Appreciating Flowers Close Up

After my encounter with faeries at the Volunteer Park Conservatory (see my previous blog entry), I walked around appreciating the beauty there, in the way that faeries do, close up.

Here is a sample...

The sun makes this beautiful orchid glow,
 along with its magenta colored veins...

Detail of a pink Angel Trumpet flower...

This cactus plant has a lovely medley of soft colors...

Purple orchids catching the sunshine. They lift my spirits like magic.

I will add more later, there are many more images for me to cull through!

Faeries at Volunteer Park!

 Faeries Sighting in the Volunteer Park Conservatory!

A blue faery moves among the flowers and trees...

I checked out the Faery Festival at Volunteer Park and Conservatory last weekend, and met beautiful faeries among a suitably sylvan setting! I have made no secret of my love of the Conservatory (or of faeries, for that matter). Indeed, I donated one of my images to them, which they now sell on coffee mugs in their gift shop....

Coffee Mugs with One of My
Photographs of the Conservatory,
for Sale in Their Gift Shop.

While I was at the Conservatory, I met Fairy Princess Lolly, author of the upcoming book Princess Lolly and the Will o'Wisp Hunt. She was sitting among green leaves and flowers, where you would expect to find any self-respecting fairy...

Fairy Princess Lolly and her lovely costume...

Fairy Princess Lolly glides away between
 the leaves and disappears...

After my encounter with genuine faeries in the Conservatory, I took my time visiting with the flowers, trees, and many plants there, as any faerie or faerie enthusiast will; and discovered a magical mirror ball, tucked among the greenery. There was only one thing to do...

Self portrait, in a magical place...

Take my own picture, too.

As Evening Falls: An Ongoing Journey

Just after sunset, at Richmond Beach, in Shoreline, WA

I have loved shooting images at sunset and beyond, into the deep evening, utilizing long exposure techniques, for about a year now. My journey along this path continues as I begin to put together images for a book project. My working title is, "As Evening Falls..." My goal is to begin with images taken at sunset, and to move gradually into early evening and then full nighttime. 

Recently, I spent a late afternoon and evening at Golden Gardens Park in Seattle, experimenting with different ideas and gradations of light, until it was deep night, lit only by the full moon, and the occasional beach bonfire. 

Here are some of those images:

This was an experiment in using a scene of dynamic negative space, along
with very colorful positive space...

A vertical version of this same experiment. I love
the bold negative shapes of the trees, especially
the tracery of the leaves and the shapes of the tree
trunks, against the brilliance of the sunset....

No one can resist photographing a sailboat on the water, and that
includes me. The surface texture and color of the water and its magical
reflectivity are irresistible to me at this time of day...

The figure in the foreground could be any of us,
gazing ahead or behind, to the water. Gazing at water
seems to be a magical and meditative activity for humans.
In staring at the water in front of us,  our gaze often
shifts inward at the same time. We are in our element,
for we are made of water. This is the Elixir of Life. 

A few weeks ago, I also stepped out with my camera gear, into a night of thunder, lightning, and torrential rain, determined to photograph forked lightning. Alas, the lightning was masked from direct view, by another layer of low-lying clouds. 

However, by the time I arrived, and looked around, I didn't feel I could leave, so I set up my tripod, my plastic bag to protect my camera, and proceeded to start shooting, utilizing long exposure techniques. I am amazed by the quality of stillness and peace in the resulting images. I remember how ironically peaceful I felt standing there at Green Lake at 10 o'clock that night, with thunder booming in different directions, the cloud cover lighting up with quick pulses of lightning, and the soft quacking of drifting ducks to keep me company.

Here are a few images from that evening...

West side of Green Lake, the swimming area behind the old Bath House
Theater, now the Seattle Public Theater. The uneven lighting of the cloud
cover shows where lightning was flashing above it..

West side of Green Lake, looking to the north end, from the swimming area
behind the old Bath House Theater. I wanted to capture the peaceful but
slightly eerie effect of the silhouettes of the ducks that ceaselessly drift
back and forth near the shore.

Setting for a Birthday Celebration

Recently I made a trip to Golden Gardens Park and Beach, with my camera, specifically to take advantage of the light of the full moon. I arrived at dusk, and stayed until about 10pm. It was a reasonably clear evening, not too cold, and many people had built bonfires along the beach. It was a cheerful, warming sight. From a distance, I spotted some sort of marquee of small, brilliant lights, and decided to check it out. When I drew closer, I met Asia Rau Vinton of Sparrow Soirées Event Planning Boutique, and an assistant, who were busy putting the finishing touches on surprise birthday party scene for a client who wanted to surprise his wife, with a party on the beach. The ambiance that they managed to create was lovely and intimate, despite taking place on a large, public beach, and I promptly offered to photograph the scene for them. Here are the results...

A small oasis on the beach, complete with birthday cake, candlelight,
a blanket and soft pillows...

The beach was quiet; with a soft breeze that made the
candles flicker gently, and the soothing sounds of
the water a few yards away...

Lovely and festive. The crisp white tablecloth and
colorful flowers won me over, not to mention the
strings of tiny lights...

Location, location, location....romantic, intimate, even
a full moon to go with the candlelight.

Documenting Dancers Pt 1

I have been working on a photography project that is related to some studio work I undertook last quarter. I have always loved dance, and photographing dancers. Last quarter I photographed three different dancers, in various costumes and performing various traditional dances and gestures, along with fusion. This quarter I have been following the members of Karoun Dance Ensemble from the point of view of documentary, or non-posed, journalistic photography. Karoun specializes in Classical Persian and Central Asian dance.

I began with my friend Karen Spiel, a lovely and graceful dancer. I followed her, with my camera, one afternoon and evening, from her first preparations at home to the end of her actual performances at the venue. Here are some samples of that journey:

Pepper Interrupts Dance Rehearsal
Karen's cat tried to rub against her legs while she
was rehearsing for her dance performance.
He finally walked away in disgust, when she
continued to dance.

Karen Applying Makeup
I wonder how many women would be this relaxed with a photographer
hovering over their shoulder as they put on their makeup?
I love the effect of six Karens in this shot, taken in her bathroom,
as she applied her stage makeup, for the show.

Karen's Hands Braiding
Closeup of Karen's hands, as she braids long, blond, hand-made
extensions into her hair. These are key for the Tajik, a traditional
dance from the Badakhshani region of Afghanistan.

Karen Putting on Earrings & Getting A Bite To Eat
After finishing her long braids and makeup,
Karen adds her jewelry and takes a break in her
kitchen, to "have some nibbles" before rehearing
 in her living room, once more.

Admiring Karen's Costume
Elham, another member of Karoun Dance Ensemble,
admires the colorful appliqués on Karen's Tajik costume.

You're On In 5 Minutes!
Karen quickly helps Janelle Bel Isle, the third member of Karoun,
attach and braid her hair extensions, for the Tajik dance. 

Karen and Janelle, triumphant at the close of their
first dance performance of the evening. Zamani
Culture House, in Bothell, WA.
The place was packed to the rafters!

This is a sampling of this project. I have many more shots to edit and prepare so that I can share them here.

In addition, I am now documenting Karoun Dance Ensemble as a whole: behind the scenes, during rehearsal, backstage, and on stage. I will present the final project in its entirety here, on this blog.

Thanks for your interest, and for visiting!

Blessings,
Linda

Quintessential Pioneer Square: An Exploration

Welcome! I have been working with documentary photography for a month or two, and undertook an assignment to photograph a neighborhood in Seattle, Washington. Pioneer Square was my selection,  and I pursued the goal of creating a multi-photo portrait of this historic and popular area.

My images were shot on an overcast day, inside and outside, ranging from the well known and loved Victorian pergola, to Occidental Park, the Underground Tour, past restaurants, clubs, galleries, shops, and services for the homeless and disadvantaged. This is a neighborhood where the ghosts and sites of the past collide with the tourism and commerce of the present, where the well-heeled and the homeless tread the same streets and sidewalks, and where night and day are as different as, well, night and day.

Please join me on a visual tour of Pioneer Square...

Bust of Chief Seattle, aka "Sealth, Seathle, Seathl, or See-ahth" *and the Victorian era pergola, two of the most common sights in Pioneer Square,
along with lines of people of all ages, who take the popular Underground Tour... 

Bread of Life Mission, with an ironic sign
 for happy hour, in the foreground. Ironic sights
 are common here... 

Raindrops on a chessboard, in Occidental Park.
There are a group of stone chessboards here,
for enjoyment and use on sunny days... 

Memorial statues and beams dedicated to the fallen
firefighters of Seattle, in Occidental Park...

Tliingit totem pole in foreground, Pioneer Building
 in background. The Pioneer's original front door is
located on a lower level, in the underground
 and is not in use...

Merchants Cafe, with a member of the staff taking a break.
This is the oldest restaurant in Seattle, in operation since 1890.
It is reputedly haunted, and was investigated on the Travel Channel's
 television show, The Dead Files...

The historic Delmar Building and State Hotel on 1st Avenue,
with its Rooms 75 cents sign. Built in 1891*

Colorful ivy-covered building in Occidental Park, near
the outdoor, stone chessboards...

One of my favorite places in Pioneer Square,
the New Orleans Restaurant and Bar, Creole food and live blues! 

Stone, carved lion head and architectural detail on a
beautiful terra cotta-colored building in Pioneer Square...

I frequently saw mounted police and downtown-goodwill-ambassadors
 in the  area. This guy looks like he is ready to be off-duty!
There are several sports bars in the area,  this neighborhood
borders the area where our major sports venues stand.

Turns out, it was the horse who wanted a break from work! 

Detail of old, brick wall and windows, from one of the
main rooms on the Seattle Underground Tour...

I have always loved the verdigris of old, oxidized  copper. This is detail
of a very old, copper bathtub, as seen in the Seattle Underground...

I was captivated by this corner nook, with an old bucket
and the shadow of a ladder, as seen in the Underground..

Doorways and portals exist where you least expect them sometimes.
A very old door frame and the edge of a trellis, in the Underground...

Loved this old but colorful sign, lying amidst the rubble in a corner.
In the Underground...

I held my camera through a random window into darkness,
 set it for manual focus, turned on the flash, and here is what I got,
 a secret stairway, rising into a solid ceiling above!

Hope you have enjoyed this short tour of Pioneer Square. I had a blast walking around for five hours taking pictures. See you next time!

Blessings,

Linda

A New Beginning: Studio Dance Photographs, with Elizabeth Dennis

Welcome back!  I have been gone from this blog for so long! I have been busy with school, taking photography classes, and throwing myself whole-heartedly into the world of photography. Last quarter I worked with studio photography: portraiture, product, metal, glass, etc. It was a fantastic opportunity to work in teams, learn continually, and shoot in the studio every week.

I have always loved dance and photographing dance, as a result, my final project consisted of photographing a variety of dancers and dance styles, solo, in the studio. One of my models was the beautiful and talented Elizabeth Dennis, known in the Seattle area for her unique fusion of different styles, such as Belly Dance or Raks Sharqi, Flamenco, East Indian, and others. Here are three shots from my shoot with her. She was a terrific model...

Elizabeth dancing with one of her favorite props, a fan.
She has a magical ability to create free flowing shapes...

Elizabeth dancing with a veil. She is also well known, among
dance enthusiasts, for her beautifully expressive hands and arms...

Elizabeth kicks up her heels in a passionate and expressive fusion
 of Flamenco and Danse Orientale, demonstrating the integral role
that costuming plays in dance...