2014, Day 302 - Arcing

Through an infrared filter leaves look bright and white so when I looked at this picture I saw snow-covered trees.  That isn't at all what we're looking at as there was only the start of color on most of these trees but it has that effect which is, I think, rather magical.

Fuji X-E2, Fujinon 10-24/f4R OIS
10mm, f5, 1/125 sec @ 400 ISO

2014, Day 264 - Down the drain

This is the view looking in to the cooling tower from the top of the rim.  It is massive and daunting; this structure is so massive it is a marvel and, sadly, two workers died in the construction when they were pouring concrete in a form on top of another piece that had not fully cured.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 10-24/f4R OIS
10mm, f4, 1/220 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 198 - Moonlight

Tonight I give you another view of the same cooling tower.  This one is more centered and show less distortion.  It's crazy how much the towers bow inward at the middle, so much so that the all blocks part of the circular opening at the top.  It is also strange to see the level ground in front of you and the wall that is, ostensibly, behind you.

Canon 1D X, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f11, merged layers of 1/50, 1/25, 1/13, and 1/6 sec @ 320 ISO

2014, Day 197 - Eye

Back into the belly of the beast!  It is nearing two years since I visited Satsop, a nuclear power plant abandoned before it could be completed due to cost overruns.  The scale of the structures is hard to imagine if you have never been yourself, the towers are massive and being completely open they are cavernous.  The distortion of my wide angle lens lends an unusual perspective that I didn't like when I first looked at these images but that I appreciate more with the benefit of time.

Canon 1D X, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f11, merged layers of 1/60, 1/30, 1/15, 1/8, and 1/4 sec @ 320 ISO

2014, Day 133 - Squint

This is Frankie's half-sister Sophie enjoying the warm weather as a cloud momentarily obstructed the sun's rays.  She is almost eight years old and is a completely nutty playful girl; it makes me hopeful that Frankie's dopiness will be a lifelong attribute.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 10-24/f4R OIS
13.2mm, f4, 1/1800 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 110 - Field of snacks

This morning I took a walk through a great park in West Linn named for the common camas that is so prevalent.  After walking through the wood the maples gave way to oaks and open fields.  Camas like slightly marshy condition and the flowers are in full bloom right now.  There are a number of places named for camas in this area because they were an important crop.  The bulbs are roasted in coals and have been described as tasting like a sweeter more fibrous sweet potato; alternatively the bulb can be dried and pounded into a flour.  Today we enjoy the rather spectacular show these beautiful flowers put on every spring.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 10-24/f4R OIS
11.5mm, f5.6, 1/280 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 98 - Giants

Getting low and wide for a different perspective is always fun.  I joined my friend Lory at her nursery this morning to pick up a plant I've been trying to find since last year and she had one for me.  While I was there we took a walk through the grounds and out to her own hidden garden so I could see her trillium kurabayashii, a large plant that is extremely slow growing that she's been carefully propagating for years.  They're native to southwest Oregon and are considered rare probably because they take years to mature to the point where they flower and are relatively fragile.  However when given the right care they will self-seed and in a few years a nice colony will establish.  They are beautiful plants with large mottled leaves and deep red flowers with upright petals and a more open form that most of the trilliums we are accustomed to seeing.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 10-24/f4R OIS
10mm, f5.6, 1/320 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 57 - Entombed

This was once the temple city of Pre Khan and at its peak perhaps one hundred thousand people lived here to serve the needs of the temple and its rulers.  Now it is a ruin, the jungle has returned and that which it cannot tear down it encapsulates.  Where once there was a thriving city the sound of the drone of the cicadas and the song of the birds is broken only be the wind rattling the leaves and chirping of bats that now roost in the remaining structures.  It is beautiful place that reeks of adventure; I can still remember the excitement of my visit and the awe I felt at this amazing place.

Canon 1D X, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f8, merged layers of 1/30, 1/15, 1/8, and 1/4 sec @ 100 ISO

2013, Day 152 - Convergence

While wandering down the path at Silver Falls State Park a few days ago with Nicole Young I saw this dead tree as I was looking wide-eyed above me.  It was fairly early and the sun just came into sight and I loved the way the moss covering the tree glowed.  I was hoping to capture that ethereal quality in the photo and, shooting almost straight up, I love how the trees towers above converge.

I've always said that Silver Falls is a magical place and even though I've been over a dozen times I always find something new and exciting.

Canon 1D X, Canon 24-70/f2.8L Mark II
24mm, f5.6, merged layers of 1/80, 1/40, 1/20, 1/10, and 1/5 sec @ 100 ISO

2012, Day 348 - Open and shut

Preah Khan was the temple we visited without Brian and Nicole.  They were feeling run down and Nicole had a book, now published, to review so Araceli and I were on our own for the morning adventure with Mr. Mony.  True to form we left early so we arrived before the crowds and had the temple to ourselves which made it ideal for photography.

Preah Khan does not have multiple levels like some of the other temples at Angkor, it is a series of successive galleries with a Buddhist temple at the center.  Because of the the transfer back and forth between Buddhism and Hinduism there are also small Hindu temples within the compound as well.  You cans see in this image where one tree was cut down because it was dangerously unstable and was a threat to the integrity of the temple and to the life and limb of those visiting.  Otherwise Preah Khan is largely unrestored and trees have, with only some success, tried to reclaim the site as part of the larger jungle.

Canon 1D X, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f5.6, merged layers of 1/200, 1/50, and 1/25 sec @ 100 ISO

2012, Day 343 - Victorious

Preah Khan was not just a temple, it was also an institution of learning as well as the center of a city.  Historians believe that there may have been as many as one hundred thousand people who lived and worked to support the temple complex.  It is one of the many temples known for the aggressive advance of the jungle.  Trees have torn many walls apart leaving rubble behind.  The aptly named strangler figs have such a tenacious grip that it would cause more damage to remove them than to manage future growth.

Although named for the holy sword of King Jayavarman VII and his conquests it is clear the victory is fleeting.  The accomplishments of man, though impressive, are yielding to the power of nature.  It is an incredible fight to witness and the result is breathtaking.  We were fortunate to arrive early enough that when you stood still all you could hear was the call of birds, the hum of cicadas, and the slight rustling of the trees signalling their advance...

Canon 1D X, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f8, merged layers of 1/40 and 1/10 sec @ 100 ISO

2012, Day 177 - The silken inquisition

This is Rosie, she is almost eight weeks old and I had the great joy of romping through the wildflowers with her and her two sisters over the weekend.  I took many pictures of them playing but I really like getting down on their level and letting them investigate the camera.  Some of them are fascinated by the clicking and whirring noises it makes while others find it disconcerting.  Rosie has a strong streak of curiosity and left nose prints all over the front element.  There is nothing quite like getting a kiss right on the glass :)

Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 24-105/f4L IS
24mm, f5.6, 1/800 sec @ 320 ISO

2012, Day 116 - Crevice

While scouting for the best meeting point for the photowalk this weekend my cohort and I stopped a few times to take pictures.  There were lots of possibilities but it seemed like every time I found something I like the evening's rain got a little heavier.  When wielding a wide angle lens it is difficult to keep droplets off the front element and at small apertures they show up.  It was a little frustrating but as I was making my way back to my car I found these little ferns growing the the mortar between the brick and with the direction of the wind it was dry!

This is what Brian Matiash calls minutia and I love it.  They're the metaphorical pot of gold at the end of the photographic rainbow; you don't really expect to find something so interesting and exciting so when you do it just makes your day.  These delicate ferns are growing in an area of heavy industry where, if they don't impede utility, they are left alone.

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
35mm, f4, 1 sec @ 200 ISO

2012, Day 101 - S-bend

This evening I had the pleasure of meeting up with Brian Bonham and Lars Gustafson for a little impromptu photo walk.  We wandered around the industrial areas of northwest Portland.  I rarely make my way up there and never really on foot so it was truly an adventure.  Our start was slow but as we made our way further into the areas of heavy industry we found all sorts of photographic treasures.  As we made our way back to our starting point and vehicles I stopped to take this photograph of Highway 30.  Post processing courtesy of Nik's Color Efex, Silver Efex, and OnOne's Focal Point.

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
25mm, f16, 20 sec @ 200 ISO

2012, Day 91 - Solitude

It has been a long time since I fired up Photomatix but I did this evening for this shot.  I tend to prefer luminosity masks to stack multiple exposures to get a little extra dynamic range out of a shot but for this one I decided to go back to what most people think of as HDR.

Brian Matiash and I went for a walk in the industrial part of NW Portland to scout an area for a photo walk (more on that soon).  The weather wasn't really cooperating initially; we've had the wettest March on record and today was no exception.  But after a little while the rain stopped and then, miraculously, the clouds started to break and we had some blue sky!

This photo was taken towards the end of our walk.  For those who have been paying attention I have featured this, the Fremont Bridge, twice in the past month all from vastly different vantage points.  I liked the empty benches in the foreground as they add interest, and the bridge arcing through the sky.  The color version of this photo was rather unspectacular but when I converted it to black and white my imagination came alive.  There is something about the wood and the benches that reminds me of a boardwalk but without anyone there it feels almost lonely and I like that...

Canon 1Ds Mark II, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f11, HDR of 1/1600, 1/800, 1/400, 1/200, and 1/100 sec @ 200 ISO

2012, Day 79 - Before and after

I thought tonight I would post a little before and after.  This is another photo from Saturday night taken where I-405 and I-5 intersect.  Last night I posted a photo of the highways taken from a distance and is the same place but taken from a different angle.  I am astonished that what looks so well-ordered from a distance appears to be a chaotic mess close up.

Below the processed (over-processed?) finished photo is the image straight out of the camera with the only adjustment being for white balance.  From there I toned to add texture, ran a high pass filter to create definition, and then an exposure overlay to balance out the lightness of the intersecting roads.  The result is a high contrast and slightly gritty/dirty looking urban scene!

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 17-40/f4L
17mm, f8, 8 sec @ 200 ISO

2012, Day 75 - Remains

After getting thoroughly soaked twice today while walking the dogs I felt that a picture with a little warmth might be nice.  I suppose I could have gone further back into the archives to find something even more suitable but this one caught my eye.  The haphazard remains of the puddles, the reflection, the blue sky and the fire-damaged walls were enough for me.

This warehouse now looks almost like a campsite.  There is evidence of squatters everywhere, they have left messages and trash when they have moved on or been forcibly ejected.  On a clear days it is probably not a bad place to take refuge as there are a few cozy niches to be found and the neighborhood have relatively little traffic after the end of the business day.  There is something sad though, it is the same feeling you have after a party when everyone has gone and you're left with a mess to clean up and an eerily quiet house.

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f4, merged layers of 1/40 and 1/20 sec @ 100 ISO

2012, Day 72 - Divided

And we come back to the Fremont Bridge!  Today Brian Matiash wrote a great article on the importance of caution in urban exploration.  Facilities that employ security do so for a reason and the most important thing is that you're safe so if you're out adventuring and security legitmately asks you to leave please have the good grace to do as you're asked.

As we familiarized ourselves with our environment Brian and I found a nice vantage point underneath the Fremont Bridge.  The west hills and Forest Park is dwarfed by the distance and the sheer size of the bridge.  Although you would never be able to see them clearly if you look closely you can see a few stars in the sky thanks to a relatively long exposure.  The light pollution from Portland is enough to drown out all but the brightest celestial bodies.

One of the most important lessons in photography is to be persistent.  Some days you go out shooting and you come home with nothing that inspires you.  It can be disheartening but it is vital to take advantage of the next opportunity because you never know what you're going to find.  I didn't imagine we would be able to find such a spectacular location but the conditions were almost ideal and we were greatly rewarded!

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 17-40/f4L
17mm, f5.6, 57 sec @ 200 ISO

2012, Day 69 - Beast

I can't remember the last time I had such a lovely day.  This morning I awoke sandwiched between sleeping dogs in my comfortably cool bed.  It isn't often that I am allowed to wake up without the prompting of one of the dogs so already the day was off to a good start.  We took a nice walk in the brisk morning air with the sun rising over the rooftops.  Then I was free to work for a few hours before a friend called to invite me out to lunch.

As I was headed home from lunch I was invited to join another friend for a walk in the park before the rain returns tomorrow.  So I went home to feed the dogs and take a thirty minute nap before walking the dogs again and taking the new pup to the park.  I met with my friend Christine and her dog and we took a leisurely stroll through the tall trees along the dappled sunlight hitting the trail.

When we returned to our cars who should call but Brian Matiash.  We had been trying to meet up this week for a little photo adventure and after a few false starts tonight was the night.  So back home I went to get the dogs out again before picking up Brian and having a dinner of succulent hot wings and a massive pile of tater-tots.  The we went to North Portland's massive industrial neighborhood.

I had only a vague idea where I wanted to go and after taking a couple side roads we found the eastern foot of the Fremont Bridge.  As we approached I was completely awestruck.  I have driven across this bridge countless times but I never appreciated how truly massive it is until tonight.  In the photo below you can see the ghostly silhouette of Mr. Matiash under this monolith of infrastructure.  Even at the time it seemed odd to be able to walk so freely to the base of the bridge but we took advantage of our freedom and were well rewarded.

Our photographic appetites sated we headed home with quick stop for some tasty gelato at Staccato Gelato.  Rarely are days so fun and productive as today has been.  Hopefully next time I have one of those days where nothing goes right I will look back into my blog and see this image to remind me that for as often as things go wrong the also go better than you might have hoped.

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 17-40/f4L
24mm, f5.6, 25 sec @ 200 ISO

2012, Day 59 - Idle threats

On Sunday I got a call from my buddy Brian Matiash telling me he came upon a wonderland of urban decay and before disclosing the location he threatened me with bodily harm if I had knowledge of the place and didn't share.  Well, I did know about it, it is a burnt out warehouse ostensibly closed to the public but with no effective measures to keep people out, as evinced by the copious graffiti.

This shot was taken in a small concrete room and the subject appears to be some kind of furnace.  There was a lot of charred wood on the floor and the melted remains of objects unknown.  I had to use three images to soften the transition on light from top to bottom after which I tweaked the colors, applied a partially opaque duotoned layer, a quick run though OnOne's Focal Point, back into Photoshop for some toning and there you have it!

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 17-40/f4L
17mm, f11, merged layers of 0.8, 1.6, and 3.2 sec @ 200 ISO