Grape View Art and Water Show

An art and water show, that sounded like a fun assignment.  I brought my prime lens again and the shot with the most shallow depth of field was one of the ones that got published.  At first I was just not feeling it but later things perked up and the muse struck.

The first two pictures on this page were printed along with a couple of others that I did not post here.

       L-R JP Wittman, Anita Orne and Gordon Koenig of JP & the OK Rhythm Boys from Orcas Island, perform on Saturday at the Grapeview Water and Art Festival in Grapeview sponsored by the Fair Harbor Marina and the Grapeview Community Association.  ~ Shawna Whelan

Mariah Ballew of Grapeview, member of the North Mason High School LEOS Club paints Jayden Hall’s face age 4 from Shelton, with a Spiderman theme at the Grapeview Water and Art Festival sponsored by the Fair Harbor Marina and the Grapeview Community Association.  

      Decorated Stemware by Terri Thompson of Shelton fits with the water theme at the Grapeview Water and Art Festival sponsored by the Fair Harbor Marina and the Grapeview Community Association.  ~ Shawna Whelan

Spot news - Car vs Conveyor Belt

I heard this call an on the scanner, so I hopped onto my bicycle and snapped a few pictures.  I sold two pictures to a newspaper.  The reporters at the paper researched the story and generated the cut-lines, all I had to do was take pictures.

The police mostly just ignored me, but one smiled and waved to me.  I guess that means they know who I am.

North Mason Relay for Life

I was sent to photograph Relay for Life.  The mood was upbeat and the color was purple.

Cancer survivor Colleen O’Brien (77) and her caregiver John Kannitzer participate in the survivors lap at north mason relay for life sponsored by the American Cancer Society on Friday (More info on Colleen, dx with breast cancer and double mastectomy in 1977, then dx with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1992, she was given 10 years to live in 1992)

From Left, Cancer survivors Barbara Wynn and Kay Bishop greet each other at north mason relay for life sponsored by the American Cancer Society on Friday.  This one was printed but with the balloon cut off

At age 87 Barbara Wynn was the oldest cancer survivor in attendance; she was born in 1927 and had a double mastectomy seven years ago. At north mason relay for life sponsored by the American Cancer Society on Friday ~ Shawna Whelan

Tahuya Days

I was sent to Tahuya Days.  Tahuya is a tiny unincorporated town.  I drove 98 miles round trip and spent about three hours doing it.  Wow, Tahuya is a long ways from Shelton!

I brought my prime 50mm lens and was able to get some shots with nice blurry backgrounds. I changed lenses several times.   I don't like the idea of getting dirt on my image sensor while changing lenses.  Maybe it's time for me to get a second DSLR body.

      Tanner De Fries (9) Ksenia Mrsny (8) Peyton Mrsny (6) of Bothell wear festive hats while waiting for parade to begin  on Saturday at the Tahuya Day Festival in downtown Tahuya  ~Shawna Whelan

   Bob Buhler of The Burma Road Beach Club adjusts his had before the 

parade on Saturday at the Tahuya Day Festival in downtown Tahuya 

Car Crash

A well known local citizen blew a stop sign and crashed his mother's car into a Mason County Sheriff's truck. I heard this on the scanner and I rushed down on my bicycle to take some photos. I sold one image to a local newspaper. That image is not posted here.

His shirt says "why would you ever want to stop"  I think he got his answer.

Last minute assignment Ronald Reagan's son came to town

I was given an assignment to photograph the Reagan Legacy Dinner.  I was given this assignment just a few hours before the start of the dinner.  Since I'm freelancing for a weekly paper I normally get my assignments days in advance.  I was told that I should dress conservatively for this job.  I really wish I had gotten closer to my subject.  I was too nervous and the room was very dark.

     Keynote speaker Michael Reagan, author, talk show radio host and son of former  president Ronald Reagan,  speaks at  Reagan Legacy Dinner sponsored by Mason County Republicans at the Pavilion on Thursday June 12^th 

Democratic State Senator Tim Sheldon greets citizens Bill and El Wanda Bryant  at  Reagan Legacy Dinner sponsored by Mason County Republicans at the Pavilion on Thursday June 12^th

L-R Judy Lloyd (in black), citizen and owner of bread of presence book store, Dorothy Vanhof (in blue) Citizen and mother of ten and Beverly Craig (in pink) retired Bordeaux elementary school teacher greet each other before the  Reagan Legacy Dinner sponsored by Mason County Republicans at the Pavilion on Thursday June 12^th ~

Shellfish

Summer is kicking off and there are a lot of community events to be photographed.  I was sent to Belfair State park to take these pictures.  Sadly, they were printed in black and white, but still, they looked good in print.

    L-R Patricia Briggs, Herky Briggs age 6 and Megan Keller age 9 look at a worm during a beach walk led
 by Teri King at Belfair State Park Shellfest on Sat. Shawna Whelan

     L-R  Abraham Lund 7 and Solomon Lund 10 look through microscopes at the Pacific Shellfish Institute table
 at Belfair State Park Shellfest on Sat.  (they are from Minnesota and were visiting family in Port Orchard)

Olympic Middle School Many Cultures of Shelton event

The coast

I was invited to a wintertime coastal backpacking trip with the local backpacking celebrities including Barefoot Jake and Washington Wilderness Adventures.  My tent leaked but a good time was had.

Japanese tsunami debris

Barefoot Jake

Sun sets on the USA and Japan at the same time

Barefoot Jake

Spot news - Garage fire

This was the first time I was able to get a paper to buy photos that I had taken on my own rather than on an assignment.  My neighbor's garage caught on fire.  I had the advantage of being the first on the scene, arriving even before the fire department did.

Celebrating 50 Years of Wilderness - a sale to the forest service

The local Forest Service office saw my hiking photos and asked if they could buy a few of them.  In the end they bought 23 of my photos to use on their new maps.  The maps should be printed in September of 2014, they will show the Hood Canal Ranger Distinct in Olympic National Forest.

Here is a small sample of the photos they licensed.  I still own these photos and they are available for sale either as full sized prints are large digital files.

Foggy Tarn Reflections near Mildred Lakes

Lake Cushman Sunrise in the morning blue light

Dosewallips burned area

Lena Lake

Upper Mildred Lake, Mount Lincoln and the Sawtooths at sunrise

Looking into the Wonder Mountain Wilderness from the summit of Dry Mountain

Christmas train disaster

"Something went very wrong Thursday morning when a Simpson Lumber train hauled a log loader through downtown Shelton."

Article in the Olympian

If only I had not slept in.. sigh, this happened just blocks from my house and the media from Seattle showed up for it.  The noise and my power going woke me up.  King 5 news came and offered to give me "credit" for my photos if I posted them to their website.  I thanked them politely and took their card.

In spite of getting exclusive pictures of a grandma trapped in her car I did not manage to sell any.  Maybe if I had been quicker I could have sold them, It feels like an opportunity missed.  But who knows, maybe someday I'll be able to sell some of these.  My power and internet and phone line went down during this time.

Tony Overman  full time staff photographer for the Olympian came to town today

Maybe my favorite of the lot

Woman trapped in her car, no one else got this shot

PUD 3 crews work through the night to repair toppled power poles

Inaugural Belfair Christmas Parade

I was sent the photograph the first ever (Inaugural) Belfair Christmas Parade.  I arrived early and got info for my cut-lines before the parade started.  One picture made the front page.

  Lindsey Carneen and her 14 year old Llama “Eleganto” prepare to march in the 

inaugural Belfair Christmas Parade Sun Dec 1st –Shawna Whelan

L-R Kaylee Richardson (9), Axexi Sleaggs (10) and Sammantha Brown (10) warm up
before the inaugural Belfair Christmas Parade Sun Dec 1st