Autumn 2010 Series...

This autumn proved a fruitful time for photography in my home area. An ever changing intermix of mountains, clouds, sunshine captured in vivid moments were the rewards of many photographs. Here are some of the best that managed to find their way out of my digital camera.

In the first image, above: Northern Reaches of the Kettle River Range. 

We have the following three mountains: Scar Mountain ~ 7,024 feet (2,140.92 meters) Wapaloosie Mountain ~ 6,942 feet (2,115.92 meters)  and Columbia Mountain ~ 6,765 feet (2,061.97 meters). This area is the upper reaches of the San Poil River, north of Republic WA.

If you are interested in the Kettle River Range and would like more info I have developed a fairly extensive page on these mountains hosted at this location:

http://www.summitpost.org/kettle-river-range/682199

Curlew WA, at the Cougar Corner Junction seen in October is image number 2 of this series. The Kettle River winds it's way through the golden cottonwood trees in the middle ground of this photograph. You can find this photo on Goggle Earth if you happen to be looking at the Curlew area.

For image number 3 we move just north of the above photograph to the state highway bridge crossing the Kettle River just upstream of the town of Curlew.

Nehi Alpit Qha is the Salish language name for the Kettle River. Nehi Alpit Qha Dawn is the name of photograph number 4 of this series. In this image we are looking east into dawn and the Kettle River Range.

Image #5: Kettle River Reflections; a deep, rich, colorful photo of the river and flora reflections in it's still, October surface.

Little Vulcan Mountain makes image #6; an early November photograph full of textures of clouds, vegetation and landscape. Bamber Mountain is in the background of this shot.

Photograph #7 is: Snag Overlooking Kettle River Valley. That sweet intermixing of cloud, mountain-scape and lighting as the autumn skies are in a perpetual state of transition. I bracketed quite a few images to assure this moment was captured.

The Face of Little Vulcan Mountain makes image #8. Actually Little Vulcan, Vulcan Mountain, White Mountain (north) Snow Dome and a few minor peaks are all part of the same dome heaved up during plate collisions 45 million years ago forming part of the western foothills of the Kettle River Range.

Thought I'd close this set with this image; Fire and Snow: As part of my day job I was burning slash piles on a very steep slope overlooking the Kettle River Valley. After starting ignition a thick, cold front closed in bringing driving snow and high winds. It was an intense moment by the large fires that I rather enjoyed.

Take care, take photos and thanks for stopping in.
Foster

Of Eagles and Mountains...

As mentioned in the FIREWATER blog, this has been a mild winter in the Okanogan Highlands. Just before dawn this morning I noted this rather large bald eagle perched in the upper reaches of the shoreside cottonwoods, watching the coming of light on the river surface below. As eagle watched river, I watched eagle. The foundation of this rendered image was captured before the sun rose over the Kettle River Range to the east. Double click on the images for a larger, more detailed view.

The day dawned clear and sunny. Work took me over Wauconda Summit and  into the Okanogan River Valley. On the way home captured this image of 7,257 foot Mount Bonaparte. In proper terminology, Bonaparte is a monadnock - a high, solitary mountain. It is the highest summit in the interior of the OKanogan Highlands. Higher summits are to the west are in the eastern Pasayten area of the Northern Cascades. About 30 miles to the east is the Kettle River Range with it's highest summit being 7,140-ft Copper Butte.

Below: Mount Bonaparte

Painting with light...

No, I have not picked up the brushes again as the title of this post may imply. This expression is more an ethereal feeling I get when working with photographs and modifying their quality, contrast, color and composition. Of course all of the above begins when one decides to capture the image with the camera. The depth, shape, size, density, temperature & general environment of the subject all come into play as the eye "sees" the composition taking shape. But for myself and a number of other photographers creating the final stage of the image may be a process of more complicated steps through darkroom applications or the digital photoshop. As mentioned in other postings, the photograph may be with me in various stages of it's raw form or transition edits for quite sometime before I find a way to express visually what I'm really seeing and 'feeling' in the image. Here are a set of winter images taken this January of 2010 that have avoided the cutting room floor and surfaced with enough expression to be featured here. Hope you enjoy...

Image #1 Cottonwoods in Winter's Mist... It's been a warmish January here in the Kettle River Valley. Much of the sparse snow we received has melted, the rest turning to glacierial ice along the river banks. These cottonwoods, standing in a light morning mist were covered in hoar frost from the moist airs rising off the river's surface. In this rendered image there is a cold, dark feeling to the brown boles of these silent trees.

#2 entitled: Mount Bonaparte, Above the Clouds, is another wintry play of light and the environment. I caught a glimpse of the mountain as the clouds briefly parted one morning. Almost before I had positioned myself and captured three shots the clouds returned and totally blocked out the view of the mountain. I was lucky to get this image. While I liked the photograph what I really experienced watching the changes of light on the mountain are captured in this rendered. A winter's morning in the highlands.

Pines in Snowfall; image #3 is a photograph taken just off my backyard during a snowy morning. I live within the ponderosa pines. Much of the wood & logs of my home are of various pines. And I am an admirer of these beautiful trees. Pines in the winter occupy a special place in my study of subject, shape & light. In this rendered image of the pines and snowfall I can almost hear the whispering sounds of the flakes falling through the pine needles before settling deep & white upon the ground.

Image #4 Snowy Road, Kettle River; was captured at the end of an overnight snowfall. The river was still predominantly frozen over and except for the tracks left behind my vehicle the road was untouched that morning.

Possibly the most photographed waterfalls of Washington State, Snoqualmie Falls is the 5th photo of this series. While there is no snow or ice in this image it is indeed winter. January at the falls with a recent snow melt swelling the river. The upper edges of this gorge, where we are standing, is constantly in the mists rising up from the pool below this 268 vertical foot drop of water.

And I'll close this series with a colorful photograph; I call this one Winter Cabbage, Salish Lodge. The Salish Lodge over looks Snoqualmie Falls and, of course, it is in such a mild temperate zone that this cabbage was in full color in January.

Thanks for stopping and having a look. Remember if you'd like to see a bigger version of any of the above images you can click in it. You have my permission to right click and save the image to your computer as long as it is not used promotionally or commercially or published in any other way.

Summer Series - Mountains...

Northeastern Washington firefighters know August as the RED SUN MONTH. Those of us in the fire community who live here know we live in a every old wildfire ecology. Dry pine forests, hot summer weather, frequent lightning storms have left historical burn scars upon the fuels & landscape for many thousands of years.

Often during August there is a major wildfire within or close to the Okanogan Highlands. It is at that time the valleys and surrounding mountains fall under a smoke haze. Especially during periods of weather inversions. The images presented here are from a recent intrusion of smoke from a very large fire near Kelona, B.C., Canada.

The first photograph, 'North Spur of Franson Peak, Kettle River Valley' was captured from the northwestern ridge of Tonasket Mountain, above the village of Curlew, looking west up the Kettle River Valley.

Photo #2, 'Mountain Meadows' is a typical landscape of this area of the Okanogan Highlands on the western slope of the Kettle River Range in Ferry County.

"Northern Kettle River Range' is what I call photograph #3. Taken from the summit of Klondike Mountain above Republic, WA. Looking northeast with Copper Butte as the backdrop. The Kettle River Range are a subrange of the Canadian Monashee (or Midway) Range of British Columbia.

I'll close this series of Summer Mountains with a view of one of my favorite peaks; Mount Elizibeth seen looking southwest from the Tonasket Creek drainage, near Curlew. I find these combinations of open meadows intermixed with timber stands to be engaging landscapes both scenically and photographically. Hope you enjoyed them too.

Foster

Summer Series 2nd Photographic Post 2009

This newest '09 Summer Series will focus on the Kettle River Valley, located in Ferry County, Washington state, U.S.A.

The series starts off near the Canadian village of Midway B.C. where the Kettle River enters the United States. At this point the river is nearly 100 miles from it's headwaters.

I am using this Google Earth image to set the stage for the upcoming images. In this overview of the river valley we are looking from an elevation of 15,000 above sea level. The river valley at this point is 1,900' above sea level. I have added some landmark notations in red to orient the interested viewer. The following photographs were taken from the spot on the Google map marked X-1. Double click the image for a larger view.

The Kettle River is unique in that it enters the USA from Canada, flows in a big bend from west to east and then turns north and enters Canada again. We will explore downstream in other posts. For now here are a couple of images to get this series started.


'Meyer's Bend' the first of several big bends in the river, named after a German farmer who raised cattle in the green fields inside the bend. Henry Meyer was a farmer, rancher, miner and good, solid man as well.

'Downstream from Meyer's Bend' I nearly named this one Westlake Acres as the photo looks south toward a small farm area bearing that name. I enjoy this image with the dark shade of the cool cottonwood trees in contrast to the hot summer day. The Kettle River offers many clean & delightful swimming holes.

Short & sweet. That's what this introduction of to the Kettle River Valley is. I've many more images in 'the can' and hope to update this series every few days. Please check back soon...

Foster

WILDLIFE...

A truth must be told before beginning this series titled Wildlife. I am not a wildlife photographer. I rarely shoot with a telephoto lens and if a good wildlife image is captured I consider it more luck than skill. The main thing is I carry a camera at all times and make the effort to use it. Of course this coincides with the premise advocated in this blog - get that camera out and enjoy it!

That said here is my meager contribution to wildlife photography...

This photograph, #1 is titled 'Bighorn Ram, Winter Snow' again a matter of luck that as the other males of this group ran off into the bush, this lone fella' turned to take one final look. I'm glad he did!
'Blue Grouse Mating Dance' is photograph #2. This male in full display is courting a nearby female. This form of display is also seen when another male ventures into the territory of a suitor.
Ranging throughout much of North America the subject of this photo, #3, titled 'Raccoon on Ponderosa Pine' is a well known creature. Seen here along the banks of the Kettle River in NE Washington state.

A rare, full daylight sighting of this Great Horned Owl, photograph image #4 was another stroke of luck. I've often crossed paths with owls in the twilight hours or after dark, generally times when getting a spontaneous photo is not really likely. In this case I was delighted to find this creature in the full, late afternoon, setting sun.

Image #5, 'Northwest Squirrel in Pines' is of a creature also referred to as a Douglas Squirrel. Another prolific creature covering much of the northwest where there are places a squirrel can travel tree to tree for hundreds of miles and never touch the ground.

Photograph #6, 'Bald Eagle in Cottonwood Snag' is an image rendered through the digital darkroom process and finished in a manner representing more a wildlife painting than photography. I am fortunate to live in a place where the eagles gather in late winter & early spring to feed & mate.
Photograph #7, 'Nocturnal Flying Squirrel' is another visitor to the pine forest banks of the Kettle River. These are an unusual little creature, which I've been fortunate enough to see in 'flight'. Flight in this case actually being leaps from sometimes over a hundred feet above the ground and a very rapid controlled glide onto the base of another tree. In this manner these nocturnal squirrels can cover distance very fast.

Photograph #9 is titled 'Sand Piper's Nest. When I walked near these young fledglings they mistook my rustlings for the return of a parent. They peeped for a moment and then opened their mouths as wide as possible for the anticipated treat, providing a great photographic moment.

First off I was captivated by the song of this 'Yellowheaded Blackbird' in image #10. Then it posed for this photograph. I couldn't ask for more...

Photograph #11, 'Tiger Swallowtail' was another unexpected treat. I had visited a friend's garden with the idea of photographing flowers when all of a sudden another subject appeared.

I'll close out this series of wildlife photography with one of my favorite images titled 'Nightwings'.

Hope you've enjoyed this show...

Nautical Art - part 1

I am a sailor. Having been born on the biggest island of the U.S. eastern seaboard seems to have deposited a certain amount of 'salt' in my blood. While I have lived in the dry areas of Texas, Colorado, & Arizona there was always an underlying call to the water. To quote a favorite character, "There is nothing, absolutely nothing half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats." And that is the point of focus with the visual journey forthcoming - a passion for all things nautical.
















"The Adventuress" above, is image #1 in this series. It was nothing short of delightful to cross paths with the 136 foot, gaff rigged, schooner Adventuress as she ghosted across Haro Straits between the western shores of Canada & the U.S.A. Built in 1913, and recently restored, she is listed as a National Historic Landmark (see link below).









The photograph above; "Trawler", image #2, has been in my collection many years. Taken in 1999, on a foggy day, during a late September cruise through British Columbia's Desolation Sound, it has ghosted back & forth through both my basement darkroom and my digital darkroom. I was never satisfied with the results, until recently that is. This, the final edition of the rendering process of this photo, has finally captured the image my eye 'saw' on the misty day of the photograph. This may be the longest period of time I have had an image on the drafting table. And in the end - I really enjoy the results. See link below for Desolation Sound.











Image #3 entitled "Pilothouse" is a photographed created in 2001. Anchored in a cove off the norwest shore of Matia Island in the Pacific NW San Juan Islands this home-built, wooden classic caught my eye as the afternoon summer sun settled over Sucia Island (in the background). It's one of those shots I wish I knew who the owner is so I could give him or her a copy. See link below for Matia Island State Park.






There are times when the world is yours...
When a single breath fills your existence. A time when the whisper of wavelets curling on a clean, gravel shoal is your sound track. I love those moments and so does the subject on this beach on the west side of Clark Island in the San Juan Island group. Photo #4, above, is titled "Beach Time".


Photograph #5 is titled after the name of the sailing vessel, "Grace". Owned and piloted by my dear friend Marjean, the SV Grace is a 1965 Islander seen here motorsailing her way across the Strait of Georgia north of Nanamio B.C. I recall that when this photo came out of the can I danced around delighted in how that magical light had been captured on film. Now having undergone scanning and a very light rendering there is an even greater feel of the mysteries of crossing a large body of water on a small boat.






"Into the Mists" above, rendered photograph #6 is another of those rare shots that happen if you are in the right place at the right time and ready to engage a camera. This vessel was crossing my path as I solo sailed across the sometimes notorious Strait of Juan de Fuca. As we came close to crossing the skipper of this boat turned parallel to my course and soon vanished into the mists. With nearly 20 miles of open water in front of us not to mention a busy shipping traffic lane, I wondered if he was lost, or disoriented. Not once did I hear a fog horn from this vessel.







A visual break from the vessels, this landscape, above, on the southern point of Clark Island with Lummi Island in looming dark in the background and Mount Baker and the Cascade Range in the left quarter of the photo. Represents a classic San Juan Island view. It is #7 of this series.


I'll close this series with a piece entitled "Gull in Flight". A photograph taken from the deck of a good friend's custom pilothouse motorsailor Chak Chak. On an early spring cruise several years ago.

So ends the first series of Nautical Art on the Firewater Images site. Hope you enjoyed the show and will check in later for more.
Foster

The sailing vessel Adventuress:
http://www.soundexp.org/index.php?page=history

Desolation Sound B.C. Canada:
http://www.google.com/archivesearch?sourceid=navclient&rlz=1T4ADBF_enUS245US245&q=desolation+sound&um=1&ie=UTF-8&scoring=t&ei=G-bKScO5IYKOsQPq9NmgCg&sa=X&oi=timeline_result&resnum=10&ct=title
Matia Island State Park:
http://www.stateparks.com/matia_island.html

Clark Island State Park:
http://www.stateparks.com/clark_island.html

Strait of Georgia:
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/230264/Strait-of-Georgia

DEPARTING LOOK AT WINTER (in progress)

In this series the focus will be images of winter, and most pictorially, the departing of winter from the northern climes.

In the image #1; entitled "Icy Reflections" we see the remnants of winter's ice vanishing off the surface of the river as the promise of spring comes to the neighboring cottonwoods.

Photo #2; "Cliffs of Winter" gives a glimpse at the last vestige of snow & ice laden, north facing, cliff face. The orange is lichen & the green a dormant moss awaiting a springs warmth.

"Fresh Powder", a skiers delight is the title of image #3. In the northern spring one can still find good skiing deep in the mountains. There's little other experiences in this world to compare with leaving 1st tracks in untouched powder snow.

And speaking of the high country, this photograph, #4 is "Dance of the Snow People". Captured it while skiing 'off piste' at Big White in B.C. Canada.

Image #5 "Snowshoes", just before break-up, when the ice is quite thick over the slow, shallows of the river, a sunny afternoon of snowshoeing is very enjoyable.

These "Horses Running in Snow", photograph #6, can anxiously smell the transitions of the seasons. Soon the meadows will sprout fresh & green...

I'll close with this rendered photograph, #7 titled "Snow Leaving the Highlands". The starkness of this image with snow melt on the southern exposures, while still deep & wet to the north of the ridges, enhanced by the rendering lend strength to this image that I really enjoy. I hope you do to...

Foster