On Saturday evening we drove out to Benson again so I could photograph. Here are a some of the evening's fruits:
Cottonwoods, Ditch, Benson, Utah, 2016
Cottowoods, Bear River, Benson, Utah, 2016
Cottonwoods, Benson, Utah, 2016
Cattails, Benson, Utah, 2016
Live and Fallen Cottonwood Trees, Benson, Utah, 2016
Cottonwood Trees on the Banks of Bear River, Benson, Utah, 2016
The day after I went out to the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, which was also Easter Sunday, Gina and I headed up to Grace, Idaho to photograph. It's only an hour and fifteen minutes away, and in all my 8 years of living here in Logan, I'd never made the drive to visit the place—it was my first time there since 2007 when my friend Jon Long and I made a trip down there. But a little while before this most recent trip, I knew I needed to return again, and Gina and I made plans to do so.
Aqueduct and Highway 34, Bear River, Grace, Idaho, 2016
Grace Dam, Idaho, 2016
Grace Dam, Idaho, 2016
Grace Dam, Idaho, 2016
A couple weeks ago, I went out to the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, accompanied by my father-in-law while Gina watched the LDS General Women's Conference broadcast.
As I mentioned in my last post, Gina and I went out there on our third date. It was my first time ever going there, and I knew that the place had a lot of potential for some really great photographs. The way the land has been altered, and the way the Bear River has been diverted and channelled really draws me in. Since around my time in college, I've been intrigued as to how we humans interact and change the land around us, for better or worse. And as I've been out photographing periodically over the last three or four weeks, I've ended up along the Bear River. Most of the time it's been intentional; I love to photograph water—I always have, ever since I first started learning how to really operate a camera and control exposure. There is a part of me that is concerned that that subject matter is low hanging fruit for me, creatively. It's pretty easy to make a good photograph of water. The land around Cache Valley still remains a challenge to me. Back in 2013, I discussed some of the challenges I faced in dealing with the landscape of Cache Valley, and I think I still struggle with it a little. At least when it comes to subjects of photographs that aren't rivers or streams or other bodies of water. One side of me says to not worry about it and to just stick with what I'm good at. And there's nothing really bad about that. I think it's a valid argument. But there's also part of me—a large part—that realizes that there's no growth in doing only what you're comfortable with.
But, I'll stop rambling for now, and get on with the photographs:
Bear River, East Pass, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Utah, 2016
Old River Channel, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Utah, 2016
Bear River, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Utah, 2016
Bear River Diverted Into Four Channels, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Utah, 2016
A little over a year ago, Gina and I went on our third date out to the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge west of Brigham City. While driving around after we had walked around for a bit, I stopped a few times to make a few photographs. This is the best one:
Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Utah, 2015
Sunday, I was in the mood to go out and photograph after church, so Gina and I loaded the car and headed out. I had in mind to end up in the Preston area, but in a roundabout way. We headed out to Benson, and then turned the car north towards Idaho. We went through Amalga, and Trenton, and through the Bear River Bottoms Wildlife Management Area, and on through Cornish and then Preston. I'm starting to get a few more ideas for a project bouncing around in my head, and I feel like I'm getting a good amount of images to use as a foundation to whatever I decide to do.
Bear River, Amalga, Utah, 2016
Bear River Bottoms Wildlife Management Area, Utah, 2016
In my last post, I lamented how I felt I'd turned my back on my photographic education and friends and mentors I made and gained along the way, and I said I wanted to change that. I also mentioned that I went out last Saturday with the sole purpose of making photographs. Here are my two favorites from that evening:
Boat Launch, Bear River, Benson, Utah, 2016
Cutler Marsh Near Benson Marina, Cache Valley, Utah, 2016
Last night Gina and I loaded up the car and headed back out to Benson, which is only about 10 minutes away. Instead of taking the tactic from last Saturday and drive from one spot to another, I decided to just go to one spot and stay there the entire evening. I think the exercise was fruitful. And even after about an hour of photographing there, I know there are many more hours of photographing to do just at that one location. Edward Weston spent much of his life photographing Point Lobos; he made 29 other photographs of peppers until he finally made Pepper No. 30 (part of me wonders if he finally thought "Eureka!" or if he continued with Peppers No. 31, 32, 33, etc...). Ansel Adams did the same with Yosemite. After years and years in those same places, they still continued to find new photographs to express the way they felt about those places. Back in college when I was living in Rexburg, Idaho, I returned time after time to Texas Slough. Something about that little body of water spoke to my soul. This is my favorite photograph from 2004:
Texas Slough, Idaho, 2004
It was so cold, and my fingers fumbled around trying to work my new 5x7 camera, and I stood shivering as I focused, took a light meter reading, and then waited the couple minutes while the film was exposed.
Like I said, I felt pretty successful last night. I took some of the lessons learned from Saturday's outing, and came away with stronger images. At least, I feel more confident in them.
Marsh, Benson, Utah, 2016
Marsh, Benson, Utah, 2016
Pallet Pathway, Benson, Utah, 2016
I think I've found my "pepper" in this next photograph. That huge limb that's lying just above the water really drew me in, but this photograph (while I like it quite a lot) doesn't really emphasize that limb the way I'd hoped. I guess I'll have to go back and keep trying however many times it takes to get it right.
Bear River, Benson, Utah, 2016
Setting Crescent Moon, Marsh, Benson, Utah, 2016
Last week, my friend and former photography professor, Darren Clark, nominated me to participate in a Facebook hashtag "campaign," #challengeonnaturephotography, where, for seven days, you post a nature or landscape photograph with that hashtag, and then nominate someone else to participate. As I've done so, I've had the opportunity to think back on my college education, and what I've been doing with myself photographically since then. Here are some lessons learned and thoughts I've had, in no particular order, over the past seven days (all the images I shared on Facebook are included at the end of this post):
Anyway, on with the images.
Day 1:
Swift Slough, Cache Valley, Utah, 2009
Day 2:
Dam, Blacksmith Fork River, Utah, 2010
Day 3:
Boat Launch, Bear River, Benson, Utah, 2016
Day 4:
Goblin Valley, Utah, 2009
Day 5:
Rye Crisp, Elephant Rock, City of Rocks, Idaho, 2010
Day 6:
Scott and Jon Photographing Thousand Springs, Idaho, 2004
Day 7:
Pond, Footpath, Memorial Park, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2007
Bow River, Banff National Park, July 2015
I have to explain the following image and why it looks the way it does. Our first day in Banff National Park, we went for a walk down to Bow Falls, just outside of downtown Banff. While we walked, I would stop to make photographs, and I stopped to make this one. I got the tripod set up, and composed the photograph, and got the exposure figured out. It would be a six second exposure, with my neutral density and polarizer filter on. So, I started the exposure, and turned my back just real quick to see what Gina was doing. I only had my back turned away for one second. It was just one of those quick turns. When I turned back, I turned just in time to see the tripod tipping over. I jumped to try to save the camera from crashing to the ground, but I was too late. My camera face-planted right into the dirt. The fall crunched the two filters, and bent the front of the lens in (I was using a Tokina 12-24mm), sort of like a bike wheel after a real bad bike wreck. As far as I can tell the glass of the actual lens is ok, but with the front of the lens bent in the way it is, I can't get the filters off to really check out the glass. Even if I could get them off, I wouldn't trust the lens to be able to focus and operate properly. The camera body itself is ok, thank goodness. And I did finally just get a replacement, but this time, I got the Nikon 12-24mm. I should have just gone with that one to begin with, since the Tokina had some issues (chromatic aberration being the worst) that I had to fight a lot. But, I guess it's good that the cheaper Tokina got smashed, and not the more expensive Nikon.
The whole ordeal could have been prevented if I'd have checked a bit better on the stability of the tripod. While I had my hands on the camera, it was fine, but its center of gravity was forward enough that once I let go, gravity was allowed to do its thing. So, kids, learn from me and check your tripods.
This is the last photograph that lens made:
Bow River Through Broken Glass, Banff National Park, July 2015
Luckily, I had my Nikon 24-120mm lens, so I wasn't shut down from making photographs with a real camera, instead of finishing the trip with my phone's camera. Unfortunately, that lens was still in the hotel room. And, years ago dust got into the focus mechanism, so it won't autofocus, but it works, and it got me by for the rest of the trip.
Tree Roots Exposed by High Water, Bow River, Banff National Park, July 2015
Lake Louise, Banff National Park, July 2015
Aquaduct, Louise Creek, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, July 2015
Lake Louise, Banff National Park, July 2015
Johnston Creek, Banff National Park, July 2015
Johnston Creek, Banff National Park, July 2015
Johnston Creek, Banff National Park, July 2015
Johnston Falls, Banff National Park, July 2015
Johnston Creek, Banff National Park, July 2015
Johnston Creek, Banff National Park, July 2015
Johnston Canyon, Banff National Park, July 2015
Johnston Canyon, Banff National Park, July 2015
Johnston Creek, Banff National Park, July 2015
Cameron Creek, Waterton Lakes National Park, July 2015
Cameron Creek, Waterton Lakes, National Park, July 2015
Cameron Creek, Waterton Lakes National Park, July 2015
Cameron Creek, Waterton Lakes National Park, July 2015
Cameron Creek, Waterton Lakes National Park, July 2015
Cameron Creek, Waterton Lakes National Park, July 2015
Cameron Creek, Waterton Lakes National Park, July 2015
Cameron Falls, Waterton Lakes National Park, July 2015
Waterton Lakes National Park, July 2015
Blakiston Creek, Waterton Lakes National Park, July 2015
Blakiston Creek, Waterton Lakes National Park, July 2015
Well, it's been almost six months since Gina and I got married, and it's been awesome! I've meant to post these photographs I made while we honeymooned in Glacier National Park, Waterton Lakes National Park, and Banff National Park for, well, almost six months. But, blogging hasn't been a huge priority...
Because I'm publishing a lot of photographs, I'll make three separate posts for each Park.
Anyway, on with the photographs:
Boat Dock at Lake McDonald, Glacier National Park, July 2015
McDonald Falls, McDonald Creek, Glacier National Park, July 2015
McDonald Creek, Glacier National Park, July 2015
McDonald Falls, McDonald Creek, Glacier National Park, July 2015
Cedars, Trail of the Cedars Nature Trail, Glacier National Park, July 2015
Avalanche Gorge, Glacier National Park, July 2015
Avalanche Gorge, Glacier National Park, July 2015
Avalanche Gorge, Glacier National Park, July 2015
Trail of the Cedars, Glacier National Park, July 2015
Bird Woman Falls, McDonald Creek, Glacier National Park, July 2015
Mayor's Pond, Brigham City, Utah, 2015
Okay, different may not be the best word. Maybe unexpected is better.
I don't typically post things from my personal life on here. Sure, I share experiences and thoughts from hikes and fishing outings, but I've mostly been a closed book when it comes to what's going on in my everyday life (partly because my everyday life is pretty mundane). But this particular thing is big and important enough that I thought I needed to share it.
On that note, welcome to a glimpse of my personal life.
I probably threw a lot of people for a loop when, on April 28, I posted on Facebook and Instagram that I was engaged. Not many people even knew I was dating anyone.
So, how did it all happen?
Back in September or October I decided to check out an app called Tinder. I'd heard about it before, and I'd always looked upon it with no small amount of disdain. For you who don't know what Tinder is, it is a dating app for smartphones that was originally created with the "one night stand" or the "hook up" in mind. Once you've created a profile, which is done by pulling info from your Facebook account, you can specify a few parameters for the kind of person you want to meet, as well as a proximity. From there, you're presented with other users (just a photo, really) that match those parameters. If you like a person, you can swipe right, or left if you don't like them. It can all be pretty superficial, and shallow, but, you can click through a person's profile and read their short bio and look at additional photos if they have any. If you like a person who has also liked you, you're matched with them, and after that, the two can message each other. If you don't like a person, they're never any the wiser, as they don't get any sort of notification that someone has swiped left on their profile.
Eventually the app became a legitimate dating tool for more than just the "one night stands". So, one evening I was bored and decided I'd give the app a look. I installed it, and set up a profile, and started swiping. For the sake of brevity, I'll say that nothing happened for months. Well, nothing serious. I was matched up with a few girls here and there, but nothing ever turned out from it. It didn't take long for me to lose a lot of interest in the service, but I'd still check in every week and a half to two weeks.
Now fast forward to February 15. I had just finished getting ready for church, and sat down on my couch to kill a few minutes before I left, and decided to just check Tinder, since it'd been about two weeks or more since my last check in. I went through a few profiles (swiping left) and then happened upon a certain girl named Gina that I thought was pretty. I never really liked to just swipe right—or left, for that matter—without reading their bio first. It just felt like I was giving the person a bit of a fighting chance if I read about them before I liked or rejected them. Anyways...I saw this girl, and wanted to learn more, so I clicked on her profile. She said she liked to hike! And then I looked through her other photos, and really thought she was pretty! And, she was close by! So, I swiped right. But, as was so often the case with so many other "right swipes" I didn't expect anything to come of it. But to my surprise we were immediately matched! Now, this wasn't the first time that had happened. I'd swiped right and been immediately matched before, and I'd send the girl a message right away, but I'd never hear back. So, I almost didn't message this newest match, but I just knew I needed to message her immediately. So I did. I never really thought I was good at the whole self-introduction, icebreaker sort of thing, but I had to message this girl. So I wrote some message about where she liked to hike. And then I went to church. At this point, I can't remember if she messaged me back while I was at church or shortly after I got home, but we spent the rest of the day messaging each other back and forth. It turned out that she was from Brigham City, but she was living in Idaho Falls and she was down visiting family. As the day progressed, and the end of it approached, I knew I had to find a way to meet this girl. The following day was President's Day, and I knew a lot of people had the day off (I didn't), so I asked about setting up a date for after work in Brigham, and she accepted.
I got to the restaurant at 5:30 exactly, and texted Gina to tell her I was there. But I didn't hear back from her. I kept scanning the parking lot as I sat in my car for a girl sitting in her car, but couldn't see anyone. After about 5 minutes of waiting, I decided to just go in and see if she was there. And she was. And she was even prettier in real life than she was in her pictures. We got seated, and then started talking. And talking. And talking some more. I was almost annoyed that I actually had to eat, and not talk with her. In fact, I only ate half my meal and said I was full just so I could talk with her more. She still had to drive up to Idaho Falls that night, so I had intended on it being a sort of short date...however, almost two and half hours later, I knew I very reluctantly needed to let her get on the road. So, we said goodbye and drove away. And like a stupid chicken, I let her go without even mentioning a second date! I knew I wanted to see her again, but was too scared to bring up or ask about a second date. Luckily, though, about half-way through Sardine Canyon on my way back to Logan I got a text from her thanking me for dinner. And there was my window of opportunity. I told her she was welcome and asked if she wanted to do it again some time. And she said yes!
Just after we knew for sure we wanted to get married.
To keep a long story short, we went on that second date. And then a third... And then a fourth... Things just felt so natural and right with Gina. Before long we knew marriage was on the table. On April 11, we went for a hike up Kelly Canyon. We were hoping to start at a different point than we did. There was still some snow on the road, so we had to just start right at the ski resort and go from there. Let me tell you now, this girl can hike. I like to keep a fast pace, but I think she could keep a faster one. So we walked along, trying not to slip on the snow, when there was a good clear opening off to the side of the road, and we decided to take a breather there. As we rested and hugged each other, I told her "my mind's made up. I want to marry you." And she replied "sounds good!" And then we realized what had just happened. I didn't mean for that to be the proposal, but it sort of was. Unofficially.
Just after we got engaged for real, but before it started raining.
Once we got back into town, we went an shopped around for rings. We didn't find any that we absolutely loved, but I at least got an idea of what she liked. Thanks to Pinterest and Etsy, I got some good inspiration for designing a ring, and got it ordered the following Monday, and it was finished a week later. On April 23, Gina came down to Logan, and we decided to go for a hike up Green Canyon. It was cloudy, and it looked like it was going to rain any second. We started up the trail (with a shiny new engagement ring in my pocket) at our usual quick pace, all the while scanning for a nice secluded spot for me to pop the question. We finally came to a good turning around point, and we started to head back, but we didn't even take one step before I pulled her close and kissed her, then told her I had something to ask her. I fished the ring out of my pocket, got down on my knee and asked her to marry me. And she said yes!
Things only seem crazy when I look at a calendar, and see how little time has elapsed. But, like I said before, things have just felt so right every step of the way with Gina. The Lord knew when we needed to meet and He knew we needed to be with each other for Eternity, and I can't wait to start a new life with her. She inspires me to be the very best man I can be, and I love her absolutely.
Thanks to my sister(-in-law) Hailey for our engagement photos!
Creek in Spring Hollow, Utah, 2015
Maple Trees in Spring Hollow, Utah, 2015
Last week I got to go to Seattle for the first time in eight years to see the Avett Brothers in concert. Yeah, I know, Seattle is a long way to go just to see a band, but the Avett Brothers are no ordinary band!
For those of you who don't know, my brother got Leukemia while in South Korea in the Army in 2004. After treatment at Madigan Army Medical Center at Fort Lewis in Tacoma, the cancer went into remission, but some months later, it relapsed, and the only chance of getting rid of it then was to do a bone marrow transplant. So, while in my very last semester of college, I went up while he went through that treatment at the VA Hospital in Seattle. At that time I was in the middle of my Parks project for my BFA, and I got to photograph a lot of the parks in and around Seattle. While I was there last week, I took the opportunity to go back to a few of those parks and rephotograph some of the original scenes from 2005.
This one is really the only "re-photograph" I made. The rest are all new images.
Magnolia Park
Magnolia Park
Puget Sound, Discovery Park
Puget Sound, Discovery Park
Along the road, I snapped a few photos with my phone (for those of you who follow my Instrgam feed, some of these will look familiar):
Somewhere in Oregon
Crossing into Washington
The concert, as the Avetts always are, was amazing!
On Sunday, after church we drove down to Redondo, a place on Puget Sound with a nice boardwalk. It was still a nice place for a photograph.
I didn't realize how much I missed Seattle until I went back. It's such an awesome city, and it was hard for this good thing to end, as all good things must, as the saying goes.
The last couple years, me and my dad and brothers have gone fishing up on the Fall River and sometimes the Henry's Fork, and this year we turned it into a full on family vacation.
We stayed at the Coffee Pot Campground on the Henry's for two gorgeous nights, though the second was rainy the whole night.
When we arrived, the fish were rising and we rushed to line our rods and get in the water to see what the fish were feeding on. It turned out there was a small Green Drake hatch with a few caddis and PMD's, and we tied our flies on and tossed them out. I missed every strike I had, but my brother managed to hook and land a fish.
We fished for the rest of the afternoon and into the evening, and enjoyed the lovely Island Park sunset.
Sunset at Coffee Pot Campground, Island Park, Idaho 2013
I also couldn't resist photographing the full moon rise.
Moonrise, Island Park, Idaho 2013
I woke up early the next morning and made a few photographs. And I should point out that I just love being able to carry a darkroom in my pocket. My camera phone and the myriad of photography apps I have come in really handy if I don't want to carry my DSLR.
Sunrise, Coffee Pot Campground, Island Park, Idaho, 2013
Fallen Tree, Henry's Fork, Island Park, Idaho 2013
We had breakfast, and sat around at camp before we decided to go to Big Springs and look at the fish, but there were only three or four, and they weren't the behemoths that have been there in the past. We heard a couple different possible reasons for their disappearance, including the sea gulls just pushing them out, and them being illegally fished.
Fallen Trees, Big Springs, Island Park, Idaho 2013
After Big Springs we picked up a few flies at the Trout Hunter Fly Shop and then headed to the Buffalo River, where we all managed to catch a few fish each. And, I'm actually proud to say I got outfished by my little sister on her first time with a fly rod.
While we were there, a pretty good sized Green Drake hatch came off.
Green Drake With Two Legs Missing, Buffalo River, Island Park, Idaho 2013
When we were done, determined partly by grumbling stomachs and rumbling thunder not far off, we headed back to camp, where it continued to rain for a few more minutes, then cooked dinner when it finally let up.
Afterwards, we sat and sang and played our instruments and visited with a good friend of ours who is working at the scout camp this summer, before we called it a night and went to bed.
Then Tuesday, after we packed up, we stopped at Upper Mesa Falls to make a few photographs. It'd been several years since I'd been there, so it was good to rephotograph these scenic falls.
Upper Mesa Falls, Henry's Fork, Idaho 2013
Henry's Fork Below Upper Mesa Falls, Idaho 2013
Upper Mesa Falls, Henry's Fork, Idaho 2013
Henry's Fork Below Upper Mesa Falls, Idaho 2013
Upper Mesa Falls, Henry's Fork, Idaho 2013
I always hate leaving that place, and it was no easier yesterday. It's a good thing I should be going back again in a couple weeks.
Last night I headed up Logan Canyon hoping to find a different spot than up Right Hand Fork, but the few places I had in mind (I wanted to stay down in the lower parts of the canyon) turned out to not be as good a spot for pitching a tent as I thought, so I ended up back in Right Hand Fork Canyon.
When I first got there, I hadn't really planned on photographing, but it didn't take long before I started seeing photographs that I knew I had better make under the unique conditions that had made me see the photographs in the first place. But, for the first time, I think ever, I was not at all pleased with the photographs I made of the stream. In stead, I quite liked the couple I made of the new plants that have begun to grow and turn the place from a drabby brown into a luscious green (ironically both of those photographs I've posted are in black and white).
I've always loved the images in the backpacking and climbing magazines of tents lit up from the inside, and I've always tried, and always failed at replicating them. Last night, after so much trial and error (that you only have one chance in 24 hours to test), I finally came away with one that worked.
Today, I helped out with the Forest Service put a fence back up that keeps the grazing cattle from destroying the terrain of and around Spawn Creek (see my last post). I met up with the group of people helping out at the Temple Fork parking lot, and while I waited, I had to make this photograph (with my phone, since I was too lazy to get the big camera and tripod out) of the lingering clouds that had dumped their rain all night.
Then, on my way back down the canyon back to civilization, I stopped and made this last photograph:
I think last night was the last night I'll spend in Right Hand Fork Canyon for a little while. I need to spend some time away from it in a new place. I feel my images there are becoming homogenous. Then again, photographing there under the morning light would help bring some variety to the work. Anyway, here are some images I made last night:
I had decided on hiking up Spawn Creek today, and was on the trail bright and early. Well, it was actually kind of dark, but plenty early. Spawn Creek is a small creek in the Temple Fork watershed. It drains into Temple Fork near the trail head to the Temple Fork Sawmill. And like Temple Fork, there are plenty of beaver ponds along the creek, with schools of Bonneville Cutthroat Trout that spook easily. I'll have to take my rod up there one of these days. It'll be a perfect test of how stealthy a fly fisher I am.
Temple Fork and Spawn Creek, along with the upper Logan River in the Franklin Basin, are spawning habitat for the Bonneville Cutthroat Trout. An old road used to parallel Temple Fork, and overgrazing, and general misuse of the land lead to poor water quality in the Temple Fork watershed. In 1999, the old road was removed, along with stream-side campsites, and the area was rehabilitated. Better grazing management practices were adopted. All this has served to greatly improve the health of Temple Fork and Spawn Creek, thus improving also, the health of the Logan River.
At the confluence of the Temple Fork and the Logan, there are two rectangular frames made of 4" diameter steel pipe, and a mesh fence. Since there are efforts to rehabilitate the native cutthroat trout in Right Hand Fork and Temple Fork, I assume, since there are no natural barriers, that these act as the barrier to the brown trout in the Logan River, preventing them from creeping up Temple Fork. I need to talk to the rangers at the Ranger Station and get some better info than just assumptions.
Three of the steel rectangles are placed above the confluence of Spawn Creek and Temple Fork. I assume these are there to direct the cutthroats up Spawn Creek, though I don't know why whatever conservation group would want to block Temple Fork. Again, I need to do some investigating.
I've always loved the scenery along the highway through Logan Canyon, but there is so much more to see in the Bear River Range and in order to see it, you have to get out of your car and walk, and only those willing to do so are blessed with the rewards of even more beautiful scenery, sounds and smells. I just can't wait for the trees and shrubs to regrow their leaves and the flowers to bloom. Rest assured, I'll be there with my camera when they do.