Anderson Park – Redmond

20. March 2012 · Comments Off on Anderson Park – Redmond · Categories: Image a Day · Tags: , , ,

Last week on the way home I stopped off at Anderson Park to take some pictures.  When I got there I found these fantastic tree socks decorating loads of the trees.  I was really pleased with the images I shot, so today I went back to take some more pictures.

When I got there the sun was starting to go down so I had to work fast.  The socks were still on the trees so I started working the scene looking for a strong composition.

The park not only has trees but also has a number of wooden log huts.  Some of the trees were close to one of the huts so I walked around it taking pictures.  I found one position where you could just see the setting sun between the hut and a tree and shot that.

When I got home I was really pleased with the image but I wanted to do something to kind-a make it pop.  I know that black and white images that have selective color are considered a little tacky, but I tried it with this image and liked the end result.  Lisa did too (and she is always right) so I left the image that way.  I think the park looks great in black and white and the socks really stand out, as they are the only items in the image in color.

I think Carter is trying to build some body mass, this evening I caught him pumping iron muttering, “feel the burn”!

Marymoor Park Coffee Hut – Redmond

14. March 2012 · Comments Off on Marymoor Park Coffee Hut – Redmond · Categories: Image a Day · Tags: , ,

I was driving home this evening wondering wheat I should photograph, when I looked out over Marymoor Park from the 520 freeway and saw this small hut.  When I saw it I immediately thought black and white, as it was raining quite heavily and everything was gray and drab.

At the end of the day to make an interesting picture you need something to draw the eye, color, texture, contrast or brightness, you need something.  Anyway I saw the hut and thought as a black and white the grayness of the scene would be lost and the sky, trees and wet ground might make a nice image with the hut as the principal subject.

So I drove to the end of the freeway and then doubled back through Redmond to the park.  I found the hut really quickly and found that it’s actually a coffee shop / store room / rest room.  I got the camera out but it started to rain (quite heavily).   So I ran over to the side of the road, put up the tripod and took the picture.  I then ran back to the car (those who know me know I very rarely run anywhere) and headed home.

When I got in I looked at the picture and I have to say it turned out pretty well.

I think Carter and Master Chief watched an old Buster Keaton film or something today, because this evening I found them playing with a train set.

Smith Tower – Seattle

10. March 2012 · Comments Off on Smith Tower – Seattle · Categories: Image a Day · Tags: , , ,

When I woke up this morning I knew exactly what I was going to photograph today and what I would post tonight.   I knew, as last night I dreamt about the Smith Tower in Seattle.  How sad is that!  I no longer dream about – well the things I used to dream about, no, now I dream about 98 year old buildings (tragic!)

So despite the rain (and the fact that the 520 bridge is closed all weekend), I drove to downtown Seattle to shoot the tower.

Getting into the city wasn’t too bad, getting home was another thing altogether – took me over an hour as the I90 was the only way to cross Lake Washington and everyone wanted to go to the East Side with me.

Anyway I digress.  When I arrived in Seattle the rain had stopped so I parked up in the Yesler car park, jumped out of the car and started shooting.

I love this building it’s very cool.  It was built in 1914 and is 38 stories high (489 feet).  Until 1931 it was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River (when the Kansas City Power & Lighting building went up) and the Smith Tower remained the tallest building on the West Coast until the Space Needle was built in 1962.

You can still go up the building today to the observation deck and I really recommend visiting if you get the chance.  For one thing the elevator ride is worth the visit alone.  The building has one of the last operator-controlled elevators on the west coast.  The building’s interior is very ornate with the gold ceilings, polished brass everywhere and woodcarvings on the walls – really nice.

I had an image in mind, but still walked all round the building trying lots of different views.  In the end the picture I liked the most was taken from 1st Ave looking up Yesler towards the tower.

I decided to post the image in black and white (well sepia really) as I think the Tower has that “old building” feel and looks great in this kind of image.

I have to say I’m really pleased with the end result; the image looks great and is exactly what I wanted.

Carter went for a swim tonight, he was a little scared as he watched Jaws this afternoon.  Of course there was nothing to be worried about, I mean what could possibly hurt you in a fish tank?

Lisa with iPad – Home

01. March 2012 · Comments Off on Lisa with iPad – Home · Categories: Image a Day · Tags: , ,

Tonight is the last of the family portraits (for the time being anyway).  Lisa actually allowed me to take her picture.  This doesn’t happen very often so I should really enjoy the moment.  As with James and Abi the goal was to capture Lisa doing what she does every night, and I think I nailed it!  Lisa didn’t want an iPad when they came out, but I convinced her to try one and once she did she wouldn’t put it down.  Now she lies of the sofa and plays “games” on her iPad – for hours!  She pretends to be watching TV but really she’s playing her games, I even have to tell her when to look up when something interesting happens.

I wanted to do a black and white again, but Lisa insisted that I leave her bow on her slippers pink.  No idea why you will have to ask her.

Big game of tug-a-war tonight, three Master Chief’s against smaller weaker halo characters.  Guess who won?

Abi Reading – Home

29. February 2012 · Comments Off on Abi Reading – Home · Categories: Image a Day · Tags: , , ,

So yesterday I started shooting environmental portraits of the family.  I started with James on his Xbox, and tonight we have Abi reading.  Now Abi is a very keen gymnast and is usually flipping or cartwheeling around the house/garden/sofa etc., and my immediate thought was to capture her doing her gymnastics thing.

But I walked into the family room and found her literally in this pose reading on the sofa.  I loved the pose so much I grabbed the camera and took the shot.

Of course the moment I pointed the camera in her direction she started to pose for me and I had to ask her to just pretend I wasn’t there.  After a couple of shots she stopped smiling and I got the image below.

So that’s two for two, tomorrow night is the Lisa picture – if I can just convince her to let me that is.

This evening the Halo guys decided they wanted to play connect four.  So out came the game and the competition started.

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