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The Western Red Cedars of “Ancient Forest National Park”, typically grow along the northwest coast of North America,. Oddly enough though, these were located in the interior of BC! Many of the enormously tall trees are well over 1000 years old; thanks to the perfect weather and soil conditions, and the ability to survive past droughts, storms, insect outbreaks and fires too. Knowing that the early morning fog would add “mood” to the overall composition, I arrived before sunrise, The little bit that was there however quickly dissipated but I did manage to capture this moody shot. That said, it's very indicative of what I felt; all alone, at peace and at awe with nature. As I meandered along the manmade boardwalks through the forest, I could feel myself depart from the world outside, in both in time in space. I certainly was in my element and for a moment, I was a child again, without a care it the world. I hiked around with my camera gear on my back and with my puppy Arlo by my side for almost 5 hours. He's only five months old but I started training him early to sit and be still when I set up my tripod. Although he can't go on all of my photo shoots, he’s such a good puppy and great companion. What I love about this photo is its overall sense of mood and when I look at it, I feel a sense of mystery, yet I feel the tranquility and calm too. I actually saw this scene from quite a distance so I carefully chose where to positioned myself and then I changed my lens and camera settings… and so on, and so on! I remember thinking that photography is a lot like golf! Just as there is a lot to consider and remember before you swing, well, there’s a lot to consider before you press the shutter button too! Do this, do that, don’t do this… and so on, ha ha! As I neared the end of my hike, Arlo (with an alert stance) came to a dead stop…. hmmm, this was a first! Suddenly I heard what he heard; a rustling noise but it was a noise that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. As I stood in the stillness the strange sound slowly got louder, and louder. When I looked up, I realized a strong wind was blowing above me (only) and the noise was from the thousands of leaves blowing in the wind. I chuckled…. and breathed a sigh of relief (lol).
Located on the border of Arizona and California, Lake Havasu is 3 hours west of Phoenix, 2.5 hours south of Las Vegas and 5 hours east of Los Angeles. As part of the Colorado river, the lake was created with the completion of the Parker dam in 1938, and has since become a year round tourist destination with more than 400 miles of coastline and a multitude of outdoor activities including boating, fishing, camping, hiking and camping. The nearby planned community of Lake Havasu City was founded in 1964 and was really “put on the map”, when the original London Bridge was moved and re-built brick by brick. Before dismantling the original bridge, each brick was numbered, then shipped to Long Beach California where it was then transported overland to Lake Havasu. Reassembly began in 1968 and was completed in 1971. This photo was taken along the south-east shores of Lake Havasu. I drove past it on the way to Lake Havasu City, and then returned before the sunrise the next morning. As I waited for the sun to fill the bay with its warm rays, I found this composition; yikes, it was on a ridge that was very steep on both sides, with a 6 foot landing to stand on (I watched my step!). You’ve likely noticed the color of the water, which occurs when the sun hits the naturally dissolving magnesium and calcium carbonate but did you notice how it’s so different than the blue sky? What I love about this photo is how the peninsulas lead your eyes to the bay, and then they keep your eyes in the bay. This, by the way, what is called a “settling point” (where the viewer’s eyes settle). Also, notice the white sand-hill crane at the end of the right peninsula, it sat perched there for about a hour. *Two 36 mm horizontal images were stitched together in post processing to create this photograph.
When we buy art, its usually a piece that caught our eye or one that changed our state. Art can take us away from the present moment and instantly change our mood from the mundane moment to bliss, calm, or even one of melancholy. The subtle softness of this image provokes a sense of calm and peace and it’s not demanding of the viewer’s attention, yet its uniqueness captures our attention. Be sure to view this image in the "Sampled" section. There you'll see how beautiful this image is hanging in a room.
