Cityscape – Seattle

01. August 2012 · Comments Off on Cityscape – Seattle · Categories: Image a Day · Tags: , , ,

When we left Bainbridge Island on the ferry the sun had definitely come out and we even had patchy blue skies above us.  The ferry ride is about 30 minutes from the Island to the Mainland and Chris and I stood at the ferries bow the whole time photographing everything that crossed our path.  This included another ferry (going in the opposite direction), numerous private boats of various sizes, peoples homes that faced the water front and lots of seagulls flying next to the ferry.

Some of the homes on Bainbridge are just beautiful, I’d love to live there but Lisa would hate it.  While we were driving around the Island it was almost deserted but there aren’t a lot of shops there and no Target!  So Lisa would never move there.

As we approached Seattle I started taking cityscape shots, the sun was shining on the city so a lot of the buildings were bright and shiny and quite colorful.  We have the new ferris wheel in Seattle (not been on that yet) and it was slowly going round so I wanted that in the shot, I also wanted some of the tall buildings in downtown and some of the piers and took the shot below.  As I composed the shot, I saw the plane going past (top of picture) and caught it too – I think this actually adds to the picture.

When people think of Seattle they also think of the Space Needle and while it would be nice to have that in shot too, it’s quite a long way off to the left.  So if you try to get the Needle and downtown in the same shot, it almost has to be a panorama, so no Needle in this image.

Considering I took this on a moving ferry, I think the image came out really well.  It’s also nice having a shot from the water, not always an easy or obvious point of view.

The guys spent a lot of time today watching Kerry Walsh and Misty May, and then decided to have their own beach volleyball game.

Kayaks – Bainbridge Island

31. July 2012 · Comments Off on Kayaks – Bainbridge Island · Categories: Image a Day · Tags: , ,

While taking pictures at Fort Ward State Park on Bainbridge Island these three guys turned up with their Kayaks.  Chris and I sat and watched as they started to unload their cars with a load of gear.  I walked over and asked if it was OK if I took some pictures and they said it was fine.  They probably thought it was a little odd that some stranger wanted to photograph them but they said go ahead.

As we watched them set up their kayaks and store all their stuff we started to ask them why they needed so much “gear” and where they were going to.  They told us there plan was to paddle for a couple of hours – I think they said they were going to Blake Island State Park (but I could be wrong) where they were going to camp for the night – kind of a boys weekend away.

One of the three was moving away to California and this was his swan song trip with his mates.

Some of their “Stuff” consisted of cans of beer – quite a few in fact, so they were clearly going prepared.  While they were getting in the water they were trying to photograph each other, so I offered to take some shots and if they emailed me I could send them all the masters.  They liked this idea so took a copy of my business card.  That said I haven’t heard from them yet so a number of things could have happened.  Either they were eaten by orca’s on the paddle over, eaten by bears in the camp site, lost my card or just decided I was an idiot and not worth contacting.  I’m guessing it is probably the last one.

One of them had never been in a kayak before (the guy in the middle) and was a bit wobbly getting in the kayak.  But they did manage to paddle together for a group picture.  I hope they do email me as I got loads of pictures and I’m sure they’ll like them.

Carter and Master Chief were inspired tonight watching the synchronized diving, so they thought they’d give it a go.

Birds – Bainbridge Island

29. July 2012 · Comments Off on Birds – Bainbridge Island · Categories: Image a Day · Tags: , , ,

While on Bainbridge Island Chris and I headed over to Fort Ward State Park to see if we could get any cool pictures.  When you get there you find this long very stoney beach that’s pretty much covered with old tree trunks and drift wood.  There’s a boat ramp that leads you down to the beach so Chris and I grabbed our gear and walked down the ramp.

Along the beach we saw this wooden frame with loads of birds on the top, we thought it might make a nice picture and it didn’t seem that far away, so off we went.  There wasn’t a path to follow you just had to walk over all the stones and carrying all my camera gear I nearly went over a couple of times.  Also while at first it didn’t seem that far, it took us ages to get there (these things always seem closer than they are).

When we arrived at the wooden poles we set up the tripods and took some pictures.  I thought it might look cool if all the birds took off so I picked up a stone and threw it towards the structure to try and startle the birds into flight.  I was totally pathetic!  My stone didn’t even make it half way and the birds didn’t move at all.  I’m clearly getting very old, either that or I have totally unrealistic expectations over my athletic ability (probably both).

While I was attempting this I didn’t notice that the tide had started to come in and was already over the base of my tripod.  So we moved back a few feet, took some more pictures and headed back.  The water was really coming in fast and we only just made it back to the boat ramp before the beach was cut off.  I’m so pleased we made it, but I guess it would have been a more interesting story here if we had got wet, luckily though that didn’t happen.

I actually think the picture below came out OK, the water was pretty still but you still get the wobbly pole reflections in the water.  It was so peaceful there, really quite beautiful.  I left the beach quite jealous of all the homes with a beach view.

Lisa made some Potato Salad today and when she wasn’t looking Carter and Master Chief pinched some!

Bainbridge Ferry – Seattle

28. July 2012 · Comments Off on Bainbridge Ferry – Seattle · Categories: Image a Day · Tags: , , ,

Today my photography buddy Chris Pearson and I decided to take a ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island and see what we could shoot.  So at 8am this morning I picked Chris up and we hit the road.  We got to Seattle pretty quickly, the roads were relatively empty at that time and drove to the ferry port.  We got there at the exactly right time to drive straight onto a waiting ferry and cross Elliott Bay.

I guess 8:30 in the morning on a Saturday is too early for most as the ferry was empty and we got the chance to take some shots of Seattle as we left, and Bainbridge as we arrived.  On the way over the sky was very overcast and it looked like it was about to rain, fortunately as the morning drew on it got warmer and warmer and blue sky even came out.

I got some really good pictures on Bainbridge Island and will post those in the coming week, but tonight’s picture was of the ferry as it approached Bainbridge to take us home to Seattle.  Chris and I parked up near the front of the line to get on the ferry and had time to walk down to the ferry port ramp where you drive from the Island onto the ferry.  I took this picture as the ferry was coming in.

I liked this image as I caught the ferry as it was about to turn towards dock and had the Seattle skyline in the background.  I also liked the depth of field in this picture too with the dock just out of focus.  It doesn’t look it here but it was quite warm by this time with blue sky poking through the clouds.

We had a really good day and I got a good dozen postable images, and for 6 hours that’s really good.

Here’s Carter enjoying a run on the beach.  Clearly the sand is very wet as his feet are sinking!

Humuhumunukunukuapua’a – Grand Wailea

19. July 2012 · Comments Off on Humuhumunukunukuapua’a – Grand Wailea · Categories: Image a Day · Tags: , , ,

Today is the 200th day of the year and I’m still posting a new picture every day, can you believe it?  No neither can I!  All I can say is, don’t expect a picture on January 1st 2013 – I’m retiring from this picture a day nonsense.  That said, here’s today’s posting…

Now those of you who have visited the state of Hawaii will probably know that the Humuhumunukunukuapua’a is the state fish!  Yeah I didn’t know that states had a fish either.  But it also happens to be the name of the main restaurant at the Grand Wailea Resort and Hotel in Maui.

I promised the other day that I’d post some hotel pictures, because in truth this place we are staying at is absolutely beautiful.  So this evening after dinner I walked around the hotel taking some pictures.  The Humuhumunukunukuapua’a restaurant sits on a salt water lagoon and overlooks the sea.  The restaurant area is basically a number of thatched roofed buildings on stilts sitting on the lagoon and all around the restaurant are tiki torches lighting up the lagoon and leading you to and from the hotel and sea.

We haven’t actually eaten here as the prices are pretty high and the kids just wouldn’t enjoy it, so we tend to eat off the hotel’s property in restaurants around the area.  But we walked past the restaurant and I just had to take a picture, and it came out (I think) really well.

Lisa was concerned that it was too dark as the sun had well and truly set – it was completely dark, only the tiki torches and the lights from the hotel let you see what was around.  But a long exposure brought out the blue night sky and the water reflection of the trees.  You can even see the remains of the sunset in the far distance.

I took some other shots of the hotel that I’ll post in the coming days, and I’m sure when you see these you are gonna wanna stay here too.

This afternoon Carter and Master Chief decided to have a chat, at the bottom of the pool.  Very cool having a helmet with air in it all the time!

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