 January 22, 2009, at 9:36 am 
There are days when I just don’t feel creative. I feel like everything I shoot is the same, and I’ll never come up with a shot that’s fresh and new. But I’ve made a commitment, so I have to shoot something. Tuesday was one of those days. I let the day go by without taking one photograph, and then realized at 5pm that I’d lost my light and needed to find a photo. So I started hunting around the house, going to my fallbacks – photographing the cat and the dog, and food. Nothing felt fresh.
After taking a number of photos I loaded the best shots on to my computer and took another look. I had a couple that would work as safety shots, and this helped me relax. I remembered that I needed to change my perspective, but laying down and looking up wasn’t going to do the trick. There was nothing new in the house, but there was surely something that could be looked at with new eyes. So I looked for something in the house that maybe could be looked at from a new angle or perspective, and I found my husband’s typewriter. It sits alone on a small table that I found at an antique store, in the corner of the dining room. My husband found it at a yard sale a few years ago, and we know nothing about it’s history. I’d like to think there’s a story in there. So I made this photograph, and it’s one of my favorites of the year so far.
When I took my first photography class, the teacher reminded us that what makes a photograph is not what you photograph, it’s how you do it. I’ve found this hard to remember when I’m not feeling creative, as I tend to over think things a bit. But the lesson here for me is to open my eyes and tap into the curious soul inside me. Interesting viewpoints can be found in the mundane, we just have to look.
January 21, 2009, at 9:49 am 
I first came across Icebreaker in the fall of 2007 by chance while browsing the racks at 45 Degrees in Stillwater, MN. The store had a display set up, and the light blue oasis crewe top caught my eye. The material was so soft, and the shopkeeper recommended I try it on, so I did. I was sure the sleeves were going to be too short or there would be some other fit issue that would keep me from getting the top. But I was amazed. It was a perfect fit, the sleeves hitting just below the wrist and the body snug but not tight. I was in love. I’ve accumulated quite the collection of Icebreaker clothing since then and I wear it year-round. I’ve got tanks for cycling and a neck warmer for cold winter days when a scarf would get in the way. And I’ve got quite a few additional pieces on my wishlist.
Other than fantastic fit, the main reason I adore Icebreaker is that the entire product line, from underwear to pants to winter coats, is made from merino wool. Merino is warm when it’s cold out, even when wet, but is breathable and wicks sweat and moisture away from the skin, keeping you cool when it’s hot out. Icebreaker merino washes fine in the washing machine, and while you shouldn’t put it in the dryer it’s very quick drying. Merino doesn’t hold odors, which makes it perfect for sweaty activities or for travel, and it doesn’t hold wrinkles. And it’s not scratchy on the skin, it’s smooth and soft. Really. I’ve given Icebreaker shirts to friends that start itching at the mention of wool, and they are now merino converts.
For the globally conscious, Icebreaker has been very upfront about their manufacturing processes, and holds all their suppliers and manufacturers to a high ethical standards. They encourage and maintain sustainable practices and ensure that the sheep that provide their wool are humanely treated. They also have introduced the BAA Code, which is a code attached to every item of clothing. You can enter the code into the website and find out which sheep farms the wool came from. The site then gives you the chance to see pictures and video of the sheep and the farmers who raise them. While I’d love to travel to New Zealand and personally thank the sheep that make this amazing fabric (sheep hugfest, anyone?), it’s not realistic, but the BAA code at least gives me a sense of who they are and what their lives are like. Clothes that I can not only feel good in, but about? Sign me up.
January 21, 2009, at 8:09 am On both of the last two Wednesdays I’ve posted style items, and now I’ve decided to make it official. I will now be posting a weekly style item every Wednesday. Look for today’s style posting later this afternoon. Also, if you have any ideas for products to cover in the style column, drop me an email. Thanks!
January 20, 2009, at 11:48 am 
Last night I had my first class learning studio lighting for product photography, and I found I really have a lot to learn. Studio lighting is brand new to me – I only learned what Alien Bees are a few weeks ago, and currently know very little about different lighting types and how to use them. That’s all about to change. Last night I shot with strobes for the first time, learned what a beauty dish is and learned a few techniques for blocking stray light from entering the lens. Even though there was no prerequisite for the course, I still felt woefully unprepared, so between now and next week I’ll be reading Light: Science and Magic and Strobist to nail down the basics. If you’ve been down this road and have tips for where to start with learning lighting, please share them with me. I can use all the help I can get.
January 19, 2009, at 1:55 pm 
When I finished my work contract last July, I was exhausted. I was completely burnt out from the weeks over the winter where I had worked 60 hours a week, working evenings and weekends to make the project a success. But in the end, it wasn’t a success. Facing funding issues, the project was taken over by the oversight team, management and most of the contract staff were let go and a large portion of the project was cut. I disagreed with the way things were handled on a number of levels, and was glad when I finally got to leave. After I left I didn’t check in with friends still on the project to see how things were going. I didn’t want to know, and I didn’t care. It was time to let go and to move on, and I was ready.
What I wasn’t ready for was putting the pieces of my life back together. Since I had spent so much time focusing on the project, the rest of my life was completely out of balance. The pendulum swung the opposite direction, and I spent a lot of time sleeping in. I was tired all the time. When I wasn’t sleeping I rode my bike as much as possible. I had absolutely no desire to find another job, and that was okay as I was still being paid for the work I’d done on my previous contract. I found it hard to focus on anything, and I let my yoga practice fall to the wayside. I was lost.
I asked the universe for guidance, and looking back I believe I really did need to take the long way home. In the last five months I’ve rediscovered my truly creative self, someone I had lost when I left for college many years ago. She’d been trying to come back for years, but I had been too focused on other things to give her the attention she needed. Now I’m almost overwhelmed with creative energy, so much that I sometimes have a hard time falling asleep at night. I’ve rediscovered a rhythm in my life, and find that while my days are not filled with office work, they are happily filled nonetheless. And I’ve found my way back to the yoga mat, and to the peace, balance and sense of center that it brings. I am grounded, and more complete than I was before.
I am still looking for work. There are few positions in my industry as most companies put their project work on hold when the economy dips. But still I’m optimistic. I have more faith than ever that things will work out the way they are meant to. The path ahead is foggy and it’s hard to see what’s coming up, but I know that I’m ready for whatever life brings.
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