May Day protests Seattle | Seattle editorial photographer
Tonight was just about the craziest night I have ever documented. Police were well-prepared for protestors connected to May Day events here in Seattle, and the expected violence got underway pretty early in the evening. It was incredibly intense to be in the middle of this developing news story, as smoke grenades were going off and police were shouting at everyone to “Get back,” as they pushed at the crowd with their bikes. Just as I was walking all over the city with the crowd and protestors and media, it was all I could do to just keep moving, and trying to keep my head on a swivel. My big fear going in was that an anarchist might try and grab my camera or assault me, as happened last year to other media shooters, and so atleast I was fortunate in that regard. All in all, a damn crazy night. Even if it was nice to see the 20 photojournalists from around Seattle doing great work all afternoon. And an enormous thank you to Matt Mills McKnight, Erika Schultz and Ted S. Warren for loaning me some cards tonight when I realized I left my card wallet in the car with the laptop!
Thanks for looking,
Daniel
APAD Front 4/15/13 — Seattle editorial photographer
APhotoADay.org is an amazing community of photographers from all backgrounds who share their daily photographs. It’s a chance to get feedback on new work and projects, or to compare notes on topics like freelancing. Every day, one of the thousands of pictures shared on the discussion list previously is displayed on the front page of the website. And today, one of my favorite pictures from BunnyCon was featured, and that just kind of makes my day. Don’t forget to browse the archives, it’s full of stunning work.
Thanks for looking,
Daniel
BunnyCon Seattle 2013 photos | Seattle editorial photographer
We are blessed, here in the Northwest, to have an abundance of events that unite everyday people around something silly. On Saturday March 30 in Seattle, dozens dressed like bunnies for BunnyCon Seattle 2013 and went on a pub crawl around downtown. They started off their journey in Pioneer Square, wandered over to Fado Irish Pub, (literally) hopped next door to Contour, then surprised people visiting Pike Place Market, drank in the sun on the roof of the Hard Rock Café, flash mobbed the anime convention Sakura-Con happening nearby at the Washington State Convention Center and ended the night with drinks back at the Alibi Room. I followed along on their furry journey on the nicest day yet of spring, and it was an absolute blast. I don’t think I have heard quite so many dirty rabbit jokes, which I will leave to your imagination.
Nora Robertson embraces her boyfriend, Rusty McClellan, at Fado Irish Pub, as dozens dressed like bunnies for a cross-town pub crawl during Bunnycon 2013 in Seattle Saturday March 30, 2013. Daniel Berman 2013
Sam Trout gets his face painted at Fado Irish Pub as dozens dressed like bunnies for a cross-town pub crawl during Bunnycon 2013 in Seattle Saturday March 30, 2013. Daniel Berman 2013
Dozens dressed like bunnies for a cross-town pub crawl during Bunnycon 2013 in Seattle Saturday March 30, 2013. Daniel Berman 2013
Dozens dressed like bunnies for a cross-town pub crawl during Bunnycon 2013 in Seattle Saturday March 30, 2013. Daniel Berman 2013
Dozens dressed like bunnies for a cross-town pub crawl during Bunnycon 2013 in Seattle Saturday March 30, 2013, which included a stop at Contour on 1st Avenue.
Dozens dressed like bunnies for a cross-town pub crawl during Bunnycon 2013 in Seattle Saturday March 30, 2013, which included a stop at Contour on 1st Avenue.
Dozens dressed like bunnies for a cross-town pub crawl during Bunnycon 2013 in Seattle Saturday March 30, 2013, which included a stop at Harbor Steps for a group photo.
Dozens dressed like bunnies for a cross-town pub crawl during Bunnycon 2013 in Seattle Saturday March 30, 2013.
Dozens dressed like bunnies for a cross-town pub crawl during Bunnycon 2013 in Seattle Saturday March 30, 2013.
It’s time for the dozens dressed like bunnies to continue on their cross-town pub crawl during Bunnycon 2013 in Seattle Saturday March 30, 2013.
Dozens dressed like bunnies for a cross-town pub crawl during Bunnycon 2013 in Seattle Saturday March 30, 2013.
Dozens dressed like bunnies for a cross-town pub crawl during Bunnycon 2013 in Seattle Saturday March 30, 2013.
Dozens dressed like bunnies for a cross-town pub crawl during Bunnycon 2013 in Seattle Saturday March 30, 2013.
Not all were in on the joke as dozens dressed like bunnies for a cross-town pub crawl during Bunnycon 2013 in Seattle Saturday March 30, 2013.
Dozens dressed like bunnies for a cross-town pub crawl during Bunnycon 2013 in Seattle Saturday March 30, 2013.
Regular patrons at the Hard Rock Café mixed with those dressed like bunnies for a cross-town pub crawl during Bunnycon 2013 in Seattle Saturday March 30, 2013. Daniel Berman 2013
Dozens dressed like bunnies for a cross-town pub crawl during Bunnycon 2013 in Seattle Saturday March 30, 2013. Some parted ways to flash mob at Sakura-Con at the Washington State Convention Center.
Dozens dressed like bunnies for a cross-town pub crawl during Bunnycon 2013 in Seattle Saturday March 30, 2013. Some parted ways to flash mob at Sakura-Con at the Washington State Convention Center.
Dozens dressed like bunnies for a cross-town pub crawl during Bunnycon 2013 in Seattle Saturday March 30, 2013. Some parted ways to flash mob at SakuraCon at the Washington State Convention Center.
A pair of bunny ears was stuck to the infamous Pike Place Market Gum Wall, as dozens dressed like bunnies for a cross-town pub crawl during Bunnycon 2013 in Seattle Saturday March 30, 2013. Daniel Berman 2013
Thanks for looking,
Daniel
Seattle Snow Day photos | Seattle editorial photographer
This was a crazy event to cover. On Saturday, Seattle Snow Day trucked in 162,000 pounds of snow from the mountains and dumped it at Seattle Center, where organizers expected around 6,000 people to participate in “The World’s Largest Snowball Fight.” 5,387 snowball chuckers over 18 years old ended up attending Seattle Snow Day — enough to break the Guinness Book of World Records, organizers said. The day started with about a dozen teams building elaborate (and sometimes strikingly not so) forts to protect themselves from the snowball onslaught to come.
A few hours later, and it was a free for all. With the sunny weather earlier in the day, followed by quickly plummeting temperatures by the time of the fight, there was a lot of ice in the snow. And it was dark. Brave people tried to cross through “enemy” lines, but that was a perilous mission. Many, this photographer included, got hit all over (hard) by snowballs flying through the freezing air, but nearly everyone seemed to have a smile on their face. It’s just not every day that an event can bring people together in this city. And if it allows us all to play like kids for a moment, well, all the better.
Participants walk past a fort during Seattle Snow Day Saturday Jan. 12 at Seattle Center. 5, 837 people came together for a snowball fight that broke the Guinness Book of World Records for the event. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
People dance as the final minutes of the snow fort competition wind down during Seattle Snow Day Saturday Jan. 12 at Seattle Center. 5, 837 people came together for a snowball fight that broke the Guinness Book of World Records for the event. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Claire Todd of Tacoma helps pack snowballs for the Attendible team during Seattle Snow Day Saturday Jan. 12 at Seattle Center. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
“It’s like running through a sprinkler of ice,” Jeremiah Hughes from Hoquiam said as he helped shovel snow for a team he he didn’t know during Seattle Snow Day Saturday Jan. 12 at Seattle Center. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Anton Sobolik runs through fresh snow powder coming from a snow blower. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Louisa Diaz, center, and friend, Anton Sobolik, react to a large amount of snow falling on them from a snow blower near by during Seattle Snow Day Saturday Jan. 12. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Participants mug for the camera as the snow fort building competition winds down. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Brad Kellagher works on the fort for Copious Love Productions, a local theater group, as friend Meg Philips, center, takes a break. “Everyone out here is going all out to win,” Kellagher said. “We just came to have some fun. Win or lose.” Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
” width=”720″ height=”477″ class=”size-full wp-image-3458″ /> Event participants take in the view of Seattle Snow Day from the steps outside of the Experience Music Project at Seattle Center. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
The PCF Management Team colored their fort with apple juice and Kool-Aid to mimic Seattle Seahawks’ colors, volunteer Palina Tsaryk said. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
The snowball fight began a few minutes before 5 p.m. with no official recognition or start signal. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Brave people running between the various snow forts try to protect their head and face from incoming snowballs. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Brave people running between the various snow forts try to protect their head and face from incoming snowballs. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Brave people running between the various snow forts try to protect their head and face from incoming snowballs. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
A snowball fighter takes cover from behind his fort. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Brave people running between the various snow forts try to protect their head and face from incoming snowballs. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
A participant cheers as he recovers their team flag from another team’s fort while running through the grounds. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
A participant cheers as he recovers their team flag from another team’s fort while running through the grounds. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
A participant cheers as he recovers their team flag from another team’s fort while running through the grounds. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Brave people running between the various snow forts try to protect their head and face from incoming snowballs. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Many people were all smiles as snow hurtled through the air, even if it did hurt as it struck them. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Many people were all smiles as snow hurtled through the air, even if it did hurt as it struck them. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Icy conditions lead many to slip and slide around, sometimes into their friends or fellow participants nearby. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
The snowball fight comes to a close. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Event participants look on as officials from the Guinness Book of World records certify that 5,387 people took part in Seattle Snow Day, enough to break the record for biggest snowball fight. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
An event participant makes a snow angel after officials from the Guinness Book of World records certified that 5,387 people took part in Seattle Snow Day, enough to break the record for biggest snowball fight. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Thanks for looking!
Daniel
Washington legalizes marijuana photos — Seattle Dec. 6
Just after midnight, Washington legalized possession of up to an ounce of marijuana for recreational use for those over 21 under Initiative 502, which took effect Thursday, Dec. 6. 2012. A public celebration hailed as Legalization Day in Washington State attracted about a hundred people to toke up at Seattle Center’s International Fountain Thursday evening, after a similar event at 12:01 a.m. near the Space Needle. Public smoking is still against the law, and marijuana remains counter to federal law. Colorado passed a similar measure.
All photos available for licensing at http://seattlephotographer.photoshelter.com/gallery/Washington-legalizes-marijuana-photos/G0000..eNFpzfHOc/C0000fzMTw_NAP.c
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Legalization Day in Washington State photos:
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12:01 AM celebration
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Cannabis attorney Hilary Bricken
I had an assignment for Northwest Leaf last month to photograph Cannabis attorney Hilary Bricken. Hilary has been tenaciously representing businesses embarking down this legal gray area, and her track record proves it. The shoot was to accompanying a piece in the magazine on “best practices” for those in the medical marijuana field, and what the reality of city enforcement looks like out there.
Thanks for looking,
Daniel
City redevelopment for Cityvision Magazine | Seattle editorial photographer
Auburn, Wash. has worked to revitalize its downtown through a program called Storefronts, where local artists’ work is displayed in unoccupied commercial retail spaces, such as the creations of Julia Haack. L-R, Storefronts director Matthew Richter, artist Julia Haack and Auburn Mayor Pete Lewis stand outside a space at 1st and Main Street across from City Hall Tuesday, July 2nd. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Auburn, Wash. has worked to revitalize its downtown through a program called Storefronts, where local artists’ work is displayed in unoccupied commercial retail spaces, such as the creations of Julia Haack. L-R, Auburn Mayor Pete Lewis, Storefronts director Matthew RIchter, and artist Julia Haack, stand outside a space at 1st and Main Street across from City Hall Tuesday, July 2nd. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Auburn, Wash. has worked to revitalize its downtown through a program called Storefronts, where local artists’ work is displayed in unoccupied commercial retail spaces, such as the creations of Julia Haack. L-R, Storefronts director Matthew Richter, artist Julia Haack and Auburn Mayor Pete Lewis stand outside a space at 1st and Main Street across from City Hall Tuesday, July 2nd. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Had an assignment last month to photograph two stories on city redevelopment projects for Cityvision Magazine. The first shoot was a last-minute one on Auburn, Washington’s efforts to redevelop unused commercial spaces into art galleries. A sweet idea, especially when you have art like Julia Haack’s to fill the rooms. They looked great from the street, too. Wish we could have had more sunshine to really make the art pop but alas, it was a gusty overcast day. You can tell the wind is blowing if you look at her hair, but all things considered, I was happy with the way the shoot went down. And we did it in under the time allotted which is always great!
I was very pleased with tearsheets that came from these shoots! This was one of my first full-page magazine portraits, so that’s pretty special. The second shoot was way north in Mount Vernon, Wash., to photograph Mayor Jill Boudreau and Public Works Director Esco Bell. The city is redeveloping the promenade into a cool multiuse commercial space and making the waterfront a more attractive place for the community to hang out. I liked the view of the bridge and Skagit River — not everyday you get to have those in an environmental portrait.
Mt. Vernon, Wash. Public Works Director Esco Bell and Mayor Jill Boudreau have been essential to a flood protection plan that transform a parking lot running along the Skagit River into a pedestrian promenade maintaining safety and allowing for expanded business redevelopment in the area. Officials have completed the first of three phases scheduled to be completed by late 2013. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.comMt. Vernon, Wash. Public Works Director Esco Bell and Mayor Jill Boudreau have been essential to a flood protection plan that transform a parking lot running along the Skagit River into a pedestrian promenade maintaining safety and allowing for expanded business redevelopment in the area. Officials have completed the first of three phases scheduled to be completed by late 2013. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Thanks for looking,
Daniel
Seattle Tattoo Expo 2012 photos | Seattle editorial photographer
Today I went down to the Seattle Tattoo Expo at Seattle Center with the hopes of setting up a mini studio — somewhere. You see, I didn’t have a backdrop at my disposal, and I didn’t think they would let me in with one anyway — so I set out to make somewhere work. As I wandered, it became clear that the indoors areas of the festival would be packed. That’s of course where hundreds of artists and subjects were tattooing and getting tattooed. Outside wasn’t much better; a metal sliding door that seemed promising was occupied by a vendor. Then I saw the backside of some vendor tents and I thought, that just might work. A single strobe popped at high enough power blew out the wrinkles on the tent enough to make a suitable backdrop, and the beauty dish boomed out overhead did the rest. It was a hot day, but I’m pleased by the frames I made in this improvised situation.
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- Charliegrll, from Seattle, poses for a portrait at the Seattle Tattoo Expo Saturday August 11, 2012 at Seattle Center. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
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- Charliegrll, from Seattle, poses for a portrait at the Seattle Tattoo Expo Saturday August 11, 2012 at Seattle Center. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
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- Shane Gardner, from Burlington, Wash., poses for a portrait at the Seattle Tattoo Expo Saturday August 11, 2012 at Seattle Center. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
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- Amber Rothrock, from Seattle, poses for a portrait at the Seattle Tattoo Expo Saturday August 11, 2012 at Seattle Center. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
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- Taking a break from being tattooed, David Owens, of Seattle, poses for a portrait at the Seattle Tattoo Expo Saturday August 11, 2012 at Seattle Center. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
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- Ursula Major, from Seattle, poses for a portrait at the Seattle Tattoo Expo Saturday August 11, 2012 at Seattle Center. “This is my normal drag look,” he said. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
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- Ursula Major, from Seattle, poses for a portrait at the Seattle Tattoo Expo Saturday August 11, 2012 at Seattle Center. “This is my normal drag look,” he said. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
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- Ursula Major, from Seattle, poses for a portrait at the Seattle Tattoo Expo Saturday August 11, 2012 at Seattle Center. “This is my normal drag look,” he said. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
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- Adrienne Bjorgum, from Missoula, MT., poses for a portrait at the Seattle Tattoo Expo Saturday August 11, 2012 at Seattle Center. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
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- Slim from Seattle poses for a portrait at the Seattle Tattoo Expo Saturday August 11, 2012 at Seattle Center. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
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- Jeff McKay from Seattle poses for a portrait at the Seattle Tattoo Expo Saturday August 11, 2012 at Seattle Center. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
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- Jeff Christenson and girlfriend Kristina Armbruster, of Lake Stevens, Wash., pose for a portrait together at the Seattle Tattoo Expo Saturday August 11, 2012 at Seattle Center. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
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- Jake King from Seattle poses for a portrait at the Seattle Tattoo Expo Saturday August 11, 2012 at Seattle Center. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
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- Jake King from Seattle poses for a portrait at the Seattle Tattoo Expo Saturday August 11, 2012 at Seattle Center. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
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- Steven Villalobos from Mount Vernon, Wash. poses for a portrait at the Seattle Tattoo Expo Saturday August 11, 2012 at Seattle Center. “Seattle is my home and I wanted to honor it,” Villalobos said. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
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- Blue Bear Wharton from Seattle poses for a portrait at the Seattle Tattoo Expo Saturday August 11, 2012 at Seattle Center. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Thanks for looking!
Daniel
Dead Baby Downhill Bike Race Seattle — Seattle editorial photographer
Sometimes when you hear about an event, you don’t care if you cover it for any particular news outlet — you just know you have to cover it! This was definitely the case for the 16th annual Dead Baby Downhill. I learned it was going down a few hours in advance from a friend’s Facebook post, and I just couldn’t let myself miss it again this year. I arrived well before the race start time of 7 p.m. to try and get a grasp of how the shenanigans would go down. Everyone seemed to know one another and it was quite a raucous event, what with most people sipping from beer cans barely concealed on the sidewalk. I love that Seattle hosts so many of these crazy meetups because it is a chance to catch people with their guard down, when they are truly enjoying themselves. The hardest events to cover are ones where nobody wants you there! Luckily, everyone was having a great time and I hope these images captured the convivial atmosphere.
A few hundred bicycling enthusiasts participate in the 16th Annual Dead Baby Downhill, a beer-soaked romp from Targy’s Tavern in the Queen Anne neighborhood to Georgetown in South Seattle. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
A few hundred bicycling enthusiasts participate in the 16th Annual Dead Baby Downhill, a beer-soaked romp from Targy’s Tavern in the Queen Anne neighborhood to Georgetown in South Seattle. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
A few hundred bicycling enthusiasts participate in the 16th Annual Dead Baby Downhill, a beer-soaked romp from Targy’s Tavern in the Queen Anne neighborhood to Georgetown in South Seattle. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
A few hundred bicycling enthusiasts participate in the 16th Annual Dead Baby Downhill, a beer-soaked romp from Targy’s Tavern in the Queen Anne neighborhood to Georgetown in South Seattle. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
A few hundred bicycling enthusiasts participate in the 16th Annual Dead Baby Downhill, a beer-soaked romp from Targy’s Tavern in the Queen Anne neighborhood to Georgetown in South Seattle. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
A few hundred bicycling enthusiasts participate in the 16th Annual Dead Baby Downhill, a beer-soaked romp from Targy’s Tavern in the Queen Anne neighborhood to Georgetown in South Seattle. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
A few hundred bicycling enthusiasts participate in the 16th Annual Dead Baby Downhill, a beer-soaked romp from Targy’s Tavern in the Queen Anne neighborhood to Georgetown in South Seattle. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
A few hundred bicycling enthusiasts participate in the 16th Annual Dead Baby Downhill, a beer-soaked romp from Targy’s Tavern in the Queen Anne neighborhood to Georgetown in South Seattle. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
A few hundred bicycling enthusiasts participate in the 16th Annual Dead Baby Downhill, a beer-soaked romp from Targy’s Tavern in the Queen Anne neighborhood to Georgetown in South Seattle. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
A few hundred bicycling enthusiasts participate in the 16th Annual Dead Baby Downhill, a beer-soaked romp from Targy’s Tavern in the Queen Anne neighborhood to Georgetown in South Seattle. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Thanks for looking!
Daniel
Seattle medical marijuana for The Daily Telegraph of London
Seattle medical marijuana photos for The Daily Telegraph of London. Photos by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
New Approach Washington Campaign Director Alison Holcomb, who heads the group seeking to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana in the state of Washington through Initiative 502, stands on the roof of their headquarters in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle May 22, 2012. Photo by Daniel Berman.
New Approach Washington Campaign Director Alison Holcomb, who heads the group seeking to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana in the state of Washington through Initiative 502, stands on the roof of their headquarters in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle May 22, 2012. Photo by Daniel Berman.
In a sign of what has increasingly become a new niche for my editorial photography in Seattle, I got an email from The Daily Telegraph of London asking if I would like to photograph a story on medical marijuana.
For two days, I worked with the Telegraph’s U.S. Editor Peter Foster, based out of D.C., to tell the stories of a handful of people to whom this issue is so important. In Washington state, medical marijuana has been legal since 1998 — but remains illegal under federal controlled substance laws.
Muraco Kyashna, founder of The Green Budha medical marijuana collective in Seattle, Washington, poses for a portrait with pet Moluccan cockatoo, Big Bird Bubba, May 22, 2012 alongside volunteer Layla Bush, center. Bush was shot and injured in the 2006 Jewish Federation shooting in Seattle, an incident claiming one life and wounding five others. The bullet remained lodged near her spinal cord where intractable pain continues to plague her, requiring use of a crutch. Photo by Daniel Berman.
Layla Bush, a volunteer at The Green Buddha medical marijuana collective, vaporizes cannabis in a dedicated room of the shop in Seattle, Washington May 22, 2012. She said it is her preferred way to medicate because it is quickly felt and isn’t harsh on her lungs the way smoking is. Bush was shot and injured in the 2006 Jewish Federation shooting in Seattle, an incident claiming one life and wounding five others. The bullet remained lodged near her spinal cord where intractable pain continues to plague her, requiring use of a crutch. Photo by Daniel Berman.
A pro-marijuana legalization poster is seen hanging in a back room where vaporizing cannabis is allowed at The Green Buddha May 22, 2012 in Seattle, Washington. Photo by Daniel Berman.
A cannabis patient in a well-to-do suburb, about a half-hour north of Seattle, tends to his medical marijuana crop growing in his home garden May 22, 2012. Photo by Daniel Berman.
A cannabis patient in a well-to-do suburb, about a half-hour north of Seattle, Washington, tends to his medical marijuana crop growing in his home garden, May 22, 2012. The single plant of the Blueberry strain is housed in his upstairs bathroom tub, and can be expected to produce at least one pound of cannabis. Photo by Daniel Berman
A cannabis patient in a well-to-do suburb, about a half-hour north of Seattle, Washington, tends to his medical marijuana crop growing in his home garden, May 22, 2012. The single plant of the Blueberry strain is housed in his upstairs bathroom tub, and can be expected to produce at least one pound of cannabis. Photo by Daniel Berman
Peter wrote a nicely nuanced piece on the likelihood of cannabis legalization occurring across the U.S. Please check it out: Is the Prohibition of ‘Pot’ coming to an end in the US?
I did not have long to work on the story, but was fortunate enough to meet and photograph the owners of medical cannabis access points, people heading a legalization initiative in the state, and even patients and vendors at a daily cannabis farmers market in Seattle, and an older patient north of there, whose identity remains anonymous due to the sensitivity of his professional life.
That is the reality of medical marijuana in this state. It is used for a variety of reasons by people from every walk of life, yet remains castigated by the federal government and law enforcement — it’s a challenging line to tow, but these patients live it every day.
Steve White volunteers at The Green Buddha medical marijuana collective in Seattle May 22, 2012. Both White and Bush have been medical marijuana patients for four years now. Below are a couple dozen different strains or types, in small bagged amounts. Photo by Daniel Berman.
Muraco Kyashna, founder of The Green Buddha medical marijuana collective in Seattle, Washington, with her pet Moluccan cockatoo, Big Bird Bubba, May 22, 2012 at the access point. Photo by Daniel Berman.
Sean Moore, center, who operates the medical cannabis collective Vivus Vivandi, helps a patient calling himself Dragonfli May 22, 2012 at the NW Cannabis Market in Seattle, Washington. Moore, a medical cannabis patient for two and a half years, said he was motivated to help people at the marijuana farmers market after seeing his girlfriend, who has Chron’s Disease, deal with constant pain. Photo by Daniel Berman
Patients and vendors at the NW Cannabis Market in Seattle, Washington mingle and donate medical cannabis and edibles to each other May 22, 2012. The market serves a few hundred medical marijuana patients on a daily basis. Photo by Daniel Berman
A medical cannabis patient takes a closer look at large piece of medical marijuana at the NW Cannabis Market in Seattle, Washington May 22, 2012. The market serves a few hundred medical marijuana patients on a daily basis. Photo by Daniel Berman
Mario Richburg, who has been a medical marijuana patient for two years, smokes a cannabis joint in the medicating room of the NW Cannabis Market in Seattle, Washington May 22, 2012. A few hundred visit the daily cannabis farmers market, where qualified patients can network with others and obtain medicine, edibles and hardware. Photo by Daniel Berman
Medical marijuana patients smoke cannabis in the medicating room of the NW Cannabis Market in Seattle, Washington May 22, 2012. A few hundred visit the daily cannabis farmers market, where qualified patients can network with others and obtain medicine, edibles and hardware. Photo by Daniel Berman
My experience and previous access to those in the medical marijuana community was key to illustrating the piece, as was Peter’s guidance. He informed me of the level of knowledge surrounding medical marijuana in Britain, and how that differed dramatically from those living in the States, for whom this has been a newsworthy topic for the last few years.
One of the most interesting parts of the assignment was exploring the cannabis farmers market. The daily market boasts several dozen regular vendors, and patients are free to use their cannabis in a separate part of the facility. The entrance to the area notes: 15-minute limit. I joined them inside, and was drawn to how the community aspect of medical marijuana has increased over time. Luckily, once the patients got over the strangeness of a Seattle photographer shooting for a British paper, they opened up.It was a jam-packed schedule but I feel fortunate to be able to work with wonderful clients like The Daily Telegraph to tell stories like these.
Seattle medical marijuana photos for The Daily Telegraph of London. Photos by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com
Thanks for reading,
Daniel
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