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I’m back, I’m rested, and I’m missing the sun already! Our vacation was great and chock full of sunbathing, bobbin’ in the waves, pyramid climbing, cenote snorkeling, cliff jumpin’ and hammock napping. Admittedly, I didn’t take many photographs, and when I did I majorly over used the tilt shift. I think I need some help. I wonder if Dr. Drew can help with lens use. :) Enjoy.

  • Deann B. - 1. Yay! You’re back!
    2. Yay! For all your rockin’ T/S shots (you are not overdoing it.. seriously. Don’t change a thing.)
    3. OMG… that water is amazing… what part of Mexico were you in?

  • Heather - Great pictures as usual! They make me want to go to Mexico bad. Oh, and the tilt shift is awesome.

  • Keri P. - Welcome Back! Love the pics….especially that one of the wave…it really makes me want to be frolicking in the ocean somewhere very warm.

  • Kim - yay! looks awesome. i think a bride would go nicely in front of those blue walls.. :) i can’t believe i’m going to be there in a few days right behind ya. glad to hear you had such a great time!

  • claire - every time you post amazing photos with your tilt shift, i am this much closer to busting for my own. this series in amazing – i love the colors!!

I lost a good friend yesterday, to cancer. I hate that word. It took a great friend, an amazing husband, a brilliant musician, and a proud dad. It took Terrin.

Terrin Durfey was the kind of guy that everyone likes. He was the most positive, fun-loving, silly, and compassionate guy I had ever met. And the most amazing thing of all, he did not let cancer slow down his life. He lived his life to the fullest, with hope, until the end.

Terrin was diagnosed with stage 5 cancer last year, after battling it off and on for 10 years. The diagnosis did not stop him from joining the band Pinback last summer. He toured all last year, enjoying every last drop of his life. He scheduled treatments around the tour, and lived his dream. Cancer was not going to slow him down.

He has always been an inspiration to me. We were roommates for a year, while he dated (and eventually married) my best friend Adrienne. He always encouraged me to pursue my dreams (photography) and to “get out there and do it.” He was such an accomplished musician (check out The Jade Shader and Boilermaker) and artist, and I have always looked up to him. He never let ANYTHING get in his way. Not fear, not uncertainty, NOT cancer.

Adrienne has been taking care of him for the last year, selflessly. She is amazing! She has always put everyone before herself. She is now a single mother of the cutest kid in the world (Dakota), and I know she will survive this.

If you want to help Adrienne and Dakota get on their feet, there is a place where you can donate money. She has not been able to work for the past couple months, and the cost of the medical bills are pilling up. Go HERE to donate. You can also go HERE or HERE or HERE to read a little more about Terrin.

Yesterday, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I felt helpless sitting here in the PNW, while Adrienne sat in San Diego filled with grief. Casey finally convinced me to get out of the house. We took some photographs in honor of Terrin. He would have like that.

I went to a deep place while I photographed yesterday. I did a little soul searching and thought about my time with Terrin and Adrienne. It seems so long ago (about 9 years) but the memories are fresh in my mind. The loss of this young life is tragic, but he wouldn’t want you to feel that way. He would have wanted you to simply live your life to the fullest, which is what I intend to do.

So please, in honor of Terrin, live your life, do not hold back, and if something gets in your way, trample over it!

Here is a Terrin, Adrienne, + Dakota montage (photos from myspace)… and the photos I took yesterday.

  • claire - kim, the photos you took are so full of emotion; they’re amazing.
    and terrin sounds amazing, too.

  • Gina - Kim- Sorry to hear about your friend. He looked like such an amazing person. Thanks for sharing his inspriration with us.

  • Heather - I’m so sorry Kim. Terrin sounds like a really great guy and the tribute you wrote to him is beautiful. Your pictures are amazing too. I’m sure he would have really appreciated it.

  • Michelle Rasmussen - I found your site through a comment you left on my friend Casia’s blog and I just wanted to say I’m so sorry for your loss and that the pictures you took for him are full of emotion and beauty. Take Care. ~Michelle

  • sean - sorry to hear the sad news

  • Jess - Hi Kim! Hope you are holding up well, I know you were having a tough time the last week or so. My thoughts are with Terrin and his family.

  • kayla - kim, i am so so sorry. Let me know if you need anything!! I mean it…anything

  • Rj - I found Boilermaker’s music at an impressionable time in my life in the mid 90s. Terrin’s voice and lyrics spoke to me. He was always there for me.
    Today for some unknown reason I woke up and just needed to hear his voice again and know that it will all be okay. I put on some Boilermaker and made some coffee. I miss him. “Turn my face away from the sun. It doesn’t take long to burn.”

  • Adrienne Durfey - Kim!! What beautiful words about Terrin! How did I not know about this until now..I love you so much Kim. I would love to show this to his mom if that’s ok with you..

While we didn’t start a revolution, or ride 8 thousand miles across South America on a Motorcycle in hopes of experiencing the world…

we sure covered a lot of San Juan Island on our little mopeds. There were no lepers or social injustice on our ride, just beautiful landscapes and the wind in our hair.

Casey + I spent a weekend on San Juan Island last weekend. After photographing a wedding, we spent a little time enjoying the last bits of summer.

And if you haven’t seen The Motorcyle Diaries (my favorite movie OF ALL TIME!) Get out there and rent it!

“Let the world change you, and you can change the world.”

  • sean - amazing!

  • c money - Great shots, Sweets. Next time were renting the moped car.

  • Deann B. - Oh wow, Kim! These are beautiful!! You are making me so excited for my Seattle trip! :)

  • Heather - Beautiful pictures Kim! Looks like you guys had a great time too.

  • Jess - Love the Motorcycle Diaries, love your photos even more!

  • Kim - OH MAI! your landscape photos with that TSE are AMAzing! the ride looks like it was SO much fun! jealous!

  • Keri P. - Beautiful, I would love to hang a few of those awesome landscapes on my living room wall!

Made a little road trip for Valerie + Jeff’s wedding this past weekend. Here are a few shots w/ the new super awesome tilt shift.


You can drive on the beach on the Washington Coast. That would never happen in California. The guy that made these donuts in the sand actually put his blinker on before he made the turn. I got a good laugh out of it.

  • Dennis - Very nice! reminds me of Sean Flanigan

  • Erin - So fabulous. Can’t wait to see the pics of Val!

  • Deann B. - I *love* that first shot. I am so looking forward to that kind of weather when I am in Seattle in a few weeks.

  • Jess - Lovin’ the tilt shift Kim!

  • sean - these are sick! i love the last two.

  • Keri P. - Kim these are sooo beautiful!! You know I’m into straight photography, but oh man I think I want me one of them tilt shift lenses. I’ve see a lot of people using them, but this takes the cake!

  • Heather - ooooh so pretty! you take the best photographs!

  • Richelle Barger - Hi Kim I am looking for WA coast destination wedding images for an upcoming spread in Washington Coast Magazine. We are about to publish our third issue and am working on coastal wedding destinations.

    I saw you had Moclips images, but did not see any wedding shots there. I thought I would inquire in case you might have something, somewhere in this area.

    Thanks!