Impressions On The Palouse
When I moved to the Pacific Northwest I read about a place called The Palouse. "What is The Palouse?" you might ask if you aren't from around here. Well, it's a 4,000 square mile region of rolling, asymmetrical hills covered in wheat. I was completely smitten by the idea of heading out with my camera to explore this divine-looking destination. It only took me 4 years, but hey, better late than never.
Let me show you my impressions on The Palouse!
I was amazed by the rolling fields of wheat, the colors, and the shapes and textures they created.
Fan Favorites – Life On The Ferry
Fan Favorites - Life On The Ferry
If you've followed my photography over the years you know that you don't see many people in them. I find my creative expression inspired by nature scenes, urban settings and nautical environs. But this year I had a goal to push myself out of my comfort zone in all areas of life, so I took a photography workshop a few months ago and pushed myself out of my comfort zone and dedicated my eye and camera on people. The workshop involved one of my favorite things, the Seattle ferries, so it was a safe and inspiring place to get into the unfamiliar.
On Tuesday evenings, over a 3 week period, we rode ferries. Three different ferry routes around the Puget Sound to communities across King County. We visited Bainbridge Island, Bremerton, and Vashon Island. Well, we didn't exactly visit the destinations, we visited the route there and back. As the ferries loaded, moved, and returned commuters and tourists, workshop participants took pictures of life on the ferry. Each participant had their own style and way of seeing the ferry experience, from focusing on the shapes and light to black and white studies. While I pushed myself out of my traditional comfort zone and focused on people, I came away with photos that still reflected my love of color, shape and texture...but with people in them!
Fan Favorites - COLORS from Anacortes
I've found inspiration in daily micro-blogging over on my Instagram account, but I know I've neglected my Blog and subscribers. I'm going to try out a new goal to do a weekly blog highlighting my most popular images on Instagram. Hopefully you will be inspired by these images too. I'll also provide a coupon code and a one week only discount on select fan favorite images so you can get images off your screen and onto your walls.
Last week I featured images from a recent trip to Anacortes and one of my favorite area beaches, Rosario Beach. Here are the top 2 "fan favorites" for the week.
Coming in tops with 100 likes and several comments was this fun photo of the violent surf roaring onto the beach as the sun was setting. These were the biggest waves I've seen on this beach and was thankful that I was paying attention when a particularly BIG one crashed in and tried to take me and my tripod out! Still standing (and running quickly away from the looming waves) I was able to get some great shots of rolling waves highlighted by the sun's glowing rays.
Coming in second, with 83 likes, is this Impressionist photography image of sunset color beginning to paint the sky.
Skagit Valley Tulips 2016
I've completely ignored my blog over the last month. I've been guest blogging on other sites and spending lots of time on Instagram curating a MOST colorful feed. Today I needed an extra special blog inspiration environment and as I type this I'm sitting at the Safeco Field ballpark (thank you WiFi) watching my childhood team take on the local team. Texas Rangers vs Seattle Mariners on a temperate Spring afternoon does a body and mind good (the hotdog I just devoured didn't hurt either).Speaking of Spring...
One of my MOST favorite things to do in the Pacific Northwest is visit the Skagit Valley tulips during the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. The drive is beautiful, the farm country is inspiring, and the tulip fields are colorfully energizing and make for great camera play! Come along with me as I wander{lust} and color{lust} through the rows of color.
It's Sunday night, officially almost Monday morning, out here on the West coast and I'm moving along in my urban flow. Most people have turned in. The city is quiet and the rain has set in. The streets are mirrors to the city lights that now shimmer and paint the streets outside. I'm sitting at a local pub trying to get inspired by the energy of the music and "lives happening" around me, plugged into wifi and trying to find some words and images to share on my Monday blog. Nothing is coming to me. NOTHING... I stop for a minute and take in the scene around me. A dark downtown Seattle looms outside the windows. Area businesses are mostly closed. The ever-present construction work is on a brief hiatus until tomorrow morning when the construction sites become like bee hives again. Right now, the only remnants in view are the orange traffic cones lining the streets and sidewalks. They are the new icon of the changes happening in this city. They have become the omnipresent accessory that adorns the city like jewels.