Timing is everything

I disembarked from the Whidbey Island ferry with my point-and-shoot camera yesterday afternoon, just in time to run over to the nearby lighthouse and catch the last rays of sunlight  before the sun disappeared behind the Olympic Mountains on the other side of Puget Sound. A compelling photograph often relies (among other things) on being in the right place at the right time with the right light. More often than not, conditions conspire against us, but in this case everything came together nicely: the right time of day, the sun briefly poking through a cloud bank to illuminate the lighthouse, lovely cloud patterns in the sky above, and waiting to snap the photo at the moment when the departing ferry was between the lighthouse and the edge of the frame. Click on the photo for a larger view.

Mukilteo Light, Mukilteo, Washington
Samsung EX1, f/3.1 @24mm, ISO 80

Return of the crescent moon

The moon has returned to the early evening sky, and this landscape (if you want to call it a landscape) is a bit unusual in that it does not record any specifically identifiable place. Its location and mood is left to the imagination of the viewer. Click on the image for a larger view.

Birds under a waxing crescent moon

Another "secret" Seattle shooting location, Bhy Kracke

Well, it was a secret to me anyway, and I would guess that there are quite a few other locals who aren't aware of it either. This is the view from Bhy Kracke (that's right--Bhy Kracke) Park in the Seattle neighborhood of Queen Anne. Thanks to Alex Vitruk for pointing it out to me. Click on the image for a larger view.

Seattle skyline and Space Needle as seen from Bhy Kracke Park
3-frame panorama, Canon 450D w/Tamron 17-50mm lens @50mm, f/8

Lunar eclipse over Seattle

If you were up well before sunrise on Saturday, you may have noticed that someone had taken a bite out of the full moon. This total lunar eclipse was caused by the moon moving into (and later out of) the earth's shadow. When the moon was fully immersed in the darkest part of the shadow, the earth's atmosphere acted as sort of dirty lens, which directed a bit of reddish sunlight onto the moon's face. Below is a time-lapse composite photo showing the first half of the eclipse, with the moon heading towards the western horizon and progressively moving into the earth's shadow.

For a better view, click anywhere on the image.

Total lunar eclipse over Seattle

Backyard wildlife

Barred owls are not uncommon in my Seattle neighborhood, but they are often hidden among the trees, although their vocalizations are clear and unmistakable. This one was particularly cooperative however, by perching on a branch the location of which offered no obstructions to my line of sight. I had to travel no farther than the back deck of my house to get this photo.

Barred owl
Canon 450D w/Spiratone 400mm lens

Crescent moon over Birch Bay

Birch Bay, in the far northwest corner of Washington state, is actually farther north than some parts of Canada. In the distance, you can see some of the Canadian Gulf Islands. This image is a composite of two exposures of the same scene:  a short one for the moon and sky, and a much longer one for the water, with the water's movement blurring the surface to a silk-like texture. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Crescent moon over Birch Bay and Gulf Islands
Canon 450D w/Tamron 17-50mm lens @41mm

Early morning, late snow on Mt. Rainier

Unusually cool weather in the Pacific Northwest has delayed the snowmelt on the flanks of Mt. Rainier (a.k.a. Mt. Tahoma).  I left home in Seattle at 3am, only to find both upper and lower Tipsoo Lakes still covered in snow. Still, the sunrise was lovely.

Sunrise on Mt. Rainier, looking out over lower Tipsoo Lake
Canon 450D w/Tamron 17-50mm lens @33mm

The lure of the lighthouse

Lighthouses are a favorite subject of photographers, and I'm no exception. Even though I've photographed this lighthouse before (click here to see an earlier image), the ever-changing seasons and weather always open up fresh possibilities. Click on the image for a larger view.

West Point Lighthouse, Discovery Park, Seattle
Canon 450D w/Tamron 17-50mm lens@41mm

A uniquely scenic, but little-known place

In a corner of eastern Washington state, spilling over into Idaho, is the wheat-farming area known as the Palouse. This relatively unknown area of rolling hills covers hundreds, if not thousands, of square miles, and is a delight to the photographer. I recently spent a few days there, and the photos below give a taste of what the region is like. Click on the images for a larger view.

Wheat fields and grain elevator, Palouse region, Washington state
Canon 450D w/Canon 400mm lens

Lonely barn, Palouse region, Washington state
Canon 450D w/Canon 400mm lens

Old barn in early morning light, Palouse region, Washington state
Canon 450D w/Canon 70-200mm lens @91mm

Wheat fields, Palouse region of Washington state
Canon 450D w/Canon 70-200mm lens @200mm

Another "secret" vantage point

A less well-known shooting location in Seattle is to be found at the water tower in Volunteer Park. It's a little tricky to shoot through the protective steel grate that covers the openings, but it is possible. Wherever you live, you may also be able to find "secret" locations from which you may obtain compelling, alternate views of commonly photographed sights. Click on the image for a larger version.

Crescent moon over Puget Sound, Seattle, Washington
Canon 450D w/Canon 70-200mm lens @200mm

Skagit Valley tulips

April is tulip time here in Washington state, and my friend Mahesh and I left Seattle at 4:30am on a recent morning to catch the sunrise over the tulip fields in the Skagit Valley.

Misty Sunrise Over Skagit Valley Tulip Field,  Canon 450D w/Tamron 17-50mm lens @26mm