seattle pics

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Music of the Spheres

Thought you might enjoy an abstract on this fine late summer Sunday. These glass orbs are part of a lighting scheme suspended at second story level between shiny new buildings on the UW Medicine Research campus in the Cascade neighborhood.

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Stacked Blocks

Here is Seattle's downtown core from a vantage point not often seen in photos. The common skyline shots are usually taken from the the hill to the left (east) whose green base is showing. From this photo's angle on another hill further west, though, the stacked blocks of buildings take on an almost geometric diamond shape, determined by the city's core being built on a step hill descending to a bay. The distinctive Amazon.com building on Beacon Hill far to the south of downtown is compressed into this scene to look as if it were very near (orange/terracotta colored stair-stepping looking building to the right). But if you were looking back north at the downtown from the Amazon.com building, this is what you would see.

Friday, September 5, 2008

Faded Advert

I came across this 1960's era faded advert on the side of a brick building on First Hill and thought it was a nice compliment to yesterday's uber in-the-moment Seattle sodas.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Jones Soda Co.

Jones Soda Co. is a local Seattle business specializing in natural, organic sodas. The company definitely has a distinctive marketing vibe. Their labels and six pack cartons often feature cool images submitted by artists and photographers. This campaign year I had heard that they were distributing "campaign colas" with labels featuring presidential candidates. I had looked for them at the market several times but had never come across it. I had to drop a family member off at an event in South Lake Union and thought I'd do a photowalk afterward. I came across a colorful Jones Soda truck parked outside the company's loading dock. I was shooting away at the orange door, orange bottles in the upper window and orange truck graphics when the loading dock door suddenly went up and an employee took some trash to the dumpster. He was surprised to see a woman with a tripod clicking away at him in the dark. I said something lame like "there goes my orange door," hoping I didn't seem too weird. I asked him about the business and mentioned how cool their labels were and if the candidate sodas had been discontinued. "Why, no, were there any in particular you were looking for?" ;^) Jones Campaign Colas are available online here. One can even submit a photo and slogan for their own "My Jones" label design. I was also told one can go to the company on Friday's to quench their thirst for organic soda for a mere $00.50 USD.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

For Daniel Behind the Mountain

I got an email late yesterday afternoon from Daniel Keebler, who is a ranger with the National Parks Service on Mount Rainier. I became acquainted with him and his wife Jerri about 13 years ago through a phone call about our mutual appreciation for the music of Bruce Cockburn. He at that time edited a Cockburn newsletter, "Gavin's Woodpile," which he now has available as a webpage.

He signed his email yesterday "from the mountain." I'd been busy with work and errands indoors most of the day and I thought I would just go out in the yard and look toward Daniel on the mountain and connect with the outdoors for a bit, maybe give Daniel a wave "hi," (yes, I am that crazy ;^) ). My jaw dropped when I saw the mountain, it seemed to be magnified and towered above the city, crystal clear. I grabbed the gear and tried to think of the nearest unobstructed view that wasn't Kerry Park, site of yesterday's shot (I don't want to bore you with too many postcard shots, and I promise this will be the last for a long while). The sun was going down fast, so I hightailed it to this park we started using for barbecues and field games last summer. So, thanks to Daniel who is all the way on the other side of this scene for putting the idea in my head to look that way last evening. "Hi Daniel! Hope it was a great summer in the backcountry!"

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

White Tower

A blue scene with towering clouds and a white tower on Sunday evening. Music from the Bumbershoot festival in the distance was rising up to us. I was having a pleasant conversation with a couple from Poland and a fellow from Moscow, and we were all shooting this scene.

Update: Thanks to Knoxville Girl's heads up! As it turns out, Saint Louis Daily Photo's Strangetastes was shooting this scene just a few yards away from me, but neither of us knew it. The sad thing is, we had hoped to meet up for coffee while his family was on holiday in the area, but, due to an email snafu on my part, we didn't end up connecting, except in this shared vision that evidenced our near proximity. Today SLDP also features this same view from almost the same instant on the same day. Cue up music for the Twilight Zone now. . .

Monday, September 1, 2008

Theme Day: Sister Cities

No, this is NOT Seattle! Today CDPBloggers are showing you photos of our sister cities around the globe. Bergen Norway is the second of Seattle's 21 official sister cities (adopted in 1967; Kobe, Japan was first in 1957, and 19 others have come since). Like Seattle, Bergen is a port town and very beautifully situated. King Olav the 5th of Norway came to Seattle in 1975 and dedicated a Nordic heritage plaza in the Ballard neighborhood called "Bergen Place," which features a large colorful mural depicting life in Bergen, as well as stone benches carved to honor Norway, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark. Many Seattlites trace their heritage back to Norway and the other Scandinavian countries. Photo, "Bergen Harbor," is by Jonas Smith, http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonassmith/. See who your other favorite City Daily Photo Blogs' sister cities are around the globe.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.
Or click a city from this list:Adelaide, Australia by Gordon, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Arradon, France by Alice, Aspen (CO), USA by IamMBB, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Aurora, South Africa by shelagh, Avignon, France by Nathalie, Bandung, Indonesia by Bunyamin, Bandung, Indonesia by Harry Makertia, Bandung, Indonesia by Eki Akhwan, Barrow-in-Furness, UK by Enitharmon, Belgrade, Serbia by Bibi, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bogor, Indonesia by Gagah, Brighton, UK by Harvey, Brookville (OH), USA by Abraham, Bucharest, Romania by Malpraxis, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Buenos Aires, Argentina by Karine, Busan, Korea South by iamnbinb, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cavite, Philippines by Steven Que, Château-Gontier, France by Laurent, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Chateaubriant, France by trieulet, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chennai, India by Shantaram, Chennai, India by Ram N, Christchurch, New Zealand by Michelle, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Darmstadt, Germany by Elsch, Edinburgh, UK by Dido, Edmonton (AL), Canada by , Evry, France by Olivier, Geneva (IL), USA by Kelly, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Gothenburg, Sweden by Lo/David, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Hanoi, Vietnam by Jérôme, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Helsinki, Finland by PPusa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Honningsvag, Norway by J., Hyde, UK by Old Hyde, Hyde, UK by Gerald, Istanbul, Turkey by mustafa34, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Jerusalem, Israel by Esther, Karwar, India by Yogesh, Katonah (NY), USA by Inkster1, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Lakewood (OH), USA by mouse, Las Vegas (NV), USA by Mo, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, London, UK by Ham, London, UK by Mo, Madrid, Spain by Tr3nta, Mainz, Germany by JB, Manila, Philippines by Anthony, Mashhad, Iran by Meead, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico City, Mexico by Poly, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Misawa, Japan by misawa mama, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Monterrey, Mexico by rafa, Muizenberg, South Africa by Pentaxjunkie, Mumbai, India by MumbaiiteAnu, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Delhi, India by Delhi Photo Diary, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, New York City (NY), USA by • Eliane •, New York City (NY), USA by Kitty, New York City (NY), USA by Ming the Merciless, Newport News (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Nice, France by Angelaj, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Orlando (FL), USA by OrlFla, Palos Verdes (CA), USA by tash, Paris, France by Eric, Paris, France by Elsa, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Pensacola (FL), USA by P J, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia by Murphy_jay, Petoskey (MI), USA by Christie, Philadelphia (PA), USA by Andrew Foderaro, Phoenix (AZ), USA by Sharon, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Portland (ME), USA by Corey, Portsmouth (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Ramsey, Isle of Man by babooshka, Rancho Palos Verdes (CA), USA by Sarah Adams, Riga, Latvia by Riga Photos, Rouen, France by Bbsato, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saigon, Vietnam by Simon, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Salem (OR), USA by jill, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Francisco (CA), USA by Burd Zel Krai, Schenectady (NY), USA by Buck, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Seoul, South Korea by Phil, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Sharon (CT), USA by Jenny, Singapore, Singapore by Zannnie, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, South Pasadena (CA), USA by Laurie, Springfield (IL), USA by Aubrey, Stanwood (WA), USA by MaryBeth, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Sunshine Coast, Australia by bitingmidge, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Sydney, Australia by Julie, Sydney, Australia by Ann, Tamarindo, Costa Rica by David, Tel-Aviv, Israel by Olga, Telluride (CO), USA by mtsrool, Tempe (AZ), USA by angie, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Torino, Italy by Fabrizio, Torun, Poland by Glenn, Turin, Italy by Livio, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Villigen, Switzerland by z, Virginia Beach (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Washington (DC), USA by D.C. Confidential, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Willits (CA), USA by Elaine, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn,