Adventure Session
A philosophy or approach to photography that seeks to capture the raw essence of the subject, embracing rather than conforming the 'Great SNAFU,' contrasting natural order and disorder, and leaving room for the authentic spirit to make its statement.
Life in the same way, can be approached as an adventure, and in turn, just might become one. FLC is about choosing adventure... Adventure in our choices, our relationships, our jobs, our very mindsets. Birthed out of adversity and craving for a richer experience, richer relationships and a richer life, FLC challenges you... will you choose... to lean in? To leave the comfort of convenience, and come home to your soul?
EXPLORE ADVENTURE
JOURNEY CHANCE
WANDER FIND
UNLEASH
THE wonder
lying underneath
The Man Behind the Project
Howdy, I'm Cody!
It's so nice to meet you and I'm grateful you found your way here. I hope to get the chance to meet you in-person! How to begin to make an introduction? I have found I can't really explain myself apart from the many people and places that have left their mark on me. A wandering soul by nature, I have been fortunate to experience God's creation globally, spanning South America, Europe and Asia.
I am truly fascinated by the power of the story told in the eyes. My truest passion is the art of seeing people. As such I am drawn to that serendipitous encounter between two supposed strangers that somehow morphs from that somehow familiar eye contact into conversation which buds into an ongoing friendship.
I have a day job working with the Children of Incarcerated Parents program in Clackamas, OR, which I love and chase my creative pursuits on the side. A lover of art in all its forms as it meets, engages, and transforms the human soul, I spend my free time on my photography, video, and writing. I love journeying alongside the friends in my life and getting lost in the mountains of the PNW. I also learn as much as I can to feed my curious mind and and adventurous spirit with books and scripture, as I seek to be transformed more and more into a vessel of Christ's spirit to love God and love people.
Forged in the Forests of the PNW
There is a power to place. Fresh Light Creative was born on the trails and in the forests of the great Pacific Northwest. It began with the yearnings to attempt to capture the glory of the Pacific Ocean, and the night sky above the wilderness of Oregon. The natural beauty fostered a natural awe and wonder which now permeates Cody's work as a photographer.
As such, the backdrop to the photography of FLC are the ancient forests scattered across Mt. Hood and the coastal region. The views of the Columbia River Gorge produce a more than striking scene for adventure shoots. Nestled into the midst of all of it lies the town of Portland. Perfectly surrounded, it is the great starting point.
In this story, you choose your own adventure. Flip through the pages of scenes that we have just at the edges of our fingertips, and together we'll plot out your unique wild adventure which shall be the backdrop of our time together.
It started with a Gift | The FLC Story
It was eighth grade graduation, 2009, when Cody received a gift from his parents to mark the milestone transitioning him to high school. A camera. Nothing fancy. A basic Canon point-and-shoot (from a time before the days of smartphones). That gift marked not just the beginning of a new chapter in school, but the beginning of a great love that would carry on and only continue to grow for the years that would follow. That Canon point-and-shoot would become the companion that would travel beside Cody on adventure after adventure. It was the first in a line of a number of progressively more advanced cameras with which he developed his craft through mere trial and error. It was by these cameras that Cody recognized his own gift of his eye.
Today, Cody is an avid photographer, long-since having graduated from the gift that got him started, though always grateful for the simple beginning. This project marks the beginning of a new chapter, taking this passion and love to the world. Now, the gift is for you to join too. Learn how supporting FLC also gives back.
The Gift
Giving Value | The FLC Spirit
... A project or a business?
Why build a business when you can build better?
In a world obsessed with and addicted to profit and progress, Fresh Light Creative aims to take the road less traveled. The giving of value, or the value of giving, however you look at it, lies at the heart of FLC. For, "It is far better to give than to receive,"are the words that echo through Cody's head, from the childhood Christmas book, Auntie Clause. What separates FLC from the slew of photography businesses out there, is the subtle paradigm shift, that says 'This is not just for me,' but for something larger desired, something for the world, something for us. A labor of love. Continue to find out about how FLC gives back.
Giving Back | Projects
Talk is cheap. To put our money where our mouth is, Fresh Light Creative gives back to the community. Cody has donated photography services to multiple community-based organizations so far, such as TrailSeekers of Central Washington, which empowers youth through one-on-one supportive relationships and experiences in the outdoors; the Children of Incarcerated Parents Program of Clackamas County, OR, which pairs children affected by parental incarceration with an individual caring adult mentor, delivers practical supports and resources for the whole family, and hosts group outings to facilitate exposure to other youth of the same background; and to Northwest Family Services, an innovative provider of a wide array of culturally-specific services to support family stability, children, and victims of crime by addressing the social determinants of health, which services the Portland- and Salem- areas.
The Light
"We Are A Breath of Fresh Light"
... a phrase coined to reflect the light and spirit that can be found in all things. We believe the art of photography is less a conjuring or a creating, but much more an unveiling and a seeing. It is to join with; not as subject to object, but rather subject to subject. It is to create a space where you can breathe easily and naturally. Then in the dance that follows, it is to step out of the way, and watch as your light springs forward. It is to capture you and your honest little moments as they reveal themselves and shine in all of their brilliance.