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Showing posts from May, 2021

LaToya Ruby Frazier

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       LaToya Ruby Frazier is a world-renowned photographer, artist, and activist. She grew up in the struggling steel mill town of Braddock, Pennsylvania. Frazier started taking photos of her friends and family when she was 16. She soon attended the Edinboro University of Pennsylvania at age 17 where she earned her bachelor's of fine arts before going on to get her MFA in photography from Syracuse University. While in school she came across a photo, “American Gothic” by Gordon Parks. That photo propelled her into a career of activism. Frazier’s first body of work, entitled “The Notion of Family”, took her over 14 years to complete. It focused on life in Braddock Pennsylvania after the steel industry collapsed. She skillfully shines a light on the environmental racism and classism of this steel mill town. In this body of work, she includes a shot of her own family home as well as many self-portraits. Since then she has published many books all focused on mill an...

Lynsey Addario's book: "It's What I Do"

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  Lynsey Addario’s book, “ It’s What I Do ”, was an exciting a heartbreaking read. She wrote of her experience as a woman, a photographer, a journalist, and, lastly, a mother.       One of the stories that stood out to me the most was at the end of her book in Ch. 13 She was pregnant and squeezed into a frantic crowd in Gaza. She started to feel afraid for her baby and yelled “baby!” pointing to her stomach. All of the men around her created a human shield to protect her from the pushing crowd and she continued to shoot. I liked this story because it really illustrated the protective culture around pregnant women in the area. It didn’t matter if they knew her or who she was affiliated with, the fact that she was pregnant was enough for them to protect her. It felt like through all the inhumanity she had seen, everyone was humane at that moment.  Addario has a special way of approaching her subjects. She is very respectful, but bold in receiving and maint...

Disc Golf Tournament at Willamette Park

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Friends stroll in Corvallis' Willamette Park during the Willamette Park Disc Golf (WPDG) President's Cup tournament Sunday afternoon, May 23rd, 2021. Terri Shafer (left) has been playing disc golf for over five years and this is her second year competing in the WPDG President's cup tournament. Shafer hopes to win the $1000 prize this year but knows the competition is tough this year.  Geoff Landers (above/right) is considering joining a league but today he isn't competing. He enjoys practicing with his pals on the weekends to perfect his distance throws.   Beginners are welcome! Amy P. (left) is trying out disc golf for the first time today with help from her husband who has been a big fan of the sport since his college years. 

Hawthorne PDX

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View of Hawthorne Ave, as seen from Mt. Tabor Park in Portland, Oregon, Thursday, May 13th, 2021.         SE Hawthorne district, Portland's bohemian epicenter, springs back to life after the long restrictive pandemic. People fill the streets eager to eat at their favorite vegetarian restaurants and visit the quirky giftshops and bookstores this neighborhood has to offer.     Shoppers weren't the only ones causing a scene on the street last Thursday.  Onlookers watch as an officer arrests Kenneth Church after he allegedly set a telephone pole on fire around 2:30 pm, May 13th. Though people were shaken up by the incident, no one was seriously injured.  Lisa Pate Thursday, May 13th, 2021      Down the road, in a quiet corner of Ladd's Addition, Lisa Pate L.Ac R.D. (right), shows a much more zen side to the Hawthorne neighborhood. Among the dive bars, gluten-free bakeries, and bookstores, sits an oasis of naturopathic health. ...

On campus

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View of Furman Hall on Oregon State University campus on Tuesday, May 4th, 2021. Keith Hall after his final vaccine shot on Friday, May 7th, 2021 Ian Rossler Friday, May 7th, 2021 Crowds continue to fill the vaccination site on OSU's campus. Keith Hall (above) sits in the sunshine on a chillier than expected Friday outside Reser Stadium. He is reading his new paranormal non-fiction book, "The Psychic Detectives", while he waits for his ride home. He just received his final dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and is looking forward to the long weekend of rest ahead of him.      Ian Rossler (above/right) walks through McNary Field Friday, May 7th, 2021 on his way to meet friends in the MU Quad. Rossler is a Sophomore at OSU and is looking forward to in-person classes this fall.  Tiny cars buzz about Oregon State's campus Tuesday, May 4th, 2021. OSU's College of Engineering takes their tiny cars to the streets of campus. These adorable little cars were built with help from ...

Raymond in the Studio

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Raymond Richards preps his north Portland recording studio for a session on Friday evening, April 30th. Richards has been recording and producing music since he was 17 years old, recording his high school band's music. Since then, he has produced dozens of albums, one of which went gold. Richards loves working with artists and making them feel comfortable enough to be vulnerable and creative. He says that is when the true masterpieces are made. When he's not producing music, he makes custom frames at Art Heads Custom Framing on Hawthorne Ave in Portland, Oregon. He loves both of his jobs, but producing music is his true passion.   Raymond Richard's favorite instrument to play is the pedal steel guitar. He started playing it more than 20 years ago and fell in love with its dreamy sound and versatility.