Coastal follow-up

Just one more from my time at Shore Acres yesterday.  This one is a wide angle shot that shows the shoreline with the surf – a bit of a different perspective.  Loving my new wide angle lens.

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Surf’s UP

Don’t be thinking there is going to be any Beach Boys music associated with this post.  Surfing was not going to happen this morning at Shore Acres.  Yesterday the National Weather Service posted a High Surf advisory for the Oregon Coast and the Coos Bay surf report indicated that the BIG STUFF was coming in after 0900.  I got to Shore Acres about 0830 and it was windy and a bit rainy but nothing that would have me cowering in the car – that was yet to come.

The shots below are pretty much a time series.  The first one is looking north from the overview about 0900.

That black sky to the west was a real good indication of what was coming.  Along with just a few other photographers I shot here for about an hour and a half – pouring rain and really windy (65 mph gusts predicted but I don’t think it got that stiff but still enough to knock over my tripod at one point)

I like the receding surf draped over the rocks and the mist in the image below.

After a bit of time drying gear and warming me I went back out and the waves were in full tilt and breaking across a band of rock to create some interesting patterns in the waves.

I finally, about 1030. walked to the southern view from the overlook.  Lot’s of action in that direction as well.

I have photographed at Shore Acres a few times before but this set of breakers was very impressive.  Larger images – click on them – are so much better for viewing.

Image toning

Taken last autumn near the Malheur Field Station south of Burns. I had some guidance on toning this image from Walt O’Brien  Am still working on how to get this process right so that the image has the look of a Platinum/palladium print – very hard to duplicate the real process in Photoshop but worth a try.   Click for a larger view on your monitor.

Salt Creek Snow

Big storm came thru the West Coast on Saturday evening.  The remains were blowing thru the Cascades on Sunday morning as I drove up Willamette Pass.  I could see new  snow about !/2 way up the hills so was really looking forward to some fresh snow and simple scenes that can develop during those times.  Between the 2,000 and 3,000 foot level lite snow was hitting the windshield and above 3,000 feet the snow was coming down in earnest. So wonderful to see the mountains begin to fill up with snow.

Salt Creek Falls is normally the big attraction for those traveling up Highway 58 for a day in the mountains but right now I think the new snow tops it.  The one below is looking upstream – Salt Creek.  I got a few nice shots but nothing really good – just nice to be out and about.

The First Last Light

Spent the first evening of the new year at one of my favorite local spots hoping for a sunset.  I got one.  First shot was just as I walked up to the pond along the access path and my first reaction was “Oh Wow!:

The light was dropping and the color in the sky was coming on both over the water and in the adjacent field where the image below developed.

Moving back to the edge of the reservoir I watched the evening light come on.  I stayed until pretty much everything went flat and dull and walked out in the dark.  Love the sounds that come on during those times – bullfrogs and geese.

What a nice way to start a new year and I hope there are many more to come.  Click on the images for a larger view.  Comments are more than welcome.

 

WMCAS

My thanks to Perri Schelat for the tip to go out and do WMCAS – went to Golden Gardens a few mornings ago and took a few shots – I know I will take hundreds trying to get a good one but this is a start. Oh! What is WMCAS?? Waving My Camera Around at Shit. This one was taken handheld with a 6 stop ND filter and after a few tips from Perri I think I like this one pretty well.

Winter Etchings

“The thin snow now driving from the north and lodging on my coat consists of those beautiful star crystals . . . Nature full of genius, full of the divinity; so that not a snowflake escapes its fashioning hand” 

Henry David Thoreau

The forecast was for another rain front moving in yesterday albeit a bit colder than the preceding one.  On the lookout for snow I headed toward one of my favorite places to photograph – Clear Lake and Fish Lake.  I made an intermediate stop at Olallie CG to photograph in the old growth.  See yesterdays post.  It was spitting snow when I left the campground and headed up river.  When I got to Clear Lake the weather had morphed into a full on snow storm.  I went out on the dock at the resort – seriously snowing and blowing. (I think I could hear Elvis singing Blue Christmas)   Love being coated by snow.

By converting these images to Black and White I can almost get the look of an etching – the branches stark against the storm filled sky and I think it captures the cold really well.  (Not nearly as good as the work I see of print artists like my friends Heather and Mika.)

Four wheel drive on the road up the hill back to the highway and more snow on the road up to Fish Lake near Santiam Junction.  Another black and white winter etching below.

Time in the mountains, in the snow, with my camera is a real gift and yesterday felt like a day late Christmas present.  Click on the images for larger views.

Simple forms

My brother in law and sister gave me a copy of Art Wolfe’s new book – Trees: Between Earth and Heaven – for Christmas – so generous.  It is wonderful book full of his amazing images complemented by great writing.  (https://store.artwolfe.com/product/trees-between-earth-heaven/)

This morning I headed up McKenzie Pass looking for snow – which I found near the top – but along the way I made a stop in the old growth at Olallie Campground and thanks to the book which triggered my eye to  look for images — the simple forms of trees.  The image below if a 3 shot panorama that measures out 48×15 inches.   Please click on the image to get a larger screen view.    Welcome to the forest.

 

 

Christmas Fruit

Christmas fruit — …”at Christmas the apple tree was the subject of the honoring ceremony called wassailing” (Art Wolfe) – thus the Christmas standard song. and wassail punch.  Hope you are having a wonderful day.

Crooked River Overlook

Guided thru the back roads on the way to Smith Rocks by my friend Leslie, who lives in Sisters, we topped a small ridge.  I pulled over to see the view in front of us which was looking east – got out of the car and looked west – it was my good fortune to see this landscape image spread out before me.  Took my time to compose it carefully.  What a treat to find this spot, especially as the storm came in that evening.  I know I will be back next autumn – color season – and perhaps in the spring with fresh growth.  I like this image a lot and while I may be done with it I will come back and review with fresh eyes in couple of days.

Click on the image for a larger view