2019 was quite an odd year. Its unusual helter-skelter pace sometimes made me doubt my photographic skills, but the year continually provided new opportunities to refresh my creative energies, whether that meant braving sub-zero wind chills in unfamiliar cities, or trying new lighting and editing techniques while on commercial assignments. This annual year-in-review wrap-up helps to fuel my creative energies for 2020, and a new decade of capturing the world around me. I’m all set for the new year - let’s capture 2020 together.
Blog
The official photo blog of J. David Buerk Photography.
Taste Leesburg
This weekend, after attending the Lexus Experience Amazing Drive Event (photos coming very soon), I stumbled onto the Taste Leesburg street food festival with some friends. It’s been quite a few years since I’ve really explored old town Leesburg, and between barhopping Leesburg for a friend’s birthday a few months ago, and walking around this weekend sampling the restaurants, food trucks, stores, and local wineries and breweries, I’ve happily learned that Leesburg has quite clearly undergone a revitalization since I last explored it in depth.
I’m not sure if Taste Leesburg is a new food festival, or if I’ve just been missing out for a long time, because I usually go to similar festivals in DC, Reston, Herndon, Fairfax, and even further West into Aldie, Middleburg, and Waterford. All participants got a tasting glass, and I was very surprised at how generous all the vendors were being with the servings of their samplings. Of the local wineries that had tables this weekend, I’ve visited about half of them in person at some point or another. Full sets were played by King Street Kats, Hard Swimmin’ Fish, and Hungry on Mondays.
Silly me, I had my camera and took pictures of everything except the food! I didn’t take a single picture of any food or drink, even on my phone, which is crazy considering the event. But enjoy some photos of the festival as a whole and a few things that caught my eye along the way!
Michael Symon at Bar Symon, IAD
Recently Iron Chef Michael Symon dropped by Bar Symon, his restaurant at Washington Dulles International Airport; this time he was able to stay a little longer (last time he was in town his flight got messed up), and was signing books... and of course taking selfies, as usual.
If you've ever watched Food Network or The Chew on ABC, you have surely come to know and love Chef Symon. Since there was time, I took the opportunity to get my cousin (who is a huge fan, an aspiring young cook, and incredibly jealous of my small connection to Michael) a signed and personalized cookbook, which I surprised him with a few days ago for Christmas. He loved it, by the way. I got one for myself too :-)
This day was a little strange - it's not uncommon that I'll go somewhere and run into someone I know. It just happened that while I was photographing this event, one of my best friends was flying out, and also a college classmate of mine who I hadn't seen in a few years was also waiting on her flight to board. It was nice to catch up with her during lulls in the event before she had to get to her gate.
Chef Symon said he remembers me from his last time at Dulles, when I covered his restaurant's grand opening ribbon cutting, and shot a portrait of him in front of the eatery. This time I wanted to shoot another portrait, but somehow differently - we landed on the bar itself. Just like last time, I was given only a few short minutes to set up and get the shot; this is a single flash photo, also just like last time. I actually like it better that my previous one!
Morning Coffee
Food photography is something that I've wanted to dabble in, but it requires knowing people who can actually cook! So, for now, here's some wonderful espresso!