Photo Walks Today

Artists are some of the coolest people to photograph! If you like character studies – this weekend is a perfect chance for a photowalk.

The entire length of the Everett Marina Promenade will be filled with more artists - turning the Everett Marina into a huge outdoor studio and sidewalk gallery.

Ask anything you want to know about art, making art, and what it is like to be an artist. And this year the Hot Shop comes to us from the Tacoma Museum of Glass.

 If there’s one really cool subject to photograph it’s the making of glass!

I hope to see you there.

For more details visit the Fresh Paint website

*Before you snap those photos – be sure and ask permission. Understand, also that most artists feel like photographing their work is very close to stealing it, especially photographers and painters. If you ask permission you’ll most likely get a ‘yes’ and have the opportunity to pose your subject a little. Don’t forget to show them the results in your LCD display before you go. Exchange emails so you can send them the finished photo – you never know they may ask to use it later on.

Electric Theme Gazebo In Newhalem

I haven’t been out much this summer – darn, I’m not living up to one of my New Years Goals. I resolved this year to spend more time traveling and photographing this summer. Oh well, the summer isn’t completely over – with a little planning maybe I can get out…..

But, enough about me and my woes – I did make it out to Newhalem the other day and can hardly wait to go back with a tripod in hand. Newhalem is the perfect place to practice bracketing exposures and testing out HDR techniques. The Gazebo above is a perfect example of what I mean - on this trip I didn’t have a tripod – but I think the retro look would perfectly lend itself to HDR. I’m going back soon!

Newhalemwas built as a support town/community for the Seattle Ciry Light Hydroelectric projects that brought electricity to Seattle. Originally thought of as overkill- when it was developed in 1918 because there wasn’t enough need for so much electricity in Seattle, the dams now only provide a fraction of the needed electrical demand in Seattle. However the dams are still owned by Seattle City Light and the town is a lovely little place with quirky sculpture, nature paths, the ladder falls and the Gorge Powerhouse (which visitors are still allowed to tour).

Engine Number Six

 

I’m thinking of starting an online forum for local Puget Sound Area shutter bugs to share their photos and favorite places to walk – talk about gear and post & form photowalks.

It would be FREE, you’d only need to register to be able to post on the forum.

But, before I go through the hours it takes to set-up and moderate, I’m wondering if there is any interest?

Please post a comment – yes or no.

If yes, approxametly how many times a week/month would you check in on the forum?

Would you be interested in leading a photo walk or joining one if we created them?

Thanks! Any feedback will help.

You can join a world wide photo walk right here in your own back yard.

Share your photos after the event and enjoy the company of other photographers this Saturday July 18th. The event is free – and there will be prizes awarded.

So, if you want more information go to the official Scot Kelby Blog – here’s a link to the FAQ:

http://worldwidephotowalk.com/about/

Here’s the list of events taking place this Saturday:

http://worldwidephotowalk.com/listing-of-all-photo-walks/

Maybe I’ll see you there?

Looking for a great spot to photograph birds? The Puget Sound is full of them! This time of year you can catch the northern migration.

The up coming Shorebird Festival is a great jumping off place for a season of bird watching and photographing.

From their website:

EACH SPRING, hundreds of thousands of shorebirds stop to rest and feed in Grays Harbor estuary on their migration northward. Coming from as far south as Argentina, these Arctic-bound shorebirds are among the world’s greatest migrants. Some birds travel over 15,000 miles round trip! Tens of thousands of shorebirds feed on the open mudflats in the estuary. This concentration of birds offers people a great chance to view a number of shorebird species, and with luck, to see the birds fly together in beautiful formations while trying to escape the fastest creature on earth, the Peregrine Falcon.
 
    The 14th Annual Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival will be held on the weekend of April 24 – 26 in Hoquiam, Washington with headquarters at Hoquiam High School

More information about the festival, where to find the best spots to see the birds and the keynote speaker go to the Gray Harbor Shorebird Festival Site by clicking here

They even have a free downloadable list of birds spotted in 2008!

Lowell Art Works seeks artists interested in participating in their upcoming shows.  For all calls and complete 2009 show schedule visit www.lowellartworks.com.

Edmonds Parks & Recreation seeks local artists to submit original artwork representative of Puget Sound birdlife to be used on the 2009 Puget Sound Bird Fest poster for promotion of the event taking place September 11th – 13th.  For more information contact Sally Lider at 425-771-0227 or email lider@ci.edmonds.wa.us.  Deadline: June 5th

I found this interesting book in the Internet Archive and decided I wanted a printed copy.

Description:

268 fact fill pages include color plates and descriptions of over 38 common birds including: Goldfinch, Magpie, Bullfinch, Starling, Chaffinch, Raven, Linnet, Rook, Common Wren,Jay, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Common Grouse, Kestrel, Robin, Repoll, Rinddove, Wryneck, Golden-Crested Wren, Whitethroat, Thrush, Siskin, Greenfinch, Redstart, Teal, Nuthatch, Blackbird, Great Tit, Common Gull, Green Woodpecker, Kingfisher, Moor-hen, Nightingale, Lapwing, Barn-owl and Crossbill

I created a bound copy so I could take it along while out walking. If you’d like a paperback copy please check it out here.

Watch for future posts about great places around the Puget Sound to take pictures of birds.

Yesterday I had the honor and privilege to join Jeffry Myers & Keith Pace as jurors for The Mathematics Of Art Black & White Photography Contest. It’s showing concurrently with the Mathematics Of Art exhibit at the Historic Monte Cristo. This show is sponsored by The Arts Concil of Snohomish County.

The entries came from high school students all over the Snohomish County. – Photographs included both Digital and Traditional B&W. It was a pleasure reviewing the many photographs and seeing the emerging, raw talent many students have.

I highly recommend you check out the exhibit at the Monte Cristo gallery when it opens on April 30th. The award winning photos will be on display in the Gallery Store from April 30th to May 16th. After that, all the photos including the winning entries will move to the Future Of Flight, 8415 Paine Field Blvd in Mukilteo from April 23 to May 21st 2009.

 Make it  day event, check out the photos and then take a tour of the Future Of Flight.

2009 Washington County, Oregon Vacation Photo Competition
Sponsored by Washington County Visitors Association

There are hundreds of fantastic things to do and see in Washington County, Oregon. From the region’s farmlands, vineyards and wineries, to its verdant golf courses and natural outdoor spaces, and everything in between, Washington County is certainly a place to show off. All photographers are invited to enter the 2009 Washington County, Oregon Photo Competition to showcase the many wonders of this region.

What to Enter
We are looking for images that portray the authenticity of Washington County, Oregon, and to illustrate the picturesque, interesting and unique attractions and areas throughout the county. Images will be judged on originality, technical excellence, composition, overall impact, artistic merit and relevance to tourism.

Here are just a few ideas:

• Interesting angles on familiar places
• New and old architectural treasures
• Photos of plants and wildlife throughout Washington County, Oregon
• Images depicting each of the four seasons
• Weddings, reunions and other family gatherings
• Ethnic ceremonies and celebrations
• Food and entertainment settings
• Farms and Vineyards
• Festivals and Events
• Pub
Prizes
Winning images will be featured in print and electronic marketing materials produced by Washington County Visitors Association. A total of $3,000 in prize money will be distributed, including a Grand Prize of $1,000.

Entry
The competition is open to everyone except employees of Washington County Visitors Association, its vendors, partners, and board members. The Washington County Visitors Association shall have the right to verify, in their sole judgment, winner eligibility. Entries must be received by June 1, 2009.

More photo contest entry information click here

Join the flickr group

As you get more serious about photography the one thing you’ll want is a way to make sure your monitor is displaying color and exposure correctly. There’s nothing more disapointing than having what looks like a great looking photo on your monitor but when you print ot out to find that the color is off – or that it’s too dark or too light.

Professionals spend big bucks and a lot of time keeping their monitors calibrated correctly – and while you may not be ready to go there – to get the best photo possible you should check your display.

For today only - the site giveaway of the day is giving away free software to calibrate your monitor. Download it and open it to register it before midnight and give it a try.

Here’s a description of the software:

Atrise Lutcurve 1.3.1 Personal
 ”This program will help you to calibrate your LCD or CRT displays without any hardware devices for 6500K gamma 2.2. All aspects of the critical areas are covered, such as viewing environment, colour temperature and gamma, along with fine tune capability. Reference images and real time graph displays provide for accurate adjustment at every stage.”

Grab it and install it today before midnight! Click here to go to Giveaway of The Day