Reverse 365: Natural Characteristic - 9/365 1.9.13

I feel extremely blessed to have such an amazing family who even on an outing for a birthday breakfast they support the indulgence of my photography passion. 

Settings: ISO 200, 250mm, ss1/320, f/7.1

Date: March 3rd, 2012

Location: Alki looking across to Seattle, WA

9/365 - January 9th, 2013

"Just as the bird sings or the butterfly soars, because it is his natural characteristic, so the artist works." - Alma Gluck 

Favorite Photo of the Week: Cormorant on Alki 3.03.12

Photographs of birds 2 weeks in a row...more than a coincidence? I'm not sure yet :o). There is just something about the visual interest that they add to a shot. As I mentioned on Monday I wanted to capture the parallel lines and the contradiction between nature and man-made. This is one of those cases where I feel completely satisfied that I was able to accomplish what I set out to with a photograph. I would love to know what you think! Thank you for stopping by!

Settings: ISO 200, 250mm, ss1/250, f/7.1 (full manual, cloudy wb)

"However glorious an action in itself, it ought not to pass for great if it be not the effect of wisdom and intention." - Francois de La Rochefoucauld

         

Wordless Wednesday: Seattle Skyline from Alki 3.3.12

Following my brother's birthday brunch the family headed to take some photos of Seattle from Alki across Puget Sound. The first shot is quintessential Seattle with the Space Needle and the ferry (and the cloudy skies :o). In the second the skyline continues. One of the things that I love most about living where I live is that within a short drive I can be near the water, in the mountains, downtown or at the beach. The variety is amazing and the perfect playground for a photographer!

Settings: ISO 200, 50mm, ss1/800, f/7.1 (full manual, cloudy wb)

 Settings: ISO 200, 50mm, ss1/1600, f/7.1 (full manual, cloudy wb)

"The landscape you grow up in speaks to you in a way that nowhere else does." - Molly Parker

    

Cormorant on Alki 3.03.12

This weekend was my brother's birthday. My brother is younger than me and as he has grown up I find it strange to remember him when he was younger and see the person he is turning into. A kind, wise person who I look up to (both literally and figuratively) and who I could not be prouder of. Happy Birthday brother of mine!

In celebration of his birthday my mom, brother, his girlfriend and I headed to Salty's on Alki for their famous weekend brunch buffet. It was amazing! The carmel cinnamon rolls, the chocolate fountain, the mac and cheese and the eggs benedict were just some of the delicious food we got to sample. And all of it was enjoyed while looking out over the water at the Seattle Skyline on the other side. Following the meal we drove a little ways down from the restaurant and stopped to take pictures (one of the hazards my brother faces with a sister and a girlfriend who love photography). 

I even took a family photo using my tripod, which means I am actually in another photograph and I am willing to post it on my blog. Small steps toward those goals of mine :o).

Settings: ISO 200, 18mm, ss1/320, f/7.1 (full manual, cloudy wb)

It had actually turned into a pretty day with a bit of blue sky breaking up the overcast clouds. There were some cormorants resting on the pilings and bracing themselves against the wind. This meant their heads were tucked in, but every once and a while they would peek their heads out and the stunning yellow and orange of their beaks would show. That is what happened in this photo. My goal was to capture the cormorant with the Space Needle in the background. I loved the parallel lines and the juxtaposition of nature with the bird versus man-made with the structure. In processing I cropped to fill the frame with those two objects, added some saturation and vibrance and worked with the tone curve to make the colors pop a bit more. 

Settings: ISO 200, 250mm, ss1/250, f/7.1 (full manual, cloudy wb)

"The family is one of nature's masterpieces." - George Santayana

     

Rock the Shot: August Silhouettes Challenge

A couple of days ago I mentioned "the race for the sunset" that my mom and I aimed to win. This is what was waiting for us at the finish line. I would say we won :o)!

This photo was taken at Alki Beach with the sun setting beyond the Olympic Mountains. In post processing I played around with color levels and contrast to highlight the silhouette and the sunset colors. 

"It is almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream." - Bern Williams


This is an entry in the Rock the Shot August Silhouette Challenge. Go take a look at the other breathtaking entries!