Happy Valentine’s Day 

When you have a dog, buy your wife flowers and like to take photos, well, this is the result.

A walk in the rain

Living in the Pacific Northwest, if you wait for a sunny day to get out and enjoy the scenery, you can miss a lot. 

It took me a while to learn this lesson, often choosing to stay indoors on those misty afternoons. 

With a three-day President’s Day weekend in front of us, my wife and I decided to take a trip out to Bainbridge Island, rain or shine. 

The rain created a peaceful scene and allowed us to leisurely explore the Bloedel Reserve. From the Japanese and white birch garden to the reflection pool and the former Bloedel family residence, there is plenty to experience. 

Combining things I enjoy

Beer, Seattle and photography. I was able to combine all three this morning during a quick stop at the Old Rainier Brewery on my way to work.

I have driven past the iconic red “R” atop the old brewery for years, but never stopped until today. 

Stitching the Seattle skyline

I have spent a lot of time recently trying to figure out how people come up with intricate panoramic photos of a skyline. After plenty of trial and error, I came up with the image included in this post. 

It’s a nice start, but now I want to attempt the same image at night using a long exposure. 

A twist on landscape photography

A few months ago, I came across a really creative image of the Seattle skyline. 

I decided it would be fun to try, got busy and forgot about it. Then, Saturday afternoon, while I was waiting to leave for an afternoon trip to the Washington men’s basketball game, I decided to google the process.

I wanted to know how to bend a landscape photo into a circle, creating what the tutorial called a “planet” effect. 

The image pictured above is the final product, and I’m hooked. It is such a unique way to tell a story visually. And, the best part, I’ve already had several people ask me if they cold purchase prints. 

The answer to that question is always yes.

The Space Needle and the Seahawks

After each playoff win for the Seahawks, various landmarks in Seattle commemorate the victories. 

When the Seahawks beat Minnesota in a Wild Card matchup recently, I went down to Alki Beach in West Seattle to see if there was anything interesting to photograph. 

I was hoping to find a No. 12 in building lights in one of Seattle’s high-rises, but when that came up empty, I tried to make a nice image of the Space Needle from across the water. 

This is the final result. 

To purchase a print, click the link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/264242596/the-space-needle-celebrates-the-seahawks

The Colony

If there is one building on South Beach that screams Miami and Art Deco, it’s The Colony Hotel. 

When I lived in Florida, I always enjoyed passing this hotel at night. I love the way the neon, blue and white pop off the building. 

During a recent trip to Miami, photographing The Colony was one of the highlights. 

For more images, or to order prints, click the link: https://makerculture.smugmug.com/Miami/

Catching waves

A few months ago I found myself at an art show in Seattle. I was particularly captivated by a photograph of waves crashing along the beach. 

During a recent trip to Florida, I tried to use that inspiration and capture the beauty of a wave as it hit the shore at sunrise. 

Armed with my GoPro in a waterproof case, I got into the water along Fort Lauderdale beach during a particularly warm December morning. 

I got low, and took as many photos as I could while the waves rolled in. 

The three images pictured above are three stages of one wave hitting the shore. 

I’m really happy with the finished product. 

For more images, or to order prints, click the link: https://makerculture.smugmug.com/Waves/

A few days in Spokane

It’s always nice to spend a few days on the other side of Washington. I always enjoy the opportunity to visit Spokane. 

During my last trip, I spent some time walking around Riverfront Park looking to make a few images. I started with the giant Radio Flyer. I had been there before, and I knew I wanted a shot where I could remove all the color but the red in the wagon.

The image, pictured above, is the finished product. I continued through the park, photographing the falls and the Monroe Street Bridge. 

Palouse Falls

Palouse Falls has been on my bucket list of Washington photo destinations for a while. But, every photo I came across was taken during warmer months. 

So, when an opportunity presented itself recently, I decided to make the trek on a wintery December day. 

The trip was almost a disaster. The journey started with a drive out to Steptoe Butte. It was an overcast day, and the view from the top of the butte was fogged in. 

I was worried we wouldn’t be able to see much as we continued on toward Palouse Falls. 

Then I pulled up and was greeted by the scene pictured above. It was well worth the drive. 

Recent photo work

Here are a few examples of portraits taken this week. 

For more photo work, click the link.

The Space Needle on a cloudy day

Stopped by the Space Needle on my way home from work. I loved the way the clouds were framing the landmark, so I wanted to take a few photos.

More more images/prints, click the link.

Here is another image captured during my visit.

Impromptu portrait session

If the opportunity presents itself, I like to create the images that go with my stories.

Since I usually have a framework for the project, I try to come up with photos that match the tone of piece. I took these two images of Washington linebackers Azeem Victor and Keishawn Bierra for a story I wrote earlier this week. They followed a similar (difficult) path to starting roles, so I wanted the photography to reflect that.

Click the link for the story.

For more photo work, click this link.

Trying something new

Sometimes the difference is in the presentation. 

My wife and I were doing some redecorating about a month ago, working to remake the look of our guest room. We decided we wanted black and white prints, but the goal was to tinker with the presentation.

We tried to create something that would look nice, while also making pieces people might want to purchase. 

The image above is one of finished products.

What do you think? 

Picture me rollin’

On a blustery late-summer day, I was at Seattle’s Alki Beach for lunch and a drink when I walked past a line of classic cars from Eazy Duz It C. C. The vehicles were beautiful and easy to photograph.

For more images/prints, click the link.

Seattle skyline from Alki Beach

I snapped this photo from Alki Beach over the weekend. My long-exposure shots are a work in progress, but I’m happy with this one.

For more photos/prints, click the link. 

Back to the lighthouse

After attempting to get a strong sunset shot at the Discovery Park Lighthouse recently, I decided to try again to get the image I was looking for. 

I wanted a nice black-and-white photo that would fit the feel of a bedroom decorated in a cottage style.

My first attempt was around sunset and, while I liked the image, it looked better in color than black and white. It was also a tough shot to get, because there were so many people enjoying the end of another gorgeous Seattle day.

With that in mind, I went back out to the park Sunday morning. I had the lighthouse to myself, with a couple of eagles perched on a pole nearby. 

My biggest disappointment from the trip was missing a chance to get one of the eagles flying through my frame. I was tinkering with settings and couldn’t quite snap the proper exposure. 

I was pleased with the outcome of the final product. I’m going to get this photo printed, framed and put it on the wall. 

For more photos/prints, click the link.