Snoqualmie Falls - Nov 2008

Snoqualmie Falls HDR, originally uploaded by Ahren D.

Fall foliage this year has been in full force. Many people I know have mentioned how colorful the season has been. Because the reds, yellows, and oranges have been hanging around longer, photographers have been able to capture the season more.

Ahren D took this on November 2, 2008. HDR combines multiple shots - with each taken at a different exposure level - into one shot that uses the best from each shot. While this technique has been around for decades, digital photography brought it into the mainstream because many DSLRs have the ability to take multiple shots of the same scene with one click.

This remains one of my favorite fall photos, especially with the dark clouds above the water. In my opinion, this photo is a great one to learn from.

The Chinook Motel

Brewbooks snapped this photo in 2006 along State Route 900 in Renton; the road was also known as The Sunset Highway before the Interstates went in. A sign that was common in the 1960s is now a relic of the past. And this one in particular no longer exists. The lot has been cleared and all vestiges of the Chinook Motel are now only a memory.

Very sad.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

Sunset at the Public Market

Day 230/365 - Sunset at the Public Market, originally uploaded by Great Beyond.

This is a classic view that has been repeated thousands of times by thousands of photographers. But when it's done with Kodachrome, the site is even more spectacular due to the film's tendency toward red tint.

Bottom line: Great Beyond's Sunset at the Public Market is a true winner.

Dick's Fries

dick's fries, originally uploaded by Rakka.

This photo was taken in 2005 by Rakka, before Dick's changed the type of oil they use on the fries. The older version - long a cult favorite - were limp, salty, and full of flavor. The new fries are still full of flavor and caked with salt, but they are crisper now. Personally, I like the new ones; I liked the older ones too, but the new ones generate just as much fry happiness in me.

All this photo needs is a Deluxe burger too!

From Above

Photo courtesy of TailspinT

Simple presentation, from above. Float plane on Lake Washington. Miminalism? Subjectively I would say "yes."

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

Last Day of Summer 2010

Only in Western Washington could the last day of summer 2010 look like the first day of January...

Granted, the weather got way better by the end of the day. The morning - through about 11:00am looked much like what you see below.










This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

Shadow As Reality

The first thing that popped into my mind when I saw this photo was something philosophical.

That's right; construction workers standing behind a construction curtain reminded me of philosophy's golden age of Plato, and a story called Allegory of the Cave. In the story, a group of prisoners have been chained their entire lives inside a cave facing a wall. Behind them, life moves back and forth in the form of people on a walkway. Beyond that there is a large fire. The shadows of life are projected onto the wall in front of the prisoners. Because they are unable to see the actual figures making the shadows, the prisoners consider the shadows themselves to be the reality.

Plato went on to say that being released from the chains and having the ability to turn around was similar to being a philosopher.

He felt that reality revealed itself once the brain was stretched. Probably right.

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WSU Study Article
Allegory of the Cave - On Wikipedia




This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

Something In Common - The Ballard Locks

The Hiram Chittenden Locks in Ballard have been operational for nearly 100 years. I have been visiting them since I was seven years old; a couple of times I was able to go through them on boats. Watching the salmon is one of my favorite activities there.

Here are eighteen different photographs of the location, from seventeen different sources. It was a great experience putting these together in the same blog post, because I was able to see this one location from so many different perspectives. I think this collection captures the facility quite well.

All photos here are in Creative Commons.


Premshree Pillai


Circa 1920 - UW Digital Collections


jeffwilcox


Fashion Bigot


Travis S.


aboyandhisbike


djwudi


akseabird


sonofabike


bochalla


Curtis Cronn


Jonathan Caves


Photo Munki


Circa 1917 - IMLS DCC


mr.hodgson


Paul Beard


liquidnight

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About the Hiram Chittenden Locks

All works here are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License.

240 Seconds on Lake Union

Lake Union & Seattle, originally uploaded by Atomic Taco.

What can you do in four minutes?

Many things can be accomplished int he 240 seconds that make up four minutes on your clock. In our house, we can eat breakfast with enough time to catch the school bus. I can walk into a 7-Eleven, get a Slurpee, pay for it, and be back on the road in that amount of time. What does Atomic Taco do?

Takes a stunning picture with a tripod.

This time-lapse photo has an "exposure setting" of 240 seconds. The resulting photo gives of an amazing glow, long reflective colors, and effect on the lake that I've never seen before. Click on the picture to see a larger version.

Heck, why not view it for about 240 seconds? It would be attention well deserved!

Lines, Angles, and Portals

King County Administration Building, originally uploaded by Boy27wonder.

If anything, the design can be considered bold.

Others consider it just plain ugly. Built in 1971, the King County Administration Building is a structure that embraces the ambitious designs of what some call "The Malaise Era." In 2006, County Executive Ron Sims wanted it replaced with a tower (it was shot down because of costs).

I've added it here because, despite the argument over ugliness, the lines are very interesting when the camera is trained on the side. This building has been on my radar now for as long as I can remember; it was only after looking at this picture that I noticed the hex patterns in the diamonds. That is the beauty of photography - bringing out something that you haven't seen before.

And for some, they'd rather not see this building ever again.

Japanese Garden at The Arboretum

, originally uploaded by m33gs.

Can anyone be uptight after looking at this scene? I think not. The colors and the quietness take my blood pressure down a few clicks.

Cheers to M33GS for capturing the serene view for everyone!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/m33gs/

Angle Lake - SeaTac WA

Angle Lake, courtesy of Micheal B

From this picture one might think these folks are fishing far from any civilization.

In fact, Angle Lake is in SeaTac and less than a mile from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The precursor to Sea-Tac's runways was actually called Angle Lake Airfield.

I know what it's like to shoot cloud pictures around here, and getting this shot is not an exact science. If the photographer wants drama in the cloud cover, then sacrifice must be made in the foreground. In short, if one is exposed correctly the other will be either dark or light. Here, Michael B struck the right balance between drama and detail. I love these clouds, puffy and happy. It's nice to see them over the slate-grey skies we are all accustomed to around here.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

Old Farm Building at Sunset

Old Farm Building at Sunset, originally uploaded by vikisuzan.

There aren't enough photos on Flickr from Enumclaw WA in my opinion. Thanks to this one, I think it's time for me to head out there with a camera.

The thing I like about this one is its peaceful. The clouds get my attention; even though the barn is heavily shaded, I know it's there merely from the outline. I close my eyes, and it's like I'm there.

Welcome to King County Creative Commons

Bellevue Sunrise (CC), originally uploaded by KDavidClark.

Welcome! This blog is an extension of the Flickr group King County Creative Commons, which is a place where people can view and use photos taken in King County Washington - the largest county in Washington State!

All photos posted here are in the Creative Commons, which means they can be used for other works - so long as the creator is given credit. There are many times when "All Rights Reserved" for a work is the right thing to do, and I support that. Sometimes I love to share photos that I take and hope that people will share them with others. That's why Creative Commons exists!

Find out more: Creative Commons