Photography, A Means To A Cause?

You may have noticed I haven’t posted an new entry for a while.  Part of this is due to work pressure but a larger part is because I haven’t been out capturing pictures lately and this is primarily a photography blog.  Reflecting on this I recognize this is about much more than photography. Photography has opened …

An Hour At The Golden Gate Bridge

I had the good fortune to spend the past few days staying in Marin County just north of San Francisco attending an exceptional coaching class. I decided to pack a camera just in case I got the chance to spend some time at the Golden Gate Bridge, one of my most favorite spots. I decided …

A Taste of p:ear – Mentoring Homeless Youth

I had the pleasure of spending my morning with the staff of p:ear at one of their volunteer orientation sessions.  p:ear is an organization dedicated to build positive relationships with homeless and transitional youth through education, art and recreation to affirm personal worth and create more meaningful and healthier lives.  You can find out more …

Faith in the Homeless

Jim invited me to attend the monthly brunch at St Johns Covenant church in North Portland. Not being a church goer, I wasn’t sure what to expect although I knew I would be in familiar company with some of the friends I had met at the Operation Nightwatch mobile hospitality center in St Johns. On …

A Roof Over Our Heads

When I ask members of the homeless community what would make the biggest difference in helping them get back on their feet and increase their quality of life, I get a consistent answer, a roof over their heads that they can rely on.  This is something I take for granted but for many it is …

Faces of the Homeless

In partnership with Portland’s Operation Nightwatch organization we organized a photo shoot for the homeless guests at the Downtown and SE shelters.  I hastily pulled together a makeshift studio, packed up the gear and headed downtown with my wife Sue and younger son Jon.  I wasn’t sure how this would go over but I trust …

A Winters Night in Portland

Continuing my exploration into Portland’s homeless community I came across a survey completed in January documenting the homeless in Portland’s Multnomah County on a single night.  First off, this struck me as an ambitious project knowing how big the city is and the all the out of the way places you are likely to home …

Reflections Of Homelessness

  I met D at the Operation Nightwatch mobile van site in St John’s.  Like many of the Nightwatch guests, D is a very friendly and generous person and he was willing to give me a glimpse of his personal story. He grew up in Washington state, the eldest of seven children and found himself …

Parallel Worlds

As I have begun to spend time meeting and talking with homeless guests of Operation Nightwatch at their various locations I have observed a consistent theme.  There is a strong sense of community within the homeless population, deep friendships are obvious.  I see a lot of parallels to the tribal communities in Africa, where belonging …

A Promise of ZERO

My last post outlined the UNICEF ZERO program which is focused on eliminating all preventable deaths amongst children across the globe.  While significant progress has been made, reducing the number of preventable deaths each day from 35,000 in 1990 to 17,000 in 2012, there is much work still to do.  You may be asking, what …