Seattle Daily Photo

Wednesday, December 05, 2012

Driven to Abstraction Wednesday #5

No, you are not seeing things. These trees ARE bright blue. And, no, Dr. Souse and I did not create these through the magic of some photo process. They are the work of Australian artist Konstantin Dimopoulos. He has installations of blue trees in several nations now and is trying through these works to draw attention to the global problem of deforestation. The blue hue is not paint, but a wash made from water and a crushed blue stone called azurite. Over time the the blue is expected to fade and wash away with the rain. This installation took place in April, and the bark is still very vivid. Seen with the seasonal lights, its quite a surreal tangle. It's my Driven to Abstraction offering for you this week.

Tuesday, December 04, 2012

It's Christmastime In the City

Downtown Seattle is decked out in it's Christmas finery, but I was surprised to see things have gone a bit tacky compared to years past. The tree at Westlake Center is artificial this year (after 23 years of real ones from this, the Evergreen state). The carousel a couple years ago changed out it's golden-hued incandescent bulbs for LED lights, which is a good thing, except for the unattractive cold bluish-purple light they give off--not as lovely in photos. The merchants have turned off the water feature of the plaza sculptures and draped them with ill fitting and unattractive blue cloth graphics that advertises the carousel and its sponsors (honestly, they look like poorly printed sagging bus clings). And the signage barricading the bottom of the huge artificial tree has giant lettering that adds eye clutter to already inharmonious elements. The blue banners flying above it all on poles are wordy and unattractive. More like ads than decorations. It's still all festive, mind you, just not done with the same level of design savvy seen in years past. Shoppers and kids don't mind at all. It's probably just those of us out looking for eye candy with our cameras that are finding it is slim pick-in's.

Monday, December 03, 2012

Typical Seattle in Motion

Looking down on Elliott Bay and across to West Seattle while a ferry comes into view and shoppers take a moment to look out on a lovely, if cold, evening.

Sunday, December 02, 2012

Take Your Flicks From Pier 66

A bit of the Seattle waterfront as evening descends as seen from the rooftop area of Pier 66. This is a great vantage point to view a sunset over Bainbridge Island and West Seattle or look back on the city skyline.

Saturday, December 01, 2012

Theme Day: My Street

My street photography is nothing new to frequent visitors, but today I'm going to use it to share with you a little film location factoid from Sleepless In Seattle. See that little patch of clear sidewalk just below the red "K" for Kim which marks this as my street (evil grin)? If you and I were standing just there we could look down the sidewalk a few steps and see the exact place Tom Hanks bends over and says to Rob Reiner, "So, how's my butt? . . . Is it cute, though?" Now, I bet that's something you always wondered about, right? :-) The red arrow in the photo below points to the exact spot. These shots are looking down Pine at 1st Avenue, a street featured in many films and postcard photos, and perhaps some photos of your own (like the folks below are busy capturing). It's My Street Shot for you today. To see how other Daily City Photo Blogs have interpreted the December 1st Theme, My Street, click here to see all participants.

Friday, November 30, 2012

You Just Never Know

I like to shoot street and in doing so I end up taking a lot of candids. You just never know what might come up. Two groups of people I generally tend not to shoot candids of are homeless people and children. If I see something compelling about a child or a homeless person that I want to shoot I will usually approach and ask permission first. It's not a true street shot at that point, but becomes a type of street portrait because the subject is aware of the camera. So it was in this case. The light was just amazing, the man's bright hat and appearance so striking, I just couldn't pass the shot by, and so I asked if I could take his photo. He said sure, was kind, soft spoken, didn't ask for anything in return. I'd seen him before, and I've seen him since and never photographed him again, but that afternoon in the perfect light, well, that was a memorable shot. I've just learned that the subject of my street portrait made the Seattle news headlines last month as a suspect in the 1976 murder cold case in Maine to which he entered a plea of not guilty. According to Maine authorities, he was questioned twice back in the day but there was not enough evidence to hold him. He was apparently arrested for knifing someone in Seattle last year, which opened up suspicions about the older case. He was arrested in October for the Maine murder based on new DNA evidence gathered from a piece of chewing gum a plain clothes police officer working on the 36 year old case gave to him, posing as doing a gum survey. You just never know when you're shooting what you might learn.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Dans l'allée d'une muse tout en brun.

Perched on a pipe in Post Alley, I spied a 21st century model fit for Rodin's garden or Burne-Jones' canvas. She was dressed head to ankles in a monochrome pallet.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Driven To Abstraction Wednesday #4

Downtown elements of circular mirror, arrows of light, and a lime green wall leapt out at me as I passed by.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Growth Hormones?

To get a sense of the scale of this much larger than life kinetic sculpture at the corner of Seventh and Union behind the downtown Sheraton Hotel, compare it with the cars across the street. It's ginormous. It's also über bright, whimsical, and full of movement: the 9' wide yellow flower spins, the blue bells open and close, and the watering can really does water the piece then recycles it to water real plants in the nearby planter. The 27 foot tall installation is called The Urban Garden and was dedicated last year. It weighs 9,950 lbs. Remarkable, right? But what's most remarkable about this work is Ginny Ruffner, the artist who designed it. Ms. Ruffner, horribly injured in a car accident, came back from traumatic brain injury against very steep odds. She's primarily known for her fine lampwork glass art. To see the trailer for a film about her, A Not So Still Life, which premiered at SIFF last year, click here.

Monday, November 26, 2012

New Evergreens Design About 1/2 Done

The Space Needle held a contest to design a new painted top. The winning design by Nicole Commins is called Trees and consists of a green background with a forest of evergreen tree shapes in varying green shades circling the top (click here to see the design). Unless you have an airplane, it's hard to get a vantage point to see much of it yet. You can see some of it is taking shape on the southwest side here. The north side was still orange yesterday when I took this. That's the side viewable from Kerry Park Overlook and will afford more height and the ability to see the pattern fairly distinctly once that side is finished. Maybe next week we will be able to peek at it if the painters get enough sun breaks. You can also see the lighted Christmas tree shape is again crowning it all. Lots of trees at the top now!

Sunday, November 25, 2012

TJ's New Pitchman for Fremont Brewing

A giant sculpture of Vladimir Lenin that once stood outside a hospital in Czechoslovakia before the Velvet Revolution now occupies a prominent corner in the heart of the Fremont neighborhood's commercial district. How the statue came to be installed there is a long and controversial saga you can read here. Since it's installation, it has apparently become somewhat of a giant piece of kitsch on the level of a plastic flamingo in one's yard, especially during the holidays when it is regularly bedecked with red lights and crowned with a star. One year someone even knit it a giant red mitten. Like other large sculptures in that neighborhood (the Fremont Troll or Waiting for the Interurban) the Lenin statue is seen by many as a piece of novelty art to be interacted with. It being such a landmark, I was not surprised to to see that the display artist for a local Trader Joe's had painted a rather good likeness of the statue to advertise TJ's special on these micro brews made in Fremont. Fremont Brewing doesn't use the image. It's logo is a Blue Heron.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Postal Carrier in Autumn

It's that time of year when people tend to send more personal mail and to order things for delivery. This postman was walking at a fast clip to get about his route through the Ravenna neighborhood. It is not sunny here anymore as the rain has set in, but we do get sun breaks for a few days this week, but cold temperatures, so it's probably goodbye to shorts and sun glasses, hello to cold weather gear.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Pumpkin Pie @ the Turkey Trot

Seattle Times photographer Erika Schultz was interviewing a participant on the hoof as they both walked briskly along in yesterday morning's 6th annual Seattle Turkey Trot. They were passing Sunset Hill Park. You can see my Flickr set of 183 photos of the event here (maybe you'll see yourself). Hope those celebrating had a very fun Thanksgiving, too!

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Seattle Turkey Trot Thanksgiving Morning

2012 Turkey Trot Participants - Please look for yourself in this set :-) by Seattle Daily Photo

This 6th annual 5K fun run from Sunset Hill to Golden Gardens truly was lots of fun. People showed up en masse in full regalia and raised lots of support for the Ballard Food Bank. I heard there were over 1400 registered runners. It was well organized and smiles were everywhere. I enjoyed walking the route with plenty of stops to take photos. You can see my Flickr set of 183 photos of the event here (maybe you'll see yourself).

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Driven to Abstraction Wednesday #3

Swirls and rounds of an upturned view at Seattle Center create today's abstract. You are looking at a little of Frank O. Gehry's 1999 flowing Experience Music Project design captured with a snippet of Seattle's towering 1962 Space Age icon and a patch of heavenly blue. Number three in this weekly Wednesday series, Driven to Abstraction.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Preparations On Candy Cane Lane

Seems like every year in December my family and I end up taking a photo of ourselves in front of this house on Candy Cane Lane. Of course this famous street in the Ravenna neighborhood of Seattle goes by another name the rest of the year, sort of like Clark Kent :-). But this quiet lane in the shape of a loop with it's round village green (a bit of it is in the right foreground) makes a perfect drive through street for the grand Christmas and Hanukkah display the neighbors have created together each year since the 1940s. It's a very popular tradition that Seattlites have enjoyed for multiple generations. I understand real estate contracts for houses selling on this street might contain a clause about participation, so if you move in you are aware that from Saturday, December 8, 2012 - Tuesday, January 1, 2013, your street will be crowded with traffic and pedestrians enjoying the festive lighted displays. Walking through on a November day though, aside from the street's unique layout, it looks a lot like any other street in the neighborhood. And the nice folks who keep the tradition go about their normal tasks, like getting the leaves cleared up. To see this exact scene lighted at night as it might look in a couple of weeks, click here.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Keep Moving

A runner makes his way through the Maple Leaf neighborhood amidst the autumn leaves. Americans are preparing for Thursday's Thanksgiving holiday feast, and some of us will need to get out there with this guy this week to keep things in balance. There will be a 5k fun run / walk called the Turkey Trot starting at 9:00 Thursday morning. It raises funds for the Ballard Food Bank, thus there is an entry fee of $30 for adults. It's very informal, kids and dogs welcome, and will aid a vital community resource. You can get information to enter here.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Seattle Great Wheel

Since summer the Great Wheel along the waterfront has been offering lofty views of Elliott Bay and the city. Here it is just part of the view itself. Taken with iPhone and Instagram.

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Sunny

Here's a street scene in the Capitol Hill neighborhood . If you look closely you'll see the bright little scooter's name is Sunny 50. I thought it was a fun find on a rainy day.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Skywatch Friday: Autumn Along I-5

Rainy November gray sky scene along the I-5 corridor through Seattle. It's Skywatch Friday and you can find sunnier skies by clicking the link to all this week's photos from around the world.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Red Leaves

Autumn in the city: red leaves are peaking through the back open-weave portico of the Central Library building (and scattering a bit inside).

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Driven to Abstraction Wednesday #2

Last week I started a new Wednesday series, sort of revisiting an idea I once used to do occasionally on Mondays, and that is to offer you a fragment of something or someplace that I came across here in Seattle that I found visually interesting. I may do this each Wednesday for a year like I did a series of iPhone shots awhile back. In these abstracts I'll attempt to compose shots to reveal what caught my eye when I came across it, but the scene may not have any story behind it except the one you bring to it. If this is not your cup of tea and you wish for a more scenic shot from Seattle on Wednesdays, please just click one of the 3 shots below or check hundreds of shots you may have missed in the archives (listed in order by year to the right in the sidebar).

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Long Alley & Cloudbank

An urban and outdoor scene for you today all in one shot. That huge cloud bank in the west was low over Puget Sound at sunset as the lights were coming up and illuminating this alley in the Fremont neighborhood. Tail lights are receding from view down the damp roadway, and a power tower's red light rises into the blue-gray above in the distance.

Monday, November 12, 2012

General & Sharpshooter?

Today is the observance of Veteran's Day here in the USA. Recently I've been doing some historical research about my father, uncle, and father-in-law's World War II army service, tracing their different divisions' and companies' paths through France, Belgium, and Germany. It got me thinking about this gentleman whom I met on a 4th of July a few years ago. I know nothing about him except that he was entering a restaurant here in Seattle as we were leaving and that he is a veteran of WWII. I commented on his uniform. He said I wouldn't see many like it as it was from 1942. I noted that he had one star which I think means his rank was brigadier general, and after uploading the picture I noticed a silver cross within a wreath with six hanging bars, the ones I could read were names of various weapons. I described this to a friend of mine who had served in the army in a more recent conflict and he thought it indicated this World War II army officer had been an expert marksman. I haven't a clue what his other colorful bars and pins represent. If you know, please share with us.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Free Flight

Sometimes people just take flight. Just leave the ground and become airborne right in front of you while others walk around and go about their business. It's always fun for me to come across skateboarders challenging themselves. This guy was jumping a low wall at Seattle Center near the Children's Theater. Below I caught one guy descending into the bowl and another fellow taking his dog for a skate at the little skate park near Fisher Pavilion, also on the Seattle Center campus.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Barberry in Autumn

The temperatures here in Seattle have dropped into the 30s F overnight. Nearly all the red leaves have fallen from our Japanese Maple and are waiting to be raked tomorrow. This Barberry bush on Queen Anne has turned its fall colors on and is offering berries to the birds (although I wonder how well they like them since there seems to be just a nibble here and there). Keep warm out there!

Friday, November 09, 2012

Skywatch Friday: Lake Reflection

Green Lake in Seattle served as a sky mirror near sunset as these kayakers made their way across still waters. We had a little sun break today, and I'm wishing you all beautiful skies throughout this long weekend (Monday observance of Veterans' Day in the USA and Remembrance Day elsewhere). Please visit Skywatch Friday to enjoy sky scenes from around the world.

Thursday, November 08, 2012

Blue Figure on Slope

Another in the "Shoot the Photographer" series. I just can't resist shooting other shooters when I see them. She was armed with a small camera phone or point and shoot, gathering up fall colors through her lens beside the Fremont Bridge.

Wednesday, November 07, 2012

Driven to Abstraction Wednesday

Sometimes space, line, mist, color, rhythm, value, angle must just have their say, using no words at all.

Tuesday, November 06, 2012

Golden Gardens iPhone Shot

A guest shot for you today. My daughter was walking along the shore of Puget Sound near Golden Gardens at sunset when she squatted down to get the foreground of fall leaves and plants into an iPhone shot of Puget Sound, Bainbridge Island, and the cloud-topped Olympics.

Monday, November 05, 2012

Nautica

I came across this little artistic display at the entrance to a group of floating homes along the Lake Union shore. Someone gathered a cleat, propeller, oar, floats, and a swordfish sculpture and mounted them on on a railing that may have once held mailboxes.

Sunday, November 04, 2012

Cyclists, Strollers, Walkers, Rowers

. . .everyone was out catching a sun break. Seattlites don't waste solar energy but gather it up as they get their activities in. I liked the saturated colors of the buildings along the Fremont cut of the ship canal with those golden autumn trees reflecting on the water. There were rowers from Pocock and UW out training. Quite swift they were, too!

Saturday, November 03, 2012

Autumn Reflection

A lot of contemporary construction features expanses of mirrored glass. One wonders if it's sometimes the only way nature can capture busy urban people's attention. That's not necessarily the case in Seattle where nature is always in full command of attention, it's that gorgeous here. Even so it sneaks into our perceptions in all kinds of ways. I liked the way the view has been gridded and segmented and the view captured in many directions at once. You see in the window glass not the people inside the offices, but what the people looking out from the office windows see. Kind of fun.

Friday, November 02, 2012

Steel & Sky

It's Skywatch Friday, a day most folks are very happy to be heading home from work and into their weekend. The George Washington (Aurora) Bridge offers super views to thousands of local commuters from the deck above and spans the northwestern portion of Lake Union where it joins the Lake Washington Ship Canal. It carries Hwy 99 (Aurora Blvd) from Queen Anne Hill to the Fremont neighborhood and serves as one of the main north/south arteries through Seattle. This is the view from the lake's shore looking northeast. Be sure to check out all the beautiful skies at Skywatch.

Thursday, November 01, 2012

Theme Day: Water's Edge

The City Daily Photo Blogs November 1st theme is the Water's Edge (click the link to see participants). This particular water is along the Fremont Cut portion of the Lake Washington Ship Canal. Lots of cute costumed trick or treaters yesterday and now it's All Saints Day. Last year on All Hallows Eve morning I was walking through Père Lachaise cemetery half a world away. It was beautiful in its autumn splendor and colorful mounds of chrysanthemums everywhere in remembrance for All Saints Day. This year I am wandering much nearer my own turf and thinking of an amazingly grace-filled person recently gone. This one is for you Cal. Your leadership and humanitarian assistance to so many refugees to this country who suffered difficult circumstances will ripple on for generations, as will your deep love for your dear family and the gentle influence you had upon your friends in the way your lived your life with thoughtful integrity and a heart for serving others.

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Kinda Spooky Barbie Dream Hearse

Yes, you did read that right. Having been the childhood owner of the classic Barbie-sized Austin Healy Sports Car, this hearse with Barbie's name on it got my attention with it's word play on the familiar Barbie Dream House by Mattel Toys. I nabbed this Pike Place Market area shot with my iPhone and the Instagram app. The vintage hearse has been converted by its entrepreneurial owner into a limousine with white and pink interior that can seat seven for party and event rentals. I imagine some Seattlites in costume have it fully booked for some spooky Halloween reveling tonight. . .but there's always next year.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Dramatic Light

The steel of the Aurora Bridge was catching some serious rays as I walked along the ship canal. The light with that dramatic backdrop of cloudy skies painted a lovely autumn scene. Others were out enjoying the sun break and fall colors. Made me want to fix my flat tire and ride my bike! :-). Maybe this weekend. Wishing folks in the east clearing skies and safety.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Woes

An altered stop sign near Seattle Center had this prophetic word to offer. Well, we've sure all got them from time to time. May all our woes be stopped or eased this day. Wishing you a good Monday and start to the week, despite whatever it is you might be up against today. Thinking of those along the US east coast, those facing personal health concerns, those grieving loss of loved ones, those displaced due to war and unrest. I'm looking for some street sign that reads "blessings"! :-)

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Two For the Show

Taxi, taxi! No we're not in NYC. On 1st Avenue in Seattle one doesn't have to wait long to glimpse a cab or two. These days, though, you are as likely to see an orange or green cab, and a Prius at that! These are a bit old school. "Two riders were approaching" :-) so I quickly whipped out my iPhone and nabbed this Instagram shot looking towards the south late on Saturday afternoon. Surprising how little traffic is in view.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Doppelganger

As he approached I thought this might be Seattle's Mayor Mike McGinn, but when he came into closer range here I could see this cyclist just had a beard similar to our cycling city leader. I really like his messenger bag; it looks very comfortable. This was on the bike trail just outside of Google in the Fremont neighborhood.

Friday, October 26, 2012

My Favorite Houseboat

I've shown you this houseboat before. It was three years ago, but in a night shot when it was all lit up from within. This floating home is on the west shore of Lake Union along the Burke Gilman Trail, just under the Aurora Bridge in the Fremont neighborhood.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Graphic Art Underfoot

I've shared lots of photos of Seattle's literal street art, the kind that is underfoot (some examples here). I've always liked this black and white graphic design painted on the sidewalk in the Capital Hill neighborhood. The shine from the rain adds a nice effect.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Seems Familiar

Perhaps this building seems familiar to you, and perhaps for more than one reason. This is the northwest elevation of the building complex called Fisher Plaza which sits between Broad Street and 5th Avenue along Denny Way. It houses several businesses, the largest being the ABC affiliate, KOMO 4 television. If you've visited the Space Needle before, this building would have featured prominently in the view as it is just steps away. You may have also seen the upper exterior of the round portion featured as the helipad of Seattle Grace Hospital in the long running television show Gray's Anatomy. The actual exteriors of the fictional hospital are filmed in Southern California, as is the show, but this building and other Seattle locations do come up now and again. Do you like to find filming locations you recognize from favorite movies and TV shows when you visit other cities?

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Streetlight Scene

The Ballard neighborhood of Seattle is known for many things. Among them, the huge vintage ADD BARDAHL TO YOUR CAR / OIL neon sign which faces the Ballard bridge and the Ship Canal. The sign looms above the Bardahl Manufacturing company's building on 14th Ave NW, where they've been doing business for 73 years. I took this Instagram shot with my iPhone from a few blocks away looking toward the back side of the sign. Last October I featured the front side here. Framed by the light and telephone poles and with that flare of street light warming up the blue twilight sky (and the obligatory kayak mounted on a Thule car rack in the foreground) I thought this shot captured a little bit of everyday Ballard flavor.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Jaguar Reflection on First Hill

I was walking near Town Hall on First Hill when this black curvaceous beauty caught my eye. It also caught the reflection of its surroundings on that shiny boot!

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Casting A Long Shadow Across Post Alley

Hello from Seattle Daily Photo after a bit of a hiatus. Today I had the pleasure of meeting up with Bob & Carolyn Crowe of Saint Louis Daily Photo. They were in town for a professional conference and some R&R. We took in the Elles traveling exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum, currently on loan from le Centre Pompidou in Paris. Very fun to see them both. I'm a big fan of SLDP. I had missed meeting Bob by just a few feet the last time he was in Seattle. We had both been at the Kerry Park overlook at the same time, but didn't know each other. It was after we both posted shots taken from the same place at the same time that we realized we were probably standing just a few feet apart. So, seeing them both today was a real treat. No photography was allowed in the gallery we were in, so no shots of them or the wonderful art we saw together. I took this late afternoon shot with my iPhone from a Union Street overlook into Post Alley just a half block from the museum. And, yes, you've seen many shots of or from Post Alley here before on SDP, and can click here to see 20 of them. :-)

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