Currently I'm photographing motorcycle racing for the Washington Motorcycle Road Racing Association (WMRRA).  Round 1 was May 8-9.  I learned a lot and think I got some nice photos but I have room to improve. I'll get this dialed in soon. Here's some of my favorites from Round 1.
 Oh man it's been a long year. Looking back on it I did a lot more then I would have guessed.  None of the typical weekly short trips but we did make some quite a few outings anyways.  Here's a sample of my past year.  I hope you all fared it well.

Salute to a solitary Slug.⁠

Macrophoto of a marvelous Mollusk.⁠

Slipping past slowly Saturday.

There aren't many things I like about getting up super early in the morning but this...this makes it worth it.

There's something truly special about when the clouds hide all signs of civilization and all you can see is the mountain.

So Labor day weekend we decide we'll go to Canada to go on a quick overnight trip. That shouldn't be too crowded because it's an American holiday.  Wrong.  Apparently Canada adopted that day too.  Well we turned it into a day trip and discovered a wonderful Victorian garden in Vacouver, BC in Queen Elizabeth Park. It's like a smaller Butchart Gardens except a lot easier to get to and free.  Sometimes you get what you pay for but personally the experience at this park beats out Butchart.  Smaller but more personal.  Less crowded and just as beautiful.
We made a quick day trip up to Whidbey island.  I couldn't walk much due to spraining my ankle a couple weeks prior but we found this abandoned pier and there juvenile Bald Eagles and Cormorants on it, a Blue Heron under it.  It was quite the site.

More summer break casual photography.

This is another one of the Blue Heron (A. h. fannini Chapman) I saw on Whidbey Island.  Apparently there are 5 species of Blue Heron and the PNW has one that's unique with it's territory extending from Washington up to Alaska along the coastline.

Schools out so youth sports are pretty much out too. ⁠

I did make a trip up to Whidbey Island a few weeks back.  Despite my sprained ankle I managed to walk out to a beach and get some photos.  This Blue Heron was posing for me.⁠

Arches National Park.  This place is the epitome of Western Movies.  Simply amazing natural architecture.

Happy 4th of July!!!
I don't know about you but I think of sunsets like natures fireworks.  Sometimes they fizzle but other times they burn the sky.
Sorry for missing the past couple weeks.  I've gotten really busy since returning home from our trip catching up on things and shooting softball.  Two games a week and thousands of photos.   If you have a child or know a family that has children doing kid sports I'm doing that photography. Kids grow up so fast these are fleeting moments, why not get the photos that may be the first on their way to a career in sports. I can make them look famous before they became famous.

It's softball season!!

That was the last photo for the week. We’ll be home tomorrow.  It’s been a looooonnnggg trip but a lot of fun.  7 states, 5 national parks, 2 state parks, a monument, Las Vegas and nearly 3,200miles in 8 days.  I think that’s enough for now. 

It was snowing on the mountains in Utah. 

The hoodoos at Bryce.  It’s a pretty cool park but there was still quite a bit of snow so the trails and many of the viewpoints were still closed. The park is over 8,000 feet.   We’ll need to come back later in the season. 

Gorgeous falls at the upper end of the valley in Zion. 

Zion - The cliffs in this place are somehow more imposing than Yosemite.  They’re like walls that don’t end and on both sides of you a thousand feet tall. 

Petrified log at Valley of Fire. They have a bunch of these.  Fossilized trees are actually quite common all over the SW United States. 

Valley of Fire - Nevada State Park

This place has to be seen to be believed. The landscapes are so alien. The scenery and views rival any National Park. You definitely need to see this place. 

The Faux Eiffel

Super cute baby dolphin. 

This is the salt flat at Death Valley. We’re about 300ft below sea level here.  The snow capped mountain in the distance is about 10,000ft.  

There was a bit of a sandstorm going on the way into Death Valley.  The winds have been blowing around 30mph and gusts to 40-50 for the past day and a half here around Las Vegas. 

The view from the motel was pretty nice. 

We stayed at a motel on Route 66. 

I employed my daughter to get a photo of myself. 

Grand Canyon National Park. It’s bigger then you can imagine. It’s so big it seems unreal at times. 

Goosenecks State Park.  This is actually connected to the Grand Canyon but just outside the park. The river bends back on itself three times. 

Monument Valley.  Just like you have seen in dozens of movies. 

This is the first large valley at Arches National Park  after you enter. 

Arches National Park. The sandstone formations are beyond imagination. 

Double Arch at Arches. 

I caught her mid whine about some scrape she had.  It made a good photo. 

Did I mention they look quite realistic. 

You can stand and touch some of the models. 

This is at Moab Giants. It’s a roadside attraction near Arches.  It’s not your typical roadside attraction. It has a really good scientific museum and the dinosaurs models are the best I’ve ever seen. 

Bingham copper mine Utah.  Enormous open pit mine.  It’s the most productive Cooper mine in the world. 

Tire from a dump truck at the mine. 

Shovel at Bingham copper mine. 

- Well this coming week has been coming for months.  We’re going to do some National Parks in Utah over spring break.  If I can I’ll be sure and post some photos up here as we go. 

Leading the charge.

Girls Basketball Puyallup Youth Sports.  

Girls Basketball Puyallup Youth Sports.  

Up close and personal with a large Orangutan at Woodland Park Zoo.

First Baseball Practice.  Ever.

Macaque monkey at Woodland Park Zoo.  They’re quite loud.

I think the flower photos are working.  We’re suppose to have almost 70 degree weather next week.  It was trying to snow last week.  If this photo can’t push spring over the edge there’s no hope. 

Willing Spring to come one flower photo at a time.

Don’t just take the time to smell the roses but also look at them in detail.

Some fish swim with the school and some don’t.  Which do you prefer?

The divers at Seattle Aquarium are definitely as much a part of the show as the marine life is.

So alien looking but and beautiful.

Jellyfish Moon Reflection

January 2019
Check out my portfolio.  I just did a complete refresh on the website new look and photos.

This is a batch of photos I took during the Lunar Eclipse January 2019.  It was very cloudy and cold.  I was lucky to get the photos I did.

Yosemite National Park - Bridal Veil Falls

Another photo of one of the baby Rhinos at Woodland Park Zoo

Big Four Ice Caves Sunny Mountain Meadow

Chimpanzees are difficult to see in capability.  However I feel it’s necessary for people to interact with animals in order to understand them and feel for them to promote wildlife conservation.

The Thinker

Warm and inviting and full of potential.  Like a fresh new New Year.

December 2018

Beautiful Peacocks make terrifying alarm clocks.

Something a little different.  I was going through my photos from this past year and came across some favorites I hadn’t shared.  This is one I took at the California Academy of Sciences.  

Alligator skull at the California Academy of Sciences

Penguin Sun Soak

Baby tanks are super cute

Focused and ready

They were picking out certain leaves to eat.

In the right setting even the ugly duckling would have been beautiful.

November 2018

The eyes have it.  Peace in the eyes of an apex predator.

How long do I have to hold still for this?

I’m tired okay?

Gobble Gobble

Strutting

You lookin’ at me?  You better not be lookin’ at me.

Fall rains and darker weather bring out the mushrooms.  It’s a beautiful part of the decomposition process.

I see you.....

I’m soooo tired....

My favorite flower

A quiet misty morning.

The leaves are nearly gone but the golden memories remain.

I see you.  Are you food? Do you have food?

Oh so mean.. Not really, just the end of a yawn.

October 2018

Another happy and cute wild cotton tail.

Some more fall colors. Nice morning walk through the leaves and under the leaves.

This weekend I had the opportunity to take some impromptu portraits at a city organized Halloween Trick or Treat event.  We were walking towards the event and on the way there I was checking the camera and making adjustments.  I really like the lighting and  and colors.

A beautiful sheet web spider web. This family of spiders make some of the most diverse styles of webs from simple sheets often seen in the grass to domes like these.  It was a a very foggy morning and the dew made the webs stand out everywhere.  It made for a beautiful fall morning walk.

An understated fall color photo.

Fall is Wooly Bear season.  This was a little guy.  Less than an inch.  

Lily Pad Reflection

Morning Cattail (Bulrush)

Mother and Grandmother watching the VR painting demo at Pacific Science Center.

Longer exposure showing some motion for a VR demo at Pacific Science Center.

Watching the Salmon run at the Ballard Locks

Painting in VR at Pacific Science Center

European Cross Orb Weaver at Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Gardens

I know a lot of people aren’t fond of spiders but there are many varieties that are completely harmless to humans and in fact don’t even like being indoors.  This is one of those.  It’s a European Cross Orb Weaver.  They are a non-native here in the PNW but not invasive. They’re extremely good at catching the annoying flying insects.  A while back my daughter had one of these spiders as a pet for most of a year.

Salmon going through the Ballard Locks

Tiny flowers at the Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Garden

September 2018

No hiding this big guy in the grass.

A really big frog.  Bigger then my open hand.

Race winner

Eye spy with my little eye......

European Red Slug at West Hylebos Wetlands.  Lots of these guys early in the morning sliming along the paths.

Rabbit watching at West Hylebos Wetlands

Slug watching at West Hylebos Wetlands

The rabbits are everywhere early in the morning.

Saya trying out some VR at Pacific Science Center.

I got the chance to go behind the scenes and get up close to the action with the local 
motorcycle racing club, WMRRA.  It was an amazing day and I hope to do it some more next season. 

A great photo from the WMRRA races at Pacific Raceway Sept 09th

My friend Paul racing with WMRRA at Pacific Raceways Sept. 09th

April - May 2018
This is a long overdue update.  I apologize for making everyone wait so long.  Sometimes life gets in the way but sometimes life needs to come first.  This Spring I had an opportunity to help a friend I hadn't seen in years.  Then my family and myself took a long overdue vacation.  Although that was also productive for photography so most of what you'll now see below in the latest update is from our trip to California.  Enjoy.

This was on the road east out of the California Central Valley towards Yosemite.  From this view you would never guess the wonders hidden just over those hills.  There are multiple limestone caves and the biggest trees in the world not to mention the glorious Yosemite Valley.

Taken from a moving car in northern California late in the evening.  The hills fading into the distance were quite a site.

Taking photographs of animals can be largely opportunistic requiring good timing some fore planning (knowing some animal behavior), and bit of luck thrown in.  This bunny was very photogenic and had a beautiful meadow all to his own at the Oakland Zoo.  If you would like portraits of your pets I love animals and would love to meet your multi species family members.

Bird of Paradise flowers.  For most of us that have grown up in the Northern climates these flowers are every bit as bizarre looking as they are beautiful.  Throw in some palms and you definitely get an exotic feel to an image.

If you've never had the opportunity to watch apes (Chimps, Gorillas, Orangutans, other non-tailed primates) I highly recommend taking the time to do so.  No other animals so closely remind you of people.  These two Chimpanzees at the Oakland Zoo reminded us of two old guys sitting on a porch just shooting the breeze and eating a snack. 

Yosemite was a site to see this Spring.  We got there just two days after they had record rains and flooding.  Thankfully the flood waters had receded and the sun was out.   This place is spiritual in it's grandness.  If you have the opportunity to go don't pass it by.  Regardless of the weather this place is awe inspiring.

I'm not afraid to admit I'm ignorant to the person/being represented in this statue.  The flower placement was beautiful and so was the statue.

We were fortunate enough to get some warmer weather this Spring and took the opportunity to sit around one of our favorite places in Seattle.  This is the fountain at Seattle Center.  Here you can see one of the favorite games people play at the fountain trying to dodge the somewhat random water show. He wasn't doing a very good job of it.  That probably wasn't by accident though.

March 2018
February 2018

So happy the tongue is sticking out.  Hard to beat that.

Flying on the swing.

What a great expression. It looks contemplative and happy all at the same time.

Where did you go?

Pacific Eider. Beautiful bird with a s strange bill.

Beatiful blue eyed bird.  Saya said it looked like it had makeup on.  It looks similar to a Grouse.

Nice Toucan.  Some of us may like to call them Tookie Tookie Birds. Let me know if you're one of them.

Beautiful bird.  Red Capped Cardinal.

Never forget humans aren't the only ones that find it hard to get along sometimes. This was a very grumpy crane.  He was even trying to jump up and get crows flying over. 

I'd love to get a full photo of this Leopard but it's hard behind glass.  Sometimes you just start working with what you have and end up with something that I think might be even better. 

Animals caught at the right moment can look like they were posing for  you.  This is a Maned Wolf.  Very beautiful canine.

He looks grumpy or serious but he was anything but.  He's very comfortable around people getting within a couple feet making him an easy target for some nice photos.  Red Breasted Goose.

This pair of White Naped Cranes were an inseparable pair.  They went everywhere together frequently mirroring each other like twins.  Very beautiful.

Shillshole Bay Seattle.  Sun was turning golden well before sunset and made for a nice view of the Olympics in the distance and a nice end to a fun day.

January 2018
Inside MOHAI in Seattle - U.S. Mail Plain and wall of signs
This is a very nice museum detailing Washington from pre-western discovery to now detailing significant events and break throughs made here.

Beautiful old typewriter at Mohai

Pikes Place Market at closing time
If you don't like crowds and you just want to people watch in a very unique location Pikes Place at closing time is an excellent place to be. 
Black White photo of the Pikes Place Public Market sign
Black and white seemed appropriate for this historical sign.
The Seattle Great Wheel and Port of Seattle
This view is available from a small park located at the North end of Pikes Market.
Seattle Great Wheel and Seattle Waterfront piers
Another shot from the park by Pikes Market.
Musicians at The Market Theater
There's a theater located in Post Alley under the South end of Pikes Market where the Gum Wall is. Look up the Gum Wall if you've never heard of it. This theater is currently ran by Unexpected Productions a Improv theater group and school. This band plays between sets with short humorous songs. 
Musicians at The Market Theater
Another shot of the musicians this time during a improv skit.

Space Needle

The Space Needle is currently being remodeled.  Once done the viewing deck will be all glass. 

Seattle Center in front of Key Arena
During the winter Seattle Center is covered in lights.  It makes for a beautiful place to wander around after dark. 
December 2017

Close up of Dahlia

Playing with a new lens.  My favorite portrait type is close ups on faces.  People rarely actually look at other peoples face and especially animal faces close up and in detail.  There's a lot of hidden beauty in a face when seen up close.

Close up of Dahlia

Christmas Eve Snow

Soft Winter wonderland in the country

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