessions need to be in the studio by any means. Just after some rain and snow we did this recent senior session on a large farm. Kahli is a senior at Vernonia High School, she contacted us about this shoot and we knew it was going to be a blast from what was described about the location. I can say she was easy going and fun to work with, not to mention the farm with endless props. Plus it was barely above freezing with snow on the ground and she braved the cold weather in lite clothing for some cool shots.

AirPlay Cafe - Your Child as a Rock Star!

2009-02-11T20:47:00.001-08:00

Have you wanted to see your child up among the lights of stardom for all to see as a famous rock star! Well, if yes then this is for you and even if you don't want that for your child this is still for you. We are partnering with Airplay Cafe located inner East Portland to do a special photo session of babies and kids. They are a fun cafe that caters to the younger clientele with story and music time daily! A fun part of this special is that we will have musical instrument props provided by Airplay for the kids to play for photos we take during the session. We will also of course take some photos of the child without musical instruments, so you will have both to see and enjoy.

We have done specials like this before and we know kids that are regulars at a cafe or coffee shop love going in there to see themselves up on the wall. And here at Airplay they will be on display for close to two months! Photos from the session will be available for purchase for those that are interested.

Airplay Cafe - 701 E Burnside

- Session fee is only $29!
- March 27 to 29 in SE Portland
- Support the OR Food Bank and a chance to win gift cards to Airplay!
- Limited sessions available
- Your child superstar photo on display

Contact Molly Klein today to get your little one on the schedule for this rockin' fun event! 971-275-2116 or molly@adrianklein.com

Mt Hood to Columbia River

2009-02-08T18:24:00.001-08:00

Sorry for the lag in posting lately folks. Things have been a little busy around here in a number of ways. Here are a couple images and some info behind them.

The first one is Mt Hood, Oregon at sunrise just above Timberline. When shooting sunrise or sunset landscapes most often it's nice to have some nice clouds in the sky to give added color and interest to the scene. That said sometimes you can find other points of interest when the sky is lacking to fill the void. On this morning I focused on the texture of the snow just after the sun popped over the horizon and gave some nice shadow and highlight detail.

The second is along the Columbia River just West of the Hood River Bridge. This evening was a lesson in patience that I sometimes need to be reminded of no matter how many times I have been out photographing. On this evening Mother Nature reminded me very well. The sunset was pretty lacking, I had been out since sunrise and I thought I should head home to the family. I also thought it would not get any better. Just at sunset time, shortly after this shot, I packed up and headed out. Well, sure enough once I got on the Hood River Bridge and looked West the sky lit up. The drear gray clouds that looked like nothing was going to happen with them came alive. This is a reminder to me and to you, wait all the way through. The sky changes by the minute and who knows what will be next!

Tween Photos

2009-01-26T20:56:00.000-08:00

Do you have child that is age 8 to 13, then you have a Tween! Yes they are in between what they call a young child and a teenager. This is a time in a child's life that should be documented with great photography just as much as when they are little kids or a senior in high school. Mention this blog entry and receive a Tween session for only $49 if you scheduled before March 15, 2009!

This photo is of Kate from a session we did last summer for her 8th graduation photos. Parents, these will be the photos you will want to remember your young one more than the traditional one second shot for the school yearbook. Call us today to book your appointment.

Northwest Photo Tours and Workshops

2009-01-26T20:11:00.000-08:00

Here is the latest postcard brochure that we are producing about the photo tours that Kevin McNeal and I are offering. If you want more info and or interested in signing up see our site: http://nwphototours.com/

Some 2009 tours include: The Columbia River Gorge, Painted Hills and Oregon Coast. All of our group tours are sponsored by Singh-Ray Filters which allows group particpants discounts on their products!

Kauai - Klein Family Vaca

2009-01-12T00:29:00.000-08:00

After the busy fall photo season we like to take some downtime just after the Holidays duing our only slower time of the year. This year we went to Kauai again and it was quite enjoyable, which is easy to imagine. This is the rainy season in Hawaii yet it still rains far less than Portland and much warmer rain when it does. As a fellow photographer friend put's it "rain in paradise is still paradise." Our son Logan was a reading fiend finishing the first two Twilight Books, along with much time in the Ocean. Little Rowan could not get enough of the beach... playing in the water, building "sand castles" and the playground where she made many friends. Molly has spent time reading, relaxing and just plain taking it easy (I need to take lessons from her!). And there is me where I missed no more than a couple sunrises and sunsets over the two weeks, photographing as much as I could during the golden light and spending time with the family during the day. I did not always have good weather or a great sky but I sure as heck was out there. I did my share of reading, relaxing and even a body board crash where I stepped on a sea urchin. They sure are painful! I will post more photos later I am sure. Here are some I got from the many sunrises and sunsets on the Garden Island.

Rey Charles

2009-01-11T10:47:00.000-08:00

We had another great session with Rey Charles. We did photograph him in the hospital when he was just born, a fun experience that provided some great images as well. Now little Rey is growing up fast and at 3 months has obviously changed a lot. It was tough yet we did get him to "sit" in one of our very small chairs for a shot as well which is not always the case for babies as young as him. Here are some of the many great expressions we captured from this session.

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T18:31:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone. Whether you partied to the wee morning hours or relaxed at home we hope you had a great New Year's eve and will have an excellent 2009! The attached photos are from the fireworks display in Poipu on the island of Kauai. Aloha!

Columbia River Gorge - Snow Storm

2008-12-26T22:22:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned on a previous blog post, I did get out the Columbia River Gorge twice this week. The first was Christmas Eve Day. It was still quite stormy there with wind and heavy snow in open places and heavy snow and slight fog in wind sheltered areas. Not the best for photographing waterfalls which I went out for. Nonetheless I did get some great stormy road and highway photos. If you have never froze your body instantly before here is how... stand on a open exposed area in the gorge during a winter storm and shoot photos directly into the strong east wind! I did this on a overpass and literally could hardly move my fingers after only a minute. It's bone numbing cold. The overpass photo you see below is that image.

I also did make it out on Friday, the day after Christmas. Although it was no longer snowing as I wanted, the big thaw had just started and was changing the landscape by the minute. I did manage to still get a few photos but not exactly what I was looking for. The one of Multnomah Falls is by no means original yet is very tough and different for a change with all the snow and ice. You have less than a 1/4 second to get this image as the spray from the falls is constant here. Your lens will look like a windsheild on your car driving through rain without wipers in seconds! Until the next winter storm here in town, enjoy these photos...

Black Ice

2008-12-26T16:08:00.001-08:00

This last Tuesday morning I headed down to the Columbia River hoping a nice sunrise would materialize since the snow stopped. Nothing turned out to be much as far as the sky yet I did find some interesting ice and snow formations right along the shore. Not exactly a place I would recommend folks going in this weather. It was fairly icy and I had to take my time getting down and up, plus the black ice on the rocks right along the river. The snow did help from it being a solid sheet of ice. A nice cool morning along the Columbia River...

Thank You

2008-12-26T08:31:00.000-08:00

Molly and I want to thank all of our clients, family and friends for a great 2008! We have much to be thankful for this holiday season. Most important is always the health and basic needs. You have to look at the world around you and be reminded how truly fortunate so many of us are. And when you get a chance help out those that need a hand try to do it. For us one of the big ones was the several Oregon Food Bank donations from money to canned food that we did this year that all of you helped contribute to.

We are thankful to have all of you along on our journey of life including the ever changing and growing business of Adrian Klein Photography. Happy Holidays to all and we look forward to a stupendous 2009!

Arctic Shores

2008-12-25T08:30:00.000-08:00

I continue to enjoy this snowy weather and I am a little sad it's starting to melt now. I have been out almost everyday photographing it's beauty. A Subaru and chains will get you just about anywhere except maybe deep snow! Monday I started the day in the dark photographing in Woodstock and then I spent most of the day downtown photograph scenes and people. From Jesse the street drummer on buckets to the cross country skier Kirsten. Ending with a beautiful shot of the city skyline amongst the ice chunks on the SE Willamette River shore.

I also did make it into the Columbia River Gorge yesterday for some very stormy photos on the old highway. I hoped to photograph waterfalls but the snow as still coming down very heavy and they were not that photogenic while it was snowing. More to come of those later. For now here are some from Portland taken on Monday. Stay safe, warm and happy holidays to all!

Winter Wonderland

2008-12-21T21:07:00.000-08:00

More of the winter wonderland today in beautiful snow and ice filled Portland. I did manage to get out for a couple short walks and one short drive. I was getting into the thick ice build up on the plants and trees. Makes for some wonderful photography to say the least. More to come from this current winter weather as time allows...

Amazon Dragons Paddling Club

2008-12-21T06:19:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we had a rare snow storm in Portland dumping 6"-8" across the city, a beautiful site to say the least. Yet, besides driving in the winter wonderland, Molly and I did not spend much time outside, most was spent inside Joni Kabana's spacious and posh SE studio where we had a great time photographing the Amazon Dragons Paddling Club. I was glad a little snow wouldn't stop them. Sadly enough this city seems to shut down when some snow flakes hit the ground. Not them, not enough to stop them from coming out and having a great time. And a great time it was. The eight members that were able to make it were a blast to photograph. Easy going and up for whatever. This session is part of a multi-session project we are working with them on to produce a 16 month 2010-2011 calendar. Some single shots from yesterday, enjoy!

Portland Winter Blast 2008

2008-12-16T07:44:00.000-08:00

Anyone that knows me will know that I love snow. That is one thing I feel Portland does not get enough of each winter, if any now days. When the snow started flying this last Sunday my son Logan and I hit the streets of Portland.... driving, walking and sliding (sliding on foot, not in car). I chained up the Subaru so I could stop on a dime for the walkers and drivers that worried me. Unfortunately, I did end up needing that braking power so we were thankful. We drove to the East side of the Willamette River and then crossed over the Hawthorne Bridge by foot into the city where we wandered around. Eventually making our way to a coffee shop where we could enjoy a hot drink in the 23 degree weather and watch the snow fall from the inside for a few minutes. Here are some of the many images we took. One is my daughter Rowan as well.

Hill Family

2008-12-13T15:48:00.000-08:00

This was the kind of session that people need to really remember and do to save the memories. We got a call from Ann looking for a generational family photo. It would include baby through great grandma. These are photos that they will be glad they took the time to get. They were all a fun bunch. We got the family images and of course some great ones with little Wila. Here are just a few of photos from the session.

Foggy Escape To Metlako

2008-12-05T07:39:00.000-08:00

This week I needed a break from my office and hit the trails in the wonderful Columbia River Gorge. I never tire of this area. I truly feel fortunate that it's a short drive away to this lush, green and damp enchanting paradise. I did about 10 miles of hiking on a couple trials. One I went on was Eagle Creek hoping for some dense fog and warm sunlight with Punch Bowl or Metlako Falls. After running into Marc Adamus on the way up and chatting for short bit with him and his client I made my way to Metlako. They left early to the beach which worked for them with a magnificent sunset that I would later miss. Yet my short wait around at Metlako gave me the following photo which is quite nice. Really shows off the gorge in all it's splendor. On the way back home I did manage one shot of the sunset at Cape Horn. This is looking East so you can imagine what it looked towards the West! I had spent too much time in the forest and did not get to a suitable location in time for sunset shooting. Nonetheless as my wife reminded me that evening... my main goal was to soak up the air in nature and get some exercise. I succeeded at that.

Sleighbells Tree Farm Portraits

2008-11-29T07:05:00.000-08:00

Molly and I had a great time last weekend at Sleighbells photographing the kids, families and couples that came out to enjoy the fantastic sunny November weather we were having, and still are for the most part. We captured many fantastic moments, below is are just a few of them. More to come later.

Additionally, this update would not be complete without thanking everyone for their donations to the Oregon Food Bank (http://oregonfoodbank.org/). The total donations came to $205. The economy is playing out some tough times for many and non-profit organizations are feeling the pinch as well. We felt it was important to give back. Food is a basic necessity to life that it's easy to lose sight that unfortunately many struggle to buy enough food to feed themselves or their family. Thank you for helping to make a difference this holiday season!

Northwest Photo Tours and Workshops

2008-11-25T14:23:00.000-08:00

The website is now live that has details for various workshops and photo tours here in the Northwest and beyond. Kevin McNeal and I originally had the idea to put this site together and offer some great photo tours together. We are expanding already and you will notice other great photographers listed as well. We will be adding more details and new outings as they are scheduled. If you have any questions don't hesitate to contact us. We look forward to seeing you at one in 2009!

http://nwphototours.com

Photo tours already listed include: Mammoth Lakes, Columbia River Gorge, Goat Rocks Wilderness, Oregon Coast and Olympic National Park.

End Of Fall... Columbia River Sunset

2008-11-24T10:47:00.000-08:00

With the many hours I sometimes put in to process photos and get orders to the lab, it's easy this time of year to not get out enough for my fine art shooting as much as I would like. More for the fresh air and exercise than anything. On this evening I wanted to check out somewhere new that was close. My wife Molly, daughter Rowan and I headed to the North side of the Columbia River to see what I could find. At first there was nothing that interested me and then I decided to take out the camera and play around. This what I ended up with. I rather like it now. Enjoy!

Tree Farm Portraits - Sleighbells Update

2008-11-18T10:46:00.001-08:00

A quick update on our tree farm special this coming weekend at Sleighbells. Sunday is completely booked up yet we still have a few openings for Saturday for those still interested in this great special. Most likely this will be our last one before the winter holidays. Contact us today to book!

Tween Logan

2008-11-16T15:19:00.000-08:00

Everyone says you must have tons of photos of your children and family because you are professional photographers. We do have them but not as many as you may think at least not of my thirteen year old son Logan. I decided it had been too long doing a real shoot with him and took him to the park today while this great Nov weather is here. We had a blast and here are some of my favs.

Masat Family

2008-11-16T08:28:00.000-08:00

Recently we photographed the Masat Family at Laurelhurst Park. It was a great fall day and we captured the family and of course Mackenzie and all her funny facial expressions. Most of the trees were pretty bare at this point yet the color was still on the ground in abundance. Allowing us to get some nice color with them lying down. Considering Nov is normally the 2nd wettest month for Portland it's not been too bad to date. Hopefully it continues, it's been real nice!

Apolloni Vineyard Portraits

2008-11-14T10:34:00.001-08:00

Along with having the opportunity to photography the colorful Apolloni Vineyards, I was asked to photograph the Apolloni Family. They are a great bunch and we had fun time on this session. Here are just some of the many photos we captured that day.

Vineyard Fall Colors

2008-11-06T07:10:00.000-08:00

Recently I photographed the fall colors at the Apolloni Vineyards in Forest Grove. The harvest for the grapes was complete but the fall colors were in full swing! This year the Northwest has been great for fall colors to say the least. Here are a few of the photos from their vineyard. Thanks to Laurine and Alfredo for letting me roam their properties.

Cape Kiwanda - Workshop Photos

2008-10-30T16:51:00.001-07:00

As you may have seen on a recent post I led a workshop at Cape Kiwanda for several photographers several weeks ago. It's always exciting to see what other photographers capture when I take them to a location that they have not yet photographed. Often we all see the same scene somewhat different which is great. Here are a couple photos from one of the workshop participants David Simone. To put the workshop in David's words... "Super fun day". Thanks David!

Tree Farm Portraits - Sleighbells and OR Food Bank

2008-10-29T20:42:00.001-07:00

Coming up in November we will be having a winter special to get your family or children portraits taken at a unique and fun tree farm. We will be at Sleighbells on Saturday Nov 22. Call now to book your session, space is limited!

If you have not been to Sleighbells yet you are in for a treat. This tree farm has the Northwest's largest year around holiday gift store with over 7,000 sf. Something for everyone in here. And if that does not interest you much there is also the 75 acres you can stroll through to pick out your Christmas Tree. You can come dressed nice for the phots and not worry about getting dirty cutting down your tree. Just pick it out and they will cut it and have it ready for you on future date of your choice. What a deal!

With this session we will capture your family with the wonderful tree farm setting, what better way to document the beginning of the holiday season. Sleighbells is located in Sherwood, just a short drive from Portland. Call the studio at 971-275-2116 to book your session. The investment is only $30 and ALL session fees will be donated to the Oregon Food Bank.

http://adrianklein.com/
http://sleighbells.biz/
http://oregonfoodbank.org/

Kids In The Park - Part II

2008-10-28T20:21:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more images from the Kids In Park sessions we did of families and kids a few weeks ago. These photos include Lexi, Alexia and Karis. Happy viewing!

Baby Reagan

2008-10-23T20:50:00.001-07:00

Our friend and fellow photographer Emily gave birth to little Reagan on Oct 4th, such a beautiful baby. Recently I was invited over to photograph all three of them... Jeff, Emily and Reagan. It was a great time and I enjoyed watching Emily's reaction spending time on the other end of the lens. Needless to say after all the feeding, rocking, soothing and more we captured some great photos. Thanks again Emily for asking me to take photos of you and your family. We wish all three of them the best!

Heat - Frontline PBS Special

2008-10-22T08:35:00.000-07:00

I took some time yesterday evening to watch an interesting and disturbing special on OPB. Most of it was not new to me. And I hope for most of you it's not new news either. Yet, this was the best recent documentary on climate issues I have seen in some time and felt it worthy to get the link on our blog. Whether you believe the changes in our climate are natural or anthropogenic the reality is we need significant change in our culture in our emissions for our future. I won't get on a soap box here about this subject which is easy to do, as anyone that really knows me would agree. Yet as a landscape photographer these issues hit even closer to me. I hope many of the images I take and display help to remind everyone about the beauty of our natural world and what is at stake for our children's future.

Here is the link to info on the program and where you can watch it online should you choose.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/heat/view/

On a side note, whatever your party affiliation is and your personal choice for president, please remember to vote on Nov 4!

Kids In The Park - Part I

2008-10-19T16:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we held a fall special at Washington Park for family and children sessions. It was a great time and the weather held out for some nice sunshine and overcast skies all weekend. We ended up photographing 10 sessions on Sat and Sun. Here is just a peek at a several images from them. More to come later!

Seascape Workshop

2008-10-18T20:39:00.000-07:00

This last Wednesday I led a workshop on the OR coast at Cape Kiwanda for several PPO members covering landscape photography. It was a great time. The weather held out for us with only a sprinkle towards the end. This photo is of David Simone as he was photographing another scene I caught the water coming in around him.

I will be having more photo tours and workshops in 2009. If you are interested in signing up for one please let me know and I will keep you posted as they are finalized and announced.

The Enchantments

2008-10-12T18:52:00.000-07:00

This last week I spent 4 days in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, more specifically most of the time was spent at the Enchantments. Thanks again to my friend and photographer, Zack Schnepf for inviting me along. I hope to write up a full trip report when time allows as we experienced a fair bit during only 4 days. For now here is the super short cliff notes version and some of the many photos I took.

Day 1: Hiked in approx 8 miles and 4.5k ft elevation from Stuart Lake trail head to Upper Enchantments. This included Aasgard Pass which is 2k ft in less than one mile! The "storm" we were expecting moved in early and the last part coming over the pass was exhausting in blowing sleet and dropping temps.

Day 2: The wind gusts become very intense overnight with steady gusts of 40 to 50 mph and some up 60 mph! This along with blowing snow. It was a big test for my new little solo three season tent. At times I admit I was worried if my tent would make it, especially when one gust ripped my vestibule up into the air that was staked down and held by a small rock. The wind was relentless so we spent most of the first 36 hours holed up in our sleeping bags trying to rest but with little luck. Windchill on night two was easily around 0 degrees Fahrenheit. No desire to cook or do much so dinner was a yummy Clif bar and other snacks.

Day 3: The forecast called for this to be best of the days we would spend in the Enchantments. We could tell after we woke up that things were getting better quickly. Shortly after sunrise the wind died down to almost nothing and the skies were blue as can be. We quickly ate breakfast and did the short hike to the Lower Enchantments. Zack told me before we left that this is his fav place in the NW. I quickly realized why when the conditions were perfect. It was nothing short of fairyland like, even more so along Leprechaun Lake. We did not know how strong the next system was going to be and decided to leave that afternoon to at least get down the pass while the weather was perfect. Good thing because the pass had some rock solid ice spots where I ended up using my crampons.

Day 4: We hiked out after spending a very restful and peacful night at Colchuck Lake.

Photos as displayed below: Leprechaun Lake abstract, Leprechaun Lake larches, our campsite at dusk, Upper Enchantments frozen over, larches reflecting in Colchuck Lake and Prusik Peak framed by the golden larches.

More to come later as time allows...

First Cup Kids - Part III

2008-10-12T18:38:00.001-07:00

I have finished processing the photos from the First Cup Kids event. We are looking forward to seeing all the parents and kids again soon when they come back to view the proofs in the studio. And as a reminder we will be displaying at least 1 photo of each of the kids in First Cup during the month of November. For now here are some more images... enjoy!

First Cup Kids - Part II

2008-10-04T17:28:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more First Cup Kids, including two sets of twins. I know I said it before but what fun we had that weekend, Seriously some great kids and parents. More kids from this special to come later on the blog when time allows.

On a side note I am headed out for landscape photography trip starting tomorrow and then the day after I return we are very busy with our fall special at Washington Park so if the blog is missing an entry a week from now this is why. Please be patient, we will have new posts soon!

Chrisman Gallery Show

2008-10-04T17:21:00.000-07:00

Now that it's October take a break and come on by to Chrisman Framing & Gallery over in Sellwood. I have nine 20x30 or larger prints and canvas on display through the end of Oct. Ed and his staff do great work and I would recommend them for framing as well.

First Cup Kids - Part I

2008-10-02T22:28:00.000-07:00

I will try and get around to eventually posting at least one photo of each of the 19 kids from the First Cup Kids event but it will take a little time. Thank you again for those that were able to make it. Molly and I enjoyed meeting all the kids and parents, everyone was fun to work with. And thank you for the canned food donations. We ended up with a 65 lb donation to OR Food Bank which comes at a good time I hear as they are lower than normal right now. Here is a few images for right now. Enjoy!

Current Fall Specials

2008-09-28T12:53:00.000-07:00

Right now we are offering a chance to have your fall photo taken at a vineyard in Forest Grove. It will be on Sat 10/18 at Purple Cow and Apolloni Vineyards. Their tasting rooms are open on Saturday's from 12-5. They have some great wine! The sessions are only $49. Call the studio today to book. Please click on the photo ad in this blog entry for more details.

http://www.apolloni.com/ and http://www.purplecowvineyards.com/

We also have our Kids In The Park fall special, for kids and families. We will be having this at Washington Park. It's almost full! Yet, we do have a couple more openings available for those that are interested.

Rey Charles

2008-09-23T09:47:00.000-07:00

Molly's cousin Angie had her little boy last week. What a handsome and active little fellow he is. He had no shortage of facial expressions for the camera. From mouth wide open to crying to serious. We are very happy for Angie and Rey with their new addition and wish them all the best!

Parents: Angela & Reynaldo Ferrer
Reynaldo Charles Ferrer
Born September 15, 2008
8.7 pounds
21 inches long

On The River... Senior Sessions

2008-09-21T16:38:00.001-07:00

It's definitely that time of the year where the high school seniors are getting their photo sessions done in time for the yearbook deadline. If your deadline is coming up contact us today and we will get you in!

My good friend Emily of EA Portrait Design is still awaiting the arrival of her little girl and not quite able to shoot right now. In the mean time I am helping her out as I can. Here are some images from some recent senior sessions I did for her. Both of these were a lot of fun.

Kate at Berkeley Park

2008-09-21T11:33:00.000-07:00

These images are of Kate Sinnott for her 8th grade graduation. The intent was to do this early summer but our busy schedule and Kate's did not work to get a session scheduled until late summer. Anyway, it was a great session where we captured some fabulous and fun expressions. We wish Kate a great first year in high school and we are sure it won't be long before the senior photos will be next!

The Carter Boys

2008-09-21T10:01:00.000-07:00

One of our recent beach sessions was the twin 3 year old carter boys, Logan and Braden. Well, needless to say they are all boy and they sure know how to have fun. They really played well together and were not afraid to give each other hugs, albeit some of the hugs were hard to distinguish whether it was a friendly hug or the beginning of a wrestling match! And by far their favorite part of the session was running. I had them run up and down the beach a few times allowing us to capture some great moments.

CCA Hero Gala 2008

2008-09-20T21:19:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege to attend and photograph the Children's Cancer Association (CCA) 2008 Hero Gala at the Tiger Woods Center on the Nike Campus. If going to a CCA event does not make you beyond thankful for the health of yourself and your own family I don't what ever would. This is an amazing organization that does so much for children and their families that are impacted by this terrible disease. I completely admire the determination and endless positive attitude the families and children showed at this event. Even when faced with such devastating life changing health issues. It's difficult for me to even imagine how I would cope through it if it were me or my family.

The evening did include some celebs from Storm Large to the MC Neil Everett from ESPN, among others. And was filled with many folks willing to open up their pocketbooks for a great cause. Thanks to Joni Kabana, the Hero Wall photographer this year and a great friend of mine, for asking me to photograph this event.

To view slideshow larger, http://www.adrianklein.com/shows/ccaherogala

Going Big

2008-09-20T20:55:00.000-07:00

Recently a client asked for a VERY large canvas from one of my photographs. It was the largest request I had yet. Not all photos can I take this big, it's based on many factors, yet this was one that I knew could go very large. The photo was one from the Painted Hills and happens to be one of my favorites as well. After much searching I was able to find a place that could produce a large high quality canvas for professional photographers. I was very happy with the end result and more importantly so was my client. The final size came to 4' x 6'.

Thank you again to Lance & Michele of Johnson & Associates of Ameriprise Financial in Beaverton.

The Prouser Family

2008-09-17T20:06:00.000-07:00

This last weekend we had a few sessions on the OR coast and boy was it a hot one for the middle of September. Very fine weather that we were fortunate enough to experience this late into summer. One of them was the Prouser Family. We had so much fun with them and I think they had just as much fun which is great. Especially little Lexi. She was less afraid of the cold ocean water than most adults. In fact she could not get enough of it and wanted to sit in it as much as she could. Then Jennifer or Seth would pick her up for a brief moment if a bigger wave came in. Here are a few of the photos from the session of Seth, Jennifer, Lexi and Penny... the Prouser Family.

The Olympic Coast

2008-09-15T13:52:00.000-07:00

Last week I spent a couple days on the Olympic Coast with a buddy of mine and fellow pro landscape photographer, Kevin McNeal. This was my first time there and it's definitely as beautiful as the photos show and what people say. I did not get that great of shooting conditions most of time there but I know I will return soon. Here are a few photos from the trip. I normally like vibrant skies yet my favorite image ended up being the b&w when the beach was completely socked in!

During our brief stay we spent some time in Forks, a small town just off the coast calling itself the "Logging Capital of the World". I did see quite a few logging trucks so that is entirely possible. While we were there we went to this coffee shop Gathering Grounds Espresso to talk business and sip some coffee. The owner Marta is great and they will take care of you! Not to mention it's the only coffee place in town that has wi-fi. It's small, with only one couch and a table but worth the stop for the organic coffee and good conversation.
291 North Forks Ave
Forks, WA, 98331
(360) 374-4100

CCA - Wall of Courage 2008

2008-09-07T10:28:00.000-07:00

A while back I was asked if I could photograph the Children's Cancer Association (CCA) Hero's Celebration for them. Now that I had a chance to be there and see the event I am very thankful to have been one of the two photographers asked to document this day. What an amazing time I had! I feel beyond thankful for what I have and the health of my two kids. The stories that I read and heard about that these 25 selected hero's have been and are going through is simply unreal. The strength, power and courage they, and their families endure, to keep positive and a smile on their face is something we should all aspire to.

The photos on display were photographed by my good friend and fellow photographer Joni Kabana. She did a second to none job of bringing out some great expressions. The day was filled with lots of great events for kids from face painting to many games to jewelry making. Plus, the live music and good food. And the day finished off with the releasing of the doves. I would highly recommend you stop by next year if you can, especially if you have children. There is much to do and all proceeds of course go to a great cause...CCA.

Kabana Photography: http://jkabana.com/

Children's Cancer Association: http://www.childrenscancerassociation.org/

To view slideshow larger, http://www.adrianklein.com/shows/ccaherowall

Chrisman Gallery & Frame - Sellwood

2008-09-01T18:01:00.000-07:00

I want to take a minute and thank Ed at Chrisman Gallery & Frame in Sellwood for their donation of work and framing for great causes. They framed two large prints of mine that are going to annual charity auctions. One is my photo "Above The Clouds" that is going to Gifford Pinchot Task Force for their annual fundraising dinner in October. And the other is "Sublime Sunrise" that is going to the Children's Cancer Association for their annual gala in Sept. Both are great causes that I was glad to be able to donate to when asked. Thanks again to Ed for making this happening!

http://chrismanpictureframe.com/
http://childrenscancerassociation.org/
http://gptaskforce.org/

First Cup - Fine Art Display

2008-09-01T17:49:00.000-07:00

If you get a chance stop by First Cup Coffeehouse in Sept. They are located in the heart of the Woodstock neighborhood. Anita's First Cup will be showcasing about a half dozen of my 20x30 prints. There are a couple new ones that folks have not seen in print yet either. Plus, they do serve Stumptown which is one of the better coffee's in Portland in my opinion.

http://www.firstcupcoffeehouse.com/

Sunset On The Columbia

2008-09-01T17:42:00.000-07:00

Our original plan this Labor Day weekend was to take Rowan for her first backpack trip and then over to Eastern OR to visit family. Yet, she did not get well enough for the backpacking or the road trip so we stayed home. Last night was the only chance I had this weekend to run out for photos. I had a feeling this stormy weather was going to bring a pretty nice sunset. When I showed up on the shore of the Columbia River a intense thunderstorm was rolling through. After the thunder, lightening and down pour of rain passed... I was left with this pleasant scene. The more vibrant of the two photos was taken while I was about knee deep in the river. Feet firmly planted in the clay mud, it took some extra effort to get out of here!

ICPA - Art Wolfe Print Comp

2008-08-28T12:13:00.001-07:00

Some of you may remember my post about a month or so ago talking about the print "Above The Clouds" that I had accepted to the International Conservation Photography Awards (ICPA) 2008 exhibition. Getting one or more photos selected for exhibition is pretty big deal for this popular landscape/nature international competition.

Anyway, I found out today that my print selected for exhibition received 2nd place (runner up) in the Landscape category. Needless to say I was pretty shocked and humbled to have had my photo acknowledged at this level.

Interesting analysis. Since my work covers landscapes, portraits and weddings we are part of different groups and organizations. One organization we are part of is Professional Photographers of America. Although they do focus on weddings and portraits, there are many fine art prints submitted each year to their international print competition. I submitted 4 prints this year and 3 of the 4 made it to the general or loan collection which I was proud of (as noted in a post from last month). The one that did not make it... you guessed it! It's this photo "Above The Clouds" that made it to 2nd place in landscapes for ICPA. Very interesting how much a jury panel can vary from one contest or organization to another. Just a reminder that because a photo, or any thing you enter in a contest, does not do well in one does not mean it won't do well in another. And of course vice versa. It is a subjective process and this very much proves that. Just some food for thought.