2014, Day 361 - Beached

The day's work is done and all the fishing boats line the mouth of the river at rest until sunrise when the banks will be empty and the men back at work.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 10-24/f4R OIS
10mm, f8, 10 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 358 - Crowded shadow

Part of what I love about this photo is what it doesn't show.  There were lots of people on this beach.  Behind me there were four teams of men play volleyball and I used neutral density filters for a long exposure so that all the people who kept walking through my frame wouldn't show up.  So it looks like a boat on an abandoned stretch of beach when in fact I was surrounded by people.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 10-24/f4R OIS
10mm, f8, 25 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 339 - Closing time

I love a good sunset and sunrises are just as big a treat.  There is the moment of stillness, of beautiful perfection, that you get when the sun reaches a certain point on the horizon.  It always feels special because each one is unique.  I never tire of the sight and I hope I never will.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 10-24/f4R OIS
18.2mm, f4, 1/25 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 328 - Parting

It is a traveling day today so this is a scheduled post as I will be somewhere over the Pacific when you see this.  What I love about travel is the unexpected.  Most of the time the surprises are delightful, exciting, or heart-warming but on occasion they can be disappointing or unsettling.  In the end it all balances out and you learn something either about yourself of the place and culture that you're visiting and you're a better person for it.  It has been a great trip with some retracing of old steps and much that was new and exciting.  I'm grateful to have had such wonderful companions to share my adventures and as this one comes to a close I am ready to start thinking about the next.

I hope that wanderlust finds you all and that your journeys are as fun and fulfilling as my own.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 10-24/f4R OIS
10mm, f8, 25 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 322 - Whorl

Tonight, in the wee hours of the morning, we are leaving Sri Lanka.  On our last day we had a few things planned but mostly we are preoccupied as to how we are going to spend the evening while waiting for our flight.

We got an early start and after a light breakfast at the hotel we loaded up our bags and left Bentota.  Our first stop was at Brief, the home of Bevis Bawa who was the brother of Sri Lanka's famous architect Geoffrey Bawa.  It is located in the countryside past rice paddies and into the jungle.  As you drive down a narrow lane it opens up into a circular driveway.  From that driveway there are two doors, one leads into the house and the other into the grounds.

Bevis Bawa worked on his home for years and the beautiful garden is a testament to his dedication.  There are paths to secluded sitting areas under large fragrant trees.  Along a sloping stretch of lawn there are a series of ponds leading up to the house which sits at the top of the hill.  Songbirds flit in and out of trees and everywhere there is lush sweet-smelling vegetation.  Scattered throughout the property are sculptures and statuary in hidden natural and man-made niches.

The house is interesting because although it was built in the 1920s and contains much of the original furnishings it has a distinctly mid-century modern feel.  Here Bevis Bawa entertained heads of state, kings, queens, and all manner of celebrities.  He was a bit of a rockstar and yet the house is relatively modest in size but with large outdoor living and entertaining spaces.  It is a beautiful marriage of style and location.

When we finished at Brief we resumed out journey north and soon found ourselves back in Colombo.  Here we stopped at the bank so we could pay our driver for all his help, had a quick lunch, and picked up an additional bag to relieve pressure from the straining zippers of our luggage.  After that we asked Nanda to drop us off at a hotel we booked for the night near the airport.

It isn't as though we need a place to sleep, it is more that we wanted a place to relax, maybe take a shower before the flight, and catch up on a little down time.  For less than twenty dollars it is money well spent.  So here we wait until almost midnight before we jump a cab to the airport.

Tomorrow, a sleepy day in Bangkok!

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 10-24/f4R OIS
10mm, f16, 1.1 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 320 - Anticipation

I was dreading today but it turn out better than I had anticipated, for the most part.  We got up early to pack away all of our stuff as it had exploded all over our rooms, had a quick breakfast, and leapt into the car to head back to Colombo.

It took about eight hours to get from Colombo to Kandy and this time there was a timeline to stick to as Araceli and Melissa were hopping a plane to the Maldives.  With that being the case they needed to be at the airport to check in early so we couldn't afford another eight hour day in the car.  Nanda took the back road which was a bit longer in terms of distance but so much shorter in terms of time.

Along the way we stopped to see how palm trees are planed and turned into timbers ready for home construction.  Having built his own home Nanda explained that the darker wood is denser and therefore stronger so it is used for heavy loads.  It was quite interesting and the men waved us over to take a closer look.  After we made additional stops at workshops making architectural items out of concrete and again to see how bricks are made and fired.  All these stops make what could have been a tedious morning much more interesting.

We made it to the airport ten minutes before they wanted to be there so kudos to Nanda and his kamikaze Sri Lankan driving skills!

And back into the car driving for what we thought was Galle.  Turns out Nanda put us in a hotel in Bentota which is about forty-five minutes from Galle.  It is a beach town, a little bit sleepy, but that's the allure.  We had lunch in town, did a little shopping and then checked in to our hotel.

This is where is gets a bit disappointing.  The room is big but it is poorly lit with small windows, stained linens (although they appear to be clean), and an A/C unit with a remote that doesn't display the setting so you're pretty much just guessing.  Even the staff was underwhelming, not especially interested and asking a question is usually met my a blank stare and passing you off to someone else even though the person to whom you posed the question answered previous queries.  Weird.

But the room is fine for a couple nights and we caught up on life in the real world before asking Nanda to take us to the beach for sunset.  The sky was cloudy and a storm was coming in which meant we got a nice sunset.  We walked up and down the beach, Francene made friends with a fisherman whose boat is pictured below.  He has a big red smile, his teeth stained red from chewing betel nuts; he explained that they will go out despite the storm and their hope is to catch about five kilos of lobster before returning in the morning.

Sandy and sweaty we decided it was time to find some dinner.  We asked Nanda to take us to a local place, somewhere tourists probably wouldn't go.  He found us a little restaurant with good cheap food and we ate until we were stuff and the whole thing cost less than it would to feed one person at an establishment aimed at tourists.

Tomorrow we head to Galle to meet up with from of Francene's friends who are, coincidentally, in Sri Lanka too.  More on our adventures tomorrow!

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 10-24/f4R OIS
10mm, f8, 26 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 294 - Friendship

It is almost time for more adventures.  In less than two weeks I'm off to Thailand and from there on to Sri Lanka.  This year has been great professionally but not as wonderful photographically.  I've been so busy as have most of my favorite photo buddies that none of us has really had a lot of time to get out and shoot.  Fortunately that's all about to change and I can't wait!

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 10-24/f4R OIS
10mm, f11, 1.7 sec @ 400 ISO

2014, Day 232 - Oxidized

Water washes in and out moving sand and salt over the wreck of the Peter Iredale.  It is eaten in microscopic bites and with time the hull has been reduced to a skeleton and stands monument to the shipping history of Oregon.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 10-24/f4R OIS
10mm, f5.6, merged layers of 2, 4, and 8 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 172 - Bleach

May God bless you, and may your bones bleach in the sands. Those were the words of the final toast raised to the Peter Iredale by its captain when salvage efforts were abandoned.  Over a hundred years have passed since the ship ran aground and it has since been the most popular wreck in the stretch from Tillamook Bay to Cape Scott known as the Graveyard of the Pacific.  Look at all those photographers with their tripods not even taking pictures of the wreck.  What is wrong with them?

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 10-24/f4R OIS
12.6mm, f11, merged layers of 2, 4, and 8 sec @ 400 ISO

2014, Day 162 - Wrecked

This is what remains of the Peter Iredale which ran aground on October 25th, 1906.  It has been over a century and the skeleton still remains on the beach.  Fortunately when the ship was wrecked not a single life was lost so despite the ominous appearance there was a silver lining.

I headed out this evening with Brian and Nicole to meet up with Brian and Craig at the beach.  While there were clouds in the sky they were heavy and the light was very flat.  For the first hour there was nothing remarkable about the beach, it was a normal dreary day at the Oregon Coast.  Then, as the sun set, we got a sliver of color on the horizon.  Minutes passed the the sky began to change and more color blossomed.  We didn't have very long to get our shots but we certainly did and I am so excited about what we witnessed that I've stayed up until the early hours of the morning to share a single image.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 10-24/f4R OIS
15.1mm, f16, merged layers of 2, 4, and 8 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 108 - Revel

I am going through a phase where I am enjoying flare, bokeh, and backlighting and this is another in that series.  The warmth of the sun, the points of light amplified by the misting of rain, and the opacity of the flowers.  It's the feeling of warmth that I like especially given our still chilly nights.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 60/f2.4R
60mm, f4, 1/3500 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

2013, Day 301 - Billowing

After a leisurely morning around the apartment our day was pretty much consumed by tedious errands.  There were some odds and ends that Tim needed so we went in search of those but only after a marathon session of trying to get a cell phone working.  We were encouraged to carry a local phone which we purchased last week but many of the advanced functions didn't work so we took it back to the store where we purchased it.  After a long interlude they sent us to their main office who in turn made us wait for about an hour to admit that it couldn't be fixed and we needed to get a new phone which meant sending us back to where we started.  Once there they insisted we needed both receipts and we had only one so we had to go back to the apartment to get it and then return to the store.  It was even more tedious that this recounting.

By the time we got the phone issue addressed it was time to pick up Tim from work so we headed off to collect him.  Sadly for him the building's air conditioning went out and wearing a suit in the heat and humidity is no fun at all so the car was quite a relief for him.  We then went off to look at some furniture and then headed back to the apartment to an incredible sunset after which we went to dinner and now we're back packing our bags so we can head off to Mexico tomorrow.

Canon 1D X, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
34mm, f4, merged layers of 1/500 and 1/250 sec @ 4000 ISO

2013, Day 285 - Shrouded

As the sun set this evening in the gorge some low-lying fog rolled into the valley below.  It was an incredible evening, I went out to the gorge with my friend Julie who, despite being a native Oregonian, has never seen the sights.  I think I impressed her although we ran out of time faster than I expected but we got a nice sunset and even a few stars.

Canon 1D X, Canon 100/f2.8L IS
100mm, f4, merged layers of 1.3, 2.5, 5, and 10 sec @ 320 ISO

2013, Day 237 - Burning skies

The rain seems to have returned to Portland and the forecast is calling for clouds and showers through the next week.  Either way I ended up walking Johan again after our final evening walk because he neglected to answer the call of nature.  We were home for almost and hour and he stood next to me panting so I snuck him out for another short walk in my boxer shorts and t-shirt; I thought he would just make use of the yard but apparently he is too good for that.  Oh well, the call was answered and now I am sharing with the world that I walked my dog in my underwear.  Some people have no shame!

Fuji X-E1, Fuji 14/f2.8
14mm, f8, 20 sec @ 200 ISO

2013, Day 220 - Painted

My baby sister was in town tonight and on our way home for an awesome dinner we were treated to an epic sunset.  I had to pull over and take a few photos.  The neon sign for the Avalon just cinches it for me!

Olympus OM-D, Panasonic 12-35/f2.8 OIS
18mm, f4, 1/80 sec @ 1600 ISO

2013, Day 165 - Floral bokeh

I was doing a bit of work out in the yard this evening and, as the sun got low, the light had a really nice quality to it.  Fortunately there is almost always a camera close to hand and I took this picture as the golden glow of the setting sun was filtering through the big maples that line my street.  The bokeh of this lens, not the best generally, has such a nice dreamy quality I felt it needed to be shared.

Canon 1D X, Canon 100/f2.8L IS
100mm, f4, 1/160 sec @ 400 ISO

2013, Day 141 - Tropic sunset

Clouds are a key ingredient for a good sunset picture.  This was taken on the country roads outside Battambang in Cambodia.  It has been a long day and our guide took us out of the city to watch the sun set over the rice paddies.  The later it got the more dramatic the colors and this was taken out of the back of our van as we trundled back into town for dinner.  Fortunately the sun was setting early, about 5:30 so it wasn't late and it gives an ample opportunity to capture the sun's descent even if you've spent the day running around in the heat to see the sights.

Canon 1D X, Canon 100/f2.8L IS
100mm, f4, 1/500 sec @ 250 ISO

2013, Day 123 - Claws in the air

The little coastal town of Kep is famous as a derelict site of French colonial holiday makers.  Though it has seen better times the town is turning around and tourism is on the rise.  There are still many villas abandoned along the waterfront that have been snapped up by investors after the fall of the Khmer Rouge.  It is a tranquil place where the people make a living off of the ocean.  They are accomplished fishermen and crabbers.  That is one of the biggest draws to this small community, the fresh delicious crab.

You can sit at a small restaurant on the beach and watch them unload the crabs moments before they are delivered to your table smothered in a savory sauce laden with Kampot's famous pepper corns.  Basins of warm scented water are left at the table so you can wash up a big after gorging on these delicately sweet crustaceans.  So important is crab to the local economy that they have erected a massive statute these amazing animals.

Canon 1D X, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
34mm, f2.8, merged layers of 6 and 25 sec @ 640 ISO

2013, Day 45 - Lost love

This was one of the last pictures of the day I took at the top of Pre Rup.  Brian, Araceli, and I had already descended and were getting ready to leave but we couldn't find Nicole.  Mr. Mony, our intrepid guide, returned to the temple to find her.  Two minutes turned to ten and the three of us decided to get back into the temple because the sky was really starting to show some color as the light began to dwindle.

We made our way back to the front and climbed two sets of stairs stopping only take another series of pictures to try to capture the light.  Mr. Mony found Nicole and while I am sure Brian was much relieved I was distracted by the amazing sky.  I started to climb back to the third level up the incredibly steep stairs while the guards were ushering people out.  I think Mr. Mony must have distracted him because I was the last person in the temple but caught no flack for it.

It has been a long day but I am glad that Nicole lingered because without those few minutes of delay we might have missed one of the most spectacular sunsets in Cambodia!

Canon 1D X, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f8, merged layers of 0.3, 0.6, 2.5, and 5 sec @ 200 ISO