Travel Photography

Instant Inspiration (27) -Alternative Postcard Shot
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

1/20 sec – f/4 – ISO 1600 – 100mm

“Instant Inspirations” is my series for you if you look for something to overcome “Photographer’s Block”  or simply want to shoot something that you have never tried, or at least not recently. Episode 27 is for you, if you are tired of taking the same “postcard” photographs of famous attractions that everybody else shoots.

When in Berlin the other week, we stepped onto Alexanderplatz where the famous huge TV tower is situated. Affectionately called “Spargel”, with its height of 368 metres (including antenna) it is the tallest structure in Germany, and the second-tallest structure in the European Union! Located in Berlin Mitte, you can take a lift 207 meters up and have a 360 degree view of the German capital! On top there is also a bar and a restaurant where you can eat and enjoy the fantastic view while sitting!

First reflex would be to take a photo of the big tower, maybe combine it with the red Berlin City Hall or the bell tower of the Nikolai-Church. The Postcard Shots. Which of course I have taken as well during prior visits. There is nothing wrong with Postcard shots. Everybody back home would be disappointed if you don’t have the classic shot everybody knows from magazines and coffee table books. So take one. But then, to satisfy your creative genes, go look for slightly different perspectives. For some ideas continue after the jump…. (more…)

PNW Explored – Crater Lake
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Crater Lake | 1/160 sec – f/16 – ISO 200 – 12mm

After leaving the Oregon Coast, the next stop of our summer family vacation in the Pacific Northwest was Crater Lake. Established already in 1902, Crater Lake is the fifth-oldest national park in the United States and also Oregon’s only national park. For some more information and more photographs of this jewel, continue after the jump…. (more…)

PNW Explored – The Oregon Coast
Florence Dunes | 1/250 sec - f/14 - ISO 200 - 12mm

Florence Sand Dunes | 1/250 sec – f/14 – ISO 200 – 12mm

After our adventures on the Olympic Peninsula we crossed the mouth of the mighty Columbia River into Oregon via the Astoria Megler Bridge (have done a post about it more than a year ago, which you can read here). While new for the family, this brought me back into familiar territory, as I have visited the Oregon coast numerous times while working my project in Portland. We stayed two nights, one in Garibaldi and the second one in Florence. To see a few photos from this stretch of our summer PNW tour, continue after the jump…. (more…)

PNW Explored – Olympic Peninsula
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Mount Olympus | 1/1600 sec – f/7,1 – ISO 200 – 150mm 

Our summer tour through the Pacific Northwest continued with a trip to the Olympic Peninsula, west of Seattle. We have set up camp for two nights in a Bed&Breakfast in Port Townsend, from where we visit the mountainous part of Olympic National Park, then headed to the West for a night in Kalaloch at the Lodge, for a stunning Pacific Ocean sunset and trips to the only rainforests of the northern hemisphere. For a bit more info and some photos continue after the jump… (more…)

Instant Inspiration (26) – Shoot an optical illusion
Ship in the Sky | Olympic Mountains | 2018

Ship in the Sky | Olympic Mountains | 2018

“Instant Inspirations” is my series for you if you look for something to overcome “Photographer’s Block”  or simply want to shoot something that you have never tried, or at least not recently. Episode 26 is about shooting an optical illusion.

The shot above was taken with my Olympus PEN-F and the mZuiko 40-150mm F/2.8. Image specs are 1/250 sec @ f/6,3 and ISO 200, with 150mm focal length (300mm full frame equivalent).

What do you see? A ship, crossing the sky like an airplane? Let me tell you, there are no flying ships in the skies above Washington State, even with innovative aircraft manufactures like Boeing in the area. But why is there a mountain, the clouds above, and then a ship?

I took this photo up on Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park. It shows the Juan de Fuca Strait below (the narrows between Olympic Peninsula and Vancouver Island), the sea fog near the shore and a some kind of freighter behind.

It is not always as it seems. Especially visually. Grab you camera, go out and look to capture an optical illusion. Please share a link to your results in the comments section.

Wish you a great Sunday

Marcus

Related Posts:

Street Photography Quick Tip (15)

Instant Inspiration (24) – Fine Art Wildlife

Instant Inspiration (22) – Variations on a Billboard

Instant Inspiration (20) – Backlit Fountain

PNW Explored – Mt. Rainier National Park
Mt. Rainier | 1/200 sec - f/14 - ISO 200 - 14mm

Mt. Rainier from Sunrise Road | 1/200 sec – f/14 – ISO 200 – 14mm

Continuing with our explorations of the Pacific Northwest, we left Seattle early in the morning for a day trip to Mt. Rainier National Park, which is a good two and a half hour drive via Enumclaw and Greenwater. Famous American conservationist John Muir once said: “Of all the fire mountains which like beacons, once blazed along the Pacific Coast, Mount Rainier is the noblest.” For more photos of the majestic stratovolcano and the surrounding National Park, continue after the jump… (more…)

PNW Explored – Colorful Seattle
Sailor's View | 1/400 sec - f/8 - ISO 200 - 40mm

Sailor’s View | 1/400 sec – f/8 – ISO 200 – 40mm

Day 2 of our family summer trip through the Pacific Northwest had us venturing through the Emerald City. Seattle is a beautiful city. Contrary to popular belief, it is actually a quite sunny city, as also during my fourth visit I was kissed by the sun that brought out Seattle’s amazing colors. But see for yourself after the jump…. (more…)

PNW Explored – San Juan Whale watching

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We started our summer adventure into the Pacific Northwest with a maritime adventure, a whale watching tour out of Anacortes on Fidalgo Island, about 90 minutes by car north of Seattle. I have already done this tour over Memorial Day weekend (read the post here), and already back then I had decided to bring the family during summer vacation. The whale watch tour starting at 4pm in the afternoon was a four and a half hour trip on a larger boat. Obviously, nothing ever is promised when viewing wildlife (we learned this during many hours driving through the African bush without seeing as much as a hair of an animal). But we all were thoroughly exited, and were not disappointed. For our Orca experience continue after the jump… (more…)

You’ve got a Friend
You've got a Friend

You’ve got a friend | Gosausee | 2018 | 1/125 sec @ f/5.6 and ISO 200

“You’ve got a friend” is a great song by Carol King. If you don’t know it, look it up on Youtube. Big Girl got a new friend while hiking on Lake Gosau in the Austrian Alps this afternoon. The butterfly initially was attracted by Grandma’s shoes, then hopped over onto the legs of The Significant Other. Then he transferred himself onto the fingers of Big Girl. He sat on her hands for a good 15 minutes. The amazing close-up shot you can find after the jump…. (more…)

Weekly Photo Challenge: Twisted
Legs

Ricoh GR II | 1/40 sec @ f/2.8 and ISO 200, 18 mm focal length

“Twisted” is the prompt of this week’s WPC. And I have just the right street photographs for this challenge, with pedestrians having a twist and doing the twist. Both images were taken in Portland, which is also a good fit for this week, as this is where I currently am, doing another two-week work stint in the Pacific Northwest.

The Move

Olympus PEN-F | 1/250 sec @ f/5.6 and ISO 1600 |120 mm focal length

The good news is I’ll be enjoying the long Memorial Day weekend over here. I haven’t decided on any plans yet, but there will be plenty of opportunity for some extended photography. And the weather should also be quite ok. Now I just need to make it into the weekend….

Wish you all a great Wednesday!

Marcus

Related Posts:

Willamette Blue Hour

The Streets of Portland – Finally

The Hood and the Flowers

Hiking on the Oregon Coast