FRP Journal

FR-P Journal

  • Getting Around Honolulu

    Getting Around Honolulu

    I love Honolulu. There’s something about it that reminds me of New Orleans, where I lived and worked for a decade. It’s overgrown, hot & humid, unkempt in places. I love that about both cities. It also shares a quirkiness with New Orleans. It’s more subtle. New Orleans tends to wear its freak flag on its sleeve, but you don’t need to look too deep to notice island life has its own unique style. Take personal transportation. The forms and sizes are varied. Personal style expressed via helmets, or not, flip flops, shorts, and even the vehicle themselves.

  • London Neighborhoods

    My trip to London was weird. Something felt off. It was my first visit. I was excited. There were several photo galleries on my list, not the least of which was the Victoria & Albert collection. But when I got there, the photography halls were closed for an installation. This happens, it’s not common, but it happens. But it kept happening when I went to visit various sites. It’s not to say there wasn’t plenty to stay entertained and culturally enriched. It was just…off. Or maybe I was. I can’t think of any other way to put it. I didn’t stay still. I never do. I saw lots of neighborhoods. Once I got back in my studio and started editing my images I noticed just how rich and unique each of the neighborhoods was. In retrospect this was the highlight of the trip. Walking the streets without a specific destination. While in London, I kept thinking, is this all there is, what am I missing here? It seemed underwhelming. Since I’ve been away, it’s all I can think about – I can’t wait to revisit. It’s the people, the streets, and the neighborhoods that make a place meaningful. Here’s to my London reminder and to getting back as soon as possible. I promise this time I’ll appreciate all it has to offer. 

  • Americana

    Americana is an ongoing, unpublished body of work created at the intersection of the American landscape and mankind’s stamp.  From the backroads of rural America to the inner cities, the images subtly explore the quirky, oft overlooked, sites and moments. I seek out locations, landmarks and events that make America’s cultural and natural landscape unique.  

  • Photography assignments during a pandemic

    Since mid March all my photography assignments and commissions have dealt with the pandemic in one way or another.  Gigs were non-existent over the first several months of the pandemic as everyone tried to figure it all out.  But soon after, jobs began to trickle in. 

    Some clients wanted (or needed) to lean into the pandemic, using its visual cues as story, design and compositional elements.  Those jobs tended to be editorial assignments telling the story of the times.  

    There were also commissions I shot where I had to make everything (and everyone) look normal, while following strict pandemic safety protocols behind the scenes.  

    Surprisingly, most BioTech went dormant, unless they had a direct connection to Covid-19.  Labs were being shuttered, thankfully only temporarily. 

    For me, it’s been an interesting year.  Assignments have been challenging, but equally rewarding.   

    Here are a few of those Covid related projects I’ve worked on over the last several months.  

    Larry and his wife Cherie tested positive for Covid-19 early in the pandemic. They made a full recovery though still suffered some lingering symptoms. We photographed the couple in (from outside) their home for Scripps Health.

    Larry and his wife Cherie tested positive for Covid-19 early in the pandemic. They made a full recovery though still suffered some lingering symptoms. We photographed the couple in (from outside) their home for Scripps Health.

    One of the first assignments I shot coming out of the lockdown was a portrait if Michael Mohr of Mohr Financial Group for CityWire out of the UK. Michael tested positive for Covid-19 at the end of March. I shot this by myself, without crew at a time when we were still uncertain about transmission. This “socially distanced” portrait, shot in early May, acknowledged the worldwide uncertainty and angst prevalent at that time.

    One of the first assignments I shot coming out of the lockdown was an editorial portrait of Michael Mohr, Mohr Financial Group, for CityWire out of the UK. Michael tested positive for Covid-19 at the end of March. I shot this by myself, without crew, at a time when we were still uncertain about transmission. This “socially distanced” portrait, shot in early May, acknowledged the worldwide uncertainty and angst prevalent at that time.

    Local client Anderson Plumbing Heating & Air needed to reassure their clients that they were still open for business and taking all precautions to keep both their clients and their employees safe given the new normal.

  • Industrial Portraits

    One of the benefits of being a commercial photographer is the access it affords.  I don’t mean political or celebrity, rather access to situations most people never want to venture into.  For me, that means access to industrial work spaces.  Blue collar work is endlessly fascinating to me.  I find it so true and honest.  I’ve always loved seeing (and photographing) how things are built and repaired.  I especially love meeting (and photographing) the people that do that work.  Industrial workplaces are exciting.  They tend to be be very loud and often dirty, at least while the work is being done.  I’ve photographed lots of industrial workers over the years.  Some of my favorites are in the aviation and maritime industries.  I guess you could say anything to do with transportation is pretty exciting. As a commercial photographer I am usually commissioned to document the work that’s being done – show the process.  This involves photographing people using a fly on the wall approach.  I am there, but unseen. Pete Souza used this approach to great success while shooting the Reagan and Obama White Houses.  Totally different subject I know, but the same approach. The idea being the subject is so comfortable with you being there they go about their business as though you aren’t there.  They get to the point where they don’t even notice you.  That is my goal when documenting blue collar work.  

    Then there are the portraits.  Inevitably there are workers and spaces that visually demand to be photographed as a portrait. This is not Fly on the Wall stuff.  Their unique look, or their particular environment, sometimes both, beckon for a traditional portrait. I always seem to come away from these projects with strong portraits.  I’ve built a trust at this point. My goal as a portrait photographer is to present these workers as heroic, as I see them, in the environment that I have so much respect for.  

  • Homebound

    2020 is the year of patience and adjustments.  The pandemic has forced us all online. Like Google, Zoom has become a verb.  Work from home and remote learning are the new norms.  My hat’s off to all those with grade school children.  I can’t imagine taking on the teacher role on top of everything else.  My boys are both college aged. They are completely self sufficient when it comes to school and work.

    Below are a few images of how we’ve worked and schooled from home.

    Visit the Homebound gallery HERE for additional images available for stock use and license.

     Homebound is a collection of photos created during the California lockdown at home with my tribe – All images quarantine approved.

    Be safe out there!

  • Product Photography

    As a commercial photographer based San Diego California I am often asked by my existing corporate and industrial clients to photograph products for them.  While I specialize in business and corporate portraits for advertising and editorial use I have shot many products over the years.  Here are a few (very diverse) product photography projects I’ve worked on recently.

  • Spontaneous Election Celebration – Biden Car Parade, San Diego CA

    By 9AM Saturday morning most major news outlets had called the election for Joe Biden. The random car horns started shortly thereafter. By 11AM University Ave in Hillcrest was bumper to bumper and as loud as a concert. After 4 years of the Trump Administration and 8 months of the pandemic the Left was ready to erupt. In San Diego they took to the streets for a spontaneous car parade. While the still images don’t do the sound justice they do capture the jubilance. The video gives a sense of the wall of sound.

  • Your Moment of Visual Zen

    2020 has been a crazy year, full of uncertainty and chaos.  We’ve all found moments where we can.  I’ve relied on photography and travel to calm my senses.  Both were difficult during the lockdown, but even during those moments I shot and traveled. Of course the travel was limited to about a couple square miles around my house and studio in San Diego.  So when I was able to travel more broadly we hit the road to one of our favorite spots, the Northern California coast.  It’s become our new go to spot. A once a year trek to continue our exploration.  This year we hit the Lost Coast Trail up around Shelter Cove.  It’s pretty remote, but accessible by car.  

    Photographically I wasn’t feeling the landscape photography I usually shoot on these road trips.  Exploring the beaches I was seeing things smaller and more intimate – more abstract and symbolic.  I was intrigued by the water, the shapes, the erosion and textures, and the plants and creatures seemingly living everywhere.  There was beauty and tranquility everywhere I looked.  

    Given what we’ve gone through in 2020 and what surely will be a chaotic several weeks, if not months, I present to you several moments of visual zen.  I hope they bring you the joy and peace I felt while discovering and creating them.  

  • Introducing FRP Stock

    A curated collection of photographs from my archive is now available to search and browse on it’s own site. Photos are available for immediate download and licensing.

    The FRP Stock photography collection contains images from my vast library of photographs. Images are available for commercial and editorial usage, including advertising. Highlights from the collection include biotech and healthcare, agriculture and farming, energy, both alternative green sustainable and traditional, industrial photography, both aviation and maritime, youth culture and sports, and corporate culture and portraits.