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Archive for the ‘Photography Travel Journal’ Category
Monday, March 3rd, 2008
Photography is my hobby and my job, so it commands a good portion of my attention. Even though it is strictly a hobby, bicycle racing is a close second. One day I hope to travel in Europe during the racing season and be a spectator at some of the classic world-famous races. Until then, I am very glad that the Amgen Tour of California offers a week of professional cycle racing with some of the best riders and teams in the world, just a few hours drive from where I live.
This year, my brother Ian, Owner of Flywheel Bicycles in Talent, Oregon, and I followed all eight days of the Tour, camping in Walmart parking lots, eating burritos, cheering on our favorite riders and just being general bike racing geeks. We also had some fun making very low quality videos which we posted on his website for the southern Oregon cycling community to enjoy. If you want to see what the life of die hard cycling fans is like you can see the videos HERE. The videos are posted in reverse chronological order.
 In Just three years, the Tour of California has become the biggest and most prestigious bike race in the US. It draws the biggest European pro tour teams such as Astana, CSC, Rabobank, Gerolsteiner and Credit Agricole, as well as top US teams such as Slipstream Chipotle, Rock Racing and Toyota United. This year’s roster included the Road World Champion, Paolo Bettini and the Time Trial World Champion and Paris Roubaix winner, Fabian Cancellara, as well as many national champions and other top pro riders such as Tom Boonan, Stewart O’Grady, George Hincapie, David Millar and Mario Cipollini. Levi Leipheimer, who was last year’s overall winner and third place finisher in the Tour de France, defended his title with a convincing second win.
I managed to take a few photos of the racers, but someday I’ll have to work on getting a press pass so that I can access the press areas, support cars and photo motorcycles, which is where the best shots come from.
Posted in Adventure Journal, Photography Travel Journal | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 9th, 2008
As an outdoor photographer I work in conditions beyond my control. The unpredictable, mysterious and surprising elements of nature are precisely what compel me to spend time outdoors attempting to photograph the landscape at its defining moments.
A trip I took last fall is a great example. Excited by the promise of fall color and dramatic skies, I took a nine day trip to Montana and Idaho. 1,200 miles later I arrived at Glacier National Park on the edge of an approaching storm. Hunkered in my van, I was buffeted by high winds and rain for three days, during which I was able to get out and take photos for an hour or two. Undeterred, I headed south in hopes of better weather. In the Sawtooth range of Idaho, low cloud cover and snow kept the mountains hidden for all but a few minutes of the next three days. During the long stretches of time alone in my van, I read, scouted locations, studied the landscape and weather and got up before dawn so that I’d be ready if something magical happened.
The mountains were still shrouded when my time came to an end. As I drove back across the high desert of eastern Oregon, the skies opened for a brief sunset at the John Day Fossil Beds, but by morning the clouds were back and it was snowing.
The day after returning home, I decided on a whim to make a quick visit to the upper Rogue River, an hour’s drive away. I was completely caught by surprise when one of the most beautiful sunrises I’ve experienced illuminated the sky and I rushed to capture the event. For the rest of the day I hiked and photographed brilliant fall foliage along the river at the height of color in perfect soft light. On that single day I created more good images than the previous nine combined, including one of my all time favorites. All of my experiences with nature during those ten days: the cold, the gray, the quiet, the slow, the subtle, the brilliant and the unexpected, they all keep me anticipating what nature will show me next.
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Thursday, October 25th, 2007
David Price is a photographer from the UK who I have struck up a long distance friendship with. He has a great talent for photographing people. He was recently on a photo assignment in Nepal, a place I am very fond of. He captured beautiful images of the Nepali people in a way that I wish I could. What follows are images and thoughts from his adventure. You can see all his images at his site www.davidprice.uk.com.
Back in England I sit in my apartment several thousand miles from Kathmandu my thoughts firmly with the people of Nepal. Although now great distance separates my new friends and I, editing my images I have just spoken by telephone with film producer Sanu Thapa and the distance between us seems not so great.
 Commissioned to photograph a football tournament and school opening in Kavre south west of Kathmandu. My customer UAP ltd gave me this opportunity and I did not think twice about accepting. The event run by charity DCWC Nepal included a volunteer medical team who treated two thousand patients in five days……..AMAZING ! I extended my trip to Nepal beyond my work in the village; Kathmandu was my home for 18 nights with my guides Komal Lama, Vijaya Thapa and film producer Sanu Thapa.
My memories of Nepal are not of the cues for fuel or the twice-weekly power cuts and the candles in my room, my mind cannot forget the people of Kavre and also a wider Nepal. Speaking only a few words of Nepalese I found a strong connection was quickly formed with the people even though our meeting may have only lasted a few moments. I find the strength of the people incredible, talking with Dr Ramu Sharma, he told me of a patient he treated in the village a lady who had given birth nineteen times with 13 children surviving. To bring up this huge family with no electricity or running water just seems beyond belief. This storey highlights the difference in our two worlds; mine being a combatable life in England with more or less everything a man could want and the harsh reality of life in Nepal. My resounding memory is of its people’s gift of friendship and their wonderfully happy smiles. At times I was overwhelmed by the number of people who wanted to be photographed, and on occasions I put away my camera just for a short break.
 Kavre village lacked many things I take for granted in England such as a hot shower however I embraced my time there and will never forget it. With no mobile phone or Internet I immersed myself in work pausing briefly to eat or wash in the river an amazing experience. I did not care about communication with the outside world, it was just my work and the people and what more could a passionate photographer ask for. As I left the village after five days tears in my eyes, looking back from the steep path climbing from the valley bottom my thoughts were not of leaving this amazing place but of my compulsion to return.
 Crazy Kathmandu. Back in Kathmandu my work at times was difficult I found the speed at which things happened frustrating. I commissioned a short film that was produced over three days by director Sanu Thapa. I am overjoyed with his work and you can watch the film here LINK TO FILM PAGE. Often I organised my own work, waiting to long for other people to do it for me, it’s a very different world in Nepal a lot slower pace than in England. If things happen at all seemed to have little importance and I lost count of the times I was told “tomorrow”. I take my work very seriously and will let little come between my subject and me. My guides on reflection were so good to me they all tried to accommodate my wishes and I visited all but one of there homes, something I feel very privileged to have done. I forged a strong bond with all three guides a process that started on my second night in Kavre when I sat talking with Komal Lama until the early hours. In Komal I see a very good man! Highlights of my work in Kathmandu were photographing models in traditional Nepalese costume and meeting and photographing Shabhu Tamang who submitted Everest age 17 in 1973. I was thrilled to meet for the first time a man who had stood on top of the world. I also built a good relationship with the Sadhu men of Durbury Square producing several memorable images.
 As I sit editing the images created in Nepal my realization is that without the people I would have no photographs. It is the people of Nepal that made my trip so memorable. I have a strong desire to return and meet my new friends again to shake their hands and to see how they have changed. My next visit to the country is not in question my only concern is of timing.Thank you to my guides Vijaya, Comal, Sanu and the people of Nepal
Posted in Featured Photographer, Photography Travel Journal | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 24th, 2007
A year ago I was traveling through the southwest right about the time of the world famous Albuquerque International Balloon Festival. With as many as 700 colorful hot air balloons taking to the skies it is a big attraction for photographers and I was tempted to add it to my itinerary. However, I had also heard about the crowds, traffic jams, shortage of places to stay and all the other headaches you would expect with any event as big and widely known. I decided to pass.
 This year I found a great substitute in the Montague Rotary Balloon Fair in northern California the third week of September. What it lacks in sheer volume of balloons it more than makes up for with a great setting in the Mt. Shasta Valley, friendly organizers and balloon teams, easy access, on sight camping, plentiful parking and minimal crowds. Spectators have access to the launching field and can walk among the balloons during the inflation and launch process, making this an easy photo op for anyone with a camera. Spectators can even volunteer to crew for a balloon team, helping them to inflate and launch as well as chase, land and pack their balloons.
 This year about 30 balloons took part in the fair. While a far cry from 700, 30 balloons is still an impressive site and makes for an exhilarating visual and photographic experience. Montague is about seven miles east of Yreka, just off of Interstate 5 in northern California. Montague is less than an hour from where I live in southern Oregon. I was so enthralled photographing the balloons on Friday morning that I returned on Saturday and Sunday as well. I recommend this event to anyone, especially families.
For more information you can visit the balloon fair website at http://clubs.district5110.org/shastavalley/balloonfair/
Posted in Events, Photography Journal, Photography Travel Journal | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 31st, 2007
Galen Rowell was one of the best-known photographers of the last 30 years, and he has been a major influence on me and my photography since the 1990’s. However, before I knew of him as a photographer I was aware of his exploits as a climbing pioneer, first in Yosemite Valley, then in the high Sierra and eventually in the greater ranges around the world. In July my long time climbing partner, Chuck Porter, and I ventured down highway 395 to the east side of the Sierras to try our hand at climbing a classic Galen Rowell route, the North Arete of Bear Creek Spire (5.8, 10 pitches).
Galen climbed the North Arete in the early 1970’s after he decided it was time to take the climbing skills he had developed in Yosemite to the higher reaches of the backcountry.
 To get to Bear Creek Spire we took the Tom’s Place exit off of Hwy. 395 south of Mammoth Lakes and followed Rock Creek Road up to Mosquito Flat. At 10,200 feet, the trailhead is one of the highest in the entire range. Chuck and I began our approach at 4:15 AM hoping to be back at the car in the mid afternoon. The first three or four miles of the hike follows flat trails along numerous lakes in the Rock Creek Valley, a popular backpacking destination. The second half of the approach was more difficult, and involved traversing a couple of miles of steeper talus slopes. All along the approach we had excellent views of Bear Creek Spire sitting in its lofty location at the head of the valley.
 We reached the base of the North Arete at nearly 13,000 feet by about 8:00 AM. From here we roped up and began climbing the arete from its lowest point. We had hoped to complete the climbing portion of the day in four or five hours, but quickly ran into sections of the climb that were too narrow to climb easily with packs on. This necessitated climbing some short pitches and hauling the packs past the narrow areas. These delays combined with the affects of altitude stretched our time on the rock to eight hours. However, the rock was excellent and the position on the steep buttress was amazing. The weather was warm and stable, so we were not too concerned about being behind schedule.
 Further up we were able to simul-climb the 4th class and easy 5th class ridge to the top. The summit of Bear Creek Spire consists of a small pointed block with only enough room for one person to perch on at a time. Chuck carefully made the last few moves and pulled himself up to stand on the highest point in this portion of the Sierra.
Safely down on the lower angled west side of the mountain we ate our lunch and began the descent, which would prove to be the most strenuous part of the day. The upper part of the descent requires steep down climbing on dangerous loose boulders covered with dirt. Further down the angle lessened and the boulders became more stable, but there was still another three miles of rugged scree fields to cross before reaching the trail. We trudged back to the car right as the last light of the day was fading after 17 hours on the go.
My best landscape photography is often captured in a slow and thoughtful process, spending time finding the right composition and waiting for the right light, as many of Galen’s classic Sierra images were. However, for this trip it was Galen’s love of adventure and climbing that provided inspiration more than his photos. I was more than satisfied with documenting the climb in photographs as best I could while enjoying a day in the mountains with a good friend.
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Monday, June 4th, 2007
This photo was taken at the summit of 17,500-foot Gokyo Ri in the Mt. Everest Region of the Himalayas in Nepal. Gokyo Ri, while much higher than any mountain in the US outside of Alaska is really just a small hill in the Himalayas. It is located above the third lake in the Gokyo Valley which lies directly to the west of the Khumbu Valley, the main drainage leading from the base of Mt. Everest’s south side. From the Gokyo Valley Mt. Everest is obscured from view by a high ridge of peaks running between the two valleys. However, those who make the additional effort to ascent Gokyo Ri are rewarded with a grand view over the intermediate peaks to the world’s highest peak beyond. At least they are when the summit of Gokyo Ri is not enveloped in thick clouds as it was when I arrived. Shivering in the cold wind and physically exhausted by the steep climb at such a high altitude I was disappointed not to see the vista I had been anticipating. However, it was still powerful knowing that I was standing on the brink of a great drop and that the large peaks of the Himalayas spread out beyond my feet. I could almost feel the gravitational pull of Mt. Everest’s huge mass out there in the fog.
Even without the view of the mountains, the strings of Tibetan prayer flags blowing in the swirling wind and fog and isolated from their surroundings created a powerful image in my mind. Despite cold and fatigue I set up my camera and took several shots. I think the one above best captures the sense of windy isolation I experienced on top of Gokyo Ri that day.
On the descent the fog thickened and it began to snow. For a while I lost the trail and veered off course before coming out below the clouds and making my way back to the village at dark.
Fortunately I was able to stay in Gokyo for a while longer. Two days later I made the climb again before dawn under clear skies. The sun rose directly behind Mt. Everest sending out rays of light across the valleys and peaks. The second photo is one I took that morning not far from where I had taken the one in the fog two days earlier.
Canon EOS 5D
28-135mm lens
First Image .6 sec @ f/36
Second Image 1/60 sec @ f/6.3 with fill flash
Gitzo Carbon Tripod
Posted in Adventure Journal, Featured Photos, Photography Travel Journal | 4 Comments »
Friday, April 20th, 2007
Oregon is home to some of the most astounding waterfalls in the country. In the spring, with good water flow, lush greenery and filtered, overcast light, they offer some great photography opportunities. While waterfalls can be found all around the state, there are a few regions that have many waterfalls in a relatively small area, making it possible to visit a bunch of them in one trip. The three areas that I find particularly visitor friendly are the Columbia River Gorge Wilderness, Silver Creek State Park and the upper North Umpqua River. There are many excellent websites where you can get visitor information and directions to Oregon Waterfalls. Here are a few I like:
www.waterfallsnorthwest.com
www.waterfalls-guide.com
http://geology.com/waterfalls
In mid April, my dad and I took a three-day trip to photograph some waterfalls. The first day we visited falls and lush creeks along the North Umpqua River. The second day we spent exploring and photographing the falls of Silver Creek State Park and on the third day we visited only a few of the many falls in the Columbia Gorge.
Photographing waterfalls and rainforest streams can be challenging. The dense forest setting can create a situation of “too much going on” and make it difficult to get unobstructed views and find coherent compositions. Additionally, on a sunny day there is too much contrast between the bright and shadowed areas of the forest making it nearly impossible to balance the light and show detail in all areas of an image. Here are some tips that I have found helpful when photographing waterfalls and dense forest streams.
- Shoot when the light is soft and balanced. This includes overcast days, mornings, evenings, and canyons deep in shadow.
- Light rain or mist is your friend. Wet foliage really pops and light fog can add a very mystical dimension to photos.
- Use a circular polarizer to cut out light scattered off the surface of shiny green plants and the surface of water. The difference this makes is amazing.
- Shoot on a tripod. Since the best conditions for shooting are lower light conditions, your shutter speeds will necessarily be longer than you can hold steady. Add in a small aperture setting for increased depth of field and a polarizing filter and you could be looking at shutter speeds longer than one second.
- For the best “smooth water” effects try for a shutter speed between .5 and 1.5 seconds. If your exposure is too long then the water loses all its texture.
- If shooting digitally, shoot two exposures, one for the water and one for the foliage. When the foliage is properly exposed, the white, foamy areas of water will often be blown out and lacking detail. Shooting two exposures allows you to blend them later in Photoshop to achieve the correct exposure throughout. For my article on how to do this kind of exposure blending click HERE.
- Look for interesting vantage points. Try angles down close to the water, up on a rock or a rise, across a ravine or from the side.
- Don’t simply shoot the waterfall or stream centered in the middle of the image. Place the waterfall off center and show some of the surroundings to give a sense of place. Look for ways to have curves in the stream lead your eye through the image at an angle. Try to cut out paths, bridges and other signs of people unless you are going for a “humans in nature” shot.
- Tread carefully and preserve the beauty. Stay on trails in sensitive areas. Don’t step on delicate plant life. Avoid muddy and eroding areas. Avoid entering off trail areas that are clearly getting too much use.
Posted in Digital Photography Tips, Photography Travel Journal | No Comments »
Monday, April 9th, 2007
In April and May of 2006 I trekked through four valleys in the Mt. Everest region of Nepal. This region, known as the Solokhumbu, is home to the Sherpa people. Living high in the Himalaya the Sherpa are more closely connected geographically, religiously and ancestrally to the Tibetan people than they are to people living in the lowlands of Nepal.
At over 16,500 feet in elevation Gokyo is one of the farthest outposts of habitation in the Everest Region. Located on a glacial lake directly below the massive south face of Cho Oyu, the world’s eighth highest peak, Gokyo has several lodges that serve trekkers and climbers. The lodges are owned and operated by Sherpa people. While I was there the owner of one of the lodges was killed. He was walking from a lower village in the night and fell off the narrow mountain path. Within hours a contingent of Buddhist Monks were summoned from Khumjung to perform a funeral ceremony. In this photo the monks are leading a procession carrying the body into the mountains to perform the traditional cremation.
Canon EOS 5D
Canon 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens
1/200 sec @ F/8
More…
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Saturday, March 24th, 2007
Last week I took the Eurovan on a road trip to southeast Oregon to do some photography in the Alvord Desert on the east side of Steens Mountain. Talk about some remote country. There are only about four public roads in all of Harney County. From the town of Fields (population less than 20?) on the south end of Steens Mountain to Burns, the county seat, one must drive for two hours on a paved road along the western side of Steens or three hours on a dirt road along the east side of Steens. Either way you pass through only one town not any larger than Fields. One day I drove the entire loop and saw fewer than ten other cars the entire day.
Steens Mountain is actually just one fault block mountain but because it stretches from north to south for so many miles it is often mistaken for an entire range of mountains. From the west it gently slopes up making it look like a large hump in the desert landscape. Then the eastern slope abruptly drops nearly a mile to the Alvord Desert below. Viewed from the east Steens looks very impressive.
The Alvord Desert, named after an old ranch in the area, is an alkali flat that once was a shallow lake. The ground in the flat is, as the name implies, completely level and devoid of any plant life or other features for 100 square miles. It is very similar to the Black Rock Desert where the Burning Man festival is held each year.
Part of the time I focused on taking wide landscape photos of the cracked surface of the Alvord Desert with Steens Mountain as a backdrop. Stormy, dynamic or otherwise dramatic skies and sunset or sunrise light are critical elements in interesting photos here since there is very little else to place in a composition. Unfortunately, with the lowest rainfall totals in Oregon, the skies are often clear. But, when there is moisture in the sky it is often pushed up the west slope forming wave shaped lenticular clouds similar to those on the east side of the Sierra.
There are also several hot springs in the area that are fun to explore and photograph. On the northwest side of Steens is the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge that sees many thousands of migrating water birds each spring and fall. Not far from there is the French Round Barn, one of the last remnants from Pete French’s 19th century cattle empire. During the middle of the day the interior of the barn makes for some interesting photography. Soft light reflects in the open doors gently illuminating the intriguing geometric patterns created by the umbrella shaped roof structure.
The town of Frenchglen makes a great staging point for driving and hiking trips up the western slope of the Steens. The road is closed by snow in the winter and spring, but in the summer, the views from the top are great. There are several glacier-carved gorges that can be accessed by hiking from the Steens Loop Road.
Posted in Photography Travel Journal | 1 Comment »
Friday, March 16th, 2007
In April of 2007 I made a solo trek through four valleys in the Mt. Everest region of Nepal. While part of the country of Nepal, this region is largely populated by the Sherpa people, who practice Tibetan Buddhism and whose ancestors are Tibetan. The Chinese occupation of Tibet over the last half century has made practicing traditional Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet very difficult, restricted and often dangerous. In 1959, in the face of growing danger from the Republic of China, the Dalai Lama fled to Dharamsala, India . As the spiritual and political leader of the Tibetan people, the Dalai Lama has been leading his government in exile and working for peace and the freedom of Tibet ever since. Thousands of Buddhist monks and nuns have also fled Tibet to practice in peace in other parts of the world. Being close to Tibet, both geographically and culturally, the Mt. Everest region is a desirable place for refugee Buddhist monks and nuns to come to. Monasteries are found in many of the villages in the region and carry out their traditional roles as an integral part of Tibetan Buddhist culture.
While trekking through the small village of Thamo in a valley to the southwest of Mt. Everest I came across a partially constructed monastery. The lama in residence was glad to give me a tour. The monastery is being built to house a group of Buddhist nuns who have been worshipping in the village for some years and have outgrown their space. As funds are raised, construction on the new monastery goes forward. The project has been underway for several years and several more years are needed before completion. In the meantime the nuns have been conducting their daily practices in a very small hut that used to be a schoolroom. I was allowed to observe their ceremony and, for a donation to the construction effort, encouraged to take photos. The young nun in the photo is a Tibetan refugee who had first studied in the south of India and had recently moved to the Thamo monastery. During their puja, or ceremony, she never stopped chanting but was very curious about the blond foreigner with the camera. Her inquisitive gaze followed me around the room while many the older nuns continued chanting as if I wasn’t there.
1/50 sec at f/5.6
ISO 1600
Canon 5D
28-135 mm lens
More…
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