2012, Day 20 - Into Narnia

The last of my photos from our fleeting snowfall.  As I walked into the park someone behind me called my name and I turned to see Jeff and Stephanie, friends who live near the park.  I was a little surprised to run into someone I knew given that it was after 10 o'clock in the evening but, as I thought about it, I realized I should have expected it with snow being such a rarity in these parts.

They had their dogs with them and as they walked down the path I released the shutter to get a little context with the scene.  The single lamp post puts me in mind of the scene where Lucy meets Mr. Tumnus in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.  Despite the religious references it is a good read, especially in the winter.

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f2.8, 2.5 sec @ 500 ISO

2012, Day 18 - Snow day

I woke up this morning with proof that my decision to take pictures of the snow last night was the right one.  Overnight the temperature rose steadily and by this morning most of the city was covered in slush.  Sadly our snow didn't last long but fortunately I went out and took this picture last night at Laurelhurst Park.

There were a lot of people in the park, many with their dogs, and because of their furry companions their ghosting movement through the frame looked jerky so I have thus far opted not to use those shots.  I like this one because it conveys the tranquility while retaining some urban elements like lamp posts and picnic benches.  Although I didn't get the week of snow I wanted I am glad we got what we did.

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f2.8, 2 sec @ 200 ISO

2012, Day 17 - Crystaline

It is snowing in Portland!  Even as I type this the snow is coming down and it is sticking to the ground. I love how bright the world is, even at night, when there is snow on the ground.  The dogs love it, Hubert dances around me for blocks attacking the snow.  It was so pretty that I grabbed my camera and went to Laurelhurst Park to take a few pictures.  I am sure that it will still be there in the morning but it will probably melt quickly and I didn't want to miss my opportunity.

Probably my favorite photo from my brief outing is the one below.  I was getting ready to leave and I noticed a Japanese maple lit by a nearby light so I got down low and took a picture of the branches covered in snow.  I like how the reflection off the snow serves to highlight the structure of the tree.

I hope it snows for days and it lasts for weeks!

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
35mm, f4, 5 sec @ 200 ISO

2010, Day 301 - Walking home

This morning I had to take my car in for servicing. It was making a truly terrible noise when I turned the wheel to the right, it was a metal-on-metal nails on the chalkboard kind of sound. Certain that it was no good I dropped it off at the dealership first thing this morning.

Unfortunately for me, the dealership I bought the car at is across town and I thought that, if there was something horrifically wrong, I would have better leverage with them. The problem is that their shuttle generally doesn't go as far as my house so they offer me a ride to the lightrail station. Well, I've only been on the lightrail once and that was downtown so I thought it would be a worthwhile experience. When I got off I had the option of waiting for the next slow bus or walking home. Since it would take the same amount of time I opted to walk even though it was raining.

On my way I cut through Laurelhurst park and the light coming through the trees was just beautiful. The canopy was illuminated and the pale yellow of the leave just came alive so I decided to capture the moment. Try to recall the mellow tones of damp earth and the sweetness of dry leaves, the sound of the breeze making the trees rustle almost like wind chimes and the feel of light drops of rain on your face.

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 24-70/f2.8L

24mm, f4. HDR of 1/320, 1/200, 1/125, 1/80 and 1/50 sec @ 1600 ISO

Canon 1D Mark IV, 24-70/f2.8L

30mm, f2.8, 1/80 sec @ 800 ISO

2010, Day 268 - Laurelhurst evening

I wanted to check out the noise levels at high ISO on this camera for a while and I took it for a spin this evening. The results look pretty good to me.

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 50/f1.4

50mm, f1.4, 1/10 sec @ 1600 ISO

2010, Day 1 - Laurelhurst Park

As part of my ongoing photographic education I am going to try to post a new picture daily. It will force me to try new things and work to explore more of the Pacific Northwest.

Today, it was a rainy afternoon in Laurelhurst Park.

Laurelhurst Park