the year in pictures [2008]

year four for [the year in pictures] post.

once again, another year has ended, and it's time to pick ten photos that in some way represented the year. looking back, i'm disappointed in myself. i didn't take nearly as many photos as i should have. as i searched through various folders looking for photos to use. it occurred to me, this year was a very [internal] year for me. i didn't take many long trips, and i rarely had my camera with me. maybe it was just my way of trying to live "in the moment" and not behind a lens, or maybe i was just lazy. this year seemed less about the "big trip" and more about the continuation of discovering new friends and experiences in and around wichita.

my disappointment in the lack of photos didn't last long, because i realized i still had a lot of wonderful memories of 2008, just not very many pictures of those memories. are those [un-captured] experiences any less important, of course not...but in the end, i find myself wishing i had some photographs to look at, and not just digital images on a screen, actual, tangible, photographs! i'm a little digital-ed out. that being said, this year, i'd like to take more photos, as well start developing them and placing them in actual albums.

barn_door_1.11.2008

the first project i managed broke ground january of 2008. the site consisted of an old farm house with several barns near by. with everything needing to be cleared, all the buildings were slated for demolishing. the week before work began, i took my camera out to capture as much as i could before it was lost. walking through the old structures, i fond old mason jars, dated wallpaper, and letters from the 1960's. there was a lot of beauty on that farm site, and i felt incredibly guilty for being apart of it's destruction, but i was also thankful for the pictures it provided before it disappeared.



we_the_people_in_the_back_row_1.29.08

whether you were interested or not, it was hard to escape politics this year. even here in central kansas, we were visited by several candidates. i attended campaign speeches by barrack obama and mike huckabee. this photo was taken while listening to barrack obama speak in el dorado.



guitar_lessons_3.22.08

i enjoy playing the guitar, although i hardly play in front of people, and have never played in front of a group. it's strictly a hobby and stress reliever. in march, a friend visited me for a whole day of guitar playing, and beer drinking. although my fingertips were sore to the touch by the end, it was a great day.



project_graduation_4.6.08

two of my friends graduated from college this year. knowing my love of photography, they asked if i would take some "senior" photos of them. all day, i tried different poses and stances, but nothing seemed to look natural. finally, near the end of the day, i simply had them jump in the air, and sure enough it turned out to be their, and my, favorite picture.



famous_cafe_4.26.08

my love of coffee grows stronger every year. the past few months i've even ventured into enjoying the pure-ist taste of straight black coffee. one weekend, while in kansas city, i had to stop and visit the famous "broadway cafe", the westport coffee shop that put the starbucks next door out of business. this picture seem to capture and exude the warmth of a coffee shop, and the coffee was fabulous as well.



giant_van_gogh_5.12.08

in may, we took a family trip to colorado to attend a graduation. the whole tribe loaded up into the family truckster just like the old days. wanting to make the most of this small vacation from work, i told everyone we would try and find a few roadside oddities. as it turns out goodland kansas has the worlds largest easel holding up a replication of vincent van gogh's sunflower's. it was nothing short of amazing.



miranda_7.20.08

i purchased another vintage bike this year, a little older, and a lot nicer. this bike really lets you know what it is to ride a "coaster". it's a joy to ride. not only does this bike now give me options on what to ride, it also flung me deeper into a new hobby. keeping with using names mentioned in "decemberists" songs, this one received the name "miranda".



festival_sunset_9.27.08my one, planned and organized, extended vacation this year was to the austin city limits music festival. there's nothing like sitting in the hot sun, getting sweaty and dusty, while listening to amazing music, to make you forget about work for a while.



neko_9.28.08

getting the chance to meet neko case, and watching her perform was the highlight of the acl festival for me. i'm not sure what it is about her music, maybe it's the lyrics, or the tone of her voice, but it never gets old.



project_completion_11.6.08

the first project i managed finished construction in the summer, however this photo was taken after all the landscaping had a few months to settle. i was very pleased with the way it turned out, but better yet, the client was extremely happy. the whole process reassured my desire to become an architect. now, is this building as beautiful as an old abandoned barn nestled amongst long forgotten farmland? maybe not. but i'm learning fast that destruction is just as important as creation in this field. hopefully we always replace beauty with beauty.