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 …
Category Archives: Urban
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 …
One Bike, No Home
With the help of Operation Nightwatch, I am privileged to be able to spend time with homeless people in the Portland area. One of my personal goals is to understand more about life on the streets, why people end up on the street and what is their life like. As you can imagine it is …
Enter the Wonderland of Lan Su
I mentioned the visit of my wonderful friend Jorge in my last post and following the Rose Garden we decided to visit the Chinese Garden in Portland or Lan Su by its real name. In the heart of downtown Portland, this garden is truly a gem and each time I visit it reminds me of …
Neighborhood Home Comforts
One thing I haven’t done in a while is get out and explore a new neighborhood on foot. When I ran a steady 30-40 miles a week, it was good to simply explore a new area and when I was running I had plenty of time to take it in. Prior to coming to the …
Contrasts in Time
One of my favorite areas of Portland is the Brewery Blocks district. For those of you not familiar with Portland, Henry Weinhard purchased the current site in downtown Portland on Burnside St., one of Portland’s main arteries in 1864, where the City Brewery stood. By 1908 he had completed a new brewery on the same …
Andy Robbins Photography 