Dornoff Photography Photoblog

Theater on Main Street in Gunnison, Utah

2012-02-15T20:24:00.002-07:00

Theater on Main Street in Gunnison, Utah, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

A couple of years ago we did a day trip from Salt Lake City to Salina, Utah via US Highway 89.

In Gunnison, Utah we found this lovely classic theater that is still being used. It could use a paint job but at least its still operating which can't be said of some of the rest of town.

Anyone want a locomotive?

2012-02-10T19:20:00.002-07:00

Abandoned Locomotive, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

This locomotive belongs to the Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad. The railroad has been shut down since a devastating storm a few years ago.

Apparently this locomotive was abandoned in Timber, Oregon since that day.

Hungry??

2012-01-09T20:19:00.002-07:00

Voodoo Donuts Neon Sign, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Voodoo Donuts is a downtown Portland institution that is known for its long lines along with its donuts.

Lines can often be a block long to get in the place. Although I have never had them I have heard they are wonderful.

Today I passed by there and although the place was packed there was no line and it was so tempting to try some donuts out.

You also have the wonderful neon sign.

Cape Meares Light House

2012-01-03T22:17:00.003-07:00

Cape Meares Light House, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

The Cape Meares Light House sits west of Tillamook Oregon. I the lighthouses in Oregon I have visited this one is one the prettiest locations and easiest to photograph.

Sadly the lighthouse was vandalized a couple of years ago when two drunk idiots decided to shoot it. The two where caught and prosecuted but the damage has been done.

While I took the normal shots of most people do of the light house, I took this one shot from the main path leading to the parking area that I liked.

The Goonies Home

2011-12-29T19:05:00.002-07:00

The Goonies Home, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

I always like the movie "The Goonies" and is probably one the reasons I like the Astoria area so much.

The Bucket is Gone...

2011-12-28T23:28:00.002-07:00

Closed KFC in Tigard, Oregon, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

No getting a bucket of KFC at this place. This former KFC sat not too far from my school and home but was torn down shortly after I took these pictures.

That is one of the reasons I always try to get pictures when I can. You never know if there will be a "next time". I have missed too many opportunities over the years. At least this time I got the picture before the bulldozers took it away.

Steam Train in Rockaway Beach 2

2011-12-26T21:15:00.003-07:00

steam Train in Rockaway Beach, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Here is another shot of the steam train sitting in Rockaway Beach, Oregon.

Like that a breeze was blowing both the US and Oregon state flags.

Steam Train in Rockaway Beach

2011-12-26T09:30:00.003-07:00

steam Train in Rockaway Beach, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Now that I am back living in Oregon, trips to the Oregon Coast are a necessity since we are not living directly on the coast itself.

One of my favorite places on the coast is Rockaway Beach. Rockaway Beach is on the Port of Tillamook Railroad which suspended operations back in 2007 after a storm heavily damaged a portion of the line.

However, there is still a tourist train running from Girahaldi to Rockaway Beach using a steam locomotive from California.

Here is a shot of the train sitting at Rockaway Beach before returning to its point of orgin.

Steam Train in Rockaway Beach

2011-12-24T22:57:00.002-07:00

Steam Train in Rockaway Beach, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Took a trip over to the Oregon Coast to celebrate my friend's birthday. While in Rockaway Beach had the opportunity to capture the Oregon Coast Scenic Railway making its run from Garibaldi to Rockaway Beach.

The tracks belong to the Port of Tillamook Railway that has not seen service since its line was heavily damaged in a severe storm several years ago and the Port used the FEMA money on other projects instead of restoring rail service.

Boise Union Pacific Station

2011-12-20T20:57:00.003-07:00

Boise Union Pacific Station along front, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Back on June 30th, I spent the night in Boise on my way back to Salt Lake City after spending a week in Portland.

Boise has a beautiful train station that sits on a hill overlooking the downtown area.

One of things I never noticed before was that this building resembles the Catholic Church that sits across the street from where I went to High School.

2010 Toyota Camry

2011-12-17T21:26:00.004-07:00

2010 Toyota Camry, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

While much of my personal photography involves transportation, surprising little of it actually involves automobiles.

However, this past May when I was in Portland looking for an apartment we rented a car and decided to spend a couple of days on the coast where we used to live.

I thought this would be a perfect time to get some great auto pictures to practice with and find one to add to my portfolio.

Here is our rental car relaxing near Oceanside, Oregon.

What do you think?

Front Runner Train in Salt Lake City

2011-10-15T19:30:00.003-06:00

Front Runner Train, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

A UTA Front Runner train sits between runs at the Salt Lake City Central Station before heading north to Ogden.

Despite the gloomy weather, the picture came out well.

World Forestry Center train at night

2011-09-29T13:31:00.003-06:00

World Forestry Center train at night, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

I have not done a lot of night time lapse photos but I am trying to take the opportunities when they come up.

I had pick someone up at Washington Park in Portland about 8:00pm last week so I took the opportunity to take some pictures. While driving around Washington Park I cam across the train on display in front of the World Forestry Center so I decided to take some pictures of it.

I put the camera on a tripod and took various shots and this was one of the results.

Auto Mart on State Street

2011-09-22T21:35:00.002-06:00

Auto Mart on State Street, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

I have passed this building for many years and always liked the unique design of the building.

While I dislike the business practices of these "buy here, pay here" lots, still can like the building.

3900 South State KFC

2011-09-21T22:58:00.003-06:00

3900 South State KFC - Worlds First KFC, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

For the most part this is just another chain fast food restaurant except the location is historical as it is the home of the world's first KFC.

The original building sat here until a few years ago when it was bulldozed and this new building erected in its spot.

Take Five Drive In Murray Utah

2011-09-19T21:30:00.003-06:00

Take Five Drive In Murray Utah, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

The Take Five Drive In in Murray Utah that closed a few years ago. It was a great place for burgers and shakes.

I love how the combination of the black and white with the snow on the ground. I think it gives a nice tone to the photo.

Short Lived Rite Aid

2011-09-15T21:07:00.004-06:00

Former Rite Aid, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

I was living across the street when this Rite Aid opened sometime around 1998. It lasted only a few years before it closed it doors.

It still sits empty after several years and now with the Albertson's next door now closed it may have little hope of finding a new tenant.

I have not done a many lately but I love Black and White photography especially when it comes to abandoned buildings and things.

TRAX train at Temple Square

2011-09-14T23:07:00.003-06:00

Temple Square Photowalk , a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Last December Photowalking Utah did their annual Photowalk at Temple Square. This turned out to be the last Photowalking event I would be able to attend before moving.

I tried to get a few pictures of TRAX trains making the turn from Main Street onto North Temple and this was my favorite. Love the blur of the train and the lights of the police cruiser.

Multnomah Falls

2011-09-12T20:10:00.002-06:00

Multnomah Falls , a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Beautiful Multnomah Falls along the Columbia River outside Portland, Oregon.

Spiking Tourist Lodge

2011-09-06T21:47:00.002-06:00

Spiking Tourist Lodge , a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

A sign from another one of the older classic motels along State Street in Salt Lake City which is also US Highway 89 and used to also be US Highway 91/

Temple City Motel

2011-09-05T20:48:00.003-06:00

Temple City Motel , a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Lovely sign on a motel that is on State Street which is US Highway 89 and formally US Highway 91.

The Doctor is Not In

2011-09-01T20:14:00.002-06:00

The Doctor is Not In, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Picture of an abandoned medical center in West Valley City, Utah.

Burgers Etc Rupert Idaho

2011-08-30T21:06:00.003-06:00

Burgers Etc Rupert Idaho, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Here is another one of those former chain restaurants turned independent. This was once a Arctic Circle which has its headquarters in Midvale, Utah.

I was traveling from Salt Lake City to Portland when I took this picture but the place was not open on Sunday's so I had to go somewhere else.

Spinners Restaurant in Rupert Idaho

2011-08-29T22:07:00.004-06:00

Spinners Restaurant Rupert Idaho ex. Dairy Queen westside drive thru, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Always love driving through small towns along old US Highways. Rupert, Idaho is located about 5 miles north of Interstate 84 along what was US Highway 30.

Rupert is an interesting town were it appears most of the chain restaurants have closed but have been taken over by independent operations.

Here a former Dairy Queen is now a sit down restaurant but you can still see the former ordering board which now just has a company sign on it and the unused drive thru window. Surprised they have not removed the menu board and microphoen/speaker yet.

Need a Directory??

2011-08-25T23:18:00.003-06:00

Need a Directory??, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

You do not see too many medical buildings abandoned but here is one in West Valley City, Utah just west of the Valley Fair Mall.

Not sure how long it has been abandoned but from the looks of the directory it has been some time although the Google picture did show cars in the parking lot.

Ready to Cruise???

2011-08-25T01:34:00.004-06:00

1967 Pontiac GTO, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Attended the Pontiac Car Show at Wheeler Farm a couple of weeks ago and had a great time getting some pictures of these classic cars (and some newer ones too).

Boat on Camano Island

2011-08-21T19:42:00.003-06:00

Boat on Camano Island, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

While I was taken the previous picture I saw this boat just sitting upside down along the beach. There is a few homes near this point so it might belong to them.

Camano Island looking east

2011-08-17T21:52:00.003-06:00

Camano Island looking east, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Here is another shot in lovely Camano Island.

Lake Goodwin looking out on the pier

2011-08-16T22:27:00.002-06:00

Lake Goodwin looking out on the pier, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Lake Goodwin is between Stanwood and Smokey Point, Washington.

Camano Island looking toward Whidbey Island

2011-08-14T21:50:00.003-06:00

Camano Island looking toward Whidbey Island, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

What a view.

After visiting my friend in Stanwood we took a drive around Camano Island. Sometimes you just have to take roads that leave off the main road because you never know what your might find.

In this case we found a development of pretty boring homes but also came upon this wonderful view.

Remember you never know what you might find when you take the road less driven...

Boise Winnemucca Stages MCI

2011-08-11T22:45:00.002-06:00

Boise Winnemucca Stages MCI, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

I always like the colors of Boise-Winnemucca Stages buses. Their newer buses are even better looking that some of their older ones.

One irony is the name of the bus company that started out by providing bus service from Boise to yes Winnemucca where it connected to Greyhound.

The company stopped running that route about a decade ago but the name lives on.

Icelandair 757

2011-08-09T20:47:00.002-06:00

Icelandair 757, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

If you go through my blog you will quickly notice that I love taking pictures of almost anything that is transportation related.

After my trip to Portland and Seattle back last October we flew from Seattle to Salt Lake City on Delta. We had to turn in the rental car by noon and it was raining hard so we decided to just get to airport early and have lunch there.

Of course that left me plenty of time to take pictures of planes at SEATAC.

This is Icelandair 757 being taxied to its gate from the Delta hanger.

Tow Mater

2011-08-05T22:26:00.003-06:00

Tow Mater being towed, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

You never know what you might encounter driving down the road...

After spending some time in Portland at a conference I took Washington State's Cascade train service up to Seattle and met my wife who flew directly up to Seattle.

While driving the next day to have breakfast with my best friend, his wife and daughter a truck pulled off the same off ramp we did.

When we started to pass the truck we realized that he was towing a replica of Tow Mater from the Cars movies. Fortunately he pulled into the same shopping center we did so we were able to get some pictures.

Neon Taxi and Bus Sign at Portland Union Station

2011-08-04T20:40:00.002-06:00

Neon Taxi and Bus Sign at Portland Union Station, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Here is the final picture of neon at Portland Union Station.

Security Sign at Portalnd Union Station

2011-07-30T22:22:00.002-06:00

Security Sign, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Here is another one of the lovely neon signs at Portland Union Station in Portland, Oregon.

I took this photo with a General Electric X5 camera. While the camera did good on these types of photos, it did horrible with anything that moved even if you tried to speed up the shutter speed.

Neon Telephone Sign

2011-07-29T20:52:00.003-06:00

Telephone Sign, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Here is another one of the outstanding neon signs in the Portland Union Station in Portland, Oregon.

While the number of telephones is obviously decreasing, this lovely sign still points the way to room that once housed multiple pay phone booths.

This is one of several neon signs located in the building that is worth a visit when you visit Portland.

Saturday Market/Old Town Sign on Burnside in Portland

2011-07-28T19:53:00.002-06:00

Saturday Market Old Town Sign, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

My first full day in Portland last October was mostly spent walking around the downtown area and the areas immediately around it.

I left my motel and walked west along Burnside crossed the Burnside Bridge. This area can be scary for some because of the number of vagrants in the area but of course that would not stop me...

This sign is over a staircase that takes you down to 1st avenue which is the home of the Portland Saturday Market (which also runs on Sunday's).

I like that they put in a classic looking sign that goes so well with the neighborhood including the building next door.

Portland, Oregon Union Station

2011-07-27T20:48:00.005-06:00

Portland, Oregon Union Station, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

While many cities may have a classic train train station, most of them have been altered sometimes beyond recognition.

However, Portland Union Station still looks like it did back in the hey day of the railroads including a wonderful waiting room.

I plan on getting some more pictures of this beautiful train station in the near future.

Portland Streetcar at PSU Urban Center

2011-07-25T20:34:00.003-06:00

Portland Streetcar at PSU Urban Center, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Another photo of the Portland Streetcar as it is making its stop at the Urban Center of Portland State University.

The streetcar travels directly through the center of the Urban Center with a coffee shop having tables directly next to the stop on the other side of the streetcar.

I hopefully will be attending school here next year after I take a few classes at PCC.

Breakfast Anyone?

2011-06-22T21:54:00.002-06:00

Dick Clark's Restaurant, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

On my trip to Portland I had breakfast at Dick Clark's restaurant at the airport.

Back in May of last year I was on a business trip to Denver and we had lunch at the restaurant but was not impressed at all and glad I was not paying.

Breakfast was much better and last month took my wife to Breakfast here before flying to Portland again.

While having breakfast last October I took this picture of my breakfast which was the steak and eggs.

Fortunately the restaurant was pretty empty so I could take this picture in peace without anyone getting suspicious of the photographer.

Portland Streetcar on 5th Street at PSU

2011-06-18T20:49:00.003-06:00

Portland Streetcar on 5th Street at PSU, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Here is one of the first shots I took after arriving in Portland for my conference. I took the MAX red line from the Airport and then rode the Green Line since it was new since the last time I was here.

After a ride on the green line to Clackamas Town Center I rode it back to downtown and then took the streetcar to the South Waterfront area in order to ride the Ariel Tram.

Here is a shot of the Portland Streetcar that I would ride to the South Waterfront area. The MAX train I rode was on the tracks to the left of the streetcar.

Baggage Dept Sign

2011-06-16T20:30:00.003-06:00

Baggage Dept Sign, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Have to love the neon...

After my conference in Portland I took Amtrak's Cascade service to Seattle to visit my best friend.

The Portland train station is a beautiful classic station. The lobby still has many classic details including these wonderful neon signs.

I took this picture with a GE X5 super zoom camera. While it obviously did pretty good in these low light pictures, most of the other pictures were horrible.

Wentworth Chevrolet

2011-06-01T10:14:00.002-06:00

Wentworth Chevrolet, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Here is another picture that I took back in October when I was attending a conference in Portland, Oregon.

I flew in on Saturday and with the conference not starting until Monday gave me a day and a half to walk the town and take some pictures.

This Chevrolet Dealership was only four blocks away from my motel so I had the opportunity to photograph it while walking toward downtown.

Classic urban dealerships like this are becoming harder and harder to find so I take pictures of them whenever I get the chance.

The lighting was not picture perfect but I like the result of the picture.

Portland Street Car

2011-05-11T22:30:00.002-06:00

Portland Street Car , a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Portland has an excellent transit system including the first modern streetcar line in the United States.

Here is a shot of one of the Portland Streetcars arriving at a stop to pick up a load of passengers. This is part of Portland's Park Blvd that stretches across downtown.

Portland Streetcar under the Go by Streetcar Sign

2011-05-10T17:47:00.004-06:00

Portland Streetcar turning a corner, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

In the times I have been in Portland, I was never able to get a good photo of a streetcar under the sign that says "Go by Streetcar".

The sign is located in the Pearl District in Portland which has gone from abandoned warehouses and rail yards into a thriving new community.

When the area was in its infancy, someone decided to put up a sign saying "Go By Streetcar" in the neighborhood that was built around Portland's new streetcar.

The sign was inspired by the sign on Portland's Union Station which says "Go by Train".

While the picture is not the best I hope to get a better one soon.

Royal Motor Inn Everett Washington

2011-05-09T20:00:00.005-06:00

Royal Motor Inn Everett Washington, a photo by Dornoff Photography on Flickr.

Sorry its been so long since I posted something but a lot has been happening in the last few months and hopefully I can discuss it further by the middle of the next month.

Meanwhile, lets get back to talking pictures.

The previous pictures I posted was of my trip to Portland, Oregon. After leaving Portland I took the state of Washington's Talgo train service from Portland to Seattle where my wife met me after flying in from Salt Lake City.

On Saturday after spending time with friends we drove around the Everett area. Broadway through Everett used to be US Highway 99 that was replaced by Interstate 5 so there is many older buildings dating from the days of the old highway.

This is the Royal Motor Inn which sits in the northern part of Everett near Everett Community College. After taking the picture I realized that there was a guy smoking on the first level which I think added some character to the shot.

Tri-Met 2295 at 18th and Morrison

2010-12-15T21:02:00.002-07:00

Tri-Met 2295 at 18th and Morrison
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Here is another photograph from my trip to Portland in October. I arrived on Saturday and the following day I took a 10 mile walk around the areas near downtown.

The photo is of a Tri-Met New Flyer bus about to trun right onto 18th Avenue. PGE Park where the Portland minor league baseball team played before moving to Southern California is behind me.

I was pleasantly surprised on how well this photo came out as this was just a spur of the moment shot.

MAX train leaving Rose Quarter station

2010-12-08T21:48:00.002-07:00

MAX train leaving Rose Quarter station
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Back in October I attended an event in Portland, Oregon. The event I attended was in downtown and the motel I stayed at was on the east side of downtown on Burnside Avenue.

One of the nice things was that I was able to use transit for my entire stay in the city so I did not have the added expense of renting a car.

This photo was taken of a MAX light rail train leaving the Rose Quarter Station for Clackamas. The line to Clackamas (the Green Line) is Portland's newest light rail line.

I wasn't sure how well this picture would come out considering the sun was starting to set and I was standing under Interstate 5 which passes over the Rose Quarter Station.

Fixer Upper

2010-12-07T20:11:00.002-07:00

Fixer Upper
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

One day I had some time to kill so I decided to get some pictures of planes coming in for a landing at Salt Lake International Airport. I also took the opportunity to explore the area south of the airport a little.

I turned down one street and came across this poor old travel trailer that had obviously seen better days. The trailer was sitting next to a junk yard entrance waiting for its final journey.

Forgotten on a siding

2010-12-06T21:06:00.002-07:00

old train car
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

A photographer I know took some pictures of an old rail passenger car a couple of years ago and I have meant to go photograph it for some time. Finally a couple of months ago I decided to go ahead and take some pictures of it.

The car sits along side the main line of the Union Pacific Railroad between Salt Lake City and Provo that was once Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad. The former Union Pacific line between the two cities lies just one block east at this point and is now used by the Utah Transit Authority for their North-South light rail line.

I love doing photos like this in black and white because it adds a certain feeling to the photograph.

I have no idea about the history of this rail car but if anyone who does know something about it is more than welcome to let us know.

Abandoned

2010-12-05T11:37:00.002-07:00

Abandoned Shop and Motel
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Along side of Interstate 80 west of Salt Lake City sits the exit of Delle. On the western side of town there is a modern convenience store to the east of the freeway exit sits this old shop with a cafe and motel beyond it.

The Adventure of Traveling

2010-12-01T16:40:00.002-07:00

Old Chevy Truck
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

I love the adventure of travel.

Back in May I was in Wendover which is on the Utah/Nevada border. While most people will not leave the main street which has the motels and casinos, I rather look around the town and see what I can find.

The city is home to a former air base that was used to train the pilots who would drop the atomic bombs on Japan. Today the airbase sees limited air service and has limited tourist attractions. Several of the former base buildings are now have other uses.

While driving around the former base I encountered this old truck sitting next to one of the former base buildings. I love finding old vehicles like this that probably have some interesting stories to tell.

While finding old rusting vehicles may not be that uncommon, finding a old work truck like this is.

Never know what you may find when you get off the main road...

UTA MAX Bus on 3500 south

2010-11-26T17:28:00.002-07:00

UTA MAX 08103 on Route 35M
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

A Utah Transit Authority Van Hool is traveling eastbound on 3500 South in West Valley City, Utah.

The sun was low enough that it did not provide harsh light and in the perfect position to light up the front of the bus.

The bus is traveling along along dedicated bus lanes that were recently opened along a short stretch of 3500 south.

Old Plymouth For Sale

2010-11-23T18:18:00.002-07:00

Old Plymouth For Sale
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

One day I had to take my car in for its routine service and after leaving the service station I came upon this old Plymouth that was for sale in the parking lot of a night club.

I tried to get a picture of the car without any cars in the background (such as my Focus to the left) but the only angles without other cars in the seen would have had the sun in a bad angle.

Dragonfly

2010-11-20T19:41:00.002-07:00

Dragonfly
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Photo of a Dragon Fly sitting on a flower. I have only tried doing macro photography a couple of times and was really pleased with the results of this photo.

I manually focused my camera since the auto focus would not work on such a small creature.

What would you like to order?

2010-09-13T10:15:00.002-06:00

Closed Restaurant in Midvale
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

One day I was out taking pictures and decided to take pictures of an old restaurant that sits at 7780 South and State street in Midvale, Utah.

While driving around the restaurant what do I discover but that this restaurant was once a Dairy Queen and the menu still sits behind the restaurant despite Dairy Queen not being here for at least 10 years.

The restaurant was a Asian restaurant for several years before it moved down the street and most recently was a cafe.

Once again you never know what you might find if you just go exploring.

Abandoned Retail Store

2010-09-08T12:31:00.002-06:00

Former Lowes Store
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

I took my car down for its regular servicing and of course took my camera along knowing that I would find something to photography along the way.

Across from the dealership formerly known as Butterfield Ford is a former Lowe's store that moved about a mile to the east. The former store sits abandoned right at the off ramp of 9000 South and Interstate 15 making a welcoming sight to people coming into the city of Sandy.

This photo looks into the former garden shop of the store and looks to be taking a heavy hit from not being used. I took this picture to emphasize the weeds growing in the walkways to give it even a more abandoned look. The black and white further gives it a more depressed look.

Into the Weeds...

2010-09-02T17:17:00.002-06:00

Former UP rail line in Draper, UT in B&W
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

My last picture was of a former grade crossing signal of the former Union Pacific line from Salt Lake City to Provo owned by the Utah Transit Authority.

Today's picture is from the same line just taken about a mile down the line at a former grade crossing that has been closed and now is an access point for the trail that travels along the former right of way.

I did this photo in Black and White to give a sense of abandonment. I also used a low f-stop to blur the background and make the rails the main focal point.

Help! One of my arms is missing!!

2010-08-25T12:28:00.002-06:00

Help! One of my arms is missing!!
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Over the years I have passed this old rail line many times. The line was once the Union Pacific main line from Salt Lake City to Provo. However, the section from Draper to Lehi has not seen trains in 15 or so years but the tracks and some crossing signals still exist.

This crossing signal at 12715 south still stands guard waiting for a train that will never come (although the line will become a light rail line someday).

The sun was really bright yesterday but I still like the way this picture turned out.

Old Building & Streetcar

2010-08-18T19:44:00.002-06:00

Old Building & Streetcar
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

This old streetcar and building sit near the Great Salt Lake just west of the Salt Lake International Airport along Interstate 80.

This site has been used by photographers (and others) for many years. However, I have heard the owner is going to be forced to get rid of the streetcar and the building shortly.

Great Salt Lake Marina

2010-08-16T11:02:00.002-06:00

Great Salt Lake Marina
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Here is another photo taken at the Great Salt Lake Marina a few weeks ago. Like the rest of the area it is crawling with bugs so that is something you will want to be prepared for if you go out to the marina.

This photo is looking southwest toward the outlet to the Great Salt Lake.

Access to the actual boat docks is limited so you have to limit yourself to taking pictures from the sidewalk about the actual marina area.

Black Widow

2010-08-13T19:10:00.002-06:00

Black Widow
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Here is another photo that I took when we took my nieces out to the Great Salt Lake Marina and State Park.

Beyond the Marina is a observation deck that you can look out onto the lake. However, the entire area is covered by spiders of every shape and size.

While I did not know what type most of them were, this one is hard to miss. This one did not like having her photo taken because after I snapped the picture it actually made an aggressive move toward me (I was not THAT close).

Seagulls at the Great Salt Lake

2010-08-09T11:11:00.002-06:00

Seagulls at the Great Salt Lake
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

My nieces who were staying with us wanted to go out and see the Great Salt Lake.

We decided to take them out to the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina so they could get the Great Salt Lake experience without driving all the way to Antelope Island (since it was 95 degrees out and the only car we have that would hold us all has no A/C).

Of course if I am going somewhere I had to take my camera!!

I do not have a lot of experience taking pictures of birds except for ducks and geese at a nearby pond so this was a perfect chance for some practice.

I took several pictures of seagulls and was delighted that most of them turned out pretty good.

Reeds Drive In in Nephi, Utah

2010-08-04T18:32:00.003-06:00

Reeds Drive In
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Here is another shot from my adventure to Fillmore, Utah last Thursday.

Reeds Drive-In is located on Main Street in Nephi, Utah just north of the downtown area. Main Street was once US Highway 91 until Interstate 15 came along.

This photo was taken was the sun was low in the sky and not shining in this area but the lighting still came out good.

No Vacancy

2010-08-02T11:02:00.002-06:00

No Vacancy
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Ok, I promised you no more fireworks pictures so here is something different to look at.

The other day I had to drive down to Fillmore, Utah and back. On the way back I drove through Nephi, Utah. While driving through town I saw this motel that has now been closed (I believe it was still open the last time I drove through a year ago or so but I could be wrong).

This motel sits along what was US Highway 91 before Interstate 15 came along. While this motel survived long after the Interstate came along it could not survive the influx of cookie cutter chain motels.

Fireworks Part III

2010-07-31T18:36:00.002-06:00

Fireworks
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Ok, you are probably getting tired of fireworks pictures so I promise this will be the last one.

Fireworks Part II

2010-07-30T11:08:00.002-06:00

Fireworks
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

As I said in the previous posting, I had only taken fireworks photos one time before so I was really impressed with how many of these pictures came out.

Now I can't wait for next year so that I can get even more fireworks pictures. It may even encourage me to deal with the crowds in order to get even more pictures.

Fireworks

2010-07-28T14:32:00.002-06:00

Fireworks
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Here in Utah there is a holiday on July 24th to celebrate the arrival of the Mormon Pioneers to the Salt Lake Valley. Like Independence Day there is parades and fireworks shows.

This year I took two of our nieces up to Cottonwood Heights to watch their community fireworks.

I had only photographed fireworks once before that was back with my Nikon EM film camera and I was too far away to get really good pictures.

To get these pictures I put my camera on a tri-pod, put the focusing on manual and did 10 second exposures. I was not sure how well the pictures would come out but was pretty happy with the results.

Park City Transit

2010-07-26T11:12:00.002-06:00

Park City Transit Gillig Advantage
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Friday we went up to Park City for some relaxation and of course for the opportunity to take a few pictures.

Here is a shot of a Park City Gillig Advantage Low Floor sitting at the Historic Main Street Transit Station in the historic part of Park City.

The Tree is Watching You

2010-07-20T20:27:00.002-06:00

Tree Face
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Here is another photo I took at my in laws place.

This tree which sits near their unused swimming pool had a character upgrade.

The sun was setting giving the tree just enough light but keeping the surrounding area darker.

Spider

2010-07-18T20:00:00.002-06:00

Spider
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

I was visiting my in-laws last week and decided to take a few minutes to go in their back acre and take some pictures.

The sun was about to set and there was not much light. I saw this little guy crawling up a pole and decided to take its picture. I was not sure if there was enough light to get the picture so I put my camera's flash on its lowest setting to add some fill light.

I was not sure how well this photo would come out but I was happy with the results.

Taking a Drink

2010-07-13T20:58:00.003-06:00

Duck and Ducklings on Silver Lake
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Last Wednesday (7/7/2010) we went up to Silver Lake to take a hike and do some photography.

Just was we started down the boardwalk we caught this duck along with her ducklings at the edge of the lake taking a drink.

I wasn't sure how this picture was going to come out since I had to take it quickly and the lighting was not optimal. However, I thought the picture came out o.k. despite the murky color of the water.

Silver Lake is located just west of the Brighton Ski Resort at the top of Cottonwood Canyon. It is a nice short trip from the Salt Lake area and while the temperature was 90+ in Salt Lake it was only in the mid-60's up at the top of the canyon.

Silver Lake, Utah

2010-07-07T20:56:00.002-06:00

Silver Lake, Utah
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Today I ended up heading up to Brighton, Utah in order to hike around and above Silver Lake which lies just west of the Brighton Ski Resort.

There is a trail around the entire lake that is very popular with not only hikers but on this day had a large number of artist doing paintings of the area.

We also took the Twin Lakes trail but did not make it completely up to Twin Lakes due to time constraints.

Delta 737

2010-07-06T19:59:00.002-06:00

Delta 737
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Shot of a Delta Airlines 737 coming in for a landing at the Salt Lake International Airport.

The photo was taken from Fulton Street just south of 500 South on the west side of town. This area of town is filled mostly with junk yards and other industrial businesses.

As I have mentioned many times forms of transportation are some of my favorite subjects whether it be trains, planes, automobiles, or buses.

There used to be locations near or on airports where plane spotters could stay, watch planes come and go, and do photography. Sadly after the events of 9/11 most of these places have been closed off.

I am guessing that this is a Boeing 737-800.

Lit Up Clouds

2010-06-28T12:08:00.003-06:00

A couple of weeks ago I left our apartment in order to take a short walk. After walking outside I looked up to see the lovely image of these clouds being lit up by the setting sun.

I loved the contrast between the dark clouds not being lit up and the upper clouds that were being lit up by the sun.

We were not scheduled to having any thunder storms this day but as it turned we did get a nice thunderstorm just a couple of hours after taking this photo.

Utah Transit Authority NB Front Runner Train

2010-06-25T20:01:00.002-06:00

Utah Transit Authority NB Front Runner Train
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Ok, it has been some time since I actually posted some pictures to this blog so I will try to make up for it.

Today, we have a picture of a northbound Utah Transit Authority Front Runner train that has just left Central Station in Salt Lake and is heading toward Ogden.

The train is powered by MPI MP36 locomotive pulling a Ex-New Jersey Transit Comet I car and two Bombardier Tri-Level cars which can be found on various commuter trains from Florida to Seattle.

Photo on New West

2009-10-22T23:31:00.006-06:00

My photo that I called missing parts and featured on my blog previously is the feature photo today on the mountain west oriented blog "New West".

So here is the same photo that is in the blog but done in black and white instead. The photo was taken in the yard of the Heber Valley Railroad back on September 19th.

Making the Escape

2009-10-19T22:02:00.003-06:00

Making the Escape
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Last Saturday night, Photowalking Utah got together for another excellent photowalk, this one taking place in the Old Greektown area of Salt Lake City which is just west of the main part of downtown.

We walked past the Intermodal Hub then took some pictures at one of the old buildings that is soon supposed to give way to a new hotel. One of our group volunteered to play model so she got up into one of the windows of the abandoned building and did some poses.

This photo was taken at 400 ISO using flash to keep the shutter speed from getting too low.

Sandy TRAX Crossing

2009-10-11T22:30:00.003-06:00

Sandy TRAX Crossing
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Here is another one of the pictures I took Thursday night. I put the camera on the tri-pod, metered off a couple of points to get a good idea on how long of an exposure and then used the car headlights to add a little more lighting.

Ghost TRAX

2009-10-09T21:32:00.002-06:00

Ghost TRAX
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Last night I drove my wife and a friend to a class they are attending and decided to do some photography while I was waiting for them to get out.

As you can tell, I have been practicing my night shots for the last few weeks so I figured last night would be another great opportunity. I went to the TRAX crossing at 8680 South in Sandy which is just a block from where we used to live and took some pictures.

The lights you see in the foreground belong to my car.

Desert

2009-10-08T21:50:00.003-06:00

Dirt over Mudd
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

When we were up in Logan my niece and her new husband made us a wonderful dinner and desert.

Since there will be a Photowalking Utah Mini-Clinic on taking pictures of food so I decided to take a shot of the lovely desert my niece made.

Not to make excuses about the quality of the picture, but I was sitting in a camp chair and could not move easily so I took a picture at the angle that was available to me.

Main Street in Logan

2009-10-06T22:58:00.001-06:00

Main Street in Logan
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Here is one last photo that I took on Main Street in Logan. The photo is looking from the visitor's center toward the heart of downtown.

Jordan Peace Gardens "America"

2009-10-05T11:53:00.002-06:00

Jordan Peace Gardens America
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Another shot from the Jordan Peace Garden taken last Friday.

In Need of Repair

2009-10-04T23:28:00.002-06:00

Jordan Peace Gardens
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

On Friday I had some time to kill so what else did I do but go out and take some pictures.

I decided to stop at the Jordan Peace Gardens to take some pictures. This is only the third time I have ever been to the gardens so I do not have a lot of photos from there.

This is one of the first structures you encounter when you walk into the garden area. As you can see from the photograph the building needs some repairs (in fact several statures where showing signs of recent vandalism).

This photo is a difficult one because you have details that you want featured in the shadows with bright sunlight surrounding them. To help with the shadow areas I set my flash to minimum to use as fill. This allowed the details in the shadows but did not cause other areas to get blown out.

Union Station at sunrise

2009-10-03T12:28:00.002-06:00

Union Station at sunrise
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

As I mentioned yesterday, my purpose for stopping off in Ogden was to get a picture of Union Station at sunrise. I have many pictures of the building but none of them when the sun new day glow is shining on the building.

So here is the final product. The angle was a compromise since the sun would shine into the windows at every other angle that I tried.

Trying a different perspective

2009-10-02T22:52:00.002-06:00

Ex-Rio Grand Tunnel Motor
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Well I went a few days without showing a picture of a train but here is one that I took last Saturday but have been waiting to show.

I took this photo up in Ogden, Utah at Union Station which is home to a railway museum. The museum has several pieces of equipment to the south of the station that I have show photos of in the past.

On Saturday I stopped at Union Station to get some pictures of the station at sunrise and noticed that they had a new locomotive so I went and took a picture.

This is a former Denver, Rio Grande & Western locomotive that is referred to as a tunnel motor. If you look at the back of the locomotive you will notice vents near the bottom of the carbody. Normally a locomotive will have vents near the top of the locomotive but both Rio Grande and Southern Pacific experience overheating problems so the tunnel motor was born to prevent those issues.

In this shot I tried to do something different from the normal wedgie shot so I lowered the legs on my tripod to their lowest setting which gives this different perspective of the locomotive.

Logan Clock at Night

2009-10-01T11:40:00.002-06:00

Logan Clock
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Another shot that I took while up in Logan last Saturday.

This clock sits on the main drag in downtown Logan. It was this clock that caught my eye and caused me to go around the block and take pictures that night.

When I first started taking pictures I didn't even notice that part of the neon was not working but thought the picture was still worth it.

U and I Sugar Mural in Garland, Utah

2009-09-29T21:56:00.002-06:00

U and I Sugar Mural in Garland, Utah
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Here is another shot that I took last Saturday on our trip up to Logan.

This photo is of a mural that adorns the side of a building in Garland, Utah. The photo is a memorial to the U and I Sugar plant that existed from 1909 to 1979. It appears that that sugar plant was the main employer of the city and once it closed, the city suffered.

This is one of the reasons why I love travel photography so much. It is amazing what you can discover by getting off of that boring Interstate and searching out real America.

Startyn's Buy-Roz Gum Sign

2009-09-28T21:08:00.002-06:00

Startyn's Buy-Roz Gum Sign
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Have a change of pace today.

Photo taken of a sign on the side of a building in Garland, Utah which is just north of Tremonton in the north eastern part of the state.

One of the fun things about away from the interstates is that you never know what you might find. After all, a trip should be a journey of exploration.

Logan Visitor's Center at Night

2009-09-27T22:03:00.002-06:00

Logan Visitor's Center
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

In case my regular viewers were getting tired of train pictures from my trip last week, today I have a picture that I took last night.

Drove up to Logan to visit a niece and her new husband who are attending Utah State University. After spending the afternoon with them and a wonderful dinner that they cook it was time to go home.

While driving through downtown Logan I decided to get out the camera and tripod out to take some pictures.

Here is a shot of the Cache Valley Visitor's Center.

Heber Valley 1011

2009-09-26T00:45:00.002-06:00

Heber Valley 1011
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Yes, here is another photo taken from the Heber Valley Railroad.

This shot is of locomotive 1011 which formally belonged to the Union Pacific Railroad and is the only active locomotive in their fleet that has not been painted into the Denver, Rio Grande and Western inspired Orange and Black paint scheme.

Heber Valley Locomotive 1218

2009-09-24T23:45:00.002-06:00

Heber Valley Locomotive 1218
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Here is another one of the locomotives of the Heber Valley Railroad that I photographed while walking around the tourist Railroad's facilities.

Our Train

2009-09-23T10:47:00.002-06:00

Our Train
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

My last couple of entries I shown some photos from the Heber Valley Railroad that I took before our train left. What I have not show you is a photo of our actual train so here it is.

The train included the former Union Pacific locomotive, caboose, two open air cars, an enclosed coach, and a combine car that was used as a snack shop.

When we first go on we sat in the enclosed coach but very shortly I moved out to the first open air car and stayed there for most of the trip.

On the way back the caboose was at the end of the train I spent a majority of the trip on the back platform which was a great place to take pictures.

Is That Duct Tape on our Coach???

2009-09-22T23:45:00.002-06:00

Heber Valley Coach Car with Duct Tape
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Here is another shot that I took at the Heber Valley Railroad last Saturday.

While waiting for some of my wife's family to show up, I took a walk around the grounds and of course had to take pictures.

While I didn't notice it at the time, when I looked at this picture full sized I noticed that the corner of the roof closest to the camera is covered with duct tape. If you look closely you can also see that there is more duct tape along the roof line.

Heber Valley 1813

2009-09-21T21:48:00.003-06:00

Heber Valley 1813
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Here is another photo taken on Saturday during my visit to the Heber Valley Railroad.

This photo is of locomotive 1813 which has been used in several of the railroads promotional shots but in its previous paint scheme which was black with a red stripe as opposed to the Denver, Rio Grande & Western inspired scheme it currently has.

Missing Parts...

2009-09-20T22:17:00.002-06:00

Missing Parts...
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Yesterday my wife along with several members of her family took a trip on the Heber Valley Railroad which travels from the city of Heber which is just southeast of Park City on US Highway 40 down to Provo Canyon.

While waiting for the train to leave I took the opportunity to walk around and take some pictures. I came across this locomotive that had been stripped of parts sitting along side a former road crossing signal that has also been stripped of parts.

I thought the two pieces of equipment complimented eachother well in the photograph along with the older passenger car in the background.

More Miami Beach

2009-09-17T23:20:00.002-06:00

Miami Beach
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Yesterday I showed a picture looking North from Collins and about 25th in Miami Beach. Today's shot is from the same position but looking south toward the heart of the Miami Beach area.

Will Need those heavy blankets...

2009-09-16T22:21:00.002-06:00

Miami Beach
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Here is another photo taken on my business trip down to Miami in November, 2007.

The day before I went out and took these photos I watched the weather report and the weatherman said that everyone should put on their heavy blankets because it was going to get down to 75 degrees that night. I guess if you live in that weather all the time that 75 would start feeling cold but...

The next day when I took this photo even though it was 9:00AM or so, the mercury was up to 80 degrees with humidity to match. I was almost tempted to stay inside the hotel but then again there was too many pictures to take and this was my last day in Miami.

This photo was taken at Collins and approximately 25th in Miami Beach looking south.

Alternate Transit in Miami

2009-09-14T19:49:00.003-06:00

Miami Mini Bus
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Here is another photo from my trip down to Miami in November, 2007.

While Miami does have an extensive transit system run by Miami-Dade County transit, I also encountered these many buses running around the area especially North Miami.

It appears the niche for the buses are one of the minority populations of the area.

Healing Field Part II

2009-09-13T11:23:00.002-06:00

Healing Field
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Friday's post was taken at the Healing Field that has been erected for several years on the anniversary of September 11th.

It started with one flag for every person who had perished the day of the attacks. Later they started adding flags for those who have died in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq since that time.

Because I have not made it down to the Healing Field for a couple of years, I wanted to make sure to get down there this year. I had to pick up a some tables at my in-laws so I made a detour over to the field.

Sometimes as a photographer, you just seem to have bad timing and it started off this year. There was a wind blowing as I arrived but just as I crossed the street the breeze seemed to go away and the flags quit blowing.

However, I just waited a few minutes and a breeze kicked up and the flags started showing some motion.

I took this picture looking down the field for several reasons. First I wanted to get the line of flags (obviously). But another reason I took this picture was the Sandy City firefighter standing at the roadblock. With so many firefighters loosing their lives on that day it seemed fitting for him to be in the picture.

I also like that there is several other people in the picture as they take in meaning of the field.