Cedar & Shore Studio LLC

10/18/2026

Are you ready for Holloween?

Book your holloween portrait with Cedar & Shore Studio LLC

Limited sessions available.

09/20/2026

The 20-Minute Gallon

An encounter in Everett and a $137.75 fill-up in Kingston put Washington’s gas prices into perspective. By Tom Buscher “I suck at life, not worth a dollar.” I saw those words on a man’s sign in Everett on Saturday. He stood near a gas station charging $5.49 a gallon for regular. The contrast stayed with me long after I left Rucker Avenue....

Washington gas averaged $5.56 a gallon in September 2026. At minimum wage, one gallon costs nearly 20 minutes of work.

09/10/2026

A stone can be found in seconds. Learning how to read it, cut it and shape it can take years.

At the Clallam County Gem and Mineral Association’s workshop in Carlsborg, volunteers share those skills with members of all ages. My latest story follows that education from the workshop to Port Williams Beach and back, while exploring the community effort required to keep this specialized craft alive.

The association’s next Rock, Gem & Mineral Show is Sept. 19 and 20 at the Vern Burton Community Center in Port Angeles. Admission is free, and the event will include a premium vendor raffle with prizes donated by participating vendors.

Saturday, Sept. 19: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 20: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Read the complete story and see photographs from the process:

https://cedarshorestudio.com/keeping-the-craft-alive/

09/10/2026

Keeping the Craft Alive: Inside the Clallam County Gem and Mineral Association

A volunteer-run workshop in Carlsborg, a beach near Sequim, and the members who teach each other how to turn a found stone into finished work. By Tom Buscher I went to the Clallam County Gem and Mineral Association’s workshop in Carlsborg on Aug. 20 to find out what happens after somebody carries a promising stone home. The equipment was the obvious answer....

See how the Clallam County Gem and Mineral Association keeps lapidary skills alive through volunteer teaching, and hands-on learning.

09/05/2026

ISO 2500. Yes, 2500.

Photographers are often told to keep their ISO between 100 and 500. That advice can make people so afraid of noise that they sacrifice the shutter speed or aperture the photograph actually requires.

This hummingbird was photographed at ISO 2500, 1/1600 second, and f/10. The settings are visible in the Camera Raw screenshot because I want you to see the proof.

Your camera is not controlled by one “perfect” setting. ISO, shutter speed, aperture, and available light must work together. A little manageable noise is better than motion blur or a missed photograph.

If you are still guessing which settings to use, book a private photography lesson with Cedar & Shore Studio. We will work with your camera and your photography goals so you can make these decisions with confidence.

Book your lesson:

https://cedarshorestudio.com/shop/learn-photography/private-photography-lesson/

Personalized private photography lessons in Sequim or online, tailored to your camera, experience, and creative goals. One-hour sessions are now available.

09/04/2026

Watch: Clallam County commissioner candidates take questions in Sequim

Two hours of audience questions for Mike French and Jake Seegers at a packed Sequim Prairie Grange, on video with a chapter guide. The Sequim Prairie Grange reached capacity on Aug. 27 for a Candidate Conversation between Clallam County District 3 commissioner candidates Mike French and Jake Seegers. The full recording runs a little over two hours and is posted below....

candidate conversation between Clallam County commissioner candidates Mike French and Jake Seegers at the Sequim Prairie Grange

09/02/2026

My latest reporting and photography for the Sequim Gazette is now published.

The Sequim Prairie Grange filled to capacity as Clallam County commissioner candidates Mike French and Jake Seegers answered questions from voters for two hours. Their responses revealed clear differences on harm reduction, county spending, timber policy and the proposed transfer of the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge.

Political reporting carries a responsibility to the community. I worked carefully to represent both candidates accurately and fairly while keeping the focus on their answers and the issues voters asked them to address.

Read the full article:

[https://www.sequimgazette.com/2026/09/01/voters-fill-sequim-prairie-grange-for-french-seegers-candidate-forum/](https://www.sequimgazette.com/2026/09/01/voters-fill-sequim-prairie-grange-for-french-seegers-candidate-forum/)

The Sequim Prairie Grange was filled to capacity Thursday with voters who turned out for a candidates forum featuring District 3 Clallam County commissioner incumbent Mike French and challenger Jake Seegers.

The Candidate Conversation was sponsored by The Calico Cat Club and moderated by member Mark Curtis. He announced at the start of the forum that no additional attendees would be admitted due to the building having reached capacity.

Story: https://www.sequimgazette.com/2026/09/01/voters-fill-sequim-prairie-grange-for-french-seegers-candidate-forum/

For two hours, French, a Democrat, and Seegers, an Independent, answered questions from the audience. Their exchanges covered harm reduction, public spending, and the county’s role in housing and homelessness.

Both candidates kept their opening statements brief to leave more time for questions from the floor.

Curtis outlined two rules that would be strictly enforced: Every question would go to both candidates, and anyone disrespectful toward either candidate would be asked to leave. Club members were called first before questions opened to the wider audience.

French said he is seeking reelection so younger residents can find housing and economic opportunities in Clallam County. Seegers said he is running to restore public safety, economic growth, fiscal responsibility, affordability, and trust in local government.

09/02/2026

Adventure on the Olympic Peninsula often begins at the water’s edge, but sea kayaking requires more than a willingness to paddle into the waves. It takes instruction, practice and respect for conditions that can change quickly.

For my latest feature in the Sequim Gazette, I followed instructor Chris Bracamonte and local paddlers as they practiced coastal skills and built confidence on the water. Through my reporting and photography, I wanted to capture both sides of the experience: the beauty and freedom that draw people to kayaking, and the knowledge that helps bring them home safely.

Read “Where Adventure Meets the Waves: Kayaking on the Olympic Peninsula”:

https://www.sequimgazette.com/2026/08/26/where-adventure-meets-the-waves-kayaking-on-the-olympic-peninsula/

May the trail lead to adventure.

08/25/2026

I need to apologize for lying to all of you.

For quite some time, I have been telling people that I had a 3.97 GPA. After receiving my updated transcript, I discovered that this was false information.

My actual cumulative GPA is 3.98.

I regret understating the truth by an entire one-hundredth of a point, and I hope everyone can forgive me during this difficult time.
Joking aside, I officially graduated from Peninsula College with an Associate in Applied Science-Transfer in Media Communications: Web & Interactive Design. I was also awarded the President’s Medal for Scholarly Excellence.
Those words on my transcript represent two years of hard work, long days, late nights, a complete career change, and a commitment to building a new future. I am proud of the degree, grateful to everyone who supported me, and deeply honored to receive this recognition.
My journey at Peninsula College is not over. I look forward to continuing my education in the Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Management program, studying marketing and entrepreneurship. I intend to bring the same full-force effort to this next chapter.
If you would like to support my college journey, please consider shopping my online store or hiring Cedar & Shore Studio for drone services, photography, video production, or other creative work. Every purchase and project helps me continue building this business while pursuing my education.
Apparently, my first assignment is correcting every place where I accidentally sold myself short.

08/25/2026

Private Photography Lesson

Personalized one-hour photography instruction tailored to your camera, experience, and creative goals. Purchase one lesson or select multiple sessions for progressive learning. Dates and locations are arranged personally to ensure every lesson is thoughtfully planned....

Personalized private photography lessons in Sequim or online, tailored to your camera, experience, and creative goals. One-hour sessions are now available.