Me - #10

Tenth in a series of weekly self portraits. Had to go for a classic silhouette head shot.

Yamhill Stroll

An elderly man takes a stroll along Yamhill and 2nd Ave in downtown Portland. Click for larger view.

Me - #9

Ninth in a series of weekly self-portraits. Click for larger view.

Me - #8

Eighth in a series of weekly self portraits.

Speedy Orange

Speedy orange biker along Morrison and 3rd Avenue in Portland.

Me - #7

Seventh in a series of weekly self-portraits.

Me - #6

Sixth in a series of weekly self-portraits. Took a lot of tries to get this one just right.

Me - #5

Fifth in a series of weekly self portraits.

Me - #4

Fourth in a series of weekly self portraits. Yes, I had a lot of fun doing this. =) Click for a larger view.

Me - #3

Third in a series of weekly self-portraits. Maybe this is my version of "The Thinker". Or, given the trouble I stir up with my thinking, I should be called "The Stinker".

Me - #2

Second in a series of weekly self-portraits.

Me - #1

First in a series of weekly self-portraits. I already love how this is stretching my creativity.

Jammin' on the Train

Riding the train, lost in music.

Cold Surf

It's a dedicated surfer who goes out on a day like this.

Beach Boy

Not a care in the world. Just sand and sea.

Oink Oink Here

A round of "Old MacDonald" in the park. I think this woman will kill me if she ever sees this photo. Happy Friday.

Pow Wow

Native American dancer at the Pow Wow held on Pioneer Square this past weekend.

Lonely Stroll

Southeast Portland is rich in cultural diversity. It's not uncommon for our kids to hear three or four languages chattered about as they play at the park. And often there are some grandmotherly eastern European women strolling about.

Melon Eater

Bright eyes with a summertime snack.

Juggler

A juggler vies for the attention of the crowds at Mt. Scott park. Part of the Oregon Symphony in the Neighborhoods event last month.

Summer Jump

A joyful jump into the ocean surf. This photo sums up our Labor Day weekend -- a memorable trip down the beautiful Oregon coast with plenty of stops at beaches along the way. Ahhhhhh.... summer. Please don't let it end.

P.S. If you haven't heard already, Google has released a beta version of Picasa 3.

• Need a super easy way to manage your pile of digital photos?
• Want to make some simple retouching without learning (or spending money on) Photoshop?
• Want a easy way to upload photos to your Blogger posts?

Picasa is worth the price -- FREE.

To answer your questions in advance:

• Yes, I use Picasa. Every cotton-pickin' day.
• No, I don't use it for photo editing, but I do think it's good for the average person (I use Photoshop).
• No, I don't worship at the altar of the omnipotent, omniscient Google -- even though I'm suckered in by all their freebies.
• Yes, Google will take over the world. But at least I'll have my photos in tidy little folders when they do.

Barbie Bike

A blur of pink and blonde. Kids at play in the park during the Oregon Symphony In The Neighborhoods celebration last Saturday.

Portrait of a Cellist

I've always thought the cello to be the most emotionally moving of all instruments, most like the human voice. My wife and I, both musicians, are determined to take cello lessons someday when the kids are grown.

This photo kicks off a week (or more?) of pictures from a shoot I did this past Saturday for the Oregon Symphony. I ended up with well over 2000 photos of the events and musical groups performing all day long in Portland's Mt. Scott park. Now if I can just find the time to sort through them all...

Backyard Camping - Crossmark on KATU

Zack looking like a poster boy for Oscar Meyer hot dogs. It's actually just one of several promo shots I did for an article on backyard camping that my wife wrote for KATU television's website. (Go check it out. Think they got the pictures big enough?)

Safety Green

Safety patrol guarding the myriad of joggers, cyclists and pedestrians crossing the Steel Bridge in Portland. I doubt this lower level of the bridge has ever seen so much traffic, thanks to the bridge being closed to the vehicles and the MAX train most of this month.

Before this, I didn't even know there WAS a lower level to the bridge--let alone that it afforded such a great, close view of the river. If you live in Portland, it's worth the stroll. Start at the Rose Quarter MAX stop, walk across the Steel Bridge, then follow the river walk down to Old Town / China Town. Great way to get our of your car and get to know the city.

Giggleboxes

I know two boys who can make each other giggle till the cows come home. Brothers and best friends.

Girls at Play

Three silhouettes at play at Kruger Farms on Sauvie Island in Portland.

Merry Go Z

The Z-man on the new merry-go-round at Mt. Scott in Portland.

Cobra Portrait

Self-portrait caught in the reflection of the side-view mirror on a sleek Cobra.

The Boy Reader

Every parent is entitled to brag on their kid, right? Cam's genius is reading (and he's a whiz at math). With his analytic mind and wild imagination he'll be either a brilliant inventor or mad scientist.

Dash of Orange

Just trying to get a shot of shadows on stone steps--but captured a dash of orange sprinting through my shot. Much improved composition thanks to Cam.

Garden Solace

An elderly Asian man rests in thought looking over still water at the Chinese Classical Garden in downtown Portland.

Unfortunately, my workplace is across the river. Otherwise, I think I'd spend every summer lunch hour at the garden--food for my body AND my soul.

Swingin' High

Zack swings free and easy in the sunlight at Mt. Tabor in Portland. Been jealously trying out a borrowed 55-200 mm zoom lens. Gotta get me one!

For those who care, all the photos (so far) on this site are taken with a Canon Digital Rebel XTi. What a great camera! I swear that Canon owes me a commission. In the last year, I've had six friends/family (you know who you are) buy the XTi based on my recommendation. C'mon Canon, where's the love?

Boy in Blue

That's my boy, lost in playful thought. The thing in his hand is just a piece of cardboard, but in his endless vivid imagination, it becomes a hundred other things. He was frantic when he got home and realized he had left it at the park. Being the nice dad that I am, I drove him back to the park to retrieve it. Now life is good again.

Chess on the Square

An amiable game of chess at Pioneer Square in downtown Portland this past weekend. It's scenes like this that make Portland seem like such a quaint, friendly little town.

Summer Begins

Spring has done sprung--summer is in the air! A perfect weekend for running in the park and rolling down grassy hills--the kids that is. I'm more content to lay in the shade and snap pics of them in action.

Z Under the Tree

Cute pic of the Z-man under our glorious maple tree last summer.

Swingin' and Smilin'

This girl is the smilingest thing I think I've ever seen. She lights up like that at the smallest thing, even something as simple as someone looking her way for a moment. I have a feeling she'll get through life just on her charm.

Credit goes to the Ma for this pic.

Our Little Souvenir

And here's what we went to China for. Like our other kids, she's an incredible joy--who also occasionally drives us bonkers, makes us laugh, and fits right in with our crazy family. The process of getting her was ardous and expensive, but I would easily do it all over again. Welcome home (again)!

Say "gan lao"!

This picture has made my wife and I giggle for a whole year now. Evidently you have to pooch your derriere out just right in order to take a good photo in China. =) Say "cheese"!

On a Bench

A gentle, elderly man plays peek-a-boo with the camera in Yue Xiu Park in Guangzhou, China.

Eliana in the Sunlight

A happy girl--at least for the moment. This shot was taken in the orphanage clinic one morning before she was to receive an IV in her scalp to help her get over a bout of pneumonia.

Heritage

Fingers trace a rich heritage of Chinese culture ages old.

China Smiles

A smile means "friendship" in any language. A group of Chinese children crowded outside our tour bus at a stop in a rundown remote town. Eager to try out their limited English, we heard endless cheerful repetitions of "Hallo! Ha ah yoo?" for a good 15 minutes.

Street Poem

Water and sponge form fleeting words of poetry. (By the way, Happy 200th Post Birthday to the Crossmark Photo Blog!)

Welcome Home

One year ago, Cheng Hai Bo became our daughter, Eliana--forever grafted into our family. Born not of our flesh, but of our hearts. She's a one-of-a-kind joy that I can't imagine being without. Her name says it all: We journeyed across the "waves of the sea" (Hai Bo) to find that "God has answered our prayer" (Eliana).

Bike Town

Portand Oregonians like to brag about how bike-friendly their streets are, but our city is nothing compared to Beijing where entire car-sized lanes are reserved for bike traffic. Riders everywhere--old and young, men and women, white collar and blue. Many bikes were loaded with piles of clothing, papers, or even 55-gallon drums with roasted sweet potatoes available for sale.

The King is Alive!

I guess there's still a niche market out there for Elvis-impersonating street performers with $3.99 wigs and bejeweled sweatshirts. This guy was a real trooper though. Happy to let me take his picture--at least someone around was paying attention to him.

Just remember: No matter how hard your life may get, you can still make a buck or two by dressing like a freak on a Portland sidewalk. There's always room for one more.

Everybody's Goin' Somewhere

Travelers make their way to and from their gates at Portland's airport. Riding the train up to the airport is a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon--free entertainment for restless squidgets. Portland's airport is rather like a mall with more restaurants and shops than many other airports I've been in.

Silver Mime

Throw a dollar in the pewter pot at his feet and this silver statuesque street performer comes to life, doing some stunning feats with silver orbs.

Street Drummer

Clickety-clackin' a stack of buckets and pans to entertain the sidewalk crowd of Christmas shoppers near Pioneer Square. Poor guy had to grab attention away from the Star Wars Storm Troopers across the street, a chrome-painted mime on one corner, and a laddie with bagpipes on the other. How's a guy supposed to make a living with competition like that? Or maybe I'm in the wrong business. I do have a dusty clarinet under the bed. Maybe if I did a street gig people would pay me to stop playing...

It's Beginning to Luke a Lot Like Christmas

The Grinch has nothing on Darth Vader--it seems even the Dark Side of the Force has softened up with some Christmas Spirit. In what has to be one of the more surreal sights of my life, a half dozen Star Wars Storm Troopers stood outside Macy's this weekend ringing cutsey little bells to raise funds for the Salvation Army.

Black Pawn

A black pawn sits vulnerable on the front line of a friendly chess game. Weekends at Pioneer Square in downtown Portland often feature such games played in the midst of crowds waiting for the train.

Biker

Happened to catch this guy at just the right moment as he zoomed by (and no, I wasn't driving at the time). I have no use for motorcycles personally since half the fun must be feeling the wind blow through your hair--of which I have little.

Just a Swangin'

[After an agonizing week without the internet, we're FINALLY in touch with the world again, with many thanks to our wonderful landlord who fixed our incoming cable when the cable company couldn't figure out the problem. The culprit? A cat/rabbit/squirrel/bucktooth alien had chewed the insulation off a good three inches of the cable. Does it really taste that good?]

Eliana L O V E S the swings--I mean REALLY LOVES them. She's an incredibly happy girl.

Pals

One of the best things a boy can have is a brother--a built-in buddy.

Lazy Days of Summer

Been seein' school supplies at Wal-Mart already, but I'm not anywhere near ready to turn the page on summer. With that sentiment, I present the above photo courtesy of guest photographer Lisa, my wife. This is her version of a perfect summer afternoon, sittin' readin' a book underneath the maple tree, feet propped on the lush green grass. Except that our grass is crunchy brown.

What's your ideal way to while away a summer day?

Yellow Jacket

Zack on the footbridge at Jellystone Campground. The boys were scared at first, but then enjoyed bouncing on the bridge.

Gimme a Hand

Reflecting on the last ten years of marriage and how great it is to have my family.

A Decade Together

Today marks our ten-year wedding anniversary. She's an incredible woman to put up with me that long. I asked her, "Did you think ten years ago we'd have two beautiful boys and a little girl from halfway across the world? Did you ever think we'd have gone through all the difficulties that have come our way?" No, of course not. Life is full of incredible blessings and incredible trials--but we're going through them together. We're buckled up to see what the next ten years will hold.

(That's our shadow on the back fence.)

Crowder

Scored second row seats to the David Crowder band tonight (for free!) thanks to friends in high places. Great concert!

Day Dreamin'

Cameron and Zack looking off the foot bridge into the water at the park.

Cotton Candy

The kids got a thrill tonight when we surprised them by taking them to the Jubilee--our town's week-long carnival complete with rides and all the junk food. Even let them have COTTON CANDY, which earned us the status of Best Parents in the World for the evening. Sometimes it's worth it just to see the look of pure happiness on their faces. Oh, to be like a child, so full of wonder and delight.

Kisses for Sister

The moments that melt a parent's heart. They all actually love each other.

Here Comes the Bride

Found an outdoor wedding at Lakeside Park and Rose Garden in Fort Wayne, IN while taking photos this past weekend. The water and flowers made it picture perfect. Couldn't help but snap a few during the bride's processional.

Spinning Swing

My favorite maple tree recently received the addition of a kiddie swing. Of course, with boys it's not enough to just swing--I have to wind them up and spin them until they end up so dizzy and that they can't walk. Then they beg to do it again. (That's Zack taking his turn in the swing.)

Brown-Eyed Girl

It's true. This girl can't go anywhere without drawing a crowd. She's a real people-lover, too. Smiles, coos, mimics--has the whole world wrapped around her tiny, pudgy fingers.

Eyelashes

I won't have time to post pictures for a couple days, so here's some extras to tide you over. Zack after the sprinkler.

Red Trunks

Today is Zack's third birthday, though we won't have an official party until this weekend. Still, we had to have SOME fun tonight, so the boys played in the sprinkler and shivered in towels while they ate ice cream.

Just thinkin'

Cameron caught in a fleeting moment of thought.

Trainy Days

What do you do with two sick boys on a rainy Saturday? Thomas the Train saves the day!

Happy Trails

Zack scampers along the railroad track.

Best Buds

Cameron and Zack

Tornado Slide

Zack takes a spin down the tornado slide at the park.

Toes in the Grass

Eliana doesn't like to put her feet down on the grass because of how it tickles.

Zack's Eyes

I've always loved Zack's puppy dog eyes. That kid gets away with a good bit just by being cute.

Look, Ma! No training wheels!

Cameron (age 5) just learned how to ride a bike last week. Didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would and he has yet to skin his knee. Why did it take me until age 11 to learn!?!? (Sad, but true.)

Threesome

Zack, Eliana, and Cameron three months ago just after we arrived home from China.

Happy Birthday, Princess

Eliana turned one year old yesterday. She's our princess, complete with crown and loyal subjects.