tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89364338914566183782024-01-13T03:11:35.849-08:00Photographer's guide to SeattleIn this blog I will catalog the different spots in and around the Seattle area that I find interesting from a landscape or nature photography perspective. Seattle photographers are lucky...they don't need to travel great distances to get good landscapes shots. The best view is from their backyard!Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-37322727043725815972011-02-28T00:10:00.000-08:002011-02-28T00:13:28.725-08:00Ballard fisherman's terminal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">The Ballard fisherman's terminal is as Seattle as it gets - located on Salmon bay in the Interbay neighbourhood of Seattle. Quaint and laid back with a rugged beauty that is the essence of the Pacific North west. The terminal is steeped in history. Every time I go there I make it a point to spend some time at the Fisherman's memorial and read the plaques memorializing the fisherman missing at sea. Here is a <a href="http://www.portseattle.org/seaport/marinas/fishermensterminal/">link</a> to the official page.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have been to the terminal a few times and have always struggled to photograph the terminal. My experience/skill is primarily as a landscape photographer and i'm always trying to find the big, beautiful Vista. This does not work for the terminal - all the beauty is in the details. I went back last week armed with the new Canon EF 100mm macro lens my wife gifted me for my birthday. My first reaction - love the lens! It has opened a whole new world to a landscape photographer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/5484556755/" title="Intricate patterns of a fishing net, Ballard fisherman's terminal by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5296/5484556755_3c094629be.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Intricate patterns of a fishing net, Ballard fisherman's terminal" /></a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br />
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<tr><td>Equipment: Canon 5D Mark 2, Canon EF 100mm/f2.8 L macro</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br />
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</tbody></table>The terminal is best shot on sunny winter days. I have found it best to be there a couple of hours before sunset or an hour after sunrise. Closer to sunset the shadows lengthen and it makes photography very tricky. I usually walk up and down the piers looking for interesting macro oppurtunities - rusty anchors, nuts and bolts, ropes etc. There are 3-4 piers and I explore each of them. By far the best macro opportunites are around the fishing nets that you will find piled up around the docks. I spent an hour or so isolating patterns in the red and white fishing nets.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/5484577823/" title="Anchor rope, Ballard Fisherman's terminal by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5019/5484577823_54699fe0f7.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Anchor rope, Ballard Fisherman's terminal" /></a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br />
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<tr><td>Equipment: Canon 5D Mark 2, Canon EF 100mm/f2.8 L macro</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">The terminal is a unique mixture of pleasure yatches and working boats - its pretty cool to see an expensive pleasure yatch moored next to a small fishing boat from Alaska :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are usually plenty of birds (Canada geese, cormorants, mallards, coots etc) in and around the terminal. They are pretty habituated to people and you can get very close to them. I always take my telephoto lens looking for good portrait shots of the birds.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=3919+18th+Avenue+West,+Seattle,+WA&aq=&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=39.047881,93.076172&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=3919+18th+Ave+W,+Seattle,+King,+Washington+98119&z=16">Directions to the terminal</a> </div></div>Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-40749383391262759412011-01-30T20:50:00.000-08:002011-01-30T20:52:31.180-08:00Sol duc falls, Olympic Peninsula<div style="text-align: justify;">Sol duc is a beautiful waterfall located in the Sol duc valley in the heart of Olympic national park. The waterfall is located at the end of a short hike of about a mile from the Sol duc campground parking lot. Sometimes in winter due to heavy snow or tree debris the national park service closes the road near the hot springs resort. This will add a couple of miles to your hike. As always please check the road conditions before you head out on your trip.</div><br />
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<tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/5323084296/" title="Waterfall on the way to Sol duc falls by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img alt="Waterfall on the way to Sol duc falls" height="387" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5202/5323084296_9eef12d5a3.jpg" width="500" /></a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br />
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<tr><td>Equipment: Canon 5D Mark 2, Canon 100-400mm</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">The trail is wide and mostly flat - you walk through pristine old growth temperate rainforest that is so typical of the pacific north west. The average annual rainfall on this side of the Olympics is about 200 inches! Even though the hike is only about a mile it usually takes me an hour or so to make it to the falls. There are a number of beautiful small streams and waterfalls on either side of the trail. I love to stop and photograph these streams. In some cases I like to use my telephoto lens to isolate small portions of the streams/falls. Depending on the situation I like to vary the shutter speed to achieve different levels of "silky" flow of the water. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once you get to the waterfall the first thing you realize is that it is a rather difficult waterfall to photograph. The waterfall is located in a small canyon at an angle.Once you get close enough to be able to see the falls the water spray is pretty intense making it really difficult to photograph. I've been there a few times but don't really have a good picture of the falls. The next time I'd like to use the wooden bridge across the falls in my composition If any of my readers has some tips I would love to hear!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the road to Sol duc falls parking lot you pass the Sol duc hot springs resort and the Sol duc campground. The resort and campground are usually closed for the winter and usually open at the end of March. Another interesting point along the road is the Salmon cascades. The Salmon Cascades is reached via a .1-mile gravel path that leads to a wooden platform overlooking the Sol Duc River. The river supports an unusual stock of coho salmon, which begin to return from the Pacific in late summer (most coho return in the fall). The salmon must negotiate more than 50 miles of river, rapids and pools to reach Salmon Cascades before continuing to quieter pools above Sol Duc Hot Springs.</div><br />
<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=Soleduck+Rd&hl=en&geocode=FTG92wIdCWue-A&mra=mr&sll=47.96906,-123.86337&sspn=0.010559,0.021865&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=16">Directions to Sol Duc falls</a>Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-58537948942939280582010-09-22T13:18:00.000-07:002011-01-30T21:06:00.915-08:00Fall colors, Microsoft campus, Redmond<table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" ><tbody>
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</tbody></table>Microsoft campus is a fun place to photograph fall colors on the eastside of Seattle. It is very easily accessible and there are a variety of composition options. The soccer field on the main Redmond campus bound by NE 36th st and 157th ave NE is a good place to start off your photo walk. The trees lining NE 36th Street usually turn red and the trees on the east and the south of the soccer field turn yellow.<br />
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The Overlake transit center is a good place to park for non Microsoft employees. It is walking distance to the Microsoft main campus. The soccer field has a walking track around most of it - I like to walk around the entire field till I find a perspective I like. Every year is different, not all the trees have the same degree of color every year. <br />
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NE 36th is lined with trees on both sides . The curvy road, leaves on the ground and the colors can be used for some and makes for some very interesting compositions using a wide angle lens. I like to photograph the street The street is best photographed after the trees start shredding leaves. I like to have color both on the streets and in the trees - it tends to make the picture pop. So you will need to time your visit at the right time in the fall. A lower depth of field (wider aperture) will give a surreal effect to your images. Experiment with different depths of field till you find the depth you like. I like to shoot fall colors on an overcast day. It tends to bring out the best colors and makes the picture pop. <br />
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<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=47.64249,-122.130322&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=18&sll=47.642134,-122.128326&sspn=0.00266,0.005466&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=18">Directions to microsoft campus </a>Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-46417269278190425342010-09-12T10:44:00.000-07:002010-09-12T10:48:29.837-07:00Hurricane ridge, Olympic Peninsula<table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" ><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/4982932275/" title="Deer at Hurrican ridge by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/4982932275_bbf6e11fb2.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Deer at Hurrican ridge" /></a><br />
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</tbody></table>Hurricane ridge is my favorite place in the Olympic Peninsula. The top of the ridge at about 5200' offers spectacular views of Mount Olympus and the Lillian Ridge. The surrounding fields are usually full of wildflowers taking advantage of the brief growing season.The view is different in every season - winter, spring and summer. Wildlife is abundant around the ridge - black tail deer, mule deer, marmots can be found in the meadows around the ridge.<br />
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Hurricane ridge is about an hours drive from Port Angeles. There is a visitor center at the bottom on the ridge and also at the top of the ridge. The visitor center at the bottom of the ridge is larger and also has a naturalist display that is very interesting. The winding road to hurricane ridge has numerous vista points where you can pull off the road and enjoy spectacular views of the Strait of Juan De Fuca. On a clear day you can see Mt Baker and the <a href="http://seattlephotoadventures.blogspot.com/2010/03/dungeness-spit-sequim-olympic-peninsula.html">Dungeness spit lighthouse</a>.<br />
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Spring is one of the best times to shoot at the ridge - its wildflower season and the Lupines and Avalanche lilies are in full bloom. There is a the short hike to hurricane hill from the parking lot. All along the trail you will be treated to sweeping panoramic views of the Olympic mountains. I like to use the lupines as foreground to compose some shots of the Olympic mountains. In summer the best time to shoot is before 8 am or after 8 pm. In early morning sometimes a fog drifts in which can make for some interesting compositions. For more information about the trails around hurricane ridge refer to the following<a href="http://www.kaleberg.com/portangeles/hurricane.html"> website</a>.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/2770494526/" title="Lupine, Hurricane ridge by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3039/2770494526_eb83489138.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Lupine, Hurricane ridge" /></a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br />
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<tr><td>Equipment: Canon 5D Mark 2, Canon 100-400mm</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br />
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</tbody></table>Sunset is traditionally hard to shoot from the ridge because the valley gets into shadow when the peaks are well lit. The best time to shoot is a little before sunset when the valley is not completely in shadow. There are usually deer hanging out in the meadow - I like to use them in my composition. A neutral density filter is very useful here since the peaks are usually 2-3 stops brighter than the valley. If I don't have moving wildlife in my shot I tend to not use the neutral density filter but shoot at different exposures which I can HDR later.<br />
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A wide to medium zoom is very useful for this shot - I most commonly use my Canon 24-70 at this spot. I like to use a longer lens like the Canon 100-400 to isolate the deer against the ridge. The ridge is usually windy at the best of times, I always carry a windbreaker and a cap. <br />
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The obstruction point road starts from the top of hurricane ridge. This is a narrow single lane dirt road with a steep drop off on the side. This is not for the light of heart! I have heard from friends that there is a Marmot colony at the end of the road but not been there myself.Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-89074281032577495322010-06-27T13:11:00.000-07:002010-06-27T14:48:46.867-07:00Fort Ward State park, Bainbridge islandFort Ward State park is located on the south western side of Bainbridge island.One gloomy saturday afternoon in winter I was perusing Google maps looking for a place to shoot sunset. I haven't done much photography on Bainbridge island and Fort Ward looked reasonably close to the Seattle-Bainbridge island ferry terminal. For more information on the park refer to <a href="http://www.parks.wa.gov/parks/?selectedpark=Fort%20Ward&subject=all">Washington state park web site</a>.<br />
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After a long confusing ride (GPS is supposted to make your life easier!) I arrived at the park. Unfortunately it was pouring rain. After waiting for a few minutes for the rain to abate I started on the Fort Ward loop trail. A detailed map of the trails of the park can be found <a href="http://www.parks.wa.gov/parks/thumbnailAndmaps/8250142.pdf">here</a>.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/4715522946/" title="Cormorants, Fort Warden, Bainbridge island by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4715522946_95e608d027_b.jpg" width="683" height="1024" alt="Cormorants, Fort Warden, Bainbridge island" /></a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br />
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I walked along the gravel trail for about 15 mnts and saw a group of Cormorants perched on some piers along the shoreline. With a storm building in the background it made for some cool compositions. Close to sunset, the sun broke through the clouds a little bit. The combination of the sunset and the storm clouds with the cormorants in the foreground made my evening. <br />
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Before I could setup my tripod the rain started pouring down. I shot off a few shots handheld and made my way back to my car. I will need to schedule a day of better weather to go back and explore Fort Ward State park.<br />
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<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=2241+Pleasant+Beach+Bainbridge+Island,+WA+98110&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=50.69072,89.560547&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=2241+Pleasant+Beach+Dr+NE,+Bainbridge+Island,+Kitsap,+Washington+98110&z=16">Directions to the park </a>Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-47742069266732405412010-06-19T12:34:00.000-07:002010-06-19T14:17:02.657-07:00Grays harbor shorebirds<div style="text-align: justify;"><table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" style="height: 501px; width: 770px;"><tbody>
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The Sandpiper trail in Grays harbor is one of the best places to view and shoot migrating shorebirds in Washington state. Hundreds of thousands of shorebirds stop over in the estuary of Gray's harbor to feed and rest during their northbound migration.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">For more information about shorebirds refer to<a href="http://www.shorebirdfestival.com/"> http://www.shorebirdfestival.com</a>. The Sandpiper trail is located in the Grays Harbor national wildlife refuge right next to the Bowerman airport. The airport parking lot also doubles as the parking lot for the trail. From the parking lot it's about a mile of boardwalk trail to hike out to the mudflats.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The birds start arriving middle to the end of April. The best time to visit the mudflats is during high tide - this way the birds are closest to the trail. If you visit the trail during the shorebird festival (April 30th to May 2nd) you will also find naturalists on the trail who can give you a lot of good information about the shorebirds. However expect the trail to be very crowded during the shorebird festival. Refer to the tide chart provided at http://www.fws.gov/graysharbor/viewing.html to find the best time to visit the refuge. My recommendation is to pick the evening with the highest tide to maximize your chances.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Despite the high tide you will need a big telephoto lens here to be able to get close up shots of the tiny shorebirds. With a 400mm you can try to get motion blur shots as the entire flock takes off - however do note that the picture I have above is probably a 30-40% crop of my image. If you are interested in close ups you will need to bring your 600mm and your teleconverter :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">When I visited the Sandpiper trail this year the naturalist recommended that I also visit Bottle beach - however I was not able to visit it this year. If any of you folks have had a chance to visit Bottle beach I would love to hear about your experience.<br />
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<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=Airport+Way&hl=en&geocode=FZLEzAIdTvuc-A&mra=ls&sll=46.973693,-123.930502&sspn=0.005381,0.010933&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=17">Directions to Sandpiper trail </a></div>Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-7748280602796800262010-04-11T19:42:00.000-07:002010-04-12T10:38:22.438-07:00Ebey's landing preserve, Whidbey island<div style="text-align: justify;"><table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" style="height: 412px; width: 537px;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/4512525975/" title="Perego lake, Ebeys landing, Whidbey island by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2301/4512525975_cf08794bab_b.jpg" width="770" height="513" alt="Perego lake, Ebeys landing, Whidbey island" /></a><br />
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</tbody></table>Ebey's landing on Whidbey island is an area of stark beauty and historical significance. The bluff at Ebey's landing is a windswept headland laced with scenic coastal trails on Whidbey island. This natural preserve has been on my list of places to visit ever since I made my first trip to Whidbey island. For more information about the preserve refer to this <a href="http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/washington/preserves/art6824.html">website</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I particularly enjoyed the drive through Whidbey island in late evening light on the way to Ebey's landing. As I was driving by a red tailed hawk dived into the wheat fields nearby possibly hunting mice. The road leading to the landing trailhead is particularly interesting - a curvy winding road with the blue pacific ocean on the left and high brown bluffs to the right. In the right light it will be a great shot - will need to keep it in mind for my next visit.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Click <a href="http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes-of-the-week/ebeys-landing">here</a> for more information about hiking trails in the area. I arrived at the landing a little late in the day and did not have time to hike the full loop - that will have to wait for the next trip. My goal on this trip was Perego's lagoon - a freshwater lagoon separated from the ocean by a narrow strip of the beach. The lagoon is a haven for birdlife and gets frequently flooded by saltwater. At the end of a long summer the lagoon was dry and the cracked up lagoon bed looks like something you are more likely to see in Death valley than on the Washington coast. I was hoping for a bright red sunset to shoot the cracked lake bed. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Shooting on the lagoon bed was very interesting - the lake bed was pretty soft and difficult to walk on. Good thing I had good hiking boots on , the boots were completely crusted in the soft lake bed mud. The sunset was pretty decent and I got some good shots. I made both vertical and horizontal compositions. I made a couple of exposures - the plan was to manually merge the two exposures using layers in Photoshop. I have tried HDR before but have been dissatisfied with the unnatural results. Once I was satisfied with my shots I headed back to the parking lot.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In hindsight I left the location a little too early, Once I got back to the parking lot the colors really picked up and the sky was painted red! The next time I'm going to stay put till the sun completely sets! However all was not lost - I was able to setup next to the beach close to the parking lot and shoot long exposures of the Olympic mountains over the Strait of Juan de Fuca. I knelt down and took a series of horizontal shots which I combined into a panorama. I found the leading lines of the mountains, ocean and shoreline very interesting...It seemed like they were all converging at the bluffs of Ebey's landing :)<br />
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<tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/4512528515/" title="Earth meets sky, Ebeys landing, Whidbey island by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2318/4512528515_20b68dd1cf_b.jpg" width="770" height="290" alt="Earth meets sky, Ebeys landing, Whidbey island" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=ebey%27s+landing&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=44.339735,109.248047&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Ebeys+Landing,+Island,+Washington&ll=48.196818,-122.720504&spn=0.018308,0.053344&z=15">Directions to Ebey's landing</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-28875956661481825652010-03-14T12:42:00.000-07:002010-03-14T12:42:52.275-07:00Dungeness spit, Sequim, Olympic peninsula<table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
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Dungeness spit is one of the most interesting geological formations on the Olympic peninsula. It is the longest natural sand spit in the United states. The Dungeness national wildlife refuge is also a key staging area for a variety of species of birds.<br />
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I would recommend this hike in spring or summer. The round trip hike is about 10 miles. Try to start early in the day. The light is best at this time and it is not nearly as hot. It will be useful to carry along a windbreaker as it can get pretty windy and the spit has no shelter from the wind. Carry plenty of water - you will need it.<br />
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<tr><td>Equipment: Canon 20D, Canon 100-400mm<br />
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Along the entire length of the hike you will be treated to amazing views of the Olympic mountains. There are thousands of sea gulls perched on the driftwood on the beach. You can make some interesting compositions with the gulls and the Olympic mountains. Keep your eye open for bald eagles. You will find a number of them perched on the crab pots in the inner part of the spit.<br />
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There is also a colony of Caspian terms that nests on the spit. Make sure you don't walk too close to the colony. The rangers will not be too happy and the terns will start dive bombing you! In general the whole spit is a birders paradise - California gulls, Glaucous winged gulls, Oystercatchers, Guillemot and many more.<br />
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Once you get to about halfway you will start to see the "New Dungeness" lighthouse. It is a beautiful lighthouse and on a clear day you will be able to see Mount Baker behind the lighthouse. The whole scene screams panorama!<br />
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The lighthouse grounds itself are beautifully maintained. I recommend you take a tour of the lighthouse and climb up to the light on the top. Also there is a good chance you will see a bunch of seals hanging around in the water around the lighthouse.<br />
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For more detailed information about the region consult the official <a href="http://www.dungeness.com/refuge/index.htm">website</a><br />
</div>Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-31271524321588998122010-01-03T23:43:00.000-08:002010-01-03T23:52:41.416-08:00Highway 101 pullouts, Lake crescent, Olympic Peninsula<table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" height="593" style="width: 786px;"><tbody>
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</tbody></table>Highway 101 runs along Lake Crescent for about 12 miles. All along this beautiful winding road are numerous pullouts that have beautiful views of the Lake.<br />
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Early in the morning is my favorite time to photograph this area. Even in summer the lake and the surrounding mountains are covered in fog. The fog and the light can be used for some very interesting compositions. Later in the day you can use the turquoise blue waters of the lake for your compositions. I have seen some interesting shots of the blue water and Mount Storm King. Remember to use the polarizer if you include the lake in your compositions.<br />
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<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=48.052142,-123.834592&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=18&sll=48.052052,-123.834361&sspn=0.00256,0.006974&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=18">Directions to pullout</a>Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-31866092918780969602009-12-27T22:01:00.000-08:002010-01-18T11:06:34.587-08:00Nisqually national wildlife refuge<t r=""></t><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Nisqually national wildlife refuge is one of the best places for birdwatching and bird photography in western washington. The refuge is about three thousand acres of salt and freshwater marshes in the Nisqually river delta area.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The refuge is good for photography in both summer and the winter. However winter here is special. During sunrise the golden light from the early morning sun light up the marshes and grasslands creating wonderful backgrounds. If you have monster 500-600 mm telephoto lenses this would be the place to use them! The refuge is teeming with ducks, geese, songbirds and raptors. <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">My favorite spot in the refuge is located very close to the beginning of the Twin barns loop trail. A few hundred yards into the boardwalk trail, look to your left. You should see a cackle of Canada geese on the frozen Nisqually river. If you arrive here before sunrise you can get some great shots when the rays of the early morning sun light up the background. This is also a good place for panning shots. If you are patient there are a number of geese taking off and coming in to land. I would recommend a good tripod and telephoto lens. 500 or 600 mm would be best but you could probably get by with a 400 mm. <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Foggy days are also good for photography in the refuge. The refuge is shrouded in fog and you can get some great landscape shots. After your done with your hiking make sure to visit the visitor center. It has some very illustrative exhibits explaining in the detail the tidal and birdlife of the Nisqually delta region.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=47.072421,-122.713048&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=18&sll=47.071971,-122.712275&sspn=0.002422,0.004823&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=18">Directions to the refuge </a><br />
</div>Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-22840013169080363022009-10-18T22:44:00.000-07:002009-10-18T22:52:08.235-07:00Tongue point tide pools, Crescent bay, Olympic Peninsula<div style="text-align: justify;"><table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" style="height: 412px; width: 537px;"><tbody>
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Tongue point tide pool in the Salt creek recreation area is one of the most popular places for tidepooling in the pacific north west. The best times for tide pooling here is in the early summer - June/July/August. Refer to the tide charts at <a href="http://www.dairiki.org/tides/daily.php/crs">http://www.dairiki.org/tides/daily.php/crs</a> to plan your trip to the tide pools -the lower the tide the better. You should plan your trip so that you can spend a couple of hours on the beach during the time of lowest tide.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The tide pools are very popular and you will usually find several people exploring the tide pools. I would highly recommend that you buy "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Beachcomber-Guide-Seashore-Pacific-Northwest/dp/1550172042/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255234580&sr=8-2">The Beachcombers guide to the Seashore life in the pacific north west</a>" if you wish to better identify the various inhabitants of the beach . This is a great book with illustrative pictures that goes a long way in ID'ing what you find on the beach. Also keep your eye open for birdlife , there are a few Pigeon Guillemots nesting in the area.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The tide pools are located in the northwest corner of the Salt creek recreation area. After you enter the recreation area drive to the end of the road past the parked RV's and then follow the signs to the tidepool parking area. The tidepool area tends to be windy at the best of times, so make sure you bring a windbreaker. Always be aware when the tides are coming in so that you will not get stranded. Good footwear is also very important - I would recommend hiking boots. The tidepool area is completely covered with barnacles and mussels, so footing is very precarious. Be very careful when you walk around!<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=Tongue+Point+Marine+Life+Sanctuary+%4048.166601,-123.706656&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mi&sll=48.164697,-123.697965&sspn=0.010119,0.021865&ie=UTF8&z=16">Directions to Tongue point tide pools</a><br />
</div>Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-78724010771580259432009-10-11T09:59:00.000-07:002009-10-11T09:59:43.801-07:00Fairholme camp ground, Lake crescent, Olympic peninsula<table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" style="height: 364px; width: 537px;"><tbody>
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Fairholme camp ground is a beautiful camp ground located at the west end of Lake Crescent. The camp is in a beautiful wooded area with tall pine trees. The campground is very popular - so get there early if you want a spot. The best time to visit this spot is in summer - July & August. It can be pretty wet earlier in the year. For more information about campsites in the Olympic peninsula refer to the following <a href="http://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm">link</a>.<br />
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One of my favorite spots for photography here is the beach/pier area of the camp ground. The piers are located immediately behind the Fairholme general store. The general store rents out kayaks that are usually tied up the beach. If you get to this spot early in the morning you can get some beautiful shots of Lake Crescent. You can also use the red kayaks in the foreground to make some very interesting compositions.<br />
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<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=48.067939,-123.916855&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=14&sll=48.063052,-123.932991&sspn=0.04262,0.11158&ie=UTF8&ll=48.064314,-123.932991&spn=0.085237,0.22316&z=13">Directions to Fairholme camp ground.</a>Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-82002227874658264082009-09-29T22:57:00.000-07:002009-10-01T12:07:52.279-07:00Prosser balloon rally, Prosser WA<div style="text-align: justify;"><table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/3967647309/" title="Prosser balloon rally by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img align="left" alt="Prosser balloon rally" height="1024" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2440/3967647309_8efcf6f2fc_b.jpg" width="718" /></a><br />
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The Prosser balloon rally is one of the best places to photograph hot air balloons in Washington state. The rally is held every year around the third week of September in in Prosser, Washington. Prosser is located in the high desert country of eastern Washington and offers some amazing backdrops for balloon photography. For more information refer to <a href="http://www.prosserballoonrally.org/">http://www.prosserballoonrally.org/</a>.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The balloons launch at sunrise on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I would recommend that you try to shoot at least two of the three days to get good shots. The direction in which the balloons take off is highly dependent on the wind - so if you get strong winds on the one day you get there..you will be highly disappointed. The balloons launch from the airport grounds and there are usually 15-20 balloons. Most people start arriving at the grounds around 6.00 am. I would recommend that you come in a few minutes before 6.00 AM and find a parking spot. The next hour or so you can pull out your wide angle lens and walk around as people inflate their balloons - there are some very interesting people photography opportunities.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once the balloons launch you should head over to the river so that you can photography the balloons over the river. The best place to do this is from the 6th Street bridge - its about a block from the balloon launch grounds. Weather permitting some balloon pilots will touch down and drift along the river - this is probably the best opportunity you will get to shoot the balloons. Try to use a faster shutter speed so that you can freeze the action. Depending on the wind direction the pilots might come down on either side of the bridge. The better opportunities are when the balloons land west of the bridge as the balloons will be front lit. Be prepared to hurry back and forth between the two sides of the bridge. This is not as easy as it sounds as there is a concrete barrier in the middle - so I stay at the end of the bridge where it is easy to cross over.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Apart from the balloon rally the Prosser area is very interesting for photography in general - its beautiful brown hills look absolutely gorgeous in golden light. Exit 88 (Gibbons road) on 82 E takes you on some side roads with interesting views of the surrounding country. I would highly recommend to spend an evening shooting the general area. During the event it is very difficult to get a hotel room in the Prosser area, your best bet is to reserve something in the tri cities area which is around 30 mnts away.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/3971382661/" title="Prosser hill country by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2508/3971382661_fbd6758be5_b.jpg" width="770" height="513" alt="Prosser hill country" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=US-12%2FWine+Country+Rd&hl=en&geocode=FZokwQIdREvc-A&mra=ls&sll=46.211638,-119.779569&sspn=0.005138,0.009645&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=16">Directions to Prosser Balloon rally </a><br />
</div>Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-20493198177392730272009-09-07T10:48:00.000-07:002009-09-08T12:09:04.734-07:00Oak creek winter feeding station, Naches WA<table style="width: 537px; height: 412px;" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/3894779901/" title="Bighorn sheep at Oakcreek feeding station by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3482/3894779901_6be735d124_o.jpg" alt="Bighorn sheep at Oakcreek feeding station" width="770" height="573" /></a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><br /><tr><td>Equipment: Canon 20D, Canon 100-400mm</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><t r=""></t><tr><td>Image details: 370mm, f/5.6, 1/250sec, ISO 200<br /></td></tr> </tbody></table><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Every winter Washington department of Fish and Wildlife provides supplemental feed to the elk and the bighorn sheep in the Oakcreek area to help them get through the winter. A good portion of the traditional wintering grounds for these creatures are apple orchards today, so it is partly keep them out people's orchards. While the merits of doing this are very debatable - it gives us photographers a valuable opportunity to photograph wild elk and bighorn sheep at close proximity in their natural location. Refer to the following <a href="http://www.nachesvalleychamber.com/info/elkfeeding.html">website</a> for more details.<br /><br />The feeding stations for the elk and the bighorn sheep are in different locations because apparently they don't really get along with each other. There are two feeding stations for the elk. The first station is at the visitor center. The elk are fed everyday around 1.30 pm. There are usually up to a thousand elk here. You can get very close to them and don't really need a big telephoto - this is both a challenge and an opportunity. The ground is usually muddy and dirty and does not make a good background or foreground - so it difficult to get good portrait shots. Try to use the sky or the snow as your background. The visitor center also provides truck tours inside the enclosure - it is worth going on it once. It is usually very cold, so make sure you are dressed appropriately.<br /><br /><table style="width: 537px; height: 412px;" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/3895609850/" title="Elk, Oak creek feeding station by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3493/3895609850_19962826eb_b.jpg" alt="Elk, Oak creek feeding station" width="770" height="513" /></a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><br /><tr><td>Equipment: Canon 20D, Canon 100-400mm</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><t r=""></t><tr><td>Image details: 340mm, f/5.6, 1/100sec, ISO 200<br /></td></tr> </tbody></table><br /><br /><br />The second elk feeding station is located on Highway 12 . Looks for signs after the junction of Highway 12 and Highway 410. You have to shoot the elk from behind a barbed wire fence but I find this location better than the visitor center. You will need a bigger telephoto lens at this location, a 300 or 400 mm is a must if you want to get good portraits.<br /><br />The bighorn sheep are fed at the Cleman mountain feeding station that is east of the intersection of highways 12 and 410. The sheep feeding station is a little further away from the fence than the elk. The sheep are also very wary and take a little bit of time to approach the feeding area. You will need a bigger telephoto - atleast a 400mm to get decent shots of the sheep. A 600mm lens would be ideal here. If you don't have one you might be able to rent one for the weekend at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.glazerscamera.com">Glazers camera</a>. For good portrait shots make sure you shoot as wide open as you can so that you can get good bokeh. Think carefully about the background of your shots. It is important to have a simple, consistent and non distracting background.<br /><br />The best time to visit both the feeding stations is January/February. It is very cold - usually close to zero, so make sure you dress warmly. Good footwear is essential and make sure you have warm gloves. Thicker gloves prevent you from operating you camera easily. I find it convenient to wear liners - usually operate the camera with the liners and put on the gloves when i'm starting to get colder.<br /><br /><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=us+12+and+us+410,+wa&sll=46.747665,-120.788943&sspn=0.002705,0.005466&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=16">Directions to feeding station</a><br /></div>Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-32354552433358274422009-09-03T22:52:00.000-07:002009-09-03T23:31:39.922-07:00Juanita bay park, Kirkland<table style="width: 537px; height: 412px;" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/3886593434/" title="Blue winged teal at sunset, Juanita bay park by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2638/3886593434_0c6658b7f8_b.jpg" width="770" height="513" alt="Blue winged teal at sunset, Juanita bay park" /></a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><br /><tr><td>Equipment: Canon 20D, Canon 100-400mm</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><t r=""></t><tr><td>Image details: 400mm, f/5.6, 1/400sec, ISO 400<br /></td></tr> </tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Juanita bay park in Kirkland is a beautiful 110 acre park located on the shores of lake Washington. The park has beautiful wetland habitat and a number of board walk trails. There are three overlooks at the end of the boardwalk trails. Make sure you visit all three of them. Keep your eyes open for Painted turtles, Red sliders, Great blue herons, Blue winged teals, Wood ducks, Ospreys etc. For more information about the various inhabitants of the park refer to the following <a href="http://www.ci.kirkland.wa.us/Assets/Juanita+Bay+Park+Wildlife+Guide.pdf">website</a>.<br /><br />The park faces west and is best shot in late afternoon light. Juanita bay park also offers interpretive tours the first Sunday of every month. I have not yet been on this tour - it is on my list of things to do.<br /><br />One of my favorite places in the park is the boardwalk that leads to the park entrance off 98th avenue. Its also called the Old market St trail. Its a fabulous spot to shoot sunset. A tripod is a must if you want to shoot sunsets. This is also a great spot to get silhouette shots of birds during sunset. You can setup on the walkway and wait for the wading waterfowl to come into range. Make sure you setup the ISO and shutter speed beforehand based on the light - you might get only one change to get a shot of the waterfowl and its important to have the right exposure.<br /><br /></div><br /><br /><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=47.695439,-122.210693&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=17&sll=47.697011,-122.211882&sspn=0.005401,0.013937&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=17">Directions to Juanita Bay park</a>Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-58923689156054499602009-07-18T15:17:00.000-07:002009-07-18T16:13:38.996-07:00Anacortes Ferry Terminal<table style="width: 537px; height: 412px;" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/3732724903/" title="Cormorants & Mount Baker by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3456/3732724903_1b8e203db0_b.jpg" alt="Cormorants & Mount Baker" width="770" height="513" /></a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><br /><tr><td>Equipment: Canon 20D, Canon 100-400mm</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><t r=""></t><tr><td>Image details: 400mm, f/9, 1/125sec, ISO 200<br /></td></tr> </tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Anacortes is a beautiful little town located on Fidalgo island. Most Seattleite's associate Anacortes with the ferry terminal for ferries traveling to and from the Beautiful San Juan islands. The city however has much more to offer - it is a beautiful port city and is probably a weekend destination by itself.<br /><br />One of my favorite places in Anacortes is the ferry terminal to Friday Harbour. On long weekends the wait at this ferry terminal is about 2-3 hours which provides plenty of time for photography. If you take the last ferry around 9.30 PM you will get a couple of hours of shooting in great evening light!<br /><br />There are usually plenty of Cormorants on the pier. On a clear day you can frame the Cormorants against Mount Baker. For more pop use a polarizer to darken the sky. The Cormorants S shaped neck is very characteristic of this bird - Make sure you get the neck in the correct position. You can hand hold this or you can use a tripod. I would recommend you use a tripod as you can take your time and wait for the bird to be in the right position without tiring out your hands.<br /><br />From the ferry waiting line there is a little hiking path that takes you down the beach. The beach beach has a number of abandoned piers which you can use to frame Mount Baker. There are usually gulls on the pier as well which add to your composition.<br /><br /><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=48.506662,-122.678111&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=15&sll=48.506085,-122.674069&sspn=0.021126,0.055747&ie=UTF8&z=15">Directions to the ferry terminal</a><br /></div>Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-59641193425664963352009-06-29T23:10:00.000-07:002009-07-06T15:26:34.675-07:00Point Robinson Lighthouse, Maury Island<table style="width: 537px; height: 412px;" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/3674744424/" title="Point Robinson light house, Maury island by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2566/3674744424_ea56fc5076_b.jpg" alt="Point Robinson light house, Maury island" width="770" height="513" /></a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><br /><tr><td>Equipment: Canon 20D, Canon 24-70mm</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><tr><td>Image details: 28mm, f/11, 13sec, ISO 100<br /></td></tr> </tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Point Robinson Lighthouse is a picturesque lighthouse located on Maury island. Maury island contrary to its name is not really an island ,you can drive to it from Vashon island. The lighthouse is located on the eastern tip of the island facing the mainland. For more information about the lighthouse refer to this <a href="http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=113">website</a>. <br /><br />The best time to shoot at this location is the evening - an hour or so before sunset. Most pictures you see of this lighthouse have the light house composed with Mt Rainier in the background. However on the day I was shooting it was slightly hazy and the mountain was not clearly visible, so it was time to improvise and come up with new compositions. The lighthouse is surrounded by tall grass which you can use for some very interesting compositions. In the last week of May and early June you can also find a good wildflower display around the lighthouse. You can use the wildflowers as framing for the lighthouse.<br /><br /></div><br /><br />The easiest way to get to this location is to take the ferry from West Seattle to Vashon island. Its about a 20 minute ferry ride and 20-30 mnts drive from the ferry terminal. If you are at the ferry terminal during sunset you can shoot some very dramatic sunsets, so keep your eye open for interesting foreground.<br /><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=3705+SW+Point+Robinson+Rd,+Vashon,+WA+98070+%28Robinson+Point+Park%29&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mi&sll=47.387919,-122.380314&sspn=0.018392,0.038581&ie=UTF8&ll=47.387919,-122.380314&spn=0.019118,0.038581&z=15">Directions to lighthouse</a>Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-26765605349990048772009-06-13T17:35:00.000-07:002009-12-27T21:25:30.315-08:00Snoqualmie falls, Snoqualmie<table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" style="height: 412px; width: 537px;"><tbody>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Snoqualmie falls is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Seattle area. It is one of the one of the first places I visited when I moved here. The beautiful cascading falls is around 268 ft high and spreads mist around the entire area.<br />
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It's a half mile hike down to the falls from the visitor parking lot. It's a short hike but steep in places - if your not in shape you'll have to take plenty of breaks on your way back up. You also have the option of driving to the lower parking lot which is about 3 minutes walk from the falls.<br />
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The trails ends at a wooden observation deck. Although the deck has interesting views they are not quite as good as from close to the waterfall. Get off the wooden trail on the left side and follow a rocky trail to the base of the falls. There are signboards on the deck warning people that getting off the deck could be dangerous in case of flash floods - so get off at your own discretion.<br />
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A good time to shoot here is in the evening preferably an hour or so before sunset. So in the summer it would be between 8 and 8.30 pm. Get out your wide angle lens for some beautiful shots. You can make interesting compositions with and without the falls. Usually there are some fisherman on the banks - you can use them as foreground for some interesting compositions. The whole area is covered with spray from the falls - so bring your lens cloth to clean your lens frequently.<br />
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Winter offers another opportunity to shoot the falls from a different perspective. Crowds also tend to be way smaller, so you can take your time to compose your picture. When there is a prolonged stretch of below freezing weather the sides of the falls get frozen and are very impressive! Boots with a good grip are essential if you going to get off the deck and walk down to the falls. Also look for interesting ice formations on the rocks along the sides of the river - they offer some very interesting macro opportunities.<br />
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<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=47.542383,-121.83678&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=17&sll=47.542534,-121.837145&sspn=0.005381,0.013947&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=17">Directions to the visitor center</a><br />
<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=47.544317,-121.840868&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=17&sll=47.544467,-121.839656&sspn=0.005381,0.013947&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=17">Directions to the lower parking lot</a><br />
</div>Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-45561741504341046842009-06-06T20:26:00.000-07:002009-06-14T09:53:07.359-07:00Carkeek park, Seattle<table style="width: 537px; height: 412px;" align="left" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/3601757825/" title="Sunset, Carkeek park by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3611/3601757825_2f7b254753_b.jpg" width="824" height="550" alt="Sunset, Carkeek park" /></a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><br /><tr><td>Equipment: Canon 20D, Sigma 10-24mm</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><tr><td>Image details: 18mm, f/22, 30sec, ISO 200<br /></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr> </tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Carkeek park is a little gem of a park located in Seattle close to Golden gardens park. The first thing that hits you when you get close to the park is the dense vegetation - tall old growth trees with thick undergrowth, feels like a temperate rainforest. Take the time to hike the trails of the park - its a wonderful experience. As an added bonus this park is not as popular as the neighbouring Golden gardens park.<br /><br />Inside the park the Carkeek road is a loop. To get to the beach drive along the Carkeek road to the railroad. As soon as you enter the park, take the right fork, take the left fork if you need to get to the parking lot . Cross the bridge over the railroad and you have a small picturesque beach to shoot! As an added advantage the carkeek creek drains out to the ocean in the same spot. There are usually waterfowl in the area and you can get some interesting shots - so remember to bring your long lens.<br /><br /><table style="width: 537px; height: 412px;" align="left" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/3601758157/" title="Gadwall male(?), Carkeek creek, Carkeek park by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2474/3601758157_5ee4888b8e.jpg" alt="Gadwall male(?), Carkeek creek, Carkeek park" width="500" height="334" /></a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><br /><tr><td>Equipment: Canon 20D, Canon 100-400mm</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><tr><td>Image details: 400mm, f/5.6, 1/125sec, ISO 200<br /></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr> </tbody></table><br /><br />For sunset shots pick a day with interesting clouds, otherwise its a boring sunset shot. Sunset is usually around 9.00 pm in the summer. The best colors are usually five minutes after sunset. Use your wide angle lens, get close to the water and locate a spot where there are lots of small rocks. Its important that the water splashes over the rocks for best effect. The longer the exposure the better it will look. Also use a graduated neutral density filter to get correct exposure on the rocks. Stay away from the extreme left area of the histogram. It's important to get detail in the rocks for a good picture. Experiment with your angle of view - try to get low down and not just from the eye level. Both the above pictures we shot a little below the knee level.<br /><br />If you are interested in railroad shots, the railway track run right by the beach and you can get some interesting shots of the train at sunset.<br /><br /><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=Carkeek+Park&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mi&sll=47.712736,-122.366903&sspn=0.010727,0.027895&ie=UTF8&z=16">Directions to the park</a><br /></div>Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-2919514086770215332009-04-15T22:53:00.000-07:002009-04-15T23:31:26.360-07:00Rizal park<table style="width: 820px; height: 281px;" align="left" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/3447026272/" title="Rizal_Panorama1-Edit-2 by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img style="width: 816px; height: 282px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3664/3447026272_fdbf71ef82_b.jpg" alt="Rizal_Panorama1-Edit-2" /></a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><br /><tr><td>Equipment: Canon 20D, Canon 24-70mm</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><tr><td>Image details: 100mm, f/16, 1/15sec, ISO 10</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr> </tbody></table>Rizal Park is a 9.6 acre park located on the west slope of Beacon Hill in Seattle. It has beautiful sweeping views of Downtown Seattle and is a must visit for every photography enthusiast in Seattle.<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />The park has a clear view of Quest field and downtown Seattle with the Olympic mountains in the background. This can be either a sunset or a sunrise spot. I prefer sunrise as in sunset your entire foreground will be in the dark. Make sure to walk along the entire length of the park to find the composition you want. My preferred day to shoot is a day after a storm when there is fresh snow on the mountains - the Olympic mountains glisten and stand out like bright jewels. If you have not tried out panorama stitching before now would be a great time to try. I shot three shots and stitched them together using Photoshop CS3.<br /><br />Remember to carry your circular polarizer here as it will be very useful. If your shooting a panorama try to use your tripod and keep overlaps of 40-50% - I have had the best luck with this level of overlap. Try compositions with both a medium range lens and a telephoto lens. If you have interesting clouds in the sky a wider angle might also look interesting.<br /><br />Nighttime also provides some interesting opportunities to shoot the Seattle skyline with the S curves of I5 in the foreground. I would recommend you go there in a group is I have heard that a couple of photographers got mugged here.<br /><br /><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=47.592805,-122.317454&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=18&sll=47.592577,-122.317432&sspn=0.002688,0.006974&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=18">Directions to the park</a><br /></div>Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-3480859268057236432009-04-11T11:04:00.000-07:002009-04-11T11:58:36.969-07:00Lake hills greenbelt, Bellevue<table style="width: 333px; height: 500px;" align="left" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/3432393298/" title="Lake hills greenbelt, bellevue by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3657/3432393298_7e126699f2.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Lake hills greenbelt, bellevue" /></a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><br /><tr><td>Equipment: Canon 20D, Sigma 10-24mm</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><tr><td>Image details: 10mm, f/14, 15sec, ISO 100<br /></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr> </tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Lake hills greenbelt is a small wetland area in Bellevue. It includes numerous streams, lakes and trails. The greenbelt also has a small blueberry farm and a seasonal produce stand. For more information about the area refer to this <a href="http://www.bellevuewa.gov/lake_hills_trail.htm">website</a>. There are two places to enter the greenbelt - off 156th or off 148th.<br /><br />I find the area most interesting in winter especially after a recent snowstorm. Take the time to walk around the entire Larsen lake as there are numerous small nooks and crannies that make for interesting photographs. Early morning is the best time to visit this area. The lake is also very interesting early in the morning when it is shrouded in fog. You can also get some interesting perspective shots of the blueberry farm. Remember to carry your circular polarizer.<br /><br /><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=47.603475,-122.142606&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=16&sll=47.604398,-122.144945&sspn=0.01075,0.027895&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=16">Directions to Lake hills greenbelt</a><br /></div>Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-56295195868630168532009-04-07T21:49:00.000-07:002009-04-07T23:00:33.485-07:00Lincoln park, West Seattle<table style="width: 537px; height: 412px;" align="left" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/3419991719/" title="Sunset, Lincoln park Seattle by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3554/3419991719_79a954eac4.jpg" alt="Sunset, Lincoln park Seattle" width="500" height="333" /></a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><br /><tr><td>Equipment: Canon 20D, Canon 24-70mm</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><tr><td>Image details: 50mm, f/22, 25sec, ISO 100<br /></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr> </tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Lincoln park is a beautiful 135 acre park located in west Seattle. The park has a beautiful pebble beach with sweeping views of the Olympic mountains. The park also overlooks the Washington State ferries Fauntleroy terminal. For more information about the history of the park refer to this <a href="http://www.seattle.gov/Parks/park_detail.asp?id=460">website</a>.<br /><br />The park has two parking lots - north and south. The south parking lot is much smaller but it is a much shorter walk to the beach. The park is located on a headland, you start at the top and hike down to the beach. All along the trail down to the beach there are beautiful Madrona trees. Later in the evening when these trees are sidelit there are some wonderful photo opportunities.<br /><br />A walking track runs along the length of the beach. The driftwood on the beach provide some fantastic photo opportunities. This park is very popular with joggers and dog walkers and is wonderful for people photography. The Vashon ferry is also in clear view from the beach and you can make some interesting compositions at sunset. As a bonus in spring the park has cherry blossoms which you can use to frame the ferry.<br /><br />A circular polarizer will come in handy at this location. The best time to shoot at this location is in spring or summer. Look for a clear day when you can get a good sunset.<br /><br /><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=47.526599,-122.392813&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=18&sll=47.526482,-122.39314&sspn=0.002691,0.006974&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=18">Directions to the park</a><br /><br /><br /></div><table style="width: 500px; height: 393px; text-align: left; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/3419991515/" title="Sunset, Lincoln park Seattle by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3382/3419991515_89dafee238.jpg" alt="Sunset, Lincoln park Seattle" width="500" height="393" /></a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><br /><tr><td>Equipment: Canon 20D, Canon 24-70mm</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><tr><td>Image details: 45mm, f/9.0, 1/30sec, ISO 100<br /></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr> </tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><!-- google_ad_section_start --><br />Labels: Digital photography, Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L, Canon 24-70, B+W Circular polarizer<br /><!-- google_ad_section_end -->Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-71450953378506015012009-03-30T22:19:00.000-07:002009-03-30T23:28:07.948-07:00Sunset Hill park, Ballard<table style="width: 500px; height: 367px;" align="left" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/3397381155/" title="Shilshole marina from Sunset Hill Park, Ballard by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3586/3397381155_c6544bf951.jpg" alt="Shilshole marina from Sunset Hill Park, Ballard" width="500" height="333" /></a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><br /><tr><td>Equipment: Canon 20D, Canon 24-70mm</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><tr><td>Image details: 28mm, f/7.1, 1/160sec, ISO 200<br /></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr> </tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Sunset Hill park is a great little park in Ballard overlooking Shilshole bay. The park has beautiful sweeping views of Shilshole marina and Bainbridge island.<br /><br />The park faces west and is an awesome place for sunset shots. If you look carefully to your south you can see West point lighthouse in the distance. On a clear day you also see the Olympic Mountains across from Bainbridge island.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The best time to shoot from this location is when there are high clouds. It took me a few visits to get the sort of shot I was looking for. I've included two shots - a sunset shot over Shilshole marina and a close up of the marina. In winter the marina tends to be fully occupied and you can get some interesting close up shots to display the symmetry of the marina. Walk along the entire length of the park to choose the composition that's right for you. As always dress warmly as it can get pretty cold up here.<br /><br /></div><table style="width: 500px; height: 367px; text-align: left; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/3397380823/" title="Shilshole marina from Sunset Hill Park, Ballard by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3475/3397380823_eb9514ca46.jpg" alt="Shilshole marina from Sunset Hill Park, Ballard" width="500" height="333" /></a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><br /><tr><td>Equipment: Canon 20D, Canon 100-400mm</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><tr><td>Image details: 130mm, f/8.0, 1/125sec, ISO 200<br /></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr> </tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=Sunset+Hill+Park+Sunset+%4047.683652,-122.400424&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mi&sll=47.682552,-122.398639&sspn=0.010733,0.027895&ie=UTF8&z=16">Directions to Sunset Hill park</a></div><br /><br /><!-- google_ad_section_start --><br />Labels: Digital photography, Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L, Canon 24-70<br /><!-- google_ad_section_end -->Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-68983853439018256182009-03-07T12:28:00.001-08:002009-03-19T21:57:05.573-07:00520 floating bridge<table style="width: 500px; height: 367px;" align="left" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/3336288008/" title="520 floating bridge, Seattle by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3407/3336288008_2227e378c3.jpg" alt="520 floating bridge, Seattle" width="500" height="367" /></a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><br /><tr><td>Equipment: Canon 20D, Canon 100-400mm</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><tr><td>Image details: 135mm, f/16, 1/50sec, ISO 200<br /></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr> </tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">The 520 floating bridge is one of the landmark bridges of Western Washington. It is the longest floating bridge in the world at 7,578 feet.<br /><br />This shot was taken from above the east highrise of the bridge. I scouted out this location in summer, but it was not as interesting without the snow capped Olympics.<br /><br />The best time to take pictures at this location is from January to April. The sunny days following a snowstorm are the best days for this shot. Mornings are better as it tends to be brighter with less cloud cover. I used a B+W circular polarizer to cut out the glare in the water and also to darken the skies.<br /></div><br /><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=47.637072,-122.23865&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=17&sll=47.635856,-122.23805&sspn=0.005372,0.013947&ie=UTF8&z=17">Directions to this spot</a>Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936433891456618378.post-64756018137574165302009-03-01T16:06:00.000-08:002009-03-19T23:40:27.167-07:00Downtown Seattle from eastside<table style="width: 770px; height: 190px;" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharshan/3320264803/" title="Downtown seattle and the Olympic mountains by dharshan_r, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3601/3320264803_0ecd9fa814_b.jpg" alt="Downtown seattle and the Olympic mountains" width="770" height="190" /></a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><br /><tr><td>Equipment: Canon 20D, Canon 100-400mm</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><tr><td>Image details: 400mm, f/14, 1/250sec, ISO 400<br /></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr> </tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>The eastside offers some interesting views of Seattle. The best view is from the skyscrapers in Bellevue downtown. If you have a friend working in any of these buildings you might be able to get to the roof to snap some interesting shots.<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />A good time for these shots is in winter around Jan to March. You will get your best shots the days following a snow storm. Try to shoot early in the day as it tends to get cloudy later in the day and you will not have a good view of the mountains.<br /><br />I snapped this shot from the roof of the Eastgate park and ride. Its not the best place for this shot, but it was the best I could find. I shot 6 shots and stitched them together to build this panorama.<br /><br /><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=14200+SE+Eastgate+Way,+Bellevue,+WA+98007+%28Eastgate+Park-and-Ride+Garage%29&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mi&sll=47.579949,-122.151011&sspn=0.043018,0.11158&ie=UTF8&z=13">Directions to the Eastgate Park and ride.</a></div>Dharshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079207813422489184noreply@blogger.com0