Wenatchee
Wenatchee's Walla Walla Point Park was host to Phil and Kelly's lovely, intimate wedding this month. The ceremony was attended by a small group of beloved friends and family, and the weather could not have been more gorgeous. A beautiful Wenatchee Spring day.
I was privileged to have been invited to document the occasion. here are a few of my favorite moments from the day.
The CrossFit Open is the first phase of the annual CrossFit Games, lasting five weeks. Athletes in CrossFit affiliates worldwide get the opportunity to participate and test themselves in five weekly WODs ("WOD" = Workout Of the Day).
This year I was invited by CrossFit Wenatchee to document the Open for them. It has been a fantastic experience watching these athletes, from all walks of life and all skill levels, fight through extraordinary workouts and push past the limits they thought they had. I am so grateful that I've been given the opportunity to capture those moments.
As I've been editing the last four WODs, and looking forward to tomorrow's final WOD, I've been struck by two specific types of shots: Pain-Face, and The Aftermath.
Pain-Face is the athletes face reflecting the struggle the rest of their body is enduring. Getting that bar up. Squeezing in that last rep. Fighting through, when time seems to have stopped moving, but knowing that you won't. Pain-Face is not pretty, or especially flattering. But it is raw and intensely real and I love capturing it.
The Aftermath happens right after time is called and that last rep is recorded. It's when sweat angels are born and the brain hasn't quite caught up enough to ask what the hell the body has just done. It's when fellow athletes come to comfort, commiserate, and congratulate. The work is done. You made it to the other side. You're pretty sure you survived. Again, not pretty. Again raw, real, and I love capturing it.
I've been thinking, editing many of these particular shots, about how they might be perceived by their subjects. Maybe they'll be embarrassed. (Don't be!) Maybe they'll wonder if I'm making fun of them. (ABSOLUTELY NOT!)
I love these shots because they show an important part of what is so amazing about Crossfit. They are documentation of struggle and determination in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges. They give us a glimpse of what we are capable of, and the fight to achieve it. If I've done my job right, any other CrossFit athlete, anywhere in the world, will see a reflection of themselves in these photos. That connection is more than just shared suffering. It is shared growth. It is shared struggle. It is shared accomplishment. That connection is the heart and soul of CrossFit. Being able to evoke even a tiny bit of that magic through my photos is a fantastic experience and tremendous honor. It fires me up.
Shots of beautiful form and chiseled physiques are great and I love catching those as well, don't get me wrong. But for my money, Pain-Face and The Aftermath are where it's at. Sure, they're not pretty.
But they are beautiful.
We had the good fortune to spend the week before and New Year on Pender Island in British Columbia, Canada. Dylan lived there for several years and has wanted to share the New Year's Lantern festival with me for some time.
The entire week was wonderful. Pender is such a haven, and its people couldn't be more warm and welcoming. From hiking in the forests and along the beaches, to strolling through the alleys of Victoria's China Town in search of sesame balls, to the fabulous lights of Butchert Gardens, to the Lantern Festival, a wonderful time was had by all.
And I even got a swanky new toque.
You can check out the full gallery here.
Even a gray and a bit soggy day is a good day when you get to hang out at Badger Park Dog Park at Walla Walla Point Park in Wenatchee.
I did a little shooting there this weekend, partly to stretch the legs of the new gear, but mostly because I love shooting dogs.
That came out all wrong... Moving on.
Keep an eye on the blog. Badger Park and I might just have a special project debuting in the next month or so. Stay tuned!
Last Saturday I had the pleasure of attending a book reading at A Book For All Seasons in Leavenworth, WA. The reading was in support of the new novel, "After Day One" by my friend Ben Seims.
It was so cool getting to shoot Ben as he met with fans and talked about the book, his process, and his passion for writing.
Thanks for letting me come and play Ben. I had a blast.
The fabulous Ms. Mary Collier asked me to come and play with her at Ohme Gardens for an afternoon. I was only to happy to oblige.
It was a beautiful day and a lovely couple. Here are a few of my favorite shots from the day.
I'm just going come right out and say it: It's inaccurate calling this a "senior photo" shoot. The more accurate description would be calling this the "hang out with Gabi, have a great time, and let her make you look REALLY good as a photographer" shoot.
Gabi is a super-amazing kid and was a ridiculous amount of fun to work with.
Here are a few of my favorite shots.
On July 4th of this year I had the privilege of backing up the incomparable Ms. Mary Collier for the Clark wedding at the Town Toyota Center here in Wenatchee. What an experience!
I got to help help shoot the first wedding held in the TTC. I got to shoot from the cat walk above the arena! I can't thank Mary enough for letting me tag along. It was such a blast!
Here are a few of the favorite shots I took that day. Hope you enjoy them as much as I had taking them.
