Here is a set of four images (not the same wave) showing the way the waves were developing over there on Saturday. I'll post more with different vantage points later but I thought these made a good series.

1, 2, 3 and  4.

To give you a size perspective the rail fence up on that bluff is about four and a half feet tall.

Tech note: All were taken with a Canon 40D, Canon 18-40mm L lens and tripod with a remote shutter release. I used manual mode and manual focus all preset to enable me to watch everything unfold and hit the remote as I wanted to.  

Last June, we headed out by train (AMtrak) for Montana and Glacier National Park. It's a wonderful experience to travel cross country by train. We went from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon by train! Wow! I have lots of shots of the trip...through a train window. Mission Mountains as seen from National Bison Range, Montana, 2007 The nice thing is that nearby there are lovely scenes without having to go into the park! This is taken at the National Bison Range!  Glacier National Park, 2007. Lake McDonald, Glacier National Park, Montana, 2007 Here's my hubby shooting Lake McDonald, a 10 mile long glacial lake. National Bison Range, Montana, 2007 And not too far away, the National Bison Range gives you opportunities to photograph buffalo! These guys were approaching us to cross the road we were on, so I got several nice shots of them up close and personal! This one is okay...could be more contrasty, I think, but I liked how it looked like they were in their natural habitat and as though I had kneeled in front of one to 'shoot' him/her. Actually, this was shot from a car window!  

My husband had to go over to Bandon, Oregon for work on friday so I went with him.  I love the ocean.  I crave the salty smell.  So I was determined to go even if it was raining buckets or hailing.  So four hours later we are there and the rain is blowing sideways towards the ocean.  So that meant that I didn't even get to smell the ocean for the wind was coming from the land.  I was so disappointed and then to top it off the fish shack I love was closed. The only saving grace was that it stopped raining long enough to get a few shots. Lighthouse
It was Too cold to fly so this one waited for his dinner on the trash can.Feed me
One nice thing about bad weather is that the fishing boats are docked.
fishing boat
Fishing boat 2
Fishing boat 3

To all of you that sent me notes and sent your comments to my post over in the General section, thank you very much.

Normally after I went out on a shoot I would put some of the shots up on my site for dad to get in and look at. Most of the time he wouldn't say much unless there was one he really liked. If I got an email saying "Send me the big version of **" I'd know that shot made the grade and it would end up being wallpaper. Most of the images below have been posted in the past but there are many new names in here as of late so I'd like to repost them.

Dad's favorite outdoors place was the coast. His picks there were:
Oregon Coast Beach After a Storm.
Fishing Boats at Newport Oregon (B&W)
Cape Blanco Light on a Foggy Morning.
Gull In The Mist, Yachats Oregon

The  Oregon Cascades probably came in second to the coast. He never got over to Central Oregon much but did like it over there too.
Smith Rock in Central Oregon was a place he hadn't been but did want to go.
He always said rivers should sparkle and not look like a blur. Pool on Roaring River was more to his liking.

The last two shots tie into the photo of dad who really hated having his picture taken but actually asked me to take this one of him. As you can see he was pretty up on current technology. This was taken on a trip he went with me to hike the Proxy Falls trail. There is a campground across the road from the trail head and we went over there to have lunch after our walk in. The reason for the hike is for shots like these:
Lower Proxy Falls and Fall color on Proxy Falls Trail.

Thanks for looking and again, thank you for the notes and kind words.

Mike

Another day another sunset in Central Oregon. A lone juniper tree in the forground and the Cascade Mountains in the background. Today the fog dropped down allowing the tops of the mountails to show better. I remembered my mittens today! Tomorrow it's back to the valley and home.

Central Oregon Sunset 1
Central Oregon Sunset 2
Central Oregon Sunset 3
Central Oregon Sunset 4

Greetings Earthlings,

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.

Your weather update fron Central Oregon is as follows....

Near the top of Santiam Pass.. Snow on the mountain
We were greeted by fog as we dropped down off the hill..Fog on the East side (That is Mt Jefferson in the background)
With the wind chill it was in the 20's up on Round Butte and I forgot my mittens but it was a  Sunset worth the cold. One more of the Sunset worth the cold..

We will see what the weather brings for shooting tomorrow.

I went for a walk in Corvallis, Oregon a few weeks ago. The day was bright and sunny. I was intrigued by the Ballerina Statue. She was beautiful & graceful.

I saw this Water fountain these
Pumpkins - macro.

I came across somes flowers Rosebud Pink flower with bee Sunflower Bee Ladybug & Bee.  

Skipping the getting out of bed and all that goes with it and also skipping getting to where I was going to shoot, this will give you part of my day last Monday.

Jump from the house to the Old McKenzie Highway 242 in Oregon on a fall day. You have to enjoy this road while you can. In a month it will be closed by snowfall and will not re open until the 4th of July next year.

As you drive up the road with it's narrow 8' lanes you see a dark hole ahead. Every turn is something new and you wonder what is beyond the hole.

It may be trail taking off to a  waterfall. At the bottom of the fall is the pool  that the water collects in. But wait... this is strange. There is no creek out of the pool. The water goes into a lava tube to emerge as a spring somewhere on down the mountain.

Walking back out of the falls you notice the weather man was right for a change. There are some low clouds hanging over the lava beds. They float in and out just showing parts of the hill on the other side of the canyon. The bright red patches make the lava look as if  it is still hot in places. This flow is far from hot. It's 4500 years old and has been covered with snow many times.

Driving on up the road is another trail and you can follow the guy in the red jacket and see where he is going. He makes a turn in the trail and you have lost him in a sea of yellow vine maple.

Hike back to the care and head on up the road. You quickly climb from 3000 feet to 5000 feet and it is a whole different world. Trees struggle to survive up here. they are tough old pine trees but some of them don't make it. When you get to the top of the pass you are surrounded by lava beds and a few stands of pine.The first dusting of snow on the peaks is worth the drive.

From here it's all down hill into Sisters where you hang a left and climb over the summit on the road now used the most. Dropping down the other side you can stop and check out one of your favorite little falls. From here it's a little over an hour back to the house.

Next Monday... the same mountain range and the same hour or so driving time but a different location.

Hope you enjoyed my sharing the day with you. If you ever get out here in mid-October let me know you are coming. I'll show you where this is in person.

Here are a few examples of what all of that rain can do to an area. It's worth having moss under your arms a few months of the year.

Fall In The Oregon Cascades
More Fall In The Oregon Cascades
Even More Fall In The Oregon Cascades
And Even More Fall In The Oregon Cascades
Last of the Fall In The Oregon Cascades... for now

Do you feel brave?

At the top.

Over the top.

To the bottom.

Hope you had a nice if not damp visit to Sahallie Falls in the Oregon Cascades. Feel free to "drop" in any time.

All with my trusty 20D and 17-40mm L lens. Have I said how much I love that lens lately?
 

... but somebody has to do it.

20d, 17-40mm, tripod and self timer. Location... The McKenzie River Trail in the Oregon Cascades.

The Yaquina Bay Light House was built in 1871 and decommissioned in 1874. It was officially restored as a privately maintained aid to navigation on December 7, 1996.

The reason for the decommission in 1874 was the lighting of the Yaquina Head Light House. The 93 foot tower, Oregon's tallest, is located on a narrow point of land jutting due west into the Pacific Ocean north of Newport, at Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area.  Winds and rain have buffeted this lighthouse since its beginning in 1872.  It took approximately one year, and over 370,000 bricks to construct Oregon's tallest lighthouse. The light has been active since Head Keeper Fayette Crosby walked up the 114 steps, to light the wicks on the evening of August 20, 1873.

Back to the Yaquina Bay Light House...It is believed to be the oldest structure in Newport. It is also the only existing Oregon lighthouse with the living quarters attached, and the only historic wooden Oregon lighthouse still standing.  The Yaquina Bay Lighthouse is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The Yaquina Bay Lighthouse has been restored as a working lighthouse and an aid to navigation by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, with the help of many people and agencies, including Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses The official relighting ceremony with the US Coast Guard took place on December 7, 1996. The light shines with a steady white light from dusk to dawn (and sometimes on dark days, because it is controlled by a photocell.) The light is 161 feet above sea level.

We will start your tour on the inside of the house at the Living Room. Really look at the furnishing in these photographs. You wouldn't want to miss things like the spinning wheel  or the organ in in this shot. There are 4 bedrooms in the house. Bed room 1. Be sure and note the ghost in the mirror. Wait... that's the dummy photographer that didn't notice the problem until he got home. Second shot of the same room.  Note the furnishing on the floor at the foot of the bed. It was a long way to the outhouse when it was raining and the wind was blowing 70 mph! I'm sure this was a childs bed room with the single bed. Bed room 3. An older childs room? I'm guessingthe master bed room  with the fireplace.

On to the kitchen. Be sure to note the running water at the sink and many other small but great items. Kitchen and a  second shot of the kitchen.   I love the stove!

The keeper of the light would make many trips up and down these stairs. At the top was The original light. Whale oil kept it burning. The View of Yaquina Bay from his window, I'm sure produced some great sunsets and storm views. The rock jetties weren't there at that time. Very close records were kept at his desk in his quarters just below the light itself.

I hope you enjoyed the tour. If you are ever going to be in Oregon, The coast at Newport is a great place. Don't miss it.

Mike

Greetings Earthlings,

I have returned with the last of the river shots. The first one is from the lower rapids area. Shot at 1/4 sec @ F18. The next two are near the end of the rapids and also near where the river  ends by becoming part of the South Fork of the McKenzie river. 1.3 sec @ F16 and 3.2 sec @ F18. These two are my favorites of the 100+ frames I shot last week of the river.

Roaring River Rapids
Roaring River a Little More Tame
Roaring River a Little More Tame

The Oregon Cascades is interesting as far as the trees. Below about 5000 feet you will find Douglas Fir, cedar and hemlock. Sometimes mixed and sometimes large areas of the same. At about 5000 feet there is a very narrow band where pine is mixed in. By 5500 feet or so it's all pine. Anyway.. the extra shot for today... Pine Cones Canon 70-200mm F4 L lens at 1/160 and F4 handheld.

Hope you enjoy,
Mike

Back to the river shots. I've got it narrowed down to a couple of dozen out of the 100+ shot at different exposures from different angles. Here are four of the "keepers". I think you have seen a couple of them... a few more tomorrow.

Roaring River In The Oregon Cascade Mountains
Roaring River In The Oregon Cascade Mountains
Roaring River In The Oregon Cascade Mountains
Roaring River In The Oregon Cascade Mountains

We will head East out of Springfield, Oregon up the McKenzie Highway and hang a right and head South on Forest Service Road 19 for about 30 miles. Not to worry, it is an old haul road and is paved all the way. Now hang a left and head North on  Road 1958. It is a good rock road and was used as a haul road back in the 60's when they were logging up there. Take the first dirt spur road to the right after you pass Crossing Way. It is the road that went up to the landing where the hauled the logs up the hill and stacked them for loading onto the log trucks. Now Open Your Eyes  and look around. Your view is to the North East. The three largest mountains from left to right are the North, Middle and South Sisters. (The South is growing every day due to pressure build up. She is a sleeping volcano.) You can see two other peaks to the left kind of over the top of that tree in the foreground. They are Mount Washington and Jefferson.

I know the midday lighting wasn't the best to shoot in and I am going to get back up there when we have some good sunset lighting and reshoot this. I also want to shoot it when the thunderstorms are brewing over there.

OK... sorting and thinning is done. Time to play in the digital darkroom.

"There's...someTHING... on the WING....Gremlins! Gremlins! I'm not imagining it, he's out there! Don't look, he's not out there now. He jumps away whenever anyone might see him, except me."

Portrait of a frightened man: Mr. Robert Wilson, thirty-seven, husband, father, and salesman on sick leave. Mr. Wilson has just been discharged from a sanitarium where he spent the last six months recovering from a nervous breakdown, the onset of which took place on an evening not dissimilar to this one, on an airliner very much like the one in which Mr. Wilson is about to be flown home--the difference being that, on that evening half a year ago, Mr. Wilson's flight was terminated by the onslaught of his mental breakdown. Tonight, he's travelling all the way to his appointed destination which, contrary to Mr. Wilson's plan, happens to be in the darkest corner of the Twilight Zone

Alright.... for those too young to know what I'm talking about, this was from an episode of the Twilight Zone called Nightmare at 20000 Feet starring William Shatner.

This was my flight heading to Portland , Oregon to take my grandchildren home. This is the first time Iv'e been on a plane in 20 years.The view was remarkable!

Coming home was just as beautiful. The sun was refelcting on the Pacific Ocean, and a little later, I caught this... Felt like WWIII to me.

[Something extra....]

    Just before I left home, Janet had said jokingly to me "Make sure no cute girls sit next to you on the flight back!"...
"uh.. okay.."
Well...one did. I was aready sitting next to the window when she walked down the aisle, came up to me and asked me" May I sit here ?"
What was I supposed to say.. NO ??
" Sure..have a seat."
In conversation, she turned out to be a freelance graphic designer, or something like that, where she takes stock photos or photos from clients and sets the fonts and spacings in the paragraphs to make the advertising look perfect. I had mentioned that I'm a photographer as well. We suggested a joint venture, that if she is in need of certain images, that she would contact me for photos. Sounds fun.She had her Macintosh laptop with her, and showed me some special effects that she uses.
   One of them was wicked...
It's a photo of mine that I took of her laptop with that effect!

Canon 20D

First Time:
Exposure: 1/8000 sec    
Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 28 mm
ISO Speed: 800  

Pacific Ocean:
Exposure: 0.003 sec (1/400)
Aperture: f/10
Focal Length: 70 mm
ISO Speed: 100
 
This:
Exposure: 0.002 sec (1/500)
Aperture: f/14
Focal Length: 18 mm
ISO Speed: 800

Wicked
Exposure: 0.067 sec (1/15)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 46 mm
ISO Speed: 400

Back to last Tuesday on the Oregon Coast.

This is what happens when you have a -0.9 low tide.

You get to see lots of things that are hidden most of the time.Color below the water line.

There is plenty of life at the water line too. Where's lunch?

And they call it Seal Rock because?

Hope you enjoy. Next time it's back to the Cascades
mike

A little different than you see in much of the country.... Central Oregon Fence Line. This is the line I crossed to get the shots of the old house and seeder last weekend.  

...before TV and the Internet people found many different ways to entertain themselves and others. Often it included sitting around the house singing or playing a piano. It could have been anything from gospel ragtime.

In the past while shooting the old houses in Central Oregon I stayed behind the fence line. Now with a for sale sign on the place I figured a closer look couldn't hurt. I'm glad I did. While not pretty, covered with dust and bird droppings and with all of it's keys missing, if it could talk... the stories it could tell.

Hope you enjoy,
Mike

I managed to sneak out of the yard sale from hell for a few hours this morning to do a bit of shooting. I left the house in a black and white frame of mind.

Trying to work on mom in-laws computer and a 15" monitor so just one shot for now.

Old House and Seeder

Hope you enjoy
Mike... somewhere in Central Oregon for a while