Ghost Riders Along the Waterfront
Just in time for All Hallows Eve!
Here are some interesting images I found along the Portland Waterfront last week. I wanted to capture the cherry blossom trees between the Burnside and Steel bridges along the Willamette River in the early morning light. In the Spring, these trees a littered with pink blossoms and there are a ton of images out there depicting that. But in the 10+ years I’ve lived in Portland I never noticed the colors during the Autumn, or the Second Spring. The day before these images were created I was taking the off ramp from Interstate 5 into the Central Eastside business district, which features spectacular views of Downtown Portland, and noticed all the colors along the waterfront. I made a mental note, you have to get out there for some images. The following morning, I did exactly that. Little did I know how busy it is with bike commuters and others in the early morning hours? They make for the perfect ghost images and ample opportunity for action shots with some fantastic color behind the ghosts. I particularly liked it when someone rode by in a yellow rain slicker because the colors match the trees perfectly.
I never believed much in ghosts! I’ve never seen one, so it’s difficult in my mind to believe something that I’ve never seen? I’ve wanted to believe. I think it would be cool to see something that’s not really there and to be able to study or to try and communicate with it. But I’ve yet to be afforded that opportunity. Maybe one day I’ll get that chance. But until then, it’s difficult for me to fully comprehend the thought.
Any who! It is my desire that everyone have a great Halloween season. Hope to see some great costumes out there, and perhaps a ghost or two? Be safe and be careful with all that sugar and candy bounty that you’ll pull in tonight.
Peace
~V
Tulips, Tulips, and more Tulips
There’s just something about the challenge of photographing Tulips? While a good external profile image can be enjoyable. There’s just something about catching the light at the most appropriate moment and exploring inside the Tulip flower.
Here are three of my favorites from recently.
Plus, the different focus planes inside this flower can be a challenge. Just some of the different planes in these images include; the stamens, pistils, the tips of the petals, the base of the petals. I’ve found that I haven’t come across a good image as yet, when focusing on the tips of the petals?
Then you have the lighting. The inside of most Tulips can almost be cavernous, hence images from inside tend to be dark and not very compelling. But catch the flower at the perfect time of day, with the sun shining through? Hmm, The colors are amazing. But sometimes you can come away from the flower with a good image using a flash. The third image above can be found in this category.
Hope you enjoy? Share some color with a friend today.
Peace
~V
Featured Artist – Jan Shield
Happy Winter Solstice!
As we gently pass through the shortest day of the year and come into contact with all the night lights in our society, especially with all the holiday lights, I’m reminded of these oil paintings I recently got the opportunity to photograph. The combination of dark and light paints in these Oil paintings make it look as if I’m actually viewing the scene. These pieces are created by Yamhill County, Oregon artist Jan Shield. While photographing these pieces with Mr. Shield, he mentioned that “These works were painted by toeing the canvases on top of my car, going out into the farm fields around Forest Grove, OR and working with the light of the sky, auto beam light, and the increasing glow of the electric advance of light from Portland, OR into the environment.” It’s an expression into a century of electrified power and night time glow.
I wrote a short biography on Jan Shield in my previous post of his where I shared these wonderful Raku plates he created. So I won’t write a lot about him here, be sure to visit that post for more information. On a recent visit to the Dancing Trees Sanctuary, where Shield still lives and creates art on a daily basis, I was able to also photograph some more wood sculptures that he created as well. I will feature those images in an upcoming post. In the mean time, Shield is still represented by the Fairweather House and Garden in Seaside, OR, and the Rental Sales Gallery at the Portland Art Musuem.
I hope you enjoy your Winter Holidays and that you are with family and/or friends.
Peace
~V
I Was Bored the Other Day
I was bored the other day and wanted to create. But I also knew I had to exercise too, at a little bit. So I went for a walk in Laurelhurst Park down the street. While on my walk, I suddenly realized that I was collecting leaves from off the ground. I was pinking up the ones that had freshly fallen. I walked all over the park for a little while, and collected leaves. I should have brought a bag to keep them in, I must have looked silly will all those colorful leaves in my hands. But I didn’t care. I suddenly found myself on a mission. I brought the leaves to my home studio and started taking pictures. I organized them into a collage, which suddenly sounds oxy-moronic? I was just practicing taking pictures. These are just a few samples of what I came up with. I hope you like. There’s 15 in the collection all together. To see them all, visit my Instagram Portfolio. Become a follower while you’re at it, why not?
Please remember to always hit the “like” and “share” buttons below.
Peace
~V
Autumn Trees
I am absolutely bummed that not a single person has responded to my offer for creating Fall Portraits! Please see offer by visit this link – Lunchtime Photo Sessions. Well actually, one person responded saying it was a good idea, making it seem like she might be interested. I contacted her with more details but I never heard back regarding. I’m absolutely devastated about this missed opportunity, and the missed opportunity to work with others to find some great images during this Autumn Season. I mean, I absolutely love conducting photo sessions, but I seem to never get the opportunity.
Fact is, I’m not getting very much response at all regarding any of the blogs I post? I’m really trying to figure out where to go from here. Any feedback would be appreciated? I mean, here on WordPress, from other WordPress members, I receive a small number of likes on my posts, but nobody ever visits? The total number of visits to my blog on a daily basis averages around 10. The average number of “likes” I receive could be somewhere around twice that. And, nobody ever “Shares” my blog posts. I’m trying to figure out how one can like a post if they’ve never been there to see the post? Maybe WordPress isn’t the best place to facilitate a blog? I’m not sure? My blog just seems to have gotten lost in the WordPress fodder.
I’m convinced that I’m a fairly decent photographer, definitely not the best out there in the World, but aren’t I better than to be subjected to an average of 10 viewers per day? Any feedback that can be given that could shed some insight would be greatly appreciated. Would love to become a featured blog on WordPress, but I guess the chance of that happening are fairly slim?
Well, that’s my rant for the day! These days I’m outdoor finding images of Autumn. In my travels I’ve created some pretty interesting images of trees and leafs changing colors. Today I want to feature some trees I’ve come across. The images above are of a Paperbark Maple Tree, a Red Oak Tree, and a Birch Tree. Hope you enjoy, sorry for my rant, and please share.
Peace
~V
Photographer Walks by Sugar Maple Tree in Autumn
This is what I found when I walked by a Sugar Maple Tree this morning. It was quite a mesmerizing experience to me. Oh My, the red colors. Up close, and far away, this tree produces some electrifying red tones, striking from just about every angle. I hope you like this weeks selection of images, in celebration of Autumn 2015.
I hope you like? Please remember to share with your friends.
Peace
~V
Welcome Autumn 2015
Well, as the season changes and the leaves begin to turn I wanted to present some colors of Autumn in this week’s blog post. I’ve been going around where ever I can to find some colors of change. I think I may have succeeded already. I found these images at Hoyt Arboretum where I’ve been visiting early Sunday mornings over the last couple weeks. Love the early morning walks, when nothing is around except the squirrels and birds. Actually, that’s not entirely true, I’ve seen a few dogs taking their humans out for early morning walks or jogs. But I’m surprised to see not very many others. We’re very lucky to have such a place as Hoyt Arboretum with over 6000 species of trees covering 189 acres of land. It’s been there since 1928 and many of the trees and groves are simply a treasure to be among.
Be on the lookout for more images from the Hoyt over the next couple months. It will be my mission to document more season changes as Autumn passes through and we get close to Winter. I want to get to know the place, so I’ll just keep going for occasional Sunday morning hikes all the way until the new growth starts popping up in the Spring. If you’re in the Portland area and want to come with, be sure to look me up.
I hope you like this week’s post, be sure to come around next week more more Autumn Colors. And remember to share and share alike.
Peace
~V
Season’s Greetings!
Vincent Ferguson – Season’s Greetings – Digital Meme
May the blessings of the season be with you throughout the year!
Photo Essay – Light Posts
Check out this great photo essay from the great photographers @viewbug
“The photos entered in this contest are a perfect example of having everyday common subjects and turning them into art with the correct vantage point, setting and imagination. A true stimulus to our artistic creativity!” Click on the link here or below to view some more of these great images.
Post Lights Photo Contest Finalists!
http://blog.viewbug.com/post-lights-photo-contest-finalists/
Peace
~V
Summertime Flowers, Pt. 2
As promised last week, here some of images of different colored poppies I found in a field nearby where I live.
I’ve always like California Poppies since they are recognized as a symbol for sleep, peace and death. “Sleep because of the opium extracted from them, and death because of the common blood-red color of the red poppy in particular.” For me personally, they represent abundance, because there’s always so many of them..
I’m probably a bigger fan of the Blood Red Poppies which are the flower used in Remembrance Day celebrations in Commonwealth Countries. The use of this particular flower in Remembrance Day celebrations comes from the fact that many World War I soldiers died in the Poppy fields of Flanders, Belgium. I like this particular flower because there’s just something about the vividness of the color.
I have to say, before this day, I’ve never noticed Pink Poppies, so was pleasantly surprised to find these beautiful flowers also.
There’s not much more to say about these flowers accept that I hope you like? Have I caught the natural beauty of these flowers? What do you think? Leave a comment below or rate this post at the link above. Thanks for your visit.
Be sure to visit the other Poppy images on the Emerald Studio Photo Blog
Thanks for stopping by to check out these images. Be sure to share this blog with your friends and connections.
Peace
~V
You can buy selected images seen on this blog by visiting The Untapped Source link to the right.
More images to see, and prints available for purchase, by visiting my ViewBug profile.
And, as always, you can find me on Facebook.
Peace
~V
