Lavender, Eagles, the Coast, and Day Tripping Photography

The wonders of having a day to yourself is FANTASTIC! On these days, I love to do a day trip with my camera and rediscover favorite places while seeing new and wonderful scenes and nature. On this excursion, I chose to drive up to Sequim, Washington known as the Provence of Washington. I saw and photographed Red Winged Blackbirds, juvenile fledgling eagles in their nest, scenic coastal stops with bright yellow daisies, and purple lavender fields!!! Such a special day! And, I squeezed in a little shopping (lavender lotion) and stopped for lunch at a cute garden restaurant. Here are some of my photos from July 6, 2019 on the Olympic Peninsula!

Peaceful coastal pebble beach at Shine Tidelands State Park, Olympic Peninsula

Red Winged Blackbird on a bush at the wetlands along the Shine Tidelands State Park, Olympic Peninsula

Young juvenile Bald Eagles learn to fly while fledgling in their nest, Sequim, Washington

Jolly Sienda Photography is available for commercial and retail client photography assignments. I also offer one-on-one and small group photography instruction. Contact me at 240-899-5295, E-mail: info@jollysiendaphotography.com. Based on the Kitsap Peninsula, Washington.

Early Morning Light and Reflections and Low Tide Eagle Activity Equals Fun Photography

Get up sleepy heads! Don’t miss the best light of the day! Early morning and late in the afternoon or early evening is often referred to as the ‘Golden Hours’, so true for photographers at any level. Today, I had a blast playing around with my camera with my photographer friend Marlene. We photographed landscapes in the morning and Bald Eagles in the afternoon at low tide! Here’s a photo tip: If you’re photographing moving objects set the Shutter Priority on your camera to at least 2500. This will help you freeze the action and your subject will be super clear and crisp.

Juvenile Eagle flies over low tide at Seabeck, WA.

Vivid light reflection on the Puget Sound in the early morning with the Olympic Mountains and the landscape/

Juvenile eagle flies over kelp and oysters at low tide at Seabeck

My friends dog, Ivy, enjoyed the day too!

Bald Eagle flies over low tide at Seabeck

Want to become a better photographer? I’d love to work with you so you can take better pictures. Let’s get some basics under our belts and I promise you that you will love your photography results! Contact me today at Tel: 240-899-5295, Facebook, Jolly Sienda Photography, or via this website.

Travel Photography - How to Capture the Local Culture of a Place - Be a Story Teller!

When I’m discovering a new place and culture, I am eager to capture, with my camera equipment, how people live and something unique about the place. I enjoy watching people and walking the streets. I look for color, every day lifestyle, movement, and dogs and cats. I take photos using different light sources and angles. To protect my knees, I wear knee-pads, so I can get down low to photograph my subject without pain. No matter where I am, I am always looking for a story to document in my photographs. I believe if you start to think about telling a story with your photographs, you will see improvement in your photos too. Here are some photos from our recent trip to Patagonia (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and the Falkland Islands). Enjoy!

When your shooting - using a natural frame, like the tree limb adds something of interest to the photograph. The Coca-cola photo is nice; however having the lady selling her vegetables and the bike adds even more interest an authenticity to the image. And, when you are photographing indoors with flash remember to turn up the ISO on your camera. The photo on the left is a graffiti image of Pedro Bonifacio Palacios, an Argentine poet; iconic Coca-Cola signage and local lifestyle, and the dome of Santera Cathedral in Montevideo, Uruguay.

San Telmo, Argentina architecture, graffiti, and basketball courts and hoops

Collectable stuffed animals at the Sunday San Telmo collectable and antiques market, San Telmo, Argentina

What makes this photo work is the dogs in the picture.

Graffiti wall, Montevideo, Uruguay

Lady in red walks past an art mural, Montevideo, Uruguay

Dog and a sunbather at Floralis Generica, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Cooking steaks in Argentina. Did you know, people in Argentina eat more meat and steaks than anywhere in the world? We thought the steaks were delicious!

What to become a better photographer? Jolly Sienda Photography offers private one-one lessons. Contact Jolly at info@jollysiendaphotography.com.

Stupendous Ring of Fire Mountains in Patagonia's Chilean and Argentina Fjords

Have you ever dreamed of seeing the ‘End of the World’? Or, checking off those ‘1001 Things to See and Do Before You Die’? Our recent trip to South America and Patagonia provided us some of the world’s most dramatic scenery; unveiling places few ever see. The weather too, in this area, can change so quickly; from calm to ferocious gale force winds preventing ships from traveling around the Cape Horn or arriving safely in Port Stanley, Falkland Islands. Boy, did we luck out! In fact, the captain of our cruise ship said, “This is the calmest it has ever been, on my watch, sailing around the Cape Horn” The following images were taken on our journey. Happy Holidays!

Osorno Volcano, Puerto Monte, Puerto Varis, Chile

Glaciers at Glacier Alley, Chile

Usushia, Agentina - last city on the South American continent.

Sailing the Strait of Magellen

Sailing the Strait of Magellen

Glacial Striation and a beautiful reflection

Tierra del Fuego rainbow off of the Strait of Magellen near Usushia, Argentina

A cruise ship sails around the the Cape Horn, South America.

Iceberg

Jolly Sienda — Jolly Sienda Photography

Argentine Tango and Chilean Cueca Dancing Sways to Sexy Rhythms

During our recent trip to Patagonia with stops in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Montevideo, Uruguay, Santiago and Puerto Varis, Chile, we learned a lot about the history of the sexy and sublime Argentine tango and the coy and colorful Cueca folk dance.

Tango originated in the late 1800’s along the River Plate and the colorful port town of La Boca, Argentina. Slaves, brothels, and men first danced together to the pattern beats of the bandoneon. Over time, the dance was accepted by middle class and is seen today throughout this part of South America.

Adventure Travel Photography in Morocco!

Traveling to Morocco has been on my bucket list for years! I spent one day in Tangiers in 1987 (ferry crossing from Spain). The intriguing sights, sounds, smells, and overall exotic feel called my name. Dreams can come true! In April 2018, my partner and I spent 17 days exploring Morocco. We traveled by car over 1,400 miles, passing through seaside towns, lush green agricultural landscapes, small villages each with their own mosque, up and down through the Rif and the Atlas Mountains, rode camels at the amazing Sahara Desert, and traveled through the rugged and tropical Dades Gorge -- all of this was now ours to share with you!

Our driver, Ali, told me daily, "Keep your camera ready because you never know what you're going to see." Boy, was he right!

Photographing the people, places, and culture of Morocco ignited my senses, made me SMILE,  and fueled my passion to capture the best in international photojournalism. Ali was right, you never know what could be around the corner.

Exotic Morocco will bring me wonderful memories that will last a lifetime! How about you? Reach out to me if you are interested in travel photography. I'd love to hear from you!

Travel Photography Caribbean Style! Explore, Color, Light, Angles & More!

People ask me all of the time -- what's your favorite type of photography? And, I answer by saying, "I love all kinds of photography: portraits, weddings, landscapes, food, etc." However, when I'm traveling and seeing new places I'm sooooo happy!! I'm on sensory overload. There's so much to see! And, I'm paying close attention to what's happening in the moment and how I will take pictures in different settings. I love this challenge!

Herd of goats stand on a large lava rock, St. Kitts, Caribbean.

Often I'll tell our driver, "Stop the car!" And, I'm jumping out and running to get the shot! Like I did for the goat scene in St. Kitts. 

I'm also drawn to color, shapes, and changing light. I'm always thinking about the light source and adjusting my camera dials to experiment with different ISO, shutter speed, and aperture settings. 

Left to right: St Kitts yellow barn and palms; Sunrise after the storm at St. Lucia; Afternoon sun in St. Kitts lights up row houses after a tropical rainstorm.

Woman selling plants on the street in Antigua, Caribbean.

I enjoy photographing people too using their natural surroundings. In Antigua, Caribbean, I got down low, almost on the ground, and photographed my subject using different angles which adds dimension and interest. It's all about experimentation and seeing what works!

After a long day of travel photography, I treat myself to an awe moment on this deserted beach on the Island of St. Lucia. Simply paradise!