Reader’s Lens | In the glow of a summer sunset

Seattle Times reader Michael Levy and a friend took a drive to capture a great sunset.

Colin Diltz

Seattle Times photo staff

Photographer: Michael Levy

Photo taken: Taken on July 8, 2018 at Picnic Point

Photographer’s description: “Glorious sunset at Picnic Point, north of Seattle. With some interesting early evening cloud formations in the sky, a friend suggested we drive to Picnic Point in hopes of a colorful sunset. We were not disappointed. Taken with a Panasonic Lumix G6 with Panasonic 45-150mm lens @45mm, 1/25 second, ISO 160.”

Critique: “Sunday’s sunset had some fantastic colors that I am was impressed to see captured beautifully in this photo. The lined layers of the silhouettes and clouds create a nice contrast. Try cropping some of the rocky shore on the bottom to help elevate those lines.”

Below is a gallery of previous Reader’s Lens picks. Share your recent photo from around the Northwest. Submit online at seattletimes.com/submit-photos. Our favorite will appear in this spot next week. We judge the year’s best and award prizes in December.

Photographer: Craig Goodwin Sr.

Photo taken: Nov. 7, 2018 at Tipsoo Lake at the summit of Chinook Pass

Photographer’s description: “With Chinook Pass closing soon, I headed up to Tipsoo Lake in hopes of catching sunrise reflections of Mount Rainier on the nearly frozen snow-covered lake. Despite lingering clouds, the mountain cleared. Mission accomplished: Canon D5 Mark III, Sigma 35mm lens, f7.1, ISO640, 1/100 shutter-speed.”

Photographer: Nick Harrington

Photo taken: Oct. 13, 2018 in Enumclaw

Photographer’s description: “This shot was taken on a crisp October morning with a Canon 6D and 70-200 lens. I was on my way back from Mt. Rainier when I spotted these cows grazing in a sunlit field with the mountain behind, and I instantly knew I had to get the shot.”

Photographer: Billie Bouvier

Photo taken: Oct. 19, 2018 at Golden Gardens Park in Ballard

Photographer’s description: “I went for a walk down at Golden Gardens and came into a foggy area near the north side of the park. The sun was starting to go down in the west and was peeking through a small grouping of thin trees and so with the combination of fog, distant trees and the fallen leaves in the foreground I was awed and had to take a few photos. My camera is a Canon 7D and the lens I used is a 18-135 f3.5.“

Photographer: Yoshiki Nakamura

Photo taken: Oct. 19, 2018 at Lake Jolanda near Leavenworth

Photographer’s description: “Autumn colors are always fascinating. It was so calm with a perfect reflection on Jolanda Lake near Leavenworth … When I came close to the water, I found that the reflection appeared, forming an interesting shape and pattern. 19mm ISO 400 1/160 sec at f/8.”

Photographer: Ed Knight

Photo taken: Sept. 25, 2018 at Mount Shuksan in the North Cascades

Photographer’s description: “Mount Shuksan, North Cascades, in fall glory. Admittedly one of the most photographed scenes anywhere … that day everything came together just right — the weather, sky, early snow on the peak, fall colors and calm lake. Taken with a Nikon D5000 and a 18-55mm lens set at 42mm.”

Photographer: JJ Johnson

Photo taken: Sept. 29, 2018 at Cattle Point on San Juan Island

Photographer’s description: “Taken on San Juan Island in Washington. My wife and I hiked out to Cattle Point to look off into the distance. Lopez Island, where we were staying, is just behind the point with the Cascades just visible in the distance.”

Photographer: Penny Chamorro

Photo taken: Sept. 14, 2018 in Tacoma

Photographer’s description: “My grandson Valen Chamorro in my garden checking if the pumpkins I was growing for him and his sister Lyra were ready to harvest. I used a Samsung Galaxy S9+.”

Photographer: Homer Aalfs

Photo taken: Sept. 10, 2018 at Carkeek Park

Photographer’s description: “A great blue heron looks inquisitively at me along the shore of Puget Sound. Needless to say, the heron won the staring contest. It was a lovely, quiet morning. I had the entire beach to [myself], except for one other person who was doing yoga! Taken with a Canon 80D, 400mm f/5.6L.”

Photographer: Claudia Cooper

Photo taken: Aug. 31, 2018 in Auburn

Photographer’s description: “Photography teaches me to look for details — like this Pacific tree frog at about eye level on a flower petal. I used a tripod and Canon 5D Mark III with 100mm macro lens to capture this moment.”

Photographer: Paul Winterstein

Photo taken: Aug. 28, 2018 on Lake Ozette in Olympic National Park

Photographer’s description: “Seeking clean air, clear weather and a wilderness experience on the water, we escaped to Lake Ozette near the Olympic Coast. Photo taken with an iPhone 5s on the western shore near the mouth of Ericson’s Bay. The nearshore shallows offered easy travels and a mix of aquatic plant life unfamiliar to us.”

Photographer: Mark Wangerin

Photo taken: Aug. 20, 2018 at Constellation Park in West Seattle

Photographer’s description: “Pupping season has begun! The youngster in this photo had been nursing atop a submerged rock, when mom was disturbed by another approaching Harbor Seal. She rearranged herself and popped up. Smoky and dead-calm conditions help set the feel. Taken with Nikon D 7100 and Tamron 150-600mm lens. “

Photographer: Victor Tom

Photo taken: Aug. 19, 2018 at Redmond Town Center

Photographer’s description: “At the second annual Pacific NW Chalk Fest, they had a section for kids and adults to color to their hearts’ desire. The result was this beautiful drawing, looking similar to a stained glass mosaic. Taken with a Fuji X-T20 and Fujinon 10-24mm lens.”

Photographer: Yoshiki Nakamura

Photo taken: Aug. 2, 2018 at Reflection Lake, Mount Rainier

Photographer’s description: “Viewing and taking photos full of stars is always exciting and inspiring. Although it was a cloudy early afternoon in Seattle, the forecast indicated it would be clear by night in Mount Rainier. The moon (70 percent) would rise at 11:11 p.m. and there would be good lighting when it rose. After ending time-lapse shooting near Paradise, we noticed there was almost zero wind, which could create a beautiful reflection on Reflection Lake. We rushed to the lake, and sure enough, there was a near-perfect reflection which I’d never seen before. The low-angle moon provided colors in the scene. I was so lucky to be able to capture this image. 24mm, ISO2000, 15sec at f/2.8.”

Photographer: Tim Nicol

Photo taken: Taken on July 11, 2018 in Republic

Photographer’s description: “A female rufous hummingbird hovers over a blanket flower in my hummingbird garden in Republic, Washington. Taken with a Nikon D850 and a Tamron 150-600mm lens.”

Photographer: Blaine Amidon

Photo taken: Taken on July 29, 2018 in Edmonds

Photographer’s description: “I was in our backyard looking at our first water lily flower of the year and found a nice surprise. I saw the sunlight was moving through the trees over the pond. So, I waited until the frog was in the sunlight and the rest of the pond was dark and was able to get this shot. Taken with a Nikon D750 and a 70-300mm lens.”

Photographer: Samantha Shipp

Photo taken: July 15 at Mount St. Helens Volcanic National Monument

Photographer’s description: “On our way back to Seattle, my boyfriend and I were stopping at famous mountains between Oregon and Seattle to hike and photograph. We drove to St. Helens from Mount Hood in the evening, not really making the best time as we’d hoped. It all turned out to be serendipity because I was able to capture a low-light sunset photo of the mountain with my Nikon D3300.”

Critique: “The colors, paired with the great amount of detail on the mountain in the sunset, really help highlight the main subject of the photo. While the background is clean, the foreground, with the colorful flowers, is a little distracting from the beautiful subject of the photo.”

Photographer: Michael Levy

Photo taken: Taken on July 8, 2018 at Picnic Point

Photographer’s description: “Glorious sunset at Picnic Point, north of Seattle. With some interesting early evening cloud formations in the sky, a friend suggested we drive to Picnic Point in hopes of a colorful sunset. We were not disappointed. Taken with a Panasonic Lumix G6 with Panasonic 45-150mm lens @45mm, 1/25 second, ISO 160.”

Photographer: Jim Reitz

Photo taken: Taken June 26, 2018 in the Queen Anne neighborhood

Photographer’s description: “The Space Needle scores a bull’s-eye, skewering the rising (nearly) full moon. This was a shot I’ve planned for a while, and fortunately there were clear skies on Tuesday night. For moonrise shots, I prefer the night before the official 100 percent full moon — the earlier moonrise time balances the light between the moon and the foreground landscape. This allowed me to capture the scene in a single raw exposure, rather than use HDR or compositing. Canon 7D Mark II camera, Tamron 150-600mm lens zoomed to 309 mm, 1/125 sec. at f/13, ISO 400. Contrast and sharpening adjustments in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.”

Photographer: Marjolein Verweij

Photo taken: Taken on June 10, 2018 at the Columbia Tower

Photographer’s description: “Lightning above the Seattle skyline, view from the Columbia Tower. Went there for sightseeing with a friend and was lucky to witness this beautiful nature phenomenon. I used a Sony CyberShot DSC-RX100 to capture this moment.”

Photographer: Gurpreet Sachdev

Photo taken: Taken on June 2, 2018 at Lake Sammamish State Park

Photographer’s description: “Our three-year-old golden retriever cooling off in Lake Sammamish on a hot Saturday. Photo taken with Samsung Note 8.”

Photographer: Christopher Picard

Photo taken: Taken on May 30, 2018 from Steptoe Butte in the Palouse

Photographer’s description: “Taken in the Palouse from Steptoe Butte in the early evening. I was looking for interesting patterns and shadows. The sun was intermittently covered by clouds so the landscape was constantly changing. I used a Nikon D810 with a 24 x 120 MM f/4 lens.”

Photographer: Kate MacArthur

Photo taken: May 11, 2018 at Mutiny Bay on Whidbey Island

Photographer’s description: “I captured this photo with my Canon EOS Rebel T5, while walking along the beach of Mutiny Bay at sunset. As I walked, I spotted a blue heron flying majestically out of the water further along the beach, giving me the perfect opportunity for a silhouette shot.”

Photographer: Locke Macomber

Photo taken: Taken on April 29, 2018 at Hood Canal

Photographer’s description: “My wife and daughter exploring the low tide sun during a brief break in the storms. Amazingly calm morning along Hood Canal.”

Photographer: Gloria Z. Nagler

Photo taken: April 27, 2018 in Nagler’s backyard in Lake Forest Park

Photographer’s description: “Prelaunch of Anna’s Hummingbird: the hummers often exhibit this flamboyant behavior right before takeoff. This one was perched three feet from a feeder in our backyard. Used my Canon 5D Mark IV, 400 mm lens.”

Photographer: Claudia Cooper

Photo taken: Taken on May 8, 2018 in Covington

Photographer’s description: “I love photographing flowers with my macro lens, and rhododendrons are no exception — especially after a rain! I used a tripod, Canon 5D Mark III, and 100 mm macro lens to capture this image.”

Photographer: Griffin Brugger

Photo taken: April 30, 2018 at Lake Crescent

Photographer’s description: “I was adventuring with my good friend, saw the amazing lighting and used my Canon 7D Mark 1.”

Photographer: JJ Johnson

Photo taken: March 24, 2018, on Alki Beach

Photographer’s description: “Took this with my Fuji X-T10. We were having a typical spring day with storm clouds and sun. Drove out to Alki to see if we could capture some good light and got this on the beach.”

Photographer: Linda Enkema

Photo taken: April 19, 2018, in Bellevue

Photographer’s description: “Heavy fog slowly lifted this morning, revealing the western view bit by bit but remaining dense over Lake Washington. With my Canon 7D and a 100-400 lens, I was able to capture a few evergreens puncturing the dense haze in the foreground with Seattle emerging in the distance.”

Photographer: Scott Henricksen, of Shoreline

Photo taken: April 8, 2018, on Seattle’s Alaskan Way Viaduct

Photographer’s description: “My wife and I rode the Emerald City Bike Ride, with a last opportunity to see the sights from the Alaskan Way Viaduct at bike speed. It was cold, windy and wet, but thousands of riders were having a great time, including this guy. Shot with Olympus OMD M-5 Mark II and 12-40mm lens.”

Photographer: Carole Patterson, of Silverdale

Photo taken: March 29, near Mount Vernon

Photographer’s description: “Driving through the Skagit Valley tulip/daffodil fields when my little dog Elle Jo decided she wanted to see what we were oooing and ahhing about.”

Critique: “What a fun moment on what looks like a muddy day visiting the daffodil fields in Skagit County. A moment like this has to be captured quickly, which can explain the tilted horizon, which I’d try straightening out to make the image flow even better.”

Photographer: Jack Stephens, of Edmonds

Photo taken: March 9, 2018, at George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, British Columbia

Photographer’s description: “For those who love birds, a trip to the Reifel sanctuary near Ladner, B.C., is a must. Among the great variety of birds found there, the wood ducks are probably the flashiest; they are numerous and very tame. This was shot with an Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera with the Olympus 300mm f 4.0 lens, hand held at 1/5000 of a second, f 4.0, at ISO 1600.”

Photographer: Yoshiki Nakamura, of Seattle

Photo taken: March 23, 2018, in Seattle’s Maple Leaf district

Photographer’s description: “Sometimes, spring weather surprises us. It was one such day when I saw outside and found it was snowing where (tree blossoms) were fully bloomed. I grabbed my camera and went out to capture the scene. To capture the snow well, the shallow depth of field, high shutter speed and telephoto are selected. I tried to find the spot where its background is dark, yet the main subject (blossoms) can be in focus. 400-mm, ISO 2500 1/1000 sec at f5.6.”

Photographer: Jola Charlton

Photo taken: March 11, 2018, at Republic, Ferry County

Photographer’s description: “A squirrel has been hanging around the house all winter long. He was happy to find the sunflower seeds placed in the flower. Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF 100-400 mm lens.”

Photographer: Elston Hill, of Burien

Photo taken: March 11, Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge

Photographer’s description: “Taken a little before sunrise, of Canada geese flying in for their morning gathering. Used Canon 7D Mark II and 600mm lens.”

Photographer: Kevin Cass, of Maple Valley

Photo taken: Feb. 22 on the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River

Photographer’s description: “This is a self-portrait of me fly-fishing on the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie. I shot this with a Canon 5D Mark III with a Canon 20mm 2.8 lens using a 10-stop ND filter, f14 and a 48 second exposure. I had to be really still standing in the cold rushing river for 48 seconds to get a sharp photo of me.” Taken using a remote shutter release and a tripod set up on the riverbank.

Photographer: Dan Evans, Jr., Seattle

Photo taken: Feb. 22, from Newcastle Golf Club, looking west

Photographer’s description: “Other than the bitter cold that rendered my fingers useless, this shot could have been taken in August, the sunset was so colorful. Nikon D750 with Nikkor 80-400mm zoom at 300mm, F8 and 1.6-second exposure.”

Photographer: Christopher Picard, Seattle

Photo taken: Feb. 17, Seattle

Photographer’s description: “A few of the old churches in the city have truly fabulous interiors. This image was taken inside the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in the Ravenna area. I used a Nikon D810 with a Tamron 15 X 30mm lens. (1/100 second, f/3.5, ISO 400).”

Photographer: Kelsey Nagel, Bothell

Photo taken: Dec. 23, Skagit Valley

Photographer’s description: “En route to La Conner I pulled over on the side of the road in Skagit Valley to snap this picture. The afternoon sun was hitting the field of snow geese and scenery just right. The picture is great but seeing it in person was absolutely stunning.”

Photographer: Gloria Z. Nagler, Lake Forest Park

Photo taken: Feb. 2, Matthews Beach Park, Seattle

Photographer’s description: “Showing her colors! I sat in the park next to a temporary (rain-filled) pond and watched the ducks. Eventually, this mallard stretched and displayed her almost unreal purplish stripe. Used my Canon 5D Mark IV, 400 mm.”

Photographer: Mike McAuliffe, Edmonds

Photo taken: Jan. 15, Ballinger Park, Mountlake Terrace

Photographer’s description: “It was unusually warm and there was a break in the rain so I headed out looking for birds. My luck was good, and I found a large flock of cedar waxwings dining in trees full of berries at Lake Ballinger. Photo taken with Nikon D500 camera and Nikon 200-500mm lens.”

Photographer: Olga Bakhirev, Seattle

Photo taken: Jan. 13, Skyline Lake Trail, near Stevens Pass

Photographer’s description: “I was excited to go and play in the snow, so I decided to drive out to the Skyline Lake trail. I had my Canon XSi camera with me. It started out as a cloudy day but then sun started peeking out.”

Photographer: Jim Bartley, Bainbridge Island

Photo taken: Jan. 1, at Rockaway Beach, Bainbridge Island

Photographer’s description: “For the first supermoon of 2018, I set up a tripod-mounted Canon 5D Mark III with 100-400 mm lens to shoot moonrise. As a Washington State Ferries user and fan, I just had to include the Tacoma in the frame. Shot at 400 mm for 1/60 second, aperture f5.6.”

Photographer: Craig Goodwin Sr., Black Diamond

Photo taken: Jan. 2, at Lake Sawyer, Black Diamond

Photographer’s description: “Late-fall/early-winter sunrises and reflections at Lake Sawyer are often spectacular. We welcomed the New Year with this bright color palette greeting us on Jan. 2. Canon 5D Mark III camera, Sigma 24mm lens.”

Photographer: Ben Maund, Seattle

Photo taken: Jan. 1, Seattle Center

Photographer’s description: “This photo was shot just after the clock struck midnight! I walked a full loop around the Space Needle to scope out the best location. I found this clear, uncrowded spot at 11:55, set up the tripod and waited. I was in awe as the Needle lit up like a giant sparkler!”

Colin Diltz: 206-464-2047 or cdiltz@seattletimes.com; on Twitter: @colindiltz.

Share story