Jul 282012
 

Laughing My Butt Off…..

In Denver the Real Estate rep took me around to show me properties we are considering to buy.  We drove all over the DTC region.  One location just cracked me up!  It is a pad location in front of a retail center.  The pad for sale is on a corner.  An area of about 150′ square is unfinished.  No asphalt, concrete or landscaping.  Just dirt.  And a billzillion prairie dogs!!!!!!  I busted up when I saw all these guys in the middle of town.  At a retail center.  Home the dogs is a pad that’s for sale.  I’ll bet nobody asked the dogs if this piece of land can be sold.  I’ll bet even more that the city or DWS won’t allow any development due to these little critters.  I went back today and laughed until my gut ached.  They are hilarious!

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 Posted by at 10:49 PM
Jul 272012
 

From Washington I traveled to Denver to meet with Individuals to begin the process to construct stores in the Denver market area.  In the hotel last night I saw for the first time the actual news story of the terrible tragedy in Aurora Colorado.   The news last night was very detailed.   Individuals from 6 years old to 51 years old were killed.  It affected me emotionally.  Today I met with the associates in Aurora.  My first instinct after driving past the area of the tragedy last night was to go back today and pay my respects.

I went to the memorial site today across the street from the theater where the tragedy occurred.

Hundreds of people gathered and standing around.

The silence and quiet emotions was dramatic.  I was moved to tears.  As I stood I imagined families and individuals and how their lives had changed instantly.  For some time I was motionless.  Very sobering.  Standing next to me was a women that was very emotional.  I commented to her how tragic this was for the community.  She agreed and mentioned in a whispering comment that her brother was killed that night.  I was stunned .  What could I say to her?  All I could get out was “i am sorry”.   I fought back the tears as she stood close to me.  I wondered why she was there alone.  As she stepped away I said I would pray for her and her family.  She turned back at me and thanked me.

It was hard for me to raise my camera and capture any of the people and the site in general.  It felt a little morbid for a minute.  Then I realized that my photographs may bring some attention to the whole tragedy.   And forward to those that read my blog the scene.

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 Posted by at 11:30 PM
Jul 272012
 

Our time in Washington was wonderful.   We saw a lot of the area.  Most importantly we were together.  This last day we traveled to Seattle and went to Bainbridge by ferry.  Just another time to steal a few pixels for the family vaults.

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 Posted by at 9:49 PM
Jul 272012
 

About an hour over Stevens pass from Skykomish is a fun little community called Leavenworth.  We went over there and toured this Bavarian themed town.  Lunch at a German restaurant and some shopping in quaint little stores.  Of course I was carrying a camera to capture some of the views….

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The drive to Leavenworth is incredibly beautiful.  This mountain is one of the many views along the way.

 Posted by at 9:27 PM
Jul 242012
 

It is our last day here in Beautiful Skykomish, Washington.  My little grand-boys have been a riot.  A laugh a minute. Saying I love them is a great underestimate.  Like my own children they are a part of me.  More than just genes.

Being the last day here I better work a little over time to get a couple of “keeper” photographs.  In reality there is no way to capture the beauty here.   Driving back to the cabin tonight I stopped and took a few minutes to capture the river that flows down this canyon.  And this morning I stopped and grabbed another shot of the Bridal Veil Falls.

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 Posted by at 10:30 PM
Jul 232012
 

Getting up here is like my birthday morning.  Gifts all over the place!  I could spend weeks here just in this canyon.  Tonight it is late so I am going to stack some fun photo’s today.  I hope to have a few minutes tomorrow to capture some more GREEN!

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 Posted by at 10:32 PM
Jul 222012
 

Really the best part of being here in Washington is being with my Daughter, son-in-law and the grand-boys.  It’s been a laugh a minute with these cute little ones.  I could spend everyday with them.  In their own individual way they draw extra love from me.

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A bit of a long trip but we drove to the Air and Space Museum in Seattle.   It was fun to watch the boys even when they were bored.  Photographically nothing to frame but some great historical planes to capture.

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 Posted by at 10:46 PM
Jul 222012
 

We made it to Skykomish, Washington!

My Daughter and son-in-law have been here for a couple of weeks.  They are renting a home (cabin) in this beautiful canyon in Washington.  This place and the drive here is a PHOTOGRAPHERS CANDY STORE.  Green everywhere, old barns, unique structures and waterfalls galore.   I want to stay longer…..(looking into that right now).  The first day We were scooted out to see the first water fall.  Deception Falls.

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The day was a bit overcast which made for easy exposures.  The problem is that I was shooting with my D800.  The files are monstrous!  I have had to shrink them way down.  After several attempts to download I finally found the best size.

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Downstream from the falls was the more serene beauty of the trees, rocks and river….

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Driving up and down the canyon there was so many photo opportunities that I was going crazy wanting to stop every few miles.  We drove in two cars.  Every time I stopped they had to wait.  Still had time time to stop a couple of times…

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 Posted by at 9:31 PM
Jul 172012
 

A little over a year ago I was privileged to attend one of the many Photography workshops put on by Moose Peterson and Joe McNally.  It was my third attendance at the workshops and the opportunity to blend with these world class photographic professionals.  These workshops and some other one-on-one meetings with them has made these gentlemen photographic heroes to me.   I follow their blogs.  I Read their books and look for any and all opportunities to sit at/in their teaching workshops.

Back at the workshop just over a year ago Joe McNally pulled me out of the group as a model for an impromptu single light seminar.  Yikes!  Joe McNally photographing me?!!!!!!!  1. why?  2. I better dang sure get copies of the photos for my posterity and bragging rights!   After some gentle prodding Mr. McNally gave me a jump drive with a folder “Jim” on it.  I copied it to my external drive.  Tonight I was looking at that particular drive to free up some space.   Just before moving the copied file “Jim” to trash I realized what the file was!   Man, I about dumped a photographic legends capture of this amateur photographic, Joe McNally groupie!  That would be me………

 Posted by at 6:30 PM
Jul 162012
 

A helicopter crashed at the WX airport today.  So far it has been reported that there was no injuries.  Thank goodness!  Happened to be coming back from lunch and saw all the lights and attention at the airport.  Stopped and put on the 200-400 lens with a 2x teleconverter and captured the crash. They have helicopter pilot classes at the WX airport.  It is real common to see these real small 2 seaters flying around the airport.

 Posted by at 8:36 PM
2016