2014, Day 89 - Zoom

This lovely boy is Nike and his father is Frankie's great uncle.  He is a very sensitive boy and it really helps when he gets a lot of attention prior to racing, especially if it comes from children.  Unfortunately the kids we brought to give him a pep talk were a bit busy playing so I had to do the honors.  We had a little pre-race cuddle and while it seemed to help some it wasn't the same so next time Analena and Amarie better bring their A-game so Nike can win.

It's kind of fun that there are so many dogs in my extended canine family (literally) that I get to see frequently :)

Canon 1D X, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II with Canon EF Extender 1.4x Mark III
280mm, f5.6, 1/1250 sec @ 640 ISO

2014, Day 88 - Munchkin

This little booger is another one of Frankie's nephews.  I get to see these guys every week and now, at six weeks, they look more like the dogs they will become and less like fuzzy potatoes.  They've been remarkably outgoing their whole lives; before their eyes opened they sought out people by following the sound of their voices.  Now that they are confident movers they're into everything but what they like best is people.  There is naked adoration in the looks they give to all their visitors and while I suppose it might make some people jealous that they aren't the favorite I'm endlessly impressed with just how much they love everyone.  I've been around a number of litters and these guys are quite special.

Canon 1D X, Canon 24-70/f2.8L Mark II
70mm, f5.6, 1/250 sec @ 160 ISO

2014, Day 87 - Triangular

More trillium!  Fortunately these guys are a little more hardy when it comes to wet weather so they're enduring the driving rain a lot better than many of the other flowering plants.  These two have been kissed by rain and look as happy as can be!

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 60/f2.4R
60mm, f4, 1/125 sec @ 640 ISO

2014, Day 86 - Bursting blue

Even in the break between showers I run out with camera in hand looking for the newest blossoms.  It's that pent up energy from all the lackluster weather that is making me excitable and because it is coinciding with or caused by the onset of spring it can only be a good thing.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 60/2.4R
60mm, f4, 1/125 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 85 - The pearl

These magnolias are like oysters, when they open inside you'll find a pearl.  Unlike a pearl, their perfection is fleeting, lasting less than a week and often only a few days.  Most of the blooms are gone now, rain and wind has bruised the few that remain and most are withered brown vestiges of their glory days but I remember and next year I will greet them with the same enthusiasm.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 60/f2.4R
60mm, f3.6, 1/480 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 84 - Euphoria

I know that spring is barely here but green is returning to Portland.  There is new green growth sprouting everywhere and it is hard not to be excited.  Soon the mosses will brighten and the trees will leaf out and it will become a lush landscape again.  Every little bit of color is like a blessing and its discovery a cause for celebration.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 60/f2.4R
60mm, f4, 1/125 sec @ 500 ISO

2014, Day 83 - Flashy grapes

I caught these grape hyacinths as the sun cleared top of the house and the lighting was so warm and beautiful.  Normally I would try prevent the flare but with the warmth of the light I really liked the effect.  The isolation this lens creates is beautiful!

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 60/f2.4R
60mm, f4, 1/140 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 82 - Shining star

The thing I love about macro photography is that you don't have to go far to find a worth subject.  This morning I walked to the grocery store and took a number of photographs along the way.  It was still quite early so I was able to use the angle of the sun to capture some great backlit scenes with a little optical flare.  Balanced with that were plenty of shadows so I could get nice even lighting list on this flower.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 60/f2.4R
60mm, f4, 1/125 sec @ 250 ISO

2014, Day 81 - Churning

I went out to Panther Creek today with Nicole and Bonham.  We had no agenda, just a little time outdoors and hopefully a few pictures to go with it.  It is a nice way to approach photography because when you have no expectations you're open to what catches your interest.  Like this view of the water, I love the texture and sense of movement it conveys.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 60/f2.4R
60mm, f22, 1/5 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 80 - Licked by fire

A couple nights ago we were treated to a truly spectacular sunset.  It doesn't count if you don't have proof so here is mine :)

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 56/f1.2R
56mm, f2.8, 1/680 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 79 - Pillow

Siblings make good pillows, that's what Nova told me today...

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 56/f1.2R
56mm, f1.2, 1/125 sec @ 2000 ISO

2014, Day 78 - Shifty

Johan, you're such a handsome guy.  He is always up for a cuddle and with Nicole in town he has already snuggled up with her.  Good thing I'm not the jealous type :)

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 56/f1.2R
56mm, f1.2, 1/125 sec @ 1000 ISO

2014, Day 77 - Nibbled

It is exciting when you see the first trillium of the season.  They're beautiful delicate flowers and are icons of the region so I was thrilled to stumble upon a few wild plants blooming in the woods today.  Even with its petal munched on it is still beautiful.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 60/f2.4R
60mm, f4, 1/125 sec @ 320 ISO

2014, Day 76 - Fitful

Spring was here last week and it is here only in moments this week.  The overnight lows are in the thirties again and the rain we've had is so constant is seems heavier the droplets would lead you to believe.  But the cherry trees are beginning to blossom and the air is sweet with the scent of flowers.  While spring might be off to a fitful start it is definitely here!

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 60/f2.4R
60mm, f4, 1/125 sec @ 500 ISO

2014, Day 75 - Adoration

This is Frankie's four week old nephew Speck.  Last week his eyes opened and be began to explore the world around him and today Speck is gaining confidence as he explores the world around him.  Speck's life thus far must have been wonderful because he, like his siblings, is afraid of nothing, everything sets  his tail wagging and everyone is a new friend.  When we set him on his posing table he just looked with adoration at my friend Karen who was hovering inches away in case he started to move too close to the edge.  It wasn't a problem but you can see he much he loves her already.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 18-55/f2.8-4R OIS
40.7mm, f5.6, 1/180 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 74 - Sprouting

It seems spring is determined to wrest the Pacific Northwest from winter's grip.  There are flowers popping up everywhere and the fruit trees are beginning to bud and shortly they will be in full bloom.  It is hard not to be enchanted by the flora at this time of year and I admit to an almost singular focus on the newly arrived bursts of color.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 60/f2.4R
60mm, f4, 1/125 sec @ 250 ISO

2014, Day 73 - Peeled

I can't help myself, I've been taking pictures of the magnolia every day.  When I look out the window and the light is hitting it just right, I grab my camera.  When the sun comes out from behind the clouds, I grab my camera.  When the clouds come back, I grab my camera.  There is a bit of a theme here but every little change in lighting makes a difference and when you factor in that some flowers are past their prime and others are just fully opening the same view yesterday might look totally different today.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 60/f2.4R
60mm, f2.4, 1/125 sec @ 320 ISO

2014, Day 72 - Honeycomb

Coral is such an interesting structure.  It is essentially a really complicated geometric skeleton for tiny animals.  The geometric nature is that makes it so interesting, it is like the honeycomb of the ocean and it is beautiful in its ridges and voids that are extremely delicate but reinforced with naturally occurring math.

Nikon 1 AW1, Nikkor 11-27.5/f3.5-5.6 AW
27.5mm, f5.6, 1/640 sec @ 800 ISO

2014, Day 71 - Evening traffic

There are still so many gems in my photo library that haven't been processed yet.  This is the evening commute in Phnom Penh.  The streets get crowded and the hordes on motorbikes leave clouds of fumes in the wake but somehow, despite the chaos, there seem to be few accidents.  Traffic actually slows everyone down and there is a certain amount of courtesy in the mayhem that I find appealing.

Canon 1D X, Canon 50/f1.2L
50mm, f1.4, 1/80 sec @ 500 ISO

2014, Day 70 - Toxic grapes

The blooming of the grape hyacinths are another sign of spring but they're a sign you won't find in my yard.  These little suckers are toxic to animals so while they look like perfect porcelain vases I won't have these hazardous plants in my yard.  Nevertheless I am excited for every sign of the onset of spring even if I practically have heat stroke we the temperature exceeds sixty degrees.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 60/f2.4R
60mm, f4, 1/125 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 69 - Return

I am overjoyed, the star magnolias are in bloom.  As you can see we've had some recent rain but the magnolias are holding up so far but the flowers are quite delicate and the petals bruise easily.  The forecast is calling for scattered clouds and breezy, but not windy, days for the next week so I think I will have enough time to enjoy my beautiful tree just as the flowers turn and the weather destroys their fading beauty.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 60/f2.4R
60mm, f2.4, 1/750 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 68 - Snow sprite

You would never know by the way she acts that Hillevi is almost nine years old.  She's loves to play with the youngsters and can still run circles around most of them although her daughters are really putting her athleticism to the test.  I find her markings to be quite striking and they are even more attractive on the stark snowy backdrop.

Canon 1D X, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II with Canon EF Extender 1.4x Mark III
280mm, f4, 1/1250 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 67 - Get your feet wet

I can tell instantly by looking at the picture that the ground was still wet yesterday because Johan's foot is wet.  Still, he doesn't mind wading through puddles, for a greyhound he likes water.  A couple of years ago I had to go out of town for a couple weeks over the summer so I took the greyhounds to a boarding kennel.  Because the weather was so nice the owner put out multiple wading pools and filled each with about a foot of water and Johan practically lived in one the whole time I was away.  When I went to pick him up the owner of the kennel apologized profusely because he was still in a pool and she meant to get him out and dry him off before I arrived.  I didn't care, it was just nice to have my pups back and when we got home he received a bath and all the mud he made and bathed in turned by sparkling white tub into a brown sludgy mess.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 35/f1.4R
35mm, f1.4, 1/125 sec @ 1000 ISO

2014, Day 66 - Napping

I love this picture of Stubbs.  He's almost eleven years old and while he has a bit of a rough time getting around he is a happy guy.  Stubbs is excited to go on his walks even though it hurts his feet, he is thrilled at meal time, and he still cuddles like a champ.  When I brought him home cameras scared him and he would usually run away.  After a few years he would only turn away and now he tolerates my photographic harassment with his typical good nature.  While many things still scare him the camera isn't one of them anymore and for that I'm grateful as I was able to take this picture of him napping contently near the bay window on this beautiful sunny day.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 35/f1.4R
35mm, f2.8, 1/125 sec @ 1000 ISO

2014, Day 65 - Squish

Puppies are just so squishable and I like that this little man is smooshing his sister.  At three weeks old their eyes opened only a few days ago and they are starting to explore the world around them.  Their mom Sky is getting tired to taking care of the kids as she is used to being spoiled but when we were visiting she happily allowed the monsters to nurse as long as she was getting attention.  While petting Sky I reached out to touch one of her little boys and his tail started to wag so I began stroking his face which got him very excited.  He stopped nursing and climbed over mom to visit with me.  When things like that happen it really weakens your resolve.

Fuji X-E2, Fujinon 35/f1.4R
35mm, f1.4, 1/125 sec @ 2500 ISO

2014, Day 64 - Sunburst

When I see flowers I think of spring and sunshine and warmth.  The longer I look the warmer I feel and the warmer I feel the more I relax.  Maybe I should try looking at pictures of flowers immediately before going to bed so I could fall asleep more quickly.  I may give it a try...

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 100/f2.8L IS
100mm, f4, 1/640 sec @ 400 ISO

2014, Day 63 - Choices

It's Nicole's fault that I am missing Thailand right now.  She is posting amazing pictures from her the workshop with The Giving Lens that she is co-leading right now and it is making me nostalgic.  From the people, to the landscapes, to the markets, to the food I am absolutely green with envy because it is a beautiful country.  This was taken in Bangkok's Chinatown after a day in cooking classes.  It was getting late but we were feeling brave so we took our little detour through this famously crowded and traffic-cogged district.  It was amazing, there were so many people and there were so many shopfronts that they even lined what were alleys.  Down the narrow alleys there is almost a roof where the awnings from one side almost touch those coming from the other.  Everyone has their specialty and I suspect you could find anything you want if you know where to look but we just wandered aimlessly and when we got tired we flagged down a tuk-tuk and retreated back to our hotel.

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 24/f1.4L Mark II
24mm, f1.4, 1/500 sec @ 800 ISO

2014, Day 62 - Say uncle

My buddy Sand is front and center and Bali is trying to get him to play.  Sand, who is Frankie's brother, is such a good sport, he will play with anyone and, being one of the biggest boys, shows surprising gentleness.  In fact he often allows puppies to have the upper hand such is his good nature.  This makes him everyone's choice of playmate, Sand is like a favorite uncle even to the dogs who are his senior.  It's hard not to fall in love with him, he is a gentle soul and such a good sport!

Canon 1D X, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II
145mm, f4, 1/1250 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 61 - Pinnacle

I usually don't go this many years into the past but I delved into the archives this evening to revisit Thailand.  With a few friends there now or in the recent past I've been feeling nostalgic so I reprocessed this photo taken at Ayutthaya in black and white to highlight the texture and framing.  Ayutthaya was the former capital and it enjoyed prosperity though the 18th century when a massive army from Burma laid siege and eventually sacked the city.  The ruins remain and are stunningly beautiful in their current state of disrepair and one can only imagine the striking beauty of this city in its prime.

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f5.6, 1/640 sec @ 400 ISO

2014, Day 60 - Hammer it

One of the things I love about markets is how specialized some of the vendors are in their wares.  This woman, for example, has a nice display of pig snouts, ears, partial heads, tongues, and other various bits.  It must be hard work too because you can see a cleaver and a what appears to be a splitting maul sitting beside her chopping block.  I can't imagine having my favorite pig snout lady but I am sure that people do and I suspect I am really missing out.

Canon 1D X, Canon 24-70/f2.8L Mark II
24mm, f4, 1/125 sec @ 1000 ISO