sonya7rII Archives - Page 2 of 10

August 2, 2016August 2, 2016

Safely Docked

I was in Alaska at the peak of cruise season which means you can get a look up close of these massive ships. And as big as they are they’re still about half the size the ships in the Caribbean, but I digress. This was in Skagway and I took this as I walked back to my ship which was behind this one. I believe this is a Princess ship but I didn’t make a note of it at the time.

I am still amazed at how big these ships are and how they operate. The elements can be unforgiving and the crews that sail them must be the best.

This year there was a YouTube of the wind pushing a ship into the dock and causing some damage in Ketchikan. When I was there a few weeks later I inquired about it because I saw no damage. The dock was already fixed, and there were no signs of the incident. It turns it was pilot, not he ships captain, at the helm that day and thanks to his quick thinking he avoided what would have been much greater damage. These pilots are retired ferry captains that know the waters like the backs of their hands. This pilot in particular decided it was better to take out the dock than hit one of the other ships. As it was explained to me, he is considered a hero for what he avoided rather than what was destroyed.

more clouds in the gallery

After hearing the story I had a whole new level of respect for the men and women that sail the Alaskan waters.

August 1, 2016

Time to Chill

I never get tired of taking pictures of people fishing. I’m not sure why that is other than it’s a common pastime where I live. Maybe if I lived in a landlocked region it would be farmers. Nevertheless, my favorite time to catch someone fishing is when the light is softer in the sky. I think that time also generates a sort of tension with the people fishing because if they only have a few minutes left. But I am clueless when it comes to fishing so take that with a grain of salt.

I took this while standing next to the fishing pier at Fort DeSoto Park in St Petersburg Florida. I have several shots from here, each a different composition. Just like the fishermen, I know the light is about to end so I’m working feverishly looking for different compositions. I try get as many different shots from my outings because there is a lot of effort in just getting here.

Florida gallery

Maybe I was just projecting my own sense of urgency on the fishermen. Come to think about it, fishermen never seem rushed. If ever there were a group of people with time on their side its fishermen. Maybe that’s the draw of it, it takes you outside the daily grind and allows you time to slowdown and think. Again, I don’t really know but that’s what I imagine.

Maybe these are just all questions that don’t need to be answered and are just the product of too much coffee. I think its time to chill.

July 31, 2016

Acorn of Time

This is a panorama of Vancouver’s Coal Harbour. I took this from Stanley Park one night and I wasn’t alone. Not only is this a popular spot for photography, Vancouver has a lot of photographers. There were several other photographers out with their tripods composing their shots of this great city.

In this case I used three vertical eight-second exposures that I stitched together. I enjoy making panoramas with a full frame camera because of the amount of detail in the image. Whenever I print these I marvel at the smallest details.

Vancouver from the gallery

One reason photography is so fun for me is because I get to go back and look at a scene in quiet contemplation. At the time there may be a lot going on and it’s easy to miss things. But I tend to see more things later when looking at images. I’m like a chipmunk gathering acorns of time, holding them and then enjoying them later.

Anyway, I almost didn’t take this photo because it’s been done so many times before. But I’m glad I did, if for no other reason than I get to go back and enjoy the scene now.

July 28, 2016

Skyway Rainbow

A couple of weeks ago after some afternoon rain I drove up to Fort DeSoto Park to take photos. As I looked back I noticed this rainbow over the bridge. From where I stood it appeared to span about 8 miles from one side of the Sunshine Skyway to the other. To get this photo I took four vertical images, from left to right and stitched them together to form a panorama.

I have mixed feelings about this image. On the one hand the placement of the rainbow over the bridge is nice and if you look close there’s even a double rainbow. If I didn’t know better I might think it was photoshopped. On the other hand the scene lacks drama. That aside I decided to keep it as is, an image of a rainbow over the bridge without much drama.

other skyway photos from the gallery

With some images I take a lot of pains to simplify them in post production. I feel it’s important to not have distractions in an image. This one however needed none of that, just water, sky, bridge and a rainbow. Sometimes images like this just demand to left alone because they have a voice all their own. In this case I suppose I have to agree with that.

July 27, 2016July 27, 2016

Morning Ritual

First thing in the morning the water here is like glass. This is Benderson Park, an international rowing venue and I came here on Saturday hoping to find some athletes on the water. Save for the early morning joggers the place was deserted. That presented different opportunities on account of the clouds in the sky so I went with plan B.

Early mornings are not easy for me. I do get up and go out sometimes, but I can be a little grumpy; it’s a good thing I’m usually alone. It reminds me a little of my morning workouts. I, and about 20 others, show up at the gym several times a week for a bootcamp-style workout. Several of us are less than chatty at 6AM. However by the end of the workout we’re all smiles and high-fives.

That’s how I am with sunrise photography. I leave the house in my car fighting the urge to turn back. I’ll get a coffee at Duncan Donuts and proceed to a location. Once there I’ll look around and take a few shots. Maybe they’re not so great and again I begin to doubt the effort.

Sarasota County Images

But, if I stick with it and put one foot in front of the other, something might catch my eye, perhaps the light changes. Before you know it I am fully engaged in composition and capturing the light. Thirty minutes later I’m in the zone ready for more.

And that, in a nutshell, is my morning ritual.

July 25, 2016

Mountain Tunnel

This is on the White Pass and Yukon Route railway outside Skagway. If you ever get a chance to visit this part of Alaska I recommend an excursion on the White Pass. It winds its way up a mountain range from the sea with spectacular scenery at every turn.

The best part for me is that each car has an outside platform where I could stand and take photos. I hardly sat in my seat the entire three hours. On the way up we were in the first car behind the engine. When reached the pass at the top of the mountain we pulled onto a siding where the engine relocated to the other end of the train. Now heading down the mountain I had an unobstructed view out the back of the train. This was one of a couple of tunnels high up the mountain.

Travel photos from the gallery

There’s nothing quite like traveling through a tunnel on a train. This one is near the top of the mountain so when you come out the other end there are amazing vistas. As we were on the last car I shot this looking back as the entrance receded into darkness. In the next moment we came out along a high slope where we could see dozens of miles out to the sea below. Put this one on your list of things you must do.

July 24, 2016July 24, 2016

Pokemon Scene

This scene is a panorama from four images I shot handheld in Bradenton last night. Because I’d been away in Alaska it’s been a few weeks since I was here. So camera in one hand and dog leash in the other I proceeded down the riverwalk just before dusk. What I wasn’t expecting was the number of people out milling around, there were hundreds, much more than usual. In two words, Pokemon Go.

It was an unusual sight, I’ve never seen anything like it. I felt like I was in some sci-fi flick were everyone was connect to a central brain and I was watching from the outside. But, as I observed, people were talking, walking from place to place, and generally having fun. I thought to myself that these people would otherwise be at home watching TV yet they are out on the riverwalk in the evening.

 More night photography

When I stopped to take this picture, several others noticed what I was doing and turned around to take similar photos. They couldn’t have done that sitting at home. Maybe because of the game a bunch of folks got outside, mingled, and had a chance to see some things they don’t normally see. If it takes a game to do that then hey, why not?

July 21, 2016July 21, 2016

Summer Evening

I noticed someone sitting on a rock at dusk in the warm summer air. I took this last week when I went to Fort DeSoto Park in St Petersburg. I can never get enough of this place, no matter how many times I come back I always find something to take pictures of. That’s partly because I live in an urban area and I seek out places with open spaces; this is one along the water.

This time of year we get clouds every evening on account of the afternoon storms. It seems the more severe the thunderstorm the better the clouds afterwards. Even if I don’t have anything to take pictures of I could just focus on the clouds and the colors at dusk.

Images of solitude

When I took this I was standing next to the fishing pier about 50 yards away. It was dark enough that I couldn’t see the person sitting on the rock. That’s a testament to the Sony sensor in the A7RII camera that I use. I can take pictures of something I can’t actually see with my eyes and then bring it to light with post processing. That’s incredible and opens up all kinds of opportunities for photography. I’ve mentioned this before but I keep being amazed at the camera nonetheless.  All that aside, the weekend is coming and I’m looking forward to more thunderstorms, the bigger the better.

July 20, 2016

White Pass Summit

If you visit Alaska perhaps one the places you will see is Skagway. The biggest employer in that town is the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad. It winds from the sea port up the mountains into British Columbia. If you like trains then add this to your list because not only is the scenery spectacular there’s a lot of history preserved in these trains and the rail museum in town.

We took an excursion up to the top of the pass which takes about an hour-and-a-half one-way. On the way up we were in the first car behind the engine but on the way back the engine reattached to the other end and we were at the rear. That afforded me the chance to stand out the back and capture this other train as we entered the main track from a siding.

favorites from the gallery

This is a popular attraction and for good reason. When we booked the trip there were no more standard tickets so we booked the first class parlor car. Boy, that was nice, we had soft cushioned seats, an attendant and all the food and drink we wanted. However I couldn’t manage to sit still, I preferred to stand on the outside platform taking picture most of the way. When we finally got back to lower elevations I came back in the coach to find everyone asleep in their comfortable chairs. That was pretty funny, but I’m still glad I stood outside and enjoyed the scenery from the cheap seats, even if I did pay for a comfy chair inside.

July 20, 2016July 20, 2016

Waves and Sunsets

This is a typical scene from the South Jetty in Venice Florida. People showing up to watch the sun go down is a Florida pastime. It’s a natural thing to do especially if you come visit from somewhere else. Most people in Florida are from somewhere else, even if they live here. Florida is one of those places where people are migrating to.

As for myself, I was born and raised in California. It used to be that everyone relocated to California from somewhere else. I was born there and relocated in the other direction. But California is a beautiful state to visit, I love going back and as a photographer I see so much more than I did growing up.

sunset photos

Other than the sound of the waves and the sunsets there is not much resemblance between California and Florida, they both have their own unique beauty. But waves and sunsets are a good thing to have in common.