Seattle Daily Photo

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Bright On A Gray Day Strata

A yellow cab drove past the bright red construction fence that surrounds the work site for the Capitol Hill station of Link Lightrail. I nicked this one with the iPhone.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Today is Memorial Day, the American holiday commemorating members of the armed services who lost their lives in war. It is observed on the last Monday of May and had its roots in America's Civil War days. It began officially as Decoration Day at Arlington National Cemetery in 1868 and was observed by the decoration of graves by families and civic groups. I found these stone hearts and vase of fresh Peonies adorning a headstone while walking in Mount Pleasant Cemetery. However, it is Seattle's Washeli Cemetery that is home to The Veterans Memorial Cemetery the resting place of hundreds who were buried with military honors. Known as "The Arlington of the West," it will be awash in the national colors today. (Photo of Veterans Memorial Cemetery at Washeli below © 2009 by Ben Benschnieder, used here under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.)

Sunday, May 29, 2011

1st Ave & Pike Place Footscape

Imitating Bob from Barcelona (we still miss you!) and my fave Parisian photoblogger who often shares street level shots (Hi Eric!), I took a low perspective while watching folks cross 1st Avenue at Pike Place. I liked the way this pedestrian's stride framed people in the background.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Two Walkers Were Approaching

Two guys coming towards me downhill on a path at Gas Works Park in the Wallingford neighborhood are silhouetted in the last light of day. The wind did not begin to howl as they approached, however :-).

Friday, May 27, 2011

Down in the Alley

Most of the shots from Post Alley I've shared with you in the past five years have been from ground level, so I thought you might like a peek up the alley from a loftier viewpoint. A couple walks their dog down the alley and under the familiar green and red neon Post Alley sign. The alley actually runs continuously for far more blocks than visitors to Seattle may realize, starting from Virginia Street and heading south through Pike Place Market and down to Seneca Street, after which its path broadens and it becomes Post Avenue through to Yesler Way in the Pioneer Square area. After it crosses Yesler it appears to become an alley again, although unnamed on maps, ending at Jackson Street.

Sunday, May 08, 2011

NoMa

This is the entrance sign of a condominium complex in the Ballard neighborhood. The name stands for North of Market Street (the main shopping street in Ballard is NW Market St). On this Mother's Day, though it kind of reminded me of what a lot of us moms hear from our children from time to time :-). Hope all the moms who read SDP didn't hear too many no-nos from their little ones and had a lovely day.

Tuesday, May 03, 2011

For All the World To See

I was walking past a telephone pole on an arterial street on Queen Anne Hill and did a double take when I spied this colorful art glass display some residents have apparently added to the streetscape in front of their home. There always seems to be some artistic or whimsical surprise to share in most Seattle neighborhoods.

Monday, May 02, 2011

Seattle Photographer & His Cute Pooch

I often run into photographers as I'm out and about around town. Yesterday I got to meet Robby, a photographer with a power chair that he has mounted with a terrific sturdy metal mono pod, fabricated by Glaser's Cameras, atop which rides his new Canon Power Shot camera and grip (his old camera took a spill recently and broke). Robby's dog was busy posing for a cute mug shot taken by one of the store clerks at All the Best Pet Shop on Queen Anne Ave North. I saw this scene unfolding when I entered the shop and quickly took this shot. I walked over and showed the shot to Robby, upon which I got a knowing smile and he surprised me by retrieving his own photo portfolio from his backpack. Ah, someone like me! I hadn't noticed his camera, I had been so focused on his little dog and the clerk trying to take its picture. I had a treat seeing Robby's shots and learned of his successful one man show and sale held at a local coffee house. It was fun to run into a fellow enthusiast and see his work. For info on his matted and framed prints of Seattle scenes and beautiful nature shots contact him here.

Sunday, May 01, 2011

Theme Day: Mailbox

Today the first of the month City Daily Photo Bloggers' theme is mailboxes. Here is a US Postal Service mailbox in front of a Starbucks entrance on a sunny spring morning in Seattle. Are you curious to see what mailboxes look like in countries around the globe? Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

And hey, we are celebrating three fabulous CDPBlogger's significant blogoversaries! They have each poured out a lot of work and dedication every day for many years, and I have enjoyed getting to know their areas through their beautiful photography. Rudy of La Antigua, Guatemala is celebrating 5 years of La Antigua Daily Photo today. And he would like you to send him some snail mail to fill the mail slot he's featuring today. So drop a colorful postcard or a letter with a fancy stamp from wherever you may be to him at :
RUDY GIRON, LADP
P.O. BOX 139 EL CORREO
LA ANTIGUA GUATEMALA, C.P. 03001
GUATEMALA, CENTRAL AMERICA
And the party keeps on going in the northern hemisphere. Earlier this week Slinger of Twin Cities Daily Photo (Minniapolis/St. Paul, Minnisota, USA) also marked 5 years of fab photoblogging. And Bergson in Chateaubriant, France is celebrating his 4th year of publishing Chateaubriant Daily Photo. I invite you to pay each of them a visit, enjoy their work and wish them Bon Blogoversary!

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Consider the Tulips of the Field

Kate Middleton in all her happy wedding glory will not be arrayed like one of these next weekend :-).
The tulip farms north of Seattle in the Skagit Valley provide acre upon acre of lovely spring colors in abundance. The Tulip Festival is in full swing now. Here are rows of double pinks, just one of dozens upon dozens of varieties to get lost in. Wishing all who are celebrating it today a very happy Easter!

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Papel Picado @ Beacon Hill Station

These bright flag sculptures against a very gray sky mark the new Link Light Rail station in Beacon Hill. They were designed by artist Carl Smool who also created the dozens of "carpet" pavers on the plaza, Common Threads, decorated with patterns from cultures around the world, including from the Duwamish first peoples of Seattle. The patterned cut metal flags he created, in the tradition of Mexican papel picado banners, move with the direction of the wind. Last month a stormy wind brought down one of the giant flag poles at 5:30 pm (video here). The bus stop where these people are waiting in front of the light rail station features sculpture by Steven Gardner. His designs will be featured on 19 of the light rail stations' connecting bus stops along the route through Seattle.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Pink Elephant Sighting

One of Seattle's most beloved vintage lighted signs is that of Elephant Carwash. It has been spinning on Denny Way since the 1950s. I've shown you this landmark here before, but not from a distance, like this shot I took from Bhy Kracke Park on Queen Anne Hill.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Back In Parking

I took this shot on Ferdinand Street in the Columbia City neighborhood in the south of Seattle, although it could have been taken in nearly any commercial district in Seattle. The city has replaced parallel parking areas with back in angled parking spaces all over town. I admit I am slowly getting better at judging the angle correctly as I back in, but it can be a challenge :-). Does your city have this sort of parking?
These detailed wood-frame homes look to be from before the turn of the 20th century.and the color choices of their current owners add to their charm and that of this very fun neighborhood to explore.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Laurelhurst Neighborhood

Wouldn't you love to shove off from one of those waterfront home docks for a day of boating in the sun? Or even dappled sunlight from passing clouds :-). This is a part of the Laurelhursthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurelhurst,_Seattle neighborhood, a hilly peninsula that juts out dividing Union Bay from Lake Washington. This is the neighborhood where Bill Gates grew up. I viewed it through a long lens from the Interlaken area on Capitol Hill.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Seattle's Bubbleman On The Go

Garry Golightly, Seattle's "Bubbleman" delights people at public and private gatherings all over Seattle. I found myself behind his vehicle at a light in the Greenwood neighborhood and enjoyed seeing his purple custom color and the bowls he had affixed to the hatch. Check out his license plate, too. A pretty fun guy, don't you think? I was reminded of the times I had found myself behind Wavy Gravy's car when I lived in Berkeley. . .I'm just always following clowns around town, apparently. Garry drives faster than pokey ol' Wavy, though :-).

Monday, April 18, 2011

Spring Sail

A sail boat glides past Gas Works Park on its way from Portage Bay onto Lake Union on a late weekend afternoon.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Almost 40 Years in Business

The Columbia City's neighborhood storefronts boast a lot of charm, color, and sometimes a certain trendiness. Big John's Barber Shop is not a trendy multi-station affair, say like a "Rudy's" or a "Lucky 7", but an authentic 2 chair throwback to this historic business district's mid-century days. Big John is a Seattlite who has been in business for many years in one location, through the bad and good economic times the neighborhood has seen.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Brompton Rider on Campus

While out photographing the cherry blossoms at UW I noticed this gentleman doing likewise with his digital Leica camera. Then I noticed he was riding a folding Brompton bike just like my friend Norman in Oceanside, CA also rides everywhere he goes. We struck up a conversation and I found that this Leica shooter was visiting Seattle for a conference and had come by train with his Brompton folded and stowed neatly with his travel bag on board. How cool and easy is that? :-) He was kind enough to pose with it for me.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Up To Its Knees

I think even the Flamingos at Woodland Park Zoo are hoping our current pattern of sunshine and showers will turn to mostly sunshine. Another storm front moved in overnight, announced by hail, but we'd rather be swimming in sunshine.
The zoo's Chilean Flamingo colony has produced several hatchlings each year since their exhibit opened in May of 2008.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

They're Everywhere!

Photographers, that is :-). Okay, everyone in your best voice on the count of four, 1 2 3 4 hit it. . ."I always feel like. . .somebody's watching me." Wherever I go in Seattle I usually see at least one other person with camera in hand roaming around like me. This day I sort of hit the jackpot at Sunset Hill Park.

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