Thank you for taking the time to look at my photos!
June 1, 2004 is the day that got me started in digital photography. I had just bought a Canon PowerShot G5, and the company I work for was moving into a new building in downtown Champaign, Illinois. While waiting for everything to arrive, I wandered around the downtown area for a couple of hours, taking photos of things I had never considered before: reflections in store windows, broken objects, street stickers. It was exciting and inspirational.
The next two years were fun and experimental times on Flickr. It was easy for a random shot of a wall or air conditioner to make Explore. I was lucky enough to have a few photos go to #1, including the one which has become my most popular. Looking back on many of those photos, I can see how poor they are on a technical level, but I didn't care at the time. Seeing groups form around rust and decay, white plastic chairs, abstract urban scenes...wow, who knew?
In Summer 2007 I made the switch to DSLR, but I started working a lot of overtime that Fall, and my photography output tapered off. That continued through most of 2008, unfortunately.
As I write this in May 2009, I'm re-inspired. This should be a fun summer!
Joie de Vivre's favorite photos from other Flickr members (6,719)
Contacts (384)
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lensable
No real name given
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quemelascortinas
justina
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Fant
Noli Novak
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georgia n...
georgia smith
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*Achacha*
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alexei_322
Alexei's Visuals
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gunnel´s
Gunnel Svensson
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espaliu
No real name given
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paulkferg
kyle ferguson
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Matt Niemi
Matthew Niemi
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michaelajw
michaela
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brad.mcmurray
Brad McMurray
Groups (50)
- unintended animals 2334 photos, 141 members
- Varais ! 624 photos, 747 members
- pink 'n' green 11315 photos, 1475 members
- William Eggleston 14589 photos, 1181 members
- Flickr Mosaics & Collages 4809 photos, 947 members
- NIKON D90 CLUB 244482 photos, 16065 members
- Nikon D90 270703 photos, 18454 members
- Nikon D90 & 35mm 1.8G CLUB 1357 photos, 259 members
- Milk Crates 290 photos, 65 members
- Odd, unusual, weird, wacky, or custom cars 2735 photos, 364 members
- Bike Racks 2012 photos, 478 members
- Caution! 275 photos, 80 members
- flag abuse 189 photos, 108 members
- Wildflowers 38362 photos, 2616 members
- Cafes, Coffee Houses, Burger Joints, Food Carts. 12370 photos, 1038 members
- Religious Art 3122 photos, 628 members
- CHAINORAMA 831 photos, 234 members
- inanimate life 723 photos, 82 members
- Urban Geometry (comment on 1 *or* fave 2 *or* ask to remove 1) 32528 photos, 3056 members
- Shopping 11041 photos, 1367 members
- Best Viewed Large 102191 photos, 3670 members
- beater cars 104 photos, 9 members
- Diners 4809 photos, 1429 members
- Hungry Trees 159 photos, 78 members
- New Mexico 29365 photos, 1709 members
- Signs, Signs... 43407 photos, 2722 members
- The American Southwest 46288 photos, 2112 members
- No Country for Old Men 328 photos, 27 members
- stripes ||| group 3151 photos, 818 members
- Empty stuff 954 photos, 113 members
- Spring and Summer Around the World ❀ 18112 photos, 2770 members
- Urbanjunglism - Urban jungle minimalism 2697 photos, 417 members
- Flower Garden 65313 photos, 3333 members
- Linear Love 21906 photos, 1305 members
- Parking Lots 1442 photos, 214 members
- Pavement Patterns Museum 863 photos, 68 members
- Bleak 6179 photos, 613 members
- Arboreal, the Art of Trees (Follow Group Rules Please) 18793 photos, 3870 members
- fork group 1036 photos, 493 members
- Economic Clusterf*ck (a.ka. Recession) of 2008-9 2779 photos, 528 members
- Wine Related Photos from All Over the WORLD 9353 photos, 1695 members
- Billboard 1720 photos, 327 members
- Absurdicity 2178 photos, 209 members
- The RED makes it (without dominating) 49613 photos, 4668 members
- Sign City 91897 photos, 7721 members
- Camminante · What you see when you walk around · no people 26610 photos, 652 members
- Artistic Flower Photos 22241 photos, 1267 members
- Three 6335 photos, 1268 members
- wheelbarrow party 205 photos, 75 members
- red + rust 868 photos, 215 members
Testimonials (5)
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_barb_ says:
"James' photos are a neverending source of joy and inspiration for me. I'm forever astonished how he finds hidden marvels, colours and patterns in the most unassuming of places.
To find beauty in the everyday-mundane is a real skill, and not one that many photographers have managed well.
So many of his photos radiate happiness and the fun he has in exploring his surroundings, I never tire of looking at them."28th September, 2005
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Bertdorazio says:
"Great eye for color in the lost and found."
19th July, 2005
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Bobby Alcott says:
"James has a beautiful ability to see what others cannot. In a small town like Champaign, it's easy to focus on the few big things in the few big areas; James looks at what's under the hood. His camera, through his eye, brings the vivid colors, rich textures and trails of real life to all of us. 'Brilliant' is not overstating it."
22nd February, 2005
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Special says:
"James has a wonderful knack for finding beauty in anything. His photos are always amazing and inspire me to try harder."
17th July, 2004
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robholland says:
"A poet of the random, the junky, and the broken."
14th July, 2004
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