April 7 - Built to Last

April 7 - Built to Last, originally uploaded by Jesse_Laird.

Detail shot of an attachment for a vintage Electrolux vacuum cleaner.

I love how every part on this is worn, but was clearly built to last.

Had to get back into the photo/blog habit today, feeling especially inspired by today's announcement by Chase Jarvis of the new CreativeLive online creative education site.

Not that this photo is anything especially stunning (except the engineering of the subject), but I need to get back in the habit. Shooting. Everyday. Keep practicing, keep improving.

February 13 - Flipped

February 13 - Flipped, originally uploaded by Jesse_Laird.

Another night of shooting Bend Winterfest, another night as part of the lightstand farm. There was more hardware there tonight stuffed between the jump and the landing. In fact, it was hard to get a shot where I didn't get someone else's light.

I wish, wish, wish I could have got a press pass so as to stow my light in a better spot and been able to move around more. True, I could have wandered further into the beer garden, but since my light was on the public side of the fence and was already getting knocked around a bit by the well-hydrated public, I wanted to be close enough to keep an eye on it.

I think it would have been sweet to move back and over to get the jumbotron in the background of this, or something else to give it a sense of place. Or sense of scale.

I think I've figured out the technical details of how to get a lit, focused shot of these guys and girls. Next year, I need to work on making it interesting.

February 12th - Night Lights

February 12th - Night Lights, originally uploaded by Jesse_Laird.

So there's three nights of action sports as part of Bend Winterfest. This was the first night -- skiiers. It was also a convenient chance for me to get out and shoot.

Stopped by the house to pickup a light stand, flash, and radio triggers.

Found a parking spot sorta nearby. Score! Started rigging up, and realized that I had left my 70-200 at home; I took it out last night when rearranging.

So hopefully I can get out Saturday night and shoot the snowboarders with the lens I intended. Treated this more light a lighting test.

Was seriously jealous of the 12-year-olds or so that had "press" passes and so were able to put their lighting rigs right between the jump and the landing. But it was kinda cool to see so many kids working with off-camera flash.

February 11 - Wandering Again

February 11 - Wandering Again, originally uploaded by Jesse_Laird.

By Lightroom's accounts, I've been out shooting 10 days this year. So I guess I shouldn't be surprised that a co-worker asked why I was going outside with a camera during my lunch break.

I used to to that *every* day.

I'm sure I've had more than 10d of shooting. Must not have imported them all in this username.

This was using a new-to-me but beat-to-heck Sigma 17-35. First time using a lens this wide on the full-frame camera, and loving it. Have to watch my toes so as they don't end up in the frame.

Now I just need to get out there tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that....

January 30 - Duck Hunt II

January 30 - Duck Hunt II, originally uploaded by Jesse_Laird.

Went out with a co-worker to build my skills at landscape photography. Tried to get up early for the light, but it was foggy. Made for some nice even light, and the clouds broke for a little bit. Happy to be taking pictures even if the weather isn't primo.

January 11 - Fave Color

January 11 - Fave Color, originally uploaded by Jesse_Laird.

Inspired by the Daily Shoot today.

strobist info: one Vivitar 285 under box with cutout for blue paperweight, 1/2 power. one Vivitar 285, full zoom, 1/16th power hitting foam board above blue paperweight for specular highlight.

I followed Zack Arias' advice to setup the shot, then move around. The wooden footboard in the background gave the warm glow that really made the blue stand out, and was an unexpected surprise.

January 3 - Sense of Place

January 3 - Sense of Place, originally uploaded by Jesse_Laird.

This weekend, we traveled to a wedding in Eugene, and stopped overnight at this farm on our return trip. This is the place where we were married -- in a sheep barn, and to this day I regard it as the most perfect chapel in this great big world.

The owners of this farm are two of the kindest, gentlest, and most deeply faithful people I know. Their home and fields are settled in a part of Oregon where people still make a living from the earth. Just around the corner, a brave and principled family still tills the earth with horses instead of machines.

Each wedding my wife and I have attended has been a chance to reflect on our own commitment, on our own beginning moments, and our shared journey. I think of this farm, and I think of the handful of places where I can feel truly refreshed and reset. And off the top of my head, I would say that at least half are places to which my wife has brought me. This is one of those places.

As we begin the new year, I find myself grateful for the time and place to reflect, press my reset button, and begin another year of great opportunity. I'm thankful for my wife and family and friends, and for all the ways they support and encourage me.

I took quite a few photos today and over the holiday weekend. Most are personal and not to be shared here. But as we explored the farm this morning, I noticed this juxtaposition of icons. They seemed to capture my sense of this place, and I knew this would be my photo for the day.

My inner Boy Scout wanted to unfurl the flag, but the photographer in me felt it somehow dishonest to stage this scene.