a shot of zen

It's 11:05pm on Sunday night and I'm running on fumes. I've been running around with a camera at Coldsmoke this past weekend. It's a (ski) powder festival at Whitewater, an awesome ski hill in Nelson B.C. It was for work, you know, this new job I landed has me running around chasing seasonal outdoor adventure, not long from now it will transition into rock climbing.

Lots could be written about the time I had up in Canada the last few days. If you ever get the chance. Go to Nelson. Such a sweet town. My short recommendation has nothing to do with the fact that I'm Canadian at heart or that it was amazing skiing, or that the town itself is a beautiful patch of wonderful restaurants and lots of independent shops all of which is surrounded by soaring mountains and pristine lakes.

But attempting to go beyond the banter, below is the beginning of a new goal which coincides with a new camera. I am going to enter the world of video. With tiny steps I will be adding short videos (along with the usual photos) to this blog.

short. simple. videos.
like this one. a shot of zen.

A little plug for a little exhibit

I am happy. A few of my photos have found a home. Which is to say a better home, on a wall at White Box Pies rather than tucked away on my laptop. I had the idea a few weeks ago and worked with a local framer in Spokane, Dick Hughes of Lee Frame Shop to put six images behind glass in simple black frames. Is it anywhere close to the super cool scene I found under the Louvre, not a chance. Is it fun to think that a few strangers could grab inspiration from seeing the photos while waiting in line for a delicious piece of pie, hell yes.

Hang on!

I admit I've missed jotting down a few notes from the field recently.  The work-a-day lifestyle since landing a full-time job in Spokane a few weeks ago has left me short on time and exhausted my creative fuel tank. However, I'm confident that in due time I will find a way to have sufficient energy/time for both my job and my notes.

Who's ever out there, "hang on" while I sort out something often referred to as the work/life balance. Although they may be a little less frequent, I will continue to post whenever inspiration strikes.

Monday morning.

Sometimes you get up Monday morning, look out the window and cannot see anything else except two North American River Otters cruisin' around Latah Creek...

PHOTO ESSAY: Spending an afternoon with Ruth and my camera south of Spokane

The Madrugador Dawn Patrol

My favorite word in Spanish is madrugador, meaning "early riser".

A 4:30(am) wake-up call had me looking down at snowshoes attached to my feet by half six. Still dark, I felt fully awake thanks in large part to the cut of cold air covering the base of Mt. Spokane. A sweet silence hovered over my senses as I looked out across the white sheet of winter. Being surrounded by that awesome silence on top of a snow swept mountain creates a quietness I only wish would stick with me long after the experience expires.

The collective movement of snowshoes and skins commenced an ascent towards the summit, their strong grip on the frozen floor created a crisp rhythmic crunch with every step. I pushed forward, following behind what is known as the "Dawn Patrol". A quick glance over my shoulder leaves little wonder why this diehard group claims such a title. I stopped for a moment and admired the day's first sunlight sweeping over the mountains, rolling low into the valley, rich colors scattering across the horizon like a paint swatch.

Looking down on Spokane, I realized the view from the summit was far sweeter than a few more hours of sleep.