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.

T’was the day before Christmas

…. and I was wandering around in the hills north of the town of Sweet Home this morning.  I was intent on going to McDowell Creek Park to photograph what I think is a particularly beautiful waterfall – Royal Terrace.   Below are two images – one of the full drop with all the steps on the way down and the one below that is of some detail that I concentrated on and found appealing.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas and comments are as always welcome.

A Black and White Project

A few months ago it sort of hit me that a collection of Black and White prints of Oregon landscapes offered  a creative avenue to me that was so different than the normal color scenes that I usually come back with.  Certainly nothing wrong with color – do not mean to imply that in any way.   The images I choose to go into a B&W collection need to be simple and strong – at least in my opinion – so will take a bit of time to collect.  Many more trips out and about in the glory of the Oregon country to come.  The image below was from a recent trip up the South Fork of the McKenzie River and at this point I think will make the cut as will the image of Koosah Falls in an earlier post.   Thanks for looking.  Comments always welcome including questions concerning my sanity.

The Waterfall Hike

One of the best places to experience the westside of the Cascades in Oregon is to take the Waterfall Hike.  It is a short walk punctuated by two major waterfalls — Koosah and Sahalie.  Trail runs along  the McKenzie River and is simply beautiful.  A solid recommendation to newcomers or even long time residents looking for a nice day in the mountains.

I stopped yesterday to photograph – once again – Koosah Falls.  So many times I have tried to get an image I like one that does not just look like a postcard.  I think by converting the image I got yesterday to Black and White I approached what I hoped for.  Thanks for looking and I welcome your comments.

Between Heaven and Earth

I think about the Cascades as a necklace running thru Washington and Oregon and I consider Waldo Lake to be a jewel in that necklace.  Waldo Lake has been described as 6,000 surface acres of distilled water.  Water quality sampling and testing over the years confirm that it is simply one of the clearest and cleanest lakes in the world especially for a lake of its size.  It puts Crater Lake to shame.

I got to spend last evening on the east shore photographing with my friend and fellow photographer Tim Giraudier.  We had been looking at the weather forecast all day and determined that last night had potential to be a great evening.  A weather front was due in on Tuesday – it got here – and sometimes those changes in weather make for interesting light.

There is a bit of photographic lore that provides ‘direction!’ for when to shoot landscape scenes – The Magic Hour.  Basically 30 minutes before and after official sunset.  We arrived at the lake about the beginning of that time frame and stayed for over an hour after.   We both commented on how nice the first view we had was as we hiked up the trail along the lake edge but I think we both knew better was coming.  We split up – I think we both shoot better when alone but I have to say having him with me during the drive in and out was a treat.

The first image below was taken about 30 minutes after official sunset.

I hiked south along the lake edge to see if I could find a location that would provide a different perspective on the lake and the sunset and got the image below.   This was taken about an hour after official sunset.  It was getting very dark in the trees and we both needed our headlights to follow the trail out to the parking lot.

It was a glorious evening – wonderful color over glass still water in a magical setting that we basically had to ourselves.  I am sure the next storm will close access.  Click for larger views and as always I welcome your comments and am grateful to you for looking.  (Also if you are interested in the techy details of how I shot these images just ask and I would be happy to provide that information)

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.

23

A few years back my Mom passed on Halloween and ever since then I have taken my camera out on that day to see what gifts she may have for me.  Sometimes it was socks and underwear and other times a lovely morning sunrise such as what I found today at Clear Lake.  Thanks Mom.

It was 23 degrees on the car thermometer when I parked near the resort at Clear Lake and made my way out to the end of the dock to greet the sunrise.  It took over an hour of standing in that cold for the image below to develop and I was grateful but also frozen.  Stumbled my way back toward a welcome warm car and the warm coffee still in my thermal cup.

Abstracts

Yes! but what is it?   

Spoiler alert – these images are visual slices of the flow in the Metolius River near Sugar Falls.  I spent the majority of my time along that river just looking and trying to capture the intricacies of the flow and the light playing out on the surface.  Tried out various camera settings and finally got a couple of images that I like.  May use them to compliment other more detailed images in the future but may just stick with these.  Since I can barely draw a dot this is about as close to drawing and painting as I can come.

Thanks for looking.

Sugar Falls

“Ain’t got no honey baby now!”  Traditional, Rising Appalachia

I first became aware of Sugar Falls when I saw a watercolor painting in Norma Holmes wonderful book “Land Escapes: A Painted Journey on Oregon’s Eastside”  The painting made it look like a slice of landscape from Middle Earth, green and lush, and I expected to see Hobbits gamboling about with their hairy little feet.  What I found was a nice spring originating from the banks of the Metolius River and instead of hobbits I was met with a 5th Grade field trip from Sisters Elementary.  They were fun and noisy – kids being kids.

I did manage to get one rather postcard type image of the falls and some abstract images of the flow – always fun and I will work them up some time this week.  All in all it was a fun trip over Mckenzie Pass and the autumn colors are spectacular right now – certainly worth a trip up there.  The color around Sisters is great too – my favorite time of the year.

A Loop around the Forks

I left very early this morning with the intent of driving up the South Fork of the Mckenzie River – the road is open again after the fires from 2018 – and then going over the top at Box Canyon and down the North Fork of the Middle Fork of the Willamette.  I have say it was sad to see the results of the burn.  I know all about the role fire plays in a forest ecosystem but the first few years afterward leave a pretty bare landscape.  I know it will come back.  I did notice that much of the riparian zone along the mainstem was still in shape for the most part.  I finally got above the burned area and stopped for a nice morning shot – light just coming into the valley and lifting the overnight fog.

Went up over the top with a dusting of fresh snow.  Full on color on both sides is yet to develop – perhaps another week.  However, I did see this wonderful big leaf maple in full color framed against the conifers and it was, at least to me the shot I liked best from this outing.

Thanks for looking and as always I welcome your comments.