Southbound out of The Dalles, Highway 197 turns up from the Columbia River, curving through the gently rolling terrain of the upper Columbia Gorge. Leaving the National Scenic Area at about milepost 3, you’ll see the landscape evolve from manicured fruit orchards to hardscrabble wheat farms. Mt. Hood rises to the west.
Known as the “Avedon of Asia,” Russel Wong is among celebrity photographer royalty—Richard Avedon, Annie Leibovitz, Helmut Newton. Wong’s portfolio includes sixteen covers for Time magazine, landscapes sold by Christies, and lush publicity images for the Oscar-winning films, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and House of Flying Daggers.
I jumped at the offer when 1859 asked me if I was interested in shooting behind the scenes at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Few photographers get the opportunity to go behind the scenes at OSF. I was elated, yet felt the weight of responsibility from such a rare invitation. I also recognized that I was walking into an intimate lair, with dimensions I could hardly guess. The experience far exceeded my expectations as a photographer. There were large contraptions, small sewing machines, a woman creating a miniature head, welders and people covered in paint. This is a world where the future and the past come together in a visceral present. And I was fortunate enough to capture it all. Enjoy.
Contributing photographer Amanda Conde and 1859’s design team, Aimee Jameson and Guy Olson, took to the backroads of Central Oregon to photograph Homegrown Chef Carrie Cook Minns for the July/August cover. Hilarity ensued.
Rodeo clowns are actors performing dangerous improvisational theater before live audiences. Wearing multicolored masks layered in gaudy grease paint, they symbolize ancient Greek muses. Protecting and liberating the rider from calamity is the job of Melpomene, the scowling face of Tragedy. Meanwhile Thalia, the smiley face of Comedy, is busy court-jesting and regaling children with tomfoolery. How well the theatrical performance is received depends, in large part, on the chemistry between these two opposing forces—Tragedy and Comedy.
Editor Kevin Max and photographer Joni Kabana take a trip across Oregon and immerse themselves in the dive bar community and the culture and cameraderie it offers.
Pressed up close to Pistol River’s South Bank Road, Les Stansell’s shop appears an unassuming grey corrugated metal building. A dozen broken surfboards and an assortment of wood lean against it. A small hand-painted sign says “Stansell and Co.” That’s as close as Stansell comes to direct advertising—even though he’s renowned for his handcrafted flamenco guitars.
Every road to Canby is a pleasant one, especially for connoisseurs of fresh, locally grown produce.
Mike McMenamin, Oregon pub owner extraordinaire, weighs in with the top 5 versions of his favorite Grateful Dead song, ‘Dark Star.’
