I photographed this amazing garden in Portland, OR back in 2009. It was the private garden of landscape designer Lauren Hall-Behrens of Lillyvilla. Gardens are usually best shot on cloudy days. But since I had to shoot this in early August, I had to get up way before the crack of dawn and shoot as much as I could before the sun got too overhead. Direct hot sun in a garden photo shoot creates lots of ugly shadows and distracts from the natural beauty of the plantings.
This patio photograph was one of the last shots I took, but it ended up being one of my favorite. This amazing spot is situated perfectly to admire the garden in all directions. I had to sneak in behind some tall grasses just to back far enough to shoot this shot. I really didn’t want to leave when I was done. I could have spent all day on that patio.
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Handy Heat Gun
This heat gun is great for drying joint compound, primer and paint when patching drywall and plaster walls. Plus it can soften adhesive, get a very cold small engine to start, and shrink heat-shrink tubing.
Available in 2- to 12-in. widths, this is a good general-purpose flashing tape that sticks well to most things. It features a two-piece release paper, water-shedding layers, and good UV resistance.
This camera is super useful for tracking down air leaks in buildings. The one-hand pistol grip arrangement frees your other hand for steadying yourself while maneuvering tricky job sites.
Learn how to measure, cut, and build window casing made of cellular PVC, solid wood, poly-ash boards, or any common molding material. Plus, get tips for a clean and solid installation.
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