2012 in review
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 13,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this blog would power 3 Film Festivals
The Best of 2012
ADMITTEDLY, I HAVEN’T REALLY DONE A WHOLE LOT of photography in 2012. In retrospect, what I did manage to shoot, I was very happy with. In no particular order, here are my ten favorite images from 2012. I hope you enjoy them.
I shot this image on January 12, 2012 at 6:08 PM. This is an image that I shot prior to discovering how great it is to shoot in RAW. I wish I had this one to do again! Well, possibly in January. (Weather permitting)
Winter Sunset ~ Shot at f/11, 100 ISO for 20 seconds
Post in PSE7
This image is from January 12, 2012 taken about about 3:50 in the afternoon. This was prior to my purchase of an ND filter so what you don’t see in this image is exactly how dark of an area this really was. At the time, that was what I needed to make this effect work.
Around the Bend ~ Shot at f/22, ISO 100 for 6 seconds.
Post in PSE7
The next two images were both shot in the wee hours of the morning during a massive snow storm on February 25, 2012. Lone Tree, I am certain, is not just the best of the year but one of my best image to date. It has certainly been quite popular.
Lone Tree ~ Shot at f/4.5, ISO 1600 for 1/4 second.
Post in PSE10
Spot Lit Snow ~ Shot in f/4.5, ISO 1600 for 1/8 second.
Post is PSE10
On March 27, 2012, I did a photo shoot at the Laughing Dog Brewery in Ponderay, Idaho. During this shoot, I captured an image of a table and absolutely fell in love with the light that was falling on it. I decided to be creative with this image and converted it to black and white and then added a High Key effect to it. The results have been a source of much debate but in the end, I really like the image that I ended up with when it was all said and done.
The next two images were both shot on April 11, 2012. As you might be able to tell, this was after I had discovered that shooting in RAW format increased the overall quality of the image….immensely!
Barely Hanging On ~ Shot at f/3.5, ISO 100 for 1/60 second
Post is PSE10
Sideview ~ Shot at f/22, ISO 100 for 10 seconds.
Post in PSE10
I would have never thought it possible, but one of my favorite images this year, was shot with my iPhone 4S. This image is from the old courthouse at Fort Steele just outside of Cranbrook, British Columbia.
Like Something Out Of A Dream ~ Shot with my iPhone 4S.
Post is PSE10
Finally, the last two images were shot from the rooftop of the Rivertide Suites Hotel in Seaside, Oregon on September 17, 2012. I was there having a great time and the sunset and subsequent blue hour that night were magical.
A Bluish Gold
Seaside, Oregon ~ Shot at f/11, ISO 100 for 15 seconds
Post in PSE10
This next year, I am going to be making a concentrated effort in the areas of moving water and blue hour imagery. I am looking forward to learning all I can in those areas and will be sharing the journey with you here.
See you in 2013.
Winter Brings Thoughts Of Summer
As winter sets in, I am reminded of a little trip I took to the coast about two months ago. What a great time. I am more convinced every day that my retirement plans involve moving to the coast.
As the year comes to a close, I will be posting here less and less over the next month while I get ready for Christmas, continue to work and get all of my 2012 files “filed” in the archives. Expect a post with the best of 2012 and another with the year in review.
For now, enjoy another look across the Necanicum River at blue hour taken from the roof of the Rivertide Suites Hotel in Seaside, Oregon.
Getting Ready To Hibernate
NOW THAT THE SNOW IS FLYING here in the Pacific Northwest, I have a little bit of time to concentrate on getting some images posted that I have shot throughout the last couple of months; especially as I am not a huge friend of Jack Frost nor the dandruff he leaves in his wake. In 2013, I am going to be concentrating most of my shooting to water (in whatever form that takes), blue hour and night time photography. I’m sure I’ll dabble a little bit here and there but I want to concentrate on at least one or two areas and explore all of possibilities. Who knows, I may even come up with something new??
Here’s a nice waterfall that I captured just for some practice.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Geometry
I WOULD HAVE NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS figured that I would find a venue for this one!
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Fly On The Wall
YESTERDAY I POSTED AN IMAGE OF A CELL DOOR on the bottom floor of the old courthouse at Fort Steele. It was dark image full of reminders of what a dark and dreary place this old cell might have been during the hay-days of the old west. I even mentioned the ghosts of all who had passed through those halls. Today, I wanted to put a little more light on the courthouse so here is an image of the upstairs courtroom where countless decisions were made with respect to who went downstairs. I still wanted to maintain that dreamlike feeling as if I was a fly on the wall; viewing the beginning of some trial from the past.
I hope you like it.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Foreign
HERE’S A LITTLE ABSTRACT EXPERIMENT from a recent assignment call “Two Seconds of your Time”.
Can you guess what it is??
The Loneliest Door
THIS IS AN IMAGE OF AN OPEN CELL DOOR located on the bottom (read as basement) floor of the old courthouse at Fort Steele, British Columbia.. I took a little motorcycle trip there in the latter part of September and it was a lot of fun. If you ever have the opportunity to visit the Heritage Town there, do yourself a favor and go. It is a rustic and historic army post at the base of the Kootenays and it is just beautiful. Look for a post in the near future that features this majestic mountain range along with Fort Steele.
What’s beyond it?
Only the ghosts of those who have passed through these halls can tell you.
Today It Snowed
WINTER HAS FINALLY SHOWN ITSELF here in the Pacific Northwest. Today, for the first time of the season; snow fell here in the valleys and now the surrounding peaks of Schweitzer Mountain and the beautiful Cabinet Mountains are wearing their winter white caps. I don’t think that I am quite prepared for another winter but I suppose I’ll take it as it comes. Today though, as I was at work and running the car defroster on high, I remembered that just about a month ago, I was here……
and all I could think of was how cool it would be to be there now.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Silhouette
HOW COOL IS THIS!?! I have been sitting on this image for about six months waiting for the appropriate venue in which to post it! I suppose the timing is now just right for it to come out. I hope you enjoy.
From Out Of A Dream
THIS IMAGE WAS TAKEN AFTER CLIMBING DOWN A CLIFF at Ecola State Park in Cannon Beach, Oregon during my trip to the Oregon Coast last month. The original turned out to be a keeper for sure but I just couldn’t let sleeping dogs lie. I tried a few different ideas to tweak the image some and then I remembered this effect that I had used before. Now the image reflects my last visit to the coast; just like the perfect dream that you don’t want to wake up from.
I hope you enjoy it.
Finally
I AM FINALLY MAKING THE TIME to process the several hundred images I shot while on a three day trip to Seaside, Oregon last month. I would like to share one with you that I was hoping would turn out above all others. This was a 15 second exposure from the roof of the Rivertide Suites Hotel. During this exposure, there was a lot of traffic back and forth but what grabbed my attention was a police car following another car. The nice officer was kind enough to come to a stop at the intersection just long enough to create a ghost.
I wasn’t disappointed.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Big
JUST FOR A CHANGE OF PACE THIS WEEK, instead of taking the challenge seriously and looking for some examples of “BIG”, I decided to go light-hearted and create an image that says big. This was created using four separate images. As you might have guessed, it was fun!
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Mine
HERE’S AN IMAGE THAT I TOOK OF A FRIEND at the Bonner County Rodeo toward the end of the night when things had slowed down. I eventually plan on Photoshopping this image onto an image of the arena so it looks like he’s in there dukin’ it out with the steer but when I saw this challenge subject come up, I immediately thought of this one!
Take a look here for a slide show of my favorite shots from this year’s rodeo.
Here’s a list of related links from the “Mine” Challenge
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Happy
I’VE NEVER SEEN A PERSON HAPPIER than this one anytime he has his fly rod in hand. Of course, what’s not to be happy about??
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Solitary
HERE’S A BIT OF MY RECENT TRIP to Seaside, Oregon that I captured. This image is on the trail to the overview of Sunset Beach and if the image itself doesn’t say solitary, just imagine that as far as the eye could see, I was the only person around. A nice cool salt air breeze was blowing in and between the wind in the grass and the waves crashing in the background, no other sounds could be heard. It was absolute perfection!
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Hard At It
WELL, THE MARINE LAYER DECIDED that it wanted to pop in early and make itself present so it looks like sunset shooting is not going to happen tonight. Here is another offering from last night’s visit to the beach; a couple of photographers shooting the sunset. I was able to sneak in behind them and got some nice silhouettes and very nice long shadows. Hopefully, that will tide me over until the next time; which may not be until next year.
Turn Around
I AM TAKING A LITTLE HIATUS THIS WEEK. You might say it’s my last hoorah for the summer. I am having a wonderful time on the Oregon Coast just bumming around and doing whatever seems to be a good idea at the time. Of course, I can’t come to the coast and not try and get several thousand shots of the sunset and although last night’s sunset was absolutely gorgeous, the little voice in my head kept telling me to turn around. Well I listened to that little voice and it paid off for me. I guess sunsets can be new and interesting after all.
Remember to turn around!!
Weekly Photo Challenge: Everyday Life
HERE’S A SIDE OF THE ALE CREATION PROCESS that most folks never get a chance to see.
Image taken at Laughing Dog Brewing in Ponderay, Idaho
Ready For Breakfast
THIS SHOT IS FROM A RECENT MOTORCYCLE TRIP TO Fort Steele, British Columbia. I think the post-modern tea kettle might be a little out of place here but it certainly didn’t detract from the image or the feel of being there. As I sit here and imagine fresh cut bacon frying in one pan and eggs scrambling in the other, I am reminded of something; I’m getting hungry!
Weekly Photo Challenge: Merge
IN MY FINAL ATTEMPT AT CATCHING UP with the photo challenges, I offer this image taken of the Firehole River in Yellowstone National Park. Where cold meets hot every day.
My 2012 Rodeo Favorites
HERE’S A QUICK LITTLE SLIDE SHOW showcasing my favorite images from the 2012 Bonner County Rodeo. Hope you enjoy them!
Weekly Photo Challenge: Wrong
TODAY’S RANT INVOLVES A TRIP THROUGH THE WALMART PARKING LOT. I have found that there can be a shopping cart return receptacles (I don’t know what else to call it) within six or seven parking spaces of someone’s vehicle and they will leave their cart right where it is. I actually got to witness a guy shove his empty cart so that it free rolled across the parking row into a grassy area; this while he was only parked four spaces away (yeah…four) from a cart return. I’m no genius and certainly not a physicist but simple logic would suggest that it would have taken less effort for him to just push it to the return. It certainly would have made it easier on the person who has to walk around the entire parking lot picking up after lazy people; not that he probably thought about nor even concerned himself with that little factoid.
Just sayin’…
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