Lapstrack Relfections

This detail from the reflection of a Lapstrake Wherry was taken on a beautiful day while attending a workshop at the Maine Photographic Workshop http://www.theworkshops.com/ in Rockport, Maine. The programs and week long seminars they offer are an excellent way to connect with other working photographers and spend some quality time under the tutilage of masters of the art.

The Lapstrake construction design is utilized in many boat patterns, here as a Wherry, which is a beautiful and versatile small boat that can be outfitted with sails, used as a yacht tender or as it was here, a simple rowboat.

The workshop was a yearly pilgrimage for me as time and the corporate budgets allowed and was always a place of enrichment, connection, learning, joy in new vision and as you see here, reflection.

Some like it hot

Now for something completely different. This photo is of an area of cooling lava about 30'x 50' in size from the Pu`u `Ō `ō eruption of Mount Kilauea on the big island of Hawaii. I had been on the other side of the island in Kailua Kona on a shoot and had 8 hours or so in between assignments when I heard it was erupting, so I quickly arranged for a helicopter to fly me over it and then drove like lightning around the coast to get to the Hilo based airport and into the air. The pilot thought it was a cool idea, took the doors off and rigged a harness strapped around the drive shaft to where I was able to stand outside the fuselage on the landing skids which allowed me look down almost directly parallel with the ground when he leaned to that side. Although a seemingly quiet scene here, the active (orange) lava was just below the inches thick surface crust shown. It was a very visceral experience for me, seeing this new earth twist and move in the midst of the challenge to endure the searing heat. We would swoop down to about 50' and stay for maybe 10 seconds before we were overcome and had to pull back to cool off and escape the cuastic gases. I had a bandanna on my face for protection and at one point a just-shot roll of film toppled out of my shirt breast pocket and exploded into flame before even hitting the surface. I surmise they must have been the best shots....lost of course!

The Henge and a gray day

On this gray day (another in a long sting here lately), I have decided to post a shot from another very gray day long ago. When I arrived at Stonehenge on the Salisbury plains of of U.K. the weather was typical England, cold, damp and cloudy. With zero interesting light and very limited time to make a photograph of this incredible and mysterious ancient structure, I decide to dramatically underexpose it and enhance the mystique of it all, losing the plastic link fence that was keeping me at bay in the foreground in the process. I like the way the clouds seem to radiate out from this very recognizable monument.

*****Snow *****

No not in Pa today, but it is today's forecast in Jackson, Wyoming, a very favorite place of mine and a home to favored relatives. Today must be an early welcome to winter for them. Here is a photo of mid winter snows there from years past taken along the snake river.

Boxed view

This was photographed on one of the many Northwestern Fjords of Iceland. One of my earliest photos, I took this while still serving in the U.S. Air Force and was camping my way around the island with a friend. This was an abandoned home with a boathouse that had a collection of old whaling equipment inside and whale bones outside. I wanted at the time to bring home a 2' vertebrae section, but it was too large to transport. I wish now I had made the effort, but I still have hanging on my mantel piece a small, unique hook that was found hanging on an old beam there.

Tribal Experience

This is one of my favorite portraits, not only for the shot, but circumstance. I literally stopped this man on a jungle path in Southeast India early one morning while I was there making a film about a missionary back in 1997. He was quite surprised at this western guy, alone, suddenly confronting him, but then with a warm smile (goes a long way with a man with a big, sharp hand tool) and some hand gestures he allowed me to pose and photograph him. This is as much of a smile as I could get out of him. After wards he gave me that charming yes/no head wiggle and was on his way. I continued on my way as well and apparently managed to avoid the land mines that I was told later in the day to be careful of.

Rebirth of a classic

Since 1901, Indian Motorcycles have come and gone, come and gone and come again over the many years, but have always been classics to me. Here is a photo of a more modern version with that timeless appeal. A cycle enthusiast, I would very much like to ride one of these timeless machines someday.

Mud Bugs

A lunchtime bounty shared along the Mississippi river during a springtime surprise weekend trip given by good friends for my wife and I. They were quite kicking with the spicy heat, but went down with the soothing tunes of a live jazz trio.

Berries, Berries, Berries

An orderly selection of berries photographed at Pike Place Market on Seattle's waterfront.

Spokes

A detail from a custom motorcycle taken during a Biker Sunday that our church held last spring.
The event was a great success for a great fellowship. www.pennvalleychurch.org/

Joe-Mary Lake

Here is a serene photo from a beautiful evening looking across Joe-Mary Lake in Maine taken while on a family camping trip. This is a very special spot for us as my brother-in-law's ashes are scattered on top of Mount Katahdin which is featured prominently in the background along with a family canoe as there is no doubt he enjoyed canoeing.

Maine Stream

A fall photo from Baxter State Park in Maine taken while on a trip with with friend Galen Rowell 8/23/1940-8/11/2002 www.mountainlight.com His referred quote is the source of the title of this blog and the title of one of his many books. He was a great adventurer, world class mountain climber, ground breaking photographic master and wonderful mentor. His absence has left a deep hole in the photographic and art community. Here is a testimonial to share:

“Galen Rowell was a man who went into the mountains, into the desert, to the edge of the sea, to the last great wild places in the world to be absorbed by their grace and grandeur. That is what he did for himself. For the rest of us, he shared his vision with—click—the release of a shutter, creating photographs as timeless, as stunning, and as powerful as nature itself.”

–Tom Brokaw, from the foreword of
Galen Rowell: A Retrospective

Wild Field

This patch of wildflowers was photographed along a road side walking/bike path just outside of Oaks, Pa. A very pretty spot

Forest bounty

One of the many ferns I photographed over the years. I believe it was photographed in the Shenandoah Mountains of Virginia. I always liked the softness of this one.

Crossing the Border

The is a photo of the ferry that will take you from Port Angeles on the Northern tip of the Olympic Penninsula in Washington State up to Victoria Canada. A very worthwhile trip to a very beautiful city. This shot is of one going back into the U.S. and the awesome mountains that greet it.

Tulipfield

A garden of tulips shot at England's past king, Henry VIII's Hampton Court Palace in the U.K.

Blue Ridge

The Blue Ridge Mountains photographed in the early fall of 1992 from the Parkway while on a fun trip with my bride.

Rain

As it is a wet, dreary day out today I thought it appropriate to post a shot from the Rain Forest in Olympic National Park, Washington. This was from a trail towards the Hall of Mosses and taken on an anniversary trip back in 2002. Here is where you can find more about this special place: http://www.nps.gov/noca/index.htm

Ricketts Glen

Another one from this wonderful park.

Cayuga Falls

This was taken a little less than a year ago along one of the many falls within Ricketts Glen State Park in Pa. I was there with a friend on an awesome fall weekend motorcycle trip. Here is a link to this great park in case you might want to check it out yourself: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateParks/parks/rickettsglen.aspx It is located about 2 1/2 hours N.W. of Philadelphia and offers excellent camping, varied hiking and scenery.

Sailing

A photo indicative of what we did this weekend on New Jersey's Barnegat Bay. One of my favorite activities, we get out to sail on my parent's boat as often as time allows. This weekend we found a gray, blowing day with vigorous water. This photo was from a calmer, bluer day.

Autumn Branches

Not a new photo, but one in my files thatI pull out in the pre-fall to remind me of the upcoming beauty.

My first Canon photo

Taken springtime a couple of years ago with my at the time new Canon 5D. It was a long thought out hard decision to switch after many, many years with my beloved Nikons.

first photo

I was going to start this with the first photo I had taken (posted above) after getting a new camera (an important exercise in my mind to show that particular camera what you expect from it), but thought instead to post the 'first' photo that is known to exist. This is from Joseph Nicéphore Niépce entitled View from the window at Le Gras (France) and was an 8 hour exposure.