Ezra Carlsen

Portland, Oregon

I'm a photographer based in Portland, where I teach writing and film studies at Portland Community College.

Since April 2024, I've been walking Burnside Street, in search of candid scenes and street portraits that show Portland's curious characters and unexpected moments.

Portland is divided into north and south by Burnside, the figurative central artery of the city. In the seven or so miles that stretch between the West Hills and the 205 freeway, Burnside is home to icons of Portland culture. By training my lens on the people and places of Burnside, I want to show what life is like in a cross-section of our city, and also document its shifting landscapes-geographic, cultural, and historical.