Winemaker Ian Brand for Imbibe Magazine

In March, I had the pleasure of photographing local winemaker Ian Brand for Imbibe magazine, a publication focusing on all-things drinking culture and who I've liked for quite a while.

I had shot Ian before and he's super cool. We talked about everything from Sonic Youth and late-80s shoe-gaze punk rock to raising children and the business world. Ian is hip and makes some killer wines.

Above is the image they ran and below are a handful of other shots I liked a lot. 

Life With My Nephew.

Vincent and Uncle Nic - May 2013.

My sister, brother-in-law and 18-month old nephew Vincent visited over the weekend. It was a blast.

Vincent and Daddy go for a walk.

Vincent and Grandma.

Boston Marathon Bombing to Big Sur Marathon Solidarity.

Shannon Botte of Boston walks to the start of the 2013 Big Sur International Marathon. She ran the Boston Marathong as well.

I woke up at 4:00am this morning to shoot the 2013 Big Sur International Marathon. It was a bit different this year after just two weeks ago, the Boston Marathon was rocked by two bombing that killed three people and wounded nearly 200.

With both races, there is a section you can register in called "Boston to Big Sur," which there were about 400 marathoners who did so and before the start at 6:45am, there was a silence for the victims in Boston and there was something else.

There was a sense of what the runners were doing there was right. There was a great electricity in the air as the near 3,500 people took off along Highway 1.

As I was walking away to leave, I saw three women running across the finish line holding hands and crying. I stopped and missed a few frames, but I got the photo below as they cried and hugged. I introduced myself and asked what was up. Kirstin (facing the camera below) explained how the three friends had crossed the finish line together in Boston and were happy to make it across the finish line in California only two weeks later.

They were a tribute to those lives lost and those injured in Boston.

All along the marathon, people were cheering each other on and coming together in solidarity to overturn the hatred in Massachusetts. They came together in love and kindness. 

After the three friends completed the Boston Marathon two weeks ago, Kristin Powell from Minneapolis cries with Lindsey Wild and Nycole Schneider after they finished the Big Sur International Marathon on Sunday.

A runner passes along historic Bixby Bridge.

A marathoner runs along Highway 1.

Neil Pearson of Rozelle, New Zealand gets greeted at the finish line by Boston Marathon Senior Operations Manager Ron Kramer.

Stephane Maisonneuve of New York finishes the Big Sur International Marathon.

The start of the 2013 Big Sur International Marathon.

Pacific Grove resident Adam Roach finishes first in the 2013 Big Sur International Marathon.

Portrait of a Farmworker

United Farmworker Member and Longtime Salinas pick Gonzalo Picazo at his home.

Here's a quick post with one of my favorite portraits in a while.

We did a story about the immigration reform this week.

More cool stuff to come soon.

SFBAPPA 2012 Photos of the Year Competition

Figured I should share this with everyone as I'm beyond honored. Last night, I was in Oakland for the San Francisco Bay Area Press Photographers Association for the annual photos of the year awards.

I won first AND second place for Best Portrait for 2012. My Trombone Shorty photo at the Jazz Festival (above) won 1st and my photo of the chimney sweep won 2nd (below).

It was one of six categories that were judged by the Pulitzer-Prize winning photo department of the Miami Herald and I beat out a photog from the SJ Mercury News and the Bay Area News Group, who got third and honorable mention.

There were about 70 photogs who entered all the categories from Northern California including many guys who shoot for AP, Getty, the SF Chron, SJ Mercury and shot the Olympics, Super Bowl and Giants/A's last year, so I am beyond honored to be part of such a very high level of talented shooters, many of whom I'm friends with. Many of the folks who entered all the categories are shooters whose work I've held in high regard for years.

I got some cash, a camera bag and a nice plaque.

San Francisco Engagement Pictures

Over the weekend I traveled to San Francisco and stayed with some very good friends, Rebecca and Jamie, whom I had the pleasure of shooting their engagement photos.

They live near Dolores Park and we wandered around the Castro and Mission for great photos.

Leon Panetta Returns to Monterey.

Yesterday I had a really nice opportunity to photograph the homecoming of former Secretary of Defense and former CIA director Leon Panetta.

Panetta is originally from Monterey and he was key in the operation that took down Osama Bin Laden, as well as many other major decisions made in the United States in the last decade.

He's a really genuine guy who holds simple, old school ideals of respect, family and hard work at the top of his values.

He is a very passionate character and it shows in his face and mannerisms when he speaks or reacts to others.

I would love to photograph him again sometime with proper lights in a classic portrait.

  

The Tomb Weavers Live!

My friends' band The Tomb Weavers played in Carmel last night at a benefit show. Here's what happened. It was radical.