a (bike) writer with a camera self-portrait
In 2009, after 13 years of wordsmithing and playing in a
rock & roll band accompanied by a series of eclectic day jobs, I set out to be a
freelance journalist with the broader vision of inspiring people to be more creative and caring stewards of this little round ball we all find ourselves on.
I started a blog so I could experiment with story ideas and hone my writing chops, and much to nobody's surprise called it A World of Words. I also began posting right here in this blissful ocean of orange.
Out in the world, I found that people's stories and actions became more real and immediate — not only for them, but for me — when I was capturing them on camera.
My point-and-shoot Panasonic Lumix turned out to be not only the perfect companion for documenting things like people on bikes while riding my bike, but its Leica lens yielded pictures of unexpected depth and clarity.
Many of my diaries began to naturally morph into photo essays, allowing the pictures and words to gently dance with each other toward the heart of the story.
Over time, and with much expertly guidance from my bestest photo buddy, my work became more refined and took on its own unique voice. Events I was covering, like Sunday Streets San Francisco, requested to use them for their promotions. Publications such as Grist, Architecture 2013, and Reader's Digest wanted to commission my photos. A bunch of pictures from my Cinque Terre post made it into an exhibit on eco-tourism in a German architectural gallery.
So I thought it was time to officially "out" myself as a photographer and launch a photo site where I would curate a few galleries with what I believe to be my strongest and most meaningful work. When my bestest photo buddy saw what I was doing, she spontaneously shouted out: "A writer with a camera!" That really stuck.
Trying to explain why this was important enough to spend time on while I have so many other things on my plate, the best I could come up with was a rock & roll metaphor:
If my Flickr stream represents the live jams, A Writer with a Camera is my first studio release.
Below the orange eyeball a few photos from the front page gallery, along with the essays they're gleaned from, posted here over the years. Enjoy the trip down memory lane...
Cinque Terre: an enchanted photo journey
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Just some quick food porn from Montreal
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“Real Mormons Love Everyone!” – SF Gay Pride 2013, Photo Feast
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When Little People Take Over Big Streets
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Freiburg, Germany: City of the Future. Part I: Keeping What Works
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On a warm San Franciscan night…