2022 was a year of new beginnings, major facilities opening, and a return to travel after years of struggle during the pandemic. These photos highlight the work the Port did last year with and for the communities we serve.
February 9, 2022
Community replanting native trees in Des Moines near SEA Airport | Des Moines
Photographer and camera settings: David Ryder, Sony ILCE-9M2 | 1/3200 | f1.8 | ISO: 80
Photographer's note: During this tree planting event, I caught a simple lighthearted moment, with nice light, that helps the viewer feel the positive energy that encapsulated the morning's events.
February 18, 2022
MSC Virgo calls Terminal 5 | Terminal 5
Photographer and camera settings: Eric Drenckpohl, Skydio 2 Drone
MSC Virgo calls Terminal 5. At 15,000 TEU, it is the second largest container vessel to call Puget Sound to date. If you look carefully, you can see the Space Needle photo bomb the picture.
March 3, 2022
International Arrivals Facility opening celebration | SEA Airport
Photographer and camera settings: Natalie Fobes, Canon EOS 5D Mark II | 1/160 | f5 | ISO: 1000
Photographer's note:
George Montero’s granddaughter accompanies him for the first time in public. Now and again, she looked up at him as the notes from his flute mesmerized the crowd and resonated through the International Arrivals Facility. Her drum was a steady beat that accented the melody. It was a beautiful way to celebrate the opening of the IAF.
March 4, 2022
Arctic Fjord at berth | Terminal 91
Photographer and camera settings: Russ Read, Sony A7RII |.4 seconds | f8 | ISO: 100
Photographer's note:
“This photo was taken at Terminal 91 on Pier 91 to highlight the joint work between the Port of Seattle and our commercial fishing fleet tenants to utilize clean shore power while the ships are in port. I specifically shot this to gather the moodiness of the early morning sky. This meant using a wide angle lens, a Laowa 12mm, to capture a wide angle. It was shot on a Sony A7RII camera at ISO 100 for .4 seconds at an aperture of f8.” – Russ Read
March 4, 2022
Cruise and fishing trawlers at dawn | Terminal 91
Photographer and camera settings: Kevin Henry, DJI Mavic 2
An early morning drone shot captures the different vessels that call Terminal 91 and take advantage of the terminal’s shore power.
March 25, 2022
Bomb detection dog in training with handler | SEA Airport
Photographer and camera settings: Claire Alexander, Canon EOS 5D Mark IV | 1/320 | f1.8 | ISO: 160
Photographer's note:
An irresistibly cute new trainee dog on the bomb squad tried to follow direction but ended up grabbing a chew toy. This made it easier to get good focus on the face when asked to pull it toward the camera. The large windows in the IAF also made it possible to get a shallow depth of field because of all the beautiful light coming through.
April 6, 2022
Police and fire appreciation lunch | SEA Airport
Photographer and camera settings: Claire Alexander, Canon EOS 5D Mark IV | 1/360 | f2.8 | ISO: 200
Photographer's note:
Sam Choy provided some amazing food to say a huge thank you to the police and fire staff at the Port of Seattle that put smiles on everyone's face. It was very easy for me to get casual shots of people enjoying the event with a long lens so I could isolate moments without interrupting and get a good depth of field.
April 19, 2022
International Arrivals Facility soft open | SEA Airport
Photographer and camera settings: David Ryder, Sony ILCE-9M2 | 1/320 | f2.8 | ISO: 250
Photographer's note:
This was the first test of the facility with real passengers experiencing it. The windows in the new International Arrivals Facility allow for so much light, so I was happy when this passenger walked slowly through the bright sun, allowing me to show the sleek space, the light, and the scale of this new project.
April 21, 2022
Double rainbow on the Seattle waterfront – Bell Harbor Marina
Photographer and camera settings: Devlin Donnelly, Canon EOS M50 | 1/100 | f4.5 | ISO: 100
Photographer's note:
After a sudden and torrential rainstorm, I was able to capture a gorgeous double rainbow at Bell Harbor Marina, where apparently there must be two pots of gold!
April 23, 2022
Norwegian Bliss preps for her first Alaskan cruise of 2022 | Bell Harbor Cruise Terminal
Photographer and camera settings: David Ryder, Canon EOS M50 | 1/80 | f2.8 | ISO: 250
The first sailing of The Norwegian Bliss wouldn’t happen without the many people that make it possible. This photo is a freeze frame of the dance played out every day in every sailing when a ship is in Seattle. What we love about this photo is the contrast in direction, forms, and purposes between the forklifts provisioning the ship, the K-9 security team, and the fun Wyland art decorating the hull of the NCL Bliss.
April 30, 2022
Clipper Around the World race | Bell Harbor Marina
Photographer and camera settings: David Ryder, Sony ILCE-9M2 | 1/500 | f7.1 | ISO: 125
Photographer's note:
As spectators and sponsors gathered on a deck at the Edgewater Hotel to view the Clipper Around the World Yacht Race leaving Bell Harbor Marina, I caught this moment that showed both the boats and the excitement of spectators.
May 10, 2022
IAF hard opening | SEA Airport
Photographer and camera settings: Devlin Donnelly, Canon EOS M50 | 1/125 | f3.5 | ISO 100
Photographer's note:
This was it, the day years in the making, the International Arrivals Facility was complete and fully operational. Years of design, construction, testing, and celebrations were done, and this was the first day it was used on a regular basis for all incoming international flights. Seeing passengers from all corners of the globe experience the new, beautiful building was really inspiring after the years of work put in by so many to make this day possible.
May 19, 2022
Workers prepare to plug in the Holland America Eurodam into Shore Power | Terminal 91
Photographer and camera settings: Claire Alexander, Canon C300 | 1/120 | f2.8 | ISO: 1500 Video Still
The photo shows Holland America's Eurodam cruise ship being plugged into shore power at Terminal 91. These large cables were captured on video being hauled onto the ship and prepped for plug in.
June 13, 2022
Club SEA opening celebration | SEA Airport
Photographer and camera settings: Devlin Donnelly, Canon EOS M50 | 1/80 | f2.8 | ISO: 250
Photographer's note: A brief lull during the opening of the new Club SEA Lounge on S Concourse allowed a couple of my amazing coworkers a moment to relax in a beautiful new space.
July 7, 2022
Osprey at the Duwamish River People’s Park and Shoreline Habitat | Seattle
Photographer and camera settings: Eric Drenckpohl, DJI Skydio 2 Drone
Photographer's note: The Duwamish River People’s Park hosts a pair of nesting osprey, nicknamed “Birdie” and “Chinook” by local children. They had their first pair of fledglings in 2022.
July 16, 2022
Duwamish River People’s Park Opening Celebration – Seattle
Photographer and camera settings: Natalie Fobes, Canon EOS R6 | 1/5 | f11 | ISO: 400
Photographer's note:
I had noticed this dancer earlier in the celebration. She was so vibrant! She had a smile that matched the joyful music. I positioned myself so I could capture the celebrants walking out on the pier. When she saw me she smiled and flipped her skirt adding colorful movement to the composition.
July 16, 2022
The community enjoys the Duwamish River People’s Park and Shoreline Habitat | Seattle
Photographer and camera settings: Natalie Fobes, Canon EOS R6 | 1/5 | f11 | ISO: 400
Photographer's note: The juxtaposition of a young couple reconnecting to the Duwamish River, the restored shoreline, and the former Jorgenson Forge across the river makes for a great composition. It highlights the many interests, uses, and needs of the community, the environment, and industry.
July 19, 2022
Port of Seattle Police 50th Anniversary badge macro photo | Seattle
Photographer and camera settings: Claire Alexander, Canon EOS 5D Mark IV | .4 seconds | ISO: 100
Photographer's note: To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Port of Seattle Police Department, we used a special macro lens to capture the amazing detail on the Port Police’s special 50th anniversary badge.
August 2, 2022
Fishermen Boat Safety Certification | Fishermen's Terminal
Photographer and camera settings: Claire Alexander Canon EOS R5 | 1/2500 | f2.8 | ISO: 160
Photographer's note: Putting a dry suit on for this certification training is a labor intensive task that gave me enough time to catch the smiles and struggles of the process while the colorful suits framed the image.
August 8, 2022
Neighborhood Night Out | Shilshole Bay Marina
Photographer and camera settings: Claire Alexander Canon EOS R5 | 1/1600 | f1.8 | ISO: 160
Photographer's note: A tiny car next to big scale items was too cute not to capture. This was a fun way to show the welcoming environment at the Neighborhood Night Out where families and community members were welcomed to eat and explore the roles of local police and fire while receiving fun trinkets and swag.
October 10, 2022
Tahitian dancers at the Tahiti Nui Airlines inaugural flight celebration | SEA Airport
Photographer and camera settings: Claire Alexander, Canon 5D Mark IV | 1/300| f4.5 | ISO: 3600
Photographer's note: It has been a year of expansion at SEA, between the IAF, N Concourse expansion, and all the new direct flights! It has been so special to see the celebrations of culture connecting to Seattle in the last year. Tahitian airlines traditional dancers were stunning, and it was easy to take dynamic shots that were well balanced because of the geometric formations and dynamic movement. I used a higher shutter speed to try and capture the movement.
November 3, 2022
Dia De Los Muertos Celebration | SEA Airport
Photographer and camera settings: Claire Alexander, Canon EOS R5 | 1/200 | f 3.2 | ISO: 1600
Photographer's note: LaCretiah Claytor and Efrain Lopez enjoy the festivities at the Dia De Los Muertos celebration for passengers and employees at SEA Airport. It’s hard not to be impressed with Efrain’s distinctive “charro” mariachi suit showing pride in both his Latino heritage and his beloved Seattle Seahawks.
November 23, 2022
Gina Marie Lindsey Hall at night – SEA Airport
Photographer and camera settings: Devlin Donnelly, Canon EOS M50 | 8 Seconds | f16 | ISO 100
Photographer's note: Photography literally means ‘painting with light’ and night is always a great time to experiment with long exposures and see the world in a, well, different light.
December 5, 2022
Central Terminal window wall | SEA Airport
Photographer and camera settings: Claire Alexander, Canon EOS 5D Mark IV | 1/800 | f2 | ISO: 400
Photographer's note: I was originally shooting photos of the newly opened Salty’s Restaurant in the Central Terminal and noticed a mom and daughter taking in the view of the airfield. This created some great foreground elements and gave a nice background for a calm traveler moment at SEA.
December 30, 2022
Volunteer Breakfast | SEA Airport
Photographer and camera settings: Claire Alexander, Canon EOS R5 | 1/200 | f1.8 | ISO: 1000
Photographer's note: A super sweet moment during our annual celebration to say thank you to the volunteers that give so much to airport customer service. A great expression as she receives her recognition award after glowing remarks from customers and coworkers.