Grass Lawn Park – Bellevue

16. October 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Image a Day · Tags: , ,

I left work this evening and as I was walking to the car I noticed that above me was the most amazing sky.  Big billowing black clouds interspersed with white clouds and blue sky and as the sun was starting to go down a red glow was spreading across the sky.  I had my camera with me and had to find a place where I could get a picture.

I jumped in the car and decided to try the nearest park.  While the Microsoft Campus is in Redmond, Grass Lawn Park is just down the road on the Bellevue border so off I set.  I parked up, grabbed the tripod and camera and headed into the park.

The park is really beautiful with loads of trees covered in red and yellow leaves but they were blocking out the sky, and really that’s what I wanted to shoot.  I tried loads of different compositions and got some great shots, but not the one I was really after.  Walking back to the car, I came to the basketball courts and they looked great.  The courts were empty (it was about to rain and everyone had gone home) and it had got even darker, the sun was nearly over the horizon and the sky in the distance was red.

Anyway I set up the tripod and took some shots.  When I got home I looked at the images and thought the pictures looked really good.  I only just made it too as the skys opened and the rain came down like you wouldn’t believe.  But I made it and got my cook sky.

Master Chief decided to count his footsteps today and to make sure he got a good number he used more than on Pedometer!

Japanese Maple Leaf – Redmond

15. October 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Image a Day · Tags: , , ,

I was walking through my office building at Microsoft today when I passed the reception and main entrance.  This guy came in (a developer I think) carrying a single red leaf that he’d picked up off the floor outside.  Anyway he looked at me a little embarrassed and said “perfect leaf – shows that summer is definitely over”.  Both he and I got into an elevator and went up to the third floor.  All the time he’s looking at the leaf, clearly fascinated by the color.

Now 18 year old Tony would have been laughing his head off, I can hear my younger self now in my head, I was so embarrassing.  I probably would have made some derogatory comment to the guy about how stupid he was or something.  But these day’s being much older (50 next year), I can appreciate the beauty in a simple leaf and I started thinking.  At home we have the very cute little Japanese Maple tree (Lisa loves this tree) and this week the leaves have turned from their normal deep purple to this amazing red color (clearly they are soon going to fall).  And all of a sudden all I can think of is how much I want to shoot a single leaf when I get home.

At 6pm I walked in the door and after a quick “Hello everyone” ran into the back yard to find that “perfect” leaf.  I’m not sure if the one I selected was perfect but it looked great and I picked it off the tree.  It was raining outside so it was pretty wet and covered in water droplets and that looked great too.

Anyway I brought the leaf in and set up a little set to shoot it.  I had a light stand supporting a 40″ reflector with a black cover – that was going to be my backdrop.  I got another stand to support the leaf, and placed the macro lens on the camera and got out the tripod.

I used a single speed light to light the leaf and took a number of pictures.  Now they all looked nice but they were missing something.  Then I realized what it was, the leaf was now dry.  So I grabbed a spray water bottle an started to cover the leaf with water until a number of drops moved together and started to drip from the leaf.  Then I got the shot below.

I did very little to this picture, maybe increased the contrast a little but that was it.  I think I ended up with a keeper!  I love the red color on black, and the water drop about to come off the bottom leaf just draws my eye.  Hope you like this one too.

Sometimes I have no idea what these guys are doing, tonight it appears that Master Chief was trying to hatch a chicken egg by sitting on it in a birds nest he found!  Carter was shocked by this too!

Pumpkins – Redmond

14. October 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Image a Day · Tags: , ,

Tonight’s picture was taken at the same location as yesterday’s image, the Pumpkin farm on Avondale in Redmond.  This is a pretty small place that seems to have a few fields by the side of the road.  They tend to sell their own produce although I suspect the bring the pumpkins in (but I could be wrong).  They also do a roaring trade in Christmas Trees in December and I know they don’t grow those.

Anyway the sales store is right by the side of the road on the way home and you can see all the pumpkins lined up on tables.  As I said yesterday I couldn’t resist stopping and asking to shoot some images.  This one (tonights) is my favorite, I love these food type shots where you focus on the front item and everything behind falls out of focus.  As you can see from my Halo picture tonight I brought a massive pumplin to bring home and will carve is later in the week.

All the pumpkins in the farm were really large, most had their storks and there weren’t too many miss-shaped ones (those are the ones Lisa usually buys and they are a total pain to carve).  Anyway I loved this idea of this shot, this is what I actually stopped for, hence it’s my favorite.

Carter got himself a little pumpkin and was really pleased, that is until he saw Master Chief’s pumpkin!

Pumpkin Shopping – Redmond

13. October 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Image a Day · Tags: , , ,

Come on, you had to be expecting some pumpkin pictures, I mean it’s the middle of October!  Well not wishing to disappoint tonight I thought we’d start with some halloween themed pictures.

This morning I lead the photowalk in Redmond and despite early morning rain, some people still showed up.  It only rained lightly for 5 minutes at the beginning of the walk, after that it was lovely.  We didn’t have a full turn out though, as 29 said they would come and only 13 turned up, so I guess the threat of rain scared people off.  But that aside we did the walk, everyone got some great pictures and we ended up at the restaurant as planned.  The rain was coming down so hard at 6am, we were really lucky – truth is I nearly postponed the walk too – but I’m pleased we went ahead.

Anyway, on the way home, I passed this local farm that was selling pumpkins.  Now I wouldn’t have normally pulled over but the rows of pumpkins with the trees behind with yellow leaves looked great.  It was pretty overcast by 2pm and the farm had already turned on some overhead lights and I think they added to the image.

When I pulled up at the farm I immediate went to the sales office and asked if I could take some pictures, I also promised to buy a big pumpkin after.  They said no problem and off I went.  I got loads of shots, even lied down on the wet muddy floor to get one picture, and as a result had a few to different images to pick from tonight.  There were three Lisa and Abi really liked but we thought we’d start with this one.  (Others to follow in the week).

And wait till you see the size of the pumpkin I brought – it’s massive!  I can feel some carving coming on…

The boys were feeling creative tonight so they made a pumpkin with melty beads.

Microsoft in Fall – Redmond

12. October 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Image a Day · Tags: , ,

I was at work today trying to decide what to post.  As usual I have hundreds of “backup pictures” and don’t really like any of them anymore.  Anyway I work in one building on the Microsoft Campus and had a meeting in another across the road.  As I crossed the road I noted all the leaves on the path and the beautiful colors in the trees.  So after my meeting I went back to my office and grabbed my camera.

Now a year ago I would have taken a picture at head height and the image would have been “very nice”.  But these days I’m always looking for a different perspective and I loved those leaves on the floor.  So I got done and lied on the ground.  I got this picture and immediately loved the image.  As I’m lying there of course some senior leaders walk out of the building and give me “that” look.  You know the one, the one that says, “You’re an idiot”.  But at the end of the day I love the picture so I don’t care.

The sky looked pretty white while I was outside but when I got home I managed to bring a little texture back into it which really helped the image.  The bright yellows and reds of the leaves in the trees look great, and I really love those fallen leaves too.

So I’m very happy with the end result.

Master Chief was all excited about the new iPhone 5 until Carter showed him his Windows Phone.

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