Together with Andrew Elizaga we paddled our homemade boats to an only public campsite on the island.
©Katya Palladina
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These photographs are from our trip to Stuart Island and hike to the Turn Point.
Walked this path with Andrew Elizaga
Here you can watch a short film from our trip.
Hope you will enjoy looking at my nature photographs!
©Katya Palladina 2020
©BabySealFilms
]]>Some photographs from the event.
The full gallery in color you can see here
Here are some photographs, more here.
I was visiting my daughter in February and it felt like time travel. Weather was very nasty, with snow mixed with rain and the wind and after an hour walking around Spokane clinging to my umbrella I had this roll of film from my Rolleiflex.
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We went filming the protest on January 7th, during the cold winter spell, before the immigration policies of new Trump's administration were released.
Please watch the short film and be aware of the facts and see the faces of people who will not be silent!
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Thank You for knitting, crocheting and sewing these awesome hats! Thank You for spelling your heart out on your signs! Thank You!
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It is a box and a hole in it. Held together with rubber bands. I didn't have many expectations and went through the roll of BW film in three days, trying different exposures provided with the plans.
Here are the results:
For indoor portraits people had to sit still for 27 seconds!
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Every time I photograph this family I feel very happy!
So when we went back to the hotel, we were inspired to do some double exposure photography using our vintage medium format cameras.
Andrew's Rolleiflex were supposed to be able to do multiple exposures, but only couple of images came through. Using my Rollei I shot a roll of TV screens, took film out in the dark, rewinded it and loaded it again.
Here are 12 photographs I took:
I feel nostalgic looking at Rita's creation, wishing for time to slow down and for more occasions to wear fascinators.
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Tree sock knitted by Suzanne Tidwell
and there is a caboose in Denny's yard...
Vintage frock on Tanya and hand made tie-dye on Shelly
..and a lot of torsos!
Weather was very dynamic, from dark clouds and rain to sunshine and harsh shadows.
I am truly satisfied with all of them, even the one stray image of the fence, probably accidental release of the shutter.
There are images that may be NSFW, Seattle's own naked bicyclists.
I am so fortunate to call Washington State my home, the place where all people are treated equal and trees are always green.
Get home.
Load film in total darkness. Develop. Rinse. Fix. Rinse. Dry. Scan.
Fremont Solstice Parade 2016 in black and white.
Some of the photographs might be NSFW, just in case.
Enjoy your summer!
Travel with adult child.
Rolleiflex, black and white film.
""The Approach”
"The Landing”
"The Dark Side of the Spud”
"Encounter in a Potato Field”
"Survey of the Melon World”
All images are copyright ©2016 Katya Palladina and Andrew Elizaga and are available as signed and numbered limited edition fine art prints,
12 x 12 inch print on archival fine art paper, $100.
Nostalgia is a sentimentality for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.
Just a quick glance over old photographs opens all gates of hidden memories, smells, sounds and feelings.
Andrew and I decided to create a vintage scene evoking nostalgia for the late 70s. A Google search for "Christmas 1970s" brings up lots of images of people standing in front of a Christmas tree and fireplace. A TV always seems to make it in the frame too.
The idea didn't come from nowhere. Andrew's parents recently moved from their old home, and I inherited part of their large collection of old vinyl albums to play on my Crosley replica phonograph and I love it! Andrew and I are increasingly using film cameras and printing photographs on paper instead of keeping them on hard drives. Although it's hard to beat the convenience of digital photography, we have grown to appreciate the look and durability of film.
Using analog helps to slow down and reflect on the process. Even turning an LP to the other side makes you get up from the computer!
First thing we needed for this shoot was a vintage TV set. Found one on Craigslist. The owner was giving it away for free. It weighs more than 150 pounds! Next - Christmas tree, thanks to Home Depot.
Lamp, ornaments, suede jacket, shirt, pants, cowboy boots for Andrew, and shoes and turtleneck for me - courtesy of Value Village. Also fabric for a tree skirt.
Dollar store- great place for stockings, glitter glue, wrapping paper and garlands.
After messing around with old cables and video cameras, Andrew figured out how to get a picture on the old TV.
And then we spent a lot of time experimenting with positioning lights, deciding between strobes and flashes and balancing all other light sources.
We looked at many old images for inspiration and even found Sears catalog from 1977.
This is reversed view through the Hasselblad 500C viewfinder, to check composition and poses.
First version before we lighted the fireplace and were able to put picture on the screen.
Working on tricky shadows.
Wishing everybody Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! And if you are interested in a free, perfectly good 24 inch analog TV, let me know!
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Drummers, gymnasts, princesses and super girls - all parading through downtown Issaquah.
And of course my friends from Arbor Schools!
Great crowd and no rain is a plus for event like this!
Even Sasquatch made an appearance!
If you want to see more, it is all here!
Thank you!
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In July 2005 Lena and I drove the scenic Highway 101 from Seattle to San Francisco.
Beautiful Pacific Ocean followed us all the way.
We saw lighthouses, sea lions, many beaches, vineyards, rode cable car, drank Ghirardelli cocoa, visited Alcatraz and missed the Golden Gate bridge entirely due to lingering fog, lost inside huge redwood tree trunk, and had a traditional Japanese tea in the garden.
And we had no electronics for the entertainment but we counted red cars, stopped where we wanted to and stayed on the beach as long as we felt like.
Revisiting old files from this trip made me want to go on a road trip again!
The smell of dry grass, puffy clouds and gentle warm breeze reminded me of my life in Russia and summers spent in the village with my grandparents, running through the golden fields, looking up to big sky...
Rhythm of blades of grass, modest colors of wild flowers, dry from unusual heat, repetitive waves of mounds captured my eye.
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Rolling demos, rolling practice, harpoon throwing, kids racing - and amazing colors!
What a true family event!
Thank you for visiting !
]]>I used tiny waterproof Nikon Coolpix AW130 camera for both stills and video.
Link to the short film at the end of this post.
Polar Pioneer at the Terminal 5 at Port of Seattle
Taking interviews on the water is pretty challenging. Andrew Elizaga and Rob West.
We got surprisingly close to the rig. It is enormous!
There were several tribal canoes at the mouth of Duwamish River.
watch the short film - Meet the Kayaktivists
]]>It felt very familiar - all controls and ability to adjust exposure an shoot in RAW format.
Here are some examples taken in the area no more than one square yard during the early April.
Leathery leaves of primerose
First rosebuds
pure white pear blossoms
blooming rosemary bush
young apple tree buds
fluffy decorative plum
unfolding like pleats maple leaf
future strawberry
symmetrical rhododendron
salal plant
some bush unknown to me
and a little guest.
I love this time of year!
]]>We presented the movie at the Plateau Club during Arbor Schools Benefit Auction - the Hollywood style setting was perfect!
I was really nervous and didn't photograph a lot. Many of the images are taken by Andrew Elizaga.
If you are interested in watching the movie, here is the link :https://vimeo.com/122132583
]]>Commencement Bay in Tacoma was beautiful, sunny and calm.
High tide is a fun time to go around old pilings and check out cormorants.
A little different weather met us at Lake Sammamish couple days later.
Happy New Year and wishing you a lot of adventures!
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Work by Os Gemeos from Brazil. I think we missed unveiling of those giant silos by one week!
pickle boats, just like in Victoria.
...beautiful wooden boats, big and small.
and SPEED!
Viking ship juxtaposed with modern sailboat,
and a great company!
Second weekend in October is when people living in Sammamish and surrounding area have an opportunity to see works of local artists, photographers and crafters.
I love to exhibit my works here and meet my artists friends and talk to people about creative process and my vision.
In between I walk around the fair with my camera.
More photographs are here.
Big thank you to Sammamish City Hall for providing space for artists for free!
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Of course she is saying: No pictures!
Sound check
Instagram check
Instruments are ready
and the music starts!
interesting collection of swings
Cats have a small town there, though we didn't meet any.
It was sad to see Bamfield Inn abandoned. Hopefully somebody will take care of it.
Across the inlet there is Bamfield Marine Science Centre, a shared campus of the Universities of Victoria, British Columbia, Alberta, Calgary, and Simon Fraser University.
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Overlooking Trevor Channel
The best camping spot ever!
If you like to look at the rock formations, more images can be found here.
Thank you!
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For more photographs from Issaquah Tri please visit my gallery.
Thank you!
]]>I love public transportation. Growing up without a family car all I knew were buses, trains, subway cars, trams and trolleybus. Time to think, time to see, time to nap.
Travelling from Baguio to Sagada on the non aircon bus brought back many memories of long trips back in Russia. Face glued to the window, wind messing my hear, people, trees, houses moving past with great speed.
I was touched by this little boy no older than 18 month, who was sitting in front of us. Six hours of mountain winding road made me impatient, but this little child was quiet and very attentive when he had a chance to look over at us. He was sleeping in the beginning of the trip, cuddled on his mother's lap.
Then he was staring, and eating, and looking so attentively.
I will remember this trip not only for breathtaking beauty of the Cordillera scenery, but for this invisible connection I had with this little human.
There were others on the bus and on other buses - you may find it here.
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Being inside an operation room and seeing how surgeons, nurses and anesthesiologist work is so humbling. Can you imagine the responsibility that lays on their shoulders?!
Removing unhealthy parts and making people's lives less painful and more productive!
Here is Andrew filming surgery while listening to patient's heartbeat through custom earpiece. Medical professionals are very interesting people, focused and extremely intelligent.
And this is a video about GO-MED medical mission in Philippines, January-February 2013.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P38CVzDnqaA&feature=player_embedded
If you are interested to see more of my photographic coverage, please take a look here.
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Located in the foothills of North Cascades Mountains historical town of Issaquah hosts it's annual Salmon days Festival on the first weekend in October. This year the weather was incredible! Sun lit everything with soft impressionistic light, reminding me of works of Monet and Renoir.
Every year Arbor School where I teach art participates in the parade and students create art works related to the theme. This year theme was "Streaming Live", so we went with pixelated fish design, recycling packaging from new shelving, scraps of construction paper, old CD's and aluminum foil.
And we won the first prize for the float decor!
Aloha from Colors of Hawaii
Morning air was crisp and cold.
Princesses and Queens from all over the state were present too.
A lot of cheer were there too!
...and marching bands
...and karate schools showing mastery of self-discipline
Snoqualmie Tribe members were in the canoe with traditionl drums
Followed by a dancer
I truly enjoyed walking alongside the parade! Hope that you too are having a good time browsing through my Salmon Days Parade Gallery!
P.S. I almost forgot about wonderful audience lining up Front Street and Gilman Boulevard!
First King Boletes found in US! After living in Pacific Northwest for more than a decade I finally got to go mushroom hunting and it was very successful!
This is a quiet kind of hunting, with camera and basket or a paper bag and a pocket knife. And a buddy! It was Andrew's first time mushrooming too and he found more boletes than I did!
We had to hike up in the mountains, climb some rocks and jump across clear streams. Ashberries were brightening surrounding greens with its vivid red color.
We were so impressed by a number of different types of fungi. They were large, small, tiny, purple, orange and bright red, like Amanita Muscaria.
Some orange variaeties were almost like chanterelles, but as saying goes - you can try mushroom once!
The best tripod to photograph mushrooms is your own knees or belly - they tend to be VERY close to earth.
To find our best King Boletes we had to go down very steep hill and look under low branches and big rocks.
Finding these sturdy and fresh young boletes was a highlight of our trip. And soup tasted really good!
If you like fungi please visit my Mushrooms Gallery.
Hope to see you on mushroom trails one day!
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I was patiently waiting for the moment, woman was looking away from me, and I was photographing beautiful back of her kimono when suddenly she turned and calmly looked at me. After pressing shutter I smiled and lightly bent and so did she.
I was very fortunate to spend a week in Tokyo in November 2008. It was my first time in Asia and of course I was overwhelmed and at the same time reassured in richness and uniqueness of Japanese culture. My main concern was not to be intrusive into people's everyday activites, and I was very polite when taking photos and bowing slightly in respect. Here are some of my photographs.
Morning commuters, clad in black, silent and very organized. Though during rush hours first two cars are for women only, to prevent inappropriate behavior.
There's no better place to apply makeup as in moving train in early morning!
I really enjoyed seeing so many people wearing traditional clothes in the city. November is a month when children are celebrated. It calls "Shichigosan" that means Seven-Five-Three. Girls of age 3 and 7 and boys of age 3 and 5 dressed in the most beautiful kimonos and parents bring them to big temples and ask for health and long prosperous life.
Odd numbers are considered lucky in Japan.
November is a popular month for weddings. I felt like being part of woodcut print!
Photo assistants are making final adjustments for family photo.
I witnessed the process of making new episode of popular TV show in the middle of the park.
People were protesting against smoking on the streets. It was a big surprise to see so many people are smoking in Tokyo. Even McDonalds has a section for smokers. And near big street intersections there are huge wents for people to smoke around.
Chefs making food in front of big windows,
...street vendors happy to pose,
...pandas dancing under rain,
...chrysanthemum admirers,
...school girls going home,
...monk with eyes closed walking down Ginza street,
...Harajuku fashion aficionados,
...and salarymen trying to get on a train.
This is my "regular luck", at least readings at the temple said so. I hope my luck will bring me to Japan again. Even if I often was literally "Lost in Translation", exploring Tokyo was a great adventure. Here is my gallery of images from Japan. Enjoy!
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This is Green Lake in Seattle, quiet gem in the city with wide walkway around it. Every year Fremont Art Council puts together magical procession in celebration of Autumnal Equinox. Families come with home made paper lanterns, little vagons covered with strings of lights and kids and adults dressed up in beautiful festive attire.
Days are getting shorter and sun will be in the sky less and less.
Some people putting on stilts to be closer to the sun!
And when twilight is creeping in the light show begins!
Night time photography is very magical. Long exposyre reveals patterns unseen with naked eye.
I think it is King Winter.
After the Parade people gathered for Secret Banquet with hot cider and cookies. And the moon appeared to add more light to dark autumn days.
For more light please visit this gallery.
And if you like this post please share with friends to celebrate change of the seasons!
Thank you!
]]>I really wanted to see pigs and piglets and we had this opportunity on one of the last days of the Fair. It was cold and rainy and three days old piglets were cuddling under warm lamp after feeding.
Mama pig is one and a half year old and weights 600 pounds.
It was very crowded so I could only get some glimpse of little piglets.
Mixed emotions here.
This one is my favorite, I was waiting for the baby walk next to mama pig. On a serious note I am glad that I became vegan more than two years ago and my menu doesn't include little cute pigs.It is my pesonal choice and I can enjoy my time with animals without guilt.
The rest of cuteness is here.
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Nothing warmth one's hear as ability to see something writteng in one's native tongue. Here I read "Save" in Russian on a beautifully restored plane on display during 6th Annual Vintage Aircraft Show hosted by Historic Flight Foundation at Paine Field in Mukilteo. Sunny and hot, paint shines, aluminum panels reflect, and propellers are ready to take planes off.
Looking for abstract colorful composition is always an interesting way to approach the subject. I am not a specialist in planes, but as a designer I truly appreciate beauty in functionality.
...so do some insects :-)
I wonder if paint colors for airplanes have some unique names, like "Stratospheric crimson" or "Speed of sound blue"
Planes for sure have some provocative names!
...and beautiful graphic!
Scary!
I spent several hours photographing everything. If you would like to see more of flying vintage beauty, please visit Vintage Aircraft Weekend Gallery
]]>Day before weather was very unstable and rain could easily change their plans for outdoor wedding.
Wedding ceremony took place in a backyard completely transformed for the event, decorated with sea of white dalhias, lemons in glass vases and strings of lights.
Just a sneak peak at some of the moments from this warm and sunny day( and evening).
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On June 24th 2013 Seattle was full of happy people wearing bright T-shirts with letters RATN on them. They were part of the Ring Around The Needle fundraiser in memory of Melissa Erickson, who past away this June after 7 years battle with ALS.
My daughter Liza was a captain of one of the team and I joined them with my camera walking from one friendly bar to another.
Many of participants knew Melissa from the time she played basketball for UW.Sunny day, friendships and life stories were part of this beautiful day.
Team Liza and Jay
Each team gets tickets for a free drinks in 8 participating bars in Lower Quinne Anne neighborhood. 30 min at each bar.
Fun Saturday with drinking for a good cause! All money will go to two of Melissa's favorite charities - research through ALS Therapy Development Institute and family support through ALS Evergreen Chapter.
To see all the fun please visit this gallery.
Annual treat for usually coldish and gray city of Seattle. I think the reason we all like painted bicyclists here is that they are sure sign of SUMMER!What could be more summery than free of clothes citizens?! Only people with paint on instead of clothes!
Wild oranges,
Firey powerful reds,
Calming purples,
Robotic yellows,
And no paint!
The day was "unseasonably" hot and Parade started later than usual - at 3:00 instead of noon, so some paint was peeling off.
Superheroes of course were present too!
And how can we live without Lady Liberty and a Bride?
Wonderful celebration of new season, human beauty and free spirit!
For more of colorful people on bikes please visit this gallery.
P.S. More clothes free images, maybe not for viewing at work.
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I believe that it is only in America Zombies would be so patriotic! I've been to several Zombie related events since 2011 and even was a Zombie myself once. Not that it was my favorite thing to do, but worthy of experience.
What interests me the most is high level of emotions and participation. People are too happy to pose, some of them have their own acts and some ready for directions from photographer.
Families, generations, childrens and babies all covered with sticky fake blood and wounds gather once a year for a Zombie walk. Seattle tries to bit the record of about 8,500 but no success yet. I love the most the ability to get close to people faces, their eyes, sometime with different color of iris.
Age doesn't matter, young people even more eager to be photographed
I like how I can see my reflection and his hands in glasses.
Pretty cool, makeup and outfit!
Of course there should be a scary clown. I am not afraid of clowns but this one is creepy, don't you think?
I am glad my parents have no idea who zombies are! I would have hard time with me as a child being covered in blood.
The good thing is that they all are happy people! Thank you zombies for a great photo op year after year! To see the full gallery please follow this link: http://katyapalladina.zenfolio.com/p455607088
P.S. Warning - blood and more blood.
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School director Chelle Downey-Magee with friends.
Six year olds are the most serious graduates!
And little siblings are the most attentive audience.
Parents are capturing every moment!
...and teachers listening to sincere thank yous...
Here is a slideshow of images I took at graduation:
Seattle is known for rain and gray depressing weather. Also for fleece and sandals with socks.
And it is all true. Also true that when sun gets out everybody are rushing outside!
March 30th 2013 gifted Seattle with clear skies and warm summery sun. My daughters and I went to a spontaneous picnic in Cal Anderson Park on Capitol Hill in Seattle.
All the real grass was covered with people sunbathing and others playing Quidditch, so we went to a sport fields covered with astroturf.
They are running with brooms, for real!
Some veggies and hummus and fruit created nice stil life on a quilt hand made by me:-)
Somebody just couldn't say good bye to Santa untill the end of March - this was a pile of free stuff.
Here are some encounters of the day.
Some photos are taken with Canon50D, some with iPhone.
It was a wonderful day!
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Please visit my website for more images from Cultural Night.
]]>And there are children. They don't cry or throw a fit, they just happy to be next to their relatives, get some treat with little money or play jumping ropes. Back home I was not sure what to expect - hungry begging miserable children with no future. In reality kids are very much loved and taken care of. Families are large and very tight. And parents are very friendly and happy to show off their kids for the camera. There is a saying - It is impossible to get a picture of one child - in 20 seconds there will be 20 smiling and willing to pose children in the frame! Average age in Philippines is 23 years, and Baguio is home for many colleges and universities.
More young faces from the market are here.
]]>On March 17th 2013 we drove to Alderbrook Resort and Spa for a First Annual St. Paddle's Day.
Tacoma Narrows bridge is very windy, so we stopped to check that our kayak and SUP were solidly tied up.It is a beautiful structure, now doubled after construction of the second bridge. Alderbrook Resort is situated in about an hour drive from Tacoma on a shores of Hood Canal overlooking Olympic mountains.
We were expecting to see a big croud of competitors for the 4 mile race and people from Skokomish Tribe welcoming paddlers on traditional wooden canoes. Tribal people called in honestly saying that they slept in. And there were 14 racers, total. Half were on SUP.
Rob Casey, author of the first book on stand up paddleboarding "Stand Up Paddling" was giving overview of the race course.
Weather was surprisingly good, sunny and windy.
Here I am , sitting on my cedar strip SUP.
And here is the winner of sea kayak division Andrew Elizaga in his Sterling Illusion kayak.
It turned out to be a fun event and I hope it will grow into a bigger race every year.
For more images from this event please go here.
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