Archives

Happy Valentine’s Day to you all! I hope you’re enjoying time with your loved ones (and yourself), and have had a chance to celebrate in a way that makes you happy. Nathan and I ran away to the beach over the weekend and had a great, quiet time together enjoying some blustery walks.

I’m sending very special wishes to my 2011 couples who are celebrating their first married Valentine’s Day this year (some of you are below). Cheers to you all, and many happy years to come! To my 2009 and 2010 couples, many happy returns and love to you all! I thought of all of you today.

Tiffany & Chance:

Erica & Ronak:

Kaetlyn & Tom:

Erica & Jim:

Sarah & Patrick:

Holly & Greg:

Kristin & Casey:

Mandy & Paul:

And lastly, all my love to my valentine, Nathan, who sticks with me through thick and thin (and even married this crazy girl!):

Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone

Nathan and I made a trip to Wyoming last week to pick up a wedding ring from his grandmother (I’m honored that she’d give it to us–wearing a family heirloom is fantastic). As always, the scenery was beautiful and we were able to make some fun stops on our way home. We were a lot more crunched on time than usual with my schedule, but without the standard drive to Canada, it felt just as long as usual.

We left Portland and drove to Boise for dinner, then on to Twin Falls in Idaho to sleep. We got up early the next morning to visit Shoshone Falls, a favorite stop and well worth the $3, before driving on to Salt Lake City. Utah felt very familiar by this time, as I’d just been there the week before for a scheduled trip to Zion National Park for a wedding.

After a stop at a favorite deli in SLC, we powered on through Wyoming. Despite the length of that drive, Wyoming has some incredible scenery along I-80 and I always look forward to seeing the hills.

Turning off in Rawlins, we headed north toward Casper. The road between the two towns is breathtaking–the hills off in the distance glow with purples and blues, and the expansive prairie is truly jaw-dropping. We stopped at Independence Rock, a favorite place of mine from my Oregon Trail game-playing days as a child, where we provided dinner for some hungry mosquitoes and deer flies, much to my discontent and itchiness. There were two Chinese tour buses parked there, and the occupants were having a wonderful time taking pictures of the rock and surrounding areas. We saw some adorable little rabbits running about and sunning themselves.

We spent two days with Nathan’s grandmother at her beautiful old house in a tiny town. Nathan’s grandfather and several other relations are buried there as well. It’s a peaceful place where I love the silence and starry nights. I usually find a friendly herd of horses to snuggle with while there, and can never get enough of the crazy-colored sunsets and rolling, beckoning hills. It’s terribly difficult to leave, as I inevitably want to don cowboy boots, a hat, proper clothes, and work on a ranch for a year. Hard work, to be sure. But such an experience.

We headed off to Yellowstone on Wednesday morning, bright and early. By the time we got to the park, the campgrounds had filled and the backcountry office had closed for permits. We snuck down to see the Tetons and camp in our favorite campground there, Lizard Creek. We snagged a gorgeous little walk-in campsite and made dinner, and then I went out to take some pictures of Jackson Lake.

The expanse of that lake with the towering peaks of the Tetons above it makes me incredibly happy. I always want to sit and absorb it all, pushing everything out of my mind but being there. I can usually carry that feeling home with me and infect my daily stress with that peace. The quiet, the cold of the wind, the sliver of moon–it makes everything right.

The next morning, we went to the backcountry office in Yellowstone and found a hike above the Old Faithful basin, around Grand Prismatic. A campground (called OD4) was tucked above a waterfall, close to a huge, off-the-beaten-path geyser. We had plenty of time, so we took some long walks around a couple of the geyser basins and ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at a picnic ground with our feet in the river. Puffy, cotton ball clouds soared above us in the blue, blue sky.

Ready to hike and camp, we strapped on our large backcountry packs and started down the trail, wrapping behind Grand Prismatic and watching the rainbow-colored steam rise off the geyser. It took a bit to get acclimated, being around 85 degrees and 8000′ of elevation. My body wasn’t excited about the whole thing for about the first mile and a half. After that, my breathing settled in and everything felt much better.

We reached the stunning Fairy Falls and I, of course, had to get in. Stripping off my backpack, rolling up my pants and ditching my sunhat, I leaped into the pool at its base and scrambled up the rocks as close to it as I could without getting knocked off by the 197′ of falling water. I felt incredible, and Nathan and I had an awesome time monkeying around in the water for awhile. Quite a few day hikers were stopped as well. Gorgeous spot!

We refilled our water bottles and headed on to find our campsite. We had already passed another site, OD1, on the way to the falls. The backcountry sites are equipped with bear poles and food preparation areas, a full football field length away from where you put your tent. The bears are super-active this year, and we were prepared to sling up our backpacks with rope.

The mosquitoes had started to wander around with enthusiasm, along with deer flies. We put on bug spray, but managed to both look like Pigpen in Charlie Brown as we collected our own private posse of bugs swarming about. Ugh. We couldn’t wait to get away from them and find our campsite.

Only, we couldn’t find it. We zig-zagged back and forth through the area it was supposed to be in, and there was no sign of it. No bear pole, no fire area. No sign, except an unhelpful hand-scrawled note on a trail marker that mentioned the site, just not where it was. The bugs were getting worse. We went up to Imperial Geyser, which is stunning and we had to ourselves, and spent some time fending off bugs and enjoying the eruptions.

More zig-zagging trying to find OD4, then we decided to go back to OD1. We figured it would be better, further away from the meadow so soaked with bugs. Shlepping ourselves the miles back to the campsite, we discovered it was no better. We’d have to eat in our tent and move the damn thing. I really hate mosquitoes and get long-lasting, itchy bites. The prospect of this adventure and trying to sleep with a swarm of bugs outside was really icky. We discussed it, and headed back toward the car. So frustrating.

The walk back was tough. Everything hurt after carrying all that weight and my camera gear, nearly twice the distance we thought we’d do in one day. 8000′ takes a lot out of me after awhile. We finally got back to the car and decided, since it was so late, to get a room in West Yellowstone if we could and camp the next night in Montana.

We stopped at the Grand Prismatic basin on the way out and I lost my fuzzy little camera nerd mind. It was stunning beyond words, especially with the moody sky behind the geysers and swirling mist. Amazing. Just amazing.

We lucked out and found a room, and had pizza, which (honestly) solves most everything. Our joints were still super-achey, but we got to sleep quickly and I had some fascinating dreams about trying desperately to find things that just weren’t there.

The next night, we camped in the Lolo National Forest near Missoula along one of the most beautiful river areas I’ve ever seen (Rocky Creek). The stars were incredible, there were nearly no bugs, and the bats zoomed about enthusiastically (obviously taking good care of any bugs who did sneak around). We woke up the next morning to a hilarious and beautiful doe who spiraled around our campsite, lusting our oatmeal.

It was a fantastic trip. I hope you enjoy the photos. The geysers were far more incredible than I’ve ever seen before, largely due to that dramatic lighting. Yellowstone is an amazing place.

Cheers!

Casper plains, Wyoming

Excelsior Geyser, Yellowstone

Hills outside Little America, Wyoming

Nathan and my new Golf along a gorgeous road outside Casper, Wyoming

Independence Rock, outside Casper, Wyoming

Wyoming plains

Off Mormon Canyon, Wyoming

Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone

Horses in Montana

I wish I could do that, without being afraid of ticks

Near Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone

Grand Tetons and Jackson Lake

Grand Tetons and Jackson Lake

Imperial Geyser, Yellowstone Backcountry

Lakeshore Geyser along Yellowstone Lake, at record flood stage

Near Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone

Click photos for larger versions.

I have a tradition of going to the Portland International Rose Test Garden (or just the Rose Garden as we call it in Portland) early in the morning on my birthday to shoot macro pictures. Monday, I kept my tradition, even with the late/cold spring only inviting a few flowers out to bloom. I absolutely adore macro photos with flowers, and I can spend hours at it. It’s like photographic meditation as you explore sides and petals and shadows. It’s easy to get lost. Everything is so incredibly beautiful, and I always feel I might miss something if I don’t explore every petal.

The Temple of Sinawava – Seasonal waterfall

Two years ago, I paid a whirlwind visit to Zion on a Saturday due to a business trip in Vegas. It was incredibly rushed, as I had to get back to Vegas for an evening flight. I crammed a lot in, including a visit to The Subway and a dunking under a waterfall. I was looking forward to a much less rushed trip this time (three full days to spend rambling), plus scouting for a wedding I am shooting there at the end of June.

I had packed summer clothes, only to have it pour rain, snow and be gusty for most of the time I was there. The weather couldn’t have been more dramatic for photography, and I got to know an entirely different mood of the park. My first visit had been hot and largely blue-skied. This time, I was repeatedly soaked and covered in sandy red mud, especially during a torrential, biblical downpour at The Emerald Pools. Us Oregonians can sure rock the Drowned Rat Chic when we need to.

Zion is an incredible park. Its towering red sandstone rocks, raging river and ever-changing mood makes for an amazing sight no matter what the time of year.

The Watchman – from Canyon Junction

The Temple of Sinawava – Seasonal waterfall blowing in the wind

The Emerald Pools from The Grotto Trail

Just above the middle Emerald Pool

Upper Emerald Pool (on my first visit, this waterfall wasn’t there)

The Lower Emerald Pool

Kolob Canyons Road – north side of the park

The Kolob Canyons

The Kolob Canyons, fresh snow

Cairns, marking the entrance to The Narrows (closed due to high water)

At the entrance to The Narrows

Rachel is such a medieval princess. Most days she might be wearing jeans, but we know better.

These are her portraits from Saturday’s trip to Forest Park, Dalton Point, Wahkeena Falls, and the Old Columbia River Gorge Highway. I’m more than a bit transported by these images. Her beauty matched with nature is precisely why I adore shooting outside. The imagination can wander endlessly and make up its own fairytales about her.

Floral headwreath by Studio Del Fiore, Blue by Enzoani dress from Magnifique Boutique.