The purpose of this exhibit is to provide a sample of the unique beauty that residents and visitors to the State of Oregon have the privilege of enjoying. It serves as a reminder of the natural and architectural beauty that we are fortunate to have.
The featured photographer Daniel Klinkert is a dual career professional working as both an urban planner and licensed clinical therapist and his photography endeavors serve as a “therapeutic creative outlet”. Daniel is from Detroit, Michigan and he began his photographic journey capturing distinct architectural features in Detroit for preservation and educational purposes. This activity led to an interest in landscape photography and Daniel began taking this hobby more seriously when he relocated to Portland in 2018. Daniel shares some details below about his journey as a photographer and the things that have helped him evolve:
“Based on various life circumstances I grew up roaming the streets all hours of the day and night and through this experience I developed a strong connection to the built environment. After recovering from a severe drug addiction as a very young adult I started to become very interested in architecture, particularly historic architecture, and my first experiences with using a camera involved taking photos of historic homes inside of the grand historic residential districts of Detroit. Composition came very naturally to me and I relate that to the fact that I grew up roaming around parks and commercial corridors. I was also very strong with editing and processing at an early stage which I attribute to the good vision that I am fortunate to have along with my obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Learning the technological and functional aspects of photography has been a struggle for me which is primarily due to a lack of patience on my end. For me reading directions is like kryptonite and this is something that has held me back in many ways but with time I have learned more about camera functions, equipment, and things of that nature”
“I enjoy capturing unique settings and landscapes, particularly when the lighting, cloud cover, or
other features are presented in a unique way. Five of the photos that I am featuring here were captured during the extreme heat event in late June of 2021 when temperatures reached 115 degrees in Portland. During these days I escaped to the Oregon Coast where record temperatures were also recorded and this historic heat event produced very intense and unusual lighting across the water, rocks, and other coastal features. During the historic wildfire event in September of 2020 I kept my camera with me
at all times and I was fortunate to capture several images of the heavy smoke making its way to the Downtown Portland skyline. Since unusual weather events don’t occur every single day I also look
for unique scenarios in uniquely beautiful settings such as the two lovely women sharing a smile in
the International Rose Test Garden or the happy people gathering below the cherry blossoms in early spring at the Japanese American Historical Plaza on the Portland waterfront”.
“I am also very fortunate to live only a few blocks from the Rose Garden and during the peak months I am there daily taking photos while walking my dog. Flower photography has really helped me to develop my skills, similar to the “Wax On, Wax Off ” exercise that the Karate Kid was put through”.
“If you are interested in photography I hope you find yourself in an environment that inspires and motivates you, similar to what living in the beautiful State of Oregon has done for me”
Follow Daniel’s photography on Instagram - @dreemweaverphotos
Visitor information: Open Friday and Saturday 10am-7pm, M-Th 10am-6pm and Sunday 11am-6pm