The Obsidian Stock Blog

Stock imagery is frequently about symbolism - finding that *exact right* image that communicates a feeling, a thought, a message rather than just sitting there, looking pretty.

Every so often, an image comes across my desk that is just like that: not necessarily beautiful in the common sense - but rather inviting the viewer to study it, and see beyond the obvious.

Below image, by Shari Morris, is one of those.

Defiance. Strength. Hope. Tenacity. Overcoming Obstacles.

Spring seems finally just around the corner in Central Oregon, and Obsidian Stock is celebrating that with a totally random image….

Obsidian Stock congratulates its contributing photographer Rob Jenkins for winning an Honorable Mention in the PX3 International Photo Contest, based in Paris, France.

The topic was “The Human Condition” and this funny, uplifting shot was rightfully selected:

Well done, Rob!

Obsidian Stock welcomes our newest contributor - Katy Newell.

Born in Portland, Katy has always had a passion for the Northwest outdoors. Though she has traveled extensively through Europe, South America, the Caribbean and beyond, she has lived in Oregon nearly her entire life and will always consider it home.

Her photographic training is entirely self-inflicted, giving her a wonderful untethered freedom in the areas of technique and composition. Katy loves incorporating natural light and negative space into her work, applying these elements liberally to her favorite subjects - rock climbing, macro photography, extreme weather, natural/outdoor portraiture, dilapidated buildings, indigenous people, and scenes from her travels abroad.

She now lives in Crooked River, within sight of beautiful Smith Rock where she spends most of her free time climbing and taking photos.

Go check out her awesome images.

Obsidian Stock is thrilled to welcome world-renowned travel and nature photographer Christian Heeb as our newest contributor!

Christian and his wife Regula are both Swiss-born, have travelled the world - and yet have chosen to make Central Oregon their permanent home.

Their extraordinary talent and adventurous spirit has led them to travel the world and publish over 90 books, with subjects ranging from Southern Africa, Marocco, France, North America and the Caribbean. Their stories have appeared in travel guides and magazines worldwide, and they are published in up to 15 calendars per year.

Numerous galleries, publishers and international agencies represent their extensive photographic files from around the world, but they have chosen Obsidian Stock to represent their Central Oregon imagery.

And of course when they’re not on the road, they relax from their exhaustive pace on their beautiful ranch home in the high desert of Bend.

See more of Christian’s work right here.

Another fantastic photographer joins the talent-pool at Obsidian Stock: Welcome Tom Merrow!

Tom grew up in an Air Force family and while he got to travel around the world, didn’t set down roots until he came to Oregon in 1978 for a job in high tech - and knew that he had finally found home.

These days, Tom focuses his lens mostly on landscape and nature photography. He is an avid hiker and climber, and many of his images are taken high in the Oregon Cascades and offer unusual perspectives on our beautiful region of volcanic peaks, alpine lakes, dense forests, waterfalls, and lava fields. He also makes an annual pilgrimage to Utah’s red rock country and brings back breathtaking images every time.

Tom is active in the local photography community and is widely recognized for his image processing prowess, which he generously shares with anyone who has an interest. He acknowledges spending entirely too much time in front of his computer.

Don’t leave this site without taking a glimpse at some of Tom’s beautiful images!

Obsidian Stock welcomes Bend photographer Scott Schechtel to our ever-growing roster of talented contributors.

Scott was born and raised in the Chicago area, but got immediately obsessed with Oregon at the age of 10 after seeing a picture of Mt. Hood in a travel book. Following his first visit to the state at 14, he was determined to attend Oregon State University to pursue a degree in Forestry - and eventually fulfill his dream of living in Oregon.

He has since worked for the US Forest Service, performing timber stand exams and surveys, and fought wildfires throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Today, his photographic file from many years and miles of backpacking across the Western states accompanies articles he wrote for magazines such as Camping Life, Mountain Living, Cascades East, Backpacker and Hooked on the Outdoors.

Scott continues to seek the road less travelled, and plans to publish field guides detailing his discoveries. Now a full-time freelancer, he also designs websites and writes on topics ranging from fire fighting to building a home.

You can see more of his photographic work right here.

Obsidian Stock is thrilled to welcome Nancy Ryan to our growing roster of talented contributors.

With roots in North Dakota and Minnesota, Nancy came to Bend in 1978, where she worked as a firefighter for 4 years before joining the District Attorney’s office. She’s now a legal assistant to attorney Max Merrill.

On the weekends, evenings or whenever time allows, Nancy is out and about, shooting with her digital Nikon and a variety of bad-ass lenses. She gets her kicks aiming all that glass at birds, flowers, and whatever else trips her fancy - creating images that celebrate the natural world in it’s most captivating form.

And when she’s not out kayaking, bicycling, dirt biking, camping or fishing, you might be able to catch her belly-dancing her little heart out as a member of the exotic and beautiful dance troup Gypsy Fire.

See more of her photography here.

Obsidian Stock gives an enthusiastic shout to our newest contributor - Patrick Windsor.

Armed with a degree in commercial photography from the Art Institute of Seattle, Pat set out to show his audience “the view through the window of how I see the world”.

His breathtaking imagery of flyfishing and other outdoor recreation in Central Oregon (together with his jovial spirit and laid-back nature) certainly has wowed us, and we’re thrilled that Pat has chosen to associate himself with our agency.

He says “from photographing Grizzly bears in Alaska, to capturing the first light on the Three Sisters, my passion for photography burns brighter with every image my lens records. I love what I do, and I cherish every moment.”

When he’s not behind the camera, you will probably find him casting a flyrod, or during the winter, snowboarding the slopes at Mt. Bachelor. And when he’s not shooting, he’s working as a flyfishing guide and instructor on the pristine waters throughout Central Oregon. He lives with his two Labrador retrievers in a little log cabin on the Deschutes River in Sunriver.

Welcome, Pat - and we encourage our readers to take a minute and check out his gorgeous photography.