Summer sunsets in Seattle
Taken July 12, 2014.
Taken July 12, 2014, from West Seattle.

We have had some amazingly beautiful evenings out here in one of the most expensive, and beautiful, cities in the United States. With scenes like these, no wonder speculators are paying $1 million and higher for homes that about five years ago sold for about $600,000. Oh well, might as well enjoy it while I can, and come up with that brilliant business plan soon. (Click on each photograph to see a larger picture on a separate picture page.)

Salsa and Seattle Sunsets at Alki

 

Taken July 12, 2014.
Taken July 12, 2014.

The stretch of beach and road in Seattle that simulates this city’s brand of California is commonly called Alki and Alki Beach. It is a great spot to be on a summer night as the sun goes down and cooler air whips off the Puget Sound. Last weekend salsa dancers gathered on the beach with many hundreds of others to soak it all up. Me too. (Click on each photograph to see a larger picture on separate picture page.)

Full buck moon rises over the Port of Seattle
Taken July 12, 2014.
Taken July 12, 2014.

Last night, July 12, a so-called full buck moon or super moon, took light over the heavens. Hundreds of people gathered along Elliott Bay in West Seattle to watch it rise over the Port of Seattle. It was quite spectacular to put it mildly. I decided to slightly adjust the colors of one of these pictures to punch up the orange. You can see the difference. The colors of the moon last night started as light pink, turning to orange, turning to yellow in about one hour. (Click on each photograph to see a larger picture on a separate picture page.)

Dark and light I found photographing tales from World War II
Taken in 2000, in Aarhus, Denmark.
Taken in 2000.

In 2000, I completed a photodocumentary project highlighting human rights abuses by the Nazis throughout Europe. For part of that project, I met some Danes who were involved in that country’s famous boat lift of its Jewish citizens to Sweden to escape being deported and murdered by the Nazis at death camps. It is one of the few positive stories from this incredibly sad, psychologically dark, and awful episode of human history. One of the couples I met, David and Lilian Birnbaum of Aarhus, Denmark, met in Sweden after they were successfully carried to temporary safety. Some recent exchanges I had from someone who knows them made me think about their incredible story again and how wonderful it was to have stumbled on such a bright tale from such an awful time. The other photo I am including is a sample from hundreds of photos I took at more than 20 death and concentration camps scattered across Europe. This one, Stutthof, is located about 35 kilometers east of Gdansk. It was a terrible place to those sent there. (Click on each photo to see a larger picture on a separate picture page.)

Sitka National Historic Park totem poles

 

Taken in 1999.
Taken in 1999.
Taken in 1999.

The Sitka National Historic Park, in the beautiful southeast Alaska city of Sitka, features some of the finest examples of Tlingit totem carvings, old and new, in the world. It is also among my favorite sanctuaries in the world. I lived in Sitka for a summer in 1992 and visited this place several times a week. These photos were taken during a trip I took in 1999, now 15 years ago (wow). So many of these totems most certainly have aged since I photographed them. More examples of my Alaska photos can be found on my Alaska gallery. (Please click on each photo to see a larger picture on a separate picture page.)

Seattle sunset and selfies from Kerry Park

 

Taken July 7, 2014.
Taken July 7, 2014.
Taken July 7, 2014.

On these amazingly beautiful summer nights in Seattle, one can finds huge crowds of locals and visitors at Kerry Park, on Queen Anne, snapping photos and gazing at Seattle, the Port of Seattle, and the Puget Sound. It’s quite a nice spot. Come if you can. (Click on each photograph to see larger pictures on separate picture pages.)

Germany completely destroys Brazil at the World Cup

I cannot believe what I am watching via the multimedia extravaganza semi-final game. As of the 75th minute, Germany is up 6-0. I have to ask, is this a fix? Did the big-time crooks somewhere in a Macau casino throw this game, or is Brazil that bad without two of its star players. We will soon know. Here is how the Twitterverse, web, and football world is experiencing the game today. Note, I do not have copyright to any of these images, and these are great examples of media showing how not to play el jogo bonito. (Click on the images to see larger versions on a separate picture page–all of the images do not belong to me, and are taken from the Internet.)

Final note: Germany rolls over Brazil 7-1. I am glad I was not really watching this and just watching others watch this event.

The Space Needle, icon of the Northwest
Taken from Seattle’s Kerry Park on July 7, 2014.

The Space Needle is perhaps the most photographed landmark in Seattle. On a nice summer night, hundreds of people can be found on the overlook on Queen Anne that gazes upon this 1960s monument built for Seattle’s World Fair. (Click on the photograph to see a larger photograph on a separate picture page.)

Summertime, and it is hot

 

This shot was taken in one of several refreshing lakes near Omak, Wash., a beautiful area about four hours by car from Seattle.

In central Washington, temperatures can push up to 100 F during the mid and late afternoon, and residents head for the nearest body of water to cool down. This shot was taken near Omak, Wash., in 2012. (Click on the picture to open the photograph on a separate picture page.)

The raven and the frog, Tlingit totem
This is one of many totems at Sitka National Historic Park, in Sitka, Ak. (taken in June 2004).

At Sitka National Historic Park, site of a historic battle between invading Russian fur traders and their Native allies against the Native residents of the Tlingit band, amazingly beautiful totems are on display, old and new. Artists keep the tradition alive and carve on-site. This is one of my favorite places in the entire world, and I hold the raven with deep regard, like the Tlingit residents who lived here for thousands of years before. (See more pictures from the Great Land on my Alaska gallery.)

Editor’s note: I have corrected my description of the totem carving after hearing from an apprentice who worked in Sitka at the carving studio at the historic park. I had incorrectly identified one of two animals; I have corrected that calling it the frog.