91ÊÓƵ

A cheerful “Hi, it’s Dan Carter at the 91ÊÓƵ. I get to take your picture,” can be heard from the editorial department a couple times a day, though not for much longer.

Staff will miss his sense of humor, hardworking nature and Paradise Bakery cookie runs, but Daily Journal of Commerce Photographer Dan Carter will retire in early March after 26 years photographing the architects, contractors and engineers of Portland.

“If you have to do a job, photography isn’t bad,” 61-year-old Carter said modestly, although his dedication to the industry suggests he remains passionate 36 years after receiving his photojournalism degree from the University of Missouri.

“Journalism opens doors that normally aren’t open to you,” Carter said. “That’s the most fun part about it. I’ve shot major league sporting events and been in factories and construction sites where not everybody would go.”

But Carter didn’t always know he would be a photographer; his first degree was in elementary education.

“A friend of mine gave me a camera as a graduation present,” Carter said. “I taught for one year, became fascinated with photography and went back to school for a bachelor’s in photojournalism.”

After graduation, Carter packed up his belongings and headed west to pursue a photography job in Longview, Wash.

“I didn’t get the job,” he said with a laugh, “But I moved to Portland and started pounding the pavement.”

Carter landed a job with Portland Today, a small monthly paper, and eventually began doing freelance and then full-time work for the Daily Journal of Commerce, the niche built-environment business paper that would become his focus.

Not only has he developed relationships with the construction, architecture and engineering firms in Portland, he’s also developed respect for their work.

“I’m impressed with how much the workers in the trades have to know,” Carter said. “Just look at electricians. They have to continue to educate themselves because things are changing so fast.”

And Carter is in turn appreciated by those in the trades, who continuously thank him for not just taking pictures of buildings and finished work, but for capturing the workers on the job sites who bring the designs to life.

“I’ve photographed some interesting people over the years,” said Carter, who doesn’t seem to forget any of his work.  “Frank Lockyear is a memorable one. He started a nonprofit called ReTree International and was responsible for planting 3 million trees in 29 countries. That must have been 20 years ago. Fascinating individual.”

Carter is retiring from his full-time position at the 91ÊÓƵ, but he doesn’t plan to stop taking pictures. While traveling with his wife, Chris, is certainly in future plans, for now he will continue his freelance business with clients such as OHSU and the Multnomah Bar Association, who he has worked with since 1977.

“A photographer can really hone his or her skills here because there is so much to do,” Carter said of whomever will replace him at the 91ÊÓƵ. “But get to know people, definitely get to know people.”

“Hi, it’s Dan Carter at the 91ÊÓƵ. I get to take your picture,” he said on the phone at his desk later, as if for the first time.

What was the best piece of advice you ever received?

I always admired my father. He was an educator and also a coach. He taught me that competition is good and competing is fun, but winning doesn’t matter. Just the competition itself is where the fun is. If you do well and don’t win, that’s ok.

Who was your mentor, and how did he or she help shape you as a person?

A fellow that I knew from my hometown named Vance Heflin. He was in Columbia getting his photography undergraduate when I was, so we started playing with different types of photography, doing all kinds of darkroom experiments and messing with exposures. We fed off each other and learned from each other. He was such a good friend, and we were both fascinated by photography.

Tell me something about yourself most people wouldn’t know.

I like to play an obscure sport – squash. Most people don’t even know what squash is, but I play in two squash leagues in town. It’s especially fun to beat a team when you’re three times their age.