by Jim Bellomo | Mar 2, 2025 | Photography
This week has been eventful. I started my radiation therapy. It doesn’t hurt when they do it, but it really wears me out. Most of the time, I can walk six to nine miles a day. Now, I’m lucky if I can manage to get through three. Lifting weights is quite challenging, but the doctor emphasizes that I need to maintain my muscle mass as it is.
When it comes to photos, I took quite a few during my radiation visits. I have to drive to the Capitol Hill area of Seattle, which is about a 35-minute drive from our home in good traffic. Fortunately, I get to pass through some interesting areas, and my photos this week showcase those spots. On Friday, I went for a five-mile walk across the 520 floating bridge with my camera. That’s why there are more than seven photos—I just couldn’t decide which one was the best.
Remember, don’t forget: if you click on the first shot, you can scroll through using your arrow keys or by swiping. My favorite this week is the cormorants from my Friday walk across Lake Washington.
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This is your weekly Keeley shot. She is my best model. Kathleen bought her that thing on the floor. You had treats or her food in and under the parts, and she tries to find them. It’s supposed to be a challenge. She usually finds whatever we hide in less than three minutes, using her teeth, her tongue, and her paws. She is an awesome dog. We were told when we got her that she was a certified support dog (not a service dog), and she certainly is. I’ve been feeling kind of down about my lack of strength due to the radiation and hormone therapy. She understands that and will come and sit in my lap when I’m feeling down, just letting me hold her. From time to time, she will look up and give me a wet kiss.
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It’s another beautiful day (though the rain returns tomorrow), so I decided I needed blue skies in my photo. And clouds. And green trees. So here you have all three for a wonderful March day.
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Today, after my radiation treatment, I took a long walk across the 520 floating bridge. I saw lots of things, including these cormorants…
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This heron…
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Some swans swimming by…
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Two young women soaking up some sun…
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These ducks (which I love for their reflections)…
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And the start…
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and finally, two canoeists.
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and a few minutes of a rowing race (just practice)…
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And now for something architectural. This is a building that sits on the back side of Seattle’s Capitol Hill. It is an all-girls school that I used to work with when I was doing yearbooks. In fact, it was my favorite school. Part of the attraction is this building. The school was founded in (ready for this?) 1896. Yup, it’s almost 130 years old. But inside and out, this building is gorgeous. As I was driving home from my radiation treatment, I thought that on this beautiful, almost spring day, it would make a great architectural shot.
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After two days of landscapes, I decided to come indoors and focus on close-ups. I put on the 60mm macro lens and photographed a small section of a pencil cup on my counter. It features a great pattern, which reminded me that my favorite photography guru, Scott Kelby, is hosting a month-long photo contest with a theme centered on texture. I really appreciate the texture in this shot.
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On the way to my radiation appointment today, I passed Lakeview Cemetery. It sits high on a hill with an incredible view, kind of like the one I showed you yesterday. I’ve been to this cemetery before to see the tomb of martial arts guru and actor Bruce Lee, as well as his son Brandon, both buried side by side. When I visited before, I wondered why it’s important for the dead to have such a great view, especially with today’s wonderful weather.
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Today was a fun day (said sarcastically) as I began radiation treatments for my prostate cancer. The treatments don’t take long, but since we are Kaiser members, I have to drive to the Capitol Hill neighborhood in Seattle. It takes about an hour. Since today was my first day, I left early, unsure how long it would take me to get there. When I reached the back side of Cap Hill, there was a panoramic view looking back toward the Eastside across Lake Washington. It’s been a couple of weeks since I took an outdoor shot, so I thought this might be a good opportunity with Lake Washington in the foreground, part of the 520 floating bridge showing, and the snow-covered Cascade mountains framing it all up.
by Jim Bellomo | Feb 23, 2025 | Photography
Here are seven more shots from this week for all of you who are skipping the daily upload. Hope you enjoy them! Remember, don’t forget: if you click on the first shot, you can scroll through with your arrow keys or by swiping. I almost forgot. I’m going to start naming my favorite and least favorite shots of the week. This week, my favorite photograph is the night shot from Bellingham. I love the light I captured. My least favorite is the photo from today of Keeley under a blanket. I really didn’t have enough light to get the shot I wanted.
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We’re starting and ending the week with Keeley’s pictures. We shared one at the beginning of the week because she looked so adorable while being fed, but today’s photo focuses more on yesterday. When Keeley travels, she feels excited (and a bit anxious), which makes her pretty hyper while we’re away. Once she’s home, she collapses and sleeps through just about anything (except when I’m rattling her treat container ?). That was the case today. She was so exhausted that when the blanket on the couch fell over her head, she didn’t even bother to move.
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Tonight, we are in Bellingham, Washington, which is about 90 minutes north of our home. We came up to meet our forever neighbors, Jayesh and Lisa, to see “An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes and The Princess Bride.” Jayesh and I share a passion for the movie The Princess Bride, and we were thrilled to see the film in a theater (which is unusual for a 35-year-old film) and then participate in a Q&A with Cary Elwes, who played Wesley. Afterward, we went to dinner, and when we returned to the AirBnB where we had left Keeley, I realized I had forgotten to take a photo. So, I went for a short walk and captured this shot, which was much better than I deserved. I love the shot—it’s all about the light.
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This year, in my 365, I haven’t done any street photography. So, I remedied that today in downtown Redmond. This friendly gentleman was walking down the street with his umbrella and phone. It’s unusual because not many of us in the Seattle area use umbrellas. I do carry a big one like this when I take long walks on rainy days.
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I have been searching for ideas for what to shoot in this 365 project. Yesterday, I came across something from DPS (Digital Photography School) that suggested incorporating a piece of your camera’s tech that you don’t use often as part of the project. Another article recommended using equipment you typically overlook. A third article proposed various types of self-portraits. I combined all three ideas and created a self-portrait using my tripod (which I rarely use) and some of my camera’s technology by utilizing Nikon’s SnapBridge app to remotely snap the shutter. I’m pleased to be relearning how to use SnapBridge, and it was great to reconnect with my old tripod. Regarding the self-portrait, I have no comment except to say, “Man, am I old!”
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This morning, I was watching a fantastic photography course online from Kelby One. Scott Kelby (my favorite photography teacher) was conducting a class titled “10 Things I Wish I Knew Sooner.” The first point he made was, “Nailing the technical aspect of a photo is not enough.” He presented some amazing photos of flowers that resembled this one, but vibrant spring flowers rather than this wilted hydrangea. His argument was that you need a beautiful flower. You can master all the techniques in the world, but if you have a mediocre flower, your photo won’t stand out. I wondered, what about a dead flower? That could move beyond the technical, in the opposite direction.
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Back in 2002, we embarked on our first international trip to Europe. Our initial stop was Venice, which felt magical. To remember this wonderful city and the enchantment of Italy, we purchased a full-size Venetian Carnivale mask. It has hung on the Italian wall in our home ever since. It’s a beautiful piece of art—completely made of leather.
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Want to see what waiting looks like? This is it. Every time Keeley gets fed, Kathleen sets her bowl down, and she waits until Kathleen gives her the go-ahead before she touches it. As much as I would love to say we taught her this, it’s something she has done since before we adopted her.
In a world and a life that moves so fast, photography just makes the sound go out and it makes you stop and take a pause. Photography calms me. —Drew Barrymore.
by Jim Bellomo | Feb 16, 2025 | Photography
Well, we have reached the end of week six. It’s been a month and a half. This week was significant and busy. The snow has stayed with us until today, and I spent much of the week preparing for our Travel Club Annual banquet, which took place last Thursday. Today, we went to Olympia for our grandson’s 14th birthday. And yet, here’s this week’s album. Enjoy. Don’t forget: if you click the first shot, you can scroll through with your arrow keys or by swiping. Alternatively, you can return every day to see them on the page labels 365 above in the menu bar.
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We drove to Olympia today to celebrate our grandson’s 14th birthday. The family has a pond behind their house, and today, a striking blue heron graced the pond. I took some posed photos, but I wish I had captured the heron in flight. I did get some shots of it in flight, but they weren’t as good as I would have liked, so you get this one instead.
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I used to play chess all the time when I was in high school and college, but I haven’t played much since then. I tried teaching my grandson, but chess can’t compete with Fortnite. It’s just not exciting or fast-paced enough. However, I still have the board, and I thought it might make a nice capture for my macro 60mm.
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In downtown Redmond, I found these chairs. They looked so sad yet so colorful. Colorful because they are, but sad because no one is sitting in them with all those colors. The reason? It’s freakin’ cold. The snow is finally melting, but it’s a different kind of cold. It’s a damp and foggy cold that I hate.
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Tonight was our annual Trilogy Travel Club banquet. We had a fantastic time, and at the end of the night, we played an exciting game of Trilogy Travel Trivia. There were 25 fairly challenging questions, plus a couple of tie-breakers. I took some photos while the answers were being read, and this was a good friend (and my predecessor as club president) who looked perplexed by one of the answers.
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We rarely see decent sunsets where we live. There are too many trees, and we aren’t up high. But tonight’s sunset was beautiful, especially the clouds. My best buddy in Canada always teases me because I love taking pictures of clouds, while he prefers a perfectly clear sky. I believe clouds add character to the sky. I wish this one had more pink, but I still like it, especially with the silhouette of the trees at the bottom.
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When I looked back at last week’s photos, I realized I hadn’t posted one of Keeley. So here, tonight, is our favorite dog, who we’ve had for more than a month. She is settling in so well. We actually had guests on Sunday, and she handled it very well. Now, if we can get her to be friends with other dogs in a confined space, we’ll be all set.
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One type of photo that I take a lot of is panoramas. I love capturing something that I can see, but my camera needs assistance to do so. I never take them with my iPhone, and this one is no exception. This photo was created using 12 individual images, which were then stitched together in Photoshop. I’ve been doing this kind of photography for years and one of my other panos I consider to be the second-best photo I’ve ever taken. This specific one was taken about a mile from our house on a golf course blanketed in snow. The sun was out, it was thirty degrees Fahrenheit, and it was just a glorious, albeit very cold, day.
When a moment in front of me appears to be particularly special, whether it be by beauty or experience, I capture it. I usually find a reason to justify taking that photo – symmetry, or color, or contrast – and it’s my hope that my photography sheds light onto what I see and do on a daily basis. —Connor Franta
by Jim Bellomo | Feb 9, 2025 | 365, Photography
Once again, my week in review. It was a pretty good week except for the snow. Don’t forget; if you click the first shot, you can scroll through with your arrow keys or by swiping. Or you can come back every day and see them on the page labels 365 above in the menu bar.
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Those who know me well know how much I HATE snow. It limits me and throws me out of my routine. It may look pretty on the trees, but it means I can’t go walking, and it means I can’t even get out on the streets to get to the club to work out. I could walk outside, but three years ago, on a snowy driveway with ice under the snow, I fell on my back, and it has taken me until about six months ago not to hurt anymore. I just can’t take that chance again. So when it snows, I stay inside.
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Okay, I still dislike snow. But when we woke up this morning, we discovered that the snow fairy had visited again during the night, though she was now gone. She left behind one of those incredible days with clear blue skies. Of course, I had to shovel the driveway, but the sky was so blue and the snow so beautiful that I couldn’t resist taking this shot from in front of our house. This is the view you would see if you were staying in our guest room. Enjoy!
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We’ve received more snow—lots more snow… for us. For those of you in areas with regular snowfall, ours is nothing. However, being in the hills means that driving and even walking can be a challenge. When I got up at 4:30 am, the snow was coming down in buckets. I took this photo from our bedroom window, and I’ll let you figure out exactly what you’re seeing in my second monotone photo for this 365 project. PS: I love this shot because of the pattern the snow has accentuated.
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Snow is dominating our lives right now. Yesterday, much of it melted, but last night, we received about eight more inches. Looking out from our guest room window at the snow, I spotted a bobcat walking through our yard—that was unexpected. I wish I had my camera, but we were on our way to bed, and I never anticipated seeing that. So, you get the next morning’s shot. This photo appealed to me because it captures the light on the snow more than the snow itself.
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I was in downtown Redmond today looking for something to photograph and remembered this intriguing sculpture in front of Redmond’s City Hall. The reflection provided a nice bonus on a chilly afternoon when I just wanted to get back into my warm car.
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I was out charging our EV today (our in-garage charger died last weekend), and I brought my camera along. I spotted these guys nearby and thought that since they were blackbirds, they might make a nice black-and-white photo. And they did.
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Tonight’s photo features part of our family. We were celebrating the birthdays of the two on the left: my wife Kathleen’s daughter Michelle and her husband Brian. Besides being her daughter and son-in-law, they are also two of our best friends. On the other side of the table are my son Josh (who is one of my best friends) and another close friend of Michelle’s, Carrie, who has been joining us for special occasions. At the opposite end of the table sits the love of my wife, Kathleen. I rarely take family shots, but tonight was special. I spent the entire weekend cooking pizza from scratch, along with salad and a chocolate stout brownie sundae. We had a great time, and I like the photo, mainly for who is in it.
Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still. —Dorothea Lange
by Jim Bellomo | Feb 2, 2025 | 365, Photography
Here’s the week in review. Still going strong. Don’t forget; if you click the first shot, you can scroll through with your arrow keys or by swiping. Or you can come back every day and see them on the page labels 365 above in the menu bar.
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You should be prepared that at least once a week, in this 365 project of mine, you will see at least one photo of Keeley. She has become the center of our lives as we adapt to her routines and she adapts to ours. There are moments when we can’t believe how quickly she has adjusted to us and we to her. She is truly a gift, and we already love her as if we’ve had her for her entire life. Based on the number of kisses we receive, we think she feels the same way.
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Another attempt at a food photo. I decided to gather all the ingredients for tonight’s one-pan dish: sweet potato, black bean, and corn hash. It’s a vegan recipe; even though we aren’t vegan, we try to eat a lot less meat than we used to. It’s kind of a symptom of getting older. I shot my cutting board several times, but I didn’t capture the shot I wanted until I climbed up on a step stool to take it. That finally got me what I wanted.
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I am always looking for something to shoot, especially this year while doing the 365 project. While driving home from my workout at our club, I passed by a golfer on the course that runs through Trilogy. He was searching through the rough for his ball, which made for a decent photo.
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While searching for something to photograph, I came across this old, termite-ridden stump and immediately appreciated its appearance. The textures and shadows provide it with a rugged look.
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Sorry to send another Keeley pic so soon, but she was sitting in my lap (yes, all 36.5 pounds of her), and I couldn’t resist because I could reach my camera.
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There is nothing quite like a middle school musical. Today, we drove down to Olympia to see our granddaughter in the ensemble of her school’s winter musical, “Children of Eden.” Since my grandson was with me and he is on the yearbook staff at the same school, we took a TON of photos. I captured 345 photos, and this one is my favorite because of the lighting and the fact that I got everyone in the cast in the same photo, with my granddaughter right in the center.
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As the title suggests, I just visited Costco. We have several shelves in the garage, and I do my best to keep them stocked. Sometimes I go and start organizing items on these shelves, and I discover something that I purchased this time. For example, we have enough toilet bowl cleaner to last us until 2035.
What makes photography a strange invention is that its primary raw materials are light and time. —John Berger