A Day at Bellevue Botanical Gardens | | iPhone 14 Pro and Ricoh GR3x Photography
Today, I found myself amidst the serene landscapes of the Botanical Gardens here in Bellevue, Washington. My purpose was simple: to stretch my legs, shake off the everyday monotony, and get a little creative with my trusty iPhone 14 Pro and my ever-reliable Ricoh GR3x.
What I particularly appreciate about the Ricoh cameras is their versatility. They allow me not only to take regular pictures but also to capture close-up shots, which came in handy in the heart of the Botanical Gardens. This isn’t my first visit here, but the full bloom that greeted me today was a mesmerizing sight.
There's something uniquely fascinating about nature at the cusp of bloom. Observing the colors of a flower right before it blossoms, and then the subsequent explosion of life as it opens, fills me with a peculiar sense of awe. Being here amidst this blossoming paradise is a refreshing break from the endless work I've been doing behind the computer.
In an attempt to challenge myself, I chose to venture out today without my macro lens. Though I found myself missing it, I believe in the spontaneity of photography. The joy of not planning too much, of simply letting the process guide me, always leads to intriguing discoveries.
Every year around this time, I feel the urge to update my gear, be it a new lens, a tripod, or a camera body. But this year, I find myself pretty satisfied with my existing setup. I have the Sony A7 2 for landscape and macro shots, the Ricoh GR3x for versatility, and the iPhone 14 Pro, which offers an excellent wide-angle camera. Coupled with my Sony A 6100, which I currently use as a webcam, I couldn't ask for a better lineup.
This visit to the Bellevue Botanical Gardens reminds me once again why I love what I do - capturing the world through my lens, immersing myself in nature, and challenging my creative boundaries. Even without a clear plan in mind, every outing offers an opportunity to create something new, something beautiful.
Breaking the Cycle of Creativity: How I'm Getting Out of My Rut
As a photographer, I have always found solace in capturing the beauty of the world through my lens. However, lately, I have been struggling to find the time and inspiration to get out and take pictures as much as I would like. The monotony of everyday life and the demands of my other responsibilities have left me feeling stuck in a creative rut. In this video, I want to share with you how I am trying to break free from this rut and reignite my love for photography.
Gear used:
DJI Mavic Mini - https://amzn.to/3krk0i9
Sony A7 ii - https://amzn.to/38OLEdL
The Last Walk With My Sony A6100
The Sony A6100 is a fantastic camera that I use almost every day. But the one feature that is lacking is in body image stabilization. In this video, I'll explain why I'm upgrading to the Sony A6600, spoiler alert I'm not getting rid of the A6100.
Gear I used:
Sony A6100 Review: https://youtu.be/0yqFW1X824g
Sony A6100 - https://amzn.to/30ORIBt
Sony 70-350mm F4.5 - https://amzn.to/3BZ0qNo
Ricoh GRiiix - https://amzn.to/3P9gjZg
I love going to the same place over and over to see the changes in the environment and I always find new things to photograph.
Unlock Your Creativity: 3 Tips for Starting a Photography Hobby in 2023
In this video, I share 3 tips for anyone looking to start or restart a photography hobby in 2023. Whether you're a complete beginner or you've dabbled in photography before, these tips will help you get started on the right foot.
Fall Family Nature Walk - Complete Lightroom workflow from import to editing
This past weekend we were finally able to get out as a family on a little hike. We visited two new locations; Soaring Eagle Regional Park and Chinook Bend Natural Area. It felt great to get out with a camera again. This time I brought the Sony A7ii with 90mm f2.8 macro lens and the Ricoh GR iiix.
Here are the pictures from both locations. I plan on shooting videos from both locations in the near future.
2022 Fathers Day Road Trip To The Oregon Coast
Over this past Father's Day weekend we took a road trip to Rockaway Beach. We also checked out a nurture preserve and a few other places. I mainly used my Ricoh GR iiix and Sony A7ii with the Sony 90mm macro lens on this trip.
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My daily photography gear:
Sony A7ii Review: https://youtu.be/jRD3I1UA6iI
Sony A7 ii - https://amzn.to/38OLEdL
Sony 90mm F2.8 - https://amzn.to/35q8fkK
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Rockaway Beach
Rockaway Beach Old Growth Nature Preserve
Short
Yellowstone National Turns 150 Years Old
The first national park in the country turns 150 years old. In 2019 our family spent four days camping in Yellowstone. I instantly knew one trip would not be enough time to explore the park.
Here are a few images from that trip. I know I will have to go back to explore more.
Practicing Bird Photography | Vlog
In this video, I go out to my local park showing how I practice my bird photography.
Gear I used in this video:
👉🏾Sony A6100 - https://amzn.to/3IzG4hH
👉🏾Sony 70-350 F4.5 - https://amzn.to/3IEN24T
Day Hike at Three Sisters Park | Good For The Soul
Hiking and landscape photography go together in so many ways. Being outside in nature is one of the best ways for me to recharge and get some exercise. Three Sisters Park is about an hour from Denver in the mountains. The trails are relatively easy to hike and the views are amazing. For this hike I brought the Sony A6100, 18-105mm and 70-300mm lens. In the forest I mostly used the 18-105mm.
Gear I used:
Sony A6100 Review: https://youtu.be/0yqFW1X824g
Sony A6100 - https://amzn.to/30ORIBt
Sony 18-105 f4.0 - https://amzn.to/3dcHfoe
Sony 70-300mm - https://amzn.to/3tkziV8
Follow me!
WEBSITE ► www.Kwame.me
FLICKR ► https://flic.kr/ps/3T6yWm
INSTAGRAM ► www.instagram.com/kwamejohn
Newsletter ► http://bit.ly/36ZeUji
Landscape Photography in Colorado: Paint Mines
We took a quick day trip to the Painted Mines Interpretive Park. It’s about an one and half hour from the Denver airpot. The mines are clay structures that look like they’ve been painted. The colors are from the iron in the clay being oxidized.
For this trip I brought the Sony A7ii with the Tamron 28-200mm lens.
Field Trip: 2019 Fall Colors Along Peak To Peak Drive
When we first got to Lily Lake there was a ton of fog over the lake. The lake is pretty small but with the fog we couldn’t see across. I love the way fog looks in these pictures.
The fog was a bog part of the day but I was still able to find color contrast. The reason I love fall colors is the contrast in those colors that work well together in nature.
This last picture was from a wrong turn we took. We ended up in the valley where the fog was. I think this is my favorite image of the day.
Field Trip: New York 2019
New York really is the city that never sleeps.
So many views
Architecture
Field Trip: Colorado Western Slope Road Trip
This past June My wife and I took a mini road trip to Black Canyon of The Gunnison National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Canyonlands National Park and Arches National Park. We did all in three days.
Our first stop was Black Canyon of The Gunnison National Park. When you first get there you see how deep the Canyon is, I was pleasantly surprised. The roads curve back and forth. There are some spots that the curve comes up on you pretty quick. If you are into panoramic pictures this is the place for it. At each stop it felt as if I was doing a pano. The views are well worth the winding roads and small birds zipping past your head in some places.
When we first entered Mesa Verde National Park it overwhelming to see all the dead burnt trees. From the top of the first couple stops we could see a fire they were monitoring. The dead trees were from a fire in 2002.
The cliff dwelling are something everyone should get to see at least once. It is amazing to see what people did without machines or computers. There are straight lines and 90 degree angles. I was blown away by the architecture. The way they got in and out of the dwellings where by rock climbing.
Canyonlands National Park gets over looked by its neighbor Arches. But it is amazing to see all the canyons that were created over millions of years by water. The landscape looks like being on a movie set about Mars.
Lastly we visited Arches National Park. Again seeing these structures carved from rain and wind over thousands of years was amazing. The crazy part is they are still forming and at some point they will fall down. Knowing that they aren’t permanent makes me really cherish seeing them.
Overall this was a great little get away with my wife. Our little focus got us to every location without any issue. I would highly recommend visiting one or all of these national parks.
Field Trip: Senegal
I've been on vacation in Senegal, one of my favorite places in the world. I got back from the trip a few weeks ago with a ton of photos and decided to share them rather then keeping them in my Lightroom library. We also went to The Museum Of Black Civilization, which you can see here.
People
Animals
Ocean
