On The Beach

My friend Kristin Roberts is getting married in May. In exchange for doing the engagement photos for her website, she agreed to model for me for an outdoor lifestyle shoot. A rare beautiful day in the middle of winter appeared and we headed up to Camano Island. The first image was straightforward but awkward to execute. I was literally lying on my stomach on the pebbles as Kristin walked straight over me and down the beach. I chose just long enough shutter speed to blur Kristin as she walked but short enough to keep the rocks and background sharp. My neck still hurts from that series.

The second image is obviously manipulated in the computer but I love the results. The original light was just as the sun was setting. For Photoshop fans, I switched to black and white using the channel mixer layer. To me, this is the only conversion option to use since it allows independent control of the red, green, and blue channels. It is just like using a filter, but in any desired amount and in real time as you fiddle with it. I also added film grain back into the digital image to create a high speed and contrasty film look.

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Picnic Point

Seattle weather is known to change on a dime. One of the best things about our new home in Edmonds is that I can get to the water in under ten minutes. Most of this day was spent on the computer as the rain fell steadily. It was late in the afternoon when I noticed it had suddenly cleared (not that the forecast called for this). A few minutes later I was at the water as the sun began to set. This image was taken at Picnic Point County Park a few miles north of Edmonds. Great location for photography or even for a picnic I imagine.

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Deception Pass

Deception Pass State Park is one of my favorite locations for photography. The park spans the channel marking the north end of Whidbey Island. The lands encompass forests, channels, beaches, and an incredible bridge that spans the channel. Although it is only a short drive north of Seattle, on most weeknight evenings, it is nearly deserted.

This time I was on a wide sandy beach on the western side of the island. It was warm for winter (probably in the 60s) and very calm. The light was a beautiful soft warm glow as it ducked in and out of clouds on the horizon. Grasses on the dunes have always been a favorite subject for me but it is rare to get an evening on the sound still enough to keep them sharp. Fortunately the wind cooperated since the light would lasted for only a minute or two at a time before the sun dipped behind another cloud.

After an hour of shooting, I packed up and hiked back to the truck only to notice the setting moon over the Olympic Mountains across the water. I unpacked the gear as fast as I could, chose the 400mm lens to make the moon look as large and close as possible, and was able to squeeze off a few frames in the dim light before the moon finally set on the horizon.

Please remember all images are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without permission