Week 12 - Last week in 2010

Week 12

Gilead

This week we're back on the mainland working on a site along the Snoqualmie River that lies between Duvall and Carnation.


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More after the jump!

WCC Week 10 and Week 11

It has been 10 weeks since I started at the Washington Conservation Corp...

Week 8 and 9

Week 8

Ah, our short week for Thanksgiving was even further shortened due to the epic snow storm of 2010. Monday was the only day that we were able to make it out in the field.

The fields were dusted with a nice layer of snow. It had a winter wonderland kind of feel to it! We spent the whole entire time planting, in the snow. A tad chilly but it was awesome to rock the new glove liners. They decreased mobility and dexterity but kept the hands warm and feeling dry even if it was soaking wet.

Photos and more details below!

WCC Week 7 - Plus "A New Era"

Week 7

Port of Seattle Mitigation Project

We've spent all of our time at the Auburn mitigation site this week.

The most heavily planted zone was completed on Monday with the aid of Redmond's Energy Corp crew. Unfortunately for the Energy Corp crew, their project has lost its funding. Originally the prime objective was to winterize low income housing by making them more energy efficient: installing low flow shower heads, utilizing CFL bulbs, installing aerators on faucets, insulating hot water pipes, and educating home owners on reduction of energy use and resource conservation. In the mean time they have been assigned to assist other crews.

More below

Portland and WCC - Week 5 and 6

WCC Week 5/6

Port of Seattle - Runway 3 Mitigation

We've begun our work with the Port of Seattle. So far we've covered 3 work sites:

Tyee Golf Course

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Miller Creek/Vaca Farm

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Auburn Mitigation Site

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WCC - Week 4

Alright, it our first FULL week in the field!

Our project site for the week was a planting project on private land along Des Moines Creek.


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WCC - Week 2 and 3

October has just flown by!

Week 2 - Our first (not quite) full week

Due to Columbus Day, we only worked 3 days for the week. Team Sockeye was assigned to prepare a portion of the Green River levee that was designated as a high risk area.


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Washington Conservation Corp - Week 1

What a week! This was my first official week on the job for the WCC. If I had 2 words to characterize the week they would be: rewarding and tiring.

Backgrounds

I acquired 5 new backdrops the other day. Here are my trials with them. Enjoy!

Test, Test, Test

Testing

Facebook always seems to unlink my Blogger account from Notes. My last post has an embedded slideshow and I believe that it is hindering me from creating the link again.

Portfolio

Here is my general photography portfolio. It displays a little bit of everything that I do. Enjoy!

Also, I have started a Zenfolio account that I will activate soon. So far I love the ease of use and tools that I can use. This is quite a major step in my commitment to photography. You can visit my page:

strato.zenfolio.com

More will be coming soon!

Photography

I think I'll start posting weekly with a mix of my photos that I have taken during the week!

SO! If you haven't heard, I have been given the opportunity to utilize some space in SODO to set up a photo studio. Right now everything is in it's infancy and we're setting everything up. I have had time to shoot there every now and then. It is amazing! Well with out further adieu, the photos:



The space lit naturally and with 3 speed lights at each beam.


The view of the rail yard from the ROOF!


Safeco Field and the Seattle City skyline from the roof!


Moving in closer for detail.


Waiting for the freight train to pass by.


Dreamy Seattle


Flowers


Moon Bridge in Kubota Gardens


Crawfish in the lake at Kubota Gardens


Ngoc and Thomas


Hanging out at Cal Anderson Park with the always lovely Jessica Lynn Rider and Ngoc Ho Nguyen.


Testing out my century stand. Boomed a beauty dish just outside of the frame, camera left.


Dusty leaves in Discovery Park


The peeling skin of the Madrona tree


The view from Magnolia


Test shot of my buddy Constantin. Tech:
SB-25 thru 43" westcott at 1/4 CL
SB-25 bare providing rim CR
SB-600 Gelled blue on background CL
Triggered by RF-602s


First sample!


Another variation - got the rim just in the frame for a bit of flare!


Surprise guest! Buddha the dog and his owner dropped in for a few frames!


Good dog. =)


Constantin riding a bucking saw horse!


Constantin tamed it: PRO.

So there it is! A few of my favorites from this week. Enjoy!

Final update

Hello again! I have been unable to get internet at the last few places that we've been staying at. I am now in Kep along the southern coast. Here is a photo update. I would elaborate but I cannot charge my laptop. I have just enough time to upload the photos.

Major things that I've done.

Birthday - Ah.. I am 24 now. So I took up on my mom's offer to hire a girl to entertain me. Well her name was Tien and she was my dance partner/teacher for the night. Can't really convey the experience through the internet... I will go in depth in person. Fun times. =P
Ankor Wat - How people have built such things amazes me.
Uncle's Wedding - Long day/great night. Gave me a "revelation" about what I am looking for.
Sihanoukville - Beaches - Sandy beach, warm water, and a perfectly partly cloudy sky made for a great day of relaxation.

Ah here are some photos from the days prior to my birthday. I have 1000+ photos to go through when I get back....

http://picasaweb.google.com/PSon86/CambodiaII#slideshow/5477403471360181490

I will be back soon! Take care until then. =)

Elaborate Update!

OK I am now in Siem Reap where I am staying in a hotel with WiFi!

20 some odd hours later we arrive in Phnom Penh.


Photo of Asiana Airlines hub in Incheon, South Korea


Photo of the development behind my Uncle's place, in the foreground is a fish farm's pond. Ducks are also raised here as well!


This is a small market catered to the workers of a nearby factory. At the moment calm, will soon be bustling with workers when they arrive, during their lunches, and when they get off.


My Uncle and his house. Most houses are built like this. 5m x 20m or so. Bifold doors and a collapsible gate. Commonly a business is run down stairs.


A local restaurant/karaoke bar

Water buffalo herd

Iced Coffee - A layer of condensed milk and coffee. Very popular and I've had it almost everyday.

Pitbull was in town, so officially my first concert!
Overload - very common. These trucks bring in workers from just about every province in Cambodia to work in factories.
Group of local children in the country
Local volleyball team that we donated to
My great grandmother's grave site on my mom's dad's side
Independence Monument at night
The central median is packed EVERY NIGHT. Music, dancing, badminton, a version of hackie sack, and people just hanging out.
Dancing - You pay a dollar or so and everyone just follows the instructor and his/her music. All kinds but mostly Khmer and Korean dance types.
Water Buffalo!
The King's Royal Palace at night
A small water town. These people spend all their lives on these floating houses.
Sand dredger - Sand is in high demand in Singapore so everyone is scrambling to dredge sand from everywhere to meet the demand. The waterline will get to the lowest point as the boat fills with sand. It kinda looks like a low rider.
Motorcycles are the PRIMARY form of transportation. Even for transporting just about everything. One hand to steer/accelerate and the other can hold your: kid, pipe, metal, basket, or whatever.
Independence Monument during the day
Royal palace during the day!
My Aunt Lisa, mom, and my brother at Wat Phnom
Monkeys - Odd, they tend to like single girls... known to harass girls walking alone.
Riding Bo the elephant!
A Buddhist monk
Seriously, this is how you get around. No harness or anything.
Need to transport something big? Ad a cart to your motorcycle

So what I have done lately...

05/18/2010 - Vietnam

Finally met my Aunt Polly and my cousins in Vietnam. To get through the border, even though we had Visas to get into Vietnam required some patience unless we wanted to bribe them...

05/19/2010 - Vietnam

Took a taxi into Vietnam to visit my grandmother, likely for the last time. Spent hours on narrow roads with a crazy taxi driver weaving and honking his way around buses, trucks, motorcycles, and bicycles. Had lunch with grandmother and other family members, it was crazy. Everyone was crying and it kind of made me want to cry... after lunch we went to a temple to be blessed by a monk. Afterwards we head back.

05/20/2010 - Leaving Vietnam

Left Vietnam and visited my great grandmother's grave again to pay someone to fix the site.

05/21/2010 - Tortoise and a goat

Relaxed during the day and dinner that night. Key part of the menu of that night: tortoise and goat.

05/22/2010 - More family stuff

Another low key day. Family dinner with some family that has never been to the city.

I will upload new pictures soon! I hope that everyone is well, I am off to Ankor Wat!