Jump Into the Fire
Jumping for joy near the top of Volcan Pacaya after a lengthy climb in the dusk light. Pacaya is an active volcano close to Guatemala City and had been grumbling recently, so this was as close as we could get to the crater. Steam vents, a desolate landscape of hardened lava, stellar views of the neighbouring volcanoes and a stunning sunset all made the climb up a worthy trek. Try as we could though, the dog just wouldn’t jump for my camera.
Guatemala, 2011.
Monkey Business
A close encounter with a monkey at Lago Petén Itza. We took a lancha to what we thought was a wildlife refuge for injured and abandoned local animals. Turns out, it was just a zoo. Not exactly our cup of tea, but at least we got some interaction with the residents.
Guatemala, 2011.
Scout Out Loud
I came across some shots I took with Molly Millar while we were scouting for a Momentum Style shoot last autumn. There’s something interesting going on here I think – totally candid shots taken while checking building angles and the slant of late day light. Molly appears to be observing her city, in a completely off guard, yet thoughtful, way. One person surrounded by tons of steel and concrete. Let me know what you think!
Vancouver, 2011.
A Short Tour of Portland, Oregon by Bicycle
Riding up the bicycle corridor of Williams Street, heading north.
I had a great opportunity to check out Portland, Oregon a few weeks back when I went down with Mia Kohout & Molly Millar of Momentum Magazine to attend the Pedal Nation PDX Bicycle Expo. We went a day early and met up with Nick Sande, a friend of Mia’s and a new friend to me. He supplied us with Surly bikes & our first IPAs of the day and off we went into the warmth of the spring sunshine. After a short tour of the NE, we stopped at Joseph Ahearne’s studio and I took a Work Truck out for a spin. It was fantastic to ride and was even better when Joseph got on the front rack for a jaunt around the block. This bike is serious for carrying cargo and feels just as nimble with or without a heavy load.
Next up, we rode to Portland Design Works for a visit with Dan and a look at their space. On the rooftop for a beer, our timing was right to watch the ‘bicycle rush hour’ pour by on Williams Street below. It was an inspiring sight to see so many riders commuting to and from work. A stop at Hopworks Urban Brewery’s new BikeBar was a must, but we had a wait, so next door to Lompoc Brewing we went. Delicious ales on tap here. Back at HUB we were amazed at the local frame builders on display – almost 40 of them I reckon, above the bar showcasing Portland’s incredible, diverse handbuilt bicycle industry. Also impressed by the 11 organic beers on tap – that Secession Cascadian Black IPA is so good.
Later on we rode to the The Bye and Bye on Alberta Street for some further beer exploration. Met up with a number of other bike friends and had a really fun time. The expo the next day came mighty early, but we survived…as always. Here are some shots from an afternoon of riding around NE Portland, Oregon. Click on the first shot to view large.
Portland, 2012.
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- The Jupiter Hotel was home for those short nights of sleep.
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- Even a smaller restaurant like Farm has ample bike parking for their customers.
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- Brunch at the Doug Fir, looking across to the Galaxy.
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- The door of perception at the Doug Fir Lounge.
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- Bikes line the walkway up to The Lizard Lounge in downtown Portland.
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- My ride for the day was this one-of-a-kind Surly Traveller’s Check.
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- The view from a hidden ridge, overlooking Portland’s industrial NW.
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- Mia Kohout and Nick Sande, riding buddies for the day. Nick was a gracious tour guide and all-round awesome dude.
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- Mitch Pryor works on a frame in his studio in NE Portland.
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- I saw a Hostess outlet in my travels. First time for that.
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- Riding an Ahearne Work Truck with the builder Joseph Ahearne riding on the front to approximate 155lbs of weight. Awesome.
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- A look inside the bicycle building studio shared by Joseph Ahearne and Mitch Pryor.
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- A massive bowl for riders and skaters inside pdw.
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- Riders heading up Williams at rush hour.
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- Cars R Coffins, from the roof of Portland Design Works warehouse space.
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- Riding up the bicycle corridor of Williams Street, heading north.
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- An astro-turfed vintage clothing park.
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- Lodekka vintage shop next to HUB’s Biker Bar.
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- Inside the Lodekka vintage double-decker bus shop.
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- ….Bottles of beer on the wall at Hopworks Urban Brewery.
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- Mia takes on the delicious pretzel mug in the HUB Biker Bar.
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- An end of the night scene in front of the SpeakEasy in Portland.
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- The poster wall at the Doug Fir Lounge in the Jupiter Hotel.
Pedal Nation Fashion
I attended the Pedal Nation PDX Bicycle Show in Portland, Oregon last weekend and it was a blast! The event took place at the Portland Expo Centre and I traveled the I-5 south with Mia & Molly from Momentum Magazine. We had a booth, handed out a huge stack of mags and even partnered with Opus Bicycles to give away a bike at the end of the show. Good times were had by all!
I went down a day early to get riding in this very bicycle-friendly city, met a lot of great people – some of whom I’ve been emailing with for years – and toured the bike industry zone while sampling some of Oregon’s finest ales on that lovely spring day. I’ll put up a short post with some of those shots soon.
Back to the show. Momentum stylist Molly Millar put together 28 looks for the One Fine Day Fashion Show which ran both days. I was there to capture these bicycle-riding folk as they rolled up the ramps and made significant inroads to the cause: you don’t have to look like a cyclist to ride a bike in North America.
Fact is, some of these items are pretty bike specific and cater to a sportier cyclist putting on the miles. Some are made by independent designers who incorporate the bicycle into their daily lives and find inspiration in that. But many of the looks simply hid thoughtful secrets – a jacket cut just the right way for riding, reflective strips you’d only see on a rolled pant leg, wool knickers and vests at home on the pathway or the cafe. Maybe the helmets give it all away – Nutcase was a sponsor after all – but the great thing about shows like this is furthering the ‘normalization’ of riding a bike. It is an everyday activity. All you need is a bike. But with a few pieces of bike-specific clothing you might just be more comfortable – plus inherently more stylish – and, really, no one would know the difference on the city streets.
Here’s a selection of shots from the One Fine Day Fashion Show at Pedal Nation 2012. For a complete look book, I’ll point you to this post on Momentum’s Style Blog featuring my full collection of images and info on what everyone is wearing and riding.
Portland, Oregon, 2012.
Ham for the Holidays
On Christmas Eve, the streets of Trinidad, Cuba became electric. Even more so than the usual. You couldn’t walk a half block without stumbling over a table filled with cakes, freshly cooked meat being carved up street side or people of all generations milling about, getting that last little thing for the family gathering that night. Restaurants proudly displayed their goods; as you can see above, the pig was recently butchered and the turkey behind it had to be quivering under those feathers. When we got back to Casa Yami y Carlos, we were treated to the largest meal of white fish from the sea, beans & rice, plantain fritters, fresh fruit & salads, cakes, breads and rum we’ve ever seen. We joined our host family in celebrating the holidays their way and it was fantastic.
It was a Christmas free of commercialism, free of capitalism for the most part and decidedly ambivalent towards religion. Sure, the cathedral had a midnight mass, but the choir was drowned out by 1) the open air night club behind the place, 2) the huge Salsa party happening on the steps next to the church and 3) the general camaraderie amongst the people in the square. It all made for 1) a deep reflection on how cultures mark their holidays , 2) an open, warm celebration for all ages and 3) one great party. This was my second Christmas in another country – Argentine Patagonia was a few years ago – and it’s a very interesting & fulfilling time to become one with the people hosting you in their town.
Trinidad, Cuba, 2011.
Teatro Luisa, Cienfuegos
Cienfuegos is another in a long line of great Cuban cities. This bay-side city sits on the southern coast, just an hour west of Trinidad. They have an amazing malecón, a vibrant street scene as dusk hits, fabulous paladares and architecture unlike that in the rest of Cuba. Neo-classical, French-inspired buildings, promenades in the middle of streets and no shortage of Art Deco-influenced structures, especially in the arts, surround squares and line the main drag. Some call Cienfuegos La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South) but I like the famous Cuban singer Benny More’s simple tribute: “Cienfuegos is the city I like best”. I can’t say it was my top destination this time around, but I think a few more days back in this city and I might have to agree.
Cienfuegos, Cuba, 2011.
Future Sluggers
I had two seconds between pitches to get this portrait of a couple kids playing baseball in La Habana Vieja before they were at it again. Stick, bottle cap, themselves and a street. All that’s needed and you may have a heavy hitter on your hands in no time. This is one of my favourites in a series of portraits from Cuba…stay tuned for more!
La Habana, Cuba, 2011.
Framing the Cuban Flag
The Museo de la Revolución seen through the flag of Cuba. Havana, Cuba, 2011.
Pelicanos
Rio Dulce approaching Livingston, Guatemala, 2011.
Meeting Fires Creative 