Paradise Bride

While in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, one of my jobs was a bridal fashion photo shoot on the beach. I had the privilege of working with a dress from one of my very favorite local Portland dressmakers, Sarah Mansfield. The veil is by August Veils, also of The Bridal Loft. Working with model Andrea Castanette, we had some fun photographing on the beautiful Playa Madera. Here are some sample photographs:










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Cosas en la Playa

Sunrise, sunset. The best light. I walk, camera in hand, simply to see. To play. To delight.









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Fishing for Photos in Zihua

I'm in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, to do a little shooting. This morning I got up early to walk the beach and see what morning would bring. I always find that, to see local culture in full swing, early morning is the time to be out and about.

We saw dolphins in the bay, hummingbirds in the air, watched the frigate birds diving for fish, and watched the locals fish off the promenade. Rather than fishing poles, they have fishing line wound around a piece of wood or bottle, attach a weight and hook to the end, and put a palm-sized fish on the line. Then they'd swing it around, toss it out into the water, and wait.

As I photographed them, one pescador had a fish on the line, and offered it to me. So I took it and started reeling the fish in, hand over hand, walking back and forth along the boardwalk as the fish swam this way and that. Finally we could see the fish in the water below us, and it was big! One of the boys hopped down on the rocks, and picked the fish up out of the water and brought it up to us. It was a yellowtail, nearly 3 feet long.



Travel and editorial photography in Mexico is one of my very favorite jobs!

Kenya Violence Storms Eldoret

Between 30-50 Kenyans were burned to death, and many others severely burned,
in a church, similar to this one pictured here, in Eldoret, Kenya. (In this photo, people are lined up for free medical care in March, 2007.)

I was grieved to hear, on this first day of the new year, that the violence in Kenya has been especially brutal in Eldoret. Today it is reported that between 30-50 people were burned to death in a church in Eldoret, where more than 250 villagers were taking refuge from the violence.

I was just in Eldoret for over a week, in March of 2007. A beautiful country. I spent my time there photographing the work that Open Arms International is doing, to create an orphanage for AIDS orphans. OA was also conducting free medical clinics in the slums, together with local churches, serving several thousand people that week.

The outbreak of violence began with outcry over election scandals, but seems to have turned into a genocidal war between tribes, akin to what has occurred in Rwanda, Iraq, the Balkans, etc. I have been reading reports that church buildings and cathedrals are packed with people seeking refuge from the violence. In my short stay there, I met many pastors and Christians from Eldoret, who worked tirelessly for the care of the poor in that city. I can only imagine the stress and danger these precious people are facing. Furthermore, friends and acquaintances from here in the States are there in Eldoret, working to build this orphanage, from the ground up.

Please be in prayer for them, and for their people: that they will be strong and courageous, that they will be peacemakers, that they will be protected.

Kenneth, a gentle, softspoken young pastor in Eldoret.


This is Pastor Esther, with one of the orphans she cares for in the slums.

Here is an update from Esther in Eldoret, Kenya, on February 7, 2008:

Hello,

Praise God. The situation is bad .my car was burnt and also they wanted to burn the house .the church is a refugee camp now.people have lost direction faith no prayers no trust no spiritual likfe victimazed no money for communication ,ten people were killled at my gate when they were coming to kill us.That day ihbad over fifty people with children also two mps opposition were killed so there is alot of tension please pray for us.God has given me alot of strength and its well.

God bless you in amighty way.
Goodbye.
say hi to everybody .many children in Kasarani are not going to school because of tension and some schools closed.

What we have seen is terrible but thanks to lord for gift of life.
many people have lost there life there is much of harted ,enemity and separation of tribes no unity.

A child plays in the plastic trash-strewn field of the Eldoret slums.

Christa and Mike

The few weeks surrounding Christmas and New Year's are kind of like a second summer in Oregon, in terms of weddings. Minus, of course, the sunshine and warmth of summer, and with the addition of a great deal of clouds and precipitation. Which is why, at Mike and Christa's wedding at the Oregon Golf Club in West Linn, they put everyone on Mountain Watch.

Oregon Golf Club usually has a fantastic view of Mt Hood, but not at this cloudy time of year. But the bride thought a little cloud break might just show a glimpse of the mountain in its winter majesty. Well, we didn't get a peek at the peak, but we did get a rainbow, right about where the mountain would be. We took it as a good omen, and took a picture:


Christa works in Washington DC for Oregon Representative Earl Blumenauer. She is a Legislative Assistant, covering such weighty topics as firearms, labor, civil rights, women's issues, social security, and more. So she's a pretty organized, plan-ahead-and-make-it-happen kind of woman. (As well as an absolute sweetheart with a great laugh.) Which is why she kept a copy of her wedding vows in a very accessible but covert part of her wedding gown. Which her bridesmaids thought was rather clever. And yes, she did end up needing it during the ceremony, and whipped it right out....


Did I mention that Christa is resourceful and organized? Here are the contents of her bridal purse: a compact, lipstick, a Tide To Go stain remover, and a list of people to thank at the reception.



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