Seattle Photography by Matt McDonald
Dec 23
by Matt in News, Seattle, Travels 0 comments

My Favorite Photos of 2025

2025 has been quite a year, and it was fun to look back on all the media I captured. More than ever, I realized just how many different aspect ratios I worked in this year, which honestly got a little silly. So this photo recap focuses on my favorite horizontal photos. Trying to make a year-in-review post that works across multiple social media sizes is more time than I want to spend on this small annual project. With that in mind, these are my favorite photos of the year based purely on my own judgment. They’re the images I enjoyed the most and that brought me the most joy during the creative process. If this recap were based on social media engagement, it would look very different and lean much more toward journalism-focused content. On that note, enjoy, and I’ll see you in 2026. Super Leo! I did a little marketing promo for the Superman movie and Leo with a Krypto stuffy. You can see the full post HERE. While taking the ferry back from Bainbridge Island these three sailboats lined up perfectly. I was in Seabrook capturing photos for work and happened to bring along a Teenage Mutant Ninja […]
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Jun 23
by Matt in Seattle 0 comments

Seattle Ballooning’s Hot Air Balloon Spectacular

For the first time in Seattle history, six towering 100-foot-tall hot air balloons glowed beneath the Space Needle, and I captured some of the magic for Do206.com. The Seattle Ballooning’s Hot Air Balloon Spectacular took place on Sunday, June 22, at dusk on the International Fountain Lawn at Seattle Center. Here are a few photos photo I captured from the event and I hope they bring this back next year.  
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Apr 08
by Matt in Landscapes, Seattle 0 comments

Thunderstorms Roll Through Seattle

My experience of the thunderstorm last night in Seattle. I really should have worn rain pants and I am pretty excited that hail the size of golf balls did not spoil the lightning capture party. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Matt McDonald (@equalmotion)
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Apr 08
by Matt in Landscapes, Seattle 0 comments

Spring Colors in Seattle

I love capturing those pretty pink petals around Seattle once spring arrives and the cherry and plum blossoms bloom. This year was no different. I found some new pretty sidewalks to capture and even had a chance to capture some 1 + minute long exposure photos of cherry blossoms.
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Jan 16
by Matt in Action, News, Seattle 0 comments

Thanks for everything Pete Carroll

Thanks for everything Pete Carroll! A few photos I captured on the sideline of the winningest coach in Seahawks history who led the Hawks to the Super Bowl title. He will not be returning as the coach in 2024, but is staying on as a team advisor.  Also, Seattle artist Rudy Willingham put together an amazing tribute to Pete Carroll using 150 pieces of gum. I will now refer to it as the Pete Carroll Seattle Gum Wall going forward. Last, but not least a big thanks to Pete for reposting my photo before the 2014 Super Bowl. My photo went on to represent the Seahawks in the Super Bowl on Good Morning America and is still one of my more popular prints.
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Sep 20
by Matt in News, Seattle 0 comments

NW Trolls: Way of the Bird King Photography

I live in the Fremont Neighborhood of Seattle, so I have captured a couple photos of a troll in the past. With that being said I was excited to hear about Thomas Dambo’s “Northwest Trolls: Way of the Bird King” art installation coming to the Pacific Northwest. These art pieces are created out of recycled materials, which makes them even cooler in my opinion. That being said here are some photos of the Northwest Trolls. The Ballard Troll in front of the Nordic Museum The West Seattle Troll at Lincoln Park – Brun Idun Bainbridge Island Troll – Pia The Peacekeeper Here’s some video on my Instagram account as well.
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Apr 04
by Matt in Landscapes, Seattle 0 comments

Spring Colors Around Seattle

Spring in Seattle is beautiful. The pink colorful version comes in small waves though with the plum blossoms going first, then the cherry blossoms at the Quad at UW, and then the rest of the neighborhood trees showing off their spring colors. Here are a few of my favorite spring colors in Seattle photos.
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Dec 31
by Matt in News, Seattle 0 comments

Seattle King Tides Photos

Each year in December the King Tides return in the Pacific Northwest and slight flooding of our shoreline appears. King tides occur when the orbits and alignment of the Earth, moon, and sun combine to produce the greatest tidal effects of the year. This year was no different and I ventured out to Alki Beach Park in West Seattle to capture some photos you can see below. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Matt McDonald (@equalmotion)
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Oct 17
by Matt in News, Seattle 0 comments

Washington Wildfire Smoke Takes over Seattle

I started noticing wildfire smoke in the skyline in Bellingham in 2011. It was just a little bit of haze at that point from a massive wildfire in Siberia. Over the years the wildfire smoke has gotten worse from fires in British Columbia and California. By 2016, nearly every summer had pretty bad wildfire smoke for a week or two. In 2022, the wildfire smoke is due to a fire on this side of the mountains the Bolt Creek Fire, and Seattle has been covered in smoke for over a month. On October 16th, 2022 it was nearly 80 degrees in Seattle and the smoke was so thick you could see shadows from it under the Aurora Bridge, which was a first. As a former photojournalist who still enjoys documenting the world around me I have been capturing photos each smoke season in Seattle and you can see some of them below. I am not happy about this new normal on the west coast and really hope somehow this trend gets reversed, but that might be reckless optimism on my behalf.
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Dec 31
by Matt in News, Seattle 0 comments

2021 Seattle Snow Storms

It started snowing in Seattle the day after Christmas and the snow did not clear for over a week. Since I am living on the border of Wallingford and Fremont each day I took a walk through the neighborhoods with my camera and my trusty photo assistance Charlie. Since I didn’t do a blog post from the Feb snow storm in Seattle I also included some of those photos below. Take a look at the photos of Seattle covered in the snow below and enjoy!
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