My Portland Photoblog & Themes
This page complements my About page on Flickr.
Photography Genres, Photoblog Themes & New Themes
I haven't focused on a particular photography genre, but there are several I'd like to explore in greater depth. Nature, macro, black-and-white, abstract, and still life photography all intrigue me. As a long-time point-and-shoot amateur, I’ll need to refresh my understanding of photography basics before diving into any of these areas.
During my Portland walks and hikes, I gravitated toward the themes listed below. Moving forward, I still plan to explore Portland and other places on foot, but I want to narrow my focus on specific subjects. I’m also interested in creating more themed collages, especially those that tell a story. Additionally, I’m considering joining moderated Flickr groups with weekly challenges to push my creativity further.
Unique & Unusual (Quirky/Portland(ia) Theme
Given that most of my walks from 2010 to 2024 were in the Portland metro region, I liked to capture sights that were unique to my hometown. These included scenes that show us having fun, being creative, being mindful of our natural environment, demonstrating kindness and compassion, and being quirky (weird). I have 2,300+ photos in my four Portland Metro Quirky albums on Flickr. See the album descriptions for more details.
Architecture & Urban Planning Themes
I like fine architecture and design patterns. In high school, my drafting classes were among my favorites. On weekends, I'd read Architectural Record and Architectural Digest at our branch library. I sometimes regret not following my dream of becoming an architect. The closest I came in my career in IT was working as an enterprise technology architect and a corporate data architect.
I also like urban planning principles, programs and projects, in part because there are strong parallels to IT enterprise architecture. Since Portland has a strong tradition in urban planning, you'll find many examples of completed projects among my photos that pertain to transportation, housing, sustainability, land use planning, and so forth. If you're interested, you can read my 2020 public testimony in support of Portland's Residential Infill Project (RIP). Be advised, it's lengthy and includes some word salad. I recommend reading the pdf copy.
When I first moved to Portland from Anchorage in 1980, I was impressed with the completed urban infrastructure projects that I saw when I worked downtown. The Portland Transit Mall, which opened in 1977, is one example. The Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade, which opened in 2001, is another example.
Over the past few years, I think Portland has been lagging behind other metro regions in bold new urban infrastructure projects. To me, it seems our regional leaders no longer have the vision or ambition to tackle big projects. I think analysis-paralysis and death-by-committee have also become factors, not only in Portland, but in other (progressive) west coast cities.
Ezra Klein addressed this in the following podcasts and articles:
July 23, 2021: Ezra Klein Interviews Jerusalem Demsas
May 29, 2022: What America Needs Is a Liberalism That Builds
June 12, 2022: There Has to Be a Better Way to Run the Government
February 8, 2023: How Liberals — Yes, Liberals — Are Hobbling Government
Noah Smith also addressed this in the following article:
April 6, 2023: Industrial Policy Doesn't have to succeed right away. Progressive approaches need to fail before they can change.
An architect, city planner, and urban designer who I respect is Jeff Speck. I recommend his books and articles. I purchased my copy of Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time, after I attended a presentation by Jeff at Powell's Books in Portland in 2012.
Active & Public Transportation Themes
As my narrative on bicycling, hiking, climbing, and walking suggests, I’ve always had an interest in active (human-powered) transportation. My interest in getting around on foot started in high school, when I competed as a cross-country runner and a cross-country skier. I was never very fast, but I always finished.
Public transportation is another theme I like. In the early 80s, mid 90s, and later from 2015 to 2020, I commuted by bus to my different workplaces. I enjoyed getting to know some other regular riders on my bus lines. My wife and I rode line 70 together when we were working. Now, we can now get front-row seats as TriMet Honored Citizens.
Advocacy and Volunteer Activities
In addition to volunteer work at my children's schools, my interest in active transportation led me to help the following local organizations over the years. When I was commuting by bicycle, I supported the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (now The Street Trust). When I was commuting on foot, I did volunteer work for the Lloyd District Transportation Management Association (now Go Lloyd), the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition (now Oregon Walks), and the City of Portland (Ten-Toe Express, Sunday Parkways). In 2019, I helped AARP Oregon with its Community Neighbor Walks program as an in-kind volunteer photographer. In 2020, I was (briefly) a member of Portland: Neighbors Welcome. In 2021, I helped SOLVE as an in-kind volunteer photographer, and in 2022 I helped Go Lloyd again as a volunteer on their Mobility Committee. Currently, my volunteer work primarily involves assisting at Sunday Parkway events and participating in SOLVE cleanup events.
Last updated: 1/28/2025