|
TRIP TO OREGON April 2009 |
|||
| Just jump right to the photos... | Over Spring Break,
2009, I drove up to Oregon to visit with my favorite in-laws, Wanda and
Terry Nelsen. Well, OK, they are my ONLY in-laws. Yes, yes,
technically they are my EX in-laws but neither of us think of it that way
and I am blessed by still being thought of by them as part of the family.
That means a great deal to me and I am both humbled and grateful for it. Oregon is a beautiful state with a vast array of environments. As many of you know, Photographer Lee Peterson and I went up the Oregon Coast before Spring semester started and the photos of that trip are now online in their own gallery. While I was there this time we went on several photo treks. It is early spring there so the snow is still heavy and wet (and deep in some places) in the high country and though we had mostly beautiful weather, one day it was also grey and fairly flat. We saw many things I would like to come back and shoot when the light quality and angles are better but still I could not resist trying even when I knew it was not quite right. A couple of days is no where near enough time... it would take much more to properly cover even the few places we went to so in that sense it was, as it is always, a frustrating trip for me photographically. I arrived in the afternoon on Friday and we just kicked back to chat and catch up. Saturday Wanda and I went back into Northern California to see the Castle Crag areas and Mt. Shasta. This was the first time I'd been there with the sky clear enough to see this magnificent peak and outcrops. Unfortunately the shots on that card got corrupted in the transfer. I think I can recover most of them but it will take a little time and I want to get this up online so will go immediately to the Oregon stuff. |
Technical Camera Data: All of the photos on this page were taken with a Canon 1Ds MkII using a variety of lenses including: Canon 17-40mm
f4/L Although most of these are simple "travel" shots, I also shot a range of techniques when there from the basic single frame shot to macro, to a couple of mosaics (of about 15 images) and several HDR (High Dynamic Range) shots. I also did some simulated HDR. The shots below also contain some more serious editing techniques. As usual I am far less concerned with what I "SEE" than what I "FEEL" about the subject in front of me. All images on the page are all © N. David King, 2009, All Rights Reserved, and may not be copied or used in any manner without permission from me. |
|
 |
On Sunday, with clear skies and nice weather, the target was Crater Lake. We went up to Medford and headed inland (east) and first stopped at a wonderful 1880s house called "The Wood House" after its original owners. A maintained though not restored home, it is a museum and occasionally opens for tours but we could only revel in the outside and the old truck, tractor, and implements in the yard. Sort of got us all pumped up... |
|
|
 |
We drove along the Klamath River until we came to Lost Creek Lake, a reservoir created by damming the river. A popular boating and fishing spot, it was wearing its spring colors. All along the shore were these bright pink trees (where is my guide book when I need it) contrasting with the blue sky and green grass. And by the rest rooms were these bright red leaves waving to get my attention. I don't know if there is a connection... |  |
|
| Many of the tall mountains in Oregon are old volcanoes and many are only dormant not dead. Volcanoes are quite distinctive in their conical shape; but the mountain that holds Crater Lake is what is left of one of the larger ones and long ago blew off the peaked top. The little "island" to the left side of the lake is the remnant of the lava dome inside the crater. |
|
||
 |
Heading back home to Ashland,
one of these old volcanoes dominated the horizon for much of the drive.
Actually Mt. McLoughlin (on the left) can be seen for miles and miles in
almost all directions.
Spring brings a lot of snow melt and many of the meadows are lush with water. Even though Oregon has a less than normal snow pack this year it still is so much more than in California there seems to be a lot more water everywhere. We stopped at one of these marshy meadows for a shot of the mountain posing as a backdrop. |
|
|
| Across the road from the
meadow above, two Sandhill Cranes were feeding. I knew they were there
and assumed they would stay feeding until I had the landscape shots done. I finished those shots and was in the process of slipping the longer lens onto the camera when they suddenly spooked and started their takeoff run. The lens was set to manual focus and shutter to a slower speed for the bright mountain shot. I tried to spin the ring into position as I panned with them but they are still a little bit soft. |
 |
||
 |
I took two other shots of the
cranes but, hey, I never claimed to be a wildlife shooter... one lost them
in the trees and the other was of their rear-ends as they flew away. As we neared Ashland on the "Dead Indian Memorial Road" (even I could not have made that one up...) the sun was getting low in the sky. The rolling hills with their carpet of new "Spring Green" started to glow in the warm light so we just had to pull over for one last series of shots. The lighting was extreme with deep shadows on the hill to the left and extremely bright highlights on the sun drenched portion to the right so an HDR solution was called for so I could create some luminous shadows on the left. All in all a good day. The next day was forecast to rain but one never knows... |
||
 |
Monday we did not go shooting
but Tuesday as we got up the sky was quite
overcast. But it was not raining so we packed up the gear and this time
headed out to follow the Rogue River into some back country in search of
some more images. We stopped at a pull out overlooking the river. On the hillside was a profusion of flowers, especially these blue ones (a close up is on the left). |
|
|
| We stopped several times along
the road and everywhere there was a virtual riot of new flowers and
other types of buds.
The sky was still flat and overcast so shots like the view of the yellow bridge at the mouth of Hellgate canyon is flat like a pastel or watercolor painting. But that meant that it was perfect weather for photographing the flowers and buds up close. Even rock walls (below) had their garlands of flowers, and with the flowers come the bees like the fuzzy one in the center photo below. |
|
 |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
|
| I'm not sure which way the bee
is going in that shot; I don't see either a face or a stinger. We drove along the Lost Wolf Road past Galice. This little road is sometimes a single lane even though it is paved. There along the side was an old abandoned cabin and a bridge desperately in need of repair. Though I suppose this is one way to keep trespassers off of your property. The lattice work of branches forms such a visual shield I almost missed the cabin except the bridge was leading the eye right to it.
|
 |
||
 |
The little creek above and
here is one fork of Galice
Creek which is a tributary of the Rogue river.
Somehow, as if it knows in its genes what lies in store for it, the water starts to practice for joining the mighty Rogue River while it is still small. Miniature rapids like these riffles on Galice Creek help it develop the balance and skills it will need when it turns into a cauldron to stop the heart of the most intrepid whitewater rafter. But make no mistake, this is no ordinary water, this is water born of excitement and beauty. What most don't realize is this practice starts far earlier than even in a small stream like Galice Creek.
|
||
| While still but a baby river,
it starts to learn its trade in hidden nooks and elfen waterfalls deep in
the forest. Even when newly born of melt water or mountain spring, the infant river learns to navigate around rocks and deadfall. This water will soon join Galice Creek where the rapids are a little larger. But then before many miles it will need to be ready because around a bend or so it will spill into the Rogue River. And within days it will join its ultimate adventure, the ocean. For me however, this adventure was about over and it was time to head back to get packed up and then start back to San Diego. But I can hardly wait for the next one...
|
 |
||
