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

         

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

     

Favorite Photo of the Week: Portland at Night and Eagle Eyes

I tried really hard to pick one photo to post as my favorite, but I felt compelled to pick two. In both cases, I felt really proud of the shots I was able to capture and the experience of these moments. I hope you don't mind the double favorites :o).

Portland at Night

Settings: ISO 400, 18mm, ss3.2sec, f/7.1 (full manual, on tripod, tungsten wb)

 

Bald Eagle in a Tree Over Siletz Bay

A leap forward on my bucket list...

Settings: ISO 200, 250mm, ss1/640, f/7.1 (full manual, sunlight wb)

     

"Every great work, every big accomplishment, has been brought into manifestation through holding to the vision, and often just before the big achievement, comes apparent failure and discouragement." - Florence Scovel Shinn

Bucket List: A Bald Eagle in Siletz Bay 2.19.12

There is a place in Lincoln City tucked in the middle of sea side houses where the Siletz Bay moves in and out over the driftwood covered beach. I go to this place every time I visit Lincoln City and I am never disappointed. One of the best parts of this area is the amazing wildlife that I see each time. In past visits I have seen cranes and various sea birds, as well as seals. This time I was lucky to see a bald eagle and even more amazing to capture a few photos.

My dad has a background with birds of prey and his passion has led me to be fascinated with these amazing animals. Photographing a bald eagle has been on my bucket list for a while now and I felt privileged to get this opportunity. I noticed a larger bird flying with the seagulls and being pestered by them. When the larger bird landed I was shocked to see it was a bald eagle. Despite the wind and my telephoto lens being a difficult combination, I feel accomplished to have got this shot before the eagle flew away.

I am pretty pleased with these images, what do you think?

Settings: ISO 200, 250mm, ss1/640, f/7.1 (full manual, sunlight wb)

I could not resist taking the above photo and cropping it.

I love the texture of his or her feathers!

I think he was checking out the lady with the camera :o)!

Settings: ISO 200, 250mm, ss1/640, f/7.1 (full manual, sunlight wb)

And the cropped close up...

"It's a great event to get outside and enjoy nature. I find it very exciting no matter how many times I see bald eagles." - Karen Armstrong

 

Wordless Wednesday: Cranberry Coast and Fort Stevens Wrap-Ups

In order to be ready to start fresh for March I am going to wrap up two sets of photos from a trip to the Cranberry Coast back on the 5th of February and to visit my dad on the 11th of February in Astoria, OR. What better time to do that than Wordless Wednesday :o)!

Deer in Grayland State Park on the Cranberry Coast

Settings - ISO 200, 50mm, ss1/200, f/9.0 (full manual, cloudy wb)

What the cranberry coast is famous for...a cranberry bog!

Settings - ISO 200, 250mm, ss1/100, f/5.6 (full manual, cloudy wb)

A stormy sea at my favorite park - Fort Stevens State Park

Settings - ISO 200, 50mm, ss1/1000, f/7.1 (full manual, cloudy wb)

Outside my dad's house in Astoria, OR

Settings - ISO 200, 50mm, ss1/50, f/3.2 (full manual, cloudy wb)

"Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going to fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why." - Eddie Cantor

     

Favorite Photo of the Week: Sandpipers on the Beach 12.29.11

I can't believe there is one more day left in 2011. As I reflect on the year that has been, I can't help but get excited for the year to come. Christmas Day was the one year anniversary of me owning my DSLR, but I didn't really find my true passion for using it until I stumbled upon Courtney at Click it Up a Notch and found the help I needed to switch over to manual mode. It has been almost five months and I have been throughly changed by the experience. I am inspired, full of excitement for the possibilities and a desire to learn and grow. I have big photography and blog plans and goals for the upcoming year that I cannot wait to share with you!

Part of the reason I am so excited is the new photography gear I got for Christmas. A bunch of little things and one big thing that will aid in my photography journey. One of my favorite presents is a rain sleeve for my camera. Living and photographing in the Pacific Northwest presents some challenges when it comes to weather, specifically rain. My brother's girlfriend got me a rain sleeve for Christmas and on my recent trip to visit my dad in Astoria I used it every day (it was very stormy)! I loved that I could get out in the rain and the wind without worrying about my camera and it is so easy to use. Did I mention I love it :o)? I also got to use my Lens Pen Cleaning Kit I received for Christmas when the lens got wet from the rain drops. It allowed me to captured two of my favorite shots from the week.

The first is of a ship coming in on the Columbia River at Fort Stevens State Park (my favorite park in the area). I did a crop and a clean edit. The second was taken at Del Ray State Park the next day of the Sandpipers who were persistent in their search for food despite the weather. They would run out in a little pack when the waves rolled out and then back in when they rolled in again. They continued this pattern until some of them stopped to rest. This shot was taken with my zoom lens, rain sleeve and a little inspiration from my brother's girlfriend. Another clean edit, but no crop this time.

I hope you are looking forward to the upcoming year as much as I am. Let the 2012 journey begin!

Settings: ISO 200, 43mm, ss1/80, f/9.0 (full manual, cloudy wb)

Settings: ISO 400, 250mm, ss1/160, f/8.0 (full manual, cloudy wb)

"We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched.  Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives... not looking for flaws, but for potential."  - Ellen Goodman

Linking up with the link ups below. Be sure to check out the other favorite shots!

      

Favorite Photo of the Week: Fox in the Road 11.06.11

If you are fan of my Facebook page you have seen this photo earlier in the week. Last weekend while at Mount Rainier National Park we were driving back down the mountain when we came around a bend in the road and found this fox sitting there. Another car was pulled over getting a picture and the fox just sat there looking right at the driver. I knew I had to have a picture as well, but was not hopeful of getting the shot. Wildlife are not the most cooperative of subjects. I took out my camera and grabbed a shot, but it was with the wrong settings. I thought that was going to be it. However, the fox turned away from the other car sat down and stared at me with what felt like an expectation that I take a picture. So I did. After a couple of shots with better settings I drove off not wanting to block the road any more, but I am pretty certain the fox was a little disappointed that the photo shoot was over :o).

Settings: ISO 100, 55mm, ss1/160, f/5.6 (full manual)

"Every animal knows more than you do." - Native American Proverb


Linking up with the link ups below. Be sure to check out the other favorite shots!