a picture is worth a thousand songs

recent posts

  • uliohs

    uliohs

    Tom Otterness’ Rockman exhibit in downtown Minneapolis was supposedly inspired by the drive and drone of capitalism. I propose a different perspective, though. What if these little gnome-like creatures were an entirely separate subspecies of humans devoted to cleaning and organizing the city spaces while we sleep? When the sun rises in the morning, they turn to stone in the midst of their work. I’d call them Uliohs. Some of the songs below remind me of these creatures or the world they may inhabit.

    Equipment: Canon R6 Mark II
    Location: Minneapolis, MN
    Date: August 2025

  • whitewalls

    whitewalls

    I love discovering old cars, and spotting this 1951 Ford Custom on a quiet street in Sauk Centre, Minnesota felt like stepping into a time machine. It reminded me of the cars in Back to the Future; all chrome and curves, echoing the spirit of the late ’50s and early ’60s. I imagined grabbing a burger and a shake, then cruising to the nearby Main Street theater to catch The Hustler or West Side Story on a crisp October night circa 1961. The soundtrack on our AM radio would include doo-wop, malt shop melodies, and early rock and roll

    Equipment: Canon R6 Mark II
    Location: Sauk Centre, Minnesota
    Date: September 2025

  • social club

    social club

    I’ll never forget when the Triple Rock Social Club announced its final shows in 2017, breaking punk rock hearts across Minneapolis, the Midwest, and probably a few hearts outside the US. The two nights before Thanksgiving Thursday were booked for Dillinger Four shows, featuring some of their friends as openers. I was fortunate enough to snap this shot in the bar bathroom while it was in a rare state of emptiness earlier in the week while having an afternoon drink. I showed up there that final week as much as I could. The Triple Rock felt like a safe space for not only me, but so many punkers, metalheads, freaks, nerds, romantics, you name it, and would fill your drunken belly with some of the best vegetarian and vegan bar grub in town. I miss it dearly, especially around the colder months when the Cedar Ave sidewalks are iced over and Billy’s not there inside the bar to pour me a drink. I don’t even drink anymore, but I’d give anything to step inside that place one more time. Here’s a list of some songs I saw performed live at the Triple Rock.

    Equipment: iPhone 5s
    Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
    Date: November 2017

  • summit

    summit

    It takes a combination of mental and physical strength to summit a mountain. Yes, the hiking can be very difficult, but convincing yourself to keep going is just as crucial. I had the immense pleasure of summiting my first peak on my 39th birthday. My wife and I were the only people Saddle Mountain that day, too. We got caught in a blizzard and I was afraid to take out my Canon for higher quality shots. I grabbed a few photos with my phone, though. The songs here range from bombast to breathy, a bit like valleys and peaks. They drive you to explore those unknown heights, much like the feel of summiting a mountain on the horizon.

    Equipment: Samsung Galaxy S21+
    Location: Saddle Mountain, Oregon
    Date: March 2025

  • makai

    makai

    The North Shore of Oahu is legendary, and for good reason. While there are a few mellow breaks suitable for newcomers, much of the coastline is rugged, with powerful swells and rocky terrain that demand both respect and experience. This photo was captured near Waialua, just days before the iconic Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, when the ocean begins to show its true, untamed character. With a view like this, it’s impossible not to hear the echoes of classic surf anthems playing in your mind.

    Equipment: Canon EOS 450D
    Location: Mokuleia, Hawaii
    Date: January 2023

  • cartopia

    cartopia

    The surrounding neighborhood has undergone continuous transformation over the years, much like many areas throughout Portland. Among the city’s many attractions are its food truck lots, and this particular location ranks among the finest; home to the near-perfect Potato Champion. Sitting at the corner of SE 12th and Hawthorne, this lot remains one of my favorite destinations in the country. The paired playlist features some local Portland artists and tracks from Mississippi Records, offering the perfect soundtrack for your poutine and pizza at the yellow picnic tables.

    Equipment: Samsung Galaxy S21+
    Location: Portland, Oregon
    Date: March 2022

  • pier morning

    pier morning

    There’s something eerie about a carnival ride sitting empty; like a phone ringing with no one answering. The emptiness calls out the human need for community, and glaring emptiness shows us how important other people are to our own survival. Also, check out those yellow walls. I took this on a partly cloudy day at Navy Pier in Chicago; though the clouds were fully present during the photo. The starkness of the yellow brings out carnival vibes.

    Equipment: Canon EOS 450D
    Location: Chicago, Illinois
    Date: June 2023

  • summer’s end

    summer’s end

    Autumn is such a beautiful time of year in Northern Wisconsin. I love the serene water and fall colors juxtaposed with the trampoline in this shot. It was a cool, crisp October morning on the lake. The sunny vibes of Summer are gone with the wind; winter is coming. But first, it’s time for pumpkin spice.

    Equipment: Canon EOS Rebel XSI
    Location: Lake Minnesuing, Wisconsin
    Date: October 2023

  • dove rock

    dove rock

    Often dismissed as “flying rats,” pigeons are far more captivating up close; especially when their plumage reveals teals and purples. Pigeons are also known as rock doves. I spotted this one under a bridge along Chicago’s iconic Lake Shore Drive. The photo reminds me of a few pigeon-themed tracks in my music library.

    Equipment: Canon EOS 450D
    Location: Chicago, Illinois
    Date: June 2023

  • rechteck

    rechteck

    It’s the German word for “rectangle”. There are stairs at the end of the tunnel in this photo. I wonder where they go? The rigid patterns and symmetry remind me of Krautrock; both the genre and the song. I’m also getting some Kubrick vibes.

    Equipment: Canon EOS R6 Mark II
    Location: Minneapolis, MN
    Date: August 2025

  • pathlight

    pathlight

    It was a lucky shot. My wife and I were driving out of Ecola State Park near Cannon Beach, Oregon, when I noticed the sunlight breaking through the canopy and onto the road ahead. The woods and light bring out earthy sounds and songs of adventure. There’s a stillness to the image, though.

    Equipment: Canon EOS R6 Mark II
    Location: Cannon Beach, Oregon
    Date: March 2025

  • red eye

    red eye

    One terribly scratched red eye lens and some hip shade frames. I caught the sunset through these found sunglasses on a dewy July night. The shot reminds me of people cooler than me doing things cooler than I do while the sun goes down in their cool town. But also, the shot brings me spacey, big sounds with some indie-psych twists. Here are a few songs for the cool ones.

    Equipment: Canon EOS 450D
    Location: Melrose, Minnesota
    Date: July 2020

  • pharology

    pharology

    The bright red roof clashing with the hazy blue sky on top of the rusty water echoes something out of a Wes Anderson film. It’s almost like an architectural version of Steve Zissou and his crew. Here are a few songs that would fit in well on a Wes Anderson movie taking place in Duluth.

    Equipment: Canon R6 Mark II
    Location: Duluth, Minnesota
    Date: August 2025

  • trailpost

    trailpost

    Rusted barbed wire wrapped around a weathered fence post. I took this shot while on an evening hike in Lost Dutchman State Park. The sharp spikes of the metal wire bring darker vibes to the photo. That, combined with the mountains in the distance, gives me outlaw on the trail visions. The playlist accompanying it helps paint those visions.

    Equipment: Canon EOS 450D
    Location: Apache Junction, Arizona
    Date: February 2022