About J. Star / Jaybird

I like to jump around and climb on stuff. Perhaps this explains my predilection for eating large quantities of bananas.

About me: Editor by day, photo geek by night, mom 24/7. I learned everything I know about photography by reading books and making mistakes, which is a powerful combination, and one I recommend to anyone who aims to get anywhere.

I don't eat animals because there is already enough pain and suffering in the world and I don't need to add to it just to make my taste buds dance a jig. Besides, I'm one of the few genetic freaks who likes tofu enough to eat it every day. You should come over. I will make you delicious tofu egg rolls.

Check out The Meatrix for an informative (and even entertaining) look at the abomination that is factory farming.

I use a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share-Alike license (phew, say that three times fast!), which means you are free to tweak, remix, Photoshop® the tarnation out of, or otherwise play with my work and post it wherever you want *as long as* it is a non-commercial use (you're not making money on it) and you give me credit for the original image. I believe in sharing art and creativity. Have fun!

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"We're born naked, and the rest is drag."
-Ru Paul

Marriage = Love.

I'm an anime freak, happily hitched and 30.

Cincinnati, USA

J. Star's contacts (996)

J. Star's public groups

Underwater Photos Getty Images on Flickr Sigma AF OS 18-200/3,5-6,3 DC Bridge Worldwide whimsical bullshit Photoshop Support Group Nikon D80 Users Belly Art Beautifully Pregnant Adorkable Hallway Acrobatics Synesthetes Fly away Flickr Can Has Cheezburger Sigma 105mm EX DG f/2.8 Macro Lens peleng! peleng! Solidarity League of Creative Women Distracted by ooooh! Shiny! Wine Journal A Big Poo (Invite Only!) fork group 365 Explored Jumping Project Naturey Crap Lemonade 365 Days	Photo-Graphic Design Photoshop Contest Living in Cincinnati FIX MY PIC -The Original ! - Now 3 Years Old !!! 2 Minute Photoshop Tricks NIKON speedlight SB600 - SB800 and SB 900 Strobist.com Adobe Photoshop Elements (PSE) Entitled Sigma 10-20mm Being BrittneyBush Downtown Cincinnati Creative Child Photography Vegetarian Who Farted? Depression and BiPolar Photodoto.com Technique Utata Showoff for others Bokeh: Smooth & Silky Nikon D70/s Users My Dog can Fly Nikon D50 Users Canon S1 IS, S2 IS, S3 IS and S5 IS

A bit more about J. Star...

Hometown:	Cincinnati
Occupation:	Word Geek
Interests:	my bean, skating, writing, reading, growing things, the state of the sky, vegetarianism, taking my camera everywhere I go, Cincinnati, eating Indian food, feeling guilty, Photoshopping late into the night
Favorite Books & Authors:	Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things, Martin Amis, The Information, London Fields, Vladimir Nabokov, Pale Fire, Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, Rohinton Mistry, A Fine Balance, Yukio Mishima, The Sound of Waves, Neil Gaiman, The Sandman, Virgin Suicides
Favorite Movies, Stars & Directors:	Wes Anderson films, most Anime, Ghost in the Shell, Miyazaki, Kevin Smith, Hotel Rwanda, Pieces of April, Cowboy Bebop, Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry, Zhang Ziyi, Ang Lee. Anime series: Gunslinger Girl, Last Exile, Ghost in the Shell (in all incarnations), Haibane Renmei, Inu Yasha, etc...
Favorite Music & Artists:	Moby, Dean Martin, Royksopp, NIN, BT, Gorillaz, David Gray, Black Eyed Peas, Modest Mouse, Citizen Cope, Dead Can Dance, Portishead, Tricky, Massive Attack, Bjork, Tom Waits

Testimonials

MuzlL0dr says:
"Captivating. Whimsical. Lively. It's almost impossible to find the right words to express how much LIFE J. Star expresses in her photography. Always entertaining, never disappointing, her photos keep me coming back time and time again. This is the way photography should be."

luckywhitegirl says:
"Her photos are like stories. 'nuff said! ;-)"

DottieboBottie says:
"When you look up awesome in the dictionary, you see a photo of J. Star levitating in the air.

This woman rocks my world. Seriously. I take a look at her stream and I am in awe of her skills. The way she expresses herself from the silly to her series "Life Has Sharp Edges" blows me away.

Whatever she photographs, she brings it. Always."

Moody_fingers says:
"A stream like no other.....
J.Star has been one of my few contacts for the whole time I've been here on Flickr.
You just have to take a look to see this woman has an unbelievably inspiring stream of photographs that you will find nowhere else!
Love your work!!

Lee"

life by design says:
"j.star has been a source of great inspiration, advice and funky lil postcards. She is one of the many reasons that flickr has built such a successful community and I am thankful to view her work."

- Kemaha - says:
"Bah, looking at her stream makes me feel useless with a camera. Seriously though - this girl is awesome. She's fearless with what she decides to shoot and does it with great panache (I'm also very envious that she can even get her other half into her pictures and he even gets his backside out!)

Amazing photographs, fantastic girl :-)"

tamelyn says:
"I'm a huge fan of J. Star. Her work, as well as being consistently excellent, is also heartfelt and spontaneous and creative and surprising. She's never afraid to try something new. Or to put bugs on her face. And I like that."

Baby Dove says:
"J. Star is one of my personal heroines. Her creativity, wit, humor, talent, drive, passion, continually keep me coming back for more. That sounds like a clichet marketing statement, but it is beyond true. I am continually amazed and inspired by the work that she produces on a daily basis. She just doesn't stop! And I love it. :)"

BrittneyBush says:
"I don't know why I didn't write a testimonial for J. Star long ago. I think I was too busy laughing, smiling, and being inspired."

frogmuseum2 says:
"Although Jay is one of my contacts, I cannot claim to know her well yet. Or, perhaps I can...

Her physical energy, which is boundless, combined with her quirky sense of humor and really, really fresh imagination is so obviously inspiring to all who encounter her.

It's easy to fall in love with her, even a rock in a catacomb would. She is a force of nature, elemental. I imagine, in her presence, a compass would twirl madly."

Tojosan says:
"J. Star rocks! Her photos are like a wild ride. From incredible shots of people and dogs flying through the air, to the subtle and sweet touch close up of a flower, every shot grabs you. Your eyes and heart will be in love with her work from anywhere in her stream.

J. Star is a Flickr Super Hero."

jouste says:
" If you have seen her work then you have seen her eyes metaphorically and literally.
Her bright and blazing view of the world, her naive but steely optimism, her love of life and the world all shine through and set the screen aglow with color and fire and imagination.
It makes my day to open Flickr and fine her work or her face staring back at me daring me to smile, challenging me to get up and live, promising me that it is going to be a great day.
Whether behind her lenses or up in the air, in stillness and in motion she encourages all who view her to live up to their potential and to fly as high as the sky allows.
There are many lessons for me to learn here and I welcome each one.
Thank you "J Star" for your brilliance and depth."

vulvanist says:
"Jay has a style and confidence in her compositions I just love. For me, the best part though is her humour. Not the laugh-out-loud, slapping your thighs humour, but when I look at some of her pictures I smile to myself.
Anyone who can make you smile with a picture in a subtle, non-obvious way is a master of their art in my opinion.
Thank you Jay for sharing your craft."

Rrrrred says:
"I don't know much about photography and I'm not going to pretend that I do-- all I know is that J. Star's shots really affect me in ways few others do. She's a powerful woman. :)"

begutierrez says:
"J. Star is one of my top 5 on flickr, she's got a great eye for photos that tell the most amazing stories you can ever imagine... and then, if you read what she has to say, you're usually moved by her heart and words... she's golden even when she likes bugs on her face, a lot :)"

Esther17 says:
"she poses with bugs, she bends with the greatest of ease, and she takes photos that will make your head spin and your soul smile. she is j.star, and she rocks."

JKönig says:
"j. star is one of those rare people who, without trying, generates hero worship. she's fearless, and that, to me, is beyond inspiring. her joy of life as she leaps through it in bounds of spirit and color is vastly evident, and her fierce presence here in flickrland -- and the world -- is something i, for one, am grateful for.

plus, she puts bugs on her face.

and how fucking cool is THAT?!?"

ohbnkr says:
"JStar's work reminds me of a quote by Dorothea Lange, "While there is perhaps a province in which the photograph can tell us nothing more than what we see with our own eyes, there is another in which it proves to us how little our eyes permit us to see."

I feel JStar's work has shown me what "little my eye permitted me to see" by opening up a fresh and new perspective to old or existing images. She is talented in a way that is unique beyone words...but is truly shown within her images."

zooeybat says:
"There photography and there's PHOTOGRAPHY. Here is where I find the latter and continually find myself in awe."

regularjoe says:
"What do I see in J.Star? I see a good eye, becoming great. I see raw emotion and deep soul. I see creative energy that flows from the heart, though the head and out of the camera. I see a growing body of work that is stunning and inspiring.

What do I see in J.Star? I see an outstanding photographer and an artist at work..."

tychay says:
"J. Star writes really complimentary things about my photos and technique on my photostream. Then I go to his and am humbled with his colors and composition."

Sangroncito says:
"J. Star is where I come when I want a feast for my eyes."

AllanThinks says:
"There are photographers and there are those who create art with a camera.

J. Star is an artist in every sense of the word.

I am inspired by J's art."

joey kennedy says:
"Flickr is a great community of people! But its really special when run you accross someone who shoots so very simular in style and subjects as yourself! At that moment a special connection is made!

That is when you change that contact to a friend!

JStar is one of those people to me. We both share a love for Statues and Cemeteries and Cityscapes. I am glad we are friends and look forward to future photoshoots in the city of Cinncy!"

jeffadair says:
"A remarkable eye for composition.
I haven't seen a shot I didn't like."

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