Photography

MIKE SIEGEL / THE SEATTLE TIMES

The raging Taylor Bridge wildfire near Cle Elum had burned 60 homes and 26,000 acres and by the time this photo was taken on August 14. This view looks east towards Ellensburg from the Thorp Prairie Road just north of Interstate 90.

ERIKA SCHULTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Choclit' Angel Handley, a 27-year-old convert to Islam, struggled with a positive self-image before covering with a headscarf and later the niqab. "Before the world could tell me... your hair is not straight enough, or maybe your skin is not light enough or maybe your waist is not small enough," Handley said. "The covering allows me to stabilize my opinion of myself... It allows me to build self confidence from within."

ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Arturo Ruiz practices his dance steps and lariat moves as he hones his roping skills after work near Sunnyside, WA. Ruiz is preparing for upcoming rodeos in calf roping.

ERIKA SCHULTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Kids play in a 20-foot foam pit during Bubble Fest at the Pacific Science Center Sunday, August 26. A variety of games and crafts were also available for children of all ages, like how to make a bubble wand.

ELLEN M. BANNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Everybody out! Redgie (tail in foreground) leads the way out of the Helene Madison Pool. The swim in the heated pool was made possible by the closure of the pool for preventive maintenance. More than 50 dogs participated in the two-hour swim. Money went to general fund of the swimming pool revenue.

GREG GILBERT / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Aerobatic Pilot Sean D. Tucker flies his Oracle Challenger III with Blue Angel pilots Lt. Dave Tickle in #6 and Lt. C. J. Simonsen in #5, foreground, over the Seattle skyline and Lake Washington.

KEN LAMBERT / THE SEATTLE TIMES

12-day-old baby pigs from Arlington snooze at the Evergreen State Fair in Monroe.

JORDAN STEAD / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Trevor Rotzien, dressed as Mighty Mouse, makes a steady descent down a 490-foot building at the Over the Edge event Sunday, Aug. 12, 2012, in downtown Seattle, Wash. Nearly 150 supporters rappelled from Seattle's 1000 2nd Avenue Building - all 40 stories of it - between August 11 and 12 to raise money for Special Olympics Washington.

MARK HARRISON / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Felix Hernandez celebrates after pitching a perfect game at Safeco Field against Tampa Bay. It is the first perfect game in Mariner history.

KEN LAMBERT / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Kids try to stand up at Walk on the Water tent at the Evergreen State Fair in Monroe.

BETTINA HANSEN / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Homeowner David Firth tries to beat back a wildfire heading towards his home at Bettas Road and Low Drive as the Taylor Bridge wildfire burns Tuesday August 14. The fire jumped the line they were trying to make but still stands after being sprayed with water trucks and further efforts to beat it back with the help of several neighbors volunteering.

STEVE RINGMAN / THE SEATTLE TIMES

The Milky Way is illuminated across the night sky in this view from the Meadows campground in the Okanogan National Forest.

ERIKA SCHULTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES

The mothers' choir sings at St. Gebriel Ethiopian Orthodox Church on Easter. While at church, women cover their heads with long, handwoven scarves called natellas and small headscarves called shash. Metti Mulugeta, a volunteer with the Ethiopian Community Center, says the scarves are worn for the sake of modesty. Traditionally, they were styled in different ways depending on occasion and age of the woman.

JORDAN STEAD / THE SEATTLE TIMES

A quirky director with a 7-foot marlin hung up in his office, Taylor Guterson is the filmmaker responsible for a low-budget movie titled "Old Goats." The film stars three former non-actors playing versions of themselves as older men, coping with life in the modern world. The movie, shot on Bainbridge Island, was made for $5,000 and has since gone on to garner attention at multiple film festivals around the country.

DEAN RUTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Felix Hernandez is the King of K's, having come off a perfect game for the Mariners last week. In his first start since then the Mariners had 34,000 t-shirts commemorating the event, and placards, for distribution to fans.

JORDAN STEAD / THE SEATTLE TIMES

John Shea leans into a gate, exhausted, as a wildfire consumes the grounds around a friend's ranch Monday, August 13 near Cle Elum. Shea heard the news, knew his friend was at work and rushed over to his home to rescue livestock.

JOHN LOK / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Washington State University head football coach Mike Leach, left, and University of Washington head football coach Steve Sarkisian are photographed on Tuesday, July 24 at the PAC-12 Football Media Day in Los Angeles, Calif.

STEVE RINGMAN / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Jim Wickwire, left, and Jim Davis look out over the North Cascades that includes the North Cascades National Park and land that would be included in the expansion of the park. They are standing on the Slate Peak Lookout at 7,400 elevation.

ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Tattoo judges Sara Purr, Jerry Norris and Johnny Fry evaluate Lance Vangraham of Bellingham's tattoos at Seattle Center during the 11th annual expo.

DEAN RUTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Combines comb a hilltop in the Palouse, just outside of Pullman, Washington. Drought across much of the country has pushed crop prices higher; a bonus for northwest farmers who have experienced a good growing season.