People talk about how the world gives you exactly what you need, exactly when you need it, well it apparently holds true for dogs as well.  When Walter, mangy and malnourished, arrived in Spokane, the world knew exactly what he needed and placed him in my sister’s yard.  Let me just tell you, if ever you’re lost, and in need of some help, this is the home you want to find yourself at.  She took him in, and despite his physical appearance, knew just what a beautiful creature he was.  Almost instantly, she sent me the message that I needed to make a 6 hour drive to Spokane, to receive this incredible dog.  I resisted, as certainly there were dogs in need of homes in Portland, and if I really wanted one, I could save the trip.  She persisted, and next thing I know, I’m driving to Spokane.

He certainly was as advertised.  Long mangy hair, and dire need of a few hamburgers, but he did have soul…..Did he ever have a soul.  We met, and we bonded.  Looking back, I really feel like we were both lost souls,  somehow aware that there was more to this thing called life. There was something better, but we just needed a little help getting there.  Our purpose may have been to provide each other a friend along the way.

The thing is Walter and I….I don’t think we ever were meant to spend our lives together.  It was more as though he was there because he knew I needed him, but he too was seeking something more.  One thing’s for sure, I had no idea just what an impact he would have on my life.

Once we were together, we were together 24 hours a day.  Back in my freight forwarding days, he would come to the office and offer up a much needed distraction in an often stressful environment.  He just had an amazing calming effect wherever he was.  He was loved.

Of course, our greatest work would come at Torrefazione…Wow, could he work it.  It’s one thing to toss a puppy out as a lure, and snag whatever comes along, but with Walter, he took things to a whole other level.  He would just connect with the most amazing people, and bring them to my table.  It was as though he didn’t have time for the fluff, he was all about substance.  The people I met with this dog have been with me to this day…He could certainly sniff them out.

Speaking of life changing, this just came to me.  Walter and I would hang out at various dog parks in NE Portland, and one of those parks was shared by Pete.  Pete was a peculiar Australian Shepherd, who grew fond of Walter and Walter of him.  Attached to Pete was one Jennifer Priestler, who at the time, was in the process of opening Yoga Pearl at the same time I was exploring the idea of photography.  Eventually, after many connections in the park, I talked her into letting me take some photos.  From that moment, when you start to track it through, I started working with Yoga Pearl, which opened the door to about 90% percent of the people in my life today and pretty much shaped everything I’m currently doing.  Thank you Walter.  Never take for granted how important that furry little creature may be in your life.

Over the next couple years, I began to shift my life to discovering my passion and living it.  Walter was right there with me, and who knows, maybe learning a little from the process.  We eventually let the office, sold the house, and took on a photography studio.  Our time together began to change…While we still made our trips to the coffee shop and dog park, he could certainly sense that my attention was becoming more consumed with this whole photography thing.  About this time, a new tenant moved into the building.  She was a painter, and along with her came another dog named Bob.  It didn’t long until Walter would hear them enter the building and mosey on down to spend the day with the two of them.

I don’t really recall how long this went on for, but I do remember the feeling that it was becoming more and more difficult for Walter to say goodbye to them at the end of the day.  After a while, it became too much to overlook, and that is when it happened.  I told Brenda to take Walter for the weekend, just to see how he reacted.  On Monday, when they returned to my studio and walked in, he positioned himself behind her to let me know he had made a decision.  Well, the thing is, dogs can’t talk….If they could, I’m pretty certain that we would have had a fantastic conversation, where he told me of this new adventure he wanted to take and I could have told him how excited I was for him.  Instead, I saw him standing there, I knew what he wanted, gave him a hug and let him go.

Over the next six years, while I don’t know all the details, I’m certain that Walter had the best life a dog could ever hope for.  There was the house across the street from Laurelhurst Park, which is as good as it gets for a dog who loved run and was a herder at heart.  He had the cross country adventure to live on a ranch in Missouri(it was Missouri, right?), chasing deer and whatever else may present a challenge. A dream for a dog like Walter.

One thing with Walter, he loved the chase, but there was not a violent bone in his body.  The first time I discovered this, was at the park.  He was always chasing squirrels, and one day in hot pursuit, the squirrel he was chasing fell from the tree and landed at his feet.  Walter looked down at the terrified rodent, and just sat there waiting until the squirrel regained its bearings, and went on with the chase.  The other time, on a trip through Bend, we were taking a bathroom break when a bunch of rabbits took off from the brush.  Walter immediately took off in chase.  After a few hundred yards, one of the rabbits decided to give up, and just stopped.  Well, startled, Walter arrived at the rabbit, they sniffed noses, and Walter simply turned around and walked away.

The one thing about Walters life after our time together, I always felt such joy when I heard stories of his next adventure.  I liken it to what it must feel like when you raise a kid, and then just get bits and pieces of their life once they head out on their own.  Always a bit of pride in hearing about his life.  The one thing I know, is Walter had a brilliant life….He started out in a difficult situation, changed his surroundings and lived life to the fullest.  He taught me a lot, and I love him.

Growing up in Portland, I’ve seen hundreds of homeless people in my life. I would often offer up a buck or two, if I had it handy. It was always a quick exchange….Painless and emotionless, it gave me a brief moment of satisfaction in doing something, then I was on my way. The homeless I met on the streets seemed so far removed from my life….It was similar to viewing one of the “save The Children” commercials on tv. I pause and watch for a moment, but it’s so far away….Even when it’s standing a foot in front of you, it seems so far away. It helped that they didn’t look like me, they had dirty clothes, some were drunk, some seemed to be mentally ill……It was the face I put on homelessness; the face that maintained the distance and gave me comfort.

On Tuesday I saw the true face of homelessness, which is every face you can imagine. They looked like me, like my uncle or aunt, my cousin, my friend. I discovered that there is no distance, and once you remove “the face” of homelessness, you discover a person who simply needs a little help.

For one day, I met a couple hundred people, who happen to be homeless. In the couple of minutes they spent in front of my camera, it was just another person working it….Some were a little goofy, some went heavy on the attitude. while others simply shared their love for each other. It was awesome. We all had fun.

As I look through the photos, and look at the faces, I can only imagine what it would mean to have that captured moment, become their reality. To remove the homeless equation from their lives, so there is one less thing making their lives difficult. To make it a little easier to laugh, love and live. The goal of Project Homeless Connect is to bring an end to homelessness. Before Tuesday, I couldn’t imagine that being a possibility……Now, I can honestly say, I can’t imagine it not.

Here are a few of the people I met, but you can find them all in the link below. Enjoy and be inspired.

Click Here to View The Gallery

Now, get inspired and do something about it!

To better understand the issues and the goals, please take the time to watch this video…..

It is officially time to work on content, so be sure to check back soon. Right now, I have about 30 weddings from this past year which have not made it to the site. Well, I vow to change that in the next week. The other thing I discovered is the need to fill the “create” section with new work….meaning I need to still create the work to fill it with. I really need people who are open to playing, who need no guarantees of results, and love to be in front of the camera….well, you don’t need to love being in front of the camera, but when we finish, you certainly will.

So, taking a break from the web site today, I went to explore a house with Sarah. I ended up loving the cellar the most….

Truth be told, her favorite place is not in front of the camera, which I just don’t understand….I mean look at her. Can you believe I was once married to her? No, really, I used to be pretty cool.

I felt very privileged that she would humor me, and get her groove on, as we took the tour of Seattle. The only thing I wouldn’t go for, was she really wanted to sit on the pig out front of the fish market…Maybe next time.

For as long as I can remember, I was the person sitting in the background, observing. Sitting in bars and coffee shops, I watched people doing their thing, wishing I had the courage to approach them and learn their story. I can’t say how it began or why I always played such passive roll in the process.  I always knew that I needed more, that I had to find a way in.

When I discovered photography, a new door opened, and I found a way in which I could connect to the people around me. Strangers would come to my studio to be photographed, feeling vulnerable in front of the camera, in a place very few people feel comfortable. I had to learn how to break through that discomfort, in a very short period of time, in order to get the shots we wanted. When I first began, I had no idea how to do this, as I stumbled along, hoping the true personality of the subject would somehow just appear before me.

When I was learning how to take a portrait, I looked at thousands of photographs, observing the angles and lighting. I studied and practiced, hoping to master these skills, and become a great photographer. As my technical skills improved, the photographs looked better, but they just seemed to be falling short of what I wanted. They just didn’t have the life that makes a truly great photograph. I had discovered the single most important element in photographing people.  Far more important than any of the technical skills, is the ability to connect to the subject and bring out of them, what you hope to capture.

Working in the studio or shooting a wedding, the process has become natural, so it’s now time to push things a bit. This is where the love of photographing people and the love of observing strangers finally comes together. While on my little vacation, an idea came to me on Christmas day. I ran to the only open market in Yachats, and picked up a pack of index cards. I then proceeded to the only open bar, which happened to be The Landmark. Inside I found people sharing the love and spirit that is so prevalent in this amazing little town. I sat at the bar, contemplating my idea and building my courage.

It’s really quite simple, and I’m not sure why I felt such fear and hesitation, but here it is. I simply want to photograph people, who I’ve met for a brief moment in a public place. I want to get them in front of my camera, and capture them as I see them. Just a couple of snaps, and take what I get. I then hand them a card, and ask the to write whatever they want to share with the world in that moment. No rules.

This is what we came up with.

As simple as it sounds, I can’t begin to describe just how exciting this experience was for me. It was a moment in which I came full circle, finding the door to move from passive observer to place I’ve always dreamed.