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Road Trip: Seattle With A Fujifilm X100F – Part 6, Goin’ Home (Day 6 & 7)

Posted on December 18, 2017 by Ritchie Roesch

Dock Remnants – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Before leaving town on our final day in Seattle, Washington, we visited one last beach, Picnic Point Park in Edmonds. This rocky beach had great views of Whidbey Island and the Puget Sound. It was a drizzly day, but for the most part the rain paused while we were there, and the sun briefly shined through the grey sky, exposing a beautiful but fleeting blue.

The kids combed the beach for seashells, unusual rocks and anything related to sea life. My wife and I took in the view, breathing in the moist Pacific air. This was going to be our last view of the ocean for awhile, and so we tried to make the moment last as long as we could. We had a great time at this spot.

It was bittersweet to leave, not just this beach but Seattle. The trip had been a lot of fun! It was great to relive old memories and make new ones. Washington is such a beautiful state. We wanted to stay longer, but it was time to go. We had a long day of driving ahead of us.

Umbrella Overpass – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Yellow Bush & Red Berries – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Driftwood – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Across Towards Whidbey Island – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Possession Point In The Distance – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Three Old Dock Posts – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Old Dock Post Remnants – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Kids Throwing Rocks – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Beach Combing – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Seashell Hunter – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Seashell Found – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Johanna’s Face – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Grey Day At The Beach – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Barnacle Heart – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

White Glove Art – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Coastal Tracks – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

The drive across the state of Washington was long. It rained hard and then snowed crossing the mountain pass. It was mostly sunny on the west side of the state. We made good time by making minimal stops, only braking for gas, food and restrooms. The kids did surprisingly well, including the baby–they were all troopers. Our hotel was in Boise, Idaho, and we arrived very late, exhausted from the long trip.

Pumping Gas – Yakima, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Face On The Bathroom Wall – Pendleton, OR – Fujifilm X100F

We awoke the next day to wet weather in Idaho. We took our time leaving because we were no longer in a hurry. Some old friends of ours live in Boise, and we met up with them for a little while before beginning the last leg of our journey.

It was dark before we entered Utah and it was late when we got home. We appreciated that we took our time on this last day, and we didn’t feel so stressed upon arrival. It was good trip, but it was good to be home. It felt good to sleep in my own bed.

The photographs on these last two days were captured using a Fujifilm X100F, all camera-made JPEGs using my Acros Push-Process Film Simulation recipe and my Velvia Film Simulation recipe. I used my wide-angle conversion lens for some of the pictures. One fully charged battery lasted both days.

Three Leaves On Concrete – Boise, ID – Fujifilm X100F

Walk And Not Faint – Boise, ID – Fujifilm X100F

Corvair Corner – Boise, ID – Fujifilm X100F

Wet Parking Lot At Night – Twin Falls, ID – Fujifilm X100F

In the end, after seven days on the road, I captured 792 exposures, keeping 198 of them. That means I had a success rate of one in four, which is incredible! Many of those were personal family pictures, but still, I didn’t delete nearly as many pictures as with other cameras I’ve traveled with in the past. I shared 144 of those images with you in this series of posts. Perhaps I included too many photographs in each section, but I felt it was better to share too many than too few. I hope you enjoyed them!

The Fujifilm X100F proved to be a great travel camera, fitting into my pockets without a problem, never getting in the way, and always ready to capture in whatever environment I was in. The wet weather was no problem. The different light situations were no problem. I came home and had minimal post-processing–almost all of the images from this trip are straight-out-of-camera, no editing. A few needed some minor manipulation, but only a small handful of them.

Even better than the photography was the experience of the trip. People invest a lot of money in camera gear. I find it better to instead invest in experiences whenever possible. Don’t buy that new lens, but go someplace that you’ve never been and use what equipment you already have. Keep your gear simple and be content with it. You’ll be happier for it, I’m sure.

Road Trip: Seattle With Fujifilm X100F – Part 5, Bonney Lake & Tacoma (Day 5)

Posted on December 13, 2017 by Ritchie Roesch

Mount Rainier From Bonney Lake – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

For the third full day in the Seattle, Washington, area we planned to explore south of downtown, roughly around Tacoma. After experiencing mostly good weather on the trip, this day saw lots of rain, which is typical weather for the time of year. After breakfast and coffee we got in the car and headed south.

We drove around for awhile, seeing the different suburbs and such. It was wet outside so we didn’t stop much. We found ourselves in the town of Bonney Lake, which is a community situated in the trees with great views of Mount Rainier. The rain briefly stopped, so we got out of the car and relaxed outdoors, just taking it all in. We found a little park for the kids to play and sat by a fire to keep warm, which was very nice. We made our way down a trail through the woods. It really reminded me of the things about the Pacific Northwest that I loved as a kid.

Forest Trail – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Five Yellow Leaves – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Johanna & Mommy – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Keeping Warm By The Fire – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Kids By The Fire – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Road To Mt. Rainier – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

To Keep Us Warm – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Baby Lunchtime – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Salute Your Story – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Where The Fern Grows – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Mount Rainier Behind The Pines – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

After awhile it was time to leave Bonney Lake and so we made our way to downtown Tacoma for lunch. As a kid I remember Tacoma being a bit of a rundown dump. We discovered that it’s not, but a delightful little city on the coast. I’m not sure if my memory was incorrect, or if they’ve really cleaned the place up. Whatever the case, Tacoma was a pleasant surprise.

We found a tasty restaurant in downtown Tacoma. We wanted to explore downtown, but the weather kept us from doing much. We did manage to walk around a little and see a few local stores.

We got back in the car and explored the area more. We motored across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge (and back) and through the Point Defiance Park, but didn’t get out. It was just raining too much, and so we saw the sights by looking out the car’s windows.

The Harmon – Tacoma, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Bleach – Tacoma, WA – Fujifilm X100F

We hopped on a ferry boat and floated onto Vashon Island. I’d always heard great things about Vashon, that it was a beautiful place and a must-see for a visit to Seattle, and I’d never been. It was high on my agenda for this trip.

Unfortunately, the rain came down even harder and we didn’t get to see much. We found a country store and picked up some local jelly. We drove to the Point Robinson Lighthouse on Maury Island (which is connected to Vashon Island). Everyone kept dry in the car while I trudged down a muddy trail to get a picture.

It was beginning to get dark and dinnertime was approaching, so we floated on another ferry to Seattle. We had dinner at a restaurant that I ate at as a kid and remember liking. It tasted exactly as I remembered.

In retrospect, this day included too much driving and not enough fun. We should have explored less and maybe visited a museum. My wife and I agreed that this was the least enjoyable day of the three full days that we were there. Still, we did see some interesting things and there were some great moments. I came away with a few decent pictures.

All of these photographs are camera-made JPEGs from my Fujifilm X100F, using my Acros Push Process Film Simulation recipe, my Velvia Film Simulation recipe and my Classic Chrome Film Simulation recipe. One fully-charged battery lasted the whole day no problem. I left my wide-angle conversion lens at the hotel. Even though the X100F isn’t weather sealed, it got wet a number of times and survived just fine.

Point Robinson Lighthouse – Maury Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Part 6

Road Trip: Seattle With A Fujifilm X100F – Part 4, Downtown Seattle, 2nd Impression: Pike Place (Day 4b)

Posted on December 11, 2017 by Ritchie Roesch

Meet Farmers – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

After Seattle Center, the next stop on our agenda was Pike Place Farmers Market. This is another iconic Seattle site, best known for flying fish and the original Starbucks. It’s popular among locals and tourists alike, and so you can imagine that it’s very busy, packed with people.

Trying to find parking was a nightmare. With some patience and luck, we were fortunate to find a space that wasn’t too expensive and was within a reasonable walk. Once we were at the market, the crowds were so thick it was hard to get around, and it was a constant battle to not get separated from each other.

We had a list of places that we wanted to visit. We didn’t get to most of them because there were long lines just about everywhere. We did eat some delicious cheesecake. We saw some fish being thrown, which was a highlight (I really wanted to catch one, but I didn’t want to smell like fish the rest of the day). We bought some colorful local flowers.

Pike Place turned out to be both fun and disappointing. We had a good time at times, but it was overly crowded, and not a good place to take four young kids because of that. We didn’t get to experience everything we wanted, things that my wife and I had talked about for weeks leading up to this trip, but what we did get to experience was enjoyable.

As far as photography, this is a great place for street-type pictures. The biggest issue is that it’s been photographed so much, trying to capture something that hasn’t been done before by hundreds of other people is a near impossible task. Also, I noticed that many of the vendors have signs prohibiting photography, which brings up legal and ethical questions. Still, I enjoyed making exposures at Pike Place and the X100F was a great camera for this location.

Time For The Public Market – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Public Fish Market – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Pure Fish – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Silver Salmon – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Market Snack – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Exiting Entrance – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Seattle From Inside Pike Place Market – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Public Parking – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Standin’ On A Corner – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Left Bar – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Quality Always – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Local Grown – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Fresh Crab – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Soiled Babies That Way – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Seafood Stand – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Crab Toss – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Pike Place Farmers Market – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Next, we went to the Ballard Locks, which are also known as the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks. This is where boats get lowered into the salty sea water from the fresh lake water or vice versa. The Puget Sound connects to Lake Union (which connects to Lake Washington) through Salmon Bay, which is where the Ballard Locks are located. The lake level is a little higher than the ocean, and the locks allow boats to go back and forth.

We arrived right at sunset, and the light for photography quickly disappeared. We didn’t stay very long, but we did get to see one boat go through the locks. It was the wrong time of year to watch the salmon (something this place is known for), but other sea life was active. It was an interesting stop and the kids had a good time.

Watch Your Lines – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Salmon Bay Boats – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

We ended our downtown Seattle adventure with dinner in the Ballard neighborhood. There’s a small-city-downtown area (that’s how I would describe it) with shops and restaurants. It was well after dark. Parking was terrible (had to circle the area a few times), but we found coffee and pizza that were both excellent. It was a good way to end a great day.

I exhausted the battery on the X100F for the first time, but I had a spare in my pocket. I was pretty much done taking pictures, so I only made a few exposures on the backup battery. I had my wide-angle conversion lens with me, but didn’t use it. All of these pictures are camera-made JPEGs using my Acros Push Process Film Simulation recipe, my Velvia Film Simulation recipe and my Classic Chrome Film Simulation recipe.

Upstairs Clearance – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Strong Coffee – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Part 5 Part 6

Road Trip: Seattle With A Fujifilm X100F – Part 3, Downtown Seattle, 1st Impression: Seattle Center (Day 4a)

Posted on December 6, 2017 by Ritchie Roesch

Downtown Seattle – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Part 1 Part 2

The fourth day of our road trip was dedicated to downtown Seattle. After finishing breakfast at the hotel, we jumped into the car and drove to Seattle Center, home of the Space Needle, which is perhaps Seattle’s most iconic landmark.

We found parking and coffee and made the short walk to the tall, pointy tower, which we discovered is currently being remodeled. A glass floor is being added to the bottom. Thankfully the Space Needle’s observation deck was still open during construction and the elevator operational. We purchased tickets and had an hour to kill before our scheduled time.

Seattle Center, as it turns out, is home to a lot more than just the Space Needle. There are museums, restaurants, a monorail, a fountain and a park. This was the site of the 1962 World’s Fair, and Seattle has made it a destination. One could spend an entire day at Seattle Center and perhaps not see and do everything. It felt like this was the Pacific Northwest’s version of Disneyland’s Tomorrowland, just without the roller coaster and with some homeless loitering.

We didn’t visit any of the museums, although if I had planned the trip better I would have. Instead we walked around for awhile, just taking it all in. We found a guy making huge bubbles, and the kids (ours and stranger’s) were going nuts for this. Soon it was time to take the elevator to the top, and see Seattle from Space… er, I mean, see Seattle from the Space Needle’s observation deck.

Even though I lived a few different places in the Seattle area as a kid, I never once went to the Seattle Center. I had never been inside the Space Needle. I’m not sure why, but my parents never took me there. It was a first-time experience for me as well as my wife and kids.

My three-year-old son would later say that riding the Space Needle’s elevator was his favorite part of the trip. It was a quick and smooth trip up, and soon we were overlooking the Puget Sound area, with spectacular views of the ocean, islands, skyscrapers and even Mt. Rainier. It turned out to be a lovely day to take in the views, with partly sunny skies and tolerable temperatures.

Inside the Space Needle they had some virtual reality goggles set up where you can experience (sort of) skydiving off of the tall building. My two older kids enjoyed this, it was an extra treat for them, the icing on the cake, to this memorable experience.

The Space Needle was a highlight of our trip, and my kids talked about it for days after returning home. It’s an iconic site that’s a must-see for anyone visiting the city. It should come as no surprise that it’s a great place for capturing photographs. Some of my favorite pictures from the trip were photographed here.

I used a Fujifilm X100F to capture these images. I started out with my wide-angle conversion lens attached, then, while at the top of the Space Needle, took it off for a few exposures. These are camera-made JPEGs using my Velvia Film Simulation recipe and my Acros Push Process Film Simulation recipe.

Seattle Grind – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

POF – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Seattle Center – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Up Towards Space – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Pointy – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Space Needle Remodel – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Way Up There – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Seattle’s Space Needle – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

We Were Here – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Autumn At Seattle Center – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Bubbles In Seattle Center – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Bubble Play – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

The Key To Fun Is Bubbles – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Minimal Amusement – Seattle, Washington – Fujifilm X100F

Bubble Hazard – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Kids At The International Fountain – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Puget Sound Vista – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Looking Pacific Northwest – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Seattle From Space – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Downtown Seattle Vista – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Seattle Skyline – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Monochrome Seattle – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Questioning Face – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Virtual Boy – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Vive – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Virtual Crowd – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Space Needle Monochrome – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Road Trip: Seattle With A Fujifilm X100F – Part 2, Whidbey Island (Day 3)

Posted on December 3, 2017 by Ritchie Roesch

Deception Pass Beach – Whidbey Island, WA – Fuji X100F

Part 1

For our first full day in the Seattle area we drove to Mukilteo and floated on a ferry over to Whidbey Island. This was my family’s first ferry experience, and my eight-year-old son was especially excited. We enjoyed a smooth, quick ride across the Puget Sound. Soon we were on the island.

When I was a kid I lived in a small three-bedroom home near Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island for over five years, which is the longest I’ve ever lived in one place. I made a lot of great memories there. Right away my mind began recalling things left and right. I was able to point out different places that were significant to me and bring life to many of the stories I’ve told.

Puget Sound Ferry – Mukilteo, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Ferry Watching – Mukilteo, WA – Fujifilm X100F

On The Observation Deck – Mukilteo, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Watching The Water – Mukilteo, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Our first stop on the island was Fort Casey State Park. This was one of my absolute favorite places when I was a kid. I loved climbing all over the old military fort. The dark tunnels seemed endless, and it was always a surprise where exactly you’d pop out into the daylight. It’s a creepy and vast playground that’s seemingly made for boys. Plus it offers great ocean views.

My family loved it! My wife was a little reluctant at first, but as we explored more and more she had a change of heart, and it ended up being one of the highlights of the trip for her. The kids still haven’t stopped talking about it.

It was a fun place to photograph. I used to do a lot of abandonment/urban exploration type photography, and this was similar to that (except without the trespassing and much less dangerous). I like that genre of photography (although I rarely do “urbex” pictures anymore), and Fort Casey allowed me to include my family in an abandonment adventure that even young kids could enjoy.

We stayed awhile, touring a large area of the park, yet still left plenty unseen. All too soon it was time to go. After all, it was lunchtime and we were getting hungry.

Fort Casey – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

William Worth – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

The Big Gun – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

No. 26 – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Web of Deterioration – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Wall Ring – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Girl At Fort Casey – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Ladder Climb – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Pinnacle – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Rusted Pulley – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Dark & Forgotten – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Into The Unknown – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Concrete Steps – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Fort Casey Canopy – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

On Top of Fort Casey – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Every Which Way – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Distant Ship – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Wind Swept – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Returning – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Next stop, Coupeville. This quaint island town sits right on Penn Cove. The small downtown is full of historic buildings from the 1800’s and early 1900’s. Coupeville is one of Washington’s oldest settlements (some claim it is the second oldest town in the state, although apparently it depends on how one defines “town”). It’s a quintessential Pacific Northwest coastal community, and a must-stop on the island.

We only stayed long enough to eat lunch. We noticed that the town has a lot of cats (a fact noticed by my eight-year-old son who loves cats). It seemed like a place we could have spent some time, looking through the different shops and such, but we had more on the agenda. We wanted to save some daylight for Oak Harbor, the town on Whidbey Island that I used to live near.

Downtown Coupeville – Coupeville, WA – Fujifilm X100F

White Fence – Coupeville, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Kneed & Feed Cafe – Coupeville, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Whidbey Coffee – Oak Harbor, WA – Fujifilm X100F

As we approached the town of Oak Harbor on Highway 20, many buildings and landmarks became familiar. Some things had obviously changed in the decades that had passed since I was last on the island, but plenty had not. A lot of memories flooded my mind.

After a pit stop and a quick tour of downtown, we found the little yellow house where I lived for several years as a child. We drove around the neighborhood. I pointed out where different stories took place that I’d told my family. We got out of the car and walked down a path that I used to traverse, finding some blackberries that were surprisingly still ripe.

I never had a hometown growing up because we moved all of the time. When people would ask, “Where’s home?” I never had a good answer. Oak Harbor is the closest place to that “home” that I ever experienced, but I hadn’t seen it in over 25 years. I cannot tell you how good it was to go back. My family appreciated this journey, as well.

The Motorcross – Oak Harbor, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Don’t Go Down That Road – Oak Harbor, WA – Fujifilm X100F

The final stop on our Whidbey Island tour was Deception Pass State Park. This is such a beautiful spot on the island! We walked the rocky beach. The kids looked for seashells and sea life, and found two dead crabs. They chased the waves in and out. We breathed in the salty and moist ocean air. We had a great time! We were reminded just how much we love the coast.

The sun was getting low. Soon the short November daylight would be gone. We got back in the car and crossed the well-photographed Deception Pass Bridge. I wished that we could have visited longer, but the time we did have was wonderful. I suppose it means that we’ll have to come back.

I used my Fujifilm X100F to capture all of these photographs, which are camera-made JPEGs using my Acros Push-Process Film Simulation recipe and my Velvia Film Simulation recipe. I brought two batteries but only used one. I left the wide-angle conversion lens at the hotel.

Birds On A Rock – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Deception Pass Beach – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Deception Pass – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Big & Small Islands – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Running To The Water – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Boys At The Beach – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Kids Playing On The Shore – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Towards The Waves – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Away From The Waves – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Pacific Coast Selfie – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Mother & Daughter At The Beach – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Crabby Joy – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Deception Pass Bridge – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Road Trip: Seattle With A Fujifilm X100F – Part 1, Getting There (Day 1 & 2)

Posted on November 28, 2017 by Ritchie Roesch

Starbucks Coffee – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Just before the Thanksgiving holiday I had the opportunity to take a good ol’ American family road trip from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Seattle, Washington. The drive time to get there is 12 hours from my house, and since my wife and I have four young kids we decided to break it up into two days. We began our trip with a quick stop at Starbucks for coffee, which seemed like an appropriate thing to do considering our destination.

My dad was in the Navy, and as a kid I moved frequently. Perhaps this is why I have also moved around from place to place as an adult, living in Arizona, Texas, California and now Utah. The Puget Sound area of Washington was my home a few different times as a child, and I was 12-years-old the last time that I lived there.

I was eager to see the region again and to show my family where I spent time as a kid. The longest I ever lived in one house (as a child or adult) was there, and I wanted to see what had changed and what was still the same. I felt like it would be therapeutic in a way to return. This was going to be a good trip.

On the first day we made the long drive to Richland, Washington. This was supposed to be eight hours on the road, but it took us 11 hours to get there with the all stops we made. We saw a giant “potato” being pulled behind a big rig near Burley, Idaho, and the “Niagara of the west” in Twin Falls, Idaho (which is where my camera strap broke). We arrived at our hotel well after dark and in the pouring rain. It was good to sleep.

Oversize Potato – Burley, Idaho – Fujifilm X100F

Shoshone Falls – Twin Falls, ID – Fujifilm X100F

Roesch Family At Shoshone Falls – Twin Falls, ID – Fujifilm X100F

The next day began with beautiful sunny skies and a much shorter drive. It snowed on us a little crossing the Cascade mountain range. We made good time, only stopping for gas, and arrived in Seattle early in the afternoon. It was raining off-and-on in Seattle, which is typical weather for that area this time of year. Thankfully we came prepared with umbrellas.

After checking into our hotel and settling in, we headed out for a local beach while there was still some daylight. We combed the shore for seashells and interesting rocks. The kids walked along the driftwood that’s prevalent along the rocky Pacific Northwest beaches. I love the ocean and it felt good to breath in the salty air!

I used a Fujifilm X100F to capture our adventure. This camera is excellent for travel photography because it is small and lightweight, yet produces excellent images. I attached my wide angle conversion lens on the front of the camera for the first two days. These are all camera-made JPEGs, and I used my Acros Push-Process Film Simulation recipe for all the black-and-white exposures, and my Velvia Film Simulation recipe and my Classic Chrome Film Simulation recipe for the color images. I had a spare battery with me but didn’t use it as one fully-charged battery lasted both days.