I've been into woodworking for 15 years as a hobbyist, & you always want to make a jig to simplify repetitive operations, & aid in precision. Working in a CAD/CAM environment with CNC tools like the laser cutter is like having a "super jig" that allows you to precisely replicate a collection of cuts over & over again.

I’ve been pretty awful about posting this last month or so. Let’s see if I can get back after it on a consistent basis.

This is a portrait of a friend of mine working at a local café. The sink was backed up & he was working at it with a plunger. He was going after it rather dramatically, so I started snapping a couple of shots. This is the expression he gave me when he realized that I was photographing him.

Another one of my night shots that turned out well. I like the perspective on this photo looking up from the ground, the classic lines on this bicycle (headlamp & swept handlebars), the strangeness of a chair back mounted to the bike, & wood slats in the spokes. I dig the utter blackness of the background, as well as the window that looks like its hovering in mid air. I also like the diversity of glowing colored lights in the background.

This is another one of my street portraits. Taking pictures of folks on the street is touch & go sometimes. Especially homeless/street level entrepreneurs. Taking a picture can be like pointing your finger at someone & shouting “Hey…look at them!” & they’re not always comfortable or happy with the attention. My approach is to be subtle & swift. I always try to catch a couple of candid frames before anyone’s aware. Having a discrete camera helps. If they look at me I always smile & often tell them what caught my eye… If they get angry or look upset I just put the camera away.

I like this shot because it has a kind of gritty street-level feeling, the grubbiness of the concrete & the little bits of trash, against the calmness of his expression, & the vividness of his shirt. Finally, I’m intrigued by the question of how he can look so languidly comfortable stretched out on a concrete step.

This is another shot from my trip to the San Juans. I like the detailed texture & the starkness of the driftwood, the soft focus on the stones in the background, & the way the yellow seems to leap out of the shadows.

I took this shot down Pine street a couple of nights ago. I like the image of the city at night, the lights of the cars, but with a bit of mountain & a sunset peeking in at the top.

I’ve talked before about some of the great street performers you’ll find downtown on any given day. Here’s a shot of a musician named Max hammering away on his dulcimer. I like all of the colors in the picture, the diagonal slash of the stairwell in the background, & the intensity of his expression with his hair down across one eye. Of course my favorite part is the blur of his hands while he’s working with the hammers.