Want to add a little something extra to that camera you always carry around with you? My good friend Gary Tyler McLeod just launched his new company Great State Strap Co. which features rugged camera straps handmade by leatherworkers in Portland, OR. They come in an assortment of colors and lengths. I have personally been using the Bracelet Strap that just wraps around my wrist for my Contax T2 and I love it. Ditch that ugly plastic thing you have been running with your camera and pick up one of these good looking durable leather straps from Great State Strap Co.

More pictures and a full press release after the jump.

I had to do a feature on this thing because every time I bring it out people want to know all about it. Not to long ago I got my hands on the incredible JAMBOX put out by Jawbone, and now I bring it everwhere. It is a wireless speaker that connects to you phone, iPad, computer, you name it via Bluetooth. This little thing packs a punch with crisp sound, a good amount of bass, and not to mention… it simply looks great. It has an internal battery that seems to last forever, but when it does run low you simply plug it in to recharge. And when you are wirelessly connected from your phone and have an incoming call, it will not only tell you who is calling, but you simply have to press a button on the Jambox to answer and it functions as a speakerphone.

This thing is small enough to fit in a purse and has put me to sleep while camping, kept me company while sitting under a tree drinking coffee in a park, and entertained on a late night ride home in a cab when I didn’t want the party to end. It is especially good when you are watching movies on your computer and you want a louder/higher quality sound. Enough about my ranting, go get one for yourself… worth every penny.

To get a better idea of what this thing is capable of check out the video after the jump, as well as a few more shots of places I have gone with the Jambox.

The guys over at SLVDR recently released their 2012 Fall/Holiday collection teaser… and it involves photography and Yosemite National Park so of course I was into it. Watch their video above and see more product shots after the jump. I’ve seen their clothing up close and personal, and their attention to detail is amazing, definitely worth checking out for yourself.  And in case you missed it make sure you check out the video for their Fall collection shot along a road trip I was apart of.

The Camera Cooler

Adventure-based brand, Poler recently dropped their first round of summer stuff including 4 different bags, a Mizu water bottle, and a slew of new tees. One item I am particularly excited about is “The Camera Cooler”. I’m normally stuck with a big backpack when lugging camera gear around, but this smaller bag allows you to fit an SLR and a camera lens inside without the extra bulk… perfect for mini photo missions. Don’t shoot photos? Well the bag also doubles as an cooler, conveniently holding a six-pack. Get a look at more of their new product after the jump and head to PolerStuff.com to check out the rest of their gear and get your fill of #campvibes.

I used to be opposed to “iPhone Photography” before I actually owned an iPhone. I thought it made the whole photo process from shooting, to editing, to sharing way too easy. Now I am a fan, mainly because of Instagram… it is addicting. But recently while scrolling through my Tumblr I stumbled upon this iPhone Rangefinder case. I hate to hate… but there is a certain point where you should just give in and buy an actual camera. If you need to spend $100 on a case to make your phone look like an old school camera, that is a bit over the top.

More looks and info after the jump.

So my mom called me from Vermont almost in tears letting me know that her friend John, who runs a local tea shop “Vermont Liberty Tea“, is going through some tough times. During Hurricane Irene that hit the east coast pretty hard, his tea shop, where he blends his own teas himself, was flooded with about 2 feet of standing water. As you can imagine water and loose tea aren’t a good mix if you didn’t intend them to. This natural disaster forced him to move his shop out of the building and put him out of commission during his normal busy season over the holidays. Now that he finally has his shop up and running again, but it is back in the slow season for the area, and as you can imagine is making things a little tough on him.

His shop in boxes after the storm.

I normally wouldn’t do a post about like this, but I myself have gone into his shop several times to buy tea. John has always been a very happy go lucky guy who is very passionate about his craft. It would be very sad to hear that this guy went out of business from something completely out of his control. And since I have access to different media outlets I figured I would reach out to all of you suggesting that you head over to his online store and purchase some tea. Not into some tea yourself? Pass the link on to a friend/family member that is…. or if you are feeling generous buy some for that person yourself and surprise them with it. This isn’t just an act of charity, you end up with some delicious tea in the end.

Thanks for listening to my spiel.

-Laura

In case you haven’t heard of/seen Field Notes then you need to check their stuff out. These simple pocket-sized note books are the type of thing that make you think, “I wish I thought of that”… but even if you had, they probably wouldn’t have been nearly as well designed. The level of attention to detail you would expect coming out of Draplin Design Co. Someone slipped me one of these memo books and after spending 90% on a keyboard it is refreshing to write things down by hand every now and then. Anyway, this Road Trip Kit in particular is my want of the week since I spend a lot of time on the road. With this kit you can pick out 6 state-specific memo pads with information about each state on the back covers. This package also includes one Field Notes Steno Pad and six Woodgrain Pencils. Before you go on your next road trip pick up your own kit or any other Field Notes products at fieldnotesbrand.com

The next “Want Of The Week” is something I actually already have, but so many people have picked up my phone asking about it, I figured I would pass it along to you. This Portland-based brand “Recover” puts out these iPhone “skins” made out of real wood which is hand sanded, stained, and lacquered which adheres to the front and back of your iPhone… making it look like your phone is made of wood. And they are a mere $25 bucks. I highly recommend them, you can get your own Recover skin in many different wood grains at their online store.

The case on my phone. Photo: Cory Grove

It’s rare that I exercise blatant product promotion, but it is also rare that photographers get the recognition they deserve. So I’ll put down my guard and tell you that you should check out Ethan Stone Fortier’s (E-Stone) pro model shoe by DVS. Not only is he a senior photographer for SNOWBOARDER Magazine but he has played a part in more things in snowboarding than you can imagine. Get a better look at the shoe here. Including the insoles shown below with his photos all over them.

I can’t leave other friends out… while you’re at it check out Mikey LeBlanc’s and Andy Wright’s pro model DVS shoes. Awesome to see DVS still showing love to the people who have been in the game for as long as these guys have.

I have a soft spot for woodgrain. I came across these glasses from Shwood Eyewear and decided I would share them with you. Three-ply frame and two-ply temple construction, in-house, handcrafted manufacturing process, sustainably-harvested wood, sourced from authorized and supervised plantations in different African countries. Only 95$.

More looks after the jump.