A photo series on the people bringing Olympia, Washington’s culture to life. Exhibited in 2014.
AFTER WORK HANGOUT One of my first Oly encounters was with Julia and her friends. They were enjoying the first warm evening, chatting and discussing over coffee. Their individual style, charisma and relaxed attitude attracted me to them. They were fun and wonderful portrait models. Shooting with them was a real pleasure. These portraits are what initially inspired me to do this series on Olympian character.BRI & BRANDON I took the first photograph of Bri and her guys last Sept when I first vacationed in Olympia. So when the Farmer’s Market opened its doors again, the Heyday Café was my first go-to spot. Bri, Brandon, Matt and Andrew are an inspiring team, leading the Heyday family business with tasty food concoctions paired with a crazy and fun atmosphere. Olympian individuals and entrepreneurs at its best.JAMI I had the pleasure of meeting Jami of The Sherwood Press while scouting unique printing methods. She welcomed me into her little atelier, sharing with me her first steps into letterpress printing and the history of the printing shop she inherited from her mentor and friend, Jocelyn. Jami has a soothing and relaxed way about her. And standing in her shop lets time stand still, tucked away in the trees overlooking the lake.KYLE “He’s the world’s best hugger!”, accompanied by a huge — and really warm — hug. That’s how I met Kyle of San Francisco Bakery. While shooting with him, Kyle was exceptionally natural, with a slight shyness sometimes. His kind smile and open character truly inspired me.MR. COOL While sitting outside Vita Café on 4th Avenue, quietly sipping my tea, this cool guy drove up in his old-timer and stopped at the red light. We made eye contact, I pointed at the camera in my hand, he nodded. Before I knew it, I jumped into the middle of the street and started snapping away. All the while, he remained cool and relaxed, with a serene attitude about him. A true cool guy.STEVE You never know when a poet is sitting next to you, sipping coffee. Steve and I shared a coffee table as strangers in the sun one late afternoon. After a few words about the great weather, I found out about his poetry. I even had the pleasure of hearing a few poems . He was quite shy on being photographed, but seemed to enjoy it nonetheless. It is nice to dip into Olympia’s artistic scene, even over an unexpected cup of coffee.ASHLEY The first time I met Ashley, I was wowed by her fun smile. She immediately pushed my drowsy morning mood to a sunny high. Shooting with her was super fun, and I still hope I didn’t distract her too much. She is a coffee master in the making. She and the Burial Grounds team make coffee drinking anything but boring and normal.
