Saturday, October 20, 2012

Fall’s Really Here

I slept in today.  It’s been a really long time since I’ve done that.  I broke the surface to consciousness a few times and glanced out the window to see clouds, or a smattering of sun, or a fog bank, or, just before I actually got up, a howling squall that obliterated the view as it shook the doors and smeared raindrops across the window.

That would be fall.  A bit of everything in a short span of time.

I had it in my head to take a trip out Highway 202 with the specific intent of taking in and perhaps capturing the colors.

Well, it sort of worked.  The weather seemed to have taken a break as I drove southeast, but of course as soon as I arrived at Lee Wooden County Park, the rain started again in earnest, leaving me to re-think my kit and strategy.

Lee Wooden Park Entrance

It was raining hard.  I don’t usually attempt to use an umbrella when photographing, but I did today on several occasions.

An afterthought, added a day later:  The road in the frame above is a bit less than a year old, if I remember correctly.  I can’t help but wonder if the civil engineers involved envisioned that graceful sweep as they planned it out.  This is the view that drivers see as they pass by on Highway 202.  The road (lane, really) just seems to whisper “Come down here!”

ApproachingFishhawkFalls

It was an awkward trudge.  Bag over shoulder, tripod under one arm, brolly in the other hand.  But, I knew that I would like what I found at Fishhawk Falls and its immediate surroundings.

StillnessAndMotion

My polarizer has been a bit of a layabout lately.  I put it to work regularly today, though.  The difference in just a few degrees of rotation is amazing when dealing with water reflections.

KlaskanineRiver

From atop the Klaskanine River Bridge.  Not a typo… just one of many spellings of the word that you’ll find in both Clatsop and Columbia Counties.

Longhorns

Heading back toward home with the light fading fast, I caught a glimpse of these “Clatsop longhorns” in what used to be an elk “ranch” near Olney.  Really impressive horns!

WaluskiDock

As I got closer to home, the light was dimming fast, but I had to try to catch some of the calm on the water.  As a bonus, I was rewarded with the splashing of fish in spawning grounds behind me, elk bugling in the distance and ducks squawking all around me while I made a series of long exposures.

All shots in this series made with the A77 and 16-50mm zoom.  The first three used a Cokin polarizer.  Exposures and ISO settings varied.  Most were tripod-mounted.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

A “Mini-Show” is Up and On Display

Nine of my images are now up on the walls in Astoria’s Baked Alaska restaurant. Some if the photos have been featured on this and my other blog, but none have been on public display as prints before.

The image area on each of the prints us roughly 12 x 18 inches, and all are professionally matted and framed.

Stop by and take a look, if you’re interested.

SONY DSC

FuDaTwilight

Scott