diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 21e35dd..f5b4d09 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -5,3 +5,4 @@ CMakeDoxygenDefaults.cmake
 Makefile
 cmake_install.cmake
 bin/loader/loader
+lib/glfw
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index f161bb5..c5b3afe 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ source_group("sources" FILES ${PROJECT_SOURCES})
 source_group("vendors" FILES ${VENDORS_SOURCES})
 
 find_package(Boost 1.56 REQUIRED COMPONENTS
-             program_options)
+             program_options log)
 
 set(EXE_1_NAME loader)
 file(
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ set(CMAKE_BINARY_DIR "bin")
 
 add_executable(${EXE_1_NAME} ${EXE_1_SOURCES} ${PROJECT_HEADERS}
                              ${PROJECT_SHADERS} ${VENDORS_SOURCES})
-target_link_libraries(${EXE_1_NAME} glfw Boost::program_options)
+target_link_libraries(${EXE_1_NAME} glfw Boost::program_options Boost::log)
 target_include_directories(${EXE_1_NAME} PRIVATE include)
 set_target_properties(${EXE_1_NAME} PROPERTIES
                       RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/${EXE_1_NAME})
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 2ad608c..e2f74c1 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-
 #include <fstream>
 #include <iostream>
 
@@ -33,16 +32,22 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
       return 1;
     }
   } catch (po::error &e) {
-    cout << e.what() << endl << endl;
+    BOOST_LOG_TRIVIAL(fatal) << e.what() << endl << endl;
     help(argv[0], desc);
     return EXIT_USAGE;
   }
 
-  /* setup the shader program */
+  // set boost log level to trace on verbose
+  // TODO: -v should decrease the default log level by 1 but be repeatable.
+  // (default should be info)
   if (vm.count("verbose")) {
-    // TODO: make verbose flag somehow global?
-    printf("Reading shader files\n");
+    boost::log::core::get()->set_filter(boost::log::trivial::severity >=
+                                        boost::log::trivial::trace);
+    BOOST_LOG_TRIVIAL(trace) << "verbose flag found, setting log level to trace";
   }
+
+  /* setup the shader program */
+  BOOST_LOG_TRIVIAL(trace) << "Reading shader files";
   ifstream vertexFileStream(vm["vert"].as<string>());
   ifstream fragFileStream(vm["frag"].as<string>());
   std::stringstream vertexSource;
@@ -51,28 +56,26 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
   fragSource << fragFileStream.rdbuf();
 
   if (vertexFileStream.fail()) {
-    cout << "Error while reading the vertex shader file." << endl;
+    BOOST_LOG_TRIVIAL(fatal)
+        << "Error while reading the vertex shader file.";
     return EXIT_IO;
   }
   if (fragFileStream.fail()) {
-    cout << "Error while reading the frag shader file." << endl;
+    BOOST_LOG_TRIVIAL(fatal)
+        << "Error while reading the frag shader file.";
     return EXIT_IO;
   }
   vertexFileStream.close();
   fragFileStream.close();
 
-  if (vm.count("verbose")) {
-    printf("Creating ShaderProgram\n");
-  }
+  BOOST_LOG_TRIVIAL(trace) << "Creating ShaderProgram";
 
   // TODO: determinde ShaderProgram::Base with a CLI arg
   ShaderProgram shaderProgram(ShaderProgram::Base::Empty, vertexSource.str(),
                               fragSource.str());
 
   /* Run our main program */
-  if (vm.count("verbose")) {
-    printf("Starting mainWindow\n");
-  }
+  BOOST_LOG_TRIVIAL(trace) << "Starting mainWindow";
   int result = mainWindow(&shaderProgram);
 
   return result;
diff --git a/src/main.hpp b/src/main.hpp
index 7fd719f..de0a69f 100644
--- a/src/main.hpp
+++ b/src/main.hpp
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 #include <boost/program_options/parsers.hpp>
 #include <boost/program_options/positional_options.hpp>
 #include <boost/program_options/variables_map.hpp>
+#include <boost/log/core.hpp>
+#include <boost/log/trivial.hpp>
+#include <boost/log/expressions.hpp>
 
 #include "graphics.hpp"