Popular Seattle view

[Mike Lane]

To get a shot like this (http://andreea.smugmug.com/gallery/886639/1/40136481/Large) or this (http://andreea.smugmug.com/gallery/886639/1/40136667/Large) (not mine so linky instead of imbeddy) go here (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=47.629571+-122.359959+%28Great+Seattle+View%29&ie=UTF8&ll=47.629569,-122.359961&spn=0.002523,0.008116&t=h&om=1) (google maps link).

[SloYerRoll]

Thanks Mike!

I just moved here. I'll have a blast trying this shot out.
Any recommendations for websites or resources to tell when the haze is at a minimum so I can get a nice shot of the mountain?

[greenpea]

As another Seattlite I thought I would chime in.

To get a picture like that, without the haze, you have to be ready to take the picture a no more than a day or two after it rains, and depending on what time of year it is, it might help if you bring your polarizer.

Personally, I prefer sunrise photos (http://www.initialphotography.com/gallery/1400588/1/66259500). Places like Kerry Park can get kind of crowded with photographers, especially around sunset.

[Mike Lane]

Thanks Mike!

I just moved here. I'll have a blast trying this shot out.
Any recommendations for websites or resources to tell when the haze is at a minimum so I can get a nice shot of the mountain?You're going to need to get shots of the city soon if you're going to want the mountain to be in it. Come late Sep or Oct days are going to start getting rainy. Come December you'll be lucky to find a good stretch of clear days. Early summertime is usually very clear. Also after the real heat of the summer ends (all 7 to 10 days of it) it should be less smoggy. I don't know of any sites that would tell you anything about the haze. But I've found that once the good light starts at sunset, you'll find the haze isn't nearly as much of a factor anymore.

[LuckyBob]

Perhaps I'll run into one of you guys there eventually :D

Here's another great link I've found (although I havn't spent the time to visit them yet) http://www.seattle.gov/parks/parkspaces/Viewpts.htm

[greenpea]

Perhaps I'll run into one of you guys there eventually :D

Here's another great link I've found (although I havn't spent the time to visit them yet) http://www.seattle.gov/parks/parkspaces/Viewpts.htm

Hey great link! :clap

Sometimes I forget just how many great places there are to go for scenic pics in Seattle.

Here is my neighborhood viewpoint http://www.seattle.gov/parks/parkspaces/sunsethill.htm

Year round you can find people taking pictures of the sun setting behind the Olympic Mountains from Sunset Hill park. I met a guy there once who took pictures from that location almost day for 7 years!

[wxwax]

To get a shot like this (http://andreea.smugmug.com/gallery/886639/1/40136481/Large) or this (http://andreea.smugmug.com/gallery/886639/1/40136667/Large) (not mine so linky instead of imbeddy) go here (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=47.629571+-122.359959+%28Great+Seattle+View%29&ie=UTF8&ll=47.629569,-122.359961&spn=0.002523,0.008116&t=h&om=1) (google maps link).
:thumb Excellent!

[SloYerRoll]

As another Seattlite I thought I would chime in.

To get a picture like that, without the haze, you have to be ready to take the picture a no more than a day or two after it rains, and depending on what time of year it is, it might help if you bring your polarizer.

Personally, I prefer sunrise photos (http://www.initialphotography.com/gallery/1400588/1/66259500). Places like Kerry Park can get kind of crowded with photographers, especially around sunset.
Thanks for the haze advice greenpea.
Great link as well LuckyBob!
Any recommendations for lens's besides the polarizer for cityscape/landscape shots like this? (nikkor AF lens recommendations only plz)

[Rhuarc]

It's nice to see some otehr DGrinners from out here! We just moved into the Everett area, about 30 minutes north of Seattle. Maybe sometime we could have a Seattle equivalent of the MI3 in Florida!

[Mike Lane]

It's nice to see some otehr DGrinners from out here! We just moved into the Everett area, about 30 minutes north of Seattle. Maybe sometime we could have a Seattle equivalent of the MI3 in Florida!

A seattle meetup would be awesome. If there's enough interest we can move it over to the meetups threads.

[SloYerRoll]

A seattle meetup would be awesome. If there's enough interest we can move it over to the meetups threads.
I'll keep my ear to the ground for any good events that provide a broad range of things to shoot.
If I hear about anything. I will post in this thread.
Might be a good idea to set up email alert on this thread in case.. hint hint..

-Slo

[SloYerRoll]

Here's a city scape I took from Columbia Way on the Beacon Avenue bridge.
let me know if you want directions.
Post production panorama.

-Slo

[Rhuarc]

I think there is a similar view to this when you are coming up I-5 south of Seattle, just north of Boeing Field. Is the Beacon Avenue Bridge down around there?

[SloYerRoll]

Your talking about the same view that I shot. I'm standing right over I-5 when I took these shots. Just North of Boeing field.

This view is NOTHING compared to the spot Mike got a shot of though.

-Jon

[quark]

Hi amazing Seattle photographers! I am from central washington but I end up in the city occassionally to visit family and I sometimes get "tricked" into doing some portraits when I come.

Any suggestions for good locations in the Bothell area? I am hoping for at least one indoor idea in case it rains? Any thoughts? Would be much appreciated.

[Mike Lane]

I'll be at the highland park spot tomorrow morning for sunrise (weather permitting) if anyone is interested in meeting up there. Sunrise is at 6:39 so I'll be up there at about 6:00.

[Rhuarc]

Man, if I didn't have to take my wife to work in the morning I'd be there! Lol.

On another note, I don't suppose anyone has a second camera body and lens they could lend or rent to me periodically if we had an area get together?

Anyway, wish I was there in the morning, can't wait to see the pics!

[SloYerRoll]

I'll be at the highland park spot tomorrow morning for sunrise (weather permitting) if anyone is interested in meeting up there. Sunrise is at 6:39 so I'll be up there at about 6:00.
Grrrrr...
I'm one day behind your schedule.
I really wish I could go tomorrow. I'm eager to learn more about sunrise shots, and how to compose them. I'll be there on Tuesday learning the hard way...
I didn't even know about highland until you posted on this thread.
thanks for the location.

-Jon

[Mike Lane]

Man, if I didn't have to take my wife to work in the morning I'd be there! Lol.

On another note, I don't suppose anyone has a second camera body and lens they could lend or rent to me periodically if we had an area get together?

Anyway, wish I was there in the morning, can't wait to see the pics!

http://www.glazerscamera.com/rentals.html :wink

[LuckyBob]

I'll be at the highland park spot tomorrow morning for sunrise (weather permitting) if anyone is interested in meeting up there. Sunrise is at 6:39 so I'll be up there at about 6:00.

Wow :huh. I wish I could function that early in the morning; I've only been ready to shoot one sunrise in my life, and it was on Camano Island right before my family was selling the property. If it wasn't already quite late and I wasn't sick I'd see if I could crawl out of bed early. Next time somebody's going to be around at a park for sunsets I'll be sure to be there :D

In all reality, a Seattle meetup would be great since I've been quite keen to put a face to some of the names around here. One of these days (weekend) I've been planning on running around to the various viewpoints that the Seattle Parks link I posted earlier listed and getting a perspective on downtown from several viewpoints. Sound like something worthwile for a possible meetup?

[Rhuarc]

I think something like that would be alot of fun, even if I don't have a camera I'd still love to do it just to put some more faces to people!

[greenpea]

I'll be at the highland park spot tomorrow morning for sunrise (weather permitting) if anyone is interested in meeting up there. Sunrise is at 6:39 so I'll be up there at about 6:00.

I'm bummed I didn't read this post sooner, this morning must have been great for picks from highland park! Although it would have been difficult for me to do this on meet up on a Monday.

[Mike Lane]

I'm bummed I didn't read this post sooner, this morning must have been great for picks from highland park! Although it would have been difficult for me to do this on meet up on a Monday.:uhoh Eh... oh well, I couldn't roll myself out of bed this morning. :lol3 Anyhow, it would have been some good shooting I bet. That location is probably better suited for sunset shots anyhow.

[LuckyBob]

Heh. Now I don't feel so guilty for not showing up. :wink

[SloYerRoll]

Heh. Now I don't feel so guilty for not showing up. :wink
LOL
I would have been a salty dog if I got up that early and Mike was a no show.
I'll be there tomorrow morning (tuesday), but I fuly don't expect anyone top get up that early to meet me.
I'll be there at 5:30 if anyone does though.

-Jon

[BenA2]

I'll be at the highland park spot tomorrow morning for sunrise (weather permitting) if anyone is interested in meeting up there. Sunrise is at 6:39 so I'll be up there at about 6:00.
OK, so I'm joining this thread a couple of days late, but...

What "Highland Park" location are you refering to? :scratch

I live in Highland Park (West Seattle neighborhood between High Point and South Park) and have no idea where you're talking about. You don't mean Kerry Park (which is on W. Highland Drive), do you? Obviously everyone else figured out where you were talking about, so I must just be missing something.

Oh, and btw, I'd be interested in a Seattle meetup too.

[Mike Lane]

OK, so I'm joining this thread a couple of days late, but...

What "Highland Park" location are you refering to? :scratch

I live in Highland Park (West Seattle neighborhood between High Point and South Park) and have no idea where you're talking about. You don't mean Kerry Park (which is on W. Highland Drive), do you? Obviously everyone else figured out where you were talking about, so I must just be missing something.

Oh, and btw, I'd be interested in a Seattle meetup too.It's in the first post of this thread. It may not be called highland park :dunno

[BenA2]

It's in the first post of this thread. It may not be called highland park :dunno
Ah, yes. That is indeed Kerry Park (http://www.seattle.gov/parks/parkspaces/kerry.htm) (sometimes called Kerry Viewpoint).

Thanks for clearing that up, Mike. I thought I was going crazy.

[greenpea]

:uhoh Eh... oh well, I couldn't roll myself out of bed this morning. :lol3 Anyhow, it would have been some good shooting I bet. That location is probably better suited for sunset shots anyhow.

I finally managed to drag myself out of bed and get pics at Kerry Park. I just had to wait until the sun was coming up a little later in the morning. :rofl

I showed up around 6:20 AM and a few other people with the same idea showed shortly after.

I know this post probably belongs somewhere else, but it was this thread that gave me the idea for this mornings photo shoot.

http://InitialPhotography.smugmug.com/photos/98943281-M.jpg

[BenA2]

I finally managed to drag myself out of bed and get pics at Kerry Park. I just had to wait until the sun was coming up a little later in the morning. :rofl

I showed up around 6:20 AM and a few other people with the same idea showed shortly after.

I know this post probably belongs somewhere else, but it was this thread that gave me the idea for this mornings photo shoot.

http://InitialPhotography.smugmug.com/photos/98943281-M.jpg
I was thinking about this myself yesterday. But, after yesterday's foggy morning, I gave up the notion. I guess it ended up being clear afterall. So, let's see the pics!

[greenpea]

I was thinking about this myself yesterday. But, after yesterday's foggy morning, I gave up the notion. I guess it ended up being clear afterall. So, let's see the pics!

My daughter woke me up at 5 AM, she was able to go back to sleep, but I wasn't. I checked out the sky and could see stars, so I decided to go for it. Shortly after the sun came up, it started getting pretty grey (as you can see in the pics).

Here are the results...
http://initialphotography.smugmug.com/gallery/1949577

The big mistake, was when I got home and realized I had left long exposure noise reduction off. So some of the pictures look kind of like they were taken at iso 1600.

[ChrisJ]

My favorite is the spotting scope. Definitely not the usual shot from that location. Since the sky isn't very interesting, I'd rather see more city and less sky in the others. And it's always too bad when the mountain isn't out.

Some day I want to get back there with some time and my dSLR....

[greenpea]

My favorite is the spotting scope. Definitely not the usual shot from that location. Since the sky isn't very interesting, I'd rather see more city and less sky in the others. And it's always too bad when the mountain isn't out.

Some day I want to get back there with some time and my dSLR....

Thanks! The spotting scope was an idea I originally had when taking somewhat similar sunrise photo at Alki.

http://InitialPhotography.smugmug.com/photos/66259500-M-1.jpg

[Mike Lane]

mmm, I love Alki sunrises :thumb

http://mikelane.smugmug.com/photos/38582992-L.jpg

[rmerikle]

I'll have to post a copy of the shot I got at Kerry Park. It took me about a year of trying off and on until I got just the shot I was looking for. It is getting a little late in the season for this shot, but it is still possible.

What I find works best is being ready when the weather is right. When the weather is right I start watching the horizon about sunset. If out west you get a nice red glow at sunset then you know the view should be pretty good up at Kerry park. I also like going on week nights so that the buildings downtown have lights on. Make sure you get there early enough. To capture the details in the background you don't want it to get to late and have no light in the background. At least in my opinion this is the biggest thing I see people doing wrong. About the time I am finishing up I am always amazed at how many people are just starting. It is a great shot and well worth the effort.

The next shot I am trying to get is Reflection Lake up at Mt. Rainer. I found out this season that you need to be up there before sunrise to get a really good shot. That is really early in this guy's book.

For some great Seattle locations visit my site at

http://nwphoto.gorgeousphoto.com

The photo I use as a banner is from Kerry Park.

If someone can arrange a meetup I would be interested. Keep me informed.

Robert

[rmerikle]

Here is a copy of my photo

http://www.merikle.com/Seattle-Skyline.jpg

[rmerikle]

Here is another one of my favoriate Seattle Photos

http://www.merikle.com/Seattlewaterfront.jpg

[BenA2]

Here is another one of my favoriate Seattle Photos

http://www.merikle.com/Seattlewaterfront.jpg

That's pretty cool. Did you take that from Myrtle Edwards Park? If so, how long of a lens did you use?

[rmerikle]

Yes, I took it from Myrtle Edwards Park. I took it with a digital camera that I no longer have, so not sure on the focal length. If I remember correctly it was a 10X lens and the way the photo is somewhat compressed, I would guess it was on the longer side of that.

[yusia]

Just joined the forum.
Could anybody recommend a place in/close to Seattle with a great autumn views (lots of yellow/red/gold)? I am new in Seattle, and so far did not find anything like that.

[ChrisJ]

Just joined the forum.
Could anybody recommend a place in/close to Seattle with a great autumn views (lots of yellow/red/gold)? I am new in Seattle, and so far did not find anything like that.
In-city, the best place I've seen is the Washington Park Arboretum (http://depts.washington.edu/wpa/). You can also take a nice drive around Lake Washington Blvd. There are some really bright Japanese Maples, but not a lot of quantity.

Other than that... there really aren't a huge number of deciduous tress; it's not called the Emerald City for nothing! You never come close to the color you get in the Appalachians. You can get bits and pieces of color, but not huge swaths.

Welcome to Dgrin! :wave

[yusia]

In-city, the best place I've seen is the Washington Park Arboretum (http://depts.washington.edu/wpa/).
Wow, thank you for the fast reply!
I will check it out today!