At the risk of being totally nauseating here is my Christmas letter.
TRAVEL
JANUARY
There are not many places I have on my bucket list. Machu Pichu was at the top of that list and it didn’t disappoint.
MARCH
Bhutan was a different story. I first visited the country 30 years ago as one of the first 5,000 tourists to enter the country. I went back again 20 years ago and this year I took a group of photographers. Little has changed. Now there is television, cell phones and traffic but traditional dress and architecture has remained the same.
The highlight of the Bhutan trip was a trek up to Jhomolhari basecamp and beyond trekking up to 14 miles a day at 16,000 feet. Here is my partner Andrea Johnson below 23,000- foot Jichu Drakye. My old friend Doug Scott made the first and only ascent of the mountain.
Heavy snows curtailed our plans to climb even further and higher.
APRIL
Japan has always been one of my favorite destinations, superficially so similar to the USA but so foreign.
To experience Japan away from its modern veneer we traveled to the West Coast spa town, Kinosaki. “Town” is an exaggeration, it’s little more than a couple of streets, 8 onsen (hot springs) and a hand full of wonderful ryokan (inns) This is the Japan of our dreams.
MAY
After the heat of Asia, winter in New Zealand was decidedly chilly. We visited all the main wine regions of the country at the invitation of New Zealand Winegrowers – 2 weeks of exhilarating, exhausting travel.
AUGUST
Harvest started early this year and was in full swing before the end of August. Barrels are being fumigated ready for the first batch of pinot noir at Maysara Winery near McMinnville in the Willamette Valley.
SEPTEMBER
Early September we were in Walla Walla with Andrea Johnson’s friend and client, actor Kyle MacLachlan.
Photo: Andrea Johnson
A few days later, back in Portland, I took a trip I wasn’t expecting. Quadruple bypass surgery in the middle of harvest was certainly inconvenient but far better than the alternative. Thanks to my daughters Emma and Hannah for making the effort to be by my side for the big day and to Andrea Johnson for nursing me through the whole ordeal. I’m happy to say I’m up and running again and shooting better than ever.
This was before the knife. I don’t know what Andrea, Emma and Hannah were so pleased about!
TIME TO BOAST ABOUT THE KIDS
Speaking of my daughters, both have made me extremely proud this year. Emma graduated with her masters degree with distinction. She now works at the University of California Santa Barbara. Hannah is Director of Marketing for one of the most successful realtors in America, in the top 100 according to the Wall Street Journal, and just last week passed the examination for her California real estate license. The 3-hour exam took her 45 minutes!
Photo: Andrea Johnson
AWARDS
I was the winning finalist in the Errazuriz Wine Photographer of the Year competition. This international competion is the world’s leading competition for food and wine photography and I feel honored to have been selected for the top award. I was also given the second place award and an honorable mention. To receive 3 of the top 6 awards is unprecedented.
Video is collaborative and together with my partner Andrea Johnson and the talents of Dane Henry and Tim Shisler we have been gathering awards almost monthly. Our documentary “The Noble Spirit” about our friend Fred Noble and his struggle with ALS has been accepted by several film festivals and continues to win awards.
Chagrin Documentary Film Fest
Mt. Hood Independant Film Festival – Most Inspiring Documentary
Dam Short Film Festival – Best Documentary
Accolade Global Film Competition Award
Cebu International Documentary Film Festival – Best in Content Award
Wine Country Film Festival
Oregon Indépendant Film Festival
Oregon Film Awards – Best of Oregon Award
Our video for the Washington Wine Commission received a prestigous silver Telly Award, the industries premier award for film and video productions.
Quite a year and I’m delighted to still be here to celebrate it.
