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Images by Jeff Kennedy

September 02, 2010
19:34
New endeavor!
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For those who don't know yet I've entered into a new endeavor. I'm joining forces with 2 very talented photographers - Kimberly Teichrow and Tambi Lane! We've formed a photography cooperative called Studio 3! More to come!
January 06, 2010
14:29
New Year!
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Wow! I suck at this blogging stuff. Maybe I should make a new year's resolution to become a better multi tasker and consequently a better blogger....naaaaahhhhh. How about instead of that I just work smarter. For instance, I'm on Facebook quite a bit and posting stuff there. It just dawned on me that if I post the stuff I post there here and just link to this there that would save me steps here and there....but that's neither here nor there....or is it? Are you confused? I am.

Anyway, in an effort to implement that plan (whatever it is) I'm going to make an entry pertinent to one of my FB groups. A year or so ago I started a group called Jeff's Goo-Be-Gone. In essence its a group devoted to people following my weight loss journey. I started at a weight of 248 and reached a low of 221. As winter set in and my routine changed I gained some of it back and hit a high of 235.

Now you're caught up. Here's where I am now. As part of this quest I started running last year and got to where I could comfortably run 3 miles and on a couple occasions did up to 5. About a month and a half ago I started reading a book called "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougal. I highly recommend it it you're into running. The essence of the book is that humans are designed for running. We can run farther than any other creature out there. And, most importantly, we are meant to do it barefoot. They make an excellent case. To see how it worked in real life i found a pair of indoor soccer shoes that are very flexible, have little arch support, and very little padding and I started using them to play tennis in. Almost immediately I noticed by knee pain diminished. I've been using them for a few weeks now and my legs feel much better.

Today, for the first time, I tried running around the indoor track (its icy and nasty outside) in a pair of cheap aqua socks. I brought my soccer shoes just in case it didn't work out. I did 2 miles at what felt like a very good pace (considering I hadn't run much in the past couple of months) and my feet, ankles, and knees felt great! The only real effect I felt was in my calves. And I didn't really notice that until I did a final cool down lap walking. Running barefoot forces you to run with your heels up off the ground so that your arch absorbs the impact. This, up on your toes, running really works the calves!

So, on to the Goo-Be-Gone info! Today I weighed in at 231 lbs. So I'm still dropping. And now I'm back in a routine and have designated a few days a week to running and the rest are tennis days. My goal is to be at least 20lbs lighter by the time I head to Honduras at the end of March. Oh did I mention I'm going to Honduras at the end of March? No, of course not! I suck at this blogging stuff!!! More to come.
October 28, 2009
23:03
McKenna...
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I've been so focussed on shooting and editing these days I've been neglecting the blog and I know how much my seniors love to see their shots on the blog. So I'm trying to get caught up with that. What better way to do that than to start with lovely McKenna! We had fun and got to go to a lot of interesting locations. I just love it when my seniors come up with new location ideas I haven't been to yet!
23:01
...more McKenna...
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22:59
McKenna.....BAM!
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October 26, 2009
17:52
Christmas Cards
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Here are a selection of Christmas card styles available to you. And of course these are just starting points. I can customize them to say anything you want and we can add more pictures inside. Add to that the variety of paper and finishes available (from heavy stock to heavy watercolor paper) and there is a veritable cornucopia of possibilities! BUT, time is running out. If you're looking for custom cards there are only a few weeks left to get your portraits taken and still have time to make cards so don't dilly or dally and call soon if not now to schedule an appointment. Or you could do like I do and send out (post)holiday cards. :-D
17:49
Even more cards...ahhh Christmas in Central Oregon
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17:46
Merry Christmas!
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October 01, 2009
10:42
High school senior photos: Bend, Oregon
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Had a great shoot with Michelle. How can you go wrong with such a pretty girl! This was a year for getting wet too. She was one of several seniors who braved the cold waters of Tumalo Creek in the name of art!
August 15, 2009
13:26
Cool Video
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I know I should be working on my website instead of look at other photographer's blogs. But this is so cool and so applicable to success in life and not just photography. This was created by Zack Arias.
July 31, 2009
10:45
Whoa!!! Not so fast!!!
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Hey! Don’t book that senior portrait session or don’t let someone you know book one at least until you or they have seen my new website. Why? Well, besides the fact that you can’t get shots like mine anywhere else in Central Oregon, there will also be some exciting specials coming with the grand opening of the new website. So hang in there and stay tuned! Or do what you want….I’m just sayin’.

PS. You can still visit the old one to keep you occupied until the new one goes live at www.imagesbyjeffkennedy.com . And now back to your regularly scheduled programming.
July 27, 2009
11:18
And now for something completely different...
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Been working on the new site. Because of procrastination and a lack of focus (imagine that - a photographer lacking focus...ironic huh?) its taking me longer than it should. But its coming.

As a tribute to my lack of focus and just to help keep you entertained while I get my act together I give you WOLF vs PIG (click it).
July 22, 2009
8:57
Panhandling and art...
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So I'm driving home from the gym the other day and I come to an intersection downtown. On the corner is a shabbily attired dude with a cardboard sign. Now I have to admit these guys annoy me. They may or may not be in as desperate straights as they suggest - that much we can debate. Regardless, I'm from the "teach a man to fish" camp. Be that as it may, this is the first one of these street corner panhandlers that I was motivated to give money to. Why? Well, it had to do with his sign. Rather than trying to elicit my sympathy by proclaiming his status as a Grenada War Vet or that his 75 Chevy Van broke down and he and his wife and 12 kids are now stranded here his sign made me happy.

Whether he knows it or not they guy is an artist. You heard me - an artist. With his simple piece of cardboard and felt markers he created something that made me laugh. In fact I laughed all the way home. He probably added 2 weeks to my life. That's art. Creating something from raw materials that has an impact on people. He made my life better and for that he earned my money. Now this is more profound than it looks on the surface. I don't even know if he realizes just how profound. But he likely stumbled on a valuable truth about life and success. That truth is the more you take the focus off yourself and work to improve other people's lives the more goodness returns to you. Be a blessing to others and you will be blessed.

Oh, what did the sign say? "Midget ninjas kidnapped my child. Need $5 for Karate lessons." NOW THAT'S ART!!!

Have a great day!
July 06, 2009
8:57
Central Oregon High School Senior Photographer!
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Attention 2010 High School Seniors!!! Even if you're thinking you want your portraits done in the fall colors or just later in the summer its always a good idea to book early to save your spot. We can also set up shoots in both seasons at no additional cost. But you need to book soon to make sure we have a spot for you! And don't forget about our ijk Stimulus Plan. For every person you refer to me that books a session you get $20 in CASH or $25 in IMAGE BUCKS to use towards your session!!!
July 01, 2009
21:55
Jeff: A to Z
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This is a weird business. I’ve had “real” jobs before. You know, like in offices, stores, and warehouses with other people – real jobs. I think I always took for granted the “other people” part. Now that I’ve had my own business for the last 10 years I’ve come to realize that one of the weirdest things about this is that I don’t have “other people” around. All my colleagues are virtually…..well, virtual. If I want to interact with other photographers on a daily basis it seems the easiest way is online primarily via blogs. I get to see what they’re doing and I get ideas for things I’d like to try. I can tell who has been to what seminar lately because you notice a certain group of photographers using similar jargon or applying the same “actions” to their work. Its kind of fun. I also get ideas for my blog. And I need all the help and inspiration I can get in that department. I’m terrible about keeping the blog chugging along. So here is a recent blog “gimmick” I saw that I liked and thought I’d try out on my (3) readers. This came courtesy of Bobby Earle who saw it on Facebook. Its my Jeff from A-Z List!

A-   Art. If you create you are an artist. That’s what I think anyway. Being an artist doesn’t guarantee quality it just means you created something. Some photographers approach photography like its just a craft to be perfected. And I have to admit my personality can lead me down that path as well but I find my greatest satisfaction when I push the bounds and try something new.

B-   Blackberry. I’m not cool enough for an iPhone. I don’t have those trendy rectangular glasses. But I can’t function without my Blackberry.

C-   Cameras. I know, maybe too obvious for a photographer. But this is about me and I am a photographer. I have a lot of them. Not as many as some but still more than my share. I have film cameras, point and shoot cameras, medium format cameras, a 4x5 camera I’ve never used, I’ve got the first 35mm camera I ever had. It’s a sickness really.

D-   Dogs! LOVE ‘EM! And the bigger the better. Don’t get me wrong I’ve seen some cool little dogs. But often little dogs are not much better than a cat that barks. Don’t get me wrong on that either. I had a cat growing up and he was cool. But they just don’t fit my personality. Now my dog, Frank, he fits my personality. Frank is a 177lb Newfoundland and he’s the biggest sweetheart you’ll ever meet. And if you do meet him don’t get offended if he sticks his head in your crotch. He’s not getting fresh. He’s just trying to make it easier for you to rub his neck and ears. He’s all about accommodating.

E-    Email. My preferred mode of communication. Call my cell and I probably won’t answer. Not because I don’t want to talk to you but often my cell is anywhere but where I am. And if I don’t recognize the number and I’m in the middle of real live people I’ll just let it go to voice mail. I will get back to you. But I much prefer email. I have a personality that requires me to be precise and email allows me the time to properly word things so that I say exactly what I want to say.

F-    Feet. Size 12’s. I’m a shoe guy too. I make a great girlfriend if you need someone to go shoe shopping with you. I have shoes for when I play tennis. Shoes for basketball. Shoes for running. Shoes for mt. biking. Shoes for casual (multiple pairs of those since I’m casual more than anything else). Shoes for dressy. Shoes for dressy casual. Shoes for hiking. Shoes for water. Shoes for football (I used to referee). Need I go on?

G-   Guitar. I’d love to learn to play. I was in choir in high school and I played the trumpet for 4 weeks in 6^th grade (if you can call it playing – the only thing I really mastered was blowing the spit out of it). I was in choir because they told me they were taking a trip to Hawaii my senior year. Turned out to be Victoria in Canada. Nice place but not Hawaii. The old bait and switch! Anyway, that has been the extent of my music experience. I’ve tried learning guitar before and struggled. Between the delicate fingertips and a certain lack of musical skill it was tough. But I’d still like to learn.

H-   Height. I’m 6’1”

I-     Irish. My name is Kennedy after all. There’s a bunch of other stuff mixed in there but that’s too complicated. So when people ask, I’m Irish.

J-     Jeep. I’m a Jeep guy. I have a yellow Wrangler with a soft top. A red Cherokee that my son seems to be adopting. I’ve owned other Wranglers and even a Grand Cherokee. I think I’ve wanted a Jeep since the first time I saw the introduction of Rat Patrol when I was a kid. That jeep flying off the sand dune with a guy in the back manning the machine gun! Oooooh, who wouldn’t want a Jeep after that?!?!?

K-   Kitchen. I’m the cook. I have to be the cook. If my wife was the cook I’d OD on mac-n-chesse. Plus, I like to cook. I just don’t like to clean up.

L-    Laughing. I love to. Often at inappropriate times. Laughter and levity in general is how I deal with things. I guess I could do worse things.

M- Music. I like all kinds of music. If I had to pick one band to listen to it would be The Eagles. But I dig a little bit of everything. From John Prine to Led Zepplin. From BB King to Garth Brooks. If I had to pick on genre I’d probably say give me the blues baby!

N-   Nipple rings. Don’t have ‘em. Don’t want ‘em. Period.

O-   Organic. The little woman is getting into nutrition. She’s even studying to become a certified nutritionist. So we’re eating much more organic. I think it’s a good thing. Look at what’s happened to this country. We’re fat and malnourished at the same time. TOO MUCH PROCESSED FOOD PEOPLE!

P-    Pet Peeves (thanks for this one Bobby!) – drivers who can’t go (at least) the speed limit. I like to drive. I don’t get the point A to point B mentality. Enjoy the journey! Also, that accuracy thing in my personality makes incorrect grammar really annoying to me. For the record its anyway not anywaySSSSSS. Its regardless not IRregardless. I mean, they mean the same thing why do we need the IR on the frount? Ok, I could go on and get myself into even more hot water but you get the point.

Q-   Quote. Like my dear old dad always said, “I feel a lot more like I do now than I did a minute ago!”

R-   Running. I’m scared. I’m starting to get into this running thing. I’m losing weight. My legs are stronger. Hmmmm, maybe there’s something to it.

S-    Shopping. Did I mention I’d make a good girlfriend….girlfriend? I’m one of those rare guys who likes to shop. Bear in mind that means shopping. Not sitting outside the dressing room while someone else tries on stuff. As long as I’m actively involved in the shopping I’m all over it. And if I’m actually shopping for myself….WELL NOW WE’RE TALKIN’!

T-    Tennis. I’m a tennis junky. I admit it. I love to play. I love to watch. Its just a great sport. Nuff said.

U-   Underwear. Boxers. TMI?

V-   Voluptuous. It was the be ‘V’ word I could think of. And I like saying it. AND it conjures up great images in my head…hey, I’m a guy! What can I say?

W- Westerns. I loves me a good western.

X-   Xylophone. HA! Came up with a tough ‘X’. How does this relate to me? Well when my son was in 8^th grade and had to play an instrument guess what he chose.

Y-   Yoga. Tried it. I have certain physical attributes that make this very difficult for me (namely a gut). The instructor used to show us a pose, have us get into it, and walk around the room fine tuning each of us. I recall her get to me and start to offer advice, stop herself and say, “Uh, yeah, close enough.”

Z-    Zip lining. DID IT! LOVED IT! But why does it seem to be most popular in third world countries with questionable safety standards? Just curious.
June 26, 2009
11:13
Halliie: The final chapter!
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I'm not one of those high school senior photographers who limits you to 90 minutes, 2 clothing changes, and 5 cheesy poses. No offense to those guys that shoot that way. There's a reason for doing that. Its a business and they're maximizing their time. More power to 'em! When I got into this racket I vowed to make sure the art came first. Sometimes that means taking more time than the other guy. Take Hallie for instance. We split her session up into 2 sessions. One earlier in the year to make sure we could get in the yearbook and one in the spring to take advantage of warmer (looking anyway) weather. I've already posted some from the earlier session as well as her slideshow from the complete sessions. Here is a sampling of some of the best of the bunch.
11:11
more...
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11:08
...and finally
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10:19
Kousefly
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Great bunch of guys and musicians!
June 06, 2009
9:54
Carly & James: Save the Date!
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June 02, 2009
18:53
Hallie is finally complete!
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Finally got Hallie's senior pics done! We had a final session on the high desert and she did AWESOME! It was freaking cold out there but to look at her images you'd think it was 90 degrees. She was a trooper. Stay tuned for a sample of the final images. For now, here's her slideshow.
May 12, 2009
16:27
Halliie
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So I love shooting high school seniors. They're always fun. They're often adventurous. And they're usually willing to try new things. But I love them even more when they're like Hallie! I mean, come on, look at her. She's drop dead gorgeous. How can you not get a good picture of her? But beyond that, she's truly at home in front of a camera. If you're a photographer you know that just because someone is attractive it doesn't always translate to being photogenic. In this case it does. So here's a few shots (I'm terrible at editing) from our first session so she can pick out the image for her announcements. We finish up her shots this weekend with some fancy lights and interesting locations so stay tuned for those!
16:24
Hallie
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16:22
Hallie continued
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16:20
Hallie continued (again)
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16:17
Hallie continued (yet again)
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16:15
Hallie continued (some more)
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16:10
Hallie
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May 07, 2009
9:36
Very cool stop motion film.
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Took 72 hours and 4000 pictures.

Stop Motion | The Long Haul from DUMAIS on Vimeo.
March 25, 2009
12:21
St. Louis!
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We recently took a long weekend in St. Louis with our friends Bob and Donise. The weather before we got there was in the 60's and the weather after we left was in the 60's and 70's. Over our weekend it was in the 30's. Have I got timing or what?!?!? Oh well, we had a blast anyway. If you're ever there and want to hear some great blues I strongly recommend a place called BB's Jazz, Blues, & Soups. Great little place across from Busch Stadium. We had a ball. The next night we were just a block down from there at The Broadway Oyster Bar. A bit more of a party atmosphere there. We shook our groove things. And we met a nice couple from Illinois named Bob and Cheryl. Bob worked for Amtrak so I dubbed him Amtrak Bob of course. Didn't want to confuse my Bobs.
12:19
St. Louis!
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Had to see the Bud plant of course!
March 15, 2009
8:57
I pay you! I pay you? I pay you.
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This is interesting and I think its going to be fun. I took a challenge from my niece to Pay It Forward. I copied this directly from her blog.

Here's how it works:
The first five people to leave a comment on this blog post will receive something made by me. However, there are some limitations:
1. I make no guarantee that you will like what I make.
2. What I create will be just for you.
3. It will be done this year, 2009.
4. You have no clue what it is going to be...I may bake something and mail it to you (but probably not). Who knows?
5. I reserve the right to do something weird or funny.
Here is the catch, if you choose to do this...You must post this on your blog or Facebook or Myspace or whatever and be ready to make something for five people too.
Ha! Ha! You will be Lucky to pay it forward! This will be fun! When you receive the fabulous item I make you, you must post a picture of it on your blog. Not because I am so awesome, but because that is part of the rules. (Although, sometimes I can be sooo awesome! )
If I do not know you and do not have your address, be prepared to give it up if you want the goods. If you do not wish to give a total stranger your personal address, I will move on to the next post. Do you wanna be LUCKY and play Pay It Forward?
March 11, 2009
9:21
Purpose
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I've had the pleasure to meet this gentleman and listen to him speak on many occasions. He's one of those speakers where you sit and listen and laugh your butt off and by the end you're looking around to see if anyone can see the tears in your eyes. "Excuse me, do you have any kleenex? These allergies are killing me!" Ahem. Well, he's just written a book and I can't wait to read it. Check out his survey. It may give you food for thought. Chuck
March 05, 2009
16:24
Dream Assignment!!!
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I've entered a contest to win my dream assignment. Vote for me if you feel like it.
February 20, 2009
22:58
Hoops fun!
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Every year I do the team shots for Mountain View High School and the COBO (5th-8th grade) basketball teams. I try to do something different every year and always something different from what they normally get from the "usual" sports photography companies. I went edgy this year!
22:54
Hoops fun continued!
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February 17, 2009
10:11
Its the economy stupid!
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Everyone needs to pay attention to this!
February 07, 2009
17:55
Lake Goo-be-gone revisited!
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Week 3 results just posted on Facebook. Check 'em out!
9:37
Self exam...
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No, I'm not talking about fondling myself. That didn't sound good. I'm thinking more along the lines of looking inside my head and my heart at who I really am. I have this personality that makes me hate to be wrong. I think that's the basis of my fear of failure. I think most people have a fear of failure but underlying that fear is something deeper. With me, its that I don't like to be wrong. Or maybe its the other way around. Who knows. I could be wrong.....DOH! Regardless, its that fear or aversion that has ruled my life. Its made me pretend to know things I didn't instead of asking questions. Its made me slow to make decisions because I didn't want to take a chance on being wrong. Its made me miss opportunities. Its made me a procrastinator. Its that procrastination that makes the whole process of self improvement so slow. One of these days I'll get around to fixing that. LOL! Get it? One of these days...procrastination...get it? See the irony? Yeah, well...

I also have this tendency to think being professional means being serious. And serious is so not my nature. That's one reason I'm working on being genuine. Its not that I've been intentionally dishonest with people. Its just that I was afraid to show my flaws (be wrong) so I tried to be cool or who I thought people wanted me to be. The reality is, for all of us, people will like us for who we are not who we pretend to be. The people we like the most aren't the ones who know everything or are never wrong. Its those folks who show us their warts and spend more time being interested in us instead of impressing us. I'm just striving to be comfortable with myself.

That being said, I don't want you to think I don't have good points about me that I'm conscious of. I am a good listener and observer of people. When I'm in a group I pay attention to not only what is said but how its said and how others in the group are receiving it. I look for reactions. The other facet of my personality is that I'm a people pleaser so I look at everyone around me to see how they're doing. If I detect dissatisfaction I try to remedy that. I have a good sense of humor so I try to keep things light and make people laugh. Now I will admit that I will interject humor at inappropriate times occasionally but you've got to break a few eggs to make an souffle right? Whatever that means.

Those are just a few random thoughts I wanted to share. You probably don't care. On the outside chance you do I hope you found some insight. I'd love to get your perspective. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think.
February 01, 2009
21:06
Lake Goo-be-gone...
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The further adventures of my fitness quest on face book. Check it out: HERE!
11:37
Superbowl!
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So I'm like this weird sports fan I guess. We had friends over last night for a movie - Cinderella Man for those interested. I've owned the DVD for a couple years but I've never watched it. I like Russell Crowe. But I digress. Anyway, the "party" broke up around 11:30. Which was fine because I've been anticipating the Australian Open final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal which started at 12:30 am. Now I know I have to get up at a decent hour the next morning to make preparations for our Superbowl party but I can't miss the final. Of course it goes 5 sets and I doze through half of the 5th set (I did wake up in time to watch Rafa win the final game!). Long story short (is it too late to say that?) I get to bed at 5:21am only to awakened by Frank (my 165lb Newfoundland) at 8:32 because he has to pee!

What does this have to do with the Superbowl? I don't know...remember I'm operating on 3 hours of sleep. I'll just keep rambling and let you draw your own conclusions. But I digress (again). I like both teams involved in today's game. But I'm pulling for Arizona for several reasons (in no particular order). I'm a Rams fan (which hasn't been easy the past few years) but I've always been a Kurt Warner supporter since he played for them. His story is inspirational. From barely making the NFL to playing arena football to NFL Europe to bagging groceries to NFL backup to league MVP awards to Superbowl MVP to....well you get the picture. I heard him do an interview after the NFC championship and he said people kept telling him when he was bagging groceries that he would never make it to the NFL and he needed a new dream. But he never gave up. And after he left the Rams everyone said he was washed up and too old and here he is in the Superbowl again. What else can you say about the guy? He's a prime example of the power of a dream and the unwavering commitment to make it a reality. So I'm rooting for him if nothing else. And I'm rooting for an exciting game that will keep me from dozing off in my sleep deprived state.

Well, off to warm up the brisket!
9:59
Playing for changeI
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I thought this was cool so I wanted to share it with you.
January 18, 2009
11:20
Tub-o-goo!
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Ok, so I'm a pretty active guy. I climb the butte a few times a week. I play tennis 2, 3, 4 times a week. But I also love food. Especially during the holidays evidently as I gained a few pounds. I'm pretty healthy - low blood pressure, very low resting heart rate, rarely sick. But I'm carrying way too much extra weight and if I don't drop it my knees won't allow me to continue being active and then I'm in trouble! So I'm on a quest to lose weight. If you're interested you can follow my journey and even join in on Facebook. I've started a group dedicated to this endeavor called Jeff's Goo-be-gone Quest. Its my way of being accountable and keeping on track.
10:21
Pierce
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For those of you who don't know Pierce is my son. We took these last year but I've been keeping them hidden while I put together an entire coffee table book of his senior pictures. I gave it to him for Xmas. I couldn't be prouder of him.
10:19
Pierce
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10:14
More Pierce
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January 12, 2009
7:55
Brandon Perryman
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I had the privilege to photograph this young man during his time as a basketball player for Mountain View. These images are from his first year on the JV team. My son is #12 on the left and Brandon is #11 on the right. Brandon died this year just before Thanksgiving from cystic fibrosis. I can remember watching him as a freshman, barely able to get the ball to the basket from the free throw line but working so hard to improve. I remember the tears he and his father shed when he was named most inspirational player - an award which shall forever bare his name beginning this year. Grab a box of Kleenex and read this article about him: [www.bendbulletin.com] . They are retiring his jersey this Friday. Rest in peace Brandon.
December 26, 2008
8:29
Christmas
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I love this time of year. These 2 weeks of holidays are so wonderful to spend time with family and friends. We all share love, laughter, music, and good food. This year was special because it was my son's first year in college so having him home seemed all the more precious. We also got to spend more time with my sister's family which was nice. We hit the sledding hill and had a great Xmas day together. Our close friends came to spend Xmas night with us enjoying music, libations, and games. This will go down as one of those memorable Xmases for all of that. For the truly white Xmas we enjoyed and for another significant event.

Friends of our family lost their daughter on Xmas day. Their son and my son have been friends since grade school and their daughter had been battling Leukemia for a while now. It was a tough battle and at times it looked like she was on the road to recovery and then she would have a setback. She finally lost on Xmas day. Through it all she and her family kept such a positive attitude and strong faith. Even upon her passing they saw the good. They viewed it as the day god sent his son to earth and gave their little girl eternal life - to quote them. I'm not a religious person but I believe in people and the spirit of the human condition. And the story of Sarah was the heart of this Xmas for me. My thoughts throughout the day were with them and made me even more appreciative of my friends and family.

During this holiday season I hope you are with those you love. And I hope you take the time to appreciate them and show them how much you care.

Happy holidays and warmest wishes!
December 23, 2008
9:28
Rachel: Epilogue
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The final installment of the Rachel Trilogy!
9:21
Rachel: Epilogue (continued)
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It was a lot of fun Rachel! Good luck in college next year!!!
December 22, 2008
11:05
Prophetic words
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Food for thought entering the new year.

“A wise and frugal government … shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government.”
-Thomas Jefferson, First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1801

“When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.”
-Benjamin Franklin

Thank you Ben Edwards for digging these up. I thought they were worth repeating.
November 23, 2008
12:05
Ryan and Lia
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I've been capturing the personalities of these 2 since they were born. And I mean personalities. They are two of the most expressive and fun kids I've worked with. And its no surprise with the great parents they have. The best part of doing children's portraits is that I get to follow them as they grow up. Its like being that goofy uncle with the camera at all the family reunions.
11:50
Ryan and Lia continued
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November 11, 2008
11:31
Teegarden Family
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Had a chance to shoot the Teegarden family for their holiday photos. We were lucky to have cooperative weather.
November 09, 2008
18:18
Who knew!
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Who knew she was so talented? That's my lovely assistant/wife doing a balancing act with the reflector. You just can't hire people with that type of talent any more!
18:17
Talent!
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October 31, 2008
9:01
Wisdom
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I don't want to get political here. But I do find these words prophetic and true. For your consideration:

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.

You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.

You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.

You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.

You cannot build character and courage by taking away men's initiative and independence.

You cannot help men permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.

--William J. H. Boetcker in Lincoln On Limitations
October 26, 2008
19:17
Busy weekend!
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So Saturday we had our final installment of Rachel: The Trilogy and today we had a blast shooting The Cooper Kids at Shevlin Park. So you might naturally expect that I'd be posting some images from either or both of those events right now. This being a photography blog and all. Well, you couldn't be more wrong! Instead I'm going to give you one more installment of "Jeff Eats Bend"! You see it seems like the more jobs I do that my lovely wife assists on the more eating out I do. Thats the case because that's how I pay her for her efforts. Its definitely a win/win situation. So, I'll just keep it short and sweet.

First of all if you haven't tried Pastini Pastaria in The Old Mill then you should. Very good food AND great prices. I had pasta with beef bolognese and it was great. It wasn't that imitation bolognese with ground beef in it. This was slow braised beef that just melted in your mouth. The service is great too. We walked in and the hostess said they were just clearing a booth that we could have and she went to help them. Then a guy across the restaurant caught my eye and he hurried over to see if we had been helped yet. A waitress passed by and asked the same question. And finally the manager came over and asked us again. We definitely were not ignored. Just as good as the food and service was the price was amazing too. Two entrees, bread, and two glasses of wine all for under $30! Wow!

Next, I finally made it to Jackson's Corner. Great place. I went for breakfast and enjoyed a very tasty breakfast sandwich and coffee. Service was great and atmosphere very nice. I'll definitely be back to try the pizza and other fare.

Hurry to the east side and try Celina's Latin Bistro. I say hurry because when I've ever been there its been DEAD so there's no telling how long they'll be around. But the food and presentation are FANTASTIC. Very inventive menu with a lot of variety. I had spicy prawns with onions, peppers, and mushrooms and (get this) mashed potatoes. The little woman had tacos. But these weren't normal tacos. They had a curry sauce on them and they were very good. The service seems like maybe they're just not used to actually having people in the place. They're all friendly enough but just a little groggy perhaps. Did I mention the food is great? I ordered a mojito while we were there. Now if you've ever had a mojito they generally serve them in the same glass that a Tom Collins comes in. Not at Celina's. Theirs comes in a margarita glass!

Ok, so that's my culinary musings for the day. Pictures next - I PROMISE!
October 24, 2008
14:13
Check it out!
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Hey, just a quick note: check out my son's blog for some fantastic writing!
13:54
Food.....again...
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Lest this blog transform to a food site from a photo site I'll condense a few quick observations about some Bend restaurants here and then I PROMISE to get some more pics and photo related articles up. Really.

First of all, as previously promised, Volo: my wife and I went to Volo shortly after they first opened and I thought it was a pretty good joint. A bit on the spendy side but the food and presentation were very good. And I really enjoyed the modern yet comfy atmosphere (unlike my experience at Deep but I'll get to that later). A couple of weeks ago I read that Volo had changed their menu and lowered their prices so we decided to check it out. Well, the food is still fantastic AND the prices are much better. I had the filet (I can't help myself - if there's a filet on the menu I am almost compelled to order it) and it was great. My wife had quail and it too was very good. We had cocktails and wine in addition to desert all for around $50 - not bad for such a nice meal. Soni's desert was very interesting. It was a olive oil gelato with rosemary infused cookies. A savory desert and she enjoyed it. I had a slice of walnut chocolate cake which was very nice.

Now, a quick word about Deep (since I brought it up). In short I thought it was a nice novelty - interesting food, modern (almost industrial) decor, and well prepared food. But way too pricey for what you got. The food was very well done but you can get sushi for much less elsewhere. And the kobe beef on a hot river rock, while very unique and sort of fun, really wasn't worth the price. Soni and I were a hundred bucks into the meal and felt like we'd just had appetizers. The atmosphere was really cool, in fact cold. It wasn't really comfortable or inviting. Jodi Denton's other restaurant Merenda on the other hand is very warm and inviting. And I always feel like I get my money's worth. In fact we ate there the other night and had the roasted duck - FANTASTIC!
October 20, 2008
21:39
Burgers
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I know, I know, this is the blog of a photographer. But a guy's gotta eat right? And I do love my food. I love to cook it, I love to watch shows about it, but most importantly I love to eat it (maybe too much). So last week my son was home from college on his fall break and I took him to lunch at The Bend Burger Company. It was my first time and we were looking for something quick and simple. I hadn't been there yet and was looking for an excuse so we went.

Now I've read a few other reviews of the place and I guess one reason I like to write my own reviews is because those other guys are usually wrong. ;-) Actually I read a review on Bend Oregon Restaurants Blog and it was fairly accurate. My only departure with it is that when I go to a new place I like to try something typical of the place. Its a burger joint so I tried a bacon/cheese burger while that reviewer went for some frilly Hawaiian Burger.

The b/c burger was very good. Nice and messy. The flavor and quality reminded me of The Pilot Butte Drive-in but not nearly as large as their offerings. And I find as I get older that's not a bad thing. I mean I don't really need a 12 pound hamburger and I really don't know anyone except for a few offensive linemen who do. I also had to get a milkshake (I think that's law or something - I could be wrong). The milkshake was very good as well. The problem I had was that the girl making the shakes (we were sitting at the counter watching her make them) made them in those large metal cups as is usually the case, then she poured them into the paper cups, and then I watched her pour the rest of the shake down the drain! Why not give the customers the excess? Not enough metal cups? Put it in a smaller paper cup or something.

Fries come with the burgers or you can upgrade to onion rings or other items. I stuck with the fries and as the other reviewer pointed out they were a bit disappointing. They reminded me of Arby's fries. You know, they were kind of orange and seemed to hold on to the grease. Hey! Bend Burger Company! Make your own fries!!! There I said it.

My son, who apparently didn't get the memo about ordering indigenous fare at a restaurant had a chicken sandwich and ice tea. Apparently he's watching calories or something now that he's not playing sports any more. Go figure. He seemed to enjoy what he got.

So that's my review of The Bend Burger Company. Next time Volo....maybe.
October 19, 2008
17:21
Rachel: The Sequel
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Ok, so here you go chick! Now you can stop stalking me and throwing popcorn at me from behind corners. Here are a few from our second shoot together. it was tons-o-fun and I'm looking forward to the third installment once we get some decent fall foliage.
17:17
Even more Rachel!
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As if that wasn't enough! ;-)
16:03
Rachel: The Sequel
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Ok, so here you go chick! Now you can stop stalking me and throwing popcorn at me from behind corners. Here are a few from our second shoot together. it was tons-o-fun and I'm looking forward to the third installment once we get some decent fall foliage.
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September 25, 2008
8:42
Revelation!
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So I've been drinking this juice and I've been feeling pretty good. In fact I've been feeling great! I had knee surgery a couple of years ago and although it helped I still couldn't run. I just figured I'd have to take up cycling or something. I don't know if you're a cyclist or not but I've found cycling to be a pain in my cycling shorts - if ya know what I mean. I just don't care for it. I like to mountain bike but road biking and general commuting on a bike just bores me to tears. I have great respect for cyclists. My in-laws are into it. They travel all over the place on their bikes. But even they found the inherent discomfort of bikes annoying and switched to recumbants - you know those bikes that look like lawn chairs with wheels.

So, having decided that I'm not cut out for biking on hard surfaces I had to find some way to exercise. I love to play tennis so I belong to the Athletic Club of Bend because they have indoor tennis courts. So that's part of my exercise but it just didn't seem to be enough to actually improve my "shape". Well it turns out that this "athletic club" actually has exercise equipment. Who knew!!! I thought it was just tennis courts. They even have a weight room with weights and stuff. I've never been big into lifting weights because, well frankly, they're so heavy. I tried the treadmills and elipticals and even the stationary bikes. And I thought road biking was boring!

Anyway I found this juice a few months ago and started drinking it. Its called Mona Vie and its loaded with antioxidants and has glucosamine in it. After a few weeks of the stuff my knee started feeling pretty good. So good I thought I'd try running again. I started slow. I began running around the indoor track at the club - which I always assumed was just a nice padded walkway to the tennis courts. Before long I was running the 2 or so mile loop called the river trail.

Now the juice was a revelation but that's not the only revelation in this story. The other revelation has to do with the trail. Did your father ever regale you with stories of his childhood? You know, how he had to trudge to the outhouse in the dead of winter or how they only had 3 channels on their TV and he was the voice activated remote control - "Billy, turn the TV to channel 6. All in the Family is on." Well, one of my father's favorite stories of his childhood was having to walk to school 2 miles uphill BOTH WAYS. Guess what, I found it. I found the trail my father took to school! Its the river trail!!! I've run it in both directions and it truly is uphill BOTH WAYS!!!
September 22, 2008
15:29
Rachel class of '09!
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She's been waiting and waiting for me to give her a sneak peek at our first session together. So Rachel, here they are! I hope you enjoy them. I can't wait to go out and get some more
15:28
she loves her horses
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15:27
Rachel is so much fun to be around you can't help but smile too
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15:26
doesn't she have a great smile!
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15:26
in the field
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15:25
what can I say
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15:24
HAY!
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15:23
on the dock
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15:23
in the barn where the drooling cat prowls (yeah, that's right, a drooling cat)
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15:22
chillin'
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15:21
relaxing in the grass
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15:20
Lovely Rachel
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15:20
In the front yard
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September 03, 2008
3:33
Its quiet....maybe TOO quiet...
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Hey, for all my fans out there who subscribe to my blog (all 3 of you - if my dog Frank could use a mouse I might have 4!) you may be wondering why its been so quiet around here. Well, I have to be frank...no I'll let my dog be Frank...I'll just be honest - we're in the middle of US Open tennis. THE GREATEST 2 WEEKS OF THE YEAR!!! Ahem, anyway as you can see I'm somewhat of a tennis fan. I love to play - love to watch - its all good! So in between doing work (yes, those of you waiting for your pictures, I am working on them) I catch the occasional changover. Bottom line is....what is the bottom line...OH YEAH, bottom line is that the time I would ordinarily have to update my blog is spent watching a bit of tennis. I mean, you've got to have your priorities don't you? :D Have no fear, next week I'll be back with some samples of what I've been working on. So stay tuned. (same bat time - same bat channel)