Bryce Canyon, Utah

Hello from Bryce Canyon, Utah! I'm posting this image as a teaser, and to let my family and friends know I'm safe, sound and having a great time. I'll be back tonight to write after another day of shooting. Happy trails.....

....Well, I'm back. After a couple of long shooting days at Bryce Canyon National Park, I'm ready to reflect on some of what I've seen. Bryce is located between 8000 and 9000 feet. The air is cooler and thinner up here! Yesterday we got up before sunrise and headed out in the dark to Sunset Point. Having arrived after dark the night before, I had only other photographers' images to help me imagine what might appear before my eyes.

The first morning, Beth and I were the first to arrive, and we successfully staked out the best vantage point at Sunset Point. The canyon at sunrise did not disappoint. As the sun edged its way up due east, it gradually illuminated the canyon, revealing it in all its splendour. All around the bowl of the rim were the hundreds, if not thousands, of hoodoos that form The Silent City, carved in the rock over thousands of years. It is truly spectacular.

The mornings were cold, but it was well worth getting up early. This morning we chose Inspiration Point, and enjoyed a short hike along the Rim Trail wearing headlights to guide us in the dark. It was quite a sensation, knowing the canyon was just a few steps to the right. Once settled for sunrise, I realized we were walking along the top of the hoodoos of the future.

Bryce Canyon is not easy to photograph! At least not without feeling like an imitator. There are images of Bryce Canyon everywhere. Regardless of wanting to "make it my own", these hoodoos are a magnet for the camera. After getting this out of my system, some of my favourite images don't show the canyon at all!

View from Knox Mountain

Happy Thanksgiving from Kelowna! I'll be heading out with my camera a little later on this beautiful day. These images were taken a couple of weeks ago from Knox Mountain, just minutes from my home. I'm looking south over Okanagan Lake towards Peachland. In the background is Okanagan Mountain Park, which burned in the fires of 2003. In the foreground of the top image is part of downtown Kelowna, including The Grand Resort and Hotel, and Prospera Place where the Kelowna Rockets play and concerts are held. I'm looking forward to seeing Michael Buble there in January.



In the second image, another prominent Kelowna landmark is in view - the lumber mill. The mill is at the base of Knox Mountain. I like that you can see one of the houseboats at the bottom left that populate the bay, just beyond the mill. The day was relatively cool, but must have been good for sailing as the boats were certainly out. The last thing to notice is the new bridge that is under construction. Kelowna is an ever-changing cityscape. It has to be to accommodate the rapid growth as more and more people make this their principal and second residence.


The final image here was taken by swinging my camera around to the right, just in time to catch this woman running one of the trails with her dog. I'm dying to get out there today, so that's all folks! Happy Thanksgiving :)

Harvest

As September draws to a close, the Okanagan Valley is at the height of the harvest season. The hay is cut and in bales, and the trees in the orchards are heavy with fruit. The Fall Wine Festival started on Friday, and runs through to next weekend. I read in the paper that it is the only wine festival in North America that takes place at during the harvest of the grapes. I bought some coronation grapes at a fruit stand along the highway today and they are absolutely delicious - like candy on a vine.



These images were taken last week along Glenmore Road. I have driven by these fields several times, wishing I had a few minutes to stop when the sun was low in the sky. I got my chance and had a lot of fun playing with the light on the field. I love shooting backlit scenes like this. They are challenging, because the sun has to be kept out of the lens to avoid lens flare. But it is worth it, because the light and the textures can be quite dramatic. I am very satisfied with all three of these images, particularly the one below - the field is iridescent, a golden green that glows. I like the way the line and texture flows. creating the glow of the end of a late summer's day. Seen in an abstraction like this, it is easy to understand where the phrase "the fabric of the land" originated.

Can't see the railway for the trees....

After such a long gap between entries, I feel I must apologize for the delay. I have been across the country and back to a wedding in Toronto, among other things. Art Walk was a wonderful experience. I learned lots, and enjoyed the company of many other artists in the Okanagan Valley. This was one of the first public showings of my work and it was a real joy to watch the expression on people's faces when they saw my work. I'm looking forward to participating again next year. Last week I delivered three large art prints to "State of the Art" gallery on Bayview Ave in Toronto. The images I selected were seasonal - Osoyoos in Winter (Winter Wonderland), Change of Season and Red Embrace from the galleries at www.lauratucker.com. They look great enlarged to 30x45 and printed on canvas!

The image I chose for this blog entry is one of my favourites. The colours have not reached their peak across the country just yet. In fact, I'll be in Utah around the time they peak this year, photographing autumn in Zion, Bryce Canyon and other US national parks. I couldn't help but celebrate when I heard how strong the Canadian dollar is. Although it's bad for the BC economy, I'm selfishly hoping it holds on for a few weeks.

Anyways, this photograph reminds me of a poster of a watercolour painting I bought as a second year university student, many moons ago. I never loved its colours (it was in tones of pinks and greys), but I did love its texture. A couple of years ago I was in Sundridge, Ontario for a wedding over Thanksgiving. I spent a half day photographing the autumn colours. Although we have mountains and water here in British Columbia, there is nothing like the autumn colours in Eastern Canada. That year was particularly brilliant.

The colour and texture epitomize my style of photography, but there is something else I like - is it an image of a forest, or is the main subject less obvious - the railway running through the forest? There are no perfectly straight horizontal lines in nature. I am shooting across a rail bed. Thank goodness the wind was perfectly still. To get that depth of field using a telephoto lens would have required the shutter to be open for quite some time. The combination of things that have to go right to get an image like this is exactly what I love about outdoor photography, and what so many people fail to appreciate. There are no accidents.

First, you have to get there. Second, you have to know what tools to use to capture what is in you mind's eye. Next, the conditions have to be right. Then, you compose and deliberately create. I'm looking forward to an autumn full of creating this year.

Art Walk 2007

Labour Day Weekend - who can believe it! I can attest to the fact that this is a chorus heard across the nation this weekend as students (and teachers) prepare for the new school year and family holidays draw to a close. Maybe it is because I used to be a teacher that September 1st functions like a New Year's Day for me. Time to get back to work, so to speak - I worked pretty hard this summer. One of the luxuries of being single is being able to plan vacation time outside peak season. And who wants to go anywhere when you live in the Okanagan Valley, anyways? I'm looking forward to a trip to Utah's National Parks later this autumn - ten glorious days of shooting red rock canyons with my photographer friend, Beth, the most Canadian American you could ever hope to have as a friend. (Hi Beth!)

One of the events I have been looking forward to this year is Art Walk in Lake Country, just north of Kelowna. I'll be exhibiting eight prints for show and sale next weekend. Art Walk is an annual arts festival featuring artists from the Okanagan Valley. I'm looking forward to it. Last year I checked it out and was pleasantly surprised. I hope I don't spend more money than I make!

Before I head back out with my camera, I'll say a word or two about the image above. This image of Okanagan Lake was taken at the end of an easy hike at the base of Knox Mountain near Paul's Tomb, at the beach. Lately I have been going up and over Knox Mountain without a camera, but this image is a good reminder of a great location close to home. Maybe next time I'll forego the exercise in favour of a photo opportunity. But then again, didn't I just say that September 1st is my New Years??