Photographs Archives - Brent Logan

My favorite photos of 2020

Every year, I choose my favorite photos from the year and combine them into a single post. This is my 2020 edition. Like last year, I didn’t post enough pictures on Instagram to have a top nine.

My criterion is pretty simple: is this something I’d print and enjoy on my wall? Which begs the question: why don’t I print any of my pictures?

I understand that not everyone gets my photos. What’s with all those poles? And lichen? But, just maybe, something here resonates with you.

The pictures are from the following posts:

Wingspan Center

Headed home in the morning, I stopped by the new Wingspan Event and Conference Center.

Every year, I post my favorite photos. Some years, I’ve been able to cut it down to my top ten, but not this year. For that matter, I couldn’t limit myself to fewer than eleven photos from Cannon Beach… :-D

Many years, I’ve also posted my top nine from Instagram, but again, not this year, as I posted fewer than nine on Instagram during 2019.

These pictures all make me happy. I could imagine printing all of them and hanging them on my walls.

I hope at least one makes you happy, too!

Weekend at my happy place with my favorite people

This last weekend, our whole family spent the weekend at Cannon Beach. Thanks, Heather! This is worth making a family tradition.

Saturday night, we wandered a little through town.

Jamison’s first day of school 2019

Jamison starts school again today. No longer do I get to be there to take the picture so I texted Jamison, asking if he’d take a selfie for me. This picture was the result.

Above and beyond! :-)

Visiting Ecola State Park

Another weekend and the last before Jamison heads off to college. What to do? What to do? Ride bikes around Hillsboro? Longboard Mount Tabor or the Banks-Vernonia trail? Visit Cannon Beach? We loaded our longboards in Jamison’s car and headed west. By the time we got to Cannon Beach, we’d decided to visit Ecola State Park just north of Cannon Beach.

We took a quick stop at Ecola Point but apparently, there’s been some storm damage so the trails are closed. Back in the car and off to Indian Beach. Although it started raining, we headed to explore the south end of the beach. By the time we got there, the rain had stopped. Jamison and I climbed Bald Point and took some more pictures, then rejoined Suzi and took some more.

After the park, we went to Cannon Beach, stood at the end of Second Street, and watched the ocean some more. Can’t get enough!

Another great day at the Oregon coast!

Photo credit. Jamison Logan took the two pictures of Suzi and me hiking near Ecola Point. Used with his permission. Thanks, Jamison!

Cannon Beach Sunset

“Mom’s going to be home from work soon. Wanna go to the beach?”

Oh, that ranks right up there on my list of favorite questions. :-)

Doing the math, an hour fifteen there, we would have about 15 minutes at the beach before sunset, stay at the beach a while longer, then an hour fifteen back.

“Yes, that sounds like fun! I’m in!!”

Suzi got home, we packed up the dogs, and headed to Cannon Beach.

As we got there, the sun was low on the horizon. Ecola Creek headed South quite a ways before joining the Pacific. So we joined the dogs in wading across the creek and out to the ocean. The dogs played in the water, we took pictures and enjoyed the beautiful weather and gorgeous sights.

Yet another fantastic time at the beach! :-)

Looking Up at Swan Island

Waiting for my Lyft, I looked up.

#allhoppedup Fourth Fireworks

An evening at the baseball park is a good evening

A few years ago, Suzi and I went to the Hillsboro Hops game on the Fourth of July and watched the fireworks afterward. This year, we decided to do the same thing, but with even more family.

We were a little farther from the baseball action this year, actually beyond the outfield instead of along the third-base line. That resulted in being even closer to the fireworks. It seemed like they were directly overhead.

I was back to having only my cell phone to take pictures. It’s not what you want for fireworks, but they remind me of the fun we had, so mission accomplished.

What a great time!

Hillsboro Fourth Of July Parade 2019

I love me a good parade and Hillsboro has a great one!

The Fourth is the one day of the year I feel comfortable taking strangers’ pictures. After all, they literally paid to be in public, wearing what they’re wearing, doing what they’re doing. And most don’t seem to mind. Hopefully none of those I posted. I’m not going to post a picture of someone that puts them in an unflattering light. Many of these shots are of people who saw what I was doing and waved and/or smiled in response. One actually told me to take her picture (and then it didn’t turn out well, so I didn’t post it).

I know some of these are not as sharp as they could be. If this was my full-time gig, I’d certainly have a different camera. Or, I’d actually have a camera rather than borrowing.¹ This exercise certainly informs what camera would be a better fit for me.

Once again, I got to shake Ron Wyden’s hand. Turns out, he’s in one of the pictures, too.

I have some recommendations for you:

Go to Hillsboro’s Fourth of July parade. It’s just a bunch of fun.
Take a camera with a longish lens. The camera I was using is an APS-C with an 18-135mm. I found myself using both extremes of the range, though it’s telling that I didn’t end up posting anything at the short/wide end. Maybe a 70-210 on a full-frame camera would work.
Sit on the curb. The kids know where it’s at. You’ll get a better, unobstructed view — and more candy!
Find a place closer to the beginning of the parade. You’ll get more candy and those in the parade are still full of energy and having fun. We find a spot on Second, between Grant and Bagley Park.

I hope you had a great Fourth!

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Thanks, Ashley! You know how much being able to borrow your camera made this day for me. :-)

Category: Photographs