Wind Home, an Eugene photographer, takes a moment to think, then struggles with the idea. He laughs after a while.
“Love. Love. “Love,” he laughs. He chuckles. “Like mom used to always say.”
With a carefree name like Wind — and hippie parents easy-going enough to name him that — it’s not too surprising to hear this prolific photographer takes such a calm, cool and collected approach to his craft when it comes to capturing his signature sleek images of some of the most beautiful and impressively crafted pieces of glass.
It wasn’t in his plans to be one of the top glass artists and cannabis photographers. Things started picking up in the cannabis business when Greg Adams, of Trident Glasses and Lore Haus asked him to photograph some images.
It was difficult to gain a solid foundation.
Hamms WaterWorks, Piece.
Photography is generally a difficult industry to enter. “It was difficult to break into the glass industry at first,” said he. “I needed to establish trust in order to get artists to leave me equipment, or other things. It was a huge deal to be trusted with such valuable things by people you may not even know.
Growing up in Eugene, Oregon — a region now considered one of the meccas of the glass art scene — definitely played a part in getting him established and catapulting his career to where it is now.
“Luckily, I had a little bit of an ‘in’ here just from having grown up in the area around so many glass artists,” he said. When it came to newer artists or larger ones, I was able to rely on my reputation thanks to people like Greg (Braun), who knew me and were able to vouch for me.
He is booked out with up to 12 photos in one day. His clients range from independent glass artisans to glass shops and even cannabis farms. His attention to quality and detail in each photograph has made him the go-to photographer for the cannabis industry. He has mastered the art of capturing the intricacies of each handmade glass piece — the swirls of colors and patterns, a range of textures and shapes — without losing the functionality of it.
Yoda OG in the early stages of blooming.
He says, “I’m really producing an extremely high-end product that is shot with a fine art.” “I try to make very minimal edits on my photos, as I’ve fine-tuned my skills over the years by paying attention to how to balance the light and soften the background with reflective black. I find that people love this.”
Home told me he cannot bear to look at my photos from the past three or four year.
He said that, although his style remained the same over the years he has been working with glass, “my work is much cleaner and tighter.”
His home studio is in Eugene and he uses the same equipment as his former warehouse. This was where he would shoot commercial work. It’s only him and a product these days.
Bomb Squad Growers: Shatter.
I’m one-person show. I can’t hire anyone because of what I shoot — glass and grass. “I’m smoking weed half the time while I work,” said the man with a laugh.
When he’s not working, he loves spending time with his wife and kids — his inspiration for what he calls his “professionally unprofessional” approach to work. His casual style allows him to manage business and not get overwhelmed by all the hustle and buzz of high-demand.
I never wanted to work all my life and be a corporate father. I did not want to leave a bad impression on my children’s minds. “I’m not a parent who would leave their kids behind to take a trip to Hawaii,” said he. My wife and I enjoy being with our children. It’s because of this that I am able to work at home, and I also make the time for them. We go swimming or camping even when I am busy.
Home manages to keep a balance between juggling a business and family. He is driven by passion, both professionally and personally.
He said, “I love my family. I also love what I’m doing.” “I can’t be bothered to complain.”
Originally published in Issue 27 of Cannabis Now. Learn More
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