The Andy Aupperlee Explosion 5000

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Kerry Park features one of the most iconic views of Seattle. Nestled several hundred feet up Queen Anne hill, the tiny plot of land features a sweeping vista of downtown Seattle, Elliot Bay, West Seattle, and Mount Rainier. On any given gorgeous night, photographers, tripods and enough camera gear to make Ken Rockwell blush line the fence at Kerry Park. Although this was my second expedition at this photog hot spot, it was my first foray into creating a commissioned image.

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After a day of grilling, margarita making and half-drunk musical pursuits; I ended up at a Fourth of July Party in Queen Anne. Despite having had my fair share of Hornitos (via Sharat), I remembered to bring my camera and tripod. Fellow photog Rich Schwandt and I perched ourselves on a second story balcony overlooking Lake Union and opened fire on the Seattle sky.
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The George Washington Memorial Bridge is not in this picture. My camera, a Nikon D300, is hanging over the edge of the aforementioned structure, better known as the Aurora Bridge. I bolted the camera to a tripod, tilted it against the rail, and extended the center post so that the camera hovered some 160 feet above the ground. With a remote shutter release clenched tightly in my fist, I fired off frame after frame. The result is the latest addition to my “Scene from 99” series. In this entry, I captured the George Washington Memorial Bridge from the air (above), land and sea (below).

“Scene from 99” is an ongoing series exclusive to the Andy Aupperlee Explosion 5000 that features images and commentary about Seattle’s iconic Highway 99.

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Aurora Avenue bisects the heart of northern Seattle. From They Battery Street Tunnel to 224th Street, Aurora is the designation given to Washington State Route 99. Heading north, Aurora climbs Queen Anne Hill until it reaches The George Washington Memorial Bridge. After crossing Lake Union, Aurora charges through Fremont and slices through Woodland Park Zoo. I took this south facing photograph of Aurora Avenue and the George Washington Memorial Bridge from the 41st Street pedestrian bridge. The Space Needle is partially obscured by Queen Anne, and the Seattle skyline sits to the east (left of the photo). Yachts moored on Lake Union are also visible in the far left of the photo.
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Windows.
Georgetown. Washington, DC. EXIF.
This photo was featured in the DCist.

Last Saturday I hauled out the Marin, packed up my camera gear, and cruised the streets of Washington DC. I was excited to use my new Lowepro CompuTrekker photo backpack, and I stupidly packed it full of everything I could.

Nikon D300, Nikon 18-200mm VR lens, Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens, Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens. Nikon SB-600 flash. Check.

MacBook Pro and Bose headphones. Check.

Manfrotto tripod and ball head. Check.

All kinds of other random photog accessories. Check.

I think I used less gear when I climbed Mount Rainier in 2001. Oh well. (continue reading…)

The United States Capitol from The George Washington Monument.
October 17, 2008. 8:13 PM.
Nikon D300. Nikon 18-200mm VR lens @ 90mm.
Aperture Priority. 30 seconds @ f/22. ISO 200. -1/3 EV.

Next month I am moving to Washington DC. For the past few days I have been visiting “The District” to make preparations for the move. Last night I wandered around the city with my camera. While I expect to find all kinds of new things to photograph over the coming months, here are a few DC classics.

I setup the above photo at the George Washington Monument. I used a little Joby tripod (from Cambodia fame) and set the camera on one of the giant stone benches surrounding the monument. After selecting aperture priority, I dialed in f/22 to get plenty depth-of-field and ensure a long exposure. ISO was to 200 and I turned down the exposure compensation by 1/3 of a stop. Since I did not have my cable shutter release, I used the timer release on the D300. The camera chose to leave the shutter open for 30 seconds which captured the movement of the flags blowing in the wind.

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Gas Works Park. Seattle, WA. July 4th, 2008.
Nikon D300. Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens @ 11mm.
Manual. 6.9 sec @ f/7.1. ISO 200.

Like everywhere else in the world, yesterday was the 4th of July in Seattle, Washington. To celebrate the birthday of the greatest nation known to God; Jon, The Intern and I staged a party. Friends and coworkers descended on 4411 Bagley for one last gathering before we move out of the legendary pad in August (turns out a lease is only a lease, just ask the British about Hong Kong). The party also served as a sendoff for Jon as he prepares to move to Chicago next week. Forever new frontiers, right Jonny?

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