While on our trip to the Seattle area we took the kids to a park next to Silver Lake in Everett, WA. It was quite upscale. I feel like it’s the new age of children’s playgrounds. It had swings with chairs that resembled that which you would see on a roller coaster ride, a zip line sort of thing, and very cushy ground that felt as though there was a layer of memory foam somewhere beneath. I’ve seen more of these styles of parks since I’ve become a father. It seems like quite an upgrade since I was young and playing on playgrounds myself.
At any rate, I was able to get a couple of minutes to walk toward the lake and take some pictures. I think these plants are Flag Irises. At least that’s what a google image search brought up. Overall I think it’s a so-so picture but I like that it’s bright and sharp. It’s quite crisp and highlights the seeds in the foreground pretty well, I think. The lake is peaceful and I was able to pull a little bit of blue out of that Seattle sky.
I noticed these purple flowers (I’m not sure exactly what kind and google didn’t help in this occasion) with relatively tall stalks. I started playing around with trees behind them to see if there was anything interesting as far as compositions go. I thought this was an interesting angle on it. Ironically, I spent the trip trying to avoid the cloudy Seattle sky – and then here I was trying to make trees (and subsequently sky) be a primary part of my composition. I knew the photos wouldn’t turn out spectacularly but I got to play with matching background elements and foreground elements. Ultimately I think the tree in the background is just a bit distracting. Centering the stalk with the flowers in the background tree may have felt and looked better.
This photo makes me think of the game “Red Rover”. If you’re unfamiliar with it, it’s pretty simple. Two groups of kids face off holding their teammates hands. They yell an opposing player’s name and that player runs over trying to break through the line. These geese seem to be setting up for such a game but the one in front seems distracted by something. Makes me think of that one kid playing left field in T-Ball who’s playing with ants…
This lazy duck was still dozing when I walked up. She sat still for me to get a few good photos of her. The sand was plain and boring, the water wasn’t interesting either. I felt like black and white was the way to go here. Color didn’t really add anything. I like the small inlet coming towards her. I also like how she kept an eye on me – not completely asleep, after all.
At one point I went on a walk around the neighborhood. I don’t know how it compares to other areas of Seattle as I haven’t visited very many areas however, Bothel seems nice. The houses are different, they aren’t the cookie-cutter style that is so common around Tucson; the yards are alive with vegetation, and the hills make the neighborhood feel much more quaint that it actually is. Above all, there’s color! In southern Arizona we see in, more or less, Sepia tones. It’s really nice to get a break from that and see something like this rock and leaf. I’m not exactly sure what I was going for here but the moss on the rock looks so soft and the red leaf contrasting it really pops.
This neighborhood has a few sections where pedestrians are expected to walk on the street – there is no sidewalk. The city, however, has put a divider or curb that distinguishes the areas between foot and vehicle traffic. To someone living in dry sepia, the damp green moss growing on the side of these curbs was wonderful and different. I tried a few different angles and shots of it. I don’t think I quite got it right but this is my favorite shot one of the bunch.
Before leaving the house, our friends, whom we were visiting, suggested I walk down toward a farm in the area. In doing so, I noticed a small patch of trees right next to the path. Unfortunately, the 6 foot chain-link fence made the view pretty obstructed but I was still able to get this shot. A different background would’ve been nice but I like that I could frame this tree between a few others. Much to my wife’s chagrin, I have purchased a few lenses recently that give me plenty to work with. One lens that I considered and didn’t buy for the Z6 is the Nikkor 85mm f/1.8. I think that would’ve been the perfect lens for this shot. It would’ve blurred the houses in the background better and drawn a bit more attention to the mossy bark. It also would’ve made the ugly sky seem more OK to be so bland. Alas, that is not a lens in my arsenal. Christmas is coming up though and I’m sure the ole ‘Claus is preparing. Perhaps I’ve been good this year.
Thanks for reading. There is a lot happening for me in the next few weeks so there may not be many new posts for a bit. However when I return, I expect to be wielding a handful of additional photos to share. You can expect photos of mountains, forests, and waterfalls as well as pictures from both the east and west coasts; Like I said – a lot going on in the next few weeks. Feel free to subscribe below if you’d like to see the photos as I post them. Cheers!