Close To Home
Sometimes it amazes me how much we miss by taking for granted things that are near at hand. Yes, I mean family and friends foremost. But I also mean opportunities. The idea that if it’s not “once in a life time” then there’ll be another chance – what a deadly way to think.
How much would we miss if we really did think that? I’ve caught myself so many times thinking – “ah I can just see the sunrise tomorrow”; I wonder how many of the “best” sunrises I’ve missed in the last 2 or 3 years?
I’ve tried to take my own advice more recently, and have been shooting the gorgeous view of Lake Washington from the deck of our house here in Seattle. Ironically, I had no idea that the several times I was taking pictures might be my “last”, as the HUGE house being built across the street from us is likely to swallow up most of the view! Shame.
Ah well, I’ll just have to go onto the roof 😀 So be it! No one will hold me back from capturing that magical moment!
Some of the pictures below come with a great story: My parents had gone out to the East Coast for a few weeks leaving me to look after the house. Fair enough. I woke up one Saturday morning at about 7 to use the bathroom, and I was witness to an incredible scene. The first rays of light were creeping up from across the lake, filling the sky with yellows and oranges.
Painting The Sky
Sleep, or pictures?
Do you have to ask? 🙂
With camera and lenses in hand, I ventured out into the still pre-dawn chill; the misty, damp air clung and my breath was showing as I fired away.
Lone Bird
Beautiful. Got it. Snap. Snap. What a moment, I think.
Peeking Above The Clouds
Still Coming
The World Is Awake
It’s like magic. What a great way to start a day! I turn to get back into the house and realize how much trouble I’m in when I touch the handle – locked out. Pockets are patted. No keys. S-H-I-T. Here I am with bed head, pajamas, and 2700 dollars worth of camera gear. Right.
I’m becoming more and more frantic as I search for the emergency key, not finding it in the usual places. My dad must have changed where he put it. At a loss, I head back to the deck and loll for a bit; the air is still chilly but the sun’s fully up and it’s hitting me, and it’s actually not so bad after all, I guess. It’s silent. Not unlike my Yosemite moments, in a way. I head down to the bottom of the driveway and find a beautiful spider’s web; she’s home too 🙂
Red, Blue, Spider
Hanging Reds (A Fuchsia)
After about an hour I’m getting kindy antsy and HUNGRY. Finally, I spot my neighbor coming out to walk her dog and scootch over; after I plead my case she kindly lets me in to use her phone, and in about 10 minutes I’ve located the emergency key and I’m back inside. Warmth. Home. Never felt better.
In the end this is what I got for an hour of getting locked out:
Orange Path
Lake Washington from our deck.
Worth it? I would like to think so! Just goes to show how an “unfortunate” situation can turn out to be a great photographic opportunity!
A few more shots from different days:
Piercing The Clouds, Sunrise.
Softly, quietly, the world revolves.
And some shots at sunset:
Cascades at sunset. The light was so good that this is what I got looking EAST!
Salmon Skies, Snow Capped Peaks.
Hopefully I get to see more of the like as the days go by! Best get my ladder ready – rooftop photography here I come! Next post will be about fall colors 🙂 Thanks for reading, stay tuned!
Brian Chu Photography 
Excellent images, and a great reminder of all the beauty that we miss by convincing ourselves that we’ll have similar chances in the future. Once APEC is over and my sleep schedule is restored, I’ll have to get out to the port to catch the sunrise, or at least the early morning glow over Yamashita Park.
Very good job on the sunrise shots, looks like it was totally worth getting locked out for! I especially like how defined the border of the sun is as it came up over the clouds. I can only imagine the kinds of use you’d get out of the 300 f4 L if you ever get around to picking it up =D
Keep up the good work man.
Pingback: Merry Christmas! « Light and Color