Location

“Good inner guidance can avoid a lot of common excesses that tend to stymie creative development, such as relying too much on standard practice or becoming too dependent on limiting habits. One common habit that can be especially limiting in landscape photography is putting too much emphasis on locations and not enough on our relationships with them.”   Erin Babnik

I read a blog posting from Erin Babnik, a member of the PhotoCascadia group, yesterday over morning coffee and I certainly do agree with her above comment. Actually the whole article is worth reading — https://www.photocascadia.com/looking-beyond-locations-in-landscape-photography/

I think it is one of the main reasons I have avoided photography workshops –  “Place your tripod here and point your camera with these predetermined settings in that direction and you will get a great image of this iconic landscape”  Perhaps but…!!

With the weather changing last night after a few days of clear blue sky I headed for one of my favorite locations near Fern Ridge reservoir.  Windy and nice clouds coming along.  A harbinger of change coming over the Valley.  Also sort of like visiting an old friend.  My relationship with this area!  Home Ground!

The weather front was on its way and rain is even predicted for this afternoon.

Thanks for looking and I welcome your comments.

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Sweet Creek Falls

There is something very intimate about walking in a Pacific NW Old Growth forest on a rainy day.  Such was this morning as I hiked along the trail leading to Sweet Creek Falls.  Pouring rain, alder and vine maple bursting bud, the first of the year trillium blooms and a wonderful stream dancing its way to join the Siuslaw River all quieted my mind and made me glad for where I was.

I parked at the upper trail head which made for an easier walk to the falls but I was soaked when I got there.  Luckily I had a rain shield for my camera which while rather clumsy to use it kept the rain off while walking.

I think this waterfall is one of my favorites and the soft morning light and moderate flows help to set it off in its little grotto.

Comments are always welcome and appreciated.  Click for a larger view

 

 

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.

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.

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.

 

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.

Magical Places

Over the past couple of months I have been fortunate to visit two magical art and ecology institutions in Oregon.  In February I stopped for a return visit to PLAYA at Summer Lake (http://playasummerlake.org/) in the heart of Central Oregon at the edge of the Great Sandy Desert.  Today I stopped at the Sitka Center for Art and Ecology (www.sitkacenter.org)  located on the Central Oregon Coast just north of Lincoln City.  Two very different ecosystems  that share a magic that can best be described only by being there – peace infusion.

I have heard about the Sitka Center from friends here in Eugene who have conducted workshops over there and one who just returned from a 3 month residency.  I have been wanting to head that way for a some time – not sure what kept me from going.  Today was the day – windy and rainy – iconic Oregon Coast weather.  Along the way I stopped at Devil’s Punchbowl between Newport and Lincoln City near Otter Rock.  I had hoped for surf large enough to spout up thru the bowl for a dramatic image but the surf was just not big enough to get that to happen.  So consider this a scouting trip and I will be hawking the websites for a day when the surf comes round.  Still it is always great to be on the Oregon Coast.

The above image is just an overview of the area.  The next image is of the punch bowl.  Would love to see the surf come pounding thru that opening and erupting in the bowl.  Perhaps next time.

I drove on up to the Sitka Center and got a tour from a very gracious young woman named Kimberly.  Great location, studio space, quiet and creatively spacious.  On the way out I stopped to photograph a small stream that crossed the access road. The skunk cabbage is just coming into bloom – love the way they light up the green field.

I think the next trip up there calls for an overnight stay – evening and morning light.  Thanks for looking.

 

Hult Lake

I stopped for a short visit at Walt O’Brien’s studio the other day and there were some very nice images on the walls taken at a lake I had never heard of.  I asked Walt about the location and it turned out it was relatively close to Eugene – in the Coast Range.  I followed Hwy. 36 west – stopped at the Low Pass store for directions – pretty easy and accurate and drove on to the cutoff for the map dot of Horton – at least I think I went thru Horton – hard to tell.  At Horton  (not a Who in sight!) the road splits and I took the right fork and in a few miles came to Hult Lake which I found out is also called Horton Pond and is basically a reservoir.

This was a bit of scouting trip for future photo opportunities but I luckily found the lake shrouded in fog.  I shot my way along the shore and found some places that I think will be great come the autumn color.  The image below was taken after about an hour of shooting and was as the morning sun was just beginning to burn off the fog coating the lake.   If you click on the image to get a larger view I think it is better.  I welcome your comments here or on FB.

Another visit

Even while feeling pretty miserable for most of the past week I did notice that slowly I was starting to come around.  I watched the weather forecasts daily if not more frequently and noticed that changing weather was on the menu for Friday into Saturday for the Oregon Coast.  Sometimes that can mean that the dull thick cloudy sky that laid in all week continues but sometimes it can mean dissipating clouds making for a nice sunset.  Such was the case last night – a beautiful evening on the beach at Bandon, OR.

I went to Bandon last year about this same time so this felt like a good time to go plus I got to visit with friends Steve and Susan Dimock and hear all about their  recent trip to Ecuador – Susan has posted some great entries on her blog – especially one from the Galapagos Islands – such interesting animals and great photographs.  http://www.susandimock.com/blog/

Was hoping that either Steven or Susan could join me in an evening shoot on the beach but Steve was busy with motel chores and Susan seemed to be coming down with this crud that is making the rounds.  Hope it passed her by.

I got to the beach a bit early and just wandered around looking for what I hoped would be interesting compositions.  Found the one below and the shadow line pointed me to a Black and White composition.

As the sunset time came on I found a place to set up and wait for what the light had to offer.  Was quickly joined by 3 other photographers but we call seemed to coexist for the evening.  As you can see from the image below I thought for a bit that I was going to lose the light as the sun sank into that cloud mass but I held my ground and crossed my fingers.

I waited about 20 minutes all the while convinced that the light would show up in that strand of red light on the horizon.  Yes!!

I kept shooting and moved a bit but the evening was so great I was just transfixed.  The shot below is just about the last of the images and as you can see I moved around a bit to be sure I had the Wizards Hat full in the frame.  Hiked back to the car, drove to town and found dinner and a beer at the Bandon Brewing Company.

The next morning I went over to the banks of the Coquille River – the prediction was for fog and I was hoping to photograph the lighthouse in the fog but it did not materialize.  Instead I concentrated of a row of rocks just out in the flow.  A nice morning view and a friend on the rocks.

Be sure to click on the images for a larger view and I welcome your comments.  It was a great trip – renewed both my spirit and my health.  Hardly a sniffle or a cough today.

 

LensWork…

… is a high quality thrice yearly magazine that displays the work of established and accomplished photographic artists.    The current issue highlights the work of Chuck Kimmerle who lives in Casper, WY.  The monograph, #10 in the series,  is in Black and White (which Chuck currently shoots almost exclusively)  – beautifully composed simple images of interior west landscapes.    It is certainly an inspiration and a motivation to me.  (http://www.lenswork.com)

On the way to the Oregon Coast yesterday I passed an abandoned warehouse situated between the highway and the Siuslaw River near the map dot of Cushman.  I had to drive a bit down the road, turn around and come back to find a place to park that was somewhat safe and off the heavily traveled highway.  The access road was blocked with some serious sized rocks so I just walked in.  I love looking for abstract images in old and decaying buildings and this one presented me with lots of subjects.  I opted for Black and White image processing and really had that setting in mind when I took them.   There are 4 images below.  I wish I could say they even came close to the images in LensWork but I am grateful for inspiration.

The first image was a separated wall on one end of building that was brightly lit against the darkness of the interior of the warehouse.

The next image is of the struts holding the ceiling etc.  I was attracted to the pattern.

That roof does have a few holes – sort of decaying skylights.

Finally as I wandered about the building I just noticed a simple pipe against a corrugated steel wall that sort of stood out for me due to its simplicity.  You can click on any of the images for a larger view which I recommend and as always I welcome your comments. Thanks for looking.