Portland, Oregon-based photographer - 503.421.5700

>Best of the West!

Added on by Thomas Boyd.

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ssusc
Originally uploaded by thomasrboyd.

I just found out today I won an award in the "Best of the West" competition. (bestofthe west.org)

It's kind of strange to me. Two of the five national awards I've won were sports. This is a sports award as well. That makes half of my major awards in the sports category.

Though, I like shooting sports, I don't consider myself a "sports photographer." I think I'm stronger at other types of photography.

I don't know what that means exactly, but it gives me pause.

Contests are funny because if I don't win something in a contest I enter, I get a little irritated and disappointed, maybe even seethe for a few minutes.

If I win, I have only a hint of emotional reaction compared to losing. Photography is a funny thing. If I actually get a photo I think is good, I know it was given to me by the subject. I know I didn't make the photograph great, I just photographed something that was great in a skillful way. I know that I can take a skillful photograph of something that isn't great and it won't win a contest.

Contests are won by the thing we point our camera at. This photo is a perfect example. Not only did Dominique Byrd make a great catch, the fog was a gift. I've shot a lot of touchdown receptions in bad light and they weren't worth even entering into a contest. It's true I chose the right lens, chose the right spot to stand, framed it correctly, and pressed the shutter at the right time, but I do that almost every game...so what? Byrd and the fog made the great photo.

I think too many shooters think they are great photographers because they made a skillful photograph of something spectacular.

On a side note: I talked to Dominique Byrd's mother. She emailed me after it ran in ESPN The Magazine and asked how to get a reprint. She was a very sweet woman and said the nicest thing to me when I called her. She said how much she liked the shot, and said, "We were blessed you were there to take that photo." I thought that was a really cool thing to say.

Here are the judges comments:

Sports photography

First Place: Thomas Boyd, The Register-Guard, Eugene
Second Place: Danny Chan La, The Salt Lake Tribune
Third Place: Kelly Presnell, Arizona Daily Star, Tucson

Boyd earns first-place honors with a shot of University of Southern California receiver Dominique Boyd reaching to make a one-handed grab of a touchdown pass in a fog-shrouded game against Oregon State.
“This one jumped out right away as a top candidate in the category, and came out as the clear winner,” the judges wrote. “The fog added a surreal look to a nice action photo.”
Second place goes to La for a shot of a high school softball player stretching in a vain effort to tag another player during a title game.
“At first look, the black-and-white threw us off, but when you look at the pure timing, emotion and composition of this photo, it really was worthy of the top three,” the judges wrote.
Presnell captures third place with a photo of Arizona’s Andre Iguodala trying to convince a referee that possession of the basketball belongs to his team.
“This was a fun photo,” the judges wrote. “The look on the face of the player and the two fingers pointing in opposite directions made this an easy choice for the top three also.”
“Overall, this was a tough category,” the judges added. “Most of these photos were probably clip winners throughout the year, and for good reason. It was even a chore to keep it to the Top 10. The newspapers from the West are always very competitive and this year was no exception. It’s probably the best region in the country for sports photography, and the entries showed that.”
Judged by David Petkiewicz, Mac systems administator and former photographer, and
Scott Shaw, staff photographer, for The Plain Dealer in Cleveland.

>I long for Summer

Added on by Thomas Boyd.

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ol.drivein1.0824
Originally uploaded by thomasrboyd.

It's been raining here in Eugene for days. I'm not even sure how many but there has been at least some amount of precipitation every day this month. Tomorrow the weather is supposed to break.

This photo was shot in Lebanon, Ore., at a drive-in theather that was torn down last year.

>Danny Martin's Memorial Service Procession

Added on by Thomas Boyd.

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bryson
Originally uploaded by thomasrboyd.

This is a photo from Danny Martin's memorial service at North Bend High School, on May 7, 2005.

Danny's grandsons Bryson, right, and Zachary, sit in the cab of a North Bay Rural Fire Dept. Engine 1. Danny's turnouts were attached to the front bumper. All of Danny's grandchildren rode up front in the cab during the procession from the high school to the fire hall in Glasgow. (Click on the headline to view all the photos)

I attended the service with my camera as Rick and Scott asked me to. I was glad they did because it gave me comfort to know I could be helpful in a small way. Though, I've shot dozens of funerals and services in my career this was a little different. It took place in the high school my mother, father, sister, and I graduated. Where Danny would come to watch Rick wrestle and Scott play football.

My cousin Steve is now the fire chief at North Bay and spoke during the service. His father and my uncle Mike, died in a crash on his way to a structure fire as a firefighter for North Bay. Danny was the Chief at that time. I knew many people in the crowd and even more knew me because of my mom. I recognized people I hadn't seen in decades. I had a sense of belonging in that building that I rarely feel anywhere. It was a strange sensation.

Like everyone I was moved to tears by the stories that were told. Every story I heard reminded me of ten more. I wanted to speak, but I was incapable.

The stories I heard reinforced what I already knew. Danny was an incredible and very unique individual. I listened to testimony telling of how guys would do anything for Danny as Chief. How they sought his respect...how he always made them feel special.

I think that's true about him, and the older I get the more I realize how rare a quality that is in a person. I can think of only a couple names that I could say that about of all the people I've met in my life. Danny was certainly one of them.

My heart aches not only for Gayle, Rick and Scott, but also for Danny's grandchildren. He was even a better Papa than he was a Dad. I lost my grandfather at age 33 and it still hurts. I deeply miss him and I know they will deeply miss him for the rest of their lives.

>Pep Bonet's Response to Sportsshooter Discussion

Added on by Thomas Boyd.

>message for Thomas Boyd
Hi Thomas. Since I dont want to get
into this, maybe you can send this
to clear things. Thanks a lot and
best regards. Pep

Dear friends.
I think there is a misunderstanding here.
First: DOCUMENTARY in my web means a documentary film, not that I'm only documenting, Sergi Agusti was documenting my way of working, and he did it well. This film is showing honestly how I work. My interpretation of the reality I have experienced, and yes, how I take pictures and the relationship with my subjects. I decided to place the documentary (film) in the web to balance the ¨reality¨ of this essay, so people can have a clear idea of the place. People is judjing my body of work only with that picture of the eye, yes that picture was posed, and most of my portraits are always influenced by the light, specially in this essay of ¨Blind Faith¨, I was trying to show what have been taken away of this children , their sight, so, the light is the main ¨focus¨ in this essay.
This is a personal project, my most personal project, and have never intended to be documentary work. I did the essay and that was the work I submitted for the World Press Photo Masterclass, because I believe photojournalism needs a change in approach, that was to challenge people, and it did. I have been labelled as a photojournalist, I consider myself a photographer working with social issues. ¨FAITH IN CHAOS¨ is a experimental essay with photography and video and it is a work in progress. I do believe in photojournalism, but the old school is old, and old fashioned, whats new to discover? New approaches. That´s what I believe.
I do work with the media, but the biggest satisfaction is to help people directly, like with the amputees soccer team, I found financial support (28.000 Euro) for them to continue playing their soccer and go to International competitions.
That´s something magazines do not do, they publish and that´s it. I find interesting the borders between the personal views and the documenting. I don’t only document, anybody with a camera can do that. Whats wrong with changing a persons face a little t the left or to the right? Does that change reality? In a portrait???? I think that’s being close minded.
And, I did not present myself as a photojournalist in my website but as a phtographer.
ww.pepbonet.com
PHOTOGRAPHER.
By the way Im not going to react
anymore on all this, you can all continue to have fun togheter, but I have work to do.Best regards for all of you.
Pep.

I agree with this:
These photos of blind kids are more about metaphorical concepts of darkness and light and less about telling a story.

I FIND ALL THIS VERY, VERY, INTERESTING!!!

With all due respect to Jock and Pep, that image and the manner in which it was set up do not pass the "documentary"sniff test.

I'm not a forensic gastrologist either, but I know sh*t when I smell it.

Could you loose your job by hiring someone like Pep Bonet? I REALLY LIKE THIS ONE.

Josh, I understand where you're coming from but it's real simple. Don't do what Pep did. He interfered with the documentary process and manipulated the situation to make soething work for him. Totally unethical. Period.

>Danny Martin: Sept. 21, 1942 - April 29, 2005

Added on by Thomas Boyd.

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danny
Originally uploaded by thomasrboyd.

This is the only photo I have of Danny, but it's the only one I really need. It's exactly how I want to remember him...sitting around the campfire. This is where he was at his best. This is where I learned the most from him. I sat around campfires with Danny since I was in fourth grade. He would take me camping with Rick and Scott to Wolf Creek. Our families would camp together at the Chetco. I took my family to camp with him and Gayle and Rick and Devine at Belknap the last several years. I learned as much from him the last time I saw him as the first.

Danny Martin was a one-of-a-kind individual. He was good at everything he did. He never cut corners. He was one of the toughest men I've ever known. His hands were huge and strong to point of having legendary status. He taught me what the meaning of tough was. He was a born leader.

I always liked how proud he was of everyone he loved. I always liked how he told stories about Rick and Scott's achievements as if they had left the room, but were sitting next to him.

I loved the way he told stories. They were always about the people he cared about. I loved stories about Pete, and my grandfather, Russ, on the waterfront. I liked stories about Rick, Rod and I in high school...he remembered everything.

I'm in disbelief that he has passed. Of all the people I know his age, I would have bet the farm he would have outlasted them all. The only solace I have is that he lived everyday as if it was his last. He was always industrious and responsible, and yet mindful of having fun. He made having fun an art form. He worked at having fun harder than I work at work.

I will dearly miss him, just as I miss my own grandfather.

Sitting around a campfire will never be the same for me.

Tom

Obit:

Danny J. Martin

Sept. 21, 1942 - April 29, 2005

A memorial service for Danny J. Martin, 62, of North Bend, will be held at noon on Saturday, May 7, at North Bend High School gymnasium. Danny was cremated and his ashes will be scattered at a later date.

Danny was born on Sept. 21, 1942, to James L. and Ruth (Kissinger) Martin, in Antioch, Calif. He died April 29, 2005, in Prineville.

He moved to Oregon in 1950. After graduating from high school, he went to work at Weyerhaeuser for a few years. He then went into the longshoring profession, from which he worked for 35 years. He retired from longshoring in 1998. He married his loving and devoted wife, Gayle, in 1963.

He was active in the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Local No. 12; served as the North Bay Rural Fire Protection District volunteer fire chief from 1972 to 1992; and on the North Bay RFPD board from 1992 to 1998.

He is survived by his wife, and sons and daughters-in-law, Scott and Sheri Martin of Reno, Nev., and Rick and Devine Martin of Powell Butte; and grandchildren, Bryson, Kelsee, Zachary and Sheldon. He also is survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Roger and Karen Martin of Bend; sister and brother-in-law, Ruth Ann and Lee Goddard of Brush Prairie, Wash.; and several nieces and nephews.

The family suggests memorial contributions to the Firefighters Memorial in care of City of Coos Bay Finance Department, 500 Central Ave., Coos Bay, OR 97420; or to a charity of choice.

>Severson Sisters in 1929

Added on by Thomas Boyd.

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sisters
Originally uploaded by thomasrboyd.

This photo was taken during a parade in Eugene, Ore., in 1929 on Willamette Street. It shows my grandmother, Margie, with her six sisters, Eva, Helen, Donna, Ethel, Edna, and Ione. I'm not sure which order they're in and there are a couple unknown children in the wagon. The parade probably had something to do with the 70th Anniversary of the statehood of Oregon that took place in 1859. At this date only Eva, Helen, Donna and Margie remain.

>Greg's Cows

Added on by Thomas Boyd.

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gregscows
Originally uploaded by thomasrboyd.

Greg has five head of cattle. Today he checked the ass. This one's pregnant. Her sack was full and her teats swollen he said.

In a few weeks a freezer full of steaks and hamburger will come my way.

>The Dalai Lama

Added on by Thomas Boyd.

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nw.dalialama.0515
Originally uploaded by thomasrboyd.

I was going through some old photos and had totally forgot that I shot the Dalai Lama few years back.

I've never really used these photos outside of the paper because I used a D1 at high iso. It looks pretty good on the web but wouldn't make much of a print.

>Street Warrior

Added on by Thomas Boyd.

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nw.rogerdorn2
Originally uploaded by thomasrboyd.

This fellow is named Roger. He's a drinker. When I met him he was living on a loading dock. I lost track of him for months. I left my card at the "candy store" where he shopped regularly. He called and we met for coffee. He told of how he passed out and woke up paralyzed. The doctors told him his body was dangously lacking the nutrients necessary for life. They put him on i.v. and vitamins and he got better. He said, "I was drinking too much."
I don't know what happened to him since.

>An Oregonian

Added on by Thomas Boyd.

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ol.digger
Originally uploaded by thomasrboyd.

I shot this guy several years ago. He's a logger from Cottage Grove. He had a can of Oly in his back pocket. I found him clam digging in Charleston. He laughed a lot and taught his grandkids the nuances of catching a clam in the mudflats, just as my grandfather did.

He's an Oregonian.

>WaffleHouse

Added on by Thomas Boyd.

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WaffleHouse
Originally uploaded by thomasrboyd.

Sol goes all the way to Miami to pick up his POYi award. I wanted to go and get mine too, but I couldn't. I asked him to send me some photos of his experience..and this what I get...a Waffle House.

It could be Seaside, Oregon, except for the sun, of course.

Photo by Sol Neelman

>Rock 'n' Roll Soldiers CD Cover

Added on by Thomas Boyd.

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A few months after covering the Rock 'n' Roll Soldiers for The Register-Guard, I went to see them live at the W.O.W. Hall in Eugene. I shot a few snaps on my 20D and my 24/1.4 from backstage. Then, some cat from New York called and said he wanted to use it for their EP coming coming out. I sold it to them for a ridicuously low price and sure enough they used it on the cover.
These guys are gonna be huge...straight to the moon!