Table, Chair, and Two Glasses
Looking for contrasts, I stumbled upon this color contrast of a yellow chair and a blue table. The transparent fragile glasses also added a little context contrast to the sturdy chair and table. I added a tittle Topaz Impression to give the simple image a little more interest.
Old Northern Pacific Train Station – Yakima, WA
The bright red-orange roof against the blue sky caught my eye as I was walking down Front Street. The color and shape of the building. looking through a street tree caught my interest. But ofd memories kept my attention.
When I was just a little boy, I remember my grandfather taking me down to the train station to see Uncle Ben off and to pick him up from his annual winter trip back to Pittsburgh. I became fascinated with the idea of riding a train across the country. When I was five, I had my opportunity for such a grand trip. My grandfather took me back to Pittsburgh to see the “Aunts”! I remember anxiously sitting in the “grand train station” waiting for the train to stop and pick us up. It seemed like an eternity, the ceiling was so high, and the room so large. I could not sit still. It seems like just yesterday.
My last trip through the station was in the late 70’s. My wife and I decided to take the train from Seattle to Yakima instead of driving. It was a wonderful trip over the Pass and through the Canyon. My father and a brother picked us up at the station. It was still such a great place.
So many wonderful memories. I am thankful that the old station has been put back in productive use.
Sunlit Entryway – Yakima, WA
I have been working to develop my process for contemplative photography. My assignment today was to take a walk with a fresh open mind not looking for any specific thing to photograph. The practice objective was to just wander and let the world around me catch my eye. If something caught my eye, I needed to keep my mind open, take my time, and explore specifically what was it that captured my eye, what was important, and what was not. Only then I could raise my camera and frame the image.
Walking along Front Street, I saw a bright orange flash that stopped me dead in my tracks. It was in stark contrast with the surrounding area of old stucco and bricks. Shadows from a metal gate added to the contrast. Soft mottled shadows from a street tree graced its surface. The vertical bars of the gate framed the brilliant orange. What a wonderful gift I was given.
Bygone Days – Grass Valley, Oregon
I was in no hurry the last time I drove back home from Bend, OR. I pulled off Hwy 97 and drove through the back streets of Grass Valley. I found a jewel. Along side one of the streets were a line up of old trucks and a line up of old tractors. They were perfect for a vintage black and white photo.
I need to make a several day trip just to explore the area. There are so many treasures of a bygone era. Add to the “Bucket List”!
Fuji X-T1, XF 18-135mm @ 44mm, f/5.6, 1/680 sec, ISO 1600
I appreciate this signage much better than bright neon lights. This sign has caught my eyes over the years. This day I took the time to capture a composition along with the traditional holiday wreath. The day was comfortable but dreary. I processed this image in Black and White, then decreased the opacity to about 50% to depict the dreary feeling.
Fuji X-T1, XF18-55mm @ 53mm, f/8.0, 1/60 sec, IS0 800
Today was a beautiful late Spring day. The temperature was 75 degrees. People were out in droves in downtown Philly. The lawns of Rittenhouse Square were covered with people laying in the shade enjoying the beautiful day.
I used NIK Color Efex Pro’s Classic Soft Focus and Glamor Glow filters to create a slight soft dreamy look for the Lazy Day.
Canon 7D, Tamron 18-270mm @ 65mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec, ISO 800
This year we will miss joining our friends on our almost annual spring trip to New York City. Our thoughts will we be with them as they make the trip without us. I am very thankful for the many trips that we have made together and look forward to many more in the future.
This image was taken on our trip last spring. I recall walking down the street, looking up and seeing interesting reflections. I lingered back and worked this image until I got the reflections to line up with the windows. It took a bit of time and my wife and friends were several blocks ahead egging me on to catch-up. The delay was worth it.
Standing in line in New York City’s Times Square waiting to purchase theater tickets, I looked up and saw this HUGE eye looking down on me. What an eerie feeling!!! Look close and you can see the billboard’s display segments.
I always find something interesting when I walk down the streets of NYC! I constantly looking up, down, side to side, and back and forward.