Truck – Snoqualmie

18. June 2012 · Comments Off on Truck – Snoqualmie · Categories: Image a Day · Tags: , ,

Here is a great example of the madness you experience when you try to post a picture a day.  I was driving through Snoqualmie and this truck caught my eye.  I don’t really know why, it’s not that attractive, that new or old, but it had something.  There was something about this scene that made me think, there’s a picture.

So I found a place to u-turn and went back to take the shot.  I parked up, jumped out and grabbed the camera and tripod – remember I always have them with me, and got the shot.

When I got home I did what I do every night, I sat down and went through any new pictures I’ve taken that day and post process them (just a bit) to see if they are promising and if so drop them in a “processing folder” on my hard drive.  Then I go through my “processing folder” looking for pictures to put up here. (One day I’ll write up my workflow of what I do – it won’t be that interesting to everyone, but I have to write something every day so you’ll have to give me a break).

The funny thing is, just because I think an image has promise when I take it, two weeks later I frequently feel differently, to the point where some I just don’t like!  This image has been sitting in the processing folder for a while now.  Not because I don’t like it, I just didn’t know why I did.  Well tonight I saw it again and thought, OK, let’s finish off the processing and see what it looks like.  That and Lisa walked past and said Ooo I like that.  I asked her why, and she didn’t know either!

Anyway, I tightened it up in Photoshop and here it is.  If you like it and can say why let me know, maybe Lisa and I like it for the same reason.

Carter lost Red and Master Chief, then found them playing in Lisa’s Jewelry Tree.  I’m not sure he approved!

Western Red Cedar Log – Snoqualmie

05. June 2012 · Comments Off on Western Red Cedar Log – Snoqualmie · Categories: Image a Day · Tags: ,

When you visit Snoqualmie and pass the large waterfalls you immediately come to the railway museum.  You drive along the road with old railway exhibits to your right and then hit the town main street.

Just as you arrive at the town you pass this large (well large isn’t really the right word, maybe massive or enormous would be better) log.  The log (or tree trunk) is actually behind a barred fence, when I first saw this I wondered what the fence was for I mean who is gonna steal this massive piece of wood?  But the fence isn’t there to stop thieves, no; it’s there to stop vandals!  Apparently before the fence was put around the tree truck, the city of Snoqualmie were getting frustrated with people carving their name in the wood.

So what’s a huge tree trunk doing near the main street?  Well fortunately there was a very large plaque next to the tree so I can answer that.  It appears that back in the day a major source of income for the community was lumber.  Once the railway was built the Snoqualmie Falls Lumber Company did a roaring trade in huge Douglas-Firs, Sitka Spruce and Western Red Cedars.

The Lumber Company had a mill about a mile north of town and used to move 15 foot diameter logs around town on massive carriages.  Of course all this happened in the late 1800s and the mills did really well until the mid 1900s when cheaper alternatives to these massive trees were found.

This huge log is a reminder of Snoqualmie’s past.  It’s pretty impressive even though the fence around it kind of spoils the view.  I had to push my camera through the bars to get a picture.  I tried shooting from further back but the bars ruined the shot.  And while the fence is doing a great job stopping those pesky vandals, they really need to find a way to keep the pigeons out!

The say an apple a day keeps the doctor away.  Does that work if you share it?

Mallet Locomotive – Snoqualmie

24. May 2012 · Comments Off on Mallet Locomotive – Snoqualmie · Categories: Image a Day · Tags: ,

A couple of weeks ago I visited Snoqualmie Northwest Railway Museum to shoot some trains.  They have a few steam and diesel trains there and most are in a pretty poor state of repair.  Some of the trains are literally falling apart, covered in rust, but there are a couple that have kind of been looked after.

They have this museum building that looks like an old railway station and behind the building are a couple of trains that look great.  One of them is the subject for today’s posting, and is a Mallet Locomotive.  This train was invented by a Swiss engineer named Anatole Mallet and actually has two engines.

Even though it was a nice day there weren’t too many people there so I was able to get a good shot without loads of people in the way.  Ironically just after I took this picture, a couple of families turned up and their kids started climbing all over the engines.  When this happened I figured it was my time to leave so I legged it.

Carter felt the call of the stage today – well the video camera at least, and performed Hamlet for the family.

Train Decay – Snoqualmie

13. May 2012 · Comments Off on Train Decay – Snoqualmie · Categories: Image a Day · Tags: , ,

Today’s image is not going to be to everyone’s taste, but I like it (and so does Lisa) so up it goes.  This shot was taken in the Train Museum in Snoqualmie.  There were loads of trains there – all shapes and sizes and I took lot of pictures.  But there was this one wagon that was really in bad shape.  It was obviously very old and weathered.  The sun, rain and every other element had hit this wagon hard.

So I took loads of pictures including the close up one below.  Some of the things you should look for in “interesting pictures” is texture and this train had plenty of it (in fact it was falling off the thing and all over the floor).  I really liked the peeling paint and rotten wood (keep with me here I’m being sincere) and the orange and blacks looked great (I thought) so this was one I was pretty pleased with.

But I’ve been holding off posting it as it’s not what you normally see from me – and I appreciate that most people wont “get it”.  Lisa asked me if I liked it and I said yes, I love it!  So she said them post it, the site is for you not for readers.  (She clearly had a bad day).

So here you are, a close up of rust and rotten wood on a decaying old train that literally is falling to bits.  Enjoy…

What with the nice warm weather outside Cater decided to play ball in the yard.

Train – Snoqualmie

05. May 2012 · Comments Off on Train – Snoqualmie · Categories: Image a Day · Tags: , ,

During in the week a work colleague (Jan) suggested I check out the trains in Snoqualmie, he told me there was a flatbed trolly cart with a single tree growing on it. (At least I think that’s what he said).  So today I drove to Snoqualmie to see what I could find.

I’ve actually visited Snoqualmie before to take pictures but that was at the beginning of the year and it was a lot colder.  So it was nice to go back and walk around the trains in a t-shirt and enjoy the sunshine.

I parked in the town center and walked all the way back to the bridge and didn’t see Jan’s flatbed.  But in the process I got some great shots of the trains so it was a good day out.

Some of the trains have signs near them telling you all about them but for the yellow train in today’s picture I couldn’t find anything.  Now I should say here I’m definitely no train enthusiast but it was fun to photograph them.  Most of them are rusty and falling apart and I got some great shots of decaying metal (sounds odd I know but you’ll see what I mean when I post those images).  But today I thought I’d start with something that looks like a working train – even though I think it’s been a while since this train rode the rails.

Even though it was a nice day there weren’t too many people around so I got some cool shots without unwanted distractions.  Jan, I hope you like this picture, sorry it’s not what you wanted but hopefully you think it’s cool.

Carter decided tonight to give his friend a makeover, they started by painting nails.

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