About Me
Couch Surfing Ori is an evolving, captivating, and exciting adventure! Literally! The real-world adventure of an average guy that decided to see what's out there, and inspire others. Here's the one adventure...
Award winning photographer, Ori Bengal, has always enjoyed traveling and taking photos. He had worked with OneModelPlace.com, building up their print shop, helping to set up their studios, and working on their TV show, "Shut Up & Model." He left OMP to become a full time photographer. One year later, with business booming, his thirst for travel could not be quenched! More vacations... more business trips... more projects that required travel were taken to feel that travel rush... it wasn't enough! Then on that fated afternoon, marketing guru Dan Beyer had recommended that Ori contact some of his contacts out in California, and stay on their couch for a bit. Then it all clicked, and CouchSurfingOri.com was born!The concept is simple: Upon putting everything in storage in the end of 2006, Ori will be driving all over the USA. He will be taking photos of everything that interests him, while at the same time looking for work on the road, and for the people who can use his photography the most. Where he goes will be determined by who's couch he can stay on, and what adventures they offer! He will be living an interactive adventure that you can participate in!CouchSurfingOri.com is where you can find out what's going on with Ori and the many unique places and people he runs across. The site will have a blog, some interviews with interesting people from the road, video of rare and exciting events/bands/animals.... more than video, there will be many of Ori's unique photos posted for viewers to see. The site will let people interact with Ori. The site will let you book Ori for a shoot (model, portfolio, product, architectural, artistic), nominate their towns for a visit by Ori, or volunteer their couches along Ori's route.Along his route, Ori will collaborate with many models, makeup artists, designers, artists, and photographers; You can expect quite an exciting and diverse body of work from this trip - which has no end date. Ori will also be speaking to children in all grades about the joys of photography, travel, and living a dream. He will also be sharing his knowledge of photography, design, and creative thinking with the world. This includes lectures and workshops, as well as many free video tutorials on CouchSurfingOri.com .Allowing Ori to sleep on your couch is not only good Karma, it will also be repayed in photography. A single night may get you a headshot...a week will get you an entire portfolio - but with a catch! You must show Ori unique locations in your area! If there are national parks, interesting buildings, crazy parties, beautiful scenery, Bigfoot sightings, zoos, nature preserves, forgotten artifacts (old cars, demolished buildings, abandoned mines), or anything that looks cool! These places and things will be captured by Ori's camera for the world to see, and you will get photographed at these unique sites. If you have a business that could use high-end photography, but you always thought it would be too expensive, you can finally get the photos you always dreamt of at an extreme discount... just for sharing your home with a wandering artist. Find enough other people who need Ori's services, and your photography may be completely free! Anyone that hosts this optimistic photographer will be featured on CouchSurfingOri.com's "Couch" section. Which will have interviews, and stories of these generous hosts.Anyone helping to sponsor this trip will have their products/services promoted in Ori's weekly newsletters, and in his frequent blog entries. Donated products will be mentioned. Products will be reviewed - with possible video tutorials written about them. The audience is huge- and constantly growing! OneModelPlace.com will be transmitting Ori's journeys to their 180,000+ members! The growing fanbase of Ori's work is watching to see where their favorite goofball is going next... what experiences he faces next.... what products he's checking out... what he's doing that they would do if they didn't have to work... People of all ages love this idea!Life is full of adventures... and you can get involved with this one!15% of donations and print purchases will be donated to various nature preservation foundations so that future generations can enjoy the beauty of the nature that's all around us in the United States. Ori was the grand prize winner of the Humane Association's Pets & Pals Photography contest. He has volunteered with the Humane Association as has always had a love and fascination of nature. Once a book is published and goes on sale, percents of that will go towards a new scholarship to help underprivileged children learn photography.
