Downtown Studios

Every 3rd Friday of each month during the spring and summer months the City holds an artist event in the downtown square called “Studio Without Walls”.  Print makers, painters, musicians, weavers and a nice gathering of people just drawing or watching.  This wonderful woman – below – was the model for the drawing circle.  Wonderful energy and a generous spirit.  She certainly attracted a covey of photographers.

I usually do not do Street Photography so was glad that I threw my camera over my shoulder when I decided to go to the event for an hour or so.  What fun!!

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End of Summer

The last days of summer are upon us.  The days are getting more even and the mornings are chilly and the local apples are ripe and crisp.   Last night I went out to the wetlands, a place I love to photograph.  The sunset was colorful and just filled the sky.  This panorama was shot near official sunset – light dropping fast.  Click on the image for a larger view which I think helps.

Not sure what it is about mud but I found myself stuck in the mud along the bank and once again came home in need of a good rinse.

 

Coastal Storms

I was fortunate enough to spend Tuesday and Wednesday of this week with my sister and brother-in-law at the Canon Beach/Seaside area.  I decided to drive up the coastal highway from Eugene – slower for sure but I think much more interesting than just blasting my way up I-5 and then over to the coast.  Storms were predicted and they came about.  Lots of intense rain showers as I drove along but it cleared from time to time along the road and when we connected at Hug Point, just south of Canon Beach, it was relatively clear – nice building clouds and you could tell there were other bursts of rain in the future.  We packed up and headed for the beach.  What fun!  I was just drawn into photographing the beach and the hovering clouds.  Got so involved that I did not pay attention to the incoming tide and am grateful to my brother-in-law for the gentle nudge – “Let’s get out of here the tide is coming in”  Did a get a nice shot of the next incoming storm cloud against the headland.

We got settled in various motels and gathered for dinner at a local seafood restaurant in Seaside.  The plan for the evening was to go back south to Arcadia Beach just south of Canon Beach.  Such a different evening than the time I shot up there a couple of years ago.  The image below is my attempt to capture the next incoming storm cloud and I have say it was not more than 10 minutes before it unleashed a torrent of rain.

Thanks again Paul for the help getting body and camera off the beach in the driving rain.  We were both pretty soaked by the time we got to the car.  My sister had wisely headed back earlier and she stayed dry.

Back to a dry Seaside and a nice bottle of wine given to me by Dr. Heather Erickson of the CFC – sat on a nice deck and watched the last of the evening light disappear.

My goal the next morning was to drive to the small Washington coastal town of Ilwaco with the intent of photographing at Dead Man’s Cove.  I had seen an image created by David Brookover,  https://www.brookovergallery.com/  a few months back and was just motivated to get to the area.  I connected with a local maintenance worker who was so helpful.  His one statement to me about the access to the cove was that the trail while short was very steep.  NO KIDDING!!  Straight down in places and combined with the mud from the rain it was not easy going and coming back up was worse.  Mud, Mud, Mud – to the entertainment of people in the parking lot when I returned.  Whining aside Dead Man’s Cove is a magical place and I did come away with one good image.

The drive home necessitated a change of clothes in a gas station in Astoria.  I did stop in Portland to off load some money at ProPhoto Supply and then it was time to head home down the freeway.

As usual you can get a larger view of these images by clicking on them and comments are always welcome.  Prints, if desired are also available.

 

Familiar ground

My friend Tim reminded me yesterday that I had to be “out there” in order to get images – and sometimes you even got one or two that really worked.  Went back out to familiar ground, the West Eugene wetlands, yesterday evening.  Saw clouds filling the sky with interesting patterns – thinking about a Joni Mitchell song.  The B&W image was early in the evening and the color image was just before heading home near sunset.

So nice to be out in cool autumn air with colorful sky.

on Landscape

I got word from Charlotte Britton at on-Landscpae e-magazine that the attached images are included in the current issue, #165

https://www.onlandscape.co.uk/

Very happy to have these shown.  Not sure you can view them without a subscription so I have attached them below with a little information on Steens Mountain.

Steens Mountain is an iconic part of the Oregon High Desert landscape. … Southeastern Oregon’s basalt flows underwent severe geological stress during the Pliocene Epoch, from 5.3 to 2.6 million years ago, expanding and compressing along north-to-south fault zones to create a basin-and-range terrain.  These Gorges start near the top (~9,700 feet) on the west facing slope and carry down into lower elevation. 

The first three were shot last September and the last image was shot the September before and Yes I am headed back this coming autumn.    If you click on an image you can get a much larger view on your screen.

Sunset near the top of Little Blitzen GorgeBig Indian GorgeKiger GorgeSunset over Fish Creek 

 

Out of the Smoke

After what was a miserable afternoon yesterday – heat, wind and smoke – the air started to settle toward the last hour before sunset.  I went out to Shorelane Park to see what the sunset would bring.  Sometimes horrible conditions can make for interesting light.  These two images were shot about 30 minutes apart – the 2nd one right before official sunset time.  Came home with a set of lenses that needed cleaning and a nose that needed blowing!!

Another round trip

Just a couple of lines to THANK YOU! all for the kind and thoughtful birthday wishes yesterday and a special thanks to my dear twin sister for accompanying me on this journey.  You are the best

This image was shot at a little pond along the Willamette Pass highway on my way to SunRiver.  Morning sun  breaking thru the haze.

 

Sunset/Sunrise

“A Repeatable Miracle”

DeWitt Jones

Often referred to by landscape photographers as The Magic Hour it is roughly that half hour before and after official sunrise or sunset.   Magic images can be made at those times but not always.  Still a repeatable miracle just sometimes not as dramatic.

After having dinner in a new brewpub in Bend with four of my favorite people:  Tanner, Jenna, Thea and Riley I headed out looking for a sunset.  Initially I was going to go up to Sparks Lake and the Ray Atkeson Overlook but the haze and smoke building up against the mountains did not look promising.  Instead but mostly by mistake I went up Tumalo Creek and got there just as the sunset color and light was coming on.  The light at Tumalo Creek gave me hope for a sunset at Sparks but when I got on the right road and headed up into the mountains it was clear (no pun intended) that a sunset was not going to develop.

Leaving my motel early this morning (0430) I headed back to Sparks Lake with the hope of a sunrise full of color and drama.  I had hope when I shot the image below that the color would develop but it just did not come around – smoke and haze filled the scene as the morning light came up.  Oh Well, sure nice to be out and about in the mountains.   As always click for a larger view and I look forward to your comments.

 

Sunrise greetings

Flowers, a smile, the light in someone’s eye. A kind act, a helping hand, a moment of understanding. There are a thousand sunrises everyday if we have eyes to see them. 

                                                         – Dewitt Jones

The smoke from the wildfires around the State and in Northern California often times can make for some interesting images.  I went out early this morning hoping to find that I had the eyes to see what came along.  It was a quiet, sort of warm, morning gentle and full of subtle color.

A fellow drove past me and stopped to tell  me that that was smoke in the those fields and I had best get out of there.  He seemed a bit perturbed when I told him it was ground fog not smoke.  Drove off in a huff!!  Oh Well!!

Stay cool and enjoy.

Down to the Shore

… but without boats.  I went over to Florence and Cape Perpetua Scenic Area mostly to just get out of the heat and stale air that seems to enveloped the Valley.  It was so nice being in the cool marine air with clouds rafting over the hills and since I got there pretty early the traffic was light and I pretty much had the beach to myself.  I was looking for Thor’s Well and I think I found it but am not clear. May take another trip and a closer examination of maps.

However on the way back to the car over the rocky ground that lead to Thor’s Well  I found a simple ocean/shore view that I really liked.  This image was shot with a 10 ND filter mounted on a Canon 16-35mm wide angle lens stopped down to f22, long exposure smoothed out the waves and I converted to Black and White in PS.  Favorite image of the day.  I have a few more that I will post on FB.  Be sure to click on the image for what I think is a pleasing view and I welcome your comments.