Profiles
My name is Mike Stone, I am from the Chicagoland area and I work in the law enforcement field. I enjoy many different types of photography including landscape, wildlife, abandoned/ruins and architecture. I really enjoy participating in photography workshops as I constantly strive to learn from others and better myself. Connecting with other photographers that share similar interests is very inspiring and relaxing.
Hi, I’m Kathy Meyer with my dog Poco
Since retiring as a community college professor two years ago, I’ve returned from living in New Mexico to use California as a home base for nomad traveling in my van. I was working at USC in 1984 when a flyer came to my desk from Dave Wyman’s USC Adventure Travel department. The flyer was about a weekend camping trip to Joshua Tree and photography – I had just bought a new camera and knew nothing about it, so why not? I had so much fun on that first trip that I got completely hooked and continued as a participant and instructor for several years (oh, the stories I could tell).
Since then, I have traveled and camped all over the West, and want to continue doing that now that I’m retired. Being in nature gives me peace and gratitude, but joy comes from the comradery and friendships I’ve gained along the way.
Hi, I’m Fred Bierman from Los Angeles, happiest with a camera in my hands. Born in St. Louis, I begged for my first – a Kodak Brownie – for my 5th birthday. Graduated to an Instamatic, then a rudimentary SLR, and in high school earned a Pentax SP500 by selling portraits and passport photos. In northern Wisconsin at sleepaway camp, I taught photography, ran the darkroom, and took portraits of every kid for the camp Memory Book (slave labor of love). Moved to Boston after college where I became a Nikon shooter and never looked back.
Along the way I worked as a local TV program director, moved again to LA to run marketing for 20th Century Fox’s syndication division, and later, with a partner, started a public opinion polling and market research company servicing more than 100 TV news departments. Had and acquired 4 kids and stepkids, and been happily re-married for over a decade. Also been following Ken Rockwell since the mid-2000s!
Now semi-retired, I take real estate photos for MLS listings and marketing pieces to keep sharp. Also decided to learn studio lighting a few years back. But my greatest passion is still travel and street photography. In November I visited Singapore, Bali and Tokyo, my first real trip since the beginning of Covid.
Last, a confession: sorry, but I don’t miss film!
I take pictures of abandoned buildings because I find beauty in their decay. I see the stories behind the crumbling walls, the faded paint, the broken windows, and the abandoned interiors. I imagined the lives that once filled these spaces, the memories that linger in the air, the hopes that brought them here. I want to share these images with others to inspire them to look beyond the surface, to appreciate the history, and the mystery of these forgotten places. This formed the basis for my making a project of Bodie, California, located in the eastern Sierras of California.
At its peak Bodie on the eastern Sierras had approximately 10,000 inhabitants, 2,000 buildings, a Wells Fargo Bank, four volunteer fire companies, a railroad terminal, a telegraph line to the outside world, miners’ and mechanics’ union, several daily newspapers, several churches, a jailand the usual assortment of hotels and brothels. Once the rich ore was depleted from the mines the miners, townfolks and merchants moved on to more prosperous opportunities. And from that point onward, Bodie has entered into a period of constant decay.
I created a series of images to express the sense of hardship and isolation of the location. These buildings, now standing silent and abandoned, bear witness to the relentless human spirit that once inhabited them. My work was recognized and published in Dodho Photo Magazine, an international photography magazine. The link below will take you to the publication that includes my work.
I am a San Diego-based fine art photographer. My aim is to explore and document the intricate relationship between humans and nature across the American landscape. In addition to old buildings, I am attracted to making images of the bits of metal, wood and stone that man abandons, that oxides and forms photographic art images for me to capture and share.
Sam Crawford: I got the photographybug back in high school and spent way more money appeasing it than I should have. I’m old school and still haven’t purchased my first digital camera—unless you count phones.
The Route 66 workshop photographsalmost 100 years of history so I brought a50 year old Rolleiflex, and I’ll probably use black and white film to celebrate it.
I live in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and am tired of the cold and snow so I’m expecting it to be warm and sunny in California. Right? Beach weather?
I worked as a consultant to the auto industry where I focused on increasing profitability of auto dealers’ finance departments. 45 years was enough and I retired 12 years ago.
My hobbies alternate between photography, sailing and bicycling. I’m not very good at any of them but I still try.
I don’t have an online site for my pictures but occasionally post some on Instagram as @sammycda.
I'm Dennis Blanco, father of two and husband of one. I work for a software company, peddling expensive software to businesses worldwide. I took my earliest pictures with a Kodak Instamatic 126 that belonged to my mom. I completed my undergrad and graduate degrees in Electrical Engineering and actually worked as one for over ten years, before succumbing to the dark side.
I've done a lot of sports photography and favor portraiture, when I can get someone to sit for 1/125s or longer, over most. During the pandemic, I decided to reinvent myself as a photographer and started dumping (selling off) my equipment. I've been working since to simplify my equipment and slow myself down. I'm coming to the workshop with a drawing pad and a pencil. Perhaps that's too far. I'll bring a vacation camera, then.
Other things I do or have done as a hobby: SCUBA diving, rock climbing, backpacking/hiking, golf, and writing (fiction). Looking forward to meeting everyone this weekend.
