Help Portrait Promo Video 2011

This idea is so inspiring. I have been interested in social documentaries, non-profit organizations and donating my time lately and I have discovered Help-Portrait. I want to get involved! Any takers to help me out? I am thinking about talking to the Photographic Center NW to see if they would want to be involved and I would volunteer my time to organize it all. Any advice on organizing, publicizing, etc? Also, if you get a chance, check out Jeremy Cowart's Haiti project - LOVE IT! Use your camera for good...not evil :)

Website Bio

I realized recently that as of Friday, my bio was somewhat out of date on my website. After realizing that my previous bio was blah and that writing one wasn't as easy as I expected, I eventually came up with the following. I searched "photographer website bios" on Google and didn't come up with a whole lot of advice other than to 1) try not to mention the hobby to professional journey of your photographer career (if applicable) because I guess that's considered cheesy 2) there are suggestions to include your dog, husband or other extraneous life aspects... 3) don't be lengthy and boring 4) don't brag about how awesome you are, because nobody wants to read some one's self-inflicted ego boost. I read a really good article by Kah Kit Young about writing a photography bio.

So here is what I need to know: How does my bio sound? Too much info? Not enough? Spelling errors (God forbid)? Bore you out of your mind? Should I use this black and white image (assuming Leslie gives me permission) or the one I currently have, or a different one all together? Any advice is helpful!

© Photo by Leslie McDaniel

I am a commercial and fine art photographer who recently leapt in faith of following her dreams in Seattle. I grew up in Northwest Montana surrounded by family and friends who encouraged my creativity and passion of the arts. As a recent graduate of the Film and Photography Program at Montana State University in Bozeman, I am on a quest driven by obsession and…well, employment.

My dream is to travel to different countries, learn to cook the local favorites and photograph everything along my journeys. Culture fascinates me. I am always looking for opportunities to increase my knowledge – reading books, entering art shows, meeting other artists, and experimenting with various photographic techniques and skills.

Inquiries? Musings? Advice? I look forward to hearing from you.

Bonnie Dog

Bonnie, Mary and Andy's dog. Big brown eyes.

Friends I Have Met In Bozeman: Robert

Granny's Donuts in Bozeman has the best donuts. Ever. You may think you've eaten the most delicious fried piece of wonder, but unless you have been here, you haven't. Sorry. Robert, the owner and I am pretty sure the only employee here, makes this place what it is. He makes his fruit donuts with fresh fruit and pie filling, his orange cream donuts are better than you can ever imagine and he uses chocolate ganache as the frosting on his chocolate donuts. It's one place in Bozeman I am REALLY going to miss. We asked Robert if he has ever shipped his donuts anywhere, he told us he did once, to a guy getting heart surgery. Ironic, but funny. I think the first time I ever went to Granny's Robert was topping a maple bar with bacon (maple bacon bar...) and he paused, looked up, and asked us if he wanted the triple-bypass donut. Although tempting, the name made me reconsider. He gets special orders for these donuts; they are that good. Robert and Patrick have had some fun discussions about politics and science, I just revel in the fact that he loves making people happy by making donuts everyday. When I brought my mom to Granny's for the first time (she's hooked now), he gave her an old-fashioned donut and offered to make her a pot of tea (it was a really cute single serving pot that he made just for her). We're in love. With Granny's. And with Robert.

Fantastic Plastic Studio Portrait Night

Fantastic Plastic, a fantastic photography group organized here in good ol' Bozeman by the local camera shop, meets once a month to indulge in the awesomeness that is the krappy kamera. This latest meeting was held in F11 on Main Street in a studio set up in the back. 3200 film was shot, many many lights were used and we had a blast. My mom gave me a fisheye lens for my Holga for Christmas this year and this was its debut. I have never used a fisheye before but dreamed of the day when my Holga and it would meet. Success! My next goal for the fisheye: photograph my crazy fun cousins and our soon to be new home, Seattle.

Any questions about Fantastic Plastic? Please email F11 and they would gladly give you any info you need. Dianas and other plastic cameras also welcome.

Friends I Have Met In Bozeman: Bob

I have been in Bozeman 4.5 years and met many unique and beautiful people along the way. As a barista at Wild Joe's coffee for the past 4 months I have gotten to know many of the locals and regulars who are the soul of downtown Bozeman. Bob and I met at Wild Joe's and have had many great conversations, including the hour conversation we casually had yesterday while I photographed him. We discussed the concept of having only meaningful conversations rather than chit chat/small talk, feminism and my sister, his many interesting paths of life and various destinations of adventure (Maine, Bozeman, Seattle, Vancouver, Spokane and Alaska). Bob is one of the many faces I will remember and treasure from my home in Bozeman.

Livingston Montana

My good photo friend, Leslie, and I decided to make an outing to Livingston, Montana last week to photograph somewhere other than Bozeman. Unfortunately it was extremely windy (I think there was a high wind warning) and cold so we didn't last very long. We did have an encounter with a local who was asking us why we were photographing her house (we loved the blue color) and got some good talking in. The last photo in this set is somewhat inspired by my friend Amanda Guy who has her similar work up in Crush Wine Bar in Whitefish, Montana.