About Laird
First, thank you to all of the people who have graciously allowed me to photograph them. Every time that I look at your photo, it is with gratitude, and appreciation for your kindness.
And thank you to Phil Okrend for the use of his original music, Sunshower (Portraits Gallery). Available on iTunes.
Also, thank you to Aaron Mones and Wyatt Mones, AKA The Daydreamers, for the use of their music, Paper Child, and Once Was A Man (Musicians Gallery). Available at: https://thedaydreamersband.bandcamp.com/album/two-songs
Born and raised in Wisconsin, I have worked in Manhattan since leaving school. I started taking photos as a child, and photography has been involved in all of my creative pursuits. In art school, I was required to take hundreds of hours of life drawing classes, which somewhat re-wired my brain, because drawing demands that you make constant comparisons of spatial relationships; it’s a highly critical level of thought. Since then I have been fascinated with the complexity and beauty of faces.
The unique outward appearance is not everything to me, though. It is the soul and personality of the person that makes photographing people so wonderful. There are split seconds when their soul reveals itself completely, and it comes through the eyes.
I am also attracted to serenity, another way of connecting to Spirit. You may see that in many of my other photos.
I have been witness to numerous historic events in New York, such as September 11th, 2001, and Occupy Wall Street. I went to Zucotti Park (which is adjacent to the World Trade Center Property) almost daily, since it was near my Manhattan office. Despite how they were portrayed by some in the media, the protesters were very caring and patriotic people, as were the thousands of visitors who came to the encampment daily to show support. I present photos of the brave people who came to stand up for justice, and an end to corruption and unlimited corporate power in this country. Notice all of the flags, and signs, some of which show a sense of humor.*
My newest gallery, The Barely Visible, focuses on the "homeless". As I walk the streets taking photos, I see the obvious people with carts full of their stuff, but after a while I started noticing the homeless people who blend into the background. Everything that they own is in a backpack, rolling suitcase, or one shopping bag. You might mistake them for students, shoppers or tourists. They might own a cellphone, but they have no home to go to. Many of them sleep during the day for safety, so I don't disturb them to ask if I can take their photo, but I do enjoy talking with them when possible. Notice the irony of the signs some of them sleep under.
My educational influences:
BSE in Fine Art & Elementary Education (double major)
BFA in Advertising Design (Concentration in drawing and photography)
Software courses at the New School; Parsons School of Design
Before you peruse my galleries, turn on your speakers.
Please also check out my Instagram and Facebook pages in the links tab.
* Footnote: [After Hurricane Sandy hit], "in addition to the National Guard and FEMA, one of the more active relief efforts in New York City (was) a volunteer effort organized by alumni of Occupy Wall Street called Occupy Sandy Relief. ... Occupy activists quickly mobilized hundreds, and then thousands, of people to help affected areas of New York City. " (Excerpted from DemocracyNow.org)
