Postcard from Sedona

It’s an oldie, but a goodie. This image goes back four years ago to my very first trip to Sedona. While huddled inside during our long Arizona summer heat wave, I’ve been going through photos and upgrading my Web site. Recently, I came across this photo and discovered I never shared it here before. I think it is a good one.

I recall most of this day was without any clouds, but as late afternoon approached, some storm clouds approached from the east. As it happens, I was in a good location and got some nice photos of red rock formations with sunlight on the rocks and storm clouds in the background…always a good combination for a photographer.

There is not much else to say about Sedona that I have not already shared here before. So just enjoy the photo.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Tumacacori

I photographed this image on a late afternoon visit to the Tumacacori National Historical Park…about 50 miles south of Tucson. I have shown you a couple of pictures of the the old mission in past editions. This image was shot outside the mission on the wall that surrounds the property.

When I drove up, I was blown away by the shadows being cast on the walls by a few very old trees. As it was in the middle of winter, there were few if any leaves on the trees. It was an artistic shot just too good to past up. I spent several minutes shooting here before I even went in to see the old mission. The cactus and other desert flora in the image give a strong hint that this was taken in the Southwest. Even the old window adds to Southwestern flavor.

Tumacacori is an old Spanish mission church whose actual name is Mission San José de Tumacácori. It was established in January 1691 by Jesuit Father Eusebio Francisco Kino and is located on 310 acres at the town of Tumacácori, Arizona, about 50 miles south of Tucson (and 18 miles north of the Mexican Border), off of Interstate 19. It is a National Historical Park, run by the National Park Service.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Chicago

This photo shows part of the Osaka Japanese Garden located in Jackson Park on the south side of the city. To give you an idea where it is, if you follow the lagoon straight ahead, you would very quickly arrive on Lake Michigan.  If you turned to the left, you would see the back side of the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, which has been featured in these pages before.

If you turned around and started walking west, in a few blocks you would come to the University of Chicago. Walk a few miles south of this point, and you would be in Indiana. If you walked 62 blocks north, you would be in downtown Chicago. OK, got it figured out now?

Jackson Park was the site of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, a sort of world’s fair of that time. After the fair’s run was completed, the 600 acres was returned to parkland. Only two structures remain from the World's Columbian Exposition, one of which is the original Fine Arts Palace…now the Museum of Science and Industry. 

The Japanese Garden sits in the exact same place as the original Japanese Garden built for the fair. It was destroyed by vandals during World War II and was rebuilt several years later. Like most Japanese gardens, it is a place of peace and contentment, which I tried to capture in this image. I hope I succeeded. 

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Red Canyon

Red Canyon sits near the beginning (or end) of Highway 12 in Southern Utah. It is Utah’s most beautiful highway, so Red Canyon is your first introduction to this amazing scenic drive. It is also just a few miles west of Bryce Canyon National Park.

While Red Canyon is not a national park, it is part of the Dixie National Forest. So it has a more liberal approach to exploring the magnificent scenery. You can hike, ride horses, bicycles, and even ATV’s. And there are lots of trails to explore.

Most people driving Highway 12 just pass through Red Canyon on their way to Bryce Canyon. Trust me, take some time to explore Red Canyon if you are in the area. While Bryce is a more intriguing and beautiful destination, you will not be disappointed by what you find in Red Canyon. And here is a tip you may find very handy: Bryce Canyon campgrounds are nearly always full…camp in Red Canyon’s campground. It is less expensive and a far more beautiful campground. In fact, it is one of the nicest campgrounds I have ever been in. Last time I was there, I stayed there four days and used it as my base camp for my photo expeditions to the entire area.

This photo gives you an idea of some of the beauty of Red Canyon. I got lucky with the clouds that day. And some of its other intriguing sites are an easy hike from the visitor center or a short drive down the Casto Canyon Road. At the visitor center, you can learn more about the park and get more info on horse trip and ATV rentals.

I hope I’ve given you something to think about for your next vacation. In fact, not only should you stop at Red Canyon, but consider doing all of Highway 12.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Prescott

Prescott, Arizona is a small town (not real small) about 95 miles northwest of Phoenix. Of course since  North and West of Phoenix, that means it is in the mountains. In fact, it sits at an elevation of around 5,300 feet. What I learned on my last visit was Phoenix area residents flock to Prescott in the summer to escape the Phoenix heat.  In fact, as I write these words, it is 106 in Phoenix and 75 in Prescott. Of course, at that elevation, it gets quite a bit of snow in the winter.

The original city is built around the very large courthouse. Downtown is quite charming and fun to explore. There are many old Victorian homes in the hills and some great beautiful parklands all around the area.

Just west of downtown is a beautiful rose garden built among some very old settler cabins. It is here that I found this old wagon. As you know, I often focus in on a small part of an object or place to go for something more artistic. I was intrigued by the shape of the wheel and the wildflowers growing over the lower part of the wheel. To me, it symbolizes that the era of the horse-drawn wagon is over, which, of course, it is. This is one of those images that tells a story without any words.

And that should be the goal of most every photo you take. Even portraits should tell you a story or a least create an atmosphere of time and place. I think I achieved that here. And by focusing on only a small part of wagon, I let the viewer’s imagination fill in the rest.

Ah…the joys of art!

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Chicago

Well over a year ago, I showed you this image as part of a series of images about my day in Wrigley Field. In looking at it the other day, I decided to improve the original photo by doing some additional post processing. What you see is result of this work. I encourage you to click on the image to see a larger version. I like this image so much more now…In fact it is shortly going up on my wall.

Every time I look at this photo and others from Wrigley Field, I think about that very special day when I took a three hour tour from top to bottom of that great sports landmark. The baseball and football history that fills the place is overwhelming, especially to a fan like me. I grew up loving both sports and never in my wildest imagination could I see myself being at this place…but I eventually did. Somewhere in the top 50 moments of my life, this day is in there.

The light that day outside was terrible, so most of my images of Wrigley are just so-so. But they do make for great memories. But this picture, inside the Cubs dressing room is, by far, the best from that day.

And to think I came within a cat’s whisker of not getting in here. Wrigley Field tours are only given when the Cubs are on the road. They were due back the next day, which is why the locker room looks ready to go. However, if any Cub player is in the dressing room on tour day, you are not allowed to go inside.

At the start of the tour, which began in the right field stands, our guide announced that there was a player in the dressing room, and if he was still there by the time our tour was ready to visit there, we would not be allowed in. Turned out the player was being sent back down to the minor leagues and was there to clean out his locker…and the good news was that he had left by the time we got there. Otherwise, I would have missed this photo opportunity. Whew!

Anyway, it was a great day, and even if you are not a baseball fan, I hope you like this image. Have a terrific Labor Day weekend.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from the Painted Hills

This may not be the most artistic photo in my collection, but it certainly counts as one of the most colorful. Just look at the colors in this picture…Everything from black to white, including various shades of reds, yellows, oranges, green, blue and more. And all were created by nature. The Painted Hills of Oregon is an amazing place to see nature’s artistic creativity.    

I love the Painted Hills of Oregon…and if you ever get to see the Painted Desert of Arizona, you will notice an amazing similarity. But, even though Arizona is now my home, the Painted Hills are my favorite of the two places.

I also show you this photo as it is part of the newly revamped Painted Hills section of my Website. I invite you to look at all my works from this fantastic spot in Central Oregon.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from the Arches–Twin Fins

I’ve showed you several images from the Arches National Park recently, mainly because I have been revising and revamping those images for my Web site. I have recently posted these new images and I invite you to take a look.

This image, appropriately named “Twin Fins” shows two very large fins inside the park. You can see they are pretty tall as measured against the trees in the foreground. They are called fins as they closely resemble fins on a shark…and they are extremely important in the formation of the Arches National Park. 

Although length, height and width vary, a fin is a long wall of rock. The fins here began as a series of cracks in large layers of sandstone. The cracks formed because of a great concentration of salt beneath the sandstone. I won’t go into the details of the long geologic process that continues to form the final shape of the fins…but suffice it to say that fins are the perfect place to form an arch.

Years of wind, blown sand, and water has scoured the fins. Some parts of fins are harder than others; the softer parts wear faster, and sometimes wear away completely while harder rock remains. In other fins, water seeps into the sandstone, then freezes during Moab's bitter desert winters. Water expands when it freezes, so it cracks and fragments the rock. Eventually it leaves holes in the fins. In other cases, water puddles on top of a fin wear deeper and deeper holes over the Millennia; some of these "potholes" eventually tunnel down and form an arch.

Presently there are no arches to be seen on these fins, but I bet you a dollar to a donut that the process is already underway. Sadly, I won’t be around to see the new arches when they finally emerge.

From a photographic standpoint, I really like this image. I hope you do also.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Oregon

A few thoughts about flowers from minds greater than mine:

"There are always flowers for those who want to see them."
-  Henri Matisse

"In joy or sadness, flowers are our constant friends." 
-  Kozuko Okakura   

"Little flower, but if I could understand what you are, root and all in all, I should know what God and man is." 
-  Tennyson

"Who would have thought it possible that a tiny little flower could preoccupy a person so completely that there simply wasn't room for any other thought." 
-  Sophie Scholl 

"When bright flowers bloom
Parchment crumbles, my words fade
The pen has dropped ..."
-  Morpheus

"Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made and forgot to put a soul into."  
-  Henry Ward Beecher, Life Thoughts  

"More than anything, I must have flowers always, always."
-  Claude Monet

"Where flowers bloom so does hope."
-  Unknown

"If you pass by the color purple in a field and don't notice it, God gets real pissed off."
-  Alice Walker

Postcard from The Arches Campground

Can you imagine waking up to this scene in the morning? I did on one of my photographic adventures into the Arches National Park in Utah. This was a sunrise I saw from my campsite. It was wonderful to sit and have my first cup of coffee and see this magnificent scene.

I’ve always been an early riser, and in the wilderness, one goes to bed early so one rises early. I am also an avid coffee drinker, so when the feet hit the ground, the first thing that happens is the morning coffee making ritual. Ever since I spent time in Italy, I want strong coffee. So, even when camping, a make a cup of espresso coffee with my genuine Italian espresso pot, cut it with some water and cream, then add some sweetener. Actually its what I do here at home every morning, using the same kind of espresso maker I used in the wilderness. It makes fabulous coffee, no matter where I am.

I also use a coffee cup with a lid on it so it stays hot longer…usually about an hour. So I wind up drinking far less coffee than many people as one cup lasts so long. Smart, eh?

I didn’t mean to turn this into a blog about coffee, it just happened. But, in the wilderness, after coffee, I would head out to try and capture the early morning light at some preplanned location. Here is a hint on how I do that:

I always carry a special book for photographers that tells me what locations are best shot in the morning or evening. During the middle of the day, I would scout all the locations and make my plans for morning and evening shots. At midday, one is dealing with pure white light which doesn’t usually make for very good pictures. Avid photographers shoot at sunrise and sunset, then scout locations during the day (and often sneak in a nap). So the next time you are looking at photographs by professionals, notice how many were done at sunrise or sunset.

For me, after an early morning shoot here in the Arches, I went back to my campsite, made breakfast and relax and read…then drive or hike to locations to do some scouting.

So that is the life of a nature photographer out in the field, shoot picture, drink coffee, scout, sleep, then grab the camera and hope there is beautiful light, some clouds, and a great sunrise or sunset. I got lucky with this one. I didn’t have to even move from the table.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Oak Creek

Sometimes when it is over 100 outside here in Tucson, which it invariably is, I think about the cooler days of winter…especially snow scenes. This is the bridge on the trail to the entrance to Oak Creek Canyon. Not much of a trail on this day, but fortunately I know the way.

I may romanticize the coolness of that day, but it was very cold…just below freezing actually…but it sure looks inviting when it is 103 outside here as it is today. By the way, Oak Creek Canyon is just a few miles north of Sedona, AZ. I’ve hiked through the canyon in the Autumn (you may have seen a few pictures here in past editions), but, it is a bit more difficult in the heart of winter.

I did give it a shot, but didn’t get very far. The canyon itself is almost always in shadows, so the snow has no chance to melt. So there was a lot more snow on the ground than you see here. Down the road in Sedona, there was absolutely no snow on the ground…just cold.

So, if it is hot where you are, I hope this cools you down a bit.

Postcard from the Arches

Here is another image from one of my favorite National Parks. When you have a day in a beautiful place such as this, one cannot stop shooting…and this was one of those days were the amazing clouds ruled the landscape. Long-time followers of my blog and photography have seen some of the images already…but there are more, like this one, you have not seen.

Yesterday, on Twitter, I posted the following quote from the great Ansel Adams, pioneer of landscape photography:

Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter.

That was this day in the Arches. The clouds were beyond belief! I considered myself one of the luckiest men with a camera on the planet that day. For your information, this formation of rocks and arches is located just to the left of the famous Double Arch. There are several fantastic arches in this same area including the two Windows Arches and Turret Arch. There is a turnoff from the main road in The Arches to get to all these arches. You will find it just past Balanced Rock.

Definitely make The Arches National Park one of your destinations in the future. PS: The Island in the Sky portion of Canyonlands National Park is only a few miles up the road from the Arches. How handy is that?

Postcard from Canyonlands–Sunset on the Needles

Sunset

Every night
The horizon lights up
Swirls of pink and orange
Fading to blue and purple

Few bother to look anymore
At a blessing
That only comes once a day

Each sunset is different
No two exactly alike
Difference flows throughout
While it is the only similarity

 

Over the ocean
Or through the sky scrapers
Out on the prairie
Or in an apartment

 

You can still see a piece
A piece of something
Something never to return
A sunset

For the colors are shimmering
For a moment they stay
Only to disappear into change
Change just as beautiful as the last

 

This is why
No matter where you go
One thing remains the same,
A difference in sunsets

In your very own sunset

Jessica Millsaps

Postcard from Sedona

This part of Sedona is called Long Canyon. I took this image in December of 2009, early in the morning. You can see some snow on the mountains…and, trust me, it was cold…below freezing, for sure.

That morning, my friend Dave and I had arisen well before dawn and took our cameras high up into the mountains on the airport road to photograph the city and mountains behind it at sunrise. Well, guess what? The sun was hidden by clouds and the lights was awful. I suggested we drive down off the mountain ASAP and head into the Long Canyon country, hoping the light would get better…which is exactly what we did.

By the time we got there, the light had indeed gotten better and I was able to shoot this photo. I like it and am surprised I haven’t shown it here before. But I am correcting that oversight now. I hope you like it as much as me.

Actually, we had not planned to visit Sedona on this trip. Dave and I met up in Phoenix and were hoping to get to either Zion or Bryce to do some snow photography. However a massive snow storm shut down the Interstate south of Flagstaff, so we had no hope of getting anywhere close to Utah in the time we had allotted. So we did the next best thing…we got off the Interstate and headed into Sedona.

It had snowed there recently, but not when we were there. But, as I said, the temperatures were very, very cold. But we never let that stop us from trying to get some good images in this very beautiful spot. By the way, we got up very early the next morning also and managed to get some good images of Sedona and its mountains from the airport road. So all turned out well in the end.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from The Oregon Coast

Stick me in front of my digital darkroom on a boring, rainy Sunday afternoon and sometimes I go a little crazy. Take this image, for instance. It was a lovely scene when I first shot it (using an older digital camera), but when I looked at it on the screen, it just laid there…interesting, with possibilities, but it had no life.

The early digital cameras sometimes had exposure problems with fog. So what I saw when I was there was not quite what showed up on the screen. Aha!! A challenge. So I went to work. I was intrigued with the sun’s rays breaking through the fog when I made the photograph, but they were not that intense on the screen. So, that was my first priority…getting them to stand out.

It took a lot of work, but then the rest of the scene became less interesting…so I just kept working and working the problem…using some of my latest tools and a few old ones. I just kept going and going…sometimes backing up and starting again. I won’t bother you with all the steps…frankly, I don’t remember all of them myself. But, I do know that early on I decided to do something entirely different…something artistic, bold and innovative.

In the end, I came up with the above image. I let it sit overnight to see if I still liked it in the morning…and I did. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I like it…and in the world of photography, and all art for that matter, that it what counts. But, secretly, we all want our audience to like what we do. I would be interested in hearing your comments.

PS…this was not the only image I worked on during that crazy Sunday. Stay tuned…

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Capitol Reef

This lovely scene is from the Scenic Drive in Capitol Reef National Park in Utah. The road is ten miles long and starts near the west entrance of the park and dead-ends at Capitol Gorge. But, along the way is some of the best scenery in the park. This is Red Rock Country and there is plenty of that here.

There are also two large washes along this road…the aforementioned Capitol Gorge and The Grand Wash, just a few miles from the start of the road. Both are geological wonders…displaying beautiful rock formations as well as the power of water. If it looks like it might rain, do not go into either of the washes as you will probably drown. While being very beautiful, the is also flash flood country. And did you know that 1/4” of rain is enough to cause such a flood? Living in the Southwest as I now do, I can testify to how quick a flash flood can start.

FYI, the park gets its name from The Waterpocket Fold…a nearly 100-mile long warp in the Earth's crust. The fold is a classic monocline: a regional fold with one very steep side in an area of otherwise nearly horizontal layers. It resembles an ocean reef, hence the name.

I stayed a few days in the park and went up and down the scenic road several times with my camera. The colors are truly magnificent and make for great photographs. The best time of day to take pictures along this road is late afternoon. By the way, the park’s campground, located at the beginning of the scenic road, is one of the nicest campgrounds I have ever stayed in.

Capitol Reef is one of America’s less popular national parks…in fact they don’t even charge an entrance fee. So if you are ever fortunate enough to visit some of Utah’s parks, be sure and put this one on the list. 

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Arizona

This image is from my architectural studies collection of buildings in the Tucson area. This is just a tile roof at the University of Arizona. It is one of those images that is far more effective in black and white than in the original color.

Without the distraction of color, you are able to discern some of the simple elements that make for an interesting photo. Here, you see diagonal lines and semi-circles repeated over and over in an organized pattern… simple but effective. There is also a bit of texture on the tiles and the white weathering on most of the tiles break up any monotony of similar grays tones. From your own understanding of roof construction, your subconscious is telling you that the roof is rising from the lower left corner to the upper right corner…which, of course it is.

Sometimes less is more.  

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Cannon Beach

If I had to pick a favorite town on the Oregon Coast, it would probably be Cannon Beach, Oregon. I am sure that many of you who have traveled that magnificent coastline would say the same. It is what I call “Artsy-Cutesy.” Whether by design or by good fortune, the city attracts a ton of tourists every year. It is an enjoyable place to walk around and window shop as its filled with art galleries and boutiques of all kinds.

For me, it is an ideal place to walk with my camera to do both cityscapes and ocean landscapes. The oceanfront is famous for its long sandy beach, with Haystack Rock and the south end and the beautiful Ecola State Park on the north end…a state park that offers both beach front and rain forest scenery. It is a the perfect setting for city like Cannon Beach.

This image shows a a real estate office, if you can believe that. The time of year is late summer and the flowers have been percolating for many months to show you their full glory. In another month, they will pass away, only to be reborn the following spring. To their credit, the business owners work hard to keep the town looking beautiful all year round.

The first white men to explore this area were part of the of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Cannon Beach is only 20 miles south of the mouth of the Columbia River, where Lewis and Clark wintered after completing their journey to the Pacific Ocean. William Clark bartered with the local natives and bought 300 pounds of whale blubber and whale oil. Today, the town has about 1,700 full time residents. It is definitely worth a visit if you come to the northern Oregon Coast. There will be more pictures from this area in the near future.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Washington DC

This is a recently completed digital painting of the Georgetown Barge in Washington, DC. Its from an original photo I took a few years ago on my one and only trip to D.C.  The barge is on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, part of a National Historical Park. The canal runs about 185 miles from Georgetown in Washington, D.C to Cumberland, Maryland. It rises from sea level to 605 feet, thanks to a series of 74 locks along the way.

Construction began on July 4,1828, with the groundbreaking ceremonies featuring President John Quincy Adams. It reached Cumberland in 1850. So, it was a serious undertaking, to say the least.

It has the name Ohio in it because it was originally scheduled to run from D.C. all the way to the Ohio Valley. But, by the time it got to Cumberland, it was already obsolete as the B&O Railroad had reached Cumberland eight years previously. Such was the fate of all canals in America. Their candle burned for a short time, only to be snuffed out by the Iron Horse.

Today the canal is maintained by the National Park Service as it is a National Historical Park. It is one of the many historical sites one sees when visiting our nation’s capitol.  On the day I was there, I was fortunate to see the Georgetown Barge as it passed under the bridge I was standing on where I took the original photograph. It took me a while, several years actually, to create a painting I really liked. I wanted to convey a sense of history in the painting as well as something of beauty…For that is what I always strive for. I read recently that beauty in art died off some time ago. Not for me.

The path on the right side is called the towpath and is where horses or mules walked when towing the barges. If you look closely, you can see the tow rope leading from the front of the boat to the horses off in the distance. The path is very popular among joggers, walkers, and bicyclists. The barge you see is a replica of the barges originally used on the canals. The Park Service offers rides...and, just like the old days, the boats are pulled by mules and park rangers in historical dress work the locks and boat while presenting a historical program. I wish I would have had the time to take a ride.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Chicago

This fountain is in Grant Park, a lovely park, part of which runs parallel to Michigan Ave. in Chicago (you can see the street off to the left). The park is often called the “front yard” of Chicago. I assume the back yard would have to be Millennium Park.

As I mentioned in a previous blog about the “Legs” sculptures, I walked the length of Grant Park from Roosevelt Road all the way to the Chicago Institute of Art, where this section of Grant Park ends (Millennium Park begins on the other side of the Institute). This fountain is part of the “Beaux Arts Garden.” The are, in fact,several gardens and flower displays throughout the park. It is not the most famous fountain in the park...not by a long shot. That honor is reserved for the famous Buckingham Fountain, one of the largest fountains in all the world.

I really enjoyed my walk on this beautiful morning in downtown Chicago…and I have more photos from Grant Park to share with you in the future.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Sedona

 

This is Sedona’s most celebrated natural landmark…Cathedral Rock. I photographed it in December at sunset. Each of the three parts of the rock are called “saddles.”

Sedona is surrounded by red-rock monoliths named Coffeepot, Cathedral and Thunder Mountain. It is a popular tourist destination in Arizona. It is also considered a powerful place to receive energies from the universe to those who follow New-Age beliefs. Legends have it that the lands and rocks around Sedona contain “Vortexes” where visitors can receive large doses of pure cosmic energy. Here is a quote from one such believer about Cathedral Rock:

“With or without the legends, Cathedral is indeed a sacred spot. The vortex is a conical pile of black lava rocks just below the western ledge of the saddle. You can follow a very narrow trail there and climb carefully up the rocks. I felt quite happily dizzy when I attempted this. Go slow. If you are sensitive to energy you may feel as if you are entering a strong current at this point.”

I do not condone or condemn any religious beliefs here…I am just reporting the simple facts about the Sedona area. When you visit Sedona, you will see many shops and tourist attractions that promote New Age culture…as well as more standard religions.

Me, I just go there to photograph some of the most beautiful country in all of Arizona. That is my religion.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Rome–The Vatican at Night

I took a late afternoon flight from London to Rome. By the time I landed and took a shuttle bus from the airport to my downtown hotel, it was getting towards sunset. Here I was in the Eternal City for my first visit, and I wanted to do something besides find a local ristorante and sit in my room.

At the front desk, I saw a brochure for a night tour of Rome. The hotel called for me and there was room on tour bus…and best of all, the pickup for the tour was only a couple of blocks away. So my evening was set. I should explain that often when I visit a city for the first time, I take a tour bus to get my bearings and learn my way around town. It works!

So I set off on the tour. It was very nice and exciting. I saw the Roman Coliseum lit up at night…an incredible site. Our first stop was the Trevi Fountain. That was amazing. I later saw it in daylight hours…and trust me, it is better at night. Wow!

After that the bus took us all over Rome, and I enjoyed the sites. Sadly, after Trevi, the bus made only one other stop where I could get out…the Vatican. Now, realize I did not own a digital camera at this time, and of course, the old film cameras did not have anti-shake mechanisms. So I did the best I could to brace myself and take this photo and a few others. I half expected that none would come out…so I was a bit shocked to see that this photo actually came out. Hooray for me!

Still, after converting the original slide to a digital image, the processing power of the earlier versions of Photoshop and add-on software was not enough to get this image where I wanted it to be. But in the last few months, a new version of Photoshop and some new plug-ins have allowed me to create the image you see here. And even with the new tools, it took a couple of hours to get it right. There was a ton of digital noise that had to be dealt with, not to mention dust spots that always accumulates on negatives and slides. But, I think I finally got the image I wanted. It is what I saw with my eyes on that very special night.

By the way, did you know that the Vatican is a sovereign nation? When you cross over the border you are technically no longer in Italy. I believe it is the smallest nation in the world. Of course it is surround by Italy, but there are no border guards or passport checks. You just walk in and out with no hassles. Don’t you wish all the world was like that?

PS…if you follow me on Twitter or Facebook (and now Google+) the photograph of me on those sites was taken the same day, just after I landed in Rome. Lots of good memories of Rome, for sure.

Postcard from Oakland–Orchids

My brother Dave grow orchids as a hobby…has for years. So whenever I visit him in Oakland, I drop into his greenhouse to see what is in bloom. On this last visit in May, I remembered to bring the camera along.

The orchids you see here are named “Stanhopea.” At first glance they looked like a bunch of tiny fried eggs hanging on wires. But a closer look revealed there is a subtle shade of purple in the petals. Brought out into the light, the purple became more intense, as did the yellow centers. No doubt this is beautiful plant and not something you see growing in people’s yards. And their rarity is part of their charm.

I love photographing flowers, as you might have figured out by now. The colors and variety, as well as their shapes and form make them attractive and intriguing subjects. The key, of course is to get as close as possible to bring out their details and subtleness. 

There were other orchids in bloom that day in my brother’s greenhouse…and over time I will show you more.

Postcard from Oakland–Windows not by Microsoft

Welcome once again to beautiful downtown Oakland. I promised more architectural photos from this city on the east side of San Francisco Bay, and today I deliver another one. Every time I think of Oakland, I am reminded of the infamous quote by Gertrude Stein (part of the Lost Generation of the 1920’s in Paris). Of Oakland, she said, “There is no there, there.” Sorry Gerty, I tend to disagree…especially in the 21st century. Where once I might have agreed with her, I find Oakland a changed place.

I can’t tell you exactly where I photographed these old windows, but it was very near the old Fox Theater, so it may be on Telegraph Ave also. Boy, did I hit the light right on this image! I love how the 2nd and 4th windows reflect blue sky and windows 1, 3, and 5 have a more Cyan color with some green thrown in for good measure. Trust me when I tell you that this is not some Photoshop or LightRoom trick…this is how they came out. And of course yellow always offsets blue quite nicely…and thrown in the other elements of composition here and you can say I hit the jackpot. Also, trust me when I tell you I did not see all of this when I took the shot. But, I do love this final image very much.

There are two adjustments I did make with the image that made it so much better, thanks to Adobe Lightroom 3. First is a lens distortion correction, a new tool that adjusts any distortion that a particular lens puts in an image. Lightroom knows what camera and lens I used on this image and makes the correction if I request it.

The second correction I made, thanks to another new Lightroom feature, is a vertical distortion correction.  Although these windows look as if I photographed them straight on, they are actually high on the second floor of the building, so the original image looks like I shot up at them. By using a vertical correction tool, I was able to straighten them out to what you see now.

I didn’t mean to give you a Lightroom commercial here…I only wanted to point out some of the neat things you can do with today’s software. And I for one, am glad to have these tools. The digital darkroom has become a place of wonder and excitement.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Chicago–Macaroni

I couldn’t resist showing you this image of a macaroni noodle, or should I say and Macaroni and Cheese noodle. I laughed when I saw it sitting in a park at the entrance to Navy Pier. And that is the perfect place for it.

As I said before on a previous blog, Navy Pier is where Chicagoans go to have fun…its like the the boardwalk in Coney Island…lots of things to do including carnival rides, games, colorful carnival-type food vendors (like the Billy Goat Café), rides onto Lake Michigan in various vessels (my friend Susan and I took and hour’s ride on sailing schooner), theaters, and more.

Since it is such a fun place, having a sculpture like this one only makes sense. When taking photos at places like Navy Pier, never ignore the little thing that are part of its makeup.

Now if you look in the upper right corner of the photo, you will see Chicago’s 2nd tallest building, the Hancock Tower. On the very top floor is a wonderful restaurant and bar, where I ate a great lunch and got to see Chicago from on-high. As you might guess, I took some pictures while I was up there, including one of Navy Pier. At the bottom of this blog you find that picture…it is not one of my best by a long shot as the lighting was terrible that day…but at least you know know what Navy Pier looks like. The Hancock Building is one of the few places where you can photograph it in its entirety.

Have a great weekend, everybody…and thanks for taking the time to read my blog.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Oak Park - Autumn

 

Frank Lloyd Wright lived just down the street from this lovely home. If you remember a previous blog, Oak Park is a suburb of Chicago. Mr. Wright, America’s most celebrated architect, built his home and studio here and also designed several of the homes and buildings in this city. But, my best guess is that this is not one of them. It is just a lovely older home in a beautiful neighborhood that happened to have a stunning tree in the front yard.

My friend Susan and I had taken a Green Line train east to Oak Park one lovely afternoon in October. From the station, we hopped a local bus down to the street where Mr. Wright lived. After visiting his former home and studio, we decided to walk back to the train station rather than take another bus…and we chose a quiet residential street. I am so glad we did. This street was filled with beautiful homes, many of them obviously designed by Mr. Wright. You do not have to be an architectural expert to spot one of his designs. His “Prairie School” style of architecture becomes easy to spot, once you know what to look for. Which is why I guessed this home was not one of his designs.

But there were plenty of his homes on this street, but none had a stunning tree in front of them displaying such wonderful autumn colors. October is a beautiful time of year in the Chicago area. In fact, the weekend after venturing into Oak Park, I was in my usual shorts and t-shirt.

Oak Park is such a nice city to visit, even without it’s notoriety. Highly recommended for a visit.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Las Vegas

Las Vegas and I are old friends…having traveled to this city many times over the years…for visits with friends, trade shows or just passing through. That was the case four years ago. We had just driven all day from Yuma to Las Vegas (I was married then) and were staying overnight, on our way to Zion National Park.

We got there late in the afternoon and were leaving early next morning. We stayed at the Flamingo and decided to take a walk just after sunset. I took my camera and snapped some night-time photos, including the one you see here. Remarkably, I never used a tripod that evening…all the shots I took were hand-held. Several did not come out, but quite a few did…thanks to the fantastic anti-shake mechanism built into my Nikon Lens.

What you see is the Mirage Hotel as seen from the front of the Venetian Hotel. You can also see a gondola in the foreground as well as the bridge across the canal. The street in the middle of the photo is Las Vegas Blvd; aka: “The Strip.” Of course the original photo was made better thanks to Photoshop and a couple of favorite plug-ins.

I remember the evening very well as we wandered around the Venetian Hotel, feeling a little superior as we had been to the real Venice several times. I recall one lady somewhere in my past saying that the Venetian Hotel was just as good as Venice, even though she had never been to the real city. Yea, sure!

We did find a wonderful art exhibition inside the hotel. At that time, there was an extension of the Guggenheim Museum on-site. Saw some original Picasso’s and other painters from the early 20th century. Sadly, the museum there has closed. I think there is only one art gallery left in the hotels on the strip now…at the Bellagio. But it was nice to spend part of the evening looking at masterpieces of art rather than gambling in one of the casinos.

Truth-be-told, I am not much of a gambler, although on this evening I did place a bet on the Monday Night Football game. Anyway, after finishing our art tour, we left the fake Venice behind and found a restaurant for dinner, snapping more photos along the way. Eventually we wandered back to the Flamingo, and retired for the evening.

The next morning we were up and at ‘em and left Las Vegas behind. Every once in a while, it is a nice city to visit, but I would not want to live there. Oh, one more thing…before we checked out of the hotel, I did pick up my winnings from the Monday Night game. Sometimes I get lucky.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Chicago–Tulips

 

I had only just landed in Chicago the previous evening…it was April and the beginning of Spring. And it was my very first trip ever to the Windy City. I didn’t know what to expect, but was really excited to explore the city, especially the downtown area. The next morning, the first thing I noticed when I got off the bus downtown was the abundance of tulips. They were everywhere, thousands and thousands of them! And they were just beautiful.

Three special friends took me out to lunch on the 95th floor of the John Hancock building so I could see the city from up on high. What a view! By then, I think I was falling in love with the city. After lunch, we walked the aptly named Magnificent Mile along Michigan Ave. Again, the tulips were everywhere. I got the immediate impression that the City of Chicago knows how to celebrate Spring.

Finally , we turned in to Millennium Park, that magnificent, amazing park I’ve written about here previously. I saw The Bean and other architectural wonders that dazzle the eyes and imagination of the first-time visitor. It was here, near the entrance of the park that I came across this large bed of tulips.

I should explain that all the tulip beds I saw were all color coordinated. They were not just haphazardly planted…oh no…a great deal of thought and planting went into each and every bed. And that held true for this planting. For some reason, it was my favorite in the city and fortunately, I was able to capture it in it’s full glory.

Flowers are best photographed in diffused light rather than harsh sunlight. On this day, the skies above Chicago were overcast, providing me with the absolute best light to photograph these flowers. Sometimes, if I am photographing flowers in direct sunlight, I will use a special white reflector umbrella over the flowers to diffuse the harsh sunlight. Shooting flowers in shade can also work, but be careful as shade will give digital images a blue hue.

For more information on photographing flowers, check out the interesting article on the Digital Photography School Web site. This article is written for cameras of all types.

And…somehow, someway, find your way to Chicago in April to see (and maybe photograph) the tulips around this great city.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Rice–Abandoned!

This is a new painting I finally completed after many stops and starts. I took the original photograph back in the summer of 2007, knowing full well I wanted to paint it as I’ve done with other old, abandoned trucks…except in this case, I could never get it quite to the end version I wanted. Well after several failed attempts, I finally completed the painting…and I am happy with it.

The truck was located in an field near Rice, WA. There is very little to the town of Rice…a post office mainly. It is quite rural and is located along Highway 25, many miles north of Davenport, WA along the shores of Lake Roosevelt and not far from the Canadian border. I found Highway 25 to be a hotbed of abandoned old trucks like this one, as well as interesting old barns.

I have some great memories of this area and some interesting adventures along the way. Someday soon I will share some of them with you. But, for now, just enjoy the painting.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Eugene–Fireworks

 

Happy 4th of July from hot and muggy Tucson. Looks like we have entered our Monsoon Season…a little early this year.  It’s the time of year when we have lots of thunder and lightning, not to mention heavy downpours of rain and occasionally high winds. We had it again last night, with some lightning strikes very, very, very close. Forecast says thunderstorms every day for the next 10 days.  Oh well, its just part of our ever changing world.

Anyway, I shot the above photo on the 4th of July, exactly 6 years ago today in Eugene, OR. I was doing an art show there and their annual fireworks show was held in the same park as the art show. I got to try out my new Nikon on the fireworks show. It was the first time I had ever tried to shoot fireworks…but I did get some good shots (and a few turkeys).

If you would like to try your hand at it, here is a great tutorial from the Digital Photography School Web site. Be bold, be daring…give it a try. Oh, and by the way, if you ever want to photograph lightning, the techniques are pretty much the same. Will be giving that a shot sometime this summer.

But, regardless whether you take your camera or not tonight, do have a happy and safe 4th of July.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

A Special Postcard–Send this Image as a Free 4th of July Greeting Card

 

Happy 4th of July Holiday. I shot this image on film several years ago in my old home town of Ephrata, WA. I am placing it here in case you might want to send a loved-one or friend a 4th of July Greeting. Just click on “Free e-Card” button just below the image, fill out the e-mail address of the recipient, and write a message. Then click send. That’s all there is to it…and its free.

For those of you who get this blog via e-mail, you must click on the special link above the image that will take you to the official blog page, then send your greeting card(s).  This service is now available for every photo I post in this blog. Please make use of it as it makes me happy to share. Enjoy this wonderful holiday.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Oakland–The Fox

 

Come with me to downtown Oakland and step back in time…to the extravagant days of movie madness, when the motion picture was king and  movie moguls built extravagant theaters resembling oriental palaces.

For this is the Fox Theater.  Constructed in a more elegant time, it took two years to build, opening in October1928 to a crowd of more than 20,000 people. But it was more than movies that brought the people…it was a mighty Wurlitzer Organ and live stage shows that preceded the films. Back then,  the San Francisco Chronicle called it "different, novel and mystic," noting "its spaciousness, luxurious appointments and beautiful designs." Rich colors and gold leaf were abundant, including two bejeweled golden figures flanking the stage who were quickly dubbed Buddha's, though historians now believe they were designed as warriors.  Even back then, the Fox was considered far more elegant than most other similar-style theaters. It was opulence personified.

For well over 30 years, this theater held its own against all competition. But then, times started to change, as they inevitably do. Television came to the forefront of the entertainment world…and people started moving to the suburbs for a better lifestyle where there were shopping centers and large theater complexes. Many downtowns died, including Oakland’s. In 1966, the Fox Theater closed its doors.

It remained closed for more than 30 years…surviving arson fires, vandalism, decay from heavy rainstorms, and even the wrecking ball. In 1996, the City of Oakland bought the theater, designated it as a historical landmark, and began looking for ways to restore it to its past architectural glory.

To make a long story short, restoration began in 1999, but didn’t really end until 2009. Now, the theater is open again…but not for movies. This time it is for live concerts, featuring many well known performers. It is magnificent on the inside once again, but the outside will just as easily catch your eye from several blocks away.

If you ever find yourself in Oakland, look for it. It is not hard to find…but if you need directions, it is on Telegraph Ave., one of Oakland’s most important streets. As you might gather from my photo, it is worth seeing.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Oxford–Broad Street

Broad Street is arguably Oxford, England’s most important street. Walking down it’s broad expanse (hence the name?) you find many of it most important buildings…the Bodleian Library, the Sheldonian Theater, the Radcliffe Camera, Christ Church College, and of course, shopping and pubs. The street dates back to 911 AD. Yes, its that old!

This painting shows three of the most colorful buildings on the street. And before you ask, these are the actual colors of the buildings at the time I photographed it. Since I took the original photo a few years ago, I wonder if the colors might have changed. 

Originally, I did this image as a color sketch. But recently, I updated it to a full painting. I thought the image was just too good to leave as a simple sketch. So I reworked it with some of the latest software and hardware tools. It is so great that advancements in computer graphics  allow me the freedom to continue to experiment in new directions…to stretch my creativity, and to extend the boundaries of imagination.

Now that I am not doing shows, I don’t have to worry about creating images that people may buy. Now, I only care about creating art that satisfies my creative needs…whether other people like it or not is irrelevant…but I do hope you find my work pleasing. Don’t tell anybody I said that.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Tucson–Arches

There are so many ways to look at the same scene…and so many approaches to architecture…just like life itself. So it is with these arches. They are part of a walkway at the Old Courthouse in downtown Tucson.  Back in March, I shared a picture of this same walkway. As I was intrigued by the walkway as an element of style in architecture of the building…but also found I was especially fascinated with its old Spanish-style arches. While I set out initially to photograph the entire walkway, I also wanted to experiment and capture the arches by themselves.

I photographed at different angles, trying to capture their special individuality rather than as a part of the whole.  And this was my favorite shot. It was done with the camera held at an angle, as sometimes good architectural photos are. And while the original photo I shared in March was in color, this image had to be in black and white. I knew that when I snapped the shutter.

Looking at the arches, it seems as if they repeat themselves almost to infinity. The lines and form flow on and on. In this photo, as in many others I look for patterns, lines, and repetitions. I think I found them. 

Compositionally, while the first arch is partially cut off at the top, the mind fills in the missing parts. An object doesn’t necessarily have to be shown in its entirety. Consider that when you are working with your own camera. While it is important to know the rules of composition, don’t be afraid to break them when it works.

This photo, of course, is part of my on-going studies of architecture that I’ve been featuring here from time-to-time. I find it to be endlessly fascinating and challenge for my artistic eye…especially when trying to narrow my range to graphic design elements.  If you are interested in doing some architectural photography, or trying it out, I recommend a short, but informative article on the subject in Popular Photography Magazine.

There is also a more comprehensive article on the photo.net Website titled, “How to Photograph Architecture.” Still, another article is, “A Guide to Architectural Photography.” My favorite article on the subject, “Architecture Photography: Beauty of Interior and Exterior Designs,” is not so much about reading as it is seeing so many photos that illustrate architectural design in a more focused, artistic manner. Well worth spending a little time exploring these beautiful photographs. 

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Italy–Canale Road

 

I’ve walked this road a few times in my life…sometimes alone, sometimes with a dear friend or two. Canale is a small town in northern Italy in the Piemonte region, famous for its outstanding wines. It lies about an hour south of Turin (Torino), Italy, home of the 2006 Olympic games.

The road and houses you see here lie in the rolling hills above the town where thousands of vines dot the landscape…they are all around, except you can’t see them in this painting.

Some of the most special friends I’ve ever known, have a second home just a little up the road from where the homes in this painting are located. I visited it on every Italian pilgrimage I made. Whenever I see this painting, I harken back to the very special times. If the US Dollar was worth a damn, I would probably be there now.

Regardless, it is a special place for me. When I walked this road into the vineyards, it reminded me of scenes I saw in paintings by some of the great Impressionist painters of the late 1800’s, especially those country scenes done by Camille Pissarro. That is what was in my head when I photographed the original image.

I got to know many of the people that lived in the homes along this road, even though none of them spoke English. How they must have laughed at my feeble attempts to speak Italian. But somehow we communicated and enjoyed each other’s company. Every minute spent in this extraordinary part of Italy is precious to me now…and I hope before my time is done, I can walk this road again. 

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

Postcard from Yosemite–The Other Side of Fern Springs

A couple of weeks ago, I showed you a photo of Fern Springs taken on the east side of the creek. This is what Fern Springs looks like from the other side. Of course, since I only moved the camera a few feet, what is the big deal, you ask?

Well the biggest difference is that the first image was done using HDR techniques…meaning five images were taken and combined into one. This image was done from a single exposure. I think you would have to agree they are pretty close in quality, although there is a difference. Whatever the case, I like both photos and am sharing both with you. As you may recall, Fern Springs is considered Yosemite’s smallest waterfall.

I’ve talked a lot about HDR photography lately, and with good reason. It’s a new and different way to create fantastic images. If it is something that might interest you, there is no better source of info on it than the tutorial done by Trey Ratcliff available on his “Stuck in Customs” Website. Trey is the master of HDR photography, and if nothing else, you will enjoy looking at his photos. Another good source for HRD info is the Pixiq Website.

Just a quick note, if you noticed a change in quality in the images shown here lately, its because of a new trick I learned that makes absolutely no sense at all. For as long as I have done this blog, I posted the image directly from my computer to the blog…which makes sense, of course. Well I began noticing a slight blur in the images when they hit the Web site. After doing some research, I found I was not the only one who had this complaint.

One of the folks suggested putting the image up on Flickr, then using it from there to paste into the blog. Since I already have a Flickr account, I tried it…and as much as it makes no sense, it works. So now you can get a better copy of my images. Remember this tip if and when you decide to create your own photo blog.

Currently I am in the process of sending all my best images up to my Flickr account. Feel free to see what I have posted there so far.  More to come. Also look for some huge changes coming shortly to my personal Web site.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

Postcard from Oakland–Reflections

What happens when you set me loose in a big city with camera-in hand? Simple…I start shooting interesting photos of buildings as part of my “Photographic Studies of Architecture” Project. Here are two buildings in downtown Oakland…one reflected by the other.  Sadly, I cannot tell you the names of the two buildings as I was too busy at the time to ask. So, just enjoy the image as it is. Again, I am focusing on line and form…and I think I have successfully created an interesting image. But don’t stare at it too long as you will get dizzy. Just kidding.

Since this photo is in black and white, I thought I would pass along a tip or two on that subject.  Black and white is not as easy as you might think…in fact it is in many ways harder than color. It is helpful when you compose a photo to think about how it would look in black and white. I always do this when photographing architecture. Color can be a real distraction in bringing out the power of an image. 

A recent article on black and white was published in Digital Photo Magazine entitled, “Thinking in Black and White”…It might help you get started. There are some good tips here.

Another interest article can be found on the Digital Photography School Web site, titled, “Key Ingredients for Black and White Images.” I found this one especially informative. As long as I have been involved in photography, I continue to find new good info on a wide variety of subjects. I will be passing some of them along in the future. Photography is a never-ending learning process…as are all forms of art.

(To see a larger version of this image, just click on the photo.)

To see more of my work, just head over to my Web site.

Postcard from Yosemite

 

This is Lower Yosemite Falls, photographed and processed using HDR techniques. A few weeks ago, I showed you an image from the same falls (with a rainbow) that was not done with High Dynamic Range (HDR) techniques because of the tremendous amount of mist coming off of the falls.

Here, several feet to the left of where I shot the rainbow photo, I found a location that was sheltered from the mist. I was able to set up my camera on a tripod and shoot the five exposures necessary to create an HDR image in the digital darkroom. Sadly, one cannot see the rainbow from this vantage point, but I think the foreground and the HDR effects more than make up for that.

Using five exposures and because the falls were still mostly in shade, I was able to capture more details for the falling water. In fact, you should remember that when shooting your own photos of waterfalls. Water details are lost when the falls are in bright sunlight.

It was very special to visit Yosemite Valley this year in May because of the higher-than-normal winter snowfall that filled the waterfalls to overflowing. There was so much snow, in fact, the the high country roads, like the Tioga Pass Road, are only now just opening for traffic.

Please feel free to share this photo or use it in an electronic greeting card. It is free. Just use the buttons below the photograph.

(To view a larger version of this image, just click on image.)

Postcard from Canada–Three Canoes Painting

 

It was a sunny morning on the shores of Kootenay Lake near the charming little town of Kaslo, British Columbia where I photographed this image. Back then, I lived in the Pacific Northwest. I used to take a vacation now and then up in this area. I found a cabin for rent a few miles south of Kaslo on the lake and would spend time there just relaxing or wandering about with my camera. It was a wonderful place to unwind.

On this morning, I came across these three canoes just sitting on the beach. The colors and the shapes of the canoes screamed out to be photographed…so I did. Realize this was still the era of film cameras.

It worked well as a photograph, except for the giant weeds that invaded the picture. I could never get rid of them without damaging the picture. Then, recently, along came Photoshop CS5 with a new feature called “Content-Aware Fill.” This allows you remove any image detail or object…then it magically fills in the space left behind. It is really something special.

So, I thought of this older image and pulled it out of storage…then removed the intrusive weeds. Wow! Now I had an image worth painting! Next time, I will pull the weeds out of the ground before I take the photo!

I worked on this image for several days to get it where I wanted. I am more than happy with the way it turned out. Your comments are more than welcome.

Special Note: If you are seeing this image on the “Postcards” Web site, you may have noticed four new buttons…Buy Print, Buy Card, Share, and E-Card. If you receive this blog via e-mail, as many of you do, you cannot see these buttons. But, for you, there is a special link above the photo where you can go to the site and use these buttons.

This is something I have wanted to do for a long time…and now I have done it. I am especially excited about the e-card button. This allows you to use the image to send a greeting card….FOR FREE, using one of my images. Click on it and see what I mean. For now, you can only do this from the blog. I am adding this capability to my Web site images also, but it will take a little longer to finish.

I am so happy to have you share my work as a greeting card. By the way, you can also use the “Share” button to share this image with other people…again, no charge. I hope you will find this new service of use.

PS – you can use these buttons on older images also. And don’t forget, you can click on the image to see a much larger version.

Postcard from Venice

Welcome to Venice.  It’s been a while since I’ve written about this special gem of a city in Eastern Italy. I also take this occasion to present you with a new digital painting…titled “Gondolas at Rest.”

For those readers who only know me from my photographic work, I actually became better known for my digital paintings. That is what I displayed for several years at all my art shows prior to retiring. I was fortunate enough to have some of my works hung in prestigious galleries. To be honest, I haven’t done many since moving to Tucson, 2.5 years ago. But I have taken up the brush again. I have more in the works so you will see them from time-to-time here.

To briefly explain the process, my paintings begin as photographs. Then, using several different software programs such as Painter, I create paintings of various different styles by hand, meaning I use a graphics tablet and a stylus to create a painting from the photograph. In many ways, I work just like a oil or watercolor painter…only I don’t use any paint. The colors you see are derived from the original photo. I’ve coined the term, “Photo Expressionism” for this type of work. 

The Venice paintings, and there are several of them, were always my most popular works. It is difficult to see the painted details of the work because the image is so small, but if you click on it, you will see (hopefully) a much larger version. You might be able to make out some of the brush strokes. To see more of my Venice paintings and sketches, as well as other subjects, please visit my Web site.

The story of this image is quite simple: when I arrived by train in Venice, it was pouring rain…and I mean pouring. It was not my first visit to this fabled city, but still, I wanted to capture as many images as possible.  So I wandered around the city and just started photographing. I found some interesting places, like the one pictured here. I wish it hadn’t rained but I made the most of my opportunity.  I sure hope one day soon I can return…in sunshine!

(To see a larger version of this painting, just click on the image.)

Postcard from Yosemite

This photo was taken from the Pohono Bridge in the early evening. It shows a blooming dogwood tree out over the Merced River. The sunset refection in the water is coming from the valley walls above Bridalveil Falls as they reflect the orange light from the sunset. FYI, it is not an HDR image.

This is just one of many photos I took there over two nights. I am still at work on other images from there which may show up here in the future. This location is no longer a secret as there were 10 photographers there this one evening, all crammed into a small space to get right angle for this photo. And, of course, the dogwoods have a very short blooming season in the valley, so you only have a few nights to get this shot.  Not only that, the reflected light on the water lasts for only about 15 minutes.

This image was photographed on the first night I was there. I say that as the photos from following evening show an even higher flowing river. The few rocks you see at the bottom of the photo were underwater on the second night. Makes me wonder how high the river is today.  

(Click on photo to see a larger version)

Postcard from Oakland

On my recent trip to Northern California, I did more than just photograph Yosemite. As you may remember from some of my recent blogs, I’ve been doing some architectural studies…photographing bits and pieces of interesting buildings wherever I can find them.

A friend of my brother’s suggested I go to downtown Oakland to photograph the  recently-built Catholic Cathedral. So one lovely afternoon, my brother Dave and I drove into downtown Oakland to see it and other buildings of architectural interest.

Our first stop was the Catholic Cathedral, appropriately named The Cathedral of Christ the Light. I say appropriately as it is almost entirely glass on the outside. On the inside of this nearly circular, but mostly vertical structure, are wooden louvers that let in more or less light as deemed appropriate. It is a treasure trove of images waiting to be made by anyone interested in architecture.  To try and describe the inside would be impossible as it is utterly breathtaking. I will show you more photos in the future, but you may also read more about it at their Website. It is a fascinating read.

The image here is of the ceiling. It was one of the first things I noticed and photographed. From their Website, there is a photo of it at night, all lit up in an an intricate weave of lights and color. But even without the lights, I found it a lovely study of line and form, perfect for my architectural collection. I hope you agree. (And yes, it does look like a football)

There will be more images now and then from my trip to downtown Oakland and definitely more from this Cathedral. Stay tuned…

Postcard from Yosemite–Fern Springs

Fern Springs,  in the far west portion of Yosemite Valley, is often referred to as Yosemite’s smallest waterfall. As you can see, it is exactly that. The water comes from an underground spring and is fed into a small pond, then flows out of the pond and heads to the nearby Merced River.

It is a pure underground spring, meaning it is perfectly drinkable. Several time while photographing here, cars stopped to come over and fill their water jugs…as did I. The spring mountain water here is better than any water you buy in stores and just as healthy. I wish I would have brought more containers to fill before I headed home.

Getting to Fern Springs could not be easier. When you come into the valley either on Highway 120 or 140 (they join up), the two-way highway turns into a one-way road. At the split, the road crosses Pohono Bridge (more on that in a future blog) then makes a quick jog to left, then right. There, you will find Fern Spring just sitting there waiting for you, your camera, and your water containers.

As you might guess, this is an HDR enhanced photo. I used only 4 exposures to make this image instead of the usual 5. The last exposure was so blown out it wasn’t needed. I used a slow shutter speed to obtain the silky texture of the water. A few enhancements were added in Photoshop to complete the image. I must say I do like the way it turned out.

Back in February of this year, I wrote about Fern Springs and showed you a photo I took a couple of years ago in Autumn. At that times, the plethora of autumn leaves in the water were the dominant theme and the waterfalls were just a trickle. Not so in spring. All of Yosemite’s waterfalls are always changing.

Look for more HDR images from my Yosemite trip coming your way here soon.

Postcard from Yosemite–Half Dome in HDR

Here it is folks…my first photo from Yosemite, done using HDR (High Dynamic Range). To be honest, I wasn’t going to share this photo here…it was only a practice run and not one of my favorite images from my recent trip. But, right after making this very first image, my computer stopped working…just stopped dead in its tracks. I was without my computer for 24 hours.

Turns out the power supply died and I replaced it today.  Am back on line now, as you can see. But my blog is due out today, so I decided to share this first test image with you. It shows Half Dome and the Merced River, as photographed from the Centennial Bridge…a well known spot to tourists and photographers alike.

Actually it’s a good time to explain the HDR process with you. This photo is nearly impossible to get with a digital camera, or most cameras for that matter. The light on Half Dome is quite bright…but there is hardly any light on the river or the trees.  From the Valley floor, the sun has already set below the horizon. Cameras today do not have the ability to handle such a diverse range of light. 

If you go to the bottom of this blog, you will see the original photo as the camera automatically metered it. The trees are way too dark and the sky and Half Dome are almost blown out.

The HDR solution I chose here was to take five shots in quick succession, using a different exposure for each one. So in the underexposed photos, Half Dome and the sky are correctly exposed. In the overexposed images, you cannot even see the dome or the sky, but the river and trees are well lit.

In the digital darkroom (AKA my computer), I use a program called Photomatix. It takes the five images and brings out the best exposure for each part of the picture and then combines them into one. But, it is far from perfect…to finish off the photo, one needs to import it into Photoshop and work more magic to make it really stand out.  

I actually darkened the trees a bit to bring it as close to what my eye saw that night…and I had to tone down the reds and yellows on Half Dome. Its great fun exploring the possibilities of HDR…so look for more HDR photos from Yosemite soon.

Here is the single shot of this image using the metering determined by my Nikon camera.  Now you know why I am excited about HDR.

Postcard from Yosemite

Here is the first photo from my recent expedition to Yosemite National Park. This is Lower Yosemite Falls, complete with a double rainbow. Fortunately I knew what time to get to this spot for a possible rainbow shot…and was lucky enough to get not just one, but two rainbows.

At the time I took the photo, on the bridge downstream from the falls, I was being soaked by the heavy mist coming off of the falls. I would have loved to do this shot in HDR (High Dynamic Range), but that requires a tripod and a quick series of 3-5 shots. There was no way that was going to happen with all the mist from the falls. The only way to capture it was to hide the camera with my back to the falls, turn quickly, then take the shot as fast as possible.  Then turn around and wipe the lens off…then shoot again.

There was a place to shoot the falls without getting wet, but there was no rainbow visible there. I did take other exposures out on the bridge to capture the rainbow, but this was the only one that had a double rainbow.

Most of my photos on this trip were done using HDR techniques, but they take a while to “develop” in the computer. You will be seeing some of them shortly.

We had great weather on this trip…sunshine every day. A few days after we left, the weather turned bad and there was actually some snow in Valley.  Very unusual for May. High above the valley floor there is still a ton of snow so the waterfalls are going to be full for a while longer.

Look for more from Yosemite soon.

Postcard from Yosemite

This is Bridalveil Falls in May, five years ago.  It was taken at sundown from a location called Tunnel View (because it is close to a tunnel) on the main south-bound road out of the valley. I used a telescopic lens to get this close-up.

Five years ago, the falls were very full as the melting snow was 125% above normal.  You can see the huge mist clouds billowing up from the base of the falls. On that trip, I could not get anywhere near the falls to photograph as the mist was very intense. This year, the melting snow is 175% above normal, so the falls (and the Merced River) should be even fuller.

I show you this photo for two reasons: One is that it is a good photo…two, because I will be there next week. Yes, I am off on one my road trips again in two days.  I will be gone for two weeks, both for the Yosemite trip and to visit family and friends. It’s been almost two years since I have been there, so am really looking forward to this trip.

I am flying up to San Jose where my brother will pick me up. Then, next Tuesday, I am meeting up with my friend and fellow photographer Dave Forster and heading to Yosemite for a few days. On this trip, I will be doing at great deal of HRD photography to hopeful yield even better photos.  It will be so great to “come home” to Yosemite Valley where I spent so much of my childhood.

Obviously I won’t be able to write this blog on a regular basis, but will try to post a few pictures as I will have 3 camera with me, two of which will be used for instant photos to post here, as well as Facebook and Twitter. So stay tuned…please.

Postcard from Tucson

This photo is part of my project on architectural studies. This building is the medical library building, which is part of the large University Medical Center on the UofA campus. The medical facilities are located on the north side of the campus and are quite extensive. If you watched the TV coverage of the massacre here in Tucson a few months ago, you saw the hospital portion of the UofA medical facilities. Believe me, there is much more to the place.

I just love the view of this building. I called the photo, “The Graph” as it reminds me of a graph of my retirement fund accounts after the recent economic downturn….down, down, down.  I was temped to flip the photo so the graph pointed up to make me feel better, but I resisted the temptation.

I have posted some of my architectural study photographs on my Website and also on Flickr. There are many more that I have not processed yet. Again, my goal with these photos is purely artistic….and, as I have said here before, there are a plethora of subjects here in Tucson to keep me busy for a while.

I would appreciate any comments you have on this photo, or any others, for that matter.