Hitched

And a wonderful wedding it was too. Such an honor to play a small part of something so beautiful.

I snapped these two a month ago here.

Shot with a 7D & 25mm Contax Zeiss manual focus at f2.8, 1/125th, iso 200, with the brother of the bride holding a 580EX & grid aloft on a monopod.

Numma One Daughter

Here's my first born during a speaking engagement as a volunteer for Brigadoon Youth & Service Dogs. She was wonderfully poised, confident, and engaging. Maybe she has a future in public speaking?

Shot with a 7D & 50mm at f2, 1/125th, iso 400.

Graduate Strong

Feeling the need for speed. And thinking about a career as a pilot. Aim high I say...

Shot with a 7D & 24-105 @ 24mm, 1/80th, f5.6, iso 200 with a 580EX in a small soft box at 1/8th.

Just J

Just Julie.

All by her beautiful self.

Shot with a 7D & 50 1.4 at f1.8, 1/320th

J & T make 3 #2

One more of Julie & Tyler...

Shot with a 7D & 24-105 @ 65mm, f13, 1/125th, iso 100, backlit by the sun and filled with a 580EX at full power in a small soft box.

J & T make 3

Excited.

Nervous.

Amazed.

Thrilled.

And, just a little scared.

I think they'll do just fine...

Shot with a 7D & 24-105 @ 32mm, f4, 1/125th, iso 200, 580EX in small soft box.

Ingrid

I got to chase this little Pixie over the hill and through the woods, trying to capture a photo or two.

Trust me on this, wee little fairies are hard to keep up with!

Shot with a 7D & 30mm Sigma at f2, 1/160th, iso 400.

Shuksan Sunrise

An experiment in time-lapse

Shot with a 30D & 12-24 at 12mm, on a home-made motorized rail, from 6:00 to 7:00 am. 250 photos over the hour.

Man with a Plan

Cole has his plan for the future in Ohio.

Just gotta get through high school and he's outta here...

Shot with a 7D & 24-105 at 32mm, f4, 1/320th, iso 100, lit by the bright blue sky overhead on the north side of this old building.

Park Senior

Jaclyn is so looking forward to finishing her senior year.

So, we wander through Whatcom Falls park, with her family trailing along, to make some pictures in some of her favorite places - anywhere near water, including this bridge.

Shot with a 7D & 70-200 at f5.6, 1/125th, iso 400, lit using the filtered sunlight and a single 580EX in a softbox camera right.

Get'in Hitched

Next month, actually.

These two will be starting a life together so we went out to shoot a few engagement photos.

Shot with a 7D & 24-105 at 45mm, 1/80th, f5.6, iso 100, lit from the clouds with a little help from a 580EX on a stand just out of frame on the right.

WA, ID, MT, ND, MN

Road trip!

I am on my way to Minnesota with my folks. Three of us shoehorned into a minivan. Well, shoehorned sounds harsh, it's actually quite comfortable. And, with a load of stuff (like sleeping bags and pillows) in the back to mask the rattles, rather enjoyable too.

So, here're some shots made along the way.





The view of Ross Lake just before crossing Washington
Pass on Highway 20.

Our first stop on the Methow River

in Winthrop, WA. This spot just

behind the motel where we decided

to picnic.

And, in the morning - ballooning!

Not for us, but a treat to watch.

Giddyup!

Kate's drill team, the Skagit Rein Riders, had another performance last night - (if you hurry you can catch 'em at 7:00 tonight too) - at the Skagit County Fair.

Amazing work they do up on those big animals. This is a whole 'nother level above what the Shriners do at the parade...

Shot with a 7D & 70-200 at iso 200, f5.6, 1/250th

Molly & Jeff, Married

I got another chance to work on a wedding with my friend Amy Parsons - this time shooting video instead of stills. Amy was kind enough to share her beautiful black & white photos so I could incorporate them into the video - thanks Amy!

Shot with two 7D cameras using 12-24, 24-105, & 70-200 lenses. Oh, the second 7D was operated by my sweetie during critical moments in the ceremony.

Sucia!

A weekend with the family at Sucia Island.

Ahhhhh...

Shot with a 7D and some lenses.

Anybody bring a Camera?

So I'm at an informal meeting with my photographer buddies when somebody noticed the sunset happening outside the window.

Did any of us have our camera bags? Did any of the camera bags have the full kit?

No.

One of us had a Canon camera.

One of us had a Nikon flash.

News flash: in manual mode a Nikon SB-800 will work just fine on a Canon 30D.

Shot with a 30D & 24-105 at 24mm, f8, 1/80th, iso 200, full power flash, fired with the built-in timer.

Rising Tide

Camano Island on a sunny day with the tide rising.

Just another experiment in time-lapse.

Shot with a 30D & 12-24 at 12mm, f16, 1/60th, iso 100. One frame every 30 seconds over 3 1/2 hours.

Sunriver

Sunriver Oregon.

SUNriver?! What sun?!

We came here for a short get-away (wish we could bring the whole family, but someone has to take care of the animals & house) and when we awoke the first morning we're treated to fresh snowfall. A local gas station attendant said to me: "Man am I sick of this weather. Summer should be here by now."

Maybe the one staying home is the lucky one...

Note to self: next year, pack the skis instead of the bikes & kayaks.

Shot through the sliding glass door with a 7D & 24-105 @24mm, f8 1/250th, iso 400.

Tulips

Skagit Valley in bloom!

We had to go check it out again this year. Something about all that color and even the chance that there might be a surprise in there somewhere - like catching just a glimpse of an escapee leaving the asylum...

Both shot with a 7D & 70-200.

Spring Ready

My First Born on her horse - getting ready for Fair Qualifying.

Now, don't she look good up there?!

Shot with a 7D & 70-200 @ 95mm, f4, 1/50th, iso 800.

Cranberry Lake

Awhile ago we planned a paddle around Cranberry Lake in Anacortes, and today was the day to implement the plan.

A canoe with Grandma & Grandpa, a kayak each for my brother & his sweetie and me & my sweetie.

The good news: It was a great day on the pond.

The bad: My sweetie caught cold and felt better staying home under the covers.

Other news: We'll be going back...

Both shot with a 7D & 24-105, f8, 1/125th, iso 100

Baptised!

My youngest daughter decided that she wanted to be baptised - here she is in the tank with Pastor Dave during the Saturday night service. Whooppeee!

Senior on the Move

This Too Shall Pass

Sunset over bellingham bay. My youngest had some homework to attend to and thought it might be nice to get out of the house to do it. So, down to Woods Coffee in Boulevard Park for a change of study atmosphere. I tagged along with a camera & tripod for a little sunset time-lapse.

Shot with a 40d & 12-24 at 24mm, 3-stop ND filter, f16, 1/20th, iso 200, 198 shots 5 seconds apart.

Charlie Brown Moment

Somebody found Charlie's kite eating tree.

Shot with a 7D & 70-200 at 125mm, f8, 1/125th, iso 200.

Mood Lighting

Just a little distant filtered sunlight to set the mood on the way to work...

Shot with a 40D & 70-200 at 200mm, f8, 1/400th, iso 400

Sunrise over Addis

My last day in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

I just happened to wake as the sky was getting orange. As I headed for the west window to have a look, my roomie startled me with: "Sunrise, huh?". Yep, it is and I think I'm gonna try to capture some of it.

I just wish I'd thought to shoot more frames with less time between each one. Another learning experience...

100+ frames shot with a 40D and 12-24mm lens at 21mm, with a 3-stop ND filter, f8, 1/100th, iso 200, 20 seconds apart (I'm thinking that maybe 4~5 seconds apart would have been better)

Backyard Time-lapse

Just practicing for the day I stumble on a really cool scene that plays well in time-lapse mode.

Cause ya just never know...

All 158 images shot 24 seconds apart with a 40D & 12-24 at 12mm, f4, 10 seconds each, iso 1600. Assembled in iMovie to play back with 0.1 seconds duration each.

Rain Fender

Sometimes, the weather is just too much for that hairdo that you spent all your time on.

In this part of the world you'd best have something to keep the wet off if that's the case...

Shot with a 7D & 70-200 at 200mm, f4, 1/250th, iso 400.

There be Treasure Here

Eureka! I found it!

And Indiana Jones said X never marks the spot...

Shot with a 7D & 12-24 at 12mm, f4, 1/320th, iso 400.

Tumbler

As in: don't.

When exploring with a camera, it's easy to forget that not watching where you are going is a recipe for a bruising. I came upon this stairway while looking off to the side of the trail. Some small tickle in the back of my neck prompted me to look where I was going.

I'll be listening to those tickles a little more carefully for a while...

Shot with a 7D & 12-24 at 12mm, f5.6, 1/100th, iso 400.

Monochrome Day

A very gray day out there today, with just a smidgeon of liquid sunshine to lubricate the pathways. Not a breath of wind other than that generated by the bikes wizzing past, or the loud cell phone operators sharing their views on the world with the world.

Shot with a 7D & 24-105, 24mm, f4, 1/160th.

Stand Off

High drama staring across the great expanse of open floor at the entryway to our house is a common occurrence. These two live an uneasy dance of one party's careful avoidance and the other's great desire to meet. Basing our assumptions on what the dog does to stuffed animals we've decided to act according to the wishes of the cat.

Still, it's fun to watch every muscle under that black coat quiver in anticipation...

Shot with a 30D & 70-200 at 200mm, f8, 1/20th, iso 400, lit with a little fill bounced off the ceiling.

High Water Path

If the water rises, just walk on the line of picnic tables.

Isn't that what they're for? And the water does rise here every now and then...

Shot with a 40D & 12-24 at 12mm, f11, 1/100th, iso 200, in the January sunshine.

Preplanning? Forgetfulness?

Which is it?

Did somebody think about coming back to lock the bike/kayak/dog leash to this very spot at some point? Did they measure out the length of fencing and decide this was the spot?

Or, where they lost in thought about the book they'd just purchased from Village Books and snap the lock shut on their way home? Like me when I put the milk on the shelf and the cereal box in the fridge after my midnight snack?

Shot with a 7D & 24-105 at 90mm, f4, 1/160th, iso 200, in the shade

Unique Technique

Dirty Dan Harris is such a patient guy. Anyone can take his photo and he doesn't bat an eye.

Shot with a 7D & 24-105 at 58mm, f4, 1/100th, iso 200, in the shade.

High Contrast

While heading for the boardwalk this afternoon we spotted this young couple getting their mugs & duds captured for the wedding album.

I hope that camera operator can handle the huge contrast being dished out by the direct sunlight...

Shot with a 7D & 24-105 at the long end, f8, 1/400th, iso 200

Another Day, Another Outing

Out early this morning, for a trip to collect coffee (we were out - that's not a good thing) and I took the scenic route past the lake. Something about the piling echoing the distant tree line has been hooking me for a while and I have yet to quite capture what it means.

Shot with a 7D & 24-105 at 100mm, f8, 1/2000th, iso 200

Out of the Sun

Out paddling tonight with friends we've know for a long time but never shared a boating activity with.

Here Chris is coming ashore after a quick tryout in my plastic boat...

Shot with a Rebel XT & 17-50 2.8 at f8, 1/1000th, iso 400.

Millie

My family has been naming inanimate objects for a long time now. Not everything gets a name however. Only certain things. And, they're not letting me in on the secret formula for what gets a name and what doesn't.

At any rate, today's named inanimate is "Millie" the machine. So named because sometimes she's a milling machine. Other times she's a lathe, but that part doesn't figure into the name.

Here, she's the unnamed alter ego...

Shot with a 30D & 85mm 1.8 at f2, 1/80th, iso 400. This is the 30D I sold that the buyer said didn't work and returned . It works fine for me with every lens I've tried so far. Perhaps I'll name it "Boomerang".

Private

We went out on a walk through the park with extended family the other day. Here're some found photos on the day.


The first one seemed a bit of a non-sequitur - the welcoming of Christmas lights and a sign saying "Stay Out!".


This next one a sapling catching the falling bits of the parent tree. "Don't worry mom, I got it!"

Both shot with a 7D and a 24-105.

The Future

So uh, "Hi!" to my two faithful followers. I'm glad you're out there still.

It was a neat project to shoot a photo each day in 2009 and I'm glad I did it. I did miss a few days - the total doesn't quite add up to 365 sorry about that.

Now that 2009 has come to a close, I have to figure out what to do in 2010.

My lean is to work harder on Quality and let the Quantity fall where it may. With that in mind, I'll have to change some things so it's clear this is not another 365 challenge.

In any case, I don't intend to stop making pictures, just reduce the daily demand to a dull roar.

Happy New Year!

-Eric