The Stork Is Coming...

Of course the biggest news of the year that everyone knows by now is that we have a new addition on the way, not to be confused with the new addition we are doing on the house! Yes we chose to pro-create even in what seems like such a crazy world to bring a child in these days. Like Logan we know this one will be another great contributor and enjoyment to all he/she interacts with. Another Klein will be coming into this world late summer with a due date of 9/1. This photo is Molly at just over 4 months taken in mid March, not much showing yet. We are very much looking forward to this new arrival even with all that will be going on at the new house (remodeling for additional room). Molly is choosing that we don't know the sex before the baby is born. The planner that I am this is opposite of my liking but who has control in this situation! Stay tuned for more updates in the near future.

Death Valley National Park

Molly and I were fortunate to have a weekend down in Las Vegas in January for her company party (thanks NWMG!). Although about 24hrs is all I can take of Vegas before I go on overload from porn pamphlets, cigarette smoke, crowds, the slot machine jingle, and the beyond obnoxious lights. I think my new saying is that the best part of a trip to Las Vegas is leaving Vegas.

With that said we took a rental car and left Vegas twice in about 36 hrs. Trip one was a 1 day whirl wind trip to Death Valley National Park, Rhyolite Ghost town, and Beatty. All of them are roughly a 2-3 hour drive from Vegas thanks to long open roads and a much faster speed limit than our pathetic NW highways. The next morning was sunrise at Red Canyon Rocks, only about 20 miles from Vegas. All of these were great places and would recommend them if you are able to get down there.

First Professional Print Competition

Just trying to play catch up with recent events here. In late February I attended my first Professional Photographers of Oregon annual convention and print competition. It was a whirlwind of great photographers, food, info overload, and excellent photos. I am truly thankful for my photographer friend Joni Kabana (who is a mighty fine photographer) for introducing me to PPO.
Not only was it great to be submerged for several days with some of the best photographers around, I also decided to brave my first professional print compeition. Now realize I did this more to get feedback to improve my work. I did get the feedback yet I was fortunate enough to have some of that come in the way of four awards. It blew me away! For two different prints I won: Best Color Print, Best Black & White Print, Best Photojournalism Print, and Kodak Gallery of Excellence in commercial/Illustrative Print. Additionally one of the prints scored high enough to be placed in the PPO 2006 Court of Honor. Winning prints are here in the blog... "Rodeo Colors" and "Hood's Early Light." Now I have Molly signed up with PPO and we are both going to the seminar on the beach in June!