A Spring Fling

It is still a couple of weeks away from official Spring but a sunny and dry day got me out and about in Hendricks Park here in town.  The spring blooms are just starting and I know over the next few weeks the park is going to just erupt with color and probably with photographers.  Crocus seem to be the bravest of the early bloomers and manage to stick their gorgeous little heads up even in the snow. This shot is nothing special but I love the color and they always brighten my spirit.

As I walked around the garden looking for flowers I walked right past this broken down plant from last autumn’s cold and rain.  I walked on for a bit but returned.  I had one lens with me – a 100 mm Macro and had it on my tripod – I was the zoom.  My friend Dave Hill sent me a great poem about the coming of Spring and the following line is the last from the first verse and I think fits the following image rather nicely.

“Bedraggled, disheveled,

Dead leaves sticking to her hair.”

This image will not be to everyone’s taste but I love the variety of color and texture  – just a little look into nature.  You can always double click on any image to get a larger view.

Seal Rocks

I was thinking about starting this post with some comment about being at or going to the Edge but decided that was entirely too derivative of recent photographic based television shows so I will just say that “I finally made it”  and I got there in time for the sunset.  Parked the car and headed down the path toward the beach.  After making my way across some seriously ankle twisting rocks and debris I got on the beach and was welcomed with the following image.  The first of the evening.  It was a nice sunset albeit not the best I have experienced at Seal Rocks.

I set up and waited about 1/2 hour for sunset to really come on.  Found this little stream running across the beach and it helped, I think, to set off the image.  There was a cloud bank hanging just over the water and it swallowed the sun about 15 minutes before actual sunset. It is always a bit of gamble heading over for a sunset – isn’t there some movie line about a box of chocolates?

The real accomplishment of this trip was that I managed to do a shoot at the ocean and not get wet.  Bruce and Dave will totally understand this statement.  I think I have finally mined the images from this outing and am thinking of what is to come.  Thanks so much for looking and as always your comments are welcome.

Winter bones

My outings these days seem to be predicated on the weather and yesterday we had sun and blue sky.  Mid-afternoon I packed up and headed for Seal Rock just north of Waldport on the Oregon Coast.  On the way I got glimpses of bare alders against the dark conifers but was pointed to my goal of a sunset  shoot at Seal Rock – that post is still to come.

I stopped at the Wave Gallery in Yachats and had a very nice visit with Bruce Keller – the owner  and a wonderful award winning photographer who just happened to be printing some of his images of the alders against the conifers.  He generously guided me up the Yachats River just out of town – what  a beautiful drive.  The winter bones of the alder stood out so wonderfully and while I did not have much time if I was going to make it up north for the sunset I did manage to capture a few images I like.  The sun was dropping and the remaining light made the alder stand out in the landscape.  I could spend the entire day working that area.

I tried processing these to B&W but was not at all happy with the results.  The following image is a 4 shot panorama and is very large so you may want to double click on it to get a larger view.

The sunset images from Seal Rock are still in the works.  Hope you come back for a visit.

Cookie Cows

I do not know the real name of these cows but I am pretty sure there is an authentic bovine moniker for them.  However, for now I am choosing to go with OREO’s.  If any of you do know the real name perhaps you could add a comment to this post and let us all know.

On another and totally personal note my lovely grandniece, Suki, just received an award for her photography and she is now on to State competition.  Suki Rocks!!

The Mundane

A few weeks ago my friend Dave Gibson sent along a link to a talk given by Chris Orwig at the TED conference.  The talk was called “Finding the Magnificent in the Mundane”  – http://www.chrisorwig.com/flipside/2011/12/08/tedx-talk-finding-the-magnificent-in-the-mundane/  I loved the talk and the thoughts it conveyed.

I am in no way suggesting that I found the magnificent in the two images below – in fact they are both sort of mundane but I sure had a great time shooting them. It was such a soft almost spring like afternoon.  Nice to be out looking for the mundane – fits me I guess.

The hill really does slope like that guys so no straightening!!  – a common problem of mine.  Glad to see the old tree made it through time and field clearing.

I am sure this is VERY common little bird but it is beautiful just the same – I think.

(You can always click on any of the images to get a larger version on a separate screen)

Sally Hill thinks this bird is a Gold Crowned Sparrow and I think this shot helps to confirm that.  So maybe not all that common.

An Evening with the Sisters

The cold clear weather we have had for the last couple of days got me to thinking that sunset over the 3-Sisters from CP Point might turn out to be a good one.  It was OK but not the best I have ever experienced up there.  I left mid-afternoon which gave me enough time to stop in Sisters for a cup of Black Butte Gold coffee and a bit of a wander through town.  The small dirt access road that used to lead up to the trail to CP Point is now blocked with some seriously large barrier rocks so from now on getting to the viewpoint requires a bit more of a hike.  Actually a very easy and pleasant walk.

I ran into a couple and their dog who were out for a hike and somehow got sort of turned around but it was easy enough to point them back down the hill and I ended up having a really nice visit with these north Texas ex-patriots – currently living in Sisters.  When I first got to the overlook the setting sun was just blasting away any hope of shooting the Sisters but I manage to get what I think is a nice shot of Mt. Jefferson in the distance and I think it looks better in Black and White.

After parting with the couple I met on the trail I settled down to read and wait for the sunset.  It was so easy to tell when it happened as the temperature noticeably dropped and I found myself reaching for the zipper on my coat and digging my gloves out of my pack.  The contrails from the jets were annoying but I did manage to find a short time in order to shoot the scene when it was not streaked with straight white lines.  It was a lovely evening and a nice easy drive home – bright lights and music on the CD player.