BACK FROM BOSTON

Dale and I had a quick trip to Boston over the weekend and of course, the camera went along. The shooting circumstances weren't optimal (i.e. wrong time of day, not enough time, etc) but I was surprised by the bright colors in Boston and in Rockport. Rockport is a lovely little coastal/fishing village east of Boston. Here are a few pics from the trip - take a look at the website for more. Not necessarily 'award winning' photography but a wonderful reminder of a great trip. Enjoy!

http://bettyspannphotography.com/boston.aspx

STARBUCKS EXHIBIT UPDATE

I just returned from my friendly, local Starbucks on 8th Street - right across the street North from Bellevue Square. They kindly let me hang a small exhibit during the month of June. The space is not very large and I had overestimated the number of photographs I could hang, but I managed to get 7 of planned 9 exhibited. Again, no new nail holes or hanging devices were allowed, so getting these up took a bit of engineering. Since I only have the space for a month, I was thinking of hanging a new group mid-month. After tonight, I'm not so sure! Three people took business cards before I was finished, so that was encouraging. Stop by for a coffee and a look.

PRIMA BISTRO EXHIBIT IS UP!

I had a great time today installing the "Europe" group at Prima Bistro in Langley. Jenn (co-owner and manager) was wonderful and gave me free rein re: the exhibit. I have the space until the end of September so the plan will be to continue the rotation from Caffe Ladro to Prima Bistro. This is very exciting and I hope the locals enjoy the exhibit. (Double click on each image to get a better view and then hit the 'Back' button on your browser to return to the blog.)

New Exhibits this Week

I'm tired already! Darcy and I spent over 2 hours Monday night taking down the 'Europe' selections and hanging the 'Boats and Water' grouping. I forgot just how high we had to stand on the ladder to get those pictures up. Despite my fear of heights, we got it done and had fun doing it!

Tomorrow (Wednesday, May 20) I'll be going to Langley on Whidbey Island to hang the "Europe" group at Prima Bistro. I'm very excited about this since Prima Bistro is one of my favorite restaurants. Please make sure you stop by for lunch or dinner if you find yourself on Whidbey Island.

Here are few of the images that are now hanging at Caffe Ladro in the Issaquah Highlands. Stop by, have a cup of coffee and take a look at the group. It was fun taking the photographs and hanging them for you to see.

NEW IMAGES

I just returned from a wonderful trip to Cornwall, England. Cornwall is the region at the southwest tip of England that is alleged to have the warmest, sunniest weather in the country. I emphasized "alleged" because there was very little warmth and very little sunshine. However, I had a terrific time seeing the gorgeous coastline and countryside. The lack of good weather made photography challenging and as a result, I had to focus on "things" rather than landscapes. Take a look at my website for some of the results. I hope you enjoy the new images - http://bettyspannphotography.com/newpics.aspx

Upcoming Exhibits

I have a few exhibits coming up that you may want to check out. Starting in mid-May, I will be exhibiting at the Prima Bistro in Langley, Washington. Langley is a wonderful little town with interesting shops, galleries and restaurants. We have a little get-away place on Whidbey and we almost always stop through Langley on the way there. Prima Bistro is our favorite place. It's just like on "Cheers" - everybody knows your name and they treat you like you were the most important customer in the restaurant. The chef there has worked at Campagne, Bis on Main (Bellevue) and other area restaurants. The menu is French inspired Northwest cuisine. It is difficult to pass up the Steak Frites with blue cheese aoili but the Fish Frites with fennel slaw is terrific as well and he makes a wonderful Croque Madame for lunch. If you find yourself on Whidbey Island, make sure you stop by for a meal. In good weather, the terrace has great views of Saratoga Passage. http://www.primabistro.biz

Also, check out the Star Store located just below Prima Bistro - a very interesting combination of food, wine, men's, women's and children's clothing, along with a fun kitchen shop. Upstairs has great children's toys, as well.

In June, I'll be exhibiting at the Starbucks on 8th Street in Bellevue. That particular location is very supportive of local artists.

It's still a long way off, but in January I'll be exhibiting at Madison Park Cafe in Seattle but more about that as it approaches.

PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT AT CAFFE LADRO

Just got back from hanging my first photography exhibit at Caffe Ladro in the Issaquah Highlands. My able assistant, Darcy, and I found it a bit challenging but fun. Try hanging 19 pictures without using a single nail. There was a series of hooks we were required to use which involved a little more 'engineering' than I would have liked - but after 3 hours and lots of effort (and balancing on a display case), the pictures are hanging. Shelly, the manager, has been very supportive and I am booked there for four months. At intervals I will be rotating new collections and hopefully, the process will go much more smoothly next time.

I have to thank Darcy for encouraging me to take this step. Because of her encouragement I now have two more exhibits scheduled. I'll be hanging in the Bellevue 8th Street Starbucks in June and at Madison Park Cafe in Seattle next January.

My next task is to take more photographs!! This winter weather has done nothing to inspire me. If you're out Issaquah way, run up to the highlands and take a look.

Caffe Ladro
10th Ave NE, Issaquah, WA‎

MONTREAL REFLECTION

I was in Montreal on business last spring before the trees and flowers had bloomed and everything was disappointingly gray making me wonder why I hauled my camera equipment along. On the way back to the hotel I looked up and saw a building where each window was a different color providing a lone burst of color that day. I took a couple of shots but it wasn't until I got home that I realized I had gotten this interesting, geometric reflection of the building across the square. I like this picture because it takes a minute to figure out which is the building and which is the reflection. The white leafless tree in the lower right corner is a reminder of how bleak everything was that day.

In the Wake

To escape the hubbub of work and urban life, a ride on the Mukilteo-Clinton Ferry to Whidbey Island does the trick. Something about driving onto the boat makes any stress simply melt away. I typically look ahead to the destination but this shot was taken on a rare look backward. I like the contrast between the white foam and the deep blue water along with the texture of the water.

Points and Curves

My goal was to take a shot of the magnificent Sacre-Coeur Cathedral in the Montmartre area of Paris. I got the intended shot but as I was walking to the steps, this fence caught my eye. The points and curves provide a balance to the photo.

Impending Storm

My plan was to shoot from the Trocadero but on that particular day, there was a mass of people for a celebration of some sort and access to desired venue was blocked. Disappointed, we walked on and surprisingly, the crowd opened up and I took this quick shot. The menacing clouds

provided an interesting background.