Decay

Decay, a photo by JTobiason Photography on Flickr.

Part of a set from a photo walk that focused on walls in Seattle, WA. For a complete viewing of the photos, see the link below:

jtobiason.com/blog/2011/10/24/walls/

Hiking out

Hiking out, a photo by JTobiason Photography on Flickr.

Welcome Home Mandy!

Welcome Home Mandy!, a photo by JTobiason Photography on Flickr.

Sunny fall days

Sunny fall days, a photo by JTobiason Photography on Flickr.

Lucky

Lucky, a photo by JTobiason Photography on Flickr.

This is one of the best dogs in the world. There are few who are so kind, dumb, fun, happy and keep the deer away from your vegetables. Lucky has guarded my parent's neighborhood since we moved in over 10 years ago. He is still the godfather, though he can't see beyond his nose and generally lacks hearing. We are grateful for his service.

Administration

Administration, a photo by JTobiason Photography on Flickr.

End of Summer sunset at Ray's Boathouse

End of Summer sunset at Ray's Boathouse, a photo by JTobiason Photography on Flickr.

The Ballard fleet waits for their season.

The Ballard fleet waits for their season., a photo by JTobiason Photography on Flickr.

If you have an iOS device and haven't checked out Instagram, I highly suggest it. I've been having lots of fun sharing photos with this tool and would love to see yours as well. If you use it, look me up at JTobiason. If not, keep watching Flickr because many of my favorites end up here as well.

Where friends tread

Where friends tread, a photo by JTobiason Photography on Flickr.

Sunset lights

Sunset lights, a photo by JTobiason Photography on Flickr.

Web

Web, a photo by JTobiason Photography on Flickr.

I love photo walks. It is such a great experience to go through the neighborhoods that I know so well and look for elements that are unseen or un-recognized. How do you capture a flower, shadow, or spider's web that would otherwise be missed by everyone else? It is the eternal question that will keep me shooting.

Stoic

Stoic, a photo by JTobiason Photography on Flickr.

It is rare that my friends actually sit down and let me take portraits. So when it happens, I have to be ready to capture them where they're at. I love the way that their faces show so much of their personalities.

Best way to Begin the day

Best way to begin the day, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

Lately, I've been waking up early to watch the sunrise from my porch. It is quite the way to begin the morning with a little journaling, reading, Sigur Ros on the iPod and the view. This photo is from a 150 photo time lapse I took the other day. It will make it's way out sometime, just not yet.

For more of my time lapses, check out the video below:
Summer 2011

First test

First test, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

This is one of my first test shots with my new 60D. It really isn't that special of a photo and I was just wandering around my office in Seattle during my lunch break, but it is fun to be the beginning of a new era.

Also, if you're a twitter user, I'm starting to use it more and more for photo related work. Check out my @JTobiasonPhoto handle.

Awesome couple

Awesome couple, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

Great people, great day.

Also, this will probably be the last photo from my T1i on the blog. From here on out, it'll be from my 60D. I'm excited!

Summer 2011

It has been a great summer!

Happy Groom

Happy Groom, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

The planning was finally over. We had tuxes. We were wearing them. All he had to do was stand around and enjoy it.

Knox

Knox, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

Oh my faux-hawk roommate. Why are you always so attractive?

On a separate note, I do feel a need to apologize to Airwalk, Scott and all others for some strong wordings about the wedding shoes. I am giving them a second chance right now and they're doing much better. I'm sorry for my rant. Please take it with a grain of salt. If there was a 'joking/exaggerating/sarcasm' font, I would have written that message in that.

Groomsmen Shoes

Groomsmen Shoes, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

Though they look awesome, these were the most uncomfortable wedding shoes ever. I've been trying to break mine in since then, but it's a rough battle. Oh the price you pay for fashion.

The happy couple

The happy couple, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

It's been a busy few weeks with trying to get a bachelor 's party ready for this gentleman and general life stuff. The next few posts here and on my Flickr stream are going to be full of the goings on from that great weekend. It was just special getting to spend so much time with fantastic people!

But I'm caught up again. Hopefully that will mean some big news for this blog. In other news I just got a new Canon 60D. I didn't get it before the wedding due to the hurricane on the east coast, but I'm so excited to have this new tool in the arsenal.

Angelic folks

Angelic folks, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

Ballard Fleet

Ballard Fleet, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

Why I love camping

Why I love camping, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

I've taken a lot of night photos, but this one was especially fun because I actually was able to show my family all that I do. Because we were all camping together, they got a taste of all the things that I can do with these incredible machines.

Night Light

Night Light, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

On a full moon in August, I went up into the Mountains to go camping with friends. They had not grown up in Seattle and didn't realize that it was necessary to reserve camping spots in order to actually have a space. Thus, while they sought a solution, I started taking photos of the lake. This photo has a 15 second exposure at about 11 PM looking straight into the moon. I'm just dumbstruck by the colors and how the stars still standout in the sky.

We did end up finding a spot, but be warned. When one is trying to camp on the nicest Friday night of the summer about an hour away from a city of about 2 million, reserve your spots early.

Cheer as the day wains

Cheer as the day wains, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

Mine!

Mine!, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

Well, I've added a few more serious photos lately, but it is time to just have some fun. Reclamation of Youth Day (Bellingham Herald, KOMO) was a few weeks ago and the day was filled with just too much fun, including the best game of flies up you'll ever see. More to come from this great day!

Un Año Despues

Orgullo, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

I can't believe that it has been a year since I returned from Peru.  That is a statement that I can hardly believe myself.  Has it really been that long?  Has it gone that fast?  Has it really passed by?  Have i lived in 2 homes, been jobless, volunteered for months, found a job, been on a few retreat, bought a camera, made friends, written thousands of emails, posted thousands of pictures?  Has that really happened?

It is a little strange to be writing another 'one year later' post.  I remember the sentiment I held while writing my lament of a year after CASP.  In that post, I missed the community, the people, the heat, the fact that I was a college student being challenged to look at the world through a lens that I didn't know existed.  It was an exhilarating experience.  Then to look back on that a year later in the blandness of Spokane while working, just didn't cut it.

But Peru was different.  Rather than being a life shattering, path changing, I'm never going to be the same type of person ever, it was a time to solidify who I was.  It was a period that took so many lessons from that CASP trip and gleaned the ones that really mattered out and helped me to become who I was supposed to be.  It showed me how to really be the ideals I held and how to be with the people with whom I held them.  I really practiced inter-cultural relations and experienced life abroad without the safety net of other upper middle white college students standing at my side.  I grew to thrive in a family that I hold nearly as deep as the one that I'm related to by blood.  I grew to find another land that I really knew the history, geography, language and even pop culture of.  There were days when I felt separate.  There were days when I felt like I was in the middle of things, but more Peru taught me to be at home.  It taught me to walk down the streets with a smile on my face and constantly looking for the good and the unique in the mundane.  That may have  just been a bit of naiveté or even the photographer's eye, but it became part of who I was.

So now a year separated from that experience, I still love the moments of walking down my street and seeing the beauty in the normalcy.  I am enthralled by the wrinkles on a bus driver's face in the window.  Happy when I hear a song that just doesn't fit the vehicle it is being pumped from.  I'm happy to smile at children and to soak in that sea breeze.

This isn't to say that this year has been all roses.  I spent some dark days on unemployment.  Some lonely nights reading.  I've even passed a few days that made me question why I'm answering technical questions about computer games from middle aged women.  But, when it comes down to it, Peru solidified who I am outside my comfort zone to the point that I re-entered that area and being in Seattle kicked me around in that zone until I really made it my own.

So, I cannot proceed without thanking those who brought me through the Peruvian and Seattle experiences. Thanks to the friends of old who have stuck by me and the new ones who have built up around.  Thanks to The family who has supported me in who I am.  Thanks to that wonderful girl I get to date who makes me smile and thanks to a city that I'm happy to call my own.

So, you may be wondering, why this photo?  What does a woman holding out a hat have to do with a year in Seattle?  For me, it's all about pride in who you are.  That is actually the name of the photo, 'Orgullo' or pride in Spanish.  This woman, Vincinte de la Cruz, is a member of the Huayanay Artisan Community in Huayanay, Huancavelica, Peru and this photo is especially special to me because her pride in her work on this alpaca hat just shines through her squinted eyes.  Each line on her face speaks volumes of the trials she has endured and the years at 13,000 ft above sea level that she has lived.  But through that, she is who she is and she was so happy to share it with me.  This is how I feel a year later. I don't have the wrinkles to prove it and maybe I dont have an alpaca hat, but I'm a more sure of who I am and I'm proud of that.

Block Party

Back in June, 4th Ave in Ballard had it's first block party.  Good times were had by all!

The David Wax Museum

Thanks to The David Wax Museum for a wonderful house show last night.  I really loved every minute of it and hope you can get the vibe that they filled my living room with.  Definitely a band worth checking out!

Marcus and Stacie

This is the first wedding video that I've ever done.  It was a lot of fun to shoot and then a long process to edit.  This trailer was a much easier and smaller undertaking.  If you ever want to see the full version, I have that too, but this hits on all the interesting parts.  More than anything, it's just fun to help out some great friends as they will have a great life!

Sunset Bokeh

Sunset Bokeh, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

I love sunsets and the way that it really brings out colors, both bright and dark. It is just the time of day when magic happens.

Un-bottled rockets

Un-bottled rockets, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

Happy 4th of July.

Heading off for RYD tomorrow. Look for more awesomeness soon!

Under Natural Lights

Under Natural Lights, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

I loved the Kingdome. This ugly structure that filled the Seattle skyline for years was where my love for baseball was born. This is where I saw the first game with both Griffeys play, where I saw Alex Rodriguez' first RBI, where I saw Randy Johnson dominate with a mustache that still gives me the chills and really where I became a good friend with my dad for taking me to so many games. But, now after something like 12 years in the Safeco Field, is just as true as ever, baseball is meant to be played under the sun.

The feet of Summer

The feet of Summer, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

Summer is for sandals, shorts, and even some sunburns. Today, July 5th, is the traditional beginning of Summer her in Seattle. It's time for all those complaints of rain and darkness to come out. For us to step out of boots and dress shoes and replace them with sandals or just bare feet. It's time to let your toes dig themselves into a beach or some green grass. To stand by a BBQ and to really be with the people that we care about. It's the time where nothing should be kept up inside and we get out. We rock these sandals that protect just what we need, let us be comfortable in who we are and not hide much. Let that be your mantra for this summer, let's live lives like feet in sandals.

Erika

Erika, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

I tried to find a photo that really exemplified the 4th of July for me, but ended up with just a great photo of a great person. I love the colors, her smile and that I get to take lots of pictures of her.

Don't worry because I'm looking forward to taking some firework photos tonight. You'll see those soon.

Gifts

Gifts, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

During the Krista Foundation for Global Citizenship's Annual Conference, this little lady stole all our hearts. On the last day, she gave me a picture that she had 'drawn' and I had to thank her with a photo. I later found out that this drawing had actually been drawn for her by another Krista Colleague. So, I guess she was just practicing paying it forward?

It is moments like this when I love taking photos. You can't script this. You can't plan it. You just have to have your camera around your neck and use it. The camera didn't take away from the moment, but I said I couldn't accept it unless I could always remember who sent it and I hope it rewarded us both.

Chasing the night

Chasing the night, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

During my 3 days at Camp Spalding during the Krista Foundation for Global Citizenship conference (check out the Keynote by Ron Ruthruff, I really wanted to get away one night and get some night shots. The first night of the weekend was really cloudy (see Clearwater Lodge photo) and the second night I was just exhausted. So, I had to go the last night and it was totally worth it. The sky was just lit up with stars. The Milky way was visible and I'm just thrilled to get to take these photos that are simply impossible to take when you live in Seattle. I love the rotation of this shot as well, it's just such a cool world we live in!

Clearwater Lodge

Clearwater Lodge, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

This is a photo that I had been thinking about for a really long time. I would have liked to had a wider lens or a clearer night, but what I wanted shone through. I love the reflections and how the 3 minute exposure really smoothed out the lake. I also just am happy to be trying new things and to be in places where I really can explore what my camera can do.

I was at the lodge for the Krista Foundation for Global Citizenship's annual conference.  Be sure to check out the Keynote by Ron Ruthruff too!

Fire!

Fire!, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

Sometimes, photos are just fun. For someone who lives with a camera around my shoulders, it's rather rare for friends to really pose for a photo. So, thank you Alex and I just love laughing every time I see this one.

Stickers

Stickers, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

As a kid and as a house painter, Sticker bushes were my nemesis. But, one day traipsing through the woods, I stumbled up this new growth and really found them to be quite beautiful. This didn't negate the abilities of the rest of the bush to rip my legs raw, but pointed towards the good that can be found.

The rain brings the blooms

The rain brings the blooms., a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

Back in May, after hiking along the Pacific Coast Trail with Erika, we went to down to Cannon Beach. It was a weekend when I was really trying to find new angles to photos I have taken before. I really love how the rings and pedals of this flower stood out to me and I feel like the aperture of my camera really brought it out. This photo really represents my experience with this flower (wow, that is a hippie sentence).

Phin

Phin, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

Kids are so expressive. It is just something that I can't get over. I was just amazed to see how just hanging out on the front lawn can bring out smiles that will continue to blow my mind. Phin just loves my friend Tim and it really came out in his face of awe. I do enjoy the blurry effect of Phin's mom in the background watching her son be enthralled with the big people.

Family Ties

Family Ties, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

I was taking photos and some video for the Spilling Hope campaign at Bethany Community Church and was just taking some portraits too. I really like the way that this couple interacted with each other and with me too. I just feel like his striking lines with her smile just really speak bounds about how they interact and the love they share.

Also, I'm really going to try to step up the posts on this blog. I have been posting every other week or so, but I share photos on Flickr almost daily. So, I'll try to put the best of my daily updloads onto this site too.

Laughter wrings

Laughter wrings, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

As part of the Bethany Community Church's Spilling Hope campaign, people were invited to enter into the way that water is used in partner communities in Uganda. After pumping water from a hand pump, clothes were washed by hand with soap and water and then hung out to dry. This little guy really got into the process and his mom really got into washing clothes by hand. She was hoping that this interest would carry over back home (my bet is that didn't happen).

For more information on the project, see the link below:
www.spillinghope.org

This photo was also featured on the Seattlest blog as the photo of the day. Always fun to see my work going out in other places!

Washing

Washing, a photo by jtobiason08 on Flickr.

During the last few weeks, since Easter, Bethany Community Church has been participating in the Spiling Hope campaign. This encourages everyone to learn, participate and give in regards to water needs in Africa. This boy is washing his hands in lifegiving water and is diving into Spilling Hope. For more information, see SpillingHope.org.

Hiking the Oregon Coast Trail

A couple weeks ago, I had the opportunity to hike along the Oregon Coast Trail with Erika and we (obviously) took lots of photos and video. I finally got around to putting it together into this little video.

Spring afternoons need to be shared

Spring afternoons need to be shared, originally uploaded by jtobiason08.

Spring always brings me back to waters. It was sunny and we headed down to Greenlake. Though it was far from warm enough to swim, it was good to feel the rock of the dock as we sat on it and to feel the breeze.

Cherry blossoms spilled spring over the pond

Cherry blossoms spilled spring over the pond, originally uploaded by jtobiason08.

The cherry blossoms have exploded all over Seattle and now are even on their decline. These were some petals from a tree in Erika's yard that had fallen into her pond. I love the intricacies of each of these petals as they sit on top of the water and am really happy with how this lens captured it.

I'm also happy to now own a brand new Canon 50mm 1.8 aperture lens as well. This was taken with my old manual focus Minolta one. The new lens does basically the same thing, but it will add a autofocus to my bag of tricks. Yay!

Good Friday

It has been one year since I stood in the streets of Ayacucho watching the processions of Jesus and Mary flow thought the streets.  Since we watched hours of painstaking perfection as beautiful alfombras were created on the ground for the sole purpose of being trampled on.  It seems like it has been forever and yet it feels like yesterday.  This experience of seeing the beauty of this outward expression of gratitude to Jesus and recognition and understanding of the suffering that he went through will stay with me forever.  But this experience was more than just a religious holiday or chance to be in the normal life of Peruvians, but was a look into the heart and the mind of the Peruvian faith.  This was it's day to shine and to step out of the darkness and point to the creator of all.  In this city can be pointed to, as the beginning of so much pain and suffering (the Shining Path started in Ayacucho), the real reason for it's existence and with great faith pointed toward a higher calling.  It is now known as the Latin American Capital of Holy Week, but forever will simply be where my heart is during the suffering of Christ.  Forever, when I think of his sacrifice, it will be carried across those cobblestone streets and through this candle filled square, but on to higher and better.  So, as I saw one part in the resurrection of Ayacucho, I too saw the resurrection of Jesus and how he had inundated the lives of so many and that there was lots left to do, but good was present.

Signs of Spring

Signs of Spring, originally uploaded by jtobiason08.

It's that time of year when the blooms start to come out again. Please go and thank your local flowers, leaves, buds and blooms for bringing that spring feeling back.

Krista Foundation Coffeehouse 2011

This March, I had the opportunity to do the photo and video for the Krista Foundation's Coffeehouse.  It was a great experience to work on event photography and to celebrate the work of this great organization.

Lots of Snow

I went up to Alpental with my roommate Andrew.  We borrowed Anna Gray's Contour HD camera and had lots of fun in really deep powder.

No Smoking

No Smoking, originally uploaded by jtobiason08.

While borrowing a camera from a friend, I took a little photo walk through the Ballard fishing yards. I love just the way that the history of this community's relationship with fishing and the sea. I was just fun to have a good camera in my hands too. It was one of the reasons I purchased my new one.

Smiles in the sun

Smiles in the sun, originally uploaded by jtobiason08.

The day after my birthday, a bunch of us went up to Alpental to go snowshoeing. I had never been before, but it was perfectly blue skies and awesome snow. I got this photo and felt like it was from an REI catalog.

No Meat

No Meat, originally uploaded by jtobiason08.

This is oddly enough not related to my vegetarianism, but just happens to be Erika's non-meat cutting board. This, among many others, is one of the photos that I'm enjoying with my new DSLR. It is a strange situation to take skills that I had developed (film joke) with my manual/film cameras and use those in the way that I use my digital. I am thankful for all the things I learned and am really having fun with the camera and the digital darkroom. I'm sure there is lots of photos to come because of this new partnership.

On a completely different note, I saw Ira Glass of This American Life today heading into someone's house near Greenlake. I was sooooo excited. I am acutely aware and repidly reminded of how nerdy this type of star sighting is, but don't care. That program was one of my main connections with the US during my time in Peru (along with Wait Wait Don't Tell Me). So, Ira, though you will never read this blog, thank you!

Vertical Sunset

Vertical Sunset, originally uploaded by jtobiason08.

One of the other YAVs pointed out that it has been one year since Mancora. Crazy how times flies.

Migration from Central America

I know that this blog has taken a photo-blog stance as of late, but I came across this video today.  It really stood out as a good look into the realities of migration in the Americas and this is mostly covering what happens before the US border and what we hear.  Please take the time and watch.  It's worth your thoughts (and I'd love to hear what you think too.)


In God's Hands from Markel Redondo on Vimeo.

Grain Silo

Grain Silo, originally uploaded by jtobiason08.

My Seattle life is growing and thus is my Seattle library of photos. I'm happy to announce that a refurbished Canon T1i will be joining the family of cameras who live with me. I think that it will really be a great addition. This was a stitched series of photos along the Elliott Bay Trail, just north of downtown Seattle. I was using a borrowed camera (I had borrowed it take these photos for Contour). They are all manual aperture and shutter speed (though I don't remember what) so that the lighting would be equal. I then cleaned them all up the same in Lightroom, stitched them together in Photoshop and then ran them through another Lightroom filter. Finally my JT logo was added. I finally learned how to do that, so once that signature is perfected, it will begin popping up more and more in my work (but I'm taking my time with it).

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this and a sudden explosion of blogging.