by Jim Bellomo | Jun 8, 2025 | 365
This week had its ups and downs, and for the first time, even though I remembered to TAKE a photo, I forgot to POST a photo. So, I did that this morning and then posted another one this afternoon.
Midweek, we went to Olympia, and I took some photos along the way, but the best photo I captured was this one. It makes me incredibly proud to have these two as my grandchildren. For the first time, they performed in a school band concert together. Our grandson was wonderful, standing by his little sister and helping her. He might even be part of the reason she was awarded the “Most Outstanding Fifth Grade Band Performer.” These two are THE BEST!
That’s my favorite photo of the week. If I have to pick one that I posted before, I would have to say the shot of Keeley. We have hired a dog trainer, and she is making progress toward becoming the perfect dog.
Don’t forget: if you click on the first shot, you can scroll through using your arrow keys or by swiping. Also, while you are looking at the individual photos, click the small i at the bottom of the page to read the full caption and see my photographic metadata.
A very good friend, whom we have known for over 30 years, is moving into Trilogy, and we went over to her new place to pick up the keys. She asked me if I could take pictures so she would have a record of anything that was broken or needed fixing. I got out my real estate lens (10mm-20mm zoom) and took a lot of photos. I didn’t plan to include these in my 365 project, but I loved the symmetry of the kitchen with the world’s largest kitchen island.
Looking for something to shoot, I spotted this owl that I got at the Redmond Saturday Market last Saturday. I sent a photo of it to Kathleen, and she really liked it, so it came home with us. It is currently keeping my basil company on the table on our deck. I like the bokeh I got as well.
Your weekly Keeley has arrived early this week. I saw her just lying in our living room and snuck up on her while on my knees to get a cool facial shot. Words can’t describe how much we love our girl. Since last Saturday, when her new trainer came for the first time, she has improved tremendously.
You will have to tell me.
These shots are from Saltwater State Park, just outside of Des Moines (yes, we have a Des Moines in Washington too). I am posting three today because I don’t know which I like better: a ship or geese coming or geese going with a heron. You will have to tell me.
Today we took a drive to our grandkids’ house. That’s where I am writing this. Tonight is their end-of-the-year band concert, and we are here to see our two favorite clarinetists play together for the first time. On our way down, we decided that since we had most of the day and they are still in school, we would take the coastal route for a while. We have never driven through some of these towns (Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park), and all along the way are some very nice state parks.
We spent the night at the kids’ place in Olympia, which is sort of like living on a farm, if farms were places without animals or crops—kind of like a petting zoo, but with no pets. Their neighbors, however, are full-on farmers, including the folks raising those steers next door. You know the drill: today’s adorable steers are tomorrow’s tasty steaks. So, I guess what I’m saying is this is really just a photo of my future dinner!
OK, I finally did it. I missed a day of posting a photo, but I did take one. I actually took about 10 at our Saturday Market. This one, showcasing all the incredible spring veggies and fruit that are already available to us, was the best of that bunch. I didn’t capture the strawberries, but they are some of the best we have ever tasted. Just amazing. Thanks, Mother Nature!
Today is hot—much hotter than usual for Redmond in early June. The current temperature is 83. I know for some of you reading this, that’s not too bad. But in the sun, it’s probably closer to 90, so when I saw these folks on their rafts, I just hoped for their sake that they had heavily invested in sunscreen. This is one of those times when I was surprised by the shot I got after looking at it through my viewfinder. But after cropping and denoising/sharpening/upscaling, I kind of like it.
I went into photography because it seemed like the perfect vehicle for commenting on the madness of today’s existence. —Robert Mapplethorpe
by Jim Bellomo | Jun 1, 2025 | 365
I can’t believe another month is done. That month has seen me start taking video, lots of flower pics and a weekly Keeley. I hope you have enjoyed the journey. This week was a little of everything but I have to say I think I like my photo of the two kids with the truck.
Don’t forget: if you click on the first shot, you can scroll through using your arrow keys or by swiping. Also, while you are looking at the individual photos, click the small i at the bottom of the page to read the full caption and see my photographic metadata.
I took a frustrating drive into the Snoqualmie Valley today. This valley isn’t too far from my place; I can reach this old barn in about 15 minutes at most. However, it was frustrating because this barn is NOT what I wanted to shoot. I was looking for birds since I’m trying to practice taking photos of animals in preparation for Africa. That’s why I was specifically looking for birds. When I used to belong to the photography club here at Trilogy, it turned out they mostly took photos of nothing but birds. I do recall where they went to take them—it was a small lake that attracted many birds in this valley. Today, I finally found the lake, but I was darned if I could find a place to park. So, on my way home, I spotted this barn, and there you go.
Sometimes when you take close-up photos, you discover details you’ve never seen before. This flower serves as a perfect example. To see the tiny lines covering the petals with the naked eye, I have to get incredibly close—almost touching it. However, if I focus my lens tightly, I can see them clearly. I’m glad I ventured out into the backyard tonight.
Today I was out at my favorite hardware store located in a small town just east of us called Duvall. I love visiting Ace Hardware because, unlike Home Depot or Lowe’s, Ace still has staff who want to help you and are knowledgeable about hardware and gardening. I needed a couple more pieces for our drip irrigation system and a way to combat snails and slugs with a treatment that wouldn’t harm Keeley if she ingested it. We used to be able to use harsher products, and I could still do that in the front yard since she is never there without us, but not in the back. After I was finished at Ace, I headed down to the river that flows through the town and took some shots of people playing in the water. When I got home, this was the one I liked the most: the guy in front was trying to drive his big dump truck up from the river and was having a tough time. His friend, without being asked, grabbed the back of the truck, and they easily got it up the hill.
When we had our yard landscaped last year, our designer didn’t realize how little sun parts of the front yard actually received. This year, we had three plants (all the same kind) that were mostly in shade. We couldn’t figure out why they weren’t growing, but there was still a tag on one of them, and when we checked, it said, “full sun,” yet all three of them were planted where they got about an hour of sun a day. So, I went out and got these three plants that are good in shade and thought I would create a little triptych of those three.
Sorry, but I have more fauna today. We have some bushes in the backyard that had never bloomed before, and they are in full bloom right now. They are really tiny, but I used my macro lens, so they look pretty big. They are so delicate. One thing is for sure about our upcoming trip: I will know how to shoot flowers.
This morning, I went to Redmond’s Saturday Market. It’s a wonderful place to visit with lots of farmers showcasing their freshest produce (I got some great strawberries and rhubarb, as well as purple asparagus) and crafters selling cool stuff (I brought home a glass owl for our garden). The Market tries to have live entertainment for most of its run from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, and I really felt sorry for this guy who must have pulled the short straw and ended up with the first shift in the morning. Granted, I arrived right when the Market opened, but this was just sad. To make things worse, he was pretty darn good.
Here’s Keeley starring in my third video. This week, she’s attempting to perform her favorite trick, but as you will see, she is so excited that she jumps right to the end of the trick. It cracks us up every time. To watch the video, go to the 365 page in the menu above.
I believe in living with the camera, and not using the camera. —Dorothea Lange
by Jim Bellomo | May 25, 2025 | 365
As I mentioned, in prep for our trip to Africa, I need to learn how to switch from stills to video with my Nikon, so I shot another video this week. This time, I did some shorter videos and put them together. Not having edited video in years, this was a little of an adventure. You will need to go and check out the video on my 365 page (above in the menu).
I almost forgot. My favorite this week is the squirrel (I was informed it was NOT a chipmunk). But it might be the lake with reflections. I like them both.
Don’t forget: if you click on the first shot, you can scroll through using your arrow keys or by swiping. Also, while you are looking at the individual photos, click the small i at the bottom of the page to read the full caption and see my photographic metadata.
Looking for a shot, I ventured into the forest here at Trilogy. I initially planned to photograph some trees, the trail, and maybe a lake, but then I spotted him. This guy. I captured a couple of shots of him on the ground, but then he said to me, “Wait! I’ll climb a tree. It will be such a better shot.” (Didn’t know chipmunks could talk, did you?) So, he climbed a tree, and he was right! It was a much better shot. Thanks, guy!
If you read my posts, you know that we have traveled to many places. A LOT! You can see the entire list by going to Lists in the menu above and then the page called Places We Have Been Together. There are two things we try to bring home with us. One you have already seen (back in my photo of our dining room in January) is a piece of local art. The other collection resides on our garage refrigerator—its magnets. They are inexpensive and easy to carry, and passing by the freezer every day reminds me of all the places we have been. Up until three years ago, I had them all in chronological order of our trips. But when we moved, I took them all down, and I still have not put them back in order.
I fully realize that I took a photo of a goose and some goslings about two weeks ago, but that was with my phone. Today, I got this close-up that I really like with my Nikon. This goose (or gander—there were two of them) had some goslings with her, but the shots I took of them were disappointing due to the very tall grass they were sitting in. But that was OK because I really wanted just one subject to focus on.
I went on a longer walk today through the forest and captured this lake (that is totally inside of Trilogy) that I have photographed before. But this time, the reflections make the photo, not the lake. It was just a drop-dead beautiful day for photography with all the big, fluffy clouds in the sky. On a day like this, I truly understand what it means to live here in paradise.
This is another one of those ultra-close-up micro shots I do from time to time that presents a photographic riddle. So what is it? The clue is in the title. I love the colors, and I have been shooting outside pretty much all week. With a great week of weather ahead, I thought…why not capture something tiny?
I know, two food photos in two days. But yesterday was something I bought, while today is something I made. We are enjoying what looks to be a wonderful week of weather; today is gorgeous. Plus, I got a new grill. The folks who put it together for me asked if I was starting with steak or chicken, and I said veggies. That’s actually what I grill most of the time. This is one of my favorite summer recipes— Grilled Zucchini-Feta Bruschetta with Double-Tomato Dressing (send a DM for the recipe).
This is just a screen shot from the video. You can find the actual video on the 365 page and then look for May 25.
I look at the camera as sort of a missing link between motion picture photography and still photography. —Jeff Bridges
by Jim Bellomo | May 18, 2025 | 365, Photography
Once again, it’s Sunday night, and I am back with my photos from this week in my 365 project. This week, you will see only six shots plus a placeholder for the video. My hope is that you won’t bother to visit the 365 page (above) to watch it, as it is my first time using my Nikon for video, and I’m not happy with the result. However, since practice makes perfect, you can expect to see at least one video a week from this point forward, at least until we return from Africa.
Don’t forget: if you click on the first shot, you can scroll through using your arrow keys or by swiping. Also, while you are looking at the individual photos, click the small i at the bottom of the page to read the full caption and see my photographic metadata.
We bought our home three years ago last month, and we moved in three years ago this coming Friday. One of the things we loved about the house, even before we went inside, was our wonderful dogwood tree. When it blooms each year, it is gorgeous. So today, here are three photos that I took of it to commemorate the tree and our moving into Trilogy.
In the morning the blossoms had some rain on them that had just passed through.
In the afternoon, a gorgeous blue sky.
Out walking today, and when I got home, I told Kathleen I had taken some family photos. She said, “What?” But here they are… some family photos. Normally, I don’t take photos of what my good friend Bob and I call the Canadian Air Force, but this couple was so cute with all their little goslings that I had to shoot them… with my phone… not a gun. I would never shoot anything this cute. Their parents are another thing; they are a total pest on the earth as they poop their weight just about every day of their lives. Walking in the places I walk, I see a bunch of their product. YUCK!
It was kind of a blah day, so I went out the front door and looked for something in the yard. Sure enough, these flowers caught my eye, mostly because of the combination of red and blue. I love the blue of the flowers and the red of the glass poppy. The flowers are there simply because we liked them. The poppy commemorates a friend who passed away more than 10 years ago and who loved poppies. We have a huge painting in our dining room for the same reason. We love the painting, but it’s the poppies that prompted us to buy it.
Your weekly Keeley is one of her favorite things to do. Just about every morning, she has breakfast, goes outside for a little while, and then comes back in to grab this toy and play tug ‘o war with me. It has become our daily routine. I love playing with her. We probably spend about 10 minutes per round, and then she tires out (and so do I) and takes the toy off to chew it. This is the second one of these toys we have had, as she chewed off the end of the other one. For you photographers out there, I took this with my Nikon 50mm prime lens at 1/800 f1.4.
I named this shot “Finally” because light rail has been coming to Redmond for years, and as of last Saturday, it is finally here. Right now, we can only go as far as Bellevue, about a 20-minute ride (with stops). I will be taking it in about two weeks when I start having to go to Bellevue for a bi-weekly medical treatment. I used to do this in Redmond, but Kaiser, in their utter stupidity, has decided to stop providing what they call nursing services at their Redmond facility. However, the new light rail will make this really easy for me. I park in Redmond and avoid all the traffic going to Bellevue at the end of the day. And as a senior citizen, the rides only cost me $1.00 each way. A pretty great deal.
A little work with my macro lens tonight has produced something that looks like a cool piece of art. It could be a fabric piece or something knitted. However, in reality, it is the side of a Kleenex box (yes, the name brand). After a long day of movie watching—it poured rain for most of the day—and working out for two hours, I was really tired and didn’t want to go out again on a cold, rainy evening. Nevertheless, I like how this turned out. I will try to do better tomorrow.
This is just a placeholder for my first Nikon video. If you want to see it, you will have to go to the 365 page (see the menu above).
You’re only one video away from going viral and changing your life. —Jake Paul
by Jim Bellomo | May 11, 2025 | Photography
This week, the 20th of 2025, was a good one. Took lots of photos, got some good ones and some that surprised me (how much I liked them), but I am happy with them all. The car photo surprised me because I like it a lot more than I thought I would. My best is probably the eagles, but my favorite is my amazing wife and her wonderful daughter.
Don’t forget: if you click on the first shot, you can scroll through using your arrow keys or by swiping. Also, while you are looking at the individual photos, click the small i at the bottom of the page to read the full caption and see my photographic metadata.
Yesterday, you received the weekly Keeley. You thought we only had one pet, but in reality, we have four more. This is our bedroom menagerie. Each of them holds special meaning for us. From right to left, we have… Take Care, Teddy Bear. He was given to Kathleen by our grandkids when she had her hip replaced quite a few years ago. The white guy in the front row is a Hallmark talking dog (at least he used to talk when he had good batteries). I gave him to Kathleen on one of our first Valentine’s Days together. On top of him is our new coo. We got him last June when we were in Scotland. We love coos. Lastly, there is his royal highness Clarence, who is supposed to be one of Queen Elizabeth’s corgis. We bought him when we toured the Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh on our second trip there. So each of them holds special meaning, and no, we are not ashamed to be in our early 70s and still have stuffed animals.
With the sunny days we’ve had, Mother Nature has been providing me with a source of color I just can’t ignore. The first two are totally colorful, followed by a green-on-green plant. All are from our yard, which grows more vibrant every day.
Took Keeley for a longer walk today while the sky was cloudy and found a Trilogy trail I had never walked on before. It wasn’t far from our house. Keeley likes the shade (she gets really hot), and since I don’t usually walk the trails but stick to the streets, I had never run into this one before, with the looming clouds in the background.
You are receiving the weekly Keeley a few days early this week. We had to be out of the house for a little while, so we took her to the dog park to chase her ball—something that she loves to do. She had a great time, and it gave me a chance to capture some real action before we head to Africa in July. Until then, she is the closest thing to a gazelle that I have to shoot.
Looking for something to shoot, I stopped at Duck Lake. I had previously taken photos there back in January when it was almost frozen over. I captured about 30 photos, but as I walked back to our car, I thought, “Wow, the way the car is sitting there, framed by the trees, it’s almost like a car ad.” So I took that shot as well. And here it is: my car advert. We drive a Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV (Electric Vehicle), and I have to say, it is by far the best car I have ever owned. It drives as smoothly as silk, is one of the fastest cars on the road from 0-60 when in Sport Mode (I NEVER drive it in Sport Mode ?), and is a true luxury vehicle on the inside. Plus, I think it looks pretty damn cool as well.
Since today is Mother’s Day, we ventured north to the kingdom of Bothell, where a sumptuous feast prepared by Kathleen’s wonderful daughter, Michelle, commemorated Kathleen’s motherhood. We do this pretty much every year unless we are out of town, and I think it’s been a couple of years since I took a mom-daughter photo, so here you have it.
Photography can be a way into worlds and memories that words sometimes fail to convey. —Stacy Martin
