Why Choose Me

As a Certified Geographic Information Systems Professional (GISP) who has spent his entire professional life working with GIS software I have the skills and experience to meet your geospatial analytical needs.  My passion for cartography dates back to when I asked my parents for an atlas for Christmas instead of toys at the age of 10.  In 2005 when Google Earth was released to the public I bought a Garmin GPS and since then have been using my spare time to create detailed trail maps for companies such as TripAdvisor, EveryTrail.com and Trails.com.  At Oregon State University where I earned my Graduate GIS Certificate my Masters Thesis involved studying glacier recession over time on Mt. Hood and Mt. Rainier in relation to debris flow initiation using Landsat 5 and 7 satellite imagery.   Throughout my professional career I have aided in the creation of detailed asset inventories and planimetrics for large utility companies, assessed terrain changes over time with LiDAR data and helped map the habitat of a major keystone species throughout the western United States.  As you can you see from this history I have a passion both at work and outside of work for cartography and geographical data analysis.  Allow me to channel that passion into finding cost saving solutions for you. 

Feature Extraction

Automated feature extraction is the Holy Grail of geospatial data processing.  Over the past few years there have been huge advances in image recognition algorithms.  Examples of this are the face detection tools Goole, Apple, and Facebook use or the product recognition software Amazon uses to detect products via photos.  Various photogrammetric software companies have also begun to use sophisticated algorithms to detect features based on sharp changes in subject matter within imagery.   Many companies claim that they have "fully automated" solutions.   Having been in the industry for as long as I have I can tell you that is not true.   There is often a lot of manual effort involved to first identify, then accurately vectorize features from geospatial data.    It then takes an eye for details and experience within scientific fields such as forestry, or geology to accurately classify features.  My education in the earth sciences and years of working with the latest data processing and GIS software have given me a unique understanding of what can be accurately extracted from geospatial data.   Nearly every geospatial company offers these services but very few are honest about what they are capable of.  You have my promise that when it comes to extracting features and information from your geospatial data, you will always receive an honest answer from me about what is possible and I will go to great lengths to seek out experts in the scientific fields necessary to ensure the accuracy of the information extracted.  

Planimetrics

• roads and sidewalks
• rivers and shorelines
• buildings and infrastructure
• vegetation

Classification

• vegetation
• geology and minerals
• wildlife

Hazard and Failure Detection

• vegetation encroachment
• stress and distortion detection
• faults, leaks, breaks

Implementation and Training

Geospatial data holds a wealth of information.  The ability to harness that information to make cost-effective business decisions depends on your understanding of how to use it to your advantage.  Over my career I have discovered processing and analytical workflow efficiencies that both save time and money.  I've learned from trial and error which file types work best for different applications and how data fusion can provide a wealth of additional information.   I've always enjoyed teaching others what I'm passionate about.  In addition to quality data processing and analysis I will work with my clients to ensure they clearly understand how to use the data delivered to them for the benefit of their business.  

As a bonus, if you are the outdoorsy type who would like to learn how to use this technology in your own personal life to both explore new places and keep track of where you've been I'd love to chat.  I've developed some personal work flows to help you track your outdoor adventures with a smartphone and automatically tag your personal photos with complete location data, even while out of service areas.  

Custom Workflow Creation

• organization tips
• compatibility solutions
• choosing the best end products

Mobile Applications

• field data collection
• compatibility solutions
• choosing the best end products

Personal Use

• GPS training
• free software opportunities
• open-source opportunities