(Q) How long have you been taking photos of graffiti & what interests you to do so?

(A) I’ve been taking pics since around 2003 and I do it cause I love graffiti.. I really got myself into it because I grew up in a town that had almost no graff at all so I had no idea of the culture.. My parents always loved roadtrips so when we’d hit Seattle, San Francisco, Las Vegas, etc… when I saw the graff there, it was epic for me.. Eventually I moved to Portland and it turned into more of a documentation/leaning experience for me.. I want to get everything in the city before the buff hits it, cause it’s fun to have these flicks down the road.. It’s the history that is and will be made that gets to me.. It’s seeing the same people everywhere.. It’s seeing the ideas and the spots and the journeys.. Graffiti is just a fun time and I’m loving the paint splats..

(Q) Do you own photo albums of actual prints or do you prefer digital??

(A) Digital.. I own only a handful of prints from a few years ago, but digital is just so much easier to handle and organize.. Guess it does take some of that old flavor out of it, but that’s kinda the way of the world.. I think it’s kinda funny that I don’t own a camera at all..

(Q) How many photos are in your personal collection??

(A) I would say around 2,000.. I keep finding ones that fall through the cracks..

(Q) Do you feel photography plays a major role in documenting graffiti culture??

(A) Definitely a huge role, it is the documentation.. The more photos there are, the better the chances people will see it and have it affect them.. Seeing more styles and techniques only pushes everyone else further along, and I think that’s what it’s all about.

Like myself, kids that aren’t from these big metro areas really don’t get a chance to see it go down in person unless they go to the cities, as I was fortunate enough to do.. With sites like Flickr and AF, and 12oz out now, they really expose many more people to what’s out there and who’s doing it.. You don’t just have to be at the yard or walking down MLK to see a piece..

Lastly, I think it’s just a sweet way to document time, people, and places.. I have pics from artists that spans years, so it’s really cool to see their work evolve.. In turn they remind me of a lot of good times and old friends from those points in time..

(Q) Do you have any crazy stories or memorable moments while taking photos??

(A) Yeah, actually this happened only a few weeks ago.. I was checking out some walls that were adjacent to a train yard.. I had seen a pitbull on the tracks and laid low for a few mins, but then I just rushed it.. So, I’m snapping away, getting deeper into the yard, when I turn around and see another pitbull about 200 yards back checking the connector on the cars.. So I kinda hide behind some trash on the wall and just wait and pose like I’m taking a shot of the sunset.. He walks right by me, but only to about 20 ft past then he stops.. I was like WTF? Well, he was talking to another train guy, who starts walking back towards me.. So I stay in pose mode and snapped a picture of him.. Got a couple more flixs then split the scene.. Good time..

Location: Portland, OR

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