Recent Stories with tag photography

Typically at the stroke of New Year I'm either asleep or inspecting the liquor cabinet, but this time, I happened to be stationed with a good view of the Space Needle's fireworks show. I thought that was something until the next morning, when Nature showed us that we are poor imitators. 

And now, let's reverse the frame to the preceding evening. In the moments before 12 o' clock, nothing much is on view.

But that will soon change:... (more)

"Pagoda at Night" is from our Flickr pool stalwart Great Beyond, who writes: "Chinatown is an...interesting place in the middle of a Saturday night. I met all kinds of...colorful characters while setting up for this shot." You can see two architectural echoes of the pagoda roof in this shot, and it's remarkable how natural it looks with the skyline back of it.

Seattle has so far escaped the clutches of the Puget Sound Convergence Zone this morning; UW meteorologist Cliff Mass has a post up on the hit-and-miss nature of the snowfall, which is whitening Lynnwood to Everett. That being the case, here's some snow anyway, courtesy of shawnmebo and our Flickr pool. It's a gorgeous shot, thanks to the play of light and shadow, and soft and hard outlines.

You were expecting something more post-holiday themed, I know. But doesn't this capture some of the peculiar, paradoxical obsessions of daily life that we're escaping? I imagine some of you are reaching for the hand sanitizer right now, while others (you know who you are) are guffawing. Thanks to Slightlynorth for the dramatic depth of field and deadpan presentation, and thanks to all 112 of our Flickr pool contributors, who have shared over 4,000 photos with us.

Paul Swortz dropped this festive photo into our Flickr pool, for which we thank him very much. If you're not familiar with Santarchy's roving bands of drunken Santas, you're probably better off. (Note that "fucking" here is simply used as an FCC-approved intensifier, not to deride a day sacred to many of you. We don't need those emails.) We wish you a Merry Christmas Eve as well, and let's meet back here again on Monday. 

Our Flickr pool's Chris Blakeley came across this SUV "abandoned maybe fifteen feet away from the top of Queen Anne." Other drivers weren't so lucky.

1972 "was a bad year if you hate snow," writes our Flickr pool's shawnmebo. "Let's see what Steve Pool has to say about it." Today a bunch of Canadian cold air heads our way, bringing lots of snow in the mountains. Cliff Mass waves off concerns of Snowpocalypse 2010...mostly, noting that tomorrow we see something "close to a pattern that brings snow...but the models are emphatic that it is too warm over most of the lowlands for snow. The freezing level is at around 2000 ft and the snow level is around 1000 ft. This is close."

Coffee table books, especially ones on photography, are one of my favorite things. So when I heard that Seattle photographer and social artist, Chase Jarvis was due to publish his latest labor of love SEATTLE 100: Portrait of a City, (published by Peachpit, a division of Pearson) it prompted me to get in touch and arrange some time to talk about his passion for democratizing creativity. The book is available now through Amazon, Borders and Barnes & Noble.

The two-hundred-plus page body of work is "a curated collection of leading artists, musicians, writers, scientists, restaurateurs, DJs, developers, activists, entrepreneurs, filmmakers, and more, all of whom are defining and driving culture in Seattle." As Jarvis points out, the list is not the definitive list, but a list and one that he hopes will be expanded through future contributions on the related website.

If you have a similar interest, you’ll agree that it’s a rarity to find a book by a photographer of Jarvis's caliber for such a reasonable price. Then when you learn that Jarvis specifically negotiated the price and committed to donate his proceeds to www.4CULTURE.org , a local non-profit which provides public support of cultural programs, you just feel good about the purchase.

Jarvis's philosophy is broadly appealing. Local businesses Theo Chocolate and Small Lot wine distributors jumped on board with contributions to the project in the form of a special edition chocolate bar and custom blend red and white wines. Darin Williams of Small Lot commented, "It was an easy decision. We signed up for the project because of where the proceeds were going. Generally, people pay attention to where they spend their money to support local businesses that's why I love this community."... (more)

First of all, this is an important photo because it reminds us all that blue skies are possible in Seattle. Great_Beyond says, "This fellow resides just west of the Ballard Locks, and is apparently meant to celebrate Puget Sound salmon and the local indigenous cultures. The glass disc depicts the salmon life cycle, giving thanks to the salmon as they migrate out to sea." A couple of things jump out: the face half-cast in shadow, the texture of his vest, the upward angle of the shot--even the fact that he's not quite vertical seems to catch him action.

"The question becomes," says Chris Blakeley, "is God dead or did He just lose His lease?" It's troubling, no matter how you look at it. And that thumbtack...ominous. All this and more in The SunBreak Flickr pool. Jump in!

Thanks to zenobia_joy for this addition to our Flickr pool. Admit it, you've always wondered who Freeway Park is "for," besides muggers and exhibitionists. Now you know: parkour enthusiasts and the people who photograph them. I didn't even know we had hosted a Parkour Summit.

Great_Beyond dropped this photo of Seattle in the late '70s into The SunBreak Flickr pool (over 3,000 photos and climbing). This morning seems a good to consider the look of Seattle from a distance, because tonight is the Central Waterfront Design presentation at Benaroya Hall, 7 to 10 p.m. [Confidential to Great_Beyond: Don't crop out the hand--it makes the shot.]

Open any coffee table book of historic photographs, particularly one with old photos of your hometown, and the experience as you flip through the pages is always the same.

First, it’s whimsically nostalgic as you wonder how people could have every lived in such an age. Then, it’s curiously nostalgic, as you look closer at the workings of life in earlier times. Finally, it’s painfully nostalgic as you come to realize what has been lost forever, a building, a mindset, a way of life.

Turner Publishing Company has just released a new coffee table book that, for any long term Seattleite, has equal doses of all three types of nostalgia. Historic Photos of Seattle in the 50s, 60s, and 70s, with text and captions by David Wilma, is an excellent black-and-white trip down memory lane. And like all such trips, there are some good and some bad memories.

First of all, kudos to Wilma and Turner for selecting pictures from the recent instead of distant past. Pictures from the Victorian era are, for me, too hard to place in context. The city they represent is long gone, paved over and lost. 

The photos in this book feature earlier lives of buildings, streets and festivals that are still close at hand. And by choosing this era to document, Wilma creates a much more evocative series of images. 

Pike Place Market Street Fair, 1975, courtesy of the Seattle Municipal Archives

The book documents Seattle’s rise from a coastal hub of timber and fishing to a powerhouse city that flourished after the Second World War. Companies like Nordstrom and Boeing really came of age in these thirty years and this book does a nice job of reflecting the city’s rapid economic rise.

Wilma has selected a large number of photos from various archives reflecting the construction of the interstate highway system through Seattle, including our two floating bridges. It’s interesting to see how these roads dissected our city and reshaped it and it’s poignant to reflect that, just 30 to 60 years later these are the structures that we are currently arguing about replacing and repairing. ... (more)

George Tsutakawa's Centennial Fountain, in Seattle U's Quad

As a relatively young city, Seattle doesn't have a large number of major art collections in public or private hands. Though our art benefactors have been generous and shown a fine eye for great art, Seattle can't stand up to the magnificent art collectors and collections in cities like San Francisco, New York, or even Los Angeles.

So local art lovers have to do a little more legwork to enjoy the pleasures of seeing art. One great source for viewing art is to take in the fine art collections in the corporate or organizational world. To take in one of these fine collections, start at Seattle University's central campus on Capitol Hill.

Seattle U has done a great job of integrating art into the public areas of many of its buildings, and a tour of some of the best art is both fulfilling and easy; it won't take more than an hour to see the best works. All buildings are open weekdays during business hours, and most are open outside of that, even on the weekends, so there really isn't a bad time to go. After, pop into Cafe Presse or Stumptown for refreshment and post-viewing conversation.

Start your tour at the far north end of the campus, just off Madison. The first work of art is a building, the award-winning Chapel of St. Ignatius designed by Bremerton-born architect Steven Holl.

The chapel is a magnificent work; surely one of the finest examples of modern architecture in the city. Holl followed his brief closely on this building. It subtly draws you in with clean, simple lines, and then invites contemplation. It's a spiritual house, but not overly tied to any one religion. Seattle U is a Jesuit school, but the chapel invites all to worship and pray.

... (more)

Flickr pool regular Slightlynorth dropped this one on us on June 4, 2010. What is there to say? Stand back and take a moment.

This week I'm showcasing the versatility of Great_Beyond. First the time travel snaps, now a slightly creepy hot dog self-condimenting himself. And in public, so far as I can tell. This would give Warhol chills. Seriously, one mustard eyebrow and one ketchup? ARE YOU SEEING THIS?!

One thing I love about photocoyote's snaps is that he wakes me up to how the city looks. Do you know where these stone faces live? They're somewhere in Seattle Center, making the area look like a hip Old-World plaza. We have 84 photographers participating in our SunBreak Flickr pool. Jump in, and get Glimpsed! 

Today it's a very special two-part Glimpses, starring The SunBreak Flickr pool's Great_Beyond. I'll let him explain how this goes: "So here I am, 1979-ish, at Gas Works Park. And yeah, it's not a complete match with now, but you try and find a butt-ugly stripy shirt from the seventies in long sleeves these days. But I score points for having an Kodak instamatic! The garbage can is even in the right place--even though there's too many people in the background. " Compare and contrast, after the jump.

Our SunBreak Flickr pool contains a wealth of human experiences, and shots of beer. Here, troyjmorris muses on how precious and few are the moments we two can share: "This was my shelter during the winter. The fire fought the cold well, yet it was rare to see many people here. Now that summer is approaching, my shelter is becoming a well inhabited communal home."

Love the way the depth of field lets the blossom's pink pop against that mustard background. And the line of the branch bisecting the background...well! That's what you get when you go GypsyFae Photography, apparently. Who knew Wallingford had so much to offer?

The Sunbreak Flickr pool contributor shawnmebo gets up close and personal with an bunch of spring flowers with just enough haziness that you can imagine having forgotten your allergy medications.

Nareshe brings one of Seattle's vortexes where similarly named streets intersect to the Sunbreak's Flickr pool. This one occurs at the Pike Place Market, where anyone befuddled by the city planning will be find themselves in the company of tourists and plenty of options for fresh snacks while regaining their bearings.

This isn't the first time that Sunbreak Flickr Pool contributor Slightlynorth has showcased the combined power of an iPhone camera, a nifty app, and a great eye to capture a compelling image. This time, it's by way of Pictone and an emergency situation in Pioneer Square.

Sunbreak Flickr Pool contributor Russ invites you to contemplate Seattle's summer good looks from a well-placed chair on the banks of the University District.

The SunBreak's Flickr pool celebrates the eye of seadevi this morning, with this "found" multimedia art project. It's gorgeous, isn't it? For more on graffiti, there's this new Seattle Times series on the high cost of cleaning up after it. No records on what the "donated" public art that people enjoy is worth, though. Also, Exit Through the Gift Shop is showing at the Harvard Exit. And that's our Monday graffiti check-in. Back to the studio!