Couple months back, I had a lull in work travels and made some time to photograph Ron Miller, the former Naval Commanding Officer at Magnuson/Sand Point here in Seattle.

Before getting in studio, I was lucky enough to hear stories and tour his old offices in what is now ‘Building 30,’ a multi-use complex that hosts a number of community events here in Seattle.

The ballroom floor above no doubt saw quite a bit of traffic, and as he reminisced about the good ole’ days, Ron revealed a number of old cassettes buried deep in his bomber jacket. Apparently, they contained the daily motivational speeches he was often known to give to his newer recruits.

One title, “Prescription for Relief from Stress” was a favorite. **(As an aside: some days later, I received a compendium of these speeches in printed form. . .)

While it’s sad to admit that Building 30 now lays in a state of semi-disrepair, there’s quite a bit of community effort to preserve it by transforming it to artists’ studios and small naval museum. The image above shows an installation undertaken by a number of Magnuson Park artists as a means to draw attention to the building’s state.

Either way, it’d be great to breathe new life into 30 and get someone else in there besides the ducks.

As we made our way out, I couldn’t help but notice Ron’s sweet bomber jacket.

Asked him about picking one up in a large, but was informed that it only came in two sizes, 1) no and 2) just Ron’s.

Much appreciation to Ron for taking the time to sit for me. Happy Fourth to everyone!

More always,

Mike

Road Warrior Grip Kit and Wardrobe Bundle. Shot in a hotel right around Billings, Montana.

Now that I’m back in the Emerald City for what I think will be at least a couple weeks, I’ll be bringing everyone up to speed on recent happenings: portfolio updates, recent projects, a NEW new Website look . . .

A gaggle of geese seen near the tulip fields outside La Conner, Washington.

Stay tuned as I leave you (for the moment) with the sentiment best expressed by the Marlboro Man in the image seen below.

The Marlboro Man seems to be pretty broken up about the whole thing. General Information board in Seattle, Washington.

More always,

Mike

Image above is the one that ran, but I had the time to do a couple versions on account of John’s relaxed nature and willingness to help a fellow artist experiment. That said, I was quite fond of the two images below.

Either way, do yourself a favor and head on over to the full post to read more about John and his longtime efforts helping artists and the SODO community.

In other exciting news, I now have prototype/1st round versions of my new portfolios that will be hitting photo editor/creative desks very soon.

How can I show you and not allow a peek inside?

The scan above is from inside the editorial book. Then here’s a grab from the portrait book.

These first round looks comes courtesy of none other than photo consultant extraordinaire Amanda Sosa-Stone. She did an amazing job pairing and juxtaposing themes/subjects/events that had been unobserved to my own eyes.

**A word of advice: get someone to lay your book out for you. If anything, it’s just another set of eyes on the ground suggesting what stays and what goes. I’m not speaking to every photographer, but I know I can oftentimes be a little too close to the work I love creating. It was certainly helpful to get someone else’s take.

More always,

Mike

Gave my buddy Knuteson a call and he was more than game to help me out.

Had a great time shooting it, and it’s fun to see the results.

Stay tuned as there should be more of these bad boys in the coming months.

More always,

Mike

postscript: Lucien says ’sure, I can help you out on that, but you’re going to have to do something for me. . .‘

This is her home back in yonder days.

So much cool stuff to shoot, it’s a photographer’s paradise.

Desi, her boyfriend, has great taste in music.

Makes me wish I still had my own Technics turntable hooked up.

My outfit still works but the amp blew sometime back. Great to see Desi’s keeping it real though.

Nothing sounds as good as vinyl in a well-lit room.

Scorpion and Cobra Tequila one procured in Vietnam probably doesn’t hurt either.

A painting of Leyla by Desi after sipping Cobra Tequila.

All the tequila, music and pups in the room have led to the plants taking their lives into their own hands . . .

. . . reaching for that beautiful window light. While here, I laid on my back and pretended to be one of Leyla’s pampered pooches.

In fact, here’s Benita aka “Benny.” The new addition to the family.

And this is Leyla reaching down to pet Koda: the friendliest, kindest dog I’ve ever known.

Here’s my friend looking over at Leyla for something, a treat maybe . . .

. . . oh, nope. It’s just to remind her of all the hair on her butt.

More always,

Mike

Seen above is Muna, a graphic design friend kind enough to sit for me as the first subject of the day. I realized pretty quickly that math was not Muna’s strong suit, and she had no problem telling me about it. Wanted to push it another layer, so I got a few more folks into the studio who do math pretty much the entire day.

This is Kasey, my favorite teller from the local bank where I do most of my financial business. They’re the nicest folks and when I ran the idea by them, they jumped at the idea of sitting for these left-of-center portraits.

Here’s Cat, manager of the bank. She was always at me about getting that business account. When I came through on that for her, I told her she owed me one. She’s a sport and delivered quite exceptionally on that promise.

And finally, Sam, the lone guy at the bank. Don’t think he’s smiling because there’s a 5:1 ratio of guys to girls. Oh no, it’s because he was the quickest calculator in the bunch.

Several interesting projects in the works, so stay tuned for new posts over the next couple weeks.

More always,

Mike

*quick note on the project: the left panel image was captured from behind the camera by way of cable release. The right panel image was captured about a half-second to second after by way of ‘capture’ button on a tethered laptop by a completely different DSLR system set up in profile to my subject. Diptychs composed from chronologically symmetrically-sequenced images from either capture system.

There was one minor hitch though: neither of my subjects were all that keen on the typical portrait. In fact, they wanted to see what I might be able to do if I ‘weren’t’ to show their faces.

I’m all about client services, so I was happy to oblige. In fact, I’m quite liking the results.

More always,

Mike

Me shot by friend and colleague, John Keatley in early February.

That next week of February, I was out on Capitol Hill doing pre-pro for a job and came across this gent looking at an amoebic shape, that or the hole in his chest.

Around the same time, I photographed Jenna’s father’s law firm: Montgomery, Scarp, MacDougal.

In the middle part of February, I stabbed myself in the neck in my haste to do something. “The untold dangers of wearing pens in the collars of one’s shirt,” taken by Lionel, Mr. iPhone.

Also did a two-week truck shoot, and all I managed was this camera phone pic by Lionel, Mr. iPhone in a dimly-lit Pacific Grip and Lighting.

Straight from the truck shoot, went aboard an Adidas job happening over on the Olympic Peninsula and in Seattle proper.

Was in Props/Art Dept. on this one.

Had the great fortune of working with Mr. Dominic Muller of Gus Creative.

The bare necessities, part 1.

The bare necessities, part 2.

My muse.

A stylist’s handbag.

Finally got my custom-made specs from dear friend, Scott Urban of Urban Spectacles of Wood.

Me in Urban Spectacles shot by Tommy Clark.

It’s not on account of inability to pay or a desire to leave for another locale; merely because big money, fat greed and prideful conquest win out more often than not. . .

The final day in my studio stands at May 1st, so it’s my hope to post as regularly as I can as my time at Bldg 11 in Magnuson Park, Seattle comes to a close. . .

More always,

Mike

Yeah that’s me in a Masonic Grandmaster’s Hat. Don’t look too hard as my brain explodes after this. . .

Sorry I’ve been incognito as of late, but I’m back in full force. February has been a mad cover-up of jobs after taking January off to grieve for lost loved ones:

The pretty smiling ladies above are from the era of one Nellie Mae Pittman who passed in late January. She was my grandmother and the coolest girl on two feet! She used to let me watch HBO when I was four and taught me everything I know in the kitchen. . . Much love to you Nanny!

A two-week car shoot and an upcoming Adidas job has had me buried as of late, but I’m hoping to post current projects very soon. . . Amanda, don’t kill me. . .

More soon,

Mike