An Unbelievable Weekend

 

It is for a great many reasons that this past weekend stands out among the others. That being said, spending Saturday and some of Sunday in Eastern Washington proved to be truly amazing. The sun was out, the temperature was perfect, and the sky was populated with the most brilliant clouds I had seen in some time. The colors just seemed to pop more than usual. Good thing I had my trusty camera at my side.

The spot we picked for photos Sunday morning is called “Feathers”, but you won’t find any signs to point the way. Before Interstate 90 existed, road travelers used to traverse the “Vantage Highway” which connected Ellensburg to Quincy. The road ceased to exist when the Wanapum Dam was built in the Columbia River and flooded the part of the road that crossed the canyon. The obscure location known as “Feathers” exists on that old vantage highway, east of the Columbia River, and is not frequented by vehicles the way it once was. This makes it a brilliant space for camping, rock climbing, and photography. Several vertical, stand-alone rock formations shoot out of the ground parallel to one another. Each forms it’s own climbing wall. It’s an amazing sight, especially on a day like last Sunday. Below are the photos, enjoy!

 

- Elldub

Sun setting on summer

 

Lately I’ve had several fantastic opportunities to take some more scenic shots. Seattle can be ridiculously beautiful in the summer. With my camera at my side on some adventures these last few weeks, I can finally start to post a few of the amazing things I’ve seen. These few below were taken from Alki in West Seattle. The water (for you non-locals) is Puget Sound.

Coming soon, I hope to share some of the photos taken this past weekend from the Columbia River Gorge. Stay tuned.

A Tribute to Alfred Hitchcock: Westcoat Family Edition

I recently took a trip to Bodega Bay (about an hour north of San Francisco) for a long weekend with my extended family. This sleepy coastal town didn’t have much going on, but it was once the setting for one of Alfred Hitchcock’s most well-known films… “The Birds.”

In the 1963 film, an affluent San Francisco socialite sets her sights on a man from a rustic, Northern California town. This town also happens to be ground zero for bizarre bird behavior (that’s alliteration), and people soon fall victim to attacks from large numbers of violent birds. The film won an Oscar for Best Effects, and Tippi Hedren won a Golden Globe for Most Promising Female Newcomer.

On my list of Alfred Hitchcock favorites, this surely ranks in the top three. So you can imagine how a visit to the setting of the film would inspire me. Fortunately, I had plenty of family around to serve as models… they have a harder time saying no. :)

So with this setting and these models, I set out for an afternoon shoot. The goal of which is to pose my models with the intent of flexing some photoshop muscle. We found the actual schoolhouse used in several key scenes from the film. The photo on the right gives you a glance at the location as it appears in the film.

  At the time the film was made, the building was condemned. Since then, its been purchased, renovated, and lived in by a few generations of a Bodega Bay family. Since this is a photoshop bonanza, I have also included the original images so you can see what I’ve done to them. Enjoy! And please share comments.

(Original Image)

(FINAL IMAGE)

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(Original Image)

concept complete but still didn’t feel quite right.

With just a little extra hint of drama

(FINAL Image)

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(ORIGINAL IMAGE)

 

(FINAL IMAGE)

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(Original Image)

(FINAL IMAGE)

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(Original Image)

(FINAL IMAGE)

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(Original Image)

(Final Image)

 

- Elldub

Preview of The Sargent Nuptials

 

I’ve got LOTS of photos to come. In fact, I’ve only begun to filter through the 1700 photos taken. However, I’ve been so excited with how some of these turned out that I simply had to give you all a taste. More to come, but for now… enjoy!

 

 

   

   

So… what do you think?

-Elldub