Autumn…is over?
So I was inspired – or maybe fueled competitively 😀 – by all of Mike’s great posting and realized that I have tons of pics that I have simply neglected to put up. Albeit I’m claiming “studying” is taking too much of my time, but the bottom line is that I have enough time to get them up so I ought not to be lazy about it. Agree?
I had put up one set of pictures from Coal Creek Falls, and then one from the trail I took last month, but I also have taken a load of shots on campus, as I’m at the UW pretty much every day of the week. It’s ironic that as a Seattle native I’m only now finding out how beautiful campus is, especially seasonally. Summer was full of those rich and verdant greens and the pastel and never-ending blue skies that seemed to reach on forever; the sun shining down making patterns on the grass of the quad as students lazed away their time in the shade of the cherry blossom trees.
UW, Quad under blue skies (summer). EOS 1-N, Kodak Gold 400 Negatives.
Under the shade of the cherry blossom trees. Kodak Gold 400.
Fall is no exception – I was amazed by how quickly the change came around. Being in Japan for the last four years – where the leaves don’t start turning until November – I was lulled into believing that Washington wouldn’t be any different. I couldn’t have been more wrong! All of a sudden campus became a sea of firey reds and oranges and brilliant yellows, mixed in with the evergreen of the firs and cedars. This year’s October also gave us about a week of gorgeous weather and a return of blue skies and puffy white clouds; like a melting pot of colors, a visual feast for the eyes mixed in with the hubbub of 25,000 new and returning students that marked the start of the new school year. Sights, sounds, scents; it felt like spring, the way campus suddenly burst to life with an energy and electricity that was almost palpable.
A series taken over an amazing TWO DAYS (!) with my Canon Powershot s90 in early September. I don’t recall the last time the light was so good two days in a row:
A splash of purple.
Denny Hall, Front.
Furry neighbor.
Having classes in the afternoons four times a week means I get out right around the time the sun startes heading down – I’ve been privy to the daily show of “light and colors” 😀
The Quad at sunset.
The bench.
The Road Not Taken (Think: the Robert Frost poem).
Paccar Hall (home of the Foster Business School), last light.
Suzzallo Library, sunset.
Red square (The Stacks are leaning because I was looking up :D), sunset.
Sky on fire
By George (also the name of the cafe under Odegaard Library). George who? George Washington, that's who! Why do you think it's called the University of Washington in Washington State 😉
Schmitz Hall, window reflection
And finally onto the “fall” pictures! These were all taken on campus as well, over the course of a couple brilliant October and November days and evenings. All taken on my 7D with a variety of lenses (20-35mm f/2.8 L; 100mm f/2.8 L macro IS; 70-200 f/2.8 L) :
Maples showing color.
Autumn web.
A sea of red
Towering in the background.
Rainer stands alone.
Riding high. Apparently he's pulling tricks in Red Square pretty often. Seemed like a nice guy and was down with me taking some shots! More of him on my Flickr page.
A nice candid.
The view from in front of the law building on a clear day.
Framed against a clear sky.
Some great backlighting.
Sunstar under maples.
Fallen leaf (macro).
More brilliant orange.
Right around the corner.
The two sides of fall.
Steps to the Quad.
Bikes in the shade.
As the seasons change...(macro)
Enjoying the weather. It took me an inordinately long time to get a shot without people walking through it!
Leaving a trail.
Yellow hearts.
While waiting for the bus (macro).
Heading to class (or studying before hand?).
My favorite kind of pastel blue.
Another sunstar; can't help it, I love taking these shots!
Under the...cherry blossom trees? Yep, the same ones! They change color in the fall, how wild! Must be some kind of mutated genetics?
Gorgeous fall day. (T shirt weather?)
The Quad and blue skies.
Mottled leaves.
Leaf in gradation (macro).
Sunstar #3.
And finally, a few evening shots:
Flying flag at the magic hour. ISO 3200, f/2.8.
Flying flag & moonrise at the magic hour (different day). ISO 1600, f/2.8.
Half moon over the quad at the magic hour.
And that’s all she wrote! Lately we’ve been hit by a big cold snap and got dumped on – 4 inches of snow (Before Thanksgiving?! What is the world coming to???) ! Pics of a snowy campus and our neighborhood will be coming next. For now, enjoy the fall if you’re in Japan, and think back to how great the weather WAS if you’re in Seattle! 🙂
Brian Chu Photography 
Haha, let’s keep pushing each other to greater heights yeah?
My personal favorites from the series are The Quad at Sunset, The Bench, The Road Not Taken, and The Suzzallo Library – really highlights how it’s the light and not the gear that matters, like you so often advise me.
I also like the candid shots from around campus, especially the framing. Great work all around, looking forward to seeing more of that snow on autumn leaves.
I always try to use what I have you know? s90, or the 5DII and the 35 f/1.4 – whatever you got, use and abuse.
I think I need to take more trips with friends though. Seeing your stuff made me realize that solo trips are sweet but not a lot of the whole camaraderie thing going on. I miss getting shots of peoples’ expressions. Man we should def take some trips together when you get back.
Great photos!! Makes me want to go up to upper campus more often!!
Yeah, you ought to if there’s anything left of the leaves and color 🙂 How’re you doing by the way?