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Camera Make	Google
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Lens Model	Pixel 6a back camera 2.35mm f/2.2
Focal Length	2.35mm
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Snoqualmie Falls is among the most iconic waterfalls in Washington State.

I had come close to visiting them earlier in the year, during an ill-fated paddle just downstream from the falls.

I hadn’t realized that my paddle had a loose screw, and its two halves could rotate independently, so I was pinned against a rock and had to bail. My supposedly waterproof cellphone did not survive. Meanwhile, my companion had forgotten to wear shoes, and missed our get out point. So, I wound up going on a rather long walk, eventually catching a lift in the bed of a pickup truck.

Rather naturally, I failed to recognize the small turn off to the fishery where my car was parked, and my helpers actually did wind up making a u-turn at the Upper Falls parking lot, so that they could bring me to the right spot.

Strangely, given the above happenings, I was okay skipping on seeing the falls that day. But, I was eager to eventually check them out.

A good opportunity came when Spencer and I had some time to kill after hiking the May Valley Loop. So, the falls were where we headed!

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Exif Data For The Selected Image
Camera Make	OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Camera Model	E-M5MarkIII
Lens Model	OLYMPUS M.12-200mm F3.5-6.3
Focal Length	12mm
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Neither Spencer nor I had hiked in a few weeks.

The air in Washington continued to be filled with smoke, more or less of it depending on the wind. We were planning to possibly meet one of Spence’s friends for dinner near Redmond afterwards. The situation called for a trail that would allow for flexibility: to go further if we wanted, or to turn tail early if we wanted. Ideally, somewhere not too far from Seattle. Ideally, somewhere not too crowded.

The May Valley Loop fit the bill. It’s one of the closest trails from the city, a mere ~35 minute drive or so. The trail is part of an extensive network, and loops of various lengths are possible. You can continue onto additional trails, and connect up to places like Debbie’s View if you want, or you can hike a couple of miles and turn around.

We enjoyed the trail (and each other’s company) enough to hike a little over seven and a quarter miles. You can see our GPS Track here.

So here goes nothing!

I was browsing Craigslist & happened to see a good deal for a film camera in good condition, and I decided to buy it. I mean, what the heck. Film is expensive, and I might not shoot it all that often, but it’s flipping cool to have the option, and it would be really fun to have the option to… y’know, try it out. And if not, the camera can just sit on my shelf looking pretty, right?

And by looking pretty, I mean, looking bulky and utilitarian, and yet, somehow to my eyes, more aesthetically pleasing than a few of its medium format brethren. Knees for scale!

November 2022 was a heck of a month. Not only did we have some U.S. Elections (ending with the Democrats narrowly holding onto the Senate,) but we also got to celebrate my choice for my favorite holiday: Thanksgiving. And, besides those things, I embarked on my first trip outside of the United States and Canada since the summer of 2019!

It has been a busy month, made all the more so by travel that was probably faster than it ought to be. So, some of these frames were taken on stopovers, or brief moments where I was catching my breath and had phone service. And so they are pretty interesting.

Let’s get into it…

When Chelsea and I first sat down and watched all of the entrants for the 2021 Eurovision song competition, Maro was one of our favorite entrants. Her soulful voice made its way into our hearts.

When Chelsea saw that she was playing a show on a particular friday night in Portland, the decision to spend a weekend down there was an easy one. I hadn’t really given Portland a proper visit, only stopped by a now-closed storefront for a chocolatier, so I was eager to get to know the city better.

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Meanwhile, I had a great experience borrowing the 300mm f/4 PRO Lens through the Olympus Test & Wow Program. The program has a few other lenses available that I wanted to try – mainly the f/4 zooms. But, I was also interested in the 25mm f/1.2 prime lens.

I used this lens for all of my photography around Portland, from flowers to woof-woofs to the concert. Man, was I impressed!

Just like my last Olympus Test & Wow Post, all of my images (more than I’ve embedded in the post) can be found in a Flickr album.