Wordless Wednesday: Clark Lake Park 3.8.12

I love visiting national, state and local parks not only for their scenic beauty, but also for the unexpected places within them that are beautiful in a different way. These shots were taken at Clark Lake Park and were areas I happened upon that caught my attention and pulled me in. I was also able to capture the color for this week at Project 64 in the first and last shots. Clean edits in Lightroom for processing. Do you like to shoot the grand sweeping scenes or the finer details? Or maybe like me both :o)? Happy Wednesday!

Color for this week's Project 64

Settings: ISO 200, 37mm, ss1/250, f/7.1 (full manual, sunlight wb)

Intention: The sun hitting the water amidst the grasses

Settings: ISO 200, 34mm, ss1/500, f/7.1 (full manual, sunlight wb)
Intention: The bright sky and the meandering path

Settings: ISO 200, 36mm, ss1/250, f/7.1 (full manual, sunlight wb)
Intention: The sun and the shadows on the path

“Let your thoughts meander towards a sea of ideas.” - Leo D. Minnigh


     

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

    

A Touch of Color on Mount Rainier 1.8.12

A hint of the sunset, majestic Mount Rainier and a bit of clouds...what a beautiful way to end a Sunday.

Settings: ISO 400, 135mm, ss1/80, f/10 (full manual, daylight wb)

"Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean." - John Muir

Linking up with the link ups below! Take a look at the other amazing photos!

      

New Years Day Sunset 1.1.12

I'm going to really try to minimize my words on Wednesday this year. I don't think I will ever be able to go wordless, but I can sure try to let me pictures do more of the talking :o). These are from my New Years Day trip to the Oregon Coast with my mom. What an amazing way to start 2012! Clean edits, a few crops and now on with my journey...

Indian Beach Sunset - I love the bird sitting on the rock

Settings: ISO 200, 123mm, ss1/640, f/7.1 (full manual, sunlight wb)

Tillamook Head Lighthouse - a Columbarium (a place to store urns)

Settings: ISO 200, 208mm, ss1/500, f7.1 (full manual, cloudy wb)

Amazing post sunset sky at Ecola State Park - it really was that pink!

Settings: ISO 400, 45mm, ss1/40, f/5.0 (full manual, on tripod, cloudy wb)

Lewis and Clark Bridge connecting Oregon and Washington

with the Lights of Longview, WA

Settings: ISO 400, 50mm, ss13.0sec, f/22 (full manual, tripod)

"Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements." - Napoleon Hill

Linking up with the link ups below! Take a look at the other amazing photos!

      

Frosty Leaf 11.20.11

I am thankful for my wild and wonderful life!

SOOC Shot
Settings: ISO 800, 55mm, ss1/800, f/5.6 (full manual, cloudy wb)

"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder." - G.K. Chesterton

Linking up with Wild and Wonderful Wednesday. Wonderful frosty leaf :o). Also linking up for Wordless Wednesday at Live and Love Out Loud. Take a moment to check out the other shots!

 

Water Droplet on a Backyard Leaf 11.12.11

Last night I watched Visionaries: Inside the Creative Mind on Oprah Winfrey's Network. They were profiling famous photographer Annie Leibovitz. I am the type of person who loves behind the scenes things. If a DVD has a behind the scene special in the bonus features I HAVE to watch it. Needless to say, I loved getting to see the behind the scenes process that Annie Leibovitz goes through to capture the shots she does. What intrigued me most was her new book "Pilgrimage," which involves her traveling to different places both natural and historical and photographing what she sees. My ultimate dream would be to do the same thing. I feel I am doing a modified version of it by going to places near where I live that I want to capture with photographs, but one day I hope to expand and discover the world with my camera in tow :o).

While my photo for today is not of any amazing new place, it is something I have wanted to photograph for a while - a droplet of water. While I do not have a macro lens, filter or extension tube just yet I decided to give it a try anyways. I am very pleased with the results. I love the detail on the droplet and the lines of the leaves. For processing, I used a Lightroom preset called "Clear Yellow/Purple Split Tone Mild Vintage." I need to do a better job of keeping track of where my presets came from as I can't recall for this one. I love how it gave the colors a bit of pop and the overall picture increased dimension. I would love to know what you think and what has inspired you this week.

Settings: ISO 800, 55mm, ss1/50, f/5.6 (full manual, cloudy wb)

"Enthusiasm is excitement with inspiration, motivation, and a pinch of creativity.” - Bo Bennett

Linking up with Wild and Wonderful Wednesday. Wonderful moment in wild weather. Take a moment to check out the other shots!

Mount Rainier National Park 11.06.11

The past couple of days have been extremely trying. I am attempting to get back on track and lose myself in photography. Last Sunday, my mom, dog niece and I spent some time at Mount Rainier National Park. We headed up to Paradise to see the snow and the mountain. It was a beautiful day with bright sun and blue sky, which provided a lovely contrast with the snow. The clouds were moving in fast though and I only had a few minutes to grab the shots. On the way back down through the park we saw a fox in the middle of the road. I shared a photo of the fox on my Facebook page that I would love if you took a look at. (You can even "Like" the page should you feel so inclined :o). I would say the fox was the Wild part of the day and the scenery the Wonderful. 

In processing, I upped the Vibrance and Saturation to the same level in all of the photos and then worked with the fill light in the first photo. I am still working on how to meter and expose photos properly for back lighting. I still have to do most of the work in Lightroom. I would love to get it right SOOC. Any helpful tips?

Settings: ISO 100, 18mm, ss1/400, f/20 (full manual)

 Settings: ISO 100, 29mm, ss1/2500, f/6.3 (full manual)

Settings: ISO 100, 45mm, ss1/500, f/10 (full manual)

Settings: ISO 100, 55mm, ss1/800, f/8.0 (full manual)

Taken on the drive back home

"I am here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow into a mountain, not to shrink to a grain of sand. Henceforth will I apply ALL my efforts to become the highest mountain of all and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy." - Og Mandino

Linking up with Wild and Wonderful Wednesday. This certainly was a wonderful day and in a wild setting. Take a moment to check out the other shots!