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

2010 Spring and Early Summer Images

Remember to click on an image to see the larger version:

Generally speaking late in the day or early in the dawn the quality and color of light transitions through changes rapidly. Capturing photographic images in the twilight hours presents both challenge and opportunity to the outdoor photographer. Add the environmental difference in morning and evening twilight, early in the day being when the air is typically heavier with moisture and evening when dust, pollen or other particulates abound, actually requires different functions of the eye, mind, camera and lens. These technical challenges allow photographers to develop images with the embodiment of captivating landscapes and intriguing narratives.

I'll start this collection of 2010 photographs with a series of the Kettle River seen in the varying transitions of light at differing times of day and weather conditions.

Image # 1 (above) is from my backyard looking east over the river during the 'high water' phase of spring run-off. This photo takes advantage of the late spring twilight as summer solstice approaches.

Image #2 (above) is another high water run-off. The light captured here is the latter part of a sunset with rain clouds breaking in the west (upriver). The air is full of moisture, which in this low light causes refractions, giving the appearance of layering in the clouds

Kettle River Rain; image #3 (above) of this series is another late evening photograph, only this time the clouds do not part and that golden glow of twilight does not develop. Still, there is a rich, layered feel to the scene. The way the dark, trailing Nimbus clouds scud across  the near sky as evening turns toward night bespeaks of more precipitation to come.

With the 4th photograph, 'Morning Mists on the Kettle River', I'll end this short series on the river. For me the dark, wet, wood texture of this free-standing deck sets the mood for this photo. Even though the silhouetted boles of the cottonwoods add mystery, the empty chairs feel inviting. This setting speaks of being a good place to have morning coffee.

Image # 5, Cirrus Clouds, Okanogan Highlands; actually I think these cirrus clouds are transitioning into cirrostratus. It is an down flow of air aloft that creates this unusual huge 'hole' in the skyscape.

Photograph #6 - Northern Saw whet Owl...


Moonlit Meadows of the Kettle River Valley is image #8 (above). This is a rendered photograph of mine offering the soft textures of a late evening under a bright moon partially hidden behind wispy clouds. To me it's an invitation to walk through the night glades while listening to the owls, coyotes and crickets.

We'll end this series with one of my favorite images of this year. It was a beautiful scene when I took the photo but I was delighted with the vibrant light captured in the image. Rich rainbow colors, the green meadows and wet mountain road leading to the home of warmth and comfort. It certainly carries my imagination ~ and that is a good thing.

Hope you enjoyed the tour...

Foster Fanning

Kettle River Valley, 2010

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