Take it easy.

After a stretch of hibernation in my Portland den, I finally got a few rolls developed. They stretch back months, but are so much fun to look back at. It’s been a weird winter, with little rain at all. It’s the eighth of January, and it seems as spring has come early. The usual rain clouds have given way to blue skies and the birds are filling up the trees with their songs. It seems as if the seasons have been turned on their head.

Olivia and I “car camped” in the back of my Subaru several months ago at Silver Falls State Park.  Although we didn’t get a chance to see every fall, we did get a good hike in and got to roast some dogs over the fire. A word to the wise though: putting down the seats of your car hardly qualifies for a comfy night. Next time, I’m bringing my tent with a sleeping bag.

Recently Olivia and I got all the gear to go backpacking. We’re hoping that in short time, we’ll take our adventures over night, into the woods and high lakes of Oregon. I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am.

Take it easy and we’ll see you again soon.

(Photo taken at Bagby hotsprings, OR)

-Brandon

Race Car Grin.

Olivia and I borrowed her sister’s Flip camera for a few days, so we decided to throw together a “montage.” I think it turned out pretty funny. Here it is:

Race Car Grin. from Brandon Day on Vimeo.

The days get longer and the nights smell green.

With the change of seasons comes the change of everyday life. This time last year, my life was much different. I was dealing with different people in a different town. It’s safe to say, I’m not the same either.

Since I’ve moved to Portland, Oregon, things have began to come together. Now, I’m living where I want with some of the most wonderful people in my life. I’m truly excited to be in such a good position.

These photos are a collection of rolls from the past month and a half. They show new adventures, and new people.

Both are wonderful and exciting all on their own.

-Brandon

The world is waiting, go and see it.

It’s been a while since I’ve last updated this blog. Hell, I don’t have that many entries to begin with. Despite reasons ranging from busyness to laziness, I’m going to try and update more often. Since photography is a big portion of what I want to use, once I get my rolls developed there should be more frequent posts.

For now, I’ll leave you with this new Avett Brother’s video. It comes from the brilliant minds at Crackerfarm (on youtube). They have semi-frequent posts of the Avett Brother’s and similar artists. What stands apart though, are exclusive videos such as this one and the level of production that they have.

The Avett Brother’s for me are one of my all time favorites. They’ve helped me through rough times, and have given me a soundtrack through change. I got the honor to see them play a benefit show at the Crystal Ballroom last year, and it was honestly the best show I’ve seen. They are a wonderful band, which deserve a listen if you’re unfamiliar.

I hope you enjoy. You’ll be seeing more of me soon.

 

-Brandon

Once built a steamboat in a meadow.

With all of the physical wealth that a life time accumulates, for myself, it will never amount to the happiness that a friend or loved one can give me. A sports car will never represent good times. A big house won’t show people that I’m a good person. A smile or a memory though, will be worth more than it’s weight in gold.

With this in mind, every opportunity that arises is worth something. To find value in company and adventure is important for me to keep a happy life. When meeting people and doing new things, I feel wealthier than when I have money in my bank account.

When I go home to the suburb that I grew up in, I sometimes wonder if this notion rings true? Here, houses are spaced out from their neighbors and their yards are fenced in. I grew up not knowing most of my neighbor’s names. The only time I would see these people are when they would be washing their car or mowing their lawn.

With time, I have learned that material possessions are just that… material. You can do things and see places with very little money. An oceanside stroll or a walk in the woods with a friend can be worth more than money can buy. Take the little things, because that’s what you will carry with you until the end.

Festival Season.

Last year was my first festival experience. We stuffed an SUV full of camping equipment and bodies and started our trek from Albany, Oregon to Seattle, Washington en route to the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Washington. While I didn’t realize it at the time, we were driving towards one of my favorite weekends.

The Sasquatch Music Festival in George, Washington had everything I could ever ask for. First off, there were three days full of amazing music with four stages to pick from. Within a four hour block I got to see Avi Buffalo, Vetiver and The Fruit Bats on one stage (which is something I thought would only occur in dreams). Along with them, I learned about new bands such as the Local Natives, Edward Sharpe and Dawes. The amphitheater is set alongside the beautiful Columbia River Gorge in Eastern Washington. We camped just outside of festival boundaries on the high desert’s flat soil, with thousands of other fans.

While the desert air, scenery, and amazing bands were nothing short of incredible, I came back with something much more than that. I had gone in with 12 people, only two of whom I knew prior to leaving Oregon, and I came back with 10 new friends. The weekend was full of high fives, lobster-claw fox dances, “the moose” showings, and a handful more inside jokes. I’ve never been with thousands of like-minded people before until this weekend. It’s a road trip that I’ll never forget.

Just yesterday in Seattle, the 2011 Sasquatch Music Festival lineup was announced. This year is 4 days long in celebration of the festival’s 10th year anniversary. With the likes of Modest Mouse, Wilco, and Iron and Wine sharing the stage, it should be nothing short of amazing….. again. The shows are May 27th through the 30th.

Sasquatch 2011 Lineup from World Famous on Vimeo.

Here are a few photos from last year, all taken by the wonderful Katie Ann FitzPatrick:

Home.

The motivation behind taking photos was spurred by an interest in the past. People and experiences have a tendency to be forgotten with time. While memories alone can suffice, photographs have an extra layer of depth to them. The fact is people grow old and things wear out; hometowns get new developments, friends move away and people change. This is how life works, but each moment in time is entirely real in itself. A photograph can show a brilliant representation of these past days. While I’m an amateur at best, it’s exciting to see my life in print.