Some New, Some Old....

Sunday!

A good day for photojournalism!!! This morning found me being awoken by a rancid smoke wafting in my open bedroom window. As a siren blared in the distance, I jumped to my feet, grabbed my camera and ran out the door. Scanning the sky, I saw smoke about two blocks south-east of my apartment, so I ran towards it. As I ran up the concrete stairs to the 99 freeway, I took these pictures.

Luckily it wasn't a house fire, but a homeless camp whose occupants were attempting to cook up some meth (at least that's what I gathered from the eyewitness reports of two explosive concussions prior to the fire). The fire quickly burned itself out and I went on my way.

On the walk back to my apartment, I noticed that the morning dew was covering some of the very beautiful flowers that line Dexter Ave N. Some bees were out also and with some patience, I managed to get some manual focus macro shots. Check them out!

Mr. Spot's Chai House

Mr. Spot's Chai House is a favorite Ballard haunt of mine. Although under new ownership, and surrounded by huge new condominium projects, the Chai House still maintains is charm. They also make the best spicy chai on the west coast and maybe the whole U.S.

Another benefit: They keep the flower vase full of fresh flowers! Ha! These shots were taken with my f/2.8 100mm Canon Macro lens on a Rebel Xti body.

Green Lake, Seattle, Wa -- Garden Flower Macro

Flowers are an endless source of entertainment for a macro photographer. Not only do they provide color and good opportunity for creative depth-of-field, but also occasionally you will catch an insect in the act of gathering pollen.

This first photo was taken when the dew was just evaporating from the morning sun.

Golden Gardens, Ballard, Seattle, Wa