Canon lenses and equipment – Page 7

Sun Drenched Seattle

Canon Lenses, Canon lenses and equipment, Finding your Zen, Happiness, Industrial Photography, Pacific Northwest

GTIII During my time in Columbia City, I’ve become rather familiar with the roads, streets and avenues that connect me to the places I like to go and need to be. As Georgetown and West Settle have become regular destinations. I’ve become quite used to traveling from Alaska Way on to South Colombia Way. When heading to Georgetown, like I’ve done the last two days. I remind myself to make a left at S Angeline before heading down the hill and to the left on cross street. Each time I do. I can’t help but think of stopping for a bit to admire the view before taking a few photos of the power lines that seem to cut through the backyards of the homes there.

Being in somewhat of a rush and the fact that it has rained every day in Seattle for over a hundred years, (Ask anyone.) the chance to stop and smell the green, green grass hasn’t exactly presented itself. Last night while driving down the same street. I decided to put it on my bucket list and set aside a less than rainy day to get a few shots.

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So today, when the rainy morning forecast turned to sun. We jumped in the car and headed on that same route to Georgetown where we basked in the sun and enjoyed bottomless cups of Joe at All City Coffee. All in all, a pretty good day. One in which we were able to take advantage of the beautiful weather while staying pretty local.

A Last Minute Trip to Olympia

Canon Lenses, Canon lenses and equipment, Downtown, Street Photography

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Over the weekend, my wife and I drove south for our first ever trip to Olympia. Aside from all the rain I became increasingly excited when I began seeing signs bearing the name “Sleater Kinney Road.” Being that a fairly recent vinyl reissue of the bands work has not only reintroduced, but enamored me to the band’s recorded history. I couldn’t help but imagine seeing Corin, Carrie and Janet seeking shelter under the nearest bus stop canopy. “What came first, the chicken or the egg?” I thought. After securing a parking spot. We headed over to the Capitol Theatre to get a glimpse at the historic building before crossing over to Burial Grounds for a hot cup of coffee. From there we dodged the rain drops and found an awesome book store to explore Browser Books before heading a few blocks over for some excellent pizza and 80’s eye candy at a place appropriately called Old School Pizzeria. As we drove home in the rain. We agreed on what a good idea our little road trip was. Adding that we both looked forward to returning on a warmer, perhaps dryer day. I noted how it seemed we were only there for a quick hour or so. That’s when she reminded me of the two hours we spent digging in Rainy Day Records. With all the time I spend going to record stores. I can honestly say, Rainy Days stock, prices and staff are all pretty awesome. I can’t wait to return with a thorough list and a few more hours to dig at Rainy Day Records

Below are the two records I picked up. “Why two?” you ask. Well, shopping for records when your wife is standing just a few feet away. Isn’t the same as shopping for records when your wife is a few zip codes away.

Rainy Day

To Vashon and Back

Canon Lenses, Canon lenses and equipment, Comparison, Seattle

I’ve been planning a trip back to Vashon with my wife all week, The chance to take the ferry and making a micro visit to a not so far away destination appealed to both of us on different levels. On our first trip, we enjoyed some very good baked goods at Snapdragon Bakery and Cafe. A basket of awfully greasy and stomach turning fried food at Zombies and a relaxing finale at The Vashon Island Coffee Rotisserie. This time around. We swore off the deep fried temptations and gave Snapdragon’s breakfast menu and dining a try. Turns out that was another bad decision on our part. As it took them over an hour to make us a couple of plates of eggs. Considering we had to bus and clean our own table, beg on all fours for refills on our coffee and ask for a refund on the order we placed more than an hour before. It’s safe to say. We won’t be going back. And while I won’t ignore the draw to visit the Island again. We will surely do so on full stomachs. Posted are images I took from the ferry. The first was taken around 11;00 am during some hard light. The second, around 4:00pm, just prior to our trip back.

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Snowpocalypse 2018

Canon Lenses, Canon lenses and equipment, Seattle

After watching the news reporting arctic temperatures, bomb cyclones and record snow falls hitting the East Coast. I felt a sense duty to grab my shovel, ice pick and suitcase full of long john’s and winter garb and head back east to join the ranks of my comrades. After about thirty seconds of planning, I realized that I owned a condo back in New Jersey where I paid a pretty hefty maintenance fees to have someone do those kind of things. I took a deep breathe of relief and thought about our first snowfall here in Seattle on Christmas Eve 2017. Waking up to snow on Christmas Day was probably the most exciting part of my holiday. I recall racing up to the roof with my camera like a kid comes flying out of his bedroom towards the Christmas tree. That burst of joy and excitement is an incredible rush. One I wouldn’t recommend for someone with any heart problems. So as the deep freeze continues and the snowfall shakes loose the childhood memories of snowball fights and impenetrable snow forts. I wish my friends, family and loved ones back east safety and a chance to relive their childhood memories. June is only six months away.

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Having grown up in New York and having spent a good chunk of my life living in New Jersey. I got used to the town criers known to most as the local weather man.

Day Trip to Vashon

Canon Lenses, Canon lenses and equipment, Exploring, Pacific Northwest

Just prior to the New Year, we took the ferry to Vashon island. Though small in the grand vastness of things. We found a lot of interesting things once we drove off the ferry. With an essential downtown hub that offered good food, culture and most importantly, great coffee. We more than enjoyed our little day trip. Aside from the excellent coffee, we found a bakery, a couple of art galleries, a book store and a lot of local history to keep us both informed and entertained. I didn’t reach for my camera until we stopped for coffee before the trip home. What I did capture while enjoying my fresh cup of beans made my stay feel all the more memorable.

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Thanksgiving Sunrise

Beach People, Beauty, Canon Lenses, Canon lenses and equipment, Finding your Zen

As a kid, many of the sleepovers I attended at my friends home had nothing to do with sleep of any kind. If I remember correctly, and I think I do. The goal was to stay up all night in order to get a head start of the next day’s badly mapped out journey into areas and neighborhoods that often resided outside of the borders or imaginary lines our parents often forbid us from wandering past.

Years later I still have a love and admiration for those pre-dawn hours and minutes where much of the world still sleeps. The streets and adjacent pavement have yet to feel the impact of rush hour cars and hustling feet. Aside from the fact that I have to actually go to bed earlier and be aided by the sound of my alarm. Not much has changed. Upon learning that Thanksgiving morning would allow the sun to rise and proudly show itself. I once again set my alarm early enough to join in and watch as the sun peaked over the horizon.

As early as it might have been and as much as I may have waited to enjoy watching the night become day. I was not the first one on the beach. Waiting for me were two separate groups of fishermen, a loving couple, a surfer and someone who found the perfect time and place to reflect and/or mediate. While returning to my everyday responsibilities on the West Coast may not present the same opportunities to watch the sun rise. I’m sure I’ll find similar joys within time.

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Enjoying the Now. Right Now!

Canon Lenses, Canon lenses and equipment, Finding your Zen

Not a day goes by when we don’t mention how much we’ve enjoyed the opportunity to move out west and experience life in ways we might not have back east. All things considered, our move to Seattle and in particular Columbia City , has offered more than its share of rewards. Great food, weather and plenty of things to or not to do. That said, not a day goes by without talk about Seattle being a two year pit stop on the way to another town, city, state or country. Being one who lived his entire life on the East Coast. The idea of traveling to different places and living light, really appeals to me. Who knows where life brings me. If I can be happy and inspire, I’ll take it. (The pictures below were taken this morning at the park adjacent to where I am currently living in Columbia City, Seattle.)

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Because the Night.

Canon Lenses, Canon lenses and equipment, Pacific Northwest, Street Photography

Before moving to Seattle’s Columbia City. I had been living in a corporate apartment with the two suitcases of clothing and necessities I had brought from New Jersey . And while that three months offered me the chance at the minimalist lifestyle I had craved for years. Over time, I began to miss some of the things I had in storage. As strange as it might seem, being reunited with my tripod became a reoccurring train of thought.

So with after a week of unpacking an prioritizing what goes where. I grabbed that tripod, shook off the dust and headed downstairs to Rainier Ave. South. With tripod in hand and my sites on the oncoming traffic. I sprinted across the street and perched myself somewhere between Washington Federal and Ark Lodge Cinema and played around in manual mode. Below are several of the shots I took with my lens open at 30 second intervals. In the coming days, weeks and so on. I hope to work on my long exposures and nigtscapes. I’m looking forward to getting away from the TV and taking in some of that fresh night air.

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Georgetown and its Tones of Home

Canon Lenses, Canon lenses and equipment, Graffiti, Pacific Northwest, Seattle, Street Photography

GTII (1 of 1) GTIIII (1 of 1) Since our arrival in Seattle, we’ve found a number of neighborhoods we’ve grown quite fond of. Pioneer Square with it’s reminders of New York’s once edgy Lower East Side was our first love. While the International Center, Capitol Hill and pockets of Queen Anne have all spirited our first months here. That said, there has been somethng special about Georgetown that keeps us coming up with reasons to visit from one week to the next. Having moved to Columbia City just over a week ago has brought us even closer to the somewhat quiet pocket of Seattle that often reminds me of the out of the way area known as Red Hook Brooklyn back in New York. It wasn’t until my wife mentioned how much she loved the area and her desire oi buy there, that I realized just how similar the areas seemed.

For it was during what seemed like an endless search to buy a condo that fit our style and needs that we found an off the beaten path area in Brooklyn known as Red Hook. In just a few visits, it felt as if the area would become our desired location for us. The problem, however, was that after we attended to underwhelming open houses. We didn’t anything else appear on the market. Short story long, we gave up on the area and rarely ever returned afterward.

Fortunately, Georgetown has all the charm of the aforementioned East Coast destination with a closer proximity and easy accessibility to where we currently call home. Who knows if we’ll find a place in Georgetown or if we’ll even stay in Seattle permanently. (With all the talk of what we miss back East. It’s hard to decide, yet.) Regardless, we’re having a great time getting to know the area.

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Welcome to Columbia City.

Canon lenses and equipment, Finding your Zen, Landscape Photography, Pacific Northwest, Seattle

With just over a week in Columbia City underway and still much unpacking to do. I’ve felt a bit overwhelmed by what I see as clutter and distraction. And while the second bedroom has been my place to get away from the TV. The room itself is a clutter filled combination of records, CD’s and photo equipment. Heading up to the spacious and welcoming roof deck has become the most calming and peaceful place I’ve found. So after a long week of collapsing boxes and trying to figure out where things should go. A trip upstairs with the camera was just what I needed. Fresh air and a fresh perspective can go a long way in clearing the mind and bringing on positive thoughr. Here’s to finding your space.

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