Tag: personal

November 6th & 7th.

On By Fred KingIn 2018, book, books, Brooklyn, family, Manhattan, Music, musicians, New York City, Nikon D610, rocknroll, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Our son’s book will be released Tuesday, November 6th. It’s available on Amazon.

Wednesday  evening he’ll be at the Greenlight Bookstore in Brooklyn for a conversation and signing event with Tobias Carroll at 7:30PM. I’ve read the book and it is amazing and makes sense of the seemingly chaotic and random history of rock n roll. Laced with interviews and more, it’s a real page turner for music buffs and musicians alike.

If you live in  or near Brooklyn, stop by and say hello. I live in Seattle, otherwise I would be going. Ian is very approachable and has my self deprecating sense of humor.

PS: I took the back cover photo and the one you see on the bookstore page, via the link above.

How to Decorate your Electric Meter

On By Fred KingIn abstract, Art, backyard, buildings, debris, design, Environment, Iphone 7, Seattle, street art, Thoughts, Uncategorized, WashingtonLeave a comment

Turning ‘found objects’ into questionable art via the light meter on our house. I have been working on this project for years, as you can tell by the care I took in placing the objects as well as the non-thematic nature of the piece.

Enjoy!

Maternal Grandfather

On By Fred KingIn B&W, childhood, family, film, New York, people, Personal History, portrait, Scanned from 35mm Print, UncategorizedLeave a comment

fullsizeoutput_3d8fThis is a photo of my maternal grandfather at age 11, taken in 1913. His name was George and he was Dutch, part of a family that were early immigrants to New York.

Along the Tracks (Con’t.)

On By Fred KingIn Art, colors, design, Environment, Georgetown, Seattle, Nikon D610, portrait, Puget Sound, Seattle, street art, Thoughts, trespassing, UncategorizedLeave a comment

One of the questions that comes to mind, when viewing and shooting street art is: what does this say about our society/culture? Some people view it as vandalism while others view it as a form of contemporary art. Because the palette is in or near a public space does that change the dynamics? Or. like the images I have been presenting, are mostly out of the view of the public, but on a BNSF railway right of way does that change things? To get this space both the artist and I have to trespass across those railroad tracks. The palette in these works is just a retaining wall, so maybe the work enhances the large, drab concrete space?

I guess it begs the age old question: What is art? 

We all have to answer that for ourselves, I guess.

Gas Works Park

On By Fred KingIn 35mm, Architecture, buildings, film, Gas Works Park, Minolta X-700, Park, Personal History, Puget Sound, Seattle, Uncategorized, Washington, X-rayLeave a comment

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I shot this years ago, on my Minolta X-700 35mmSLR, at Gas Works Park in Seattle. I was taking a photography workshop and they did field trips on the weekends. We met up at different locations and just wandered around, shooting whatever we wanted. If you ever run across a group of lost-looking photographers wandering about a public space, it is probably a class or workshop on a field trip or exercise.

PS: Eight months on and I’m still wearing a boot due to the fractured  4th metatarsal bone. I haven’t been out much with my camera. Poor weather ( typical for Seattle) is also a factor. So, I’ve dug into the archives and re-edited some old film images to post. Just for those doubters, here is the latest X-ray of right foot taken two weeks ago. Little or no healing, so I am now using a device called a Bone Stimulator that attaches to the foot, directly over the fracture. The theory is: wave pulses are sent to the affected area, which is supposed to increase blood flow which = bone growth. Hoping it works!fullsizeoutput_3a07

Blowin’ in the Wind

On By Fred KingIn Arbor Heights, blue, Blue Sky, Fall, Flowers, Houses, Landscape, Nikon D610, Puget Sound, Seattle, sky, Thoughts, Uncategorized, WashingtonLeave a comment

Just a few blocks from our house this view presents itself. This view is looking southwest along Marine View Drive and Puget Sound. When I took daily walks I would walk along this section of Marine View Drive. One of the perks of living where we do; just a few minutes walk from a pretty cool view. Hasn’t changed much in the 60 years I have lived in Arbor Heights.

Cain Bolt and Gasket

On By Fred KingIn Architecture, B&W, buildings, Duwamish River, Fall, Gentrification, Nikon D610, Personal History, Puget Sound, Seattle, Signage, South Park, street, Thoughts, trespassing, Uncategorized, WashingtonLeave a comment

Version 2

Aug. 1955. Me fishing on the Duwamsh River.

I’ve been exploring the South Park area of Seattle on Sundays for 10+ years. It’s a unique mix of light industry and residential that hugs the Duwamish River on the East and the hills, that lead to White Center, on the West. It’s a gritty step back in time. Slowly most of the scrap metal businesses have been shut down, closed or the land sold. In time this area will probably look like many other gentrified neighborhoods, but it will be a slower transition here so it is fun to explore and document what is there now.

When I was four years old I actually lived in South Park for about a year before my parents moved. We lived very close to the river. I have a photo of myself at that age ‘fishing’ on the Duwamish River near our apartment. I think I have posted it, but if not I can do that. One of the few photos of me from my childhood ( see above -I found the image). For some reason I keep coming back to this area of Seattle.

Untitled for Sunday

On By Fred KingIn blossoms, Flowers, garden, Nikon D7000, rose, UncategorizedLeave a comment

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Since I am still in a boot due to a foot fracture, recovering from broken ribs and some other skeletal issues I have taken some time to look at some older images to see if they can be re-edited, etc. , such as this image. Actually am going to go out this morning with my camera and see how things go.

Hope everyone has a good Sunday!

Exploring

On By Fred KingIn Alki Point, beach, Elliott Bay, iPhone 6, nature, Puget Sound, rocks, Seattle, summer, Thoughts, Uncategorized, WashingtonLeave a comment

IMG_0313Two of our grandchildren exploring the beach at Jack Block Park on Elliott Bay in Seattle. Although the water was frigid they did wade in for a brief moment :-). Today they are back in school with the rest of the Seattle students. I had a fun summer watching them. although a bit crazy at times. Madeleine starts the 4th grade and Adam first grade. Seem like not so long ago I was changing their diapers!

F-22

On By Fred KingIn airplane, Blue Sky, Lake, Nikon D610, Personal History, Seattle, Thoughts, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Yesterday one of my brothers in law took us out on Lake Washington on his 50′ yacht. Pretty amazing experience. Before the Blue Angels practiced, this F-22 did some fly-bys. Pretty amazing aircraft, as it can almost hover.

We are experiencing smoke from the wildfires in British Columbia, to our north. The photos I will post following this post will show you how smoky it has been this week; kind of looks like 1970’s Los Angeles, no offense to LA.

Also, I didn’t take my camera bag with me on the yacht, but just my camera and a portrait lens. I wasn’t able to get the best shots with this lens, even extended all the way out. There were about 22 of my wife’s family on board the yacht, a 50′ Bayliner that is equipped beyond what I could do justice describing.

Some Bluestar2012 Stats

On By Fred KingIn Personal History, stats, Thoughts, UncategorizedLeave a comment

As promised, some blog stats:

Posts: 3,203

Visitors: 7,646

Total Visits: 28,328

Followers: 468

I have no reference point, so don’t know if these stats are meaningful. 

Thanks to all of you are make up some part of these stats!!!

Very humbling.

Hosta

On By Fred KingIn backyard, blossoms, Flowers, garden, hosta, nature, Nikon D610, Seattle, Thoughts, UncategorizedLeave a comment

 

Our second Hosta is starting to bloom. Although I am finding some things to shoot around our house, I’m anxious to get back ‘out there’ once my bones heal. Maybe August.

I keep thinking I am due to share some stats from this blog with you, subscribers and viewers. Without you the stats would be meaningless, mostly. I will post a couple of stats I think are fun and important. This blog has been going since Feb. 2009. At times I think I should take it in another direction, but the blog seems to have a life of its own and is still a joy for me to share what my camera and I are up to :-).

Be safe and treat each other with kindness.

Our Garden Window

On By Fred KingIn blossoms, cactus, Flowers, garden, Houses, Nikon D610, Personal History, Seattle, Thoughts, Uncategorized2 Comments

 

Since my range of traveling has been limited to home or close to home ( due to health issues: broken bone in right foot, fractured 8th rib and a blood clot causing edema in my lower left leg-phew!) and not in the usual interesting places I find to shoot, I have some images here from our garden window. I love plants from the desert SW, and besides, they easily adjust to my black thumb!