Saturday, July 29, 2017

A Little Luck Of The Irish

Sometimes my timing is terrible, like last night when I went for a walk on the beach in Seaside, just as the tide was about half way in.  All I found to photograph were a few leaves in the sand ... yup leaves that came in on the tide ... one small jellyfish and hundreds of broken crab and sand dollar shells.  In other words, nothing.

Sometimes, my timing is really good, not due to anything "I" did ... it's just the luck of the Irish!  I headed over to Astoria early in the morning so I could take more pictures of the bridge where the boat had passed.  I was hoping the clouds/fog would hang out long enough.  The tide was at the perfect level to be reflective of everything above it.

This is the Cannery Pier Hotel and Spa, built on the site of the Union Fish Cannery, 600 feet into the river.  Bring your biggest credit card, as the smallest rooms go for $310 a night.  More if you want the Finnish Spa Deal.
As I walked closer to the spot of the last pictures, I noticed the reflection in the water.  PERFECT!!  I snapped away.  About that time, a crane squawked really loud and flew up right under me, scaring my heart into triple time.  I was so enamored with the bridge, I forgot to look down!!
I can't decide if I like this one in color or black and white, so I did both.  I also didn't realize just how GREEN the bridge is from the constant painting and renovations.  
This guy didn't scare me half as much as the tall creepy man I ran in to as I walked around the corner. He was on his phone, I was focused on bridge pictures.  SMACK!!  That brought me back to reality pretty quickly!!  With a death grip on my camera, I made a beeline for the front of the building.  
I knew that somewhere up the mountain side, which is totally covered with houses, I would find the shot I was looking for.  All the streets are VERY narrow, most of them going nowhere.  More like alleys, there are Dead End signs everywhere.  I knew I was WAY too far away, and was trying to get further West when this baby walked right in front of me.  I had no idea there would be deer in the middle of the residential section.
I kept cruising around slowly until I found one spot barely wide enough to park the car, but the picture wasn't what I wanted and now I was way past the bridge the other direction.  Up a couple of steep hills I wasn't sure my poor Jeep would take me, back and forth, I cruised for about an hour.  That's when I saw these babies meandering along the edge of the road.  Their horns were thick with velvet!!  Good timing Nancy!!
I knew it was there somewhere.  I'd seen pictures of it before.  Finally, having walked down a long narrow street .... I saw it!!  There it was ... the shot I had been looking for.  I pumped my fist in the air and began snapping away.  What an amazing sight from up here.  Sometimes with a little persistence and the luck of the Irish, you will be rewarded!!
If you would like to see this view, here are directions.  No motorhomes of any size will fit.  Cars and trucks only.  As you come into Astoria on Hwy 101, take Hume Street to the right (just past Pig N Pancake).  Yes, it looks like a very narrow dead end, but continue up the hill, around the corner, around the 90 degree turn (name changes to Lincoln, then to Grand) and eventually you will find the only wide spot in the road on the left hand side.    You're there ... look to the right.  I could sit there for hours and watch the ships go by.

I've tried a couple more restaurants, some out of the way beaches and I have more driving directions so you can skip all the traffic in Seaside .. well most of it anyway.  That's what's up for tomorrow!!






15 comments:

  1. Love the black and white shot. More depth. You have a good eye.

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  2. Beautiful bridge shots! Love the different angles and reflections. Glad you persisted in finding that perfect spot.

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    1. Thank you Sharon! It's always fun to try and find the out of the way spots for good pictures.

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  3. You are a true artist, my friend.

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    1. Thank you Nick. That means a lot coming from a newspaperman who's taken so many pictures!!

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  4. Back in 2012 we were at the Astoria Column in the HHR, and as we left we saw a few deer around the homes there too.

    We are enjoying Southern Oregon (weather especially) along the coast so much I doubt we will get above Coos Bay...maybe not even make it to Coos Bay.

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    1. Honestly Dave, it's prettier down there with the ragged coastline. Not really much to see on the long sandy beaches!!

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  5. Take your colored shot of the bridge Using to turn it into IR
    Use your balance to dark in the sky. It won't change the bridge or the water only the sky
    Even on a calm day it'll look like an angry sky

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    1. I sent you an email but I don't think this portion followed it
      Some Nikon cameras have an infrared setting
      But if you don't have it. try a little trick take to polarized filters
      Put the first filter on. Turn the filter till its. Fully darkens with a dap of nail polish marked the very top
      Do the same thing to the second filter
      Put the two filters together with the marks lined up,, rotate to get your darkest
      sky an SHOT
      Polarize filter
      The problem with shooting let's say the ocean in the PNW. is the same issue in the ocean in Florida it's at East West axis. using a polarized filter works best on the north south axis ( or) the sun being at 11 to 1
      If you want to have fun the next time you go to a lighthouse make an imaginary Clock if you stand on the south side with your polarize filter take a picture each time (using the darkest setting each time ) at 6 o'clock 9 o'clock 12 o'clock 3 o'clock position compare the four photographs and you find the Photogenic side of the lighthouse

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    2. Sounds good .. I'll check it out. Most of the time I'm in too much of a hurry to use the polarizer filter. I should go search for it!!

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  6. Replies
    1. Thank you Jan. I couldn't decide either!!! LOL

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  7. Great pictures of the bridge and wildlife.
    Why don't they allow RVs on the bridge when they allow Semis like in your last picture?
    Be Safe and Enjoy!

    It's about time.

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    1. Sorry, I gave you the wrong impression Rick. Anything can go across the bridge, including all big RV's. You just can't take your RV on the little road I drove to GET the picture.

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