Years End 2015

Happy New Years Eve, everyone!

With 2015 coming to the close, I am happy to present my annual "favorites" list. At the end of each year I select my favorite photos that I have taken over the past 12 months and present them again in one big, final post. 

Choosing the photos that best represent the past year is a fun and exciting challenge. I love to look back and reflect on where I was, who I was with, what we were doing, and what I learned from each photographic opportunity. 

A big thank you to each and every one of you that have supported my photography over the past year. Each comment or like on this website, my Facebook page, or my Instagram helps to keep me motivated to get out there and continue to seek out new adventures and try to improve my techniques. 

Butte Creek Falls

Eight Mile School

Portland Waterfront Park in the Springtime

End of the Day at the Oregon Coast

The Rusty Car at Dalles Mountain Ranch

Golden Light over the Columbia River Gorge

Antelope School

Proposal Rock at Neskowin

Perseid Meteor Shower over Prineville

Upper Beaver Falls

Autumn Light Along Gorton Creek

Japanese Maple Trees in Autumn

And finally, my favorite photo of the year. I took this on Mothers Day. I always think when I am doing these lists "How am I ever going to select a favorite?" This year, the answer was obvious. I love everything about this photo, and the memories of going to take it as well. And now I have the Crimson and Clover song stuck in my head once again...

Crimson and Clover, Over and Over

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Dusk Over Jonsrud Viewpoint

A bit of a Throwback Thursday post today. I took this photo the last time we had a clear sky. It seems like forever, even though it was only about 10 days ago! The pounding rains and thick cloud cover have prevented us from being able to see Mt. Hood. I am sure all the foothills are covered in snow now, but there is no end to our wintery rains in sight, so it may be a while before I can confirm the new snowfall. I hope to head up there soon and check out the conditions first hand!

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South Falls Through The Mist

My son and I traveled down to Silver Falls State Park this past weekend with family friends to check out their Christmas Festival. It was awful. Do not go. Ok, I lie. I only say this because I want to keep this little gem of a festival a secret! It was pretty wonderful actually. They had tons of crafts and goodies for the kids, live music, and one of the most amazing Santa Claus. He had the genuine twinkle in his eye as he sat with the kids and took their holiday wishes. We also did the hike down to the bottom of the raging South Falls. The clouds and fog was so thick when we made it down there! This is the very misty view from the footbridge that crosses Silver Creek, which was so swollen it was like a river!

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Central Oregon Dawn

As I mentioned in a post last week, I am not a morning person. But the morning golden hour does have its photography benefits. After watching the full moon go down in the west, I trekked through the snow over to the opposite side of my dads property and took in the sunrise to the east.

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View of a Wintery Three Sisters

Looking west from a high peak on Reservoir Road outside of Prineville Oregon, you can make out the tops of the Three Sisters - Faith, Hope and Charity - through the wintery haze.

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Full Moon Setting Over Powell Butte

I am not a morning person by any stretch of the imagination. However, on Thanksgiving morning, I was up before the sun came up and the moon was just having its last moments above the horizon. I braved the cold dawn and snapped the gorgeous full moon over Powell Butte in central Oregon. Almost worth getting up that early! Almost....

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Frozen Trillium Lake

On Sunday, we braved driving the snowpacked road down to Trillium Lake. The gate was still open and we saw a lot of people walking back up from the lake. One lady stopped us and said that if we were not confident, we should turn back. But duh, it was too late at that point. The only place to turn around would have been at the bottom of the initial hill. We did pass two cars stuck on the side of the hill, but I could tell by the looks of the situations that it was driver error. Growing up  not even 15 minutes away from Trillium Lake, I knew that the current conditions were nothing I had to worry about. I had driven much worse many times. We made it down carefully, and at the lake, I snapped this pic and we started back up. We were behind two SUV's, who at the bottom of that big hill, stopped. Something around the corner was blocking their path. I assume a tow truck pulling those stuck cars out. I just backed up a few hundred feet to the side road that heads towards Still Creek Campground and we went out that way. No problems whatsoever.Worth it! I love me a good adventure :) And I am very glad that we went when we did, because I have heard they closed the gates yesterday.

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Sword Fern

As the temperatures drop heading into winter and things start to freeze, the leafy plants that usually carpet the forest floor all die away. But not the hearty sword fern. It keeps its foliage and withstands the cold here in the Pacific Northwest, becoming the most prominent plant that you see if you brave the chill yourself and explore the woods. This frond glowed in the sunlight that streamed through the tree canopy overhead.

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Fog over the Columbia River

I am very thankful and extend my best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving to my American followers! I do hope you have a peaceful and memorable time with those that you love.

Yesterday morning when  I woke up there was a thick layer of fog covering my neighborhood. I got the photographers itchy shutter finger and bundled up myself and my son and headed to nearby Chinook Landing on the Columbia River and snapped this shot. The sun was just starting to burn off the clouds. The blue from the sky above to the north of where I was standing contrasted with the pink from the sun trying to break through behind me. I have been waiting for a nice foggy day to get out and capture this and was thankful to have the opportunity!

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Reflecting on Autumn

This is probably my last autumn post of the year, as it seems winter is upon us here in our area. I visited Smith and Bybee Wetlands on a very rainy, stormy day. However, towards the end of our wet adventure, the rain stopped and gave me a great chance to take in the perfect calm along the creek that runs along the edge of the park.

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Autumn Forest

Here in the thick part of the forest, you see just a bit more of the yellow leaves still clinging to their branches than out in the open areas. Away from the protection from the stormy wet, windy weather we have been having, the remainder of the autumn leaves are almost gone.

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Overlooking Cape Horn

Cape Horn Overlook, off Highway 14 along the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge, is a easy spot to get out, stretch your legs and take in the beauty that the pacific northwest has to offer. It is especially pretty in the autumn, when the golden leaves dot the landscape.

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Dougan Falls

Washougal River's Dougan Falls is amazing! What an awesome spot! It is very, very easy to access and can be viewed right from your car if you happen to travel to it on a rainy day like I did. Despite the consistent downpour, I got out of the car of course. It was not hard to navigate down to the rivers edge to capture the plentiful water that swirled around the base before collecting itself again and heading further downstream.

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Streets of Autumn

During the heavy rains and blustery autumn winds, it does not take long for a tree lined road to be overwhelmed by leaves. This country drive is a perfect example!

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Pholiota

Yesterday was very rainy here in the Portland Metro area. However, I had been indoors all weekend and needed to get out, regardless of the constant downpour. We visited Smith and Bybee Lakes in North Portland and enjoyed the totally abandoned trails. We got rained on very heavily, but the raindrops made for awesome macro photo subjects! According to my field guide, this mushroom is most likely a golden pholiota. But as always, because I am never 100% sure, I always err on the side of caution and use a "photograph and don't touch" rule.

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Bridge of the Gods lll

Connecting Oregon and Washington between Cascade Locks and Stevenson, the Bridge of the Gods is one of my very favorite locations to photograph. The bridge itself is pretty outstanding, but to make things even more impressive, it is surrounded by the amazing Columbia River Gorge.  I took this photo on a very soggy autumn day from the westernmost point of Thunder Island. Doesn't the picnic table offer a most peaceful looking spot to take in the views?

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Reeder Falls

Reeder Falls is located on the Washougal River in Washington, not far from the Columbia River Gorge. There are many waterfalls in a very short stretch of the river. I had read about the area online and headed out on a very rainy Sunday to explore. Despite the crazy rushing water, the spot was unusually quiet. Seems like the tunnel-like rocks that surround the falls actually absorbed the sound instead of echoing it.

One thing to be noted that the other online forums I gathered information from did not mention because I think it may be new -- there were literally dozens of no trespassing signs on both sides of the road near this waterfall. This will be a huge bummer for those people that frequent these nice swimming holes and river spots next summer. The whole area, in fact, was pretty well abandoned. Most likely due to these new restrictions. We only saw one other person on a motorcycle a few miles down the road.

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Edgefield Vineyards

It takes me about 8 minutes to walk from my house to McMenamins Edgefield. I love having the gathering spot so close, especially when we have visitors and the weather is cooperating. It is great to walk over, get a beer and stroll the grounds. Edgefield brews its own beer, and also has a winery and distillery on its 74 acres. These vines that are right out front are some of the many that can be found on the property that supply the grapes for the wine making.

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Moon Over Crown Point

Last week I took a drive east up the gorge a few miles and stopped at the Womens Forum just in time to see this pretty scene, with the moon rising over Crown Point. A lovely way to end the day!

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Bracket Invasion

This old maple has a bad case of the shelf fungus! All the way around its trunk were clumps of the brackets. Pretty, but also pretty damaging to the tree.

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Autumn Horse Chestnut Tree

The peak of autumn colors is quickly coming to an end around the Portland Metro area. I had to take a photo of the canopy above from under this horse chestnut tree before it was too late and the branches become bare. 

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Sun Peeks Through The Trees at River View Cemetery

We were leaving River View Cemetery on a soggy grey Oregon autumn day when the skies opened up for just about 5 minutes and we enjoyed some golden sunshine peeking through the trees. I snapped this photo and then, as quickly as it began, it was over.

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Japanese Maple Trees in Autumn

This photo, taken at Portlands River View Cemetery, was something we just came across. This group of about 5 japanese maples stood only a few yards from the huge Henry Weinhard family plot. I squatted down underneath the tree that had the most color change showing and took this photo, which makes the short bushes appear much bigger than they actually are.

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Portland's River View Cemetery in Autumn

Sitting on 350 acres above the Willamette River, appropriately named River View Cemetery was founded in 1882 and is the final resting place for many famous Portland area citizens and their families. This past Sunday I took advantage of a brief break in the rain and headed up to explore the grounds. I love visiting cemeteries. The history, families, and stories are so interesting to me. 

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A Week of Cemetery Photos

I am posting a photo a day for the next few days from my visit to River View Cemetery in Portland this past weekend. I thought the location was appropriate because Halloween is upon us! This coming Saturday is 'All Hallows Eve', and in celebration of my favorite time of year, I hope you will enjoy the spooky autumn captures!

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Gorton Creek Falls

This is Gorton Creek Falls, a two-tiered, 115 drop nestled in the Columbia River Gorge. The falls is a bit of a challenge to reach. I am fairly surefooted and do not mind having to get dirty and/or wet in order to get to where I am going, having grown up in the woods. But it was still an interesting adventure to reach my destination. 

The trail to the falls dead ends downstream a ways at nearby Emerald Falls, which I posted about last week. From the end of the trail, you must navigate along the boulders, fallen logs and thorough portions of the rushing creek for another 200 yards or so, gaining about 150 ft. in elevation along the way. I was very glad I came prepared and did this portion of the hike wearing my rubber boots! 

Suddenly, the deep canyon opens up into an amphitheater and the cascade drops down ahead of you. Because of the scramble, I was pleased when I reached the waterfall and was entirely alone. I took my time taking in the peacefulness before trekking back out the way I came. 

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Bolete

I am not very good at identifying mushrooms, even with my handy mushroom identification book that I reference after taking a photo of one. I know this is a bolete, which are a common, mostly edible family of fungus. However, I do not know which type this is specifically. All I know is that it was standing alone in a pretty patch of moss just screaming for me to take its photo. I love photographing mushrooms so much!

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Emerald Falls

Emerald Falls, sometimes referred to as Lower Gorton Creek Falls, is a small cascading drop along Gorton Creek. It is super easy to reach via a short, 3/4 mile walk along an out and back trail. The waterfall serves as the water source to the Wyeth Campground, located at the trailhead downstream. These falls also mark the end of the trail. For the adventurous, you can continue up the creek to take in dramatic Gorton Creek Falls, which I also made my way to and will post about later.

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Autumn Light Along Gorton Creek

It rained really hard at times on Saturday, and then on Sunday, things warmed up and it was sunny again. We headed out to the woods to take in the autumn sights and walked this path along Gorton Creek, passing by this footbridge. The smell of the damp forest air was amazing. The sun warmed everything and cast a beautiful golden light on the changing leaves. 

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Old Ochoco Barn

I took this a few months ago on a trip out to Central Oregon. Off the Ochoco Highway east of Prineville was this dilapidated old barn. I love old abandoned buildings, so I had to stop and take a picture of it under the thunderclouds gathering above.

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Foggy Mt Hood Reflection

Here is one last photo from my recent camping trip to Trillium Lake. It was a cool alpine morning and there was a fog resting on the top of the glassy surface of the water. The first frost I had seen this season coated the grasses along the edge of the lake.

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Mysterious Trillium Lake Car

Just north of Trillium Lake, out in the middle of the woods, hides this old abandoned car. A few summers back I had been walking through the woods with my dog and he lead me right the spot where it rests. I visited the car again a few weeks ago when I was there on a camping trip and took this photo of its sad, lonely face. Does anyone know anything about it? I cannot find any information about the old car online.

UPDATE: I had a reader suggest that he thinks it is a 1936 Ford Coupe. Thank you for the info!

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Moonlit Fog on Trillium Lake

On Tuesday last week, my family was enjoy the first night of a quiet camping trip at Trillium Lake. The lake is usually way too packed with throngs of tourists and other campers for our taste, but after kids go back to school, a mid-week camping trip is much more enjoyable. We were one of only a handful of campers. There were almost no boats on the water, and even the normally crowded dam had not even one person fishing from its banks. 

That night around midnight the moon rose up over the lake and lit up the fog that hovered over the waters. It was one of the prettiest things I have even been lucky enough to sit and enjoy. The definition of peaceful.

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Beaver Falls

I posted about visiting Upper Beaver Falls last week. This is Beaver Falls, a larger drop that is about 2 miles downriver. We accessed this waterfall from the top, which had a short, yet kind of challenging walk in. We had to navigate across the creek at the top of the falls, and then scramble down a steep canyon edge to get to the bottom. A feat made a bit more difficult by my having to carry my 3 year old. But it was worth it. The falls were gorgeous. The amphitheater of cut rock columns was amazing. The pool of water than the waterfall drops into is deep and clear. There were three other small groups of people enjoying their Sunday afternoon when we visited, and one of the people told us that it gets pretty crowded through the summer. I can see why!

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Likeness In The Waters of Trillium Lake

Many, many photos of the reflection of Mt. Hood on the mirror-like waters of Trillium Lake have been taken. It is hard to get a unique perspective. I used the framing of nearby evergreen trees to bring a little something different to the otherwise rather drab, white-skied day that we woke up to on Thursday morning after a few days of camping.

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