Randall Bohl

Raised in Chelsea Michigan I attended Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo from 1980-1984, BS Communications. Upon graduation I went to work at Jim Powell Advertising Photography, spending my evenings either in the dark room, building and drag racing motorcycles or at The Club Soda, catching the best live music available. Out of that came my first book The Club Soda Kalamazoo, Summer of 1986. (see more below)

1988-1991 San Francisco, California I went on my own. First freelance assisting some great and occasionally not so great Commercial/Advertising photographers, learning something from each. I shared and lived in a 3,000' studio at 9th and Folsom St. building a clientele of my own. But the city was to confining for my taste so January 1st 1991 I started shop in Scottsdale, Arizona. More sunny days and less population density fit me well as I stayed there for over 20 years before moving only slightly north to Gisela, Arizona. As small town as it gets located within the Tonto National Forest. I enjoy living within walking distance of Tonto Creek.

Phoenix/Scottsdale is still my the base of my commercial photography work, well it's where the airport is.

10 States 10 Days A Motorcycle Ride is the story of my 4,410 mile ride from Michigan to Arizona on a 1995 Honda 750 Nighthawk. Illustrated with 130 beautiful full color photographs from the shorlines of Michigan through Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, including a side trip to the Sturgis Rally, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Utah and Arizona.

Fredy's Journey with Bo'del A Frog on a Motorcycle ride is a frogs journey through 11 states with a motorcycle rider named Bo'del. With Bo'del Fredy leaves the pond behind to travel "where the birds can fly". 46 full color photo's show Fredy's Journey from Michigan through Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Written by Fredy with Bo'del's help.

The story behind The Club Soda:

Combining the photography and music I spent evenings in the summer of 1986 photographing people on the street outside of The Club Soda. Printed up the full book on the highest quality paper and asked a graphic designer, one of Jim Powells clients to put together the book. As I recall it cost about $250 to get one copy created, hard bound about 11"X14" in size with just photo's and graphics, no type setting. That was in a three ring binder on the side. At this point the project stalled with rejections from a couple of publishing houses. Remember in 1986 PC's Mac's and Create Space did not exist!

28 years later what a difference as I scanned the original book of prints and entered the type into Create Space with the intent that a few old friends and the acquaintances who appear in the book would finally get to see what they signed those model releases for so long ago. Advertising amounted to notice on the facebook page Club Soda Kalamazoo Rocked! And I'm happy to say that the book has sold five times my expectations as of this writing and reconnected me with some wonderful people.

In 2010 I also did the photography for another Amazon listed book by Zoe Sherwood, Gentle Waves, Affirmations for You.

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