I am currently organizing my photography excursions for 2025.
There will be my annual trip to Vancouver for two significant used camera sales, and as I customarily do the third week in July, I will be present at the Anacortes Washington Shipwreck Festival. However, this year, I am also planning a drive along the West Coast of the U.S.
As I was sharing with my friend Jo about some of my favorite stops along that picturesque route, I started reminiscing about the time I strolled through the streets of Port Townsend, Washington with my camera in hand.
My wife and I had spent the previous days driving up the coast on our return to Kamloops after I photographed a wedding on the sandy shores of Cannon Beach, Oregon.
We had paused at the town of Ocean Shores the first night and then continued on to Port Townsend, Washington.
I had been too occupied working in Cannon Beach to explore the streets with my camera, and when we arrived at Ocean Shores, it was too late to do anything more than find a motel and dine on the windy beach. Thus, Port Townsend was my initial opportunity to engage in photography for myself.
The town is quite a picturesque coastal community featuring numerous historic 19th century Victorian structures located on the northeast tip of the Olympic Peninsula, a little over six hours from Kamloops.
Since the sky was clear and blue with the sun at a low altitude, I made the decision to utilize my infrared converted camera.
I left my wife relaxing in the hotel and began by walking along one of the higher streets above the town, capturing photographs of a lighthouse in the strong contrasting light. I then proceeded to seek out intriguing buildings in a tree-lined neighborhood before venturing down into the downtown area. I wandered through alleys, main streets, and the small harbor, selecting different subjects and perspectives, taking some photographs down the street and others looking up at the captivating old structures.
For a while, I walked alongside a couple visiting from China, but they were more focused on posing for tourist-style photographs in front of the buildings, so I wished them well and continued in a different direction.
I selected subjects on the side of the street where the lighting was robust as I went back and forth to maximize the infrared light.
My exploration lasted nearly three hours before the evening shadows commenced to take over. I attempted a few shots of a couple of double-masted ships anchored in the harbor, but they were too far away for my lens.
The infrared provided me with black skies and luminous distinct highlights, and I focused on subjects that were strong in those two aspects. I wandered the city’s streets, discovering and photographing what I encountered. Overall, it was a pleasing way to conclude my last day by the ocean before my drive back to Kamloops the subsequent morning.
I have not finalized my itinerary yet; I would love to drive all the way to Los Angeles, and I hope to have the opportunity to photograph that turn-of-the-century city again.
Stay safe and be innovative. These are my reflections for this week. Reach out to me at www.enmanscamera.com or emcam@telus.net.