Wall Street Journal: Face of Welfare

 

I spent an enlightening morning with a welfare mom a few weeks ago.  The Wall St. Journal sent me on assignment for a welfare story.  This is one of the hidden perks of being a journalist --to see the world through another lens.  I had a comparatively charmed upbringing where both parents worked together to love, provide and raise me.  Sadly this is not the norm for a lot of kids.  Single-mother, Latisha Cunningham is working very hard to get an education and a job.  Both will allow her to get off of welfare, and provide for her young daughter.  I know welfare has quite a nasty stigma attached, and I have misgivings myself.  However, let's not forget the ones who are trying and just need a little boost.  I'm wishing her all the best in her challenge.

The Article can be read here: "Putting a Face on Welfare Spat"

NyTimes - Organ Donation

A few weeks ago I shot what might be the most moving assignment of my life so far. I was assigned to accompany New York Times writer and 2x Pulitzer prize winner, Kevin Sack on a story about organ donation. I had no idea that during the week, I'd end up sitting with a family who's loved one had just died, or that even later in the week, I'd be in the operating room when this person's organs were claimed.

The whole topic of organ donation is we I wish more people could spend time thinking about. I decided to be a donor years ago and this assignment cemented my decision. If I am dead, why not pass my working parts to someone who is struggling with life. One cadaver might give life to half a dozen people?! It is an amazing gift to mankind and I hope you will all consider donating when the time comes that you don't need them anymore.

Almanzo 100: Film

  As you might have noticed, I am pretty passionate about cycling.  This film story was something that my partner at Royal Antler (Tony Franklin) and I knew that we had to tell.  So months of work and collaborations with other talented industry friends eventually resulted in the film you see here.  For more information on the race go here: Almanzo100  And go here: for more films by Royal Antler.

Almanzo100 from Royal Antler on Vimeo.

ARTCRANK: Film Teaser

  Here's a quick sample of the upcoming ARTCRANK film that I produced with Tony Franklin and our Royal Antler Production Co.  We're excited to finally allow people to see this project that we've been working on for over 5 months.  Join us if you can this Thursday at a FREE premier and film fest featuring 4 bike-related films.  Go here for more details:  ARTCRANK premier party.

Stubborn Mule Adventure Race - latest Film

The last film for Yakima Racks in a series of five is live on GearJunkie.com.  We traveled the US from California to Wisconsin to shoot this series.  This final film was a 30 hour (!) adventure race.  I shadowed team GearJunkie/Wadali to show the race from the inside.

Spoiler alert - they won.  Well done, guys.  Hope the rest of you can enjoy living vicariously through them in this short flm.

Yakima Off-the-Map video #4

Bouldering The Great Plains from Gear Junkie on Vimeo.

For the latest installment on GearJunkie.com's "Off the Map" video series for Yakima, we took to the plains in search of a few rare boulders.  These relics of the ice age are strewn about the western side of Minnesota.  Most of them are small and go unnoticed, but some are big enough to attract climbers.  We sought the big ones out and filmed people "bouldering" on them. 

It made me miss climbing...

Winter in WA

 

It's SO humid here today in MN.  I'm sitting on the couch, sweating,re-organizing some files and ran across these wintery images from this last February.  On a press trip to Steven's Pass in WA, I scored the very best powder day I have ever had.

If that wasn't enough, I got to road-trip for several days with a great bunch of people.  We RV'd all over, rode sidecar motorcycles in the snow and lived life to it's fullest for several days.  While I'm in no hurry to usher winter back, these images look like a lot of fun.  I love all seasons!

Trinona Triathlon 2012

I had the pleasure of shooting the Trinona Triathlon for LifeTime Fitness again this year in beautiful Winona, MN.  This is likely the most scenic Triathlon I have shot and I enjoy the day each time.

Last year my goals were more about "race action", where this year was more about "race experience".  I focused more on family, fans, and such.  I actually found this far more challenging, but I enjoyed it all the same.

If you raced in the heat this year, you deserve a pat on the back!  Great work, all of you.  Hope we can rendezvous there again next year!

Bus Sides for Wilder Foundation

Several months ago now I worked with Krustoph Coontz to help with an ad campaing for the Wilder Foundation, a local non-profit. Wilder seeks to assist the people who (usually) have no choice but to become a caretaker for a loved one that has fallen ill or been injured.  "Caretakers" are normal people who give their lives to better the lives of someone else -- or as I would call them, "true heros".  

You can see the images I took on the sides of buses rolling around Minneapolis currently.