• landscape,  sunsets

    West Coast Sunset

    West Coast Sunset

    This image was taken back in 2003 while on a road trip along the West Coast. I spent 3 wonderful weeks on the road, camping at different locations and making every effort to connect with the people and the area. I thoroughly enjoyed my time and would love to experience that a few more times. I had just purchased my first digital camera, a Nikon D100, and still own it.

    I had just been laid off after about 27 years as an electronic technician/engineer. Burned out with the work and wanting to move on to something else, I hung up a shingle as a photographer. The grand visions were just pipe dreams because I had no idea how to get there, or where “there” really was, so I just wandered. I made money with portraits and weddings but making a living was not happening and eventually took the shingle down. The dream is still there but I now have the reality of how much work is involved. I feel I’m in a better place in my life, both as a person and as a photographer. I’m more aware of my strengths and weaknesses, what I’m capable of doing and what I have yet to learn. Anyway, enough rambling. Hope you enjoy the image.

  • landscape

    Solitary Path

     

    Solitary Path
    Solitary Path

    Some natural tears they dropped, but wiped them soon;

    The world was all before them, where to choose

    Their place of rest, and Providence their guide

    They hand in hand with wandering steps and slow

    Through Eden took their solitary way.

    John Milton

  • landscape,  Travel

    What We Learn

    Haceda Head Lighthouse
    Haceda Head Lighthouse

    Going back to past images and working on them using the tools and knowledge we have acquired over the months and years can help us take better images in the future. When I bought my first DSLR I shot most of my images in jpg format to conserve on memory. This restricted some of my ability to work on them with any editing program. I’ve since switched to shooting in RAW format which allows for more flexibility in any post work I may want to do. The above image was taken on a flat dull lit day with a light haze and therefore had very little contrast. Even though it was shot in jpeg format I’ve learned enough about Photoshop Elements to make a simple adjustment with levels to help it along. So, it’s what we learn that helps to take better images tomorrow.

  • clouds,  landscape,  sunsets,  Travel

    Waldport Sunset

    Walport Sunset
    Waldport Sunset

    I’m a Colorado native or at least pretty darn close. My parents moved to Colorado when I was around 5 years old and I’ve stayed close to the area most of my life. You can call me one of those transplanted natives. I love being close to the mountains and also to the plains, they both provide wonderful photo opportunities such as sunrises and sunsets.

    However, the North West coast can provide amazing sunsets also. The coastal area provides us with rain forests, snow covered mountains and the pounding Pacific Ocean. I’ve never lived there but my one of my sisters and her children live in the Everett area allowing me to visit several times. In 2003 I made a three week trip to the west coast up and down the Washington and Oregon coasts. I could sit by the ocean for an hour taking in the sound and smell. While on that trip I took this sunset image near Waldport, Oregon. There was a couple just behind me sitting on the hood of their car watching the sun go down. Sunsets are spice for a life that is already pretty good!