Foggy morning – Hult Lake

Once again fog filled the Valley and followed the hills of the Coast Range this morning. I decided to visit one of my favorite local spots to see if fall color was coming strong and to take advantage of how fog can enhance a scene. It was very dark when I arrived but after 30 minutes the light started to come on and I started shooting.

This first image has what I think of as an oriental orientation. Maybe that is me.

Wandering about on foot and in the car I came across a bit of a backwater pond with alder reflected in the still water.

Given the time of year it is I was thinking that autumn colored leaves would be scattered all over. There was some but I think viewing the patterns without the color makes for an interesting image.

As always your comments are more than welcome

 

Astoria abstract

“If all you see is what there is to be seen,

then you are not seeing all there is to see”

Sometimes just moving the camera a bit while the shutter is open can produce interesting images seen in different ways.  This one was taken during a friends gathering in Astoria last September and I had not worked it up until I was browsing images by Michael Kenna (http://www.michaelkenna.net/index2.php)  the other night.  While I am not saying this one comes anywhere near the quality of his work it did get me thinking about these images still residing on my hard drive and was a nudge to go over and see if any worked.  I think this one does.  Comments always welcome.  Click for a larger view.

Splitting the Dark

From a short wander on the docks in Florence, OR

Comments are always welcome.

Intimate dunes

Spent the morning hours on the South Jetty just south of the town of Florence, OR. There are some beautiful dunes that you have to hike up some steep sand trails to get to but it is worth it IMHO.

There was enough sun to highlight the contrast both in color and B&W. These are what I would term Intimate Landscapes – no sky and an emphasis on detail.  I welcome your comments and thanks for looking.   Click for a larger screen view.

A Lovely Summer Evening

Spent part of last evening at Shorelane Park on the edge of Fern Ridge reservoir. I have shot here many times in the past and while not always successful in coming back with reasonably good images I think last night I managed to capture a couple that will give you an idea of how lovely it was. There were clouds scudding across the hills being blown apart a bit by strong winds but creating interesting formations. The setting sun always seems to add interest and drama.

As the sun set the color in the remaining clouds seemed to come up and be reflected in the choppy water.  It was a really nice evening and I hope these images convey some of that to you.  Comments are more than welcome and thanks for looking

Bandon Beach

As I mentioned in a post yesterday I noticed a dark cloud mass coming in while shooting at Cape Arago.  I drove down to Bandon and had a very nice connective visit with friends Steve and Susan Dimock – both amazingly gifted photographers – and stayed at their lovely little boutique motel — La Kris Inn.  Always a pleasure to see them and get caught up.  I asked if either wanted to go out to the beach for an evening shoot and Susan said she mite be interested.  As the evening went on the heavy moisture laden sky thickened and while Susan made the right choice not to go out I wandered down to the beach and shot for about 1.5 hours.  Nothing much.  No amazing sunset.  The image below gives you an idea of what I found and it did not get better as the evening went on.

Went back early the next morning and found a clearing sky and some morning light coming on.  The second image of the two below contains Face Rock – hope you can see it – may have to click on the image for a larger view.

It was fun trip and perhaps the next one with be east bound.

Shore Acres stop

Went to the Oregon Coast mostly to just get away for a while and to enjoy what always seems to be a wonderful trip with great photographic opportunities.  Such was the case this time but so different than previous visits.  I stopped at Shore Acres on the way down to Bandon to see what was happening with the surf.  Not much, but still nice to be out there.

I know that people hawk the surf prediction websites looking for that day and time when the predicted swells are in the 15-20 foot range which results in booming waves that break on the jagged cliffs at Shore Acres resulting in towering jets of water and make for very dramatic photographs.  That was not the case for me on this visit.  I tried to get creative and decided to see if I could slow down the incoming surf in my images so I employed a 10 stop ND filter (almost black) on my wide angle lens and took some very long exposures – 30+ seconds at f22.  The one below is looking south.

After spending about an hour trying my best to figure out how to capture what was going on I drove a bit south to Cape Arago.  Wonderful overview – storm coming in – should have known it would wipe out evening light on the beach at Bandon which was where I was headed.  More on that in the next post.

As always I welcome your comments and if you would like a larger view just click on the image.

Low Water – Fern Ridge

The Army Corps of Engineers manages the reservoirs in the Willamette River system.  For years I served on the Reservoir Management board and we carefully considered how to deal with abundant water years and those that were very dry.  Each reservoir is generally operated on what is known as the Rule Curve.  This time of year they are pulled down in anticipation of flooding but will start to refill shortly.

I went out to Fern Ridge reservoir last night hoping to find a sunset to photograph.  The overcast and cold of the day broke off into clear sky with some clouds hanging over the distant Coast Range mountains.  I was able to walk out onto the mudflats and to find an area that served both the sky and the land.  After about 40 minutes even god-speak came along and I was delighted.

I waited another 20 minutes and the sun set into the far hills with a grand burst of light.  Wandered back across the mud and found my way toward the car and home.  Came upon two women headed out and they asked if they had missed the sunset and I assured them they had.

I know it has been a while since I posted anything I thought was very good so hopefully these will make up for that lackluster period.  Thanks for looking and as always I sure do welcome your comments.

A Sweet Morning

Sweet Creek in the Oregon Coast Range is, I think, one of the prettiest streams I have ever photographed.  I went out for another visit this morning and found stream levels to be almost perfect.  Much of the leaf color has passed but there was spotty color along the channel and it helped to set off the waterfalls.  I started at the upper parking area and walked downstream – went back upstream and finished at Sweet Creek Falls which I have photographed before and have an image I like so did not spend much time up there.

Below is a set of images resulting from this morning – a downstream sequence.  Starts with a small step pool; moves on to a nice chute with a swirl in the foam to add some interest; then a grotto with a carved bedrock channel; finally the best of the bunch IMHO – a wonderful waterfall spilling over a nice drop and complemented with autumn color.

Click for a larger view of an image and of course I welcome your comments.

Hult Lake morning

With KWAX broadcasting Sunday Morning Baroque on the radio I traveled early to Hult Lake in the Coast Range this morning.  I love traveling at night with classical music on the radio and KWAX never seems to disappoint.  The outing was mostly a scouting trip to check on how the autumn color was progressing – still about a week away, IMHO, from really popping.  I shot the image below as a panorama and I think it works well in that format – 46×13 inches.   Still water graced by a bit of fog and some color against the conifers.  This one really is better viewed large so click on it if you are so inclined.  Comments as always are welcome.