This is the Day

A month or two ago I was given an assignment to photograph some 25 or so branches of a local bank. I knew, for a variety of reasons, that there would be no time to undertake the assignment during the month of May, but June, as far as I could see, would be totally clear.

There was one caveat: they wanted the banks to be photographed on sunny days. Well, if you live anywhere near Seattle, you know we haven't had a single day of sunshine since the last weekend in May. Oh, and there was another catch: some of the buildings would be covered with banners starting June 16th, and needed to be photographed before that date.

So you can imagine how delighted I was to wake up this morning at 5 am (to see my daughter and her friends off to camp for the summer) and discover a sunny day at last. Because whether it was sunny or not, today was my last chance to photograph the branches that would be draped in banners.

My daughter and her friends left for the Anacortes ferry at 5:45 and I followed close behind, having decided to tackle Poulsbo, Silverdale, Port Orchard, Bremerton, Belfair and Allyn in today's wanderings. And this turned out to be one of those days every adult dreams of having; the days when you say to yourself "I can't believe someone is paying me to do something I love this much!"

The weather was absolutely perfect, the sky a deep blue, the scotch bloom an almost iridescent yellow, the mountains were still snow-capped and there were patches of fog along the water: a photographer's dream -- especially if the photographer is also working on a "Places I love that are unique to Washington" project on the side.

Even more importantly, the bank branches, all helpfully marked on a Google map, were easy to find, clearly labeled, and all on main thoroughfares. I kept thinking -- the bankers did a much better job of placing their branches than the Episcopalians did with their churches!

So where's the catch, you ask? There isn't one. Every once in a while you get a day that is a total gift from start to finish. This was my day; I hope it was yours as well, and that you, too, had an opportunity to welcome the sunshine.

This is the day that the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!