Glenn Charles

LIFE-STYLE | TRAVEL | AERIAL

207-631-9245

Photographer/Videographer specializing in Life Style, Travel, and Aerial Imagery.  FAA 107 Certified for sUAS flight operations throughout the US.  Fully insured.  Videography work is limited to Aerial productions.

Based in Maine (May-December) and SWFL (Jan - April). Available for travel year round.

Filtering by Tag: Cycling

Follow Your Passion

August 10, 2013  /  Glenn Charles

It’s often the small events that become the most important moments in a person’s life. A skier by the age most toddlers learn to speak complete sentences, Jeff Curtes quickly developed a passion for the outdoors. It was 1983 in Wisconsin, and Jeff’s freshman year at high school, when he discovered an ad of Jake Burton doing a frontside air on a blue-based Performer in Ski Magazine. Jeff swiped the ad from the library mag to share his find with his mom and younger brother, Joe. That Christmas, a red Performer snowboard wrapped under their Christmas tree would forever change the lives of him and his brother Joe. Joe ended up becoming a professional snowboarder and Jeff was there alongside him visually documenting his brother's efforts. He developed a passion for photography while capturing Joe, and was able to combine his image making ability with his love for snowboarding. Jeff’s submissions eventually got published, and caught the attention of Burton. Burton hired Jeff and the rest is history. To this day, Jeff owes his success to knowing his subject matter and really caring about it. With Snowboarding, Jeff was at the forefront of a sport that quickly caught momentum, and gained respect in the world of adventure sports. He never went out with the intention of becoming a snowboard photographer - he just wanted to pursue his passions. It is that pursuit that remains the essence of what motivates him today. For Jeff, cycling has always been his escape. Although unsure whether he wanted to bring his photography into his zone - he ultimately made the move because of the challenge it presented and the love that he has for riding. You can't be afraid of new. It’s this drive that makes Jeff one of the more respected names in the industry. Jeff currently works out of Sydney, Australia and Portland, Oregon. Client work keeps him busy as he is represented by Tectonic Media Group, which includes powerhouse names such as Jimmy Chin, Corey Rich, and Tyler Stableford. In E06 of Life in Focus, we got the chance to meet up with Jeff in Portland and see him in action shooting for Vanilla Cycling and their Speedvagen team. For more on Jeff, check him out at www.tectonicmg.com. Jeff would like to thank Sacha White and the entire Vanilla Speedvagen family (www.vanillabicycles.com) for making the best bikes, Tom Rousculp from Vanilla for producing the shoot and for the exceptional driving and not crashing my uninsured rental car, and The Gentle Lovers for riding their bikes on a Tuesday night in Portland's West Hills. Also, special thanks to www.clutchcamera.com for lending some essential camera gear. Riders: Video & Editing: Cameron Sylvester Motion Graphics: Chad Jones & Cameron Sylvester Music: Taylor Clark / Barely Exist Taylor Clark / I see you all the time Location: Portland, OR USA Gear: f-stop Loka and Large Pro ICU, FS700, Metabones EF adapter, Canon L glass, Glidecam HD4000, Budget Tripod, Canon 7D, Zoom H4N, Shure lav mic, Hoya Filters. Editing: Graded in DaVinci Lite, Motion Graphics in After Effects, Cut in Final Cut Pro 7. Life in Focus is brought you by www.fstopgear.com

Great little video following Jeff Curtes as he does a photo shoot.  Beautiful work, follow your dreams, don't be afraid to push into the unknown. 

tags / Cycling, Photography

Inspiration .....

May 25, 2013  /  Glenn Charles

It comes in all forms and often out of the blue when we least expect it.  Last night and this morning I had the honor of meeting Bob.  Bob is a 4 year survivor of a Leukemia and a bone marrow transplant.  When telling his story to me, he pointed out that in the early days of learning about his illness, something discovered on a random visit to the doctor, that the message was clear and simple -- "You need to get your things in order".  The odds of survival were less than 30% because they were going to systematically destroy his immune system before giving him the transplant.​

Bob must be an anomaly because not only did he have no side effects from the Chemo or the Radiation, but 18 months later he was back on a bike, riding a century.  Then he rode his bike from Boston to Key West.  Now he is in the process of completing the remaining stretch of the East Coast, Lubec Maine back to Boston.​ (many people choose to stop in Bar Harbor Maine, but the true East Coast route should be from West Quoddy Light House, Lubec Maine to the Key West marker)

His message was don't stop fighting, and don't stop living.  Like many people who have had these life altering experiences, he finds much to be grateful for and now treasures each and every day.  I have said it before and I will keep on beating the drum.​

Live your life the fullest, each and every day. The only moment that is guaranteed is right NOW.​

P&L, travel safely Bob.  It was an honor and an inspiration to have met you.​

tags / Adventure Cycling, Cycling, Inspiration

Fun with the Hooligan

May 18, 2013  /  Glenn Charles

The little Cannondale Hooligan is really putting a smile on my face.  I have been bumming around on it now for a week, and today got out for a longer ride.  It is absolutely a hoot to ride!  Biking should be fun and it should be practical and this little bike is all of that and more.  It is cool to look at, simple to operate, comfortable to ride, and it gets you from point A to B to C to D in a fast and efficient manner. 

Love the little Hooligan!!​

tags / Cycling, Cannondale, Hooligan