I have been waiting years for the right conditions (lighting, air quality, time of day, etc.) to drag my camera up Steptoe Butte (okay, you can drive there, but what's life without a little drama).  Finally, a month or so ago, Brad Nordin (a friend from high school) and I dusted off the cameras and made a day of shooting photos.  This is not really a unique photo in the sense that no one else has taken it.  However, it is MY photo that I can choose to hang on MY wall if I so desire.  The most important part of any photo, however, is the back story.  In this case, the back story has everything to do with the social aspects of photography.  Along the journey on this day, we encountered numerous people seeking the same thing as us...a glimpse of the Palouse at the right time and the right place.  We were fortunate to be the first to find the place, and as people filtered onto the overlook, we had varied conversations with each other and with the other photobugs.  I drove away from this scene with a sense of satisfaction and was rewarded by the next image as I drove back through Pullman and decided to take a slight detour in order to capture the sun on the red buildings of WSU.  I hope you like the images, but I hope more than anything else that you join us next time as we take in the landscapes and enjoy the journey.

Happy New Year

Today, January 1, 2013, was a little bit antithetical in some ways...not that I was anticipating an exciting start to 2013...the skies are a bit dark, I woke up really late (for me), and I completely didn't feel like doing my photo walk today (but I did).  One of the reasons I didn't feel like doing the walk is because I felt like I have taken pictures of just about everything there is of interest in Moscow, Idaho.  However, I readied my camera, donned my walking shoes, and went out anyway.  Below are some of the shots I was able to find.

Enjoy!

Micro-level Shots: I found a couple icicles hanging around on the farm implements at a lot across from my house, shot them, took them back home and edited them.  This is what I got.

Downtown Fountain:  I decided early in my daily photo walks to save this fountain for a day like today.  The snow has replaced water, but there is enough of the structure there to make it interesting if you find the right angle.

Selected Photos from 2012

2012 in review

Here are some photos that at least partially represent this past year for me.  It has been a very good year in many ways, but certainly not without its challenges.  I hope that 2013 is a much more prosperous year, but I look forward to quality time with friends and loved ones if nothing else.  I wish you all the best in 2013.

Meet Noi:

The best thing to happen in my life during 2012 is meeting Noi.  Noi is an amazing woman who keeps my thoughts positive every time we chat or see each other.  My trip to Thailand this year to visit Noi was by far the best vacation ever.

Thoughtful Monkeys:  

One of the most intriguing images I have of Thailand has to do with monkeys.  Before this trip, my only experience with monkeys was at the zoo where either the monkeys or the humans (or both) are behind bars.  However, in Thailand, the monkeys are like deer in the U.S.  They aren't the kind of animals you really want to have by your side all of the time, but they do provide for some interesting images.

Cowtown

In Thailand, you get the true sense of open range.  I was sitting on the patio of our beachfront resort cottage and these three cows sauntered past in a very casual fashion, as if they owned the place.  Maybe they do...maybe it's the cows who are really in control...haha.  Anyway, I don't mean to wax philosophical.  I just thought it was quite interesting.

Fishing Boats:

I was fascinated with the little fishing boats sitting on the beach.  They never moved the whole time we were there, but they definitely added to the character of the beach front.  I kept thinking I would see the old man in the sea coming out of one of the cabins and hauling one of them out to the ocean for a day's worth of fishing.

 

Photo Challenge:

I have decided to challenge myself to take as many photos in a variety of genres as possible for the remainder of 2012 and throughout 2013.  I want to hone my photography skills, yes, but mostly I want to use this as an opportunity to document what is happening in the various facets of my life over the next year as I work on the final push toward finishing up coursework for my PhD and then on to writing the dissertation...and hopefully looking for greener pastures to move on to.  The following pictures are part of that process.

Old Trucks and Barns:  Cliche?  Well, maybe.  However, there is a reason they are cliche; they are just cool.  This old truck was pretty photogenic, so I took it's picture as I had the chance.

Bringing the Unnoticed to the forefront:

The day was very cold, but that led to shots like this where the hole in the wall met the water falling from the roof and freezing almost instantly. 

 The Sea of Rocks:  Whoever owns this shop spent a lot of time plastering rocks to his wall so that those of us with cameras could come by and take notice.  What a cool place.

Above:  The life sciences building at UI is an amazing building, at least on the outside.  I love the view of this building from across the administration lawn.

Below:  The UI Library:

I enjoy the architecture of college libraries, especially the stairwell of the UI library.  Add snow and ice on the trees, and it just gets that much cooler.

Snowmen Are Cool:

Since I was a little kid, I loved making and looking at snowmen.  Whoever made this one, took great care to accessorize to the hilt.  Love it!

Getting Started

Getting Started is always a daunting step!

All of my friends keep telling me I should start selling my photos or enter the world of freelance photography.  For me, that is counter to what I use photography for, but I do want to begin expanding my audience a bit.  This blog is all about sharing my experiences both domestic and foreign by casting my net wider.  I will try to add photos on a semi-regular basis as I have interesting photos to share.  My goal is to post a weekly photo.  We'll see how it goes.

Moscow's Heritage:

To get us started, I want to post an image that has eluded me over the past few years but finally came to me on a photo walk in Moscow, Idaho today.  The old grain elevators have many stories behind them, but the most important tidbit of information is that they are still standing at all.  A developer wanted to preserve them when the city was planning to tear them down.  Grain elevators, especially ones of this scale are a symbol of what used to be the primary form of prosperity in this area.  Now the universities and other industries have taken over, but we still have the legacy of the old grain elevators in our photos.