Let the Printing Commence!

Here's a special page just for the generous folks who helped to fund my recent volunteer photo expedition to Ecuador.  As promised, anyone who donated $25 or more is eligible for a print from the project.  Just select one of the images below and email me your choice by July 2nd.  If you do not have a preference, no worries - I'll pick one for you.

If you did not donate but you would like to order a print,  or if you would  like to order additional prints,  please contact me.  I will honor the same discounted rate (see perks) for a limited time.

Please note that if you made a donation, I have your billing address and print size request on file.  If you wish to have the print sent to a different address, please let me know when making your print request.

 

Once again, I sincerely thank you all for making this project a success!

#1 - Portrait session with villager,  Filadelpho Romos Ollas who is helping his community by building a new cement 'Cancha' or 'ball court' for the local school children of Jilimbi, Ecuador.

#2 - Portrait session with villager, Manuel Mazabon who is helping to build a new cement 'Cancha' or 'ball court' for the local elementary school in his Ecuadorian Village of Jilimbi

#3 - Children help to mill sugar cane which was sustainably grown on their family's organic farm in Jilimbi, Ecuador.

#4 - Reflection of a Catholic church in a muddy puddle - Jilimbi, Ecuador,

#5 - Sunset in Puerto Lopez, Ecuador

#6 - Fishing boat at sunrise - Puerto Lopez, Ecuador

#7 Yellow butterfly/Yellow Flower - Jilimbi, Ecuador

#8 Large grasshopper on leaf - Jilimbi, Ecuador

Moth on dead leaf - Jilimbi, Ecuador

Joshua Tree

Here's a quick little photo essay from a location shoot I just had with Feathered Friends down in Joshua Tree National Park.  Despite the Santa Ana winds that were gusting at 65mph for a few days, we had an absolute blast.  How can you not?  I mean, look at this place! 

Kaare and Abby get the morning beta.

Kaare Iverson gets after it on Illusion Dweller 5.10b

Kaare puts on his game face on Illusion Dweller 5.10b

Mission Accomplished!

Thanks to the generous contributions that rolled in over the past couple of months, it looks like I'm off to Ecuador!  I just wanted to thank all that have helped by spreading the word and donating their hard earned money to this volunteer photography excursion.   Thanks to you all, the CRACYP will get the images it so desperately needs to help market their amazing environmental and humanitarian mission. 


For those that are wondering, here's the rough outline of this expedition:

5/1 - Fly to Quito (arrive 5/2)

5/3 - Hop on a bus and head down to the village of Jilimbe'

5/4 - 5/16 - Spend my time photographing the sugarcane farmers, distilling process & landscape & wildlife in and around Jilimbe'

5/17 - 5/22 - Since I was already in Ecuador, I decided I might as well stay an extra week and work on another worthwhile photo project as well.  I will head northeast towards San Rafael Falls to document a hydroelectric dam project.  Yup, the tallest waterfall feature in Ecuador will be forever slowed to a trickle after completion of this dam.  In addition to the construction itself, I intend to photograph the flora and fauna that will be detrimentally effected by this construction project. 

Once I return, I will be hunker down in my studio and post process my butt off.  The images will then be delivered to the CRACYP for editorial and website purposes.  I'll then send off all of the incentive prints, postcards and souvenirs to those who supported this trip.  Last I'll assemble a gallery exhibit for a Seattle show (details TBD).

Where I'm going, internet connections will be sparse.  So, I'll try and make posts as soon as I can.

Photo Essay of the Week #4 - Dimitri Kieffer

Dimitri Kieffer holds the world in his hand - Post Alley - Seattle, WA

 World-class adventurer and founder of Nexus Expeditions, Dimitri Kieffer has taken on a campaign of global proportions.  Under the banner of Nexus, Dimitri is circumnavigating the globe through human power while connecting different societies, civilizations and landscapes. And he's damn good at what he does.  

Nexus Expedition proposed route.

Let's go to the Bering Straight for a moment.  It's an inhospitable landscape composed of pack ice and fissures that threaten to send you to the bottom of a frigid black abyss.  Now, imagine pulling a sled loaded with hundred of pounds of gear across this sea of ice, occasionally having to swim the frigid waters while battling strong currents with ice tools in hand.  Add to that, blinding whiteouts and the occasional polar bear.  When you finally reach land, you're immediately detained and promptly deported.  "Congratulations on being the first to ever cross the Bering Straight from East to West, you're under arrest."  And that was just the first leg of Dimitri's journey.

I had a chance to spend a couple of days photographing Dimitri during a much needed expedition break in his hometown of Seattle.

Dimitri demonstrates his sled pulling skills while wearing traditional Mongolian garb - Pike's Market - Seattle, WA

He claims that he did not bite the head off this fish, but I'm still not convinced. - Pike's Fish Market - Seattle, WA

Dimitri outside his sponsor's bike shop, Freerange Cycles - Seattle, WA

Post Alley - Seattle, WA

The Progreso Verde Photography Fundraising Campaign

Photographing sustainable development projects in Ecuador

What's Dan Doing? 

It gives me great pleasure to announce that I will be spending three weeks in Ecuador this May volunteering my photography services and equipment to work with the non-profit organization: CRACYP (which stands for Rural Forestation and Progress Network Corporation, en Espanol).  They are in need for someone to produce powerful imagery and tell their story of environmental sustainability projects they have launched in Ecuador.

 

Who Is The CRACYP?

This NGO exists solely to facilitate reforestation and rural development in an agricultural area of extreme poverty. Their mission of "Progreso Verde" or "Green Progress" is all about social and economic development. But they do this in a way which protects the environment.  They build environmental awareness and motivate and assist local communities to take practical conservation action.  CRACYP's many sustainable development projects help to increase incomes to the point where people are able to think further ahead than the next meal and can afford to care about the environment. 

 

The Bottom Line

As you all know, travel expenses are not so cheap these days. Airfare, local transportation, travel insurance, food and accommodations all add up pretty quickly. (This is the part where I ask for your help). In order to follow through with this project without having to move my wife and dog out of our house and into our Subaru, I'm going to need to raise some funds. $3000 worth of funds to be exact.  

 

The ultimate goal of the project will be to provide CRACYP with powerful imagery that will be used to share the organization's mission via their website, marketing material and through editorial pieces. I will also assemble a collection of images from this project for gallery exhibits around Seattle. A percentage of the proceeds from all images sold will go directly to CRACYP.

 

If I surpass the goal of $3000, the extra funds will continue to go straight into the project for offsetting costs such as gallery exhibits, production costs and extended time in Ecuador to produce even more images

If you can't donate right now, no worries.  You can still help by sharing this cause with anyone who may be interested.  Pass it on!!

If you are interested in supporting my volunteer project, donating is as easy as the push of a button. You can safely use your credit, debit or Paypal account to give any amount that you wish by visiting my campaign site:

  

 Progreso Verde Photo Project Fundraising Campaign

100% of the proceeds go towards the funding of this project.

Here are a few incentives to sweeten the deal:

Pledge $5 or more and  I will sip a glass of vino with the local sugarcane farmers while toasting your name.

Pledge $10 or more and I will send you a personalized and handwritten postcard from the project.

Pledge $25 or more for a 5x7 archival quality print and a handwritten personalized postcard from the project.

Pledge $50 or more and receive an 8x10 archival quality print and a handwritten personalized postcard from the project. 

Pledge $100 or more and receive a 12x18 archival quality print and a handwritten personalized postcard from the project  

Pledge $250 or more and receive a 12x18 archival quality print, a handwritten personalized postcard and I will purchase a cool memento from an Ecuadorian market just for you. 

Pledge $500 or more and receive an 11x14 gallery wrap and a handwritten personalized postcard from the project and you still get that cool Ecuadorian memento.

Pledge $1000 or more and receive two unique 11x14 gallery wraps, a handwritten personalized postcard from the project and an Ecuadorian souvenir.

Pledge $1500 or more and receive not only an 11x14 gallery wrap and a handwritten personalized postcard, but you also get your choice of an entire shooting day with me in Seattle learning how to take your photography skills to the next level - OR - I can meet you in the city of your choice (travel expenses not included) for the photo camp - OR -  If taking photos isn't your thing, you can opt for an extended portrait session with you and your family.

 

If I raise more than $3000, the extra funds will continue to go straight into the project for offsetting costs such as gallery exhibits, production costs and extended time in Ecuador to produce more images.

I thank you all for your consideration. If you have any questions at all, please email me at dan@danholzphotography.com. I would love to hear from you.


--Dan


Donate Here:

Progreso Verde Photo Project Fundraising Campaign